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Rest you merry
First published 1978 · 430 pages
A delightfully chaotic, curmudgeonly romp through academic absurdity and holiday murder.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like attending a faculty holiday party where the spiked eggnog has brought out everyone's most delightful eccentricities. It is a brisk, witty romp that balances the cozy comforts of a traditional village mystery with a sharp, satirical eye for academic absurdity. The narrative voice is wonderfully wry, filtering the chaotic, tinsel-draped setting through the perspective of a curmudgeonly protagonist who would rather be anywhere else. Yet, beneath the humorous exasperation and the slapstick holiday rebellion lies a genuine affection for its quirky cast of characters. It is a perfect read for those who love their mysteries light on gore but heavy on clever banter, ridiculous situations, and reluctant sleuths finding their footing in a snow-globe world gone mad.
- Mood
- cozy
- festive
- chaotic
- absurdist
- Tone
- wry
- satirical
- affectionate
- humorous
- eccentric
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- academic absurdity · reluctant heroism · holiday chaos · community eccentricities · finding unexpected purpose
- The writing
- Witty, articulate, and lightly satirical, with a flair for describing ridiculous situations with academic dryness.
- The arc
- The journey shifts from curmudgeonly annoyance and chaotic rebellion to engaged curiosity and a begrudging affection for an eccentric community.
- Who it's for
- Readers who delight in classic cozy mysteries featuring eccentric academic settings, curmudgeonly but lovable sleuths, and a healthy dose of holiday humor.
Content notes
- murder
- mild peril
About the book
For years, Professor Peter Shandy has been badgered in vain by Jemima Ames, Assistant Librarian and Annual Chairperson, to decorate his campus home for the Christmastime Grand Illumination, which is Balaclava Agricultural College's main fund raising event. Now he can hold out no longer. Goaded to madness, he buries his small brick house under an avalanche of plastic reindeer, flashing lights, and fake Santa Clauses, hooks up an amplifier blaring "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth," locks the switches at "on" and escapes to sea on a tramp steamer.
Shipwrecked and conscience-stricken, he crawls back to face his colleagues, and finds Jemima Ames dead on his living room floor. Police and security guards decide it's an accident, but Shandy suspects a crafty murder under the mistletoe. The good professor also suspects that he had better discover the truth without further wrecking the Illumination or the next corpse will be his....
Description from Open Library.
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