Dead Comic Standing [NOOK Book]

Recommended - if you like suspense, and mystery tempered with humour.

Karen is a new author who definitely deserves a look. Her book is set in western Canada and does an excellent job of holding your attention. Suspenseful and downright scary in places because of its realism. Well worth the money and time needed to give it a read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Dead Comic Standing by Karen H. Vaughan as reviewed by Timothy L

Dead Comic Standing by Karen H. Vaughan as reviewed by Timothy Louis Baker
Dead Comic Standing is something that begins slowly enough for you to get your balance in it. Then it picks up momentum and for the first about half of it there Karen has everything that every time by about the time you want something to happen then there it appears.
Whether it is what you wanted or not it is always down in print for the scene she portrays for you. Karen continues to ‘see the fire, feed the flames’ throughout her performance as a writer in Dead Comic Standing.
However for the second about half of her book she throws curves in there and twist after twist appear but Karen is not only giving you what you want, she is writing that you certainly do not expect nor have had any means of detecting or suspecting.
Karen shows great humorous sarcasm told with avid wit through the book and does so charmingly so you don’t forget that somebody is telling you the story and not just something that would happen somewhere around you that you would see and maybe be part of.
It is as though there is enough realty based told in the story that you know before you have completed all of the lines of the book that it is one of those ‘good fiction’ works that I consider that it could have taken place, “somewhere out there” in some parallel universe in real life.
The several twists Karen provides at the end of her work lead to the fact that it all looks like one big twist that has gone on for the previous part of the book and actually technically speaking they are.
The murders, the weapons, the characters responsible for representing all of this all match up but not until the end is all revealed. Those facts are not revealed earlier in Dead Comic Standing so that the suspenseful end is not given away and nowhere is there any clue to the very end until you get there. That is all hidden until you have progressed that far in the reading and with me, that’s the way it should be.
Frankly Dead Comic Standing is like a fireworks display with the procession that builds and builds, shows small finales before the greatest grand finale and ends with a lot of loud bangs one after the other each as grand as the finale in and of its own self. What wonderful writing Karen. Good luck.
Timothy Louis Baker

You'll Die Laughing!

Someone's lost his sense of humor and it's gonna be murder! A serial killer is stalking the comedians of Edmonton, seeming to choose his victims based on the fact he doesn't share their sense of humor.
Dave Feener, the first comic to die, is at the top of his game, but when he's stabbed, the killer tells him, "You just ain't funny!" Nothing like a little constructive criticism!

Comedienne Shelly has a comeback for everything. When a customer heckles her, she gives back as good as she gets. She's got a great routine, her comic star is rising. As the death count mounts, she begins to wonder what's wrong with the guy. Nervous, but not terrified, she continues working on her routines for Comic F/X. Soon, she finds herself falling for her boss, Jeff.

Jeff used to be a standup comic, but gave it up in lieu of starting his own club. He and his counterpart at the other comedy club, Laff Attack, have a friendly rivalry to see who can get the biggest crowd and the best comics. Unfortunately, both of them are losing their people as the serial killer continues.

Constables Lissa Cassway and Mike Borneo are investigating the murders. Despite their best efforts, the comic killer manages to kill again and again, making them wonder how he's managing to stay ahead of them. Will the tide turn in their favor? Or will the killer continue his deadly spree?

Karen Vaughan's novel, "Dead Comic Standing", is a wonderful look into the world of stand-up comedy. She mixes in funny comedic routines with the serious business of police work. Her characters sparkle, the story moves at a good pace as she builds to the climax of her tale.

I highly recommend "Dead Comic Standing" for anyone who likes a good mystery-or even a good joke.

DEAD COMIC STANDING: REVIEWED BY FRAN LEWIS

Dead Comic Standing
Reviewed by Fran Lewis

Some people think laughter is wrong. Others think that comedians are detrimental to the world and their own good. What happens when someone decides to knock off those that try and make us laugh? What would happen if there were no more funny men or women in the world? What would happen if the world were devoid of comics and the Last Man Standing had no one else waiting in line after him to make us smile? But, Dave Feener had no idea that when he left the stage it would be his last time and neither did Phil Vetters. Dave tore down the house at Laff Attak and Phil at Comedy F/X the clubs where they performed and neither realized that they were giving their final performance. The killer decided that neither man was funny but there would be more before the final joke was told and the killer was hopefully caught.

But, someone feels that he is the new comic critic and the body count is about to rise and the police department is on the look out for someone that feels comics need to die. When one of the police officer's brother's is the next victim, a young hopeful finds himself in critical care but the police get to the hospital too late no one realizes this guy is hiding in plain sight. Added to that the author brilliantly allows the reader to hear the inner thoughts and the killer's rationale for murdering everyone including his feelings for his mother who just happens to be one his victims. ?
As Jeff the manager of Laff Attak and Shelly a comedian get closer the killer becomes more enraged and has his own plans for both of them as he watches from a distance and goes unnoticed. Comic F/X and Laff Attak seem to be the two clubs he is targeting for now. What will happen next and will anyone not die laughing? Constables Mike Borneo and Lissa Cassway along with Phil's brother detective Vince Vetters are racing the clock to find this serial killer before he strikes again. Seeing his brother's body, having to inform his family and his wife's family of Phil's death was hard enough. However, he won't stop until he finds this guy takes him in and gets the revenge he so rightly wants to inflict on him. Stab wounds made with different knives and victims killed because they don't make him laugh the comedians in this town need definite protection.

The comics left standing wanted to ban together and have a fundraiser to help the families of the victims but the killer knew that too. His plan would be carried out during the festivities and the end result if not stopped catastrophic for more than just those trying to help and the comedians. Added to that the people of Edmonton needed to be on the alert at all times for this crazy man and the mayor and police chief wanted answers. The heat was rising on the police department and the comics.

The manager of one of the clubs knifed and more bodies on the rise as everyone prepared for the fest hoping big named comics would be present. But, the killer decided to give the police a run for their money and killed an older comedian and as usual left the night's playbill next to the victim, which should have alerted them to the fact that he might be part of the audience. But, Shelly is attacked on her way out of the club; a Good Samaritan helps her and turns up out of nowhere.

The fun part of the novel is that the author created dialogues and routines for each comedian so you can decide for yourself which ones are really funny and which are not causing t

Good murder mystery and funny

It's funny even though I don't care too much for murder mysteries but this one and her first one Dead on Arrival are both very good :D She is such a good humerous writer. I can't wait to see what she writes next. Buy this book