Halloween is meant to be a fun time at the zoo. The keepers dress in costumes, there’s candy aplenty and the elephants are trained to stomp on pumpkins. This year turns out differently, though, when one of the elephants stomps on a pumpkin that is stuffed with a human head, unfortunately still attached to a human body. Zookeeper Hannah Lily is justifiably horrified at this incident, especially when the decedent is discovered to be Victor, the zoo’s beloved public-relations director. Though Hannah thinks zoo director Allison, Victor’s last girlfriend, will be upset about Victor’s death, Allison seems more concerned about the media response than anything else. Hannah can’t be that mad at Allison, since the new director has promised Hannah a wombat for the small-mammal exhibit. Hannah thinks this might make her boss, Chris, a little happier with Allison. He’s always seemed to hold a grudge against her, and Hannah would do almost anything to make him happy. In fact, Hannah’s becoming more aware of how much room she’d like to make in her life for Chris, who makes her insides feel like armadillo gruel. But these romantic reveries are put on hold when one of the sloths in the exhibit goes missing. Clearly, what’s been happening at the zoo is an inside job, and Hannah must do whatever it takes to keep the animals, and herself, safe.
Lombardi’s debut is predictable and formulaic, but the result is far more amusing than you’d expect.
