THE LAST LAUGH

by John R. Riggs ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1984

Garth Ryland, newspaper-editor in the very small town of Oakalla, gets wrapped up in some odd, creepy goings-on--after the death (an apparent heart-attack) and burial of Si Buckle, the burg's incorrigible practical joker. Si's diaries turn up, offering puzzling tales of pranks gone by. Meanwhile, Si's old prankster-chums--handsome Dr. Fran Baldwin, mortician Phil Chesterton--are behaving very strangely. . . as if they're being haunted by Si's ghost. And, indeed, a number of folks--including addled graveyard-keeper Ruben--claim to have seen Si alive! What's going on? Well, Garth isn't sure. But, after the suicides of both Phil and Fran, he pays a visit to the graveyard, asks questions about a long-ago prank (involving the three jokers and Ruben as victim). . . and uncovers the Truth--which involves both a grisly joke-gone-wrong and a nasty-old-joke avenged. An offbeat, imperfect, engaging debut: alternately folksy and grim, with a mild love-story (Garth adores Fran's wife Diana) and a persuasive layer of very-small-town atmosphere.

Pub Date: April 1, 1984

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dembner--dist. by Norton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1984

Categories: FICTION