LARRY'S POST-RAPTURE PET-SITTING SERVICE

In this comic novel, a man rescues the pets of vanished owners.

Larry Dinkelman is 34 and living with his mother when the rapture occurs. The virtuous ascend to heaven in “small tornados of whirling feathers,” but others aren’t so lucky: “mean-spirited and hurtful people exploded into flames.” Others remain on Earth who “knew they weren’t angels, and…were currently highly motivated not to be jerks.” Apparently, all dogs go to heaven, but plenty of other household pets are left behind. Larry and his mother, Marjorie, see an opportunity for a new business: They’ll rescue the pets of vanished owners. Larry mostly saves cats, and he’s scheduled to pick up a yowling Siamese when he meets Marcel Westmoreland, a 15-year-old looking for a job. Marcel’s father is a pastor, but his mother, the assistant pastor, was the one taken up. Larry and Marcel hit it off right away; Larry provides the wisecracks and Marcel, the brainy asides and $10 words. Meanwhile, Abigail, a televangelist, is trying to soothe her followers, drum up donations, and keep a secret: Her husband, Aaron, vanished in flames. When a friend of Marcel’s miraculously finds a dog, Abigail becomes convinced that the canine can help save her church: “They want a dog and hope for the future,” she says of her followers. The plot rumbles toward a showdown to decide whether Larry or Abigail should care for the world’s only pooch. Rice prioritizes the novel’s comedic tone, but occasional moments of sincerity soften its wry edge. A large and colorful cast of characters fills the novel, and their experiences and coping mechanisms in the rapture-altered world give the story a welcome variety of perspectives. The book’s moral world is simple—kindergarten teachers go to heaven, for example, and 200 members of Congress go to hell. Although the moments of humor hit more often than not, the sheer quantity of jokes inevitably leads to some duds. Larry’s jocularity helps hide his fear and unease, but at times, his insistence on comedy makes the overall story feel glib. Fortunately, Marcel’s character brings the emotional ballast the tale needs to stay steady.

A mostly successful romp featuring Christian lore and a love of animals.