Jo Firestone is a writer and comedian who lives in New York City. You can watch her most recent comedy special, Good Timing, on Peacock. For more information, check out www.jofirestone.com.
Patrick attended one of Jo Firestone’s performances, bought her first novel, Murder on Sex Island, and Firestone autographed it!
During our Thanksgiving trip to New York City, I finished reading the book I brought (and foolish didn’t include a spare) so Patrick lent me Murder on Sex Island.
Murder on Sex Island is narrated by Marie Jones, a divorced ex-social worker. The one thing Marie is really really good at is solving puzzles. Marie also created a fictional persona named Luella van Horn, a glamorous private detective. Where Marie is drab and introverted, Luella is bold and brassy.
Sex Island is a hit TV show where a group of young men and women…have sex! Cameras are everywhere and the action is captures (and edited to network standards) and broadcast to the millions of eager viewers. But, when one of the cast members disappears, the producers of Sex Island hire Luella van Horn to go undercover on Sex Island as a contestant and solve the mystery.
Marie Jones disguises herself as Luella van Horn and flies to Sex Island to investigate. Luella has to deal with the lying producers, a sleazy director, and the conniving contestants who will do just about anything to win the $100,000 prize.
To enjoy Murder on Sex Island you have to be prepared to accept wild coincidences and a loopy plot. The ending hints at a sequel in the works so we may see more of Luella van Horn in the future. Mildly funny and entertaining! GRADE: C+
Networks have standards? Who wouldda thunk it?
The title may turn me off, but it will probably be a big seller among the junior high and high school crowd. the plot, htough, sounds interesting, so I read it if I have a chance…or maybe I’ll go for the somewhat-censored version, MURDER ON HEAVY-PETTING ISLAND.
Jerry, love MURDER ON HEAVY-PETTING ISLAND!
“The Petting Gets TOO Heavy!” Ernie Anderson would’ve made a meal of that.
SEX ISLAND? At least a network show unabashedly showing twenty-something idiots having sex would be more honest than the specious come-ons of the current “reality” garbage.
Fred, “specious come-ons” indeed! The networks invested in “reality” TV with the Writers and Actors on strike. But, as you point out, most of it was garbage.
Well, the CW has FBOY and FGIRL ISLAND series already..but the rose-giving series have been basically this with a layer of mawkish We’re Looking For True Love layer of nonsense laid on it as well.
The worst comedian’s novel I’ve tried to read are the two (I’m aware of) Penn Jillette coughed up…one intentionally bad sf, and more like an interminable novelet, but not at all amusing for that, and his more earnest attempt SOCK. Being a comedian-magician didn’t help, clearly. I’ll have to think what might be an impressively good one. Closest which comes to mind is Laura Kightlinger’s partially fictionalized memoir essays QUICK SHOTS OF FALSE HOPE https://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2010/07/fridays-forgotten-books-fast-lanes-by.html.
Todd, Jo Firestone’s first novel has the typical problems with pacing and characterizations, but she injects enough comedy and energy into the story to make it readable.
Sounds awful.
Jackie wants to know where the reviews of your New York shows are.
Jeff, I’ll be posting reviews of the Broadway shows starting on this Saturday. Diane is host her Book Club meeting today so the last week has been pure chaos as Diane took down all the Fall stuff and put up Christmas stuff. Plus the Christmas tree and baking the desserts for the Book Club meeting. I was moving furniture and taking boxes of Dianes decorations up and down the stairs. We should get back to what passes for Normal starting on Wednesday.
That’s what I was hoping for too. (What Jackie said)
Patti, I just need time to write the reviews. Getting the house ready for the Book Club meeting on top of decorating with all the Christmas stuff has eliminated all my Time. Diane’s Deep Cleaning and Baking absorbed all my Energy. Plus, I’m still recovering from the trip to NYC. I’m not used to all that walking!
Anent CPAPs, this is my first one with a nose cover and I’m wondering how to properly use it! Do you breathe in and out through the nose? In the nose and out the mouth? In the mouth and out the nose? In the mouth and out the mouth? In the nose and out the nose? Also, the air is Arctic! So far, I’m not loving this contraption!
Bob, you should INSIST that your CPAP provider include a HEATED humidifier. Mine is a Fisher & Paykel: https://www.cpapsupplyusa.com/catalog/product/view/id/598/s/fisher-paykel-hc150-cpap-heated-humidifier/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%28ROI%29%20PMax%3A%20Low%20Priority%20Products&utm_id=19683436314&utm_content=&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt8DRirb4ggMVyEByCh1i_AXKEAQYBSABEgLwgfD_BwE
You can also request HEATED hoses, too! I’m a nose breather, but I suppose mouth breathing will work, too. Insist that after a month or so, you want a report on your sleep interruptions and your REM sleep numbers.
I do have a heat hose! I’ll switch to it! There is no way to heat the water! Remember, I’m dealing with the VA!
Bob, you might be able to find a used heated humidifier online. It will make a big difference!