The Shroud of the Thwacker [Hardcover]

Chris Elliott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2005

His name is Jack. And hes a nineteenth-century serial killer. But this Jack doesnt riphe thwacks. Jack the Jolly Thwacker is how hes known to history. Set in New York City in 1882, the story hilariously chronicles the adventures of police chief Caleb Spencer and his two cohorts, Evening Post reporter Liz Smith, and mayor Teddy Roosevelt, as they unravel the mystery of the worlds first (and most bizarre) serial killer. The elusive Thwacker dresses his victims in outlandish costumes, leaves behind taunting poetry, and leads the authorities on a wild chase through New York streets and scenes (complete with gas- powered wooden cell phones, carriages, gaslights, and Original Rays Pizzeria). Hot on the killers trail is, in a bizarre twist, Chris Elliott himself. Using historical records, he finds increasingly curious evidence that the killer might well be from the twentieth century. These investigations draw him literally into the case, as, in true Chris Elliott fashion, actual time travel comes into play.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The book debut from the Get a Life and Cabin Boy star is billed as a parody, but this murder mystery wrapped in laughter is simply straight-up enjoyable. Jack the Jolly Thwacker is leaving dead bodies all over 1882 New York City. Chris Elliott, a modern-day researcher, is tracking the serial killer through time. Elliott's wry humor fastens on the burgeoning, Boss Tweedified city, giving it a hilarious and vividly imagined set of anachronistic technologies and accoutrements (New York's Mayor Teddy Roosevelt, who has mysteriously disappeared, has a navel piercing). The narrative leaps back and forth in time, as 1882 police chief Caleb Spencer chases the Thwacker through the streets, and Elliott, convinced the killer is from the 21st century, chases him through time. Elliott's ability to time travel is facilitated by Yoko Ono (don't ask) and a willing suspension of disbelief, but the results are very amusing (if often infantile in the style of There's Something About Mary), with asides on every page that bring in everyone and everything from Typhoid Mary to Skyy Vodka. If Shroud feels like an extended, Americanized Monty Python skit, it's also a rousing good yarn.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Elliott is best known for his madcap appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and his small but juicy roles in such films as Groundhog Day. In his debut as a novelist, his veteran comedy-writer's skills come to the fore in a wacky murder mystery that sends up best-selling thrillers such as The Alienist and The Da Vinci Code. With all of New York City, circa 1882, as his playground, Jack the Jolly Thwacker is a demented serial killer with equally demented tactics. He dresses his victims in bizarre clothing and leaves behind poems taunting his pursuers. Hot on his trail are the city's police chief, an Evening Post reporter, and mayor Teddy Roosevelt, who actually was police commissioner then. Somehow, after blundering into a time machine while researching the unsolved mystery, Elliott himself gets entangled in the chase, and the real identity of the Thwacker is revealed. The time-travel element nudges Elliott's spoof into sf, but that doesn't mean fans of historical crime fiction won't get their kicks. Carl Hays
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Miramax; First Edition edition (October 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401352456
• ISBN-13: 978-1401352455
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,141,896 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great absurd read, November 17, 2005

By 

S. Brainard (amarillo, tx USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Shroud of the Thwacker (Hardcover)

Not being a great fan of Chris Elliot as a comedian, I feel he has found his medium as a writer. This is a terribly funny book. His characters are hilarious, reminds me of some of the great humorists of the late 20th century- Max Schulman for instance. Mr, Elliott's reference and use of modern situations in a previous age are sidesplitting.
This is a great gift for anyone who enjoys a good novel and a good laugh as well.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TOO, TOO FUNNY!, October 11, 2005

By 

Amy Belle (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shroud of the Thwacker (Hardcover)

Make no mistake about it, this book is silly. It is as far from sophisticated humor as you can get, but it is . . . hilarious! I was reading on the bus, laughing out loud, and people kept looking at me like I was crazy.

I'm a girl who happened to love Get a Life, and Chris's other TV appearances. We should encourage him to write more comic novels. Buy this book.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book I could not stop Laughing, October 5, 2005

By 

Jon B "Jon B" (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shroud of the Thwacker (Hardcover)

The man is a genuis If not then he is insane (yes there is a fine Line) The book is really great...Through out the Book It seems like you could hear Chris's goofy voice talking to you as you read it...For those of you who enjoy Chris's humor this is a must have...For those of you who do not its still a must have!!! I really cant say enough it is a Home Run!!!!

I have become a Chris Elliott Fan....More, More

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