Stuffed [Mass Market Paperback]

Brian M. Wiprud (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2005

Leaping fishes. Prowling bobcats. Frosty penguins and mute moose heads...These are the things that fill Garth Carson’s life as he buys, sells, and rents exotic taxidermy from his funky New York City storefront. But now Garth and his gal, Angie, have acquired the most sinister stuffed critter in the world: a certain white crow in a bell jar that Angie swoons over–and that other people are dying to get their hands on.

When the crow is stolen, along with $50,000 worth of their best taxidermy, Garth and Angie are plunged into the spooky heart of old New England and a realm of crazed carnies, bumbling feds, and a couple of freshly snuffed collectors. To save their bird–and their lives–these two reluctant sleuths must penetrate a zany, highly illegal international treasure hunt...and confront a freak who has a thing for murder.

“The funniest tough-guy writer there is.”
–Lee Child

“Audacious and always original. Wiprud twangs funny bones I never knew I had.” –T. Jefferson Parker

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Garth Carson, the fast-talking, wisecracking New York taxidermy dealer of Wiprud's second mystery, Pipsqueak, goes on a dizzying and sometimes dangerous romp across multiple state lines in this equally zany sequel. When Carson purchases a white crow from a Vermont shop for his girlfriend Angie's birthday, it seems that nearly everyone, from the cops to the carnival freaks, wants to get their hands on the coveted dead bird. After masked men beat him up and steal all his prized animal wares, Carson becomes determined to find out why this white crow is ruffling so many feathers. With the help of Angie and his rough but well-meaning Russian handyman, Otto, Carson attempts to sort out the shady dealings in the underbelly of the taxidermy world. Wiprud's imagination runs wild here, and he skillfully brings the reader along as the plot moves more and more out into left field. His protagonist's frequent and eccentric musings about everything from the joy of cheap moose heads to the pain of parking signs add to the lighthearted tone, though some may be put off by the occasional rant. Agent, Alex Glass at Trident Media. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Wiprud’s imagination runs wild here.... a dizzying and sometimes dangerous romp across multiple state lines."--Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Dell (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044024188X
• ISBN-13: 978-0440241881
• Product Dimensions: 4.3 x 0.7 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,468,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Damn funny!, July 7, 2005

By 

J. A. KONRATH "Thriller Author" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stuffed (Mass Market Paperback)

There aren't many books I read where I fear wetting my pants with laughter. STUFFED is one of them.

A worthy follow-up to the cult fave PIPSQUEAK, STUFFED is even crazier, crammed full of moments where I almost hurt myself laughing. It's also a well done mystery, with a great ending.

Searching for the perfect summer beach read? Look no further. Wiprud is a genius.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wild insane thriller, May 31, 2005

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stuffed (Mass Market Paperback)

Manhattan taxidermy collector fortyish Garth Carson is touring New England looking for treasures. He stops in Vermont where he purchases an albino crow that he plans to give to his girlfriend Angie for her birthday. As he leaves the store, a young man wearing a Portland College sweatshirt accosts him claiming the "raven" is his. A few moments later, the younger man Bret Fletcher collapses at Garth's feet. The local constable arrives and reluctantly allows Garth with his New York plates and the stuffed bird to drive away.

Angie thinks the crow is a remarkable one of a kind item though she teases her beau that he only gives her dead things. Not long afterward, Jim Kim enters Garth's taxidermy collectibles store insisting he has friends in the market for an albino crow. Soon others follow with each new player seemingly more dangerous than the previous one, which include the Feds. Garth has no idea what he wrought when he bought this present as this gift is for the birds.

As with PIPSQUEAK, STUFFED is a wild insane thriller starring a white crow in a jar, but kept together by the bewildered Garth who cannot understand why the Feds, thugs, and crazy "collectors" want Angie's birthday present. The story line is amusing and wacky as Garth receives offers from daft souls some of which he delicately better take careful consideration if he refuses them. Brian M. Wiprud provides a terrific thriller STUFFED with the zanies that showcase a likable collector who proves he is no PIPSQUEAK.

Harriet Klausner

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious!, June 1, 2005

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stuffed (Mass Market Paperback)

Taxidermy collector and businessman Garth Carson has the most foul luck when it comes to buying and selling taxidermy. His girlfriend, Angie, is usually dragged into whatever mess Garth gets himself into.

During a buying tour Garth purchases a white crow under a bell glass for Angie's birthday present. Even before he gets it out of the store and into his car someone is trying to take it from him. When Angie receives it, she instantly loves it. Yet within a VERY short time Angie and Garth are locked in the basement while two thugs steal the white crow.

With Garth's talent for troubling trouble instead of allowing trouble to trouble him, he soon finds himself and Angie running for their lives from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife, a bunch of murderous pygmies, a funeral home director, various "carnies", special agents of all kinds, a crazed Penguin Boy, and (of course) Detective Walker who has wanted to arrest Garth for an extended amount of time now.

***** I did not believe that author Brian Wiprud could possibly do any better than he did with his previous book "Pipsqueak". Thankfully, I have been proven wrong. This novel had me laughing so hard at times that I had to wipe my eyes in order to keep reading. I found myself actually putting several bookmarks in spots just so I could go back later and reread some funnier sections! Now THAT is talent, Readers. So sit back and enjoy the most wacky, humorous, yet serious mystery story of your life. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.