The Ten Dead Comedians

Author: Fred Van Lente

Genre: Thriller & Mystery

Rating: 3/5

Expectations going in:

This book is a spin-off of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” classic mystery novel, but with a dash of comedic flare. In this story, 9 comedians are invited to an island retreat to work on a project with the famous comedian, Dustin Walker. But something is up. He is nowhere to be found and in search of answers to why the guests were brought there and ways to get back home, each comedian begins to die one by one. Lente keeps you second-guessing on who the killer is. One second you feel like you’ve figure it all out, and the next second your top suspect dies in a ball pit! (tiny spoiler) When going into this book I expected to be on the edge of my seat craving to find out the mystery. I also expected that although this is a dark novel, it would be light-hearted because of the comedic relief, through the puns, jokes, and bits.

Things I Enjoyed:

• I loved that there are distinguishing differences in all nine characters. It takes a very talented author to make all nine main characters have unique voices and characteristics. Since this novel is told in the third person, there is no leading character. I found each of their personalities to be hilarious and realistic. I even could make out some relations between the fictional characters and to real-life comedians we know today.  
• I appreciate how the author added modern-day themes of sexism, media, and the realities of fame in the comedic world. I found myself being educated on the pressures of being a comedian and how hard it can be to create new jokes or realize that you can’t always be funny.
• I appreciate that the novel was fast paced. My pet peeve about thrillers and mysteries is if there are chapters that feel complacent and dragging. In this novel, it felt that every detail matters to the plot. I read this book in 5 days!

Things I did not enjoy:

• The ENDING. I felt that the plotline was captivating and intelligently developed. It was plain that the author worked incredibly hard to make your mind confused when trying to figure out the killer. But when the plot twist hits you, you’re left thinking “Are you serious?!” The ending felt lazy and not well thought out. However, since I did not read the original, written by Agatha Christie, I am not sure if the endings are similar and correlating.
• I didn’t really enjoy the bits that were added. I appreciate that they bring more realism for each character and identify which comedic genre they fell in, but I was looking for more banter and dialogue between the characters, which of course we got. But I could go without the “Orange Baby Mans Handbook.”

Takeaways:

• Overall, I rate this book a 3/5; very funny, mysterious, and intriguing. I enjoyed the comedic relief, well-rounded characters, serious themes, and quick-to-the-point. I did not enjoy the ending at all! 100% was the reason it lost two stars for me. I highly recommend this book if you are trying to switch up your palate or if your trying to get out of a book slump and need a good laugh.