The Rundown
Stanley McCloud Must Die! is the second in author Adrian Baldwin’s “Let’s All Laugh at Death” trilogy. Similar to his first (Barnacle Brat), Baldwin’s current novel is populated with a hodge-podge of bizarre, twisted, and highly entertaining characters. At the center is ancient and inveterate gambler, Stanley McCloud. Upon learning he hasn’t long to live, he puts a massive bet with local bookie and maven of rigged gambles, Maggy McColluch, that he will reach his next birthday. As the date approaches and with Stan still kicking, Maggy lures him and his best friend Dougie into accepting increasingly daring (and deranged) bets in an effort to ensure Stanley doesn’t win.
Baldwin again shows his screenplay writing chops in Stanley McCloud with very visual, fast-paced scenes. The serial killer subplot with the Head Honcho may leave readers disoriented since its tie to the story, aside from geographic overlap, is minimal. The Honcho also made a brief appearance in Barnacle Brat, so we’ll expect to see more in the third book of the trilogy.
The term trilogy warrants clarification: these are not sequels, but geographically overlapping tales. Readers don’t need to start with Baldwin’s previous to enjoy Stanley McCloud since the story stands on its own merit and plot. Unlike Barnacle Brat, where the reader is immediately brought into the protagonist’s viewpoint, the opening of Stanley McCloud takes readers on a tour of Salford, from the apartments where Stanley lives, to the local pub, the park, Spinderella’s Washomatic, and Maggy’s Independent Betting Shop. Each vignette introduces us to new places and characters. But like tourists, we observe from a distance. It’s not personal. This makes it difficult for the story to grab the reader and pull them in.
Until it does.
If you stick with the meandering stroll, meet the various townsfolk, with all their idiosyncrasies and all the tender abuse that passes for camaraderie among people who’ve spent their whole lives tripping over each other in the same small town, all knowing too well each other’s business, you will be rewarded as the story narrows its focus to Stanley, Dougie, and Maggy. Their increasingly wild and hilarious escapades will have the reader in stitches right up to the very end.
The Recommendation
Fans of Monty Python-esque humor will enjoy the off-kilter characters, ever-stranger “Maggy Specials,” and hidden threads that tie Baldwin’s second story with his previous in the planned trilogy, “Let’s All Laugh at Death.” Although Stanley McCloud Must Die lacks some of the deeper character development and the strong emotional wringer of Barnacle Brat, the humor isn’t quite as bleak and so will appeal to a wider audience. Best of all, this is not a sequel as much as a parallel story, so readers can jump in with either book to discover Baldwin’s gifted storytelling in any order.
The Rating
4 Stars (out of 5): Recommended. For the right audience, this book is a great read. It can hold its own against any traditionally published novel in its genre.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Characterization, Dialogue, HumorCons: Starts slow
