Joe Keenan was a scriptwriter for Frasier, which might give you an idea of his kind of humour. My Lucky Star is his third book featuring Gilbert, Philip and Claire, a trio of screenwriters (well, Philip and Claire are, at least) who manage to get themselves into the most unlikely of scrapes (generally thanks to Gilbert). I enjoyed the first (Blue Heaven) and haven’t yet read the second (Putting on the Ritz), but it didn’t hinder me from enjoying My Lucky Star to the fullest.
Gilbert (the loose-cannon of the three) has been out in LA and has, against all expectations, managed to drum up interest in his screenplay. He invites Claire and Philip out to LA to assist him in adapting a novel for a major producer. They’re understandably suspicious, but assume Gilbert has passed off one of their scripts as his own. They’re wrong, it’s not one of their scripts Gilbert has appropriated, but the script of ... Casablanca (with a few identifying details changed).
Claire and Philip are horrified by the prospect of exposure as unwilling plagiarists, but for various reasons too convoluted to explain here, they stay to help out and find themselves embroiled in ever more outrageous, disastrous and hilarious scenarios.
Like a demented cross between early Jackie Collins, Tales of the City and Will & Grace, My Lucky Star is enormous fun. I laughed out loud loads of times and actually went back a few times to re-read the funniest jokes (and laughed again). It’s intricate and clever and must have been incredibly difficult to write (it took Keenan ten years, fitting it around his all-consuming day job).
There are some fabulous characters (Monty was my favourite, but I love Gilbert too), brilliantly amusing situations, even a bit of Hollywood satire. Plus - and this may put some of you off - if it was a film it would be a 15 (R or even NC17 in the US, I think) due to a number of gay sex scenes, and though they are fairly graphic, Keenan’s dry humour imbues every scene. Plus they’re essential to the plot. No, really.
I loved this book and never picked it up without smiling (and, frequently, saying “I love this book” to the consternation of my ignored husband). If you like dry humour and Hollywood farce, you’ll love it too.
Rating: 5 out of 5
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