My Lucky Star

Book three in Joe Keenan's trilogy of humorous novels about Philip, a would-be playwright (currently rather down on his luck), his flighty, scheming best buddy (and ex) Gilbert, and their much put-upon, much more possessed-of-common-sense friend Claire (who, alas, isn't in this one nearly as much as I might have hoped). This time out, Gilbert scores the three of them a much, much too-good-to-be-true job writing a screenplay for a hunky Hollywood megastar, and shenanigans inevitably ensue. There's a lot of our heroes digging themselves ever deeper into a complex web of schemes, a lot of blackmail (I mean, a lot of blackmail), and a comedic take on Hollywood glamor and Hollywood egos, all wrapped up in what is essentially a racy gay sex show more farce.

It's been entirely too long since I read the first two books, so I don't remember them in great detail, but from what I do remember, I think I didn't find this one quite as unreservedly delightful as those previous installments. If nothing else, the way the main character consistently thinks entirely with his genitals here eventually maybe crosses over the line from mildly funny to mildly annoying. Nevertheless, it is fun, breezy, and entertaining, and, man, can Keenan write some top-quality witty prose. The comparisons to Wodehouse are genuinely earned, and how often can one say that? show less

The best of Joe Keenan's three novels is absolutely hilarious with the three friends, Gilbert, Phillip and Claire in another twisted, confounding mixup, this time in Hollywood. A wonderful examination of the extremes that the famous might go to in saving their reputations and careers and how our three heros, struggling to have careers, maneuver through the backstabbing Hollywood scene.

I'm gonna be honest - I was disappointed. It's been a good 10 years since the previous two books in this series came out, but I didn't feel this book was anywhere near hilarious, as those were. I'd read another of these folks, but not one set in Hollywood.