Waylon Jenkins has a problem. Well, he’s got a few of them. The ghost of Betsy Ross lives in his house, he’s pretty sure his favorite client is the victim of ongoing domestic violence, and he’s been roped into helping the police investigate a series of murders. And his penis fell off in the shower this morning. He needs a new one, but none of his friends are willing to donate theirs to the cause. the cause.
In case it isn’t obvious by now, Waylon Jenkins is a zombie.
He’s also one of the most highly respected and in-demand makeup artists in Hollywood, and that keeps him busy, no matter how dead he is. But now he needs to find out who’s committing a string of murders, and make sure nobody hurts Mitzi (one name only), one of his most faithful (and famous) clients.
He also needs a new penis.
Pluck & Cover is the first in the Zombie Cosmetologist Novellas, a new series by J.D. Blackrose, author of The Soul Wars and The Devil’s Been Busy.
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If you are looking for a mystery short story that will make you laugh then look no further than this book. The premise is wacky, the characters are plucky, and good overcomes bad in the end.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I opened to the first page, but finding a zombie concerned about his manhood was not one of them! And then to have Betsy Ross sewing it back on? You know that the rest of the book is going to a scream, and not in fear but in laughter.
This story moves at a fast pace and there are multiple storylines that somewhat merge together near the end, or at least several of them do. The characters have interesting backstories but we don’t find those out until closer to the end of the story. I think some of it could have been dropped in earlier because it would have made more sense or at least the reader would have a better understanding of Waylon and Early. I found it interesting that the police had no issue with Waylon being a zombie. But at the same time, it made him a more likely suspect.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and want to know more about the characters, how they came to be the way they are and how they came together (although we find out how Early and Waylon know each other) and will this company that is producing zombies succeed? I also expect that the next book will have just as much humor in it and will be an enjoyable read.
We give this book 4 paws up.
This is an amusing short read! Well written, funny situations & overall a good fun quick read! I did really enjoy it, something a little different to my normal stories but well worth it! I do recommend this, a little like a “cozy” zombie book!
Book source ~ Kindle Unlimited
Waylon Jenkins is a make-up artist in Hollywood. He’s also a zombie but that’s not common knowledge. His secretary is a ghost named Betsy Ross who sews new parts back on his body when he loses one and the tenant in his gate house is a really really old doctor who made him into a zombie in the first place. When the local sheriff has some murder victims but no murderer he thinks it might be Waylon. Because, you know, Waylon is a zombie and the victims were missing some body parts. Anyway, the sheriff doesn’t believe Waylon’s declaration of innocence so he makes him help find the murderer to prove said innocence. So Waylon is now a consultant to the sheriff’s department. Sort of. In any case, Waylon actually does need a body part since his penis fell off in the shower, but that’s neither here nor there.
This is not a story to be taken seriously even though it’s a murder mystery. I love Waylon. He’s a fairly well-fleshed out character. Hehe See what I did there? *cough* Anyway, even though the plot is shaky and the villain hokey, this is still an enjoyable read and a great way to pass the time. I’m not usually a fan of zombie stories (they are way down my list of enjoyable paranormal characters), but Waylon is funny, has an unusual job that I’ve not yet seen in any story, and he’s really old, so I’m going to read the next installment in this new series by the new-to-me author and see where it takes me.
The characters are so real. Okay, you might be asking, how can a Zombie Cosmetologist to Hollywood Stars be “real” – I DON’T KNOW – but he IS!!!! I could see running into Waylon Jenkins in day-to-day life and sitting down for a talk on a park bench (with suitable hat and sunscreen).