The girl who sat next to me in sixth grade made me laugh with her droll comments, observing life from a much-older vantage point. She became my best friend, and so began a lifelong attraction to humorous people, from witty retorts to pratfalls to silly antics. I’m not picky—make me laugh and you have a friend forever. It’s no surprise that I married a funny man.
The same is true with authors. As a bibliophile, I read everything from nonfiction to fiction, but I prefer writers who possess a comedic pen with a touch of whimsy. Think John Mortimer’s Rumpole of the Bailey, Sean Greer’s Less, and Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
And now Melanie Doctors’ debut novel, Sleep in Peace, can be added to that list. The story begins as Leanne Spencer, a talented San Francisco pastry chef, reels from yet another failed relationship. Soon her world will unravel even more as she discovers that her mother has lied about her sainted father, who allegedly died when Leanne was four-years-old.
From there, Sleep in Peace hooks the reader with its intertwining plotlines. The author’s witty dialogue perfectly melds humor, dark at times, with serious topics ranging from family secrets and addiction to parental loss and abuse.
Doctors’ deft wordplay takes the edge off the tragedy, and a healthy dose of romance adds a hopeful tone. Leanne’s friends and co-workers, richly detailed by Doctors, fill out the novel with additional amusing banter and give her an opportunity to further reveal her comedic talent.
Such as describing her childhood fascination with Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet: “I faked many a tummy ache to stay home from school lusting after Graham Kerr with his decadent dishes and thinly veiled dirty talk. I fell in love never knowing that my dream man, a likable sexy lush with questionable recipes, would be the best I could do.”
Yet her ability to capture the reader doesn’t stop with entertaining observations, but also includes mouth-watering descriptions of desserts: “I watched him layer chocolate foam with delicate slivers of candied apricots and a double-cream custard spiked with Tia Maria into tin trays. Later, he’d dust the tops with crushed amaretto cookies and shaved dark chocolate.”
Ultimately, Sleep in Peace is a story of survival, coming to terms with the past and moving briskly into the future. Paced with perfection, Sleep in Peace is a reminder that comedy cures, wrapping even the most difficult topics in warmth and proving that humor can often be a bridge from darkness to a brighter tomorrow.
Erin Fanning 