Smith, Thorne. Topper Takes a Trip. New York: Modern Library, 2000.
Reason read: to finish the series started in March in honor of Thorne Smith’s birth month.
When we pick up with Mr. Topper and his wife, Mary Topper, they are in the South of France enjoying a holiday on the Riviera. After his adventure frolicking with ghosts and nearly becoming one himself in the last installment Cosmos Topper decides to take his wife on a vacation to the beaches of the French Riviera. He is hoping to rekindle his marriage and make up for his previous shenanigans. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby and their companions have been left far behind…or have they? While taking a bath Mr. Topper washes someone else’s foot. And so it begin again. Only this time Mr. Topper’s ghostly girlfriend decides he would be more fun as one of them. The only problem? Mr. Topper is still alive.
I have to admit there were some scenes so outrageous I was embarrassed to read them. I don’t think I am spoiling the plot any by saying this, but when Mrs. Topper takes Marion’s leg and swings it around like a weapon I cringed throughout the entire scene. It was beyond ridiculous. I can only imagine what the movie version was like.
But back to the plot. As I was saying, this time Topper’s friends have missed him so much they want to make him one of them. Sound familiar? It’s a repeat of the end of Topper when he crashes into the infamous tree. I couldn’t help feel sorry for Mrs. Topper the whole time.
The best line I liked, “A cat had to get used to so many disagreeable facts of life” (p 121).
Author fact: Thorne Smith was a huge fan of Dorothy Parker’s.
Book trivia: my copy of Topper Takes a Trip has an introduction by Carolyn See. Very cool.
Nancy said: Pearl said nothing specific about Topper Takes a Trip.
BookLust Twist: from Book Lust in the chapter called “Ghost Stories” (p 101).
~*LunaSea*~ 