The Karma Kaper Review

The Karma Kaper

By Noel Anenberg

THE KARMA CAPER stars Walter Shore, naïve twin brother and business partner to Barry Shore, a “B” list Hollywood movie producer and shyster. An Armenian crime family invests $10 million into a Barry Shore Productions film. When the film never materializes the Armenians call the loan. When Barry doesn’t pay the Armenian’s juice men pickup unsuspecting Walter as he walks out of a dry cleaners on Larchmont. They drive Walter to a Glendale sausage factory and feed him alive into the meat grinder. Walter goes to heaven and comes back to Barry in the body of a Chihuahua who has to gather good karma to get his former life back. 

Frederick Delano Rubenstein (F.D.R.) is a hapless counterman at his father’s delicatessen across Melrose Avenue from Shore Productions. F.D.R.’s secret passion is to become a Hollywood screenwriter. When his father, the King of Corn Beef dies, FDR sells the deli, moves to Malibu, and agrees to write a script he once pitched to Barry Shore. There’s a twist. Barry Shore uses the script to borrow from Hasidic money launderers. Now, F.D.R. is the fall guy!

Barry convinces Walter that Walter will accrue good karma by shepherding F.D.R through the screenwriting process while he, Barry, stalls the Armenians and gets major studio backing. All chaos breaks loose as one scam and scheme follow Barry Shore, Walter his Chihuahua brother, F.D.R., the Armenians, the Hasidic money launderers, and the rest of us.

The reader will laugh at this farcical novel of love, life, and larceny. 

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MY REVIEW

Walter Shore is paying for the sins of his brother Barry. Barry is a Hollywood producer who makes his money signing up anyone who falls for his sleazy shtick. Walter is murdered by the Russians that Barry has cheated. In heaven, Walter gets a second chance and comes back as a Chihuahua. In order to regain his former life, Walter must build up good karma, but with Barry’s help, that task is not going to be easy.

I felt this story could use a bit more work on it. It definitely needed proof-reading. There were times that the chapter would end one way and the next one would leave a gap in the action. I did enjoy the story though. It was like a short comedy spoof. The adventure with the masseuse was comically well-descriptive and the best part of the book. I still laugh thinking about it. 

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** I received this book without obligation, and have volunteered to share my review. The above unbiased opinions are 100% my own.