false 6022310 1 Benjamin Arnold Guppy loved turnips. He loved eating them, but most of all he loved throwing them. He also loved money and pain... extorting a lot of the former and causing an equal amount of the latter. A foul, sour-faced old swindler with a penchant for clucking like a chicken and more than a passing interest in the local postman, he was determined to get his hands on his neighbours' money, regardless of the cost. As it turned out, the price was his life. A dark comedy based on real-life events, except for the bit about the murder. http://dieneighbour.blogspot.com/ ---------------- Here's what readers had to say about the book: Reviewer: B. Meister (courtesy of Amazon.com) This book is scrumptiously wicked! The character development is fantastically done and in the case of the Guppy's will leave you wanting to do them in yourself. The amazing amount of awful things the Guppy's get away with is written in a manner that will leave you in awe but it isn't so over the top that you think this just can't be possible. If fact you may find yourself looking at that "awful" neighbor you know in a new way! Because you just don't know what is coming up and it makes such impact in how the story read for me I'm not going to give any spoilers. But I loved the ending of Mr. Guppy! I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good, wicked fun read! This is a flashlight worthy book that will keep you up and reading right to the end. ---------------- Reviewer: Linda Waterson (courtesy of Apex Reviews) Roy and Alex couldn’t be happier: they’ve just moved into a new seaside flat, and they’re excited about launching the newest phase of their lives together. Upon their arrival at their new home, they’re instantly greeted by their new neighbors, the inquisitive Ben and Pat Guppy, an apparently affable elderly couple who’ve appointed themselves as the de facto welcoming committee for all new residents of the neighborhood. Roy and Alex soon discover, though, that Ben and Pat’s motives are considerably less than friendly; in fact, the duo has actually descended upon the new residents to impress upon them the “laws of the land,” specifically all the things that Roy and Alex will and will not be allowed to do – not to mention how and when they’ll be permitted to do them. After this inauspicious introduction, minor conflicts that ensue over the following months and years eventually explode into all-out warfare, and Roy and Alex find themselves in an ongoing bloodless battle with the Guppy’s for the mere right to enjoy peace of mind in their own home. The war eventually becomes too much for Alex to endure, and, when thoughts of the ultimate demise of her less-than-neighborly neighbor begin to flood her mind, it no longer becomes a question of “if” – only “when”… Shocking, eye-opening – and surprisingly hilarious – The Wonderful Demise Of Benjamin Arnold Guppy is quite the entertaining read. Nearly everyone has had one experience or another with rude, selfish, or downright obnoxious neighbors, but Gina Collia-Suzuki’s tale encapsulates them all, showing the reader just how miserable life can be when confronted with the sum total of neighborly trauma. Ben Guppy alone is more than even the strongest among us can handle, but having to deal with his equal at the same time soon proves unbearable for Roy and Alex; as such, one can certainly identify with their desire to rid themselves of their overbearing nuisance once and for all – despite how horrendous the prospect of murder in general may be. Though they may be taken aback by just how crazy the Guppy’s antics become, readers are sure to take comfort in learning that, no matter how unbelievable their living situations may be, things could always be considerably worse. 6197770 25 12 2008 The Wonderful Demise of Benjamin Arnold Guppy total:14|5:5|4:5|3:2|2:2|1:0| 14 55 144 10 5 6 false false Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 10 04:17:03 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 10 04:23:28 -0800 2009 1 more...]]> 5 3 false false Wed Apr 08 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 08:13:19 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 09:08:23 -0700 2009 more...]]> 0 2 false false Sat Mar 07 18:10:30 -0800 2009 Fri Mar 13 16:30:19 -0700 2009 4 5 false false Sun May 03 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun May 03 08:57:30 -0700 2009 Sun May 03 09:09:52 -0700 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false true Sat Mar 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 29 05:31:05 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 29 06:18:51 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 3 false false Thu May 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Mar 21 22:04:06 -0700 2009 Wed May 27 21:08:42 -0700 2009
Gina Collia-Suzuki can write: really write.

A young couple, Alex and Roy, hopes and aspirations for an idyllic life by the seaside are shattered when they move into their flat at Hill View.

Like the layers of an onion...more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Oct 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 30 09:37:18 -0700 2009 Sun Nov 01 21:31:33 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri May 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Feb 23 04:33:55 -0800 2009 Fri May 29 11:46:02 -0700 2009
What I liked: Well, it was hilarious. The story offers a glimpse into the mind of an otherwise normal young housewife, driven to murder by circumstances out of her control. I can't begin to imagine the h...more...]]> 0 0 false false Mon Sep 21 11:12:41 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 21 11:13:04 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 19 18:09:28 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 01 14:34:10 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Oct 30 07:09:33 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 30 07:09:49 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Oct 24 16:14:11 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 24 16:14:11 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Oct 22 18:28:51 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 22 18:29:19 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Oct 19 13:56:49 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 19 13:56:49 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Oct 19 07:44:21 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 19 07:44:21 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Oct 17 09:32:26 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 17 09:33:21 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed Oct 14 15:44:08 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 14 15:44:08 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Oct 13 15:57:08 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 13 15:57:08 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Oct 08 07:15:12 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 08 07:15:12 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed Oct 07 14:36:50 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 07 14:36:50 -0700 2009