THE CAPERBERRY BUSH

by Jack Guinn ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 11, 1954

Plenty of caper -- and bushy tail -- for a politely bilious newspaper story, which rewrite man, Joe Ely (who has known better days under old man Duncan), tells in tight-lipped small humored way. The set-up, strictly mechanical, is: Mrs. Duncan, who can be had, is running for governor on the Democratic ticket but has just endorsed the Republican presidential candidate; her opponent, Dr. O. Penfield Hill, an up and coming messiah, turns out to have a rather gamy past; there is a refugee scientist whose aim is to bring peace to the world with his truth serum and who is an FBI secret agent when he turns up missing. Hill puts the heat on Mrs. Duncan and she pushes the Bulletin to put more heat under Hill and with the truth serum genius dosing up bookies, (physically)- but dangerous (personally and politically) drug -- things HAPPEN. This is a time clocking of satirical to ludicrous events in the last days of an election, told in wry perspective which tallies the poison in virtue along with the venality of journalism and city government. In many ways a funnier, and sharper story than 7(apple) Cents but vocationally as pertinent -- and pert.

Pub Date: May 11, 1954

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1954

Categories: FICTION