From Norvelt to Nowhere by Jack Gantos

From Norvelt to Nowhere by Jack Gantos, 2013.

This is the hilarious sequel to Dead End in Norvelt and this entry will have spoilers for that book. So be warned!


I will give you some space to avoid accidentally reading things that you don't want to know.










This book picks up with Jack on the Halloween after the events of Dead End in Norvelt . Now that the old lady murders in Norvelt have ended and the killer has confessed, original resident Mrs. Custard moves back home. This means that Miss Volker is no longer the earliest Norvelter in town, so she won't have to honor her promise and marry the dangerous Mr. Spizz. This turns out to be unfortunate for Mrs. Custard, who eats a poison-laced cookie just as Jack and his friend Bunny are trick or treating at her house. Is Spizz back? Who does Jack hear prowling around his former office?

Then Miss Volker suddenly receives word that her sister in Florida has died. Angry Miss Volker, blaming the still- at-large Spizz, sets off on a road trip with Jack in tow. She can bury her twin and also catch and punish Mr. Spizz, who is still in love with her. Things are complicated by two other people trailing along behind them. Will Spizz go to prison? Or to the chapel? Plenty of funny moments and comparisons to Moby Dick make this book a great read.