Books by Pat Cook

"I'm a drama teacher," Marge begins, which explains why she is now kept sedated and in a straitjacket. "All I had to do was be in charge of the whole shebang." Of course, she is referring to The One Act Play Festival - scheming rival students, demanding directors, irresponsible actors, missing props, stolen costumes, and all under forty minutes. What happened to the lady who ran it last year? She died under very suspicious circumstances. Adding to Marge's anxiety is the fact that two of the three competing schools are doing Hamlet and must rehearse on the same stage at the same time! Shakespearean skulls and battle axes fl y in this fast-paced farce. Will Marge get this contest done before it undoes her? This scathing piece of theatrical Americana comes from the author of Murder, You Must be Kidding!

Drama / 4m, 6f / Interior Ever look at a family portrait and wonder what those people, posed and smiling, are really like? This family portrait shows you the inner workings of the Rogers family - how they deal with everyday things, how they deal with both happy and sad events which effect each and every one of them. These funny, poignant and all-too-human characters go through life the best way they know how. Austin does his best to keep the house running smoothly, unless he has to take Pawpaw's trunk out of the basement. Mary Jo is outwardly pleased when son Mitchell gets engaged to Tish but explains "They're too young!" Her sister, Brenda, helps out by saying "Not any younger than you were when you got married." Brenda's husband, Dale, has his own advice for young Mitchell - "Marriage consists in large part of just giving up!" And Pawpaw keeps hearing voices and seeing people who aren't there. The very fabric of the family unit meets it's ultimate challenge when Brenda and Dale have to move in with them. Daughter Jan has to put up with a whiney dog, Mitchell and Tish can't seem to find time to talk about their upcoming marriage and everyone is bunking up with everyone else, leaving the men to sleep on the couch - any of this sound familiar? Brought to you by the same author of Good Help is So Hard to Murder.