The Joke's on Me

Laurie Boris presents a narrative centered on Frankie Goldberg, a former actress and stand-up comic who loses her home and footwear collection to a Pacific mudslide. She drives her cherry red Corvette convertible eastward to Woodstock, New York, seeking refuge at her family’s bed and breakfast. The story examines the disconnect between Frankie’s public persona and her private reality. While she built a career on mocking her menopausal Jewish mother and serial divorcee sister, these relationships have quietly deteriorated without her notice. The text explores the disorientation of returning to a place where nothing remains as it was left. It focuses on the slow erosion of familial bonds and the painful realization that one’s own jokes may mask deeper abandonment. Boris qualifies this work by drawing on the traditions of gothic domestic fiction and supernatural unease, though the primary focus remains on psychological unraveling rather than overt horror elements. The narrative structure follows Frankie’s internal puzzle as she confronts the consequences of her past performances. This book suits readers interested in character-driven dramas about estrangement and the complexities of family dynamics. It may not appeal to those seeking traditional ghost stories or fast-paced thriller plots. The tone is introspective, focusing on the quiet dread of being forgotten by those you once mocked.