First Breath, Flim Flams, Flying Machines & the Afterlife in the Vicar Vortex

By Cathalynn Labonté-Smith

The Vicar Vortex is the third, and hopefully not the final, book in the Mildly Catastrophic Misadventures of Tony Vicar series, by Vince Ditrich. It’s not easy to write humour, but Ditrich makes it seem effortless. There’s a guaranteed guffaw on every page. This raucous yet heartrending tale is a likely nominee for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. If my childhood friend, Vince, were to write his memoir, for which a fitting title would be A Boy and His Accordian: Escape from Lethbridge, Alberta, he would surely be on the longlist, if not the winner.

“A guaranteed guffaw on every page.”

What’s new in book three, set in quaint Tyee Lagoon on Vancouver Island? There are new characters, in the round shapes of Debbie and Dawna, hosts of the trash TV show the Extra-Large Mediums of Littleton. The mediums bluster into Vicar’s Valentine Inn attached to the Vicar’s Knickers pub to investigate an apparition, who miraculously saved Vicar and some children from the fiery flames. However, being corporeal, Vicar is given credit as the heroic saviour of the children. Delightfully, another new character is Vicar’s pilot friend, Gunnar, who adds new flying adventures to the storyline.

Serena, femme fatale, appears again and is intent upon reclaiming her baby, Frankie, who she abandoned. Frankie is presently fostered by Vicar and Jackie O, who are extremely intent upon adopting her. Serena schemes to do away with Jacquie O, leaving Vicar to herself. This cannot end well, or could it? After all, Vicar seems to have powerful, supernatural protectors.

There are still the favourite booze-soaked and addled characters from the previous two books, like pungent Ross Poutine, gin-dependent Beulah (the MIL), Cosmic Ray, Farley, plus patient Mountie Con-Con, who keeps the fools and arsonists somewhat under control.

There are multiple surprises at every twisty plot turn awaiting readers, but you will find no spoilers in this review. Do yourself a favour and buy an armload of this book, one for yourself and the rest for those who need a knee-slapping chuckle-fest, and who doesn’t these days.

Vince R. Ditrich is the author of The Liquor Vicar as well as the drummer and manager of the band Spirit of the West. He has circled the world, earned more than a dozen gold and platinum albums, and been enshrined in several Halls of Fame. Vince lives on Vancouver Island.

Publisher: Dundurn Press (Feb 27, 2024)
Language: English
Paperback 5″ x 8″ | 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-4597-4731-9

Cathalynn Labonté-Smith

Cathalynn Labonté-Smith grew up in Southwestern Alberta and moved to Vancouver, BC, to complete her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia (UBC). After graduation, she worked as a freelance journalist until present. She became a technical writer, earning a Certificate in Technical Writing from Simon Fraser University. She later went to UBC to complete a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and taught English, journalism, and other subjects at Vancouver high schools. She currently lives in Gibsons, where she is the president and founder of the Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society, and North Vancouver, BC. Her new book, Rescue Me: Behind the Scenes of Search and Rescue (Caitlin Press) is a British Columbia bestseller.