Starter Villain

In this wild, wacky, and decidedly lighthearted genre send-up, substitute teacher Charlie is surprised when his distant Uncle Jake dies and not only leaves Jake a large inheritance from his billion-dollar fortune, but also wants him to take over his business—as a supervillain. Soon, with the help of his cat Hera (who turns out to be a highly competent spy and typist), Charlie sets off for Jake’s volcano lair to meet with the members of the Lombardy Collection, the members-only group of villains who quietly rule the world and press Charlie to join them if he wants to live. This past-faced, joke-packed caper is both smart and silly, just right for those seeking a literary escape. Readers are gonna love the spy cats, but the sweary unionizing dolphins were my favorite.