Having already read many of his longer works, Moore's Pine Cove series has become a "go-to" anytime I need a break from heavier fiction. This time out, Moore introduces Raziel to Pine Cove (previously in Moore's novel Lamb) on a mission to deliver a Christmas miracle to the child on Christmas. 

While I wish Raziel played a more important role than a peripheral character, the story still elicits plenty of chuckles from the usual suspects who make up Pine Cove (and a few new ones). 

The Stupidest Angel opens with a war between 40-something Lena Marquez and her ex-husband Dale Pearson. What begins as an altercation in the supermarket's parking lot because Dale promises Lena that he'll put money in a donation pale after shopping (but doesn't) escalates into something much more serious — the death of somebody in a Santa suit. 

Under normal circumstances, this strange event might have ended there. But when the death of "Santa" is seen by Pine Cover child, Raziel immediately knows how to intervene and perform a Christmas miracle with disastrous results endured by Pine Cove favorites Theo Crow, Molly Michion, Lena Marquez, and others. Along with them is an interesting addition of Tucker Case and his beloved fruit bat. 

In 2005, the novel won the Quill Award in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror category. Namely, this story was an early favorite among readers who appreciate brain-hungry, lightly intelligent zombies. More heartwarming than heady, but that's the point. When you know you need a little Christopher Moore to lift your spirits, Moore always delivers.