FUZZY NAVEL ending? Post your theories **SPOILER ALERT!**

[Rob Siders]

If you've finished FUZZY NAVEL then you know that our host left us hanging in two ways. Let's discuss the theories.

There are, however, some rules:

1. If you haven't read FUZZY NAVEL and do not want to know what happens beforehand, do NOT read this thread.
2. Assume every post contains a spoiler.
3. Don't ask J. A. to confirm or deny anything because he's not telling. In fact, he'll only confound you with misdirection and lies.
4. Guesses are fine... just back it up with your reasoning.

I have my own theory... but my wife's telling me we gotta leave for the baby doc now. I'll return with thoughts later today.

[JA Konrath]

There was a cliffhanger?!? Wow, I totally forgot that...

[greg23]

Being a bookseller who has tons of customers reading Joe's books, I've heard several theories. The main guesses focus on either Herb or Mary. I've got a pretty solid guess, but I'd like to hear what other folks have to say, and why they're picking that person.

[Rob Siders]

My guess is Harry. I got there through process of elimination.

Both Mary and Phin seem like obvious choices to me. Mary's been circling the drain now for a couple of books. Kork killing Mary is just too easy. Phin's also been dying of cancer for what seems like forever. In both cases, I think it makes more sense --- from a story standpoint --- for those characters to die naturally. Besides, Phin is Joe's Repairman Jack and he's just too cool. (BTW, Joe, I'd pay double the cover price for a Phin stand alone. )

At first I thought it was Herb. But it didn't make sense that the captain would offer to help with funeral arrangements if it was Herb because, you know, Herb's got a wife. The only way this makes sense is if Herb's wife is in the hospital and that isn't the case IIRC (sorry... I can't refer to my copy because I just loaned it to a friend).

I ruled out Latham because, while he's important to Jack, he's really just a walk-on. Not exactly a redshirt, but I don't see him as a beloved character among readers. One of the fiction writing rules is "Kill a beloved character." Latham just doesn't fit that profile. If he died, it'd affect Jack to be sure... but I don't see his death affecting readers on a wide scale.

The last to consider is Jack. Again, I don't have my copy of the book and I don't remember whether the last chapter had a POV tag. Absent that verification, I waver on this because what better way is there to shock your readership than killing a series main character (THE main character in this case). It's risky, but not outside the scope of possibility. Then again, Kork's nemesis --- the Batman to her Joker --- is Jack. The payoff of just doesn't fit the end if Kork is sending someone else to "Come get me" note.

Of course, all my sturm und drang over whether it's Jack could be hokum if someone can confirm whose POV is on the last chapter. If it's Jack, then that leaves... Harry.

[greg23]

Of course, all my sturm und drang over whether it's Jack could be hokum if someone can confirm whose POV is on the last chapter. If it's Jack, then that leaves... Harry.

Final chapter POV is Jack. She receives a text message from Kork and resolves to track her down.

[Aimlesswriter]

I think it's Phin.
Jack and Herb are too valuable-Unless JA is thinking of torturing Jack with a new partner.
Harry is just too much fun to axe.
Mary? JOE! STOP TORTURING THE MOTHER! (What would Freud say?)
Latham? Maybe- he's expendable. Could be but I think we'd miss Phin more so if JA was out for torture, losing Phin would hurt more.
When does Cherry Bomb come out???

[JA Konrath]

So far Mary is winning in the poll.

http://www.jakonrath.com/fuzzy.html

I'm leaning toward it being Herb.

[Jude Hardin]

I already know who it was. Don't worry, I won't tell. And I'm not going to tell you how I know. But I know.

[mysteryfan]

PLOT SPOILERS if you haven't read it don't read this post. Thanks.
I think it's Mary.
Hi,
Joe obviously did a great job writing Fuzzy Navel. I really have come to care about Jack and friends.

The ending of Fuzzy Navel upset me and it's silly, I know as it is only fiction, it's just a book, Jack and friends are not 'real people' but....I am so frustrated. I really get into movies too and there have been probably 3 movies I've seen over the last 30+ years that the ending annoyed me. LOL

IF Alex Kork just murdered Mary, her mother Jack is going to be so messed up mentally and emotionally.
Latham would also be difficult to deal with and probably need some psycho-analysis. But....

I read all night just to see how that psycho died once I found out she had both Mary and Latham captive at Jack's place. I did that just so I could breath a sigh of relief once I found out who, Jack or Herb or Harry or Phin or even Mary, had put a permanent end to Kork's reign of terror. I admit I didn't picture latham shooting Kork.

I've read the reasons for the cliff hanger and I've voted in the poll.

Joe really had me hooked on the series. I just couldn't wait once I finally got a copy to read it.
But now, only a few days after finishing Fuzzy Navel I'm torn between waiting to see 'justice served' (least I hope) in Cherry Bomb or decided not to read it. I am certain it was Mary that Kork murdered.

I am surprised at just how annoyed I am over a fictional character's demise or at least I think the demise of a fictional heroine's mother's demise. I really thought that mid way through the book one of the 3 TUHC would nail Kork, and I was kind of hoping it was the guy who enjoyed the police earlier on.

If I do read Cherry Bomb, and the psycho gets away again...I will definitely have to quit. LOL I refused to be this annoyed for another year waiting for Shaken? Stirred? to come out.
Again, I know I need to get a life, it is ridiculous to be this annoyed by the ending and who I think was killed, but at least for now that is honestly how I feel.

I read alot and out of the other 4 or 5 series that I read. At least in 3 of them I'd be ticked if the hero/heroine's Mom or spouse was murdered in those 3 series too.

So I'm afraid it was Mary that Kork killed while she was strapped to an ambulance gurney.
Why?
IF it was Harry, Phin or her partner I don't see her boss offering to help her with the funeral arrangements.
Jack was alive and pushing through the people milling about to see who'd been killed, so it couldn't be Jack
It seemed when Kork saw who it was she had an axe to grind with that person so Harry and Phin did come to mind.
But Latham rejected her 'loving offer' earlier so it's possible it could have been him, yet the 'defiance' in the person's eyes before he/she was murdered doesn't totally ring true with Latham. I really like the guy but in my opinion (for what it's worth) he seems more the type to almost just look at her with 'resignation' of the fact she was finally going to succeed in killing him.
I figure Kork killing her mother would be the most gut wrenching and definitely a guarantee that Jack would indeed 'come after Kork'.
Granted. Although I am probably more of a pacifist in the real world. I would be extremely disappointed if Jack didn't finish Kork off in the next book. A prison term is just postponing round 3 and Kork 'butchering' more innocent people
Well there's my two cents. LOL Obviously just take it with a grain of salt and I guess we will all have to wait for about a year from now to find out for sure who died, and if (& how) Kork is finally stopped, in Cherry Bomb.
Mysteryfan

[Rob Siders]

IF it was Harry ... I don't see her boss offering to help her with the funeral arrangements.

I'd considered this, too. Except we know now that Harry is Jack's brother. And it's quite clear that her opinion of him has evolved to some degree. We also know that Harry's got no family (other than the one he just learned about in the book) and that he used to be a cop. I think it makes perfect sense that the captain would offer to help with arrangements.