Sean McDermott is a wisecracking private detective from New York City, with an extensive catalog of phobias. It's an ok job, but it isn't as exciting as most people think, and that's fine by him. He makes it a rule not to get involved in active police cases or in any case where people are likely to get hurt—especially him. So why does the mob suddenly want him dead? Sure it’s all a mistake, but dead from a mistake is still dead.
Refusing to fly, he borrows a Mercedes from his friend, the Juke, and starts on a cross country drive to LA with the idea of lying low until the heat settles. He makes it as far as Mystic Falls, New Mexico before the borrowed Mercedes conks out. Mystic Falls? Think Green Acres, but without the sophistication.
All he had to do was keep a low profile and wait for the car to be fixed. It might have worked too, if only the local "character" hadn’t turned up missing, with him as the prime suspect. Now if he ever wants to get out of this sleepy desert asylum, he’s going to have to find her. Sound easy? Fat chance.
I was checking out today's Kindle deals for something to read at bedtime and ran across this title. It's funny, right? I was just going to read a few paragraphs before trying another, and the next thing I knew hours had passed and I was still reading - and laughing. This book has more one liners than a '30's comic on Broadway. (So, I love old movies!) Fat Chance is the name of the heroine, though she's missing through most of the story, and her first name is actually Party...but she's - you got it - fat. Our hero is an Irish private detective from NYC who's on the lam from gangsters, is afraid of flying, thus he's driving across country to hide out for awhile in LA. His borrowed Mercedes breaks down in tiny Mystic Falls, New Mexico, and the only garage has to order the part by UPS, which will take three days. No motels, of course, but there's an "inn" which has FOUR rooms, and...and.... There's this old country song that goes, "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." It could be this guy's theme song. Patty is missing, our private dic is conned into helping the town Marshall look for her, and every single citizen, whether pale face or Indian, is certifiably nuts. But funny! OMG, they are hilarious! I don't remember ever laughing this much while just reading a book! And the story is so tightly written that there just aren't any slow parts. You won't believe it when you're done, and my first thought was to wonder what else this guy has written! (See, he's habit-forming and I already need a fix!) Try it, you'll like it? What have you got to lose?
I have to say I do love mysteries and do prefer ones with "life" to them. Meaning, the characters are real and are more than just sulky or brooding. This book had me laughing out loud so many times I couldn't stop.
Not only was the whole story idea well thought out, but the dialogue (and inner thoughts) well done. Once I read the conversation between Sean and Not-Jim I just could stop reading. It reminded me of Mater and Lightning McQueen in my son's favorite movie. Where the lights aren't always on at home.
The characters are unknowingly entertaining and I adored Mrs. Akihiro and her spunk. The only thing I didn't like was that I couldn't figure out the mystery, myself, as I usually do. However, that's just me...it is a good mystery when the author desn't spill every single detail. Otherwise, it can be too predictable. Well done by Mr. Leahy. Great story!!
