Tiger Shrimp Tango

Serge Storms #17

by Tim Dorsey

Determined to save a damsel in distress, the Sunshine State’s favorite serial killer and encyclopedia of Florida lore Serge Storms dances a tango of death and mayhem in this funny and dementedly entertaining crime caper from Tim Dorsey, author of the New York Times bestseller The Riptide, Ultra-Glide.

Thanks to the Internet, America has become a playground for ruthless scam artists out to make an easy buck. And where do these models of entrepreneurship hail from? Why, the Sunshine State of course!

No one loves Florida more, or can keep it safe from invasive criminal species better than self-appointed Sunshine Sheriff Serge Storms. When a particular scam leads to the death of a few innocents and a young woman's disappearance, Serge and his perpetually self-bent sidekick Coleman—aided by his new pal, latter-day noir private eye Mahoney—load up the car for a riotous road trip to do right. Packed with seafood, mayhem, blood, Coleman’s deep thoughts, Floridian lore, and more, Tiger Shrimp Tango is a hilarious treat from the incomparable Tim Dorsey.

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, Adventure, Comedy

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2014

About the author

Tim Dorsey was born in Indiana, moved to Florida at the age of 1, and grew up in a small town about an hour north of Miami called Riviera Beach. He graduated from Auburn University in 1983. While at Auburn, he was editor of the student newspaper, The Plainsman.

From 1983 to 1987, he was a police and courts reporter for The Alabama Journal, the now-defunct evening newspaper in Montgomery. He joined The Tampa Tribune in 1987 as a general assignment reporter. He also worked as a political reporter in the Tribune’s Tallahassee bureau and a copy desk editor. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Tribune’s night metro editor. He left the paper in August 1999 to write full time.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

". . . and another item from the growing file of people who voluntarily wear dunce caps," said Serge. "You'll be talking cordially to someone and make an offhand reference, 'I recently read where ---' and they'll cut you off and say, 'Oh, I don't read' . . . This is a tragedy on so many different levels. First, because they don't read, they don't know enough to keep it to themselves. Next, and this is the most amazing part, they use a demeaning tone like I'm the stupid one for wasting time with books."

Perhaps everything just seems a bit faded in the afterglow left by Lonesome Dove, but this Serge adventure seemed well, rather . . . forgettable.

This time around, Serge and Coleman are steadily dispatching a ruthless gang of predatory con artists. Their disposal techniques are, as usual, inventive. (Mentos, anyone?) Annoyingly, the "Felicia" storyline I wasn't crazy about in the last book is continued in this one. And, Mahoney's Guy Noir schtick is wearing thin. But, once again, Serge's musings on contemporary society are the things that make this one worthwhile.

"Those Glee kids just keep on caring," said Serge. "But the nation's plight is now bigger than any teenage chorus line can handle. Technology has just passed our survival instinct, and the country is spinning a stationary existential axis of make-believe importance: We text about a Tweet of a YouTube video posted on Facebook with a clip of Glee about not texting that we just texted about. Instead of actual life, we're now living an air-guitar version of life."

Oh, Serge . . . for once I wish your observations weren't right on the money . . .

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this story was alright, it wasn't as good as some other Serge stories. 6 of 10 stars

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I don’t text because of a philosophical code against the growing depersonalization predicted by Alvin Toffler and George Orwell.” (2.5 stars)

This is number 17 in Tim Dorsey’s Serge A. Storms series. I have read thru the series in order, and they are hit and miss, as any series of that length would be. “Tiger Shrimp Tango” finds our favorite psychopath going after con artists who are running various frauds in Florida, this time with the help of his former nemesis, stuck in time film noir detective Agent Mahoney.
Mahoney is a character in the series who is one note, but I enjoy the note. The riff on film noir patter is clever and yields lines like, “The day began like any other, except it was Tuesday, not the other six.” And, “Most of them just stink up my oxygen with alibis that are as shaky as an analogy that doesn’t fit.”
As my Goodreads friend Melki said of this series in an exchange we had, “Serge is one of the most quotable imaginary psychopaths roaming the pages of modern literature.” I could not have said it better. I could list dozens of funny (and often accurate) comments Serge makes that are applicable to so much. For a murderer (of people who “deserve it”) he says many things that are spot on. At one point Serge goes off on barbers brushing you off at the end of a haircut, and how deceitful and pointless that exercise is if the aim is to actually remove bits of hair. Boy do I know the itchy truth of that sentiment!
I generally read this series sitting in the hot sun on a beach. I have found when I read it in those circumstances I enjoy it more, and its deficiencies don’t matter as much. There are funny moments in this book, but I was not all that engaged with it. The weakness of Dorsey’s ability to write descriptive narrative is glaring in this text. The characters too often say things like, “Why is that melting” or “look at that such and such” instead of the author creating a moment. Too much telling in this book, not enough showing. This is especially evident in almost every conversation depicted in the novel between Serge and his perpetually stoned sidekick Coleman.
But, having said that, I have read 17 of the books, and 3 more are on my pile for a beach trip in August, so Mr. Dorsey gets the last laugh!
As Serge says in “Tiger Shrimp Tango”, “We need to stop taking ourselves so seriously.”

[Fred Forbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit it. I'm trapped. Tim Dorsey must be one of the hardest working guys in the book business and he lives just up the street in Tampa. I met him many years ago at a book signing when his first work appeared and with a signed first edition of a book I enjoyed, naturally I had to get the second in the same fashion all the way through this one. But I would not have remained in the cycle if I did not enjoy his work. Since I often cover a lot of Florida while working and have an appreciation for the history of the state and the quirkiness in our oddball reputation, it is great to have serial killer Serge coming up with ingenious ways to do in those that would harm Florida and Floridians. Granted, the gratuitous mayhem and gore takes some getting used to and the characters are certainly off the wall but if you have a taste for the wacky, Serge and his perpetually high sidekick Coleman are worth a visit.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's not to love about another Serge and Coleman adventure? Some laugh out loud moments, but not as funny nor good as some others in the series. Just middle of the line -- 5 out of 10.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure I really knew what was going on but it made me laugh a little!

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, Serge Storms and his intoxicated pal Coleman ride around Florida in a not-quite-vintage muscle car creatively extermination evildoers. In this case it is scam artists. There are no surprises in this book. Tim Dorsey writes these books on cruise control and what plot there is never changes from book to book.

But there is a lot to like in this series. Dorsey is a good writer and the book never bogs down. His commentary on current events and society, usually delivered by Serge, is witty and on target. There are many laugh out loud moments, rivaling Hiaasen and Barry.

If you're looking for gravitas in a book don't look here. If James Lee Burke was Beethoven, Dorsey would be The Archies. But if you are looking for the perfect beach read, Serge's merry murders will keep you entertained. I keep buying these books for that reason alone.

[Sid Nuncius · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another cracking Serge Storms book. The format is familiar: Serge (bouncing on caffeine and adrenaline) and Coleman (hilariously out of his head on weed, booze and heaven knows what else) target Florida’s scumbags with imaginative executions. This time there’s also a hitman on Serge’s tail and Serge is working in tandem with Mahoney, a very funny PI who talks in barely comprehensible hard-boiled jargon, often in the third person. Predictably, mayhem ensues.

It is, as always, very funny, rather exciting and packed with arcane gems about Florida and with gratuitous, rather pantomimic violence visited on the deserving. I have never been disappointed in a Tim Dorsey book, and Tiger Shrimp Tango is among those I’ve enjoyed the most. Perhaps not for the faint-hearted, but otherwise very warmly recommended.

[Sam Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so the rundown is as follows: This is a good book. Good, but not great. It's hilarious, twisted, and a lot of fun to read. It moves quick, the dialogue is fast, and the descriptions are lavish. If you have a weekend free and want to try some Dorsey, this is a pretty good one to start with.



         But those returning to the world of Serge Storms will find little here they didn't find elsewhere. Serge is still Serge, Mahoney is portrayed as little more than a joke at this point, and if you've read Dorsey's books, you already know the formula by this point. 



          In conclusion, it's a fun read, but I wouldn't rush out to buy. Wait for summer, and get this from the library. It's an enjoyable book, and if you haven't read Dorsey, starting here isn't a bad idea. But it's not an essential edition, just a good one.

         "Where you driving to?"

"Alfonso's Scrap Metal, Recycling, and Lounge."

"Lounge?"

"It's on the edge of a weird municipal zoning thing, and Alfonso took advantage of it."

- Serge and Coleman 

       I love Tim Dorsey, but it's always been weird trying to review him. At this point his book series, now a sixteen-book odyssey through Florida history and landmarks starring two antiheroic protagonists who kill a variety of wrongdoers in creative and messy ways, has reached the point where there are a lot of in-jokes and callbacks to previous books. And while the books do stand well enough on their own, I just couldn't get a purchase on or justify reviewing the books without getting too deep into them.



 So why am I reviewing them now? 



                Because it's a series I feel like people overlook in the Florida crime canon. Because I feel like it's something worth delving into. And, most importantly, because while this is the sixteenth Serge A. Storms book, this is one of the more accessible volumes in the series, and if you're going to start reading the ridiculous and cartoonish adventures of Serge A. Storms, this is one of the best books to get in on to see if you like it. Most of the other books such as Florida Roadkill, the first in the series, don't have the same tone and aren't nearly as light as Tiger Shrimp Tango. But, while it's accessible, is it worth reading? Well...



                Tiger Shrimp Tango is the story of Serge A. Storms. Serge is an antihero and vigilante who bounces from job to job and obsession to obsession with no real method of slowing down. There's a backstory to him, but it's fifteen books long and all you really need to know is that he's nuts and has a habit of offing the scum of the earth. He is assisted in his quest to act out every single fantasy in his kind of twisted brain by his erstwhile companion, Coleman. Coleman, so named after the cooler where his psychotic father kept him for his childhood, exists in a constant haze of drugs and alcohol. Despite this, he is a genius in physics and engineering, and his exploits include competently helping Serge with his various projects and once building a bong out of a particle accelerator. Together, the two of them are working as "private detectives" to take down scam artists in their home state of Florida, usually by putting the offending scammers into Rube Goldberg devices made from materials in the local Home Depot and fleeing the scene with all speed. They are aided in their current enterprise by the mentally-ill private eye Mahoney, who thinks he's in a film noir and talks in third-person monologue and jazz slang so dense it might as well be fabricated (it totally is). The three of them happen upon a ring of scammers pulling a combination of scams and smash-and-grab burglaries throughout Florida, and take it upon themselves to exact retribution for their victims.



Got all that? Good, because here's where it starts getting weird and crazy.



                In the midst of all of this, a scam goes wrong and a young woman named Brook Campanella's father winds up dead of a heart attack. A group of former marks for a con artist band together and decide to take a trip down to scare him straight. Our "heroes" start picking off the scammers in messy and increasingly bizarre ways, ways involving things like magnets, lobsters, and the most grisly demonstration of Diet Coke and Mentos ever enacted on the page. And someone from Serge's past, someone who killed a woman very dear to him, gets orders to take a trip back to Miami to tie up a loose end named Serge A. Storms. Things start going bad very quickly, and before everyone knows it, they're up to their necks in death and deals gone wrong. And at the eye of the storm sit our oblivious "heroes" and the woman they're trying to protect, Brook Campanella. People will explode. Nets will tighten. And people may not get out alive. But hey, that's Florida for you.



               Okay, first and foremost, I'd like to highlight the book's sense of timing. The book goes very quickly, but scenes tend to progress with a nice build. This isn't a breakneck pace where everything slams into each other before reaching a climax, each scene is given the attention it deserves, and never completely telegraphs its intentions. Dorsey understands that the best thing he could have going for him is surprise, and so he hides the punchline well until the end of the joke, when it'll have the maximum impact. He knows you want to know what the hell is going on, and by understanding this, he knows where to hide it for the maximum ridiculous potential. Dorsey also makes use of an anachronic order with Tiger Shrimp Tango, setting up absurd scenes with no context, and then showing the context later, essentially building new gags by having old ones reoccur. A lot of comic writers believe it's simply a matter of writing the funny setpieces and dialogue into their books, but the best comic authors, the ones people keep coming back to again and again, always work best with timing. And Dorsey has his down, through a combination of his craft and having done this sixteen times.



                Second, Dorsey has to be praised for his work on the setting. The book functions as a kind of insane travelogue through Florida, touching on many real issues going on in the state and in the world at large. It's easy to tell right off the bat that Dorsey loves his home state, and that love is only reinforced by the lavish descriptions of places like Legoland Florida, the Tupperware Museum, and the cottage where The Yearling was written. One of the things I like about Tim Dorsey and his books is that he also pays attention to how each scene is lit, something that few writers do and even fewer actually get right the few times they do it (I count Ray Bradbury and maybe...one other). Dorsey imbues his locations with such life and purpose that the dichotomy in his books almost reminds me of the show The Bridge-- you come for the grisly criminal acts, but you stay for the scenery porn and the interesting characters caught up in situations beyond their control. In Dorsey's Florida, you have a gorgeous landscape filled with neon lights, beautiful vistas, and more despicable criminals than anyone could possibly police, and it almost makes one want to live there for the two seconds it would take before one was inevitably killed in some gruesome and cartoonish fashion by the antiheroes of the setting. 



                And finally, Dorsey does well with the characters. Each person is distinct, and even the ones who aren't as filled-out at least get a backstory before they're either killed off or scammed. He gives his villains a lot of color, and even some traits that could make them more sympathetic. They're usually just losers who either don't understand how deep in they've just got, or they're way over their heads and trying desperately to get out before all the exits seal off and they get cornered by a coffee-guzzling madman and his stoner accomplice, as well as all the other desperate losers in the setting. Even when it's a foregone conclusion that yes, these people will die, there's still the hope that at least some of them will make it out alive. And that's what makes the book interesting to read.



               But there's a downside, too. Anyone who's read one of Dorsey's books before will know what is coming, and this being the most recent in a series that has grown just a little formulaic, there are not many surprises to be had. Also, some of the injokes could have been cut, having been resolved in previous adventures. Also, Serge's escapades feel less organic with each passing book, and more tinged with bitterness and wish-fulfillment. 



                But those looking for a quick, fun, lean read will find exactly that, and for first-time or returning readers, there's a lot to like. Take this one out of the library, get it used, pass it around with your friends, definitely read this, but don't buy it. 



NEXT WEEK:

- The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch

AND THEN

- Koko by Peter Straub

- Necrophenia by Robert Rankin

- Ghost Story by Peter Straub

[Maslela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent maybe six or seven years thinking this book is going to land in the toss pile so I always put it off. I picked it up finally with the intention to prove my assumption to myself before discarding. Shockingly I have found these pages entertaining, very comedic, cleverly nuanced, and I'm drawn out of my reading slump with it. It was easy to imagine the rich in Florida now that I have visited Delray Beach and the surrounding areas. The story focuses on all sorts of scam artists targeting the rich, and how they fall for it. I'd guess the impending doom, and then chuckle at the very realistic characters. I read this book with grins, gasps, and guffaws. There's some movie like action scene towards the end, and loads of hysterical situations, and dialogues. If you're looking for an entertaining and light read but like me, you're not into chick-lit, this is gold!

Serge's lines I should repeat just because:
"One of those pleasant days, real nice, right up until it kicks you in the Adam's apple like a transvestite in stilettos."

"The air coming through my window was heavy with heat, humidity, and double crosses."

"She blew her nose like a British ambulance, and her sob story had more twists than a dragon parade in Chinatown."

"People who admit they don't read is "a tragedy because first, they don't read so they don't know enough to keep it to themselves, and secondly, they use a demeaning tone like (the reader) is the stupid one for wasting time with books."

I loved the opening quote:
This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel. - Horatio Walpole

[Sharon Royle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delight these books are!!!!! I'd love to meet Serge and Coleman but I think they only live in Dorsey's mind.

Thank you, Tim, for the delightful hours you give me writing these books!!!!!!

Highly recommend. They are funnnnnnnnnnny!!!

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serge is a little less whacky, a lot of confused and dealing in a part of Florida history that is very esoteric in the latest entry in Tim Dorsey's ongoing saga. This novel has Serge working with Mahoney trying to track down some of Florida's finest con artists. Lunacy ensues, people die in bizarre manner - though most are not the "over the top" murders that Dorsey fans may be expecting - and new friendships are made.
Serge seems a little older, wiser, and not quite as off the rails as usual; Coleman continues his attempts to be the Keith Richards of the duo and don't expect to find City or Country as they're AWOL once again.

[Carrie Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're not already aboard the Tim Dorsey train I suspect you'll find this incomprehensible, but if you've read the others in the series you'll be delighted that the return of Serge and Coleman, the daftest double act in hyperactive crime fiction, also includes occasional supports Johnny Vegas and Detective Mahoney. I laughed like a drain.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still great but this one is written based on left overs from previous ideas. Still great and imaginative ways of disposing of scumbags but no real story behind it this time.
It looks like Serge is going to get a female side kick for the next book so I am impatiently waiting for the next episode!

Come on Tim, I love the series!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so great! There are hilarious situations and great dialogue at every point in the story. Serge is my new favorite character when it comes to lovable serial killers! If you are looking for a fun, suspenseful read, that makes fun of both political parties and involves homages to both tupperware and the tv show 'Glee', I recommend this book!

[Rachel Holierhoek · Rating 2 out of 5]

dark, absurd humor that's a little too. Just too. Sometimes hilarious but so distorted it's distracting. Suspension of disbelief is impossible. Mildly amusing, light read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dorsey's books are always great entertainment while driving. I enjoyed this Serge story while tooling up and back to Fredericksburg and Rockville. Light, but oh so funny.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just another fun ride with everyone’s favorite vigilante and stoned sidekick. I must say Serge’s life-ending contrivances are getting more scientifically complex.

[Jennifer Collins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I'd meant to try out Tim Dorsey for ages, so I was thrilled when the Goodreads First Readers program awarded me a copy of his latest book, and thought it would be the perfect chance to try him out. Unfortunately, I'm now just thrilled that I didn't spend money on this one...

In the beginning, I felt like I was getting whiplash every time I picked up this book...later on in the reading, I'm afraid I just felt a bit bored. The book was packed with interesting scenes and interesting characters, but there was just too little time spent in any one place. By the time I got interested, Dorsey was moving on to something else, and the only characters who held any sort of focus were just a bit too crazy and immoral to be likable. Honestly, at any point in the book, any of the characters could have been killed, or Dorsey could have started over entirely, and I wouldn't have been either saddened or surprised.

Perhaps the nature of this book made it a more fragmented read than others, so I'll look at some reviews of other Dorsey works before I write him off entirely, but I really didn't enjoy this work. The writing was fine, and a few of the jokes and situations made me smile, but on the whole, I found the book more silly and overwritten than enjoyable, in any way at all.

I wouldn't recommend this one, and honestly, I doubt I'll be trying any of Dorsey's other worse any time soon.

[Vera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Tim Dorsey novel I have read. I picked it up after seeing a cover image on a bookstore website. It took me at least 50 pages to get into it, but then I was hooked. I read reviews that refer to the protagonist Serge Storms as a “psychotic serial killer.” I believe “serial vigilante” is a more accurate description and “psychotic” is not correct since Serge is very much in touch with reality. His sidekick Coleman is another matter. He seems to be hallucinating much of the time. I found Coleman to be tiresome and I could have done with fewer of the descriptions of his use of common objects to create bongs.
Serge’s methods of dispatching his victims, most of whom could be described as unindicted criminals, are truly imaginative and well designed . Warning: Serge’s methods are also gory and you will be glad this is only fiction. I am glad that Dorsey is a good writer, with a bizarre sense of humor who, I am guessing, uses writing as an acceptable way to deal with his own hostilities. I do intend to read at least one more Dorsey novel.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't my typical reading material, and I'm not sure I'll read the other books in this series. That being said, I actually did enjoy Tiger Shrimp Tango for the crazy Florida crime romp that it is.

Since I haven't read the previous Serge Storms books, I'm not sure if this is an element of all of them, but the timeline in Tiger Shrimp Tango jumps backward and forward, which can be confusing at times. One character seemed to have two first meetings with Mahoney, the private eye; I'm still not sure if that actually was a continuity error or if I simply misread/misunderstood. Because of the multiple plot lines, though, some fast-forwarding and rewinding probably was necessary to cover everything that was happening. Overall, Dorsey did a good job at tying up the plot, which is impressive since it's a rather multi-faceted plot.

Note: I received an advance reader copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.

[Jerry Baird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Mr Tim Dorsey evolving around the Serge Storm and Coleman team. Loved their dialogue in this one with trying to enroll in both the democratic and republican parties as workers. You can't get any funnier than this, especially today.
Also the ability to keep Film Noir detective Mahoney as a partner in vanquishing the evil dooers was an additional surprise. I think the evolution of Mahoney and Serge has been a real fun time during my excursion into the relm of madness and reefer, plus the historical significance of anything that they do always rises the expectations of waiting for another novel.
Other twists and turns are there as always and you never know what will happen until you finish the last 4 pages (don't look ahead) Their tours of Tupperware, excitement of having their own party and surprises in cocktails makes this one 4 stars. Abot 4 more to complete the series, but fun as always.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads first reads giveaway.

I had a hard time deciding what I was going to rate this book. With that being said I'll go through both what I enjoyed/didn't enjoy about the book.

I had a really hard time getting into the book at first. I don't know if it was because I hadn't read a Serge Storms book before, or if it was because the book did a lot of jumping around which was a bit confusing. I did end up enjoying the book although because it was full of interesting characters and it did have lots of laugh out loud moments. Not a book that everyone would enjoy but I'm glad I got a chance to read it.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

At least a couple of times a year I really need a shot of Tim Dorsey. Between he and Carl Hiaasen, South Florida is made the laugh capital of the country. If anything, Tiger Shrimp Tango exceeds his usual high standard for zaniness. The scary part is, I found myself agreeing with Serge several times in this one. A good way to spend an evening.

[Mary Rose Pizzuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorsey's dynamic duo, Serge and Coleman, are up to their ususal shenanigans in pursuit of saving Florida history for future generations and "righting" the wrongs in their classic, serial-killer fashion. A fun read!

[Michele Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serge considers himself a PI, but he is really a psychopathic genius. His job is to hunt down scam artists to get money back for the victims. Instead, he kills them with ingenious devices that he invents himself. This was a fun read, as all of Tim Dorsey's books are.

[Jason Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I'll ever get enough Serge.

[Dugger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read with Serge A Storms.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who scams the scammers? And murders some because there really are some people worth murdering.

...

Pretend I didn't write that. Serge made me do it. He's crazy charming that way.

[Alpha · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems like years since I read a novel by Tim Dorsey. That alone is a travesty given how popular -- and entertaining -- the Floridians misadventures of Serge Storms and Coleman are. Fortunately, subsequent novels in the series are not wholly dependent on previous novels. True there are details and plot lines that are said dependent, but the singular plot of the present novel itself will not be effected. And in certain cases the reader doesn't know what is going on, Dorsey will be more than happy to remind readers what is unique about said plot line or character. For example Johnny Vegas being the "accidental virgin."

In the 17th novel in the Serge Storms series, Serge and Coleman are working as private investigators under Serge's "brother from another mother" Mahoney (who has become a very interesting character over the last five to ten books with his lingo). Utilizing his intelligence and street smarts, Serge is able to figure out how to catch scam artists and give them the ole' Serge justice. As he gets in deeper with the scam artists, it is evident that the "bigger scam artists" are all part of this huge gang (it is always a gang going against Serge Storms). And since this huge gang consists of bad people who want to hurt the innocent, Serge must deal out his ole' Serge justice on them too.

As for Serge's ole' Serge justice, it is starting to get a bit more innovative. I think the low point of his killing was either the six bullets that killed an individual but they were all exit wounds because the individual swallowed the bullets and was put in an MRI machine, or Shannon the stripper dying by having her lungs filled with fire extinguisher fluid. In this book, we have "real stories" with each kill. Once again, the unnamed forensics scientist is in awe of how Serge kills his victims. Wouldn't it be weird if said dude was Dexter?

Overall, a good book and a welcome return to Tim Dorsey's world run by Serge Storms. Would definitely give this book a go even if it is a stand-alone. I however suggest starting with book number one, Florida Roadkill.