Stuff Dreams Are Made Of: A Novel

Stuff #2

by Don Bruns

While their last venture was hardly crowned with success, James Lessor and Skip Moore, (and their white box truck) are back. When Reverend Preston Cashdollar and his traveling tent revival come to town, James and Skip reinvent themselves--as holy rollers. But these two aren't seeking salvation; they're seeking the Almighty dollar. After all, Cashdollar's prosperity gospel draws thousands of people with open minds-and open wallets. With a few modifications to the truck, Less or Moore Catering is ready to roll, and the entrepreneurs are born again, intent on making a mint by selling meager meals to the hungry masses. Cashdollar may preach about seeing the light, but his organization has a dark side of greed, corruption, and murder. What in the name of all that is holy have James and Skip gotten themselves into? This meals-on-wheels venture is more like hell on wheels.As James and Skip seek the truth, they'll learn that the stuff dreams are made of may be their worst nightmare. They'll either need to keep the faith, or run like the devil.

Genres: Mystery

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Don Bruns is a writer, novelist, musician, songwriter, painter, cook, advertising executive and stand up comic who has no idea what he wants to be when he grows up. He's the author of nine books and was editor of the mystery/music anthology A Merry Band Of Murderers.

Don's published novels cover two series. One, a Caribbean thriller collection and two, the Stuff series, a humorous look at two twenty-four year old guys in South Florida who start their own detective agency and end up neck - deep in trouble.

Jamaica Blue, Barbados Heat, South Beach Shakedown, St. Barts Breakdown and Bahama Burnout make up the Caribbean books. The Stuff series consists of Stuff To Die For, Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, Stuff To Spy For, and Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. Bruns is currently working on the fifth Stuff book, Too Much Stuff.

He currently resides on Florida's West coast.

Bahama Burnout/ Finalist, National Best Books Award - Mystery/Suspense 2009
South Beach Shakedown/ Winner National Best Books Award -Fiction/Suspense 2006
South Beach Shakedown/ Winner, Indie Excellence, 2006 Award - Mystery/Suspense
South Beach Shakedown/ Winner USA Book Award, 2006 - Mystery
Stuff Dreams Are Made Of/ Winner Indie Excellence Award 2009 - Mystery/Suspense
Stuff Dreams Are Made Of/IndieBound Notable, October 2008
Stuff Dreams Are Made Of/Winner Florida Writer's Association -
Stuff To Die For/ Starred review Booklist

Reviews

[Mark Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skip Lesser and James Moore have renovated James’s truck to use it to serve food at the revival meetings being help by Reverend Cashdollar. They quickly start to hear rumors of several deaths connected to this ministry, including someone Skip met 10 years ago. Will they figure out what is going on over the course of the weekend?

Obviously, this “reverend” is not preaching anything I would consider Biblical, and I appreciated the fact that I never got the feeling anyone was taking it seriously as such. While this set up might sound like it, this isn’t a cozy, with a liberal amount of foul language and a bit more violence. The pacing was very uneven, with some page turning twists and suspenseful scenes being slowed down by lots of recaps and talking. Still, I do like Skip and James and their struggles with life in general. I don’t think this will be a favorite series, but I’m glad I am finally getting to book two.

Read my full review of Carstairs Considers.

[Christine Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is great it is about two friends and about loyalty a word that is hard to find in this world lately and it is great fun to see them just acting like the invincible 20 odd year olds that they are! A humorous mystery but with an underlying seriousness this book is a winner all around! I loved it!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the 1st, but still good stuff.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amatuer slueths and best friends Skip More and James Lessor are at it again. This time they form a company called Lessor More Catering by revamping James's cube truck into a food wagon to sell burgers at a local reverend's revivalist tent. As the money flows in, they soon learn that people who cross the good reverend Cashdollar wind up dead.

This is book 2 of the hysterically funny series and it flows like an episode of Dumb and Dumber. You can help but feel for these "regular guys" and their situation as they stumble into solving another case.
Highly recommend.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd book of the series - not nearly as entertaining as the first. One left, and I still like it enough to give the guys one more chance.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skip and James are back and planning to use the truck for a tent revival. Funny and fun, though not quite as great as Stuff to Die For.