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Kinky Friedman #17
The Prisoner of Vandam Street
Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Rear Window gets an affectionate kick in the butt in this homage from master crime writer, philosopher, and equal-opportunity offender Kinky Friedman.
It's a case of malaria versus murder when private dick extraordinaire Kinky Friedman comes down with a tropical disease, in the jungle known as New York City, and is confined to his loft on Vandam Street in lower Manhattan, a prisoner in his own home with only his cat and black puppet head as company (neither of whom are great conversationalists).
With little to do but stare out the window in between bedridden bouts of fever and hallucinations, Kinky calls on assistance from the stalwart Village Irregulars, who proceed to dish out their own uniquely skewed brand of tea and sympathy, turning the loft into a virtual Mardi Gras of confusion and drunken debauchery.
Suffering almost as much from company overload as from his fever, Kinky welcomes a rare moment of calm as he finds himself once again alone in his loft. Resuming his position at the kitchen window, he spots a pretty young woman in an apartment across the street. What he hopes might be titillating turns terrifying, however, as a man joins the woman and proceeds to attack her. Sure that he's witnessed a crime, Kinky calls in the cops, but, upon investigating his claim, they can find neither a victim nor an apartment across the street. In addition, no one else saw or heard anything that would ndicate a crime had taken place. Was it foul play or merely a fevered dream?
Convinced that their friend is about to slip off into the land of eternal slumber, the Village Irregulars increase their vigilance and in the process raise the Kinkster's irritability level to an all-time high. Not to be deterred, however, Kinky sticks to his story and is rewarded when a few days later he sees the man in the apartment again, but this time with a gun.
Outrageous, audacious, and ingeniously crafted, The Prisoner of Vandam Street is vintage Kinky: irreverent, clever, and full of the hardened philosophy and mordant wit that has earned him a vast and devoted readership. But what more would you expect from the writer The New York Times has called "The world's funniest, bawdiest, and most politically incorrect country music singer turned mystery writer"?
It's a case of malaria versus murder when private dick extraordinaire Kinky Friedman comes down with a tropical disease, in the jungle known as New York City, and is confined to his loft on Vandam Street in lower Manhattan, a prisoner in his own home with only his cat and black puppet head as company (neither of whom are great conversationalists).
With little to do but stare out the window in between bedridden bouts of fever and hallucinations, Kinky calls on assistance from the stalwart Village Irregulars, who proceed to dish out their own uniquely skewed brand of tea and sympathy, turning the loft into a virtual Mardi Gras of confusion and drunken debauchery.
Suffering almost as much from company overload as from his fever, Kinky welcomes a rare moment of calm as he finds himself once again alone in his loft. Resuming his position at the kitchen window, he spots a pretty young woman in an apartment across the street. What he hopes might be titillating turns terrifying, however, as a man joins the woman and proceeds to attack her. Sure that he's witnessed a crime, Kinky calls in the cops, but, upon investigating his claim, they can find neither a victim nor an apartment across the street. In addition, no one else saw or heard anything that would ndicate a crime had taken place. Was it foul play or merely a fevered dream?
Convinced that their friend is about to slip off into the land of eternal slumber, the Village Irregulars increase their vigilance and in the process raise the Kinkster's irritability level to an all-time high. Not to be deterred, however, Kinky sticks to his story and is rewarded when a few days later he sees the man in the apartment again, but this time with a gun.
Outrageous, audacious, and ingeniously crafted, The Prisoner of Vandam Street is vintage Kinky: irreverent, clever, and full of the hardened philosophy and mordant wit that has earned him a vast and devoted readership. But what more would you expect from the writer The New York Times has called "The world's funniest, bawdiest, and most politically incorrect country music singer turned mystery writer"?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2004
7 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Kinky Friedman
69 books290 followersRichard S. "Kinky" Friedman is an American singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly who styles himself in the mold of popular American satirists Will Rogers and Mark Twain. He was one of two independent candidates in the 2006 election for the office of Governor of Texas. Receiving 12.6% of the vote, Friedman placed fourth in the six-person race.
Friedman was born in Chicago to Jewish parents, Dr. S. Thomas Friedman and his wife Minnie (Samet) Friedman. The family moved to a ranch in central Texas a few years later. Friedman had an early interest in both music and chess, and was chosen at age 7 as one of 50 local players to challenge U.S. grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky to simultaneous matches in Houston. Reshevsky won all 50 matches, but Friedman was by far the youngest competitor.
Friedman graduated from Austin High School in Austin, Texas in 1962 and earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1966, majoring in Psychology. He took part in the Plan II Honors program and was a member of the Tau Delta Phi fraternity. During his freshman year, Chinga Chavin gave Friedman the nickname "Kinky" because of his curly hair.
Friedman served two years in the United States Peace Corps, teaching on Borneo in Malaysia with John Gross. During his service in the Peace Corps, he met future Texas Jewboy road manager Dylan Ferrero, with whom he still works today. Friedman lives at Echo Hill Ranch, his family's summer camp near Kerrville, Texas. He founded Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, also located near Kerrville, whose mission is to care for stray, abused and aging animals; more than 1,000 dogs have been saved from animal euthanasia.
Series:
* Kinky Friedman Mystery
Friedman was born in Chicago to Jewish parents, Dr. S. Thomas Friedman and his wife Minnie (Samet) Friedman. The family moved to a ranch in central Texas a few years later. Friedman had an early interest in both music and chess, and was chosen at age 7 as one of 50 local players to challenge U.S. grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky to simultaneous matches in Houston. Reshevsky won all 50 matches, but Friedman was by far the youngest competitor.
Friedman graduated from Austin High School in Austin, Texas in 1962 and earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1966, majoring in Psychology. He took part in the Plan II Honors program and was a member of the Tau Delta Phi fraternity. During his freshman year, Chinga Chavin gave Friedman the nickname "Kinky" because of his curly hair.
Friedman served two years in the United States Peace Corps, teaching on Borneo in Malaysia with John Gross. During his service in the Peace Corps, he met future Texas Jewboy road manager Dylan Ferrero, with whom he still works today. Friedman lives at Echo Hill Ranch, his family's summer camp near Kerrville, Texas. He founded Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, also located near Kerrville, whose mission is to care for stray, abused and aging animals; more than 1,000 dogs have been saved from animal euthanasia.
Series:
* Kinky Friedman Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 27, 2021
While there's an actual crime to be solved, most of this book revolves around Kinky's bout with malaria. The usual suspects are there. Everyone being trapped in 199B Vandam Street while the Kinster recovers. It's life in the microcosm of his apartment and it does get repetitious. The crime is solved at the very end and I was not satisfied with the ending.
August 4, 2015
I read the first 70 pages in a half hour but then it took me what felt like two years to read the rest. In actuality, it became demoted to "beach read," which means I only picked it up for 5-10 minutes after I got out of the water to kill some time while I dried off.
Friedman is a poor man's Tom Robbins, which is saying something from me, because I don't even like Tom Robbins. He wants to be Kurt Vonnegut, but he can't even piss near the flies circling that corpse. He sucks big time.
Still gonna read his other two books I got from some library booksale a million years ago some day though. This one I'll probably leave in the lending library on Gov't St.
Friedman is a poor man's Tom Robbins, which is saying something from me, because I don't even like Tom Robbins. He wants to be Kurt Vonnegut, but he can't even piss near the flies circling that corpse. He sucks big time.
Still gonna read his other two books I got from some library booksale a million years ago some day though. This one I'll probably leave in the lending library on Gov't St.
January 10, 2023
Imagine Rear Window with the Village Irregulars mucking about. Actually, this offering says a lot about friendship and service. The Kinkster and his friends all have insufferable habits and behaviors, yet they somehow manage to operate a fairly successful rehab unit together.
April 7, 2019
This has been my least favorite Kinky book so far. I DID like that all the great characters were in one book but not much of a mystery story other than Kinkys sickness.
August 8, 2019
No need to spend much time on this one. It's funny in a quirky way. Lots of word play! One chapter about his parents was actually serious and philosophical!
August 11, 2024
DNF about page 30. Guess he thinks he's funny. He's tedious.
August 7, 2017
Way too much time spent on the exhausting look-at-me-I-am-trying-so-damn-hard-to-be-funny dialogues. It is as if the author tried to mask the crappy plot and clumsy storytelling with a shower of jokes. It worked at times, but in the end you just felt a tiny bit cheated.
February 7, 2015
One of the last in the Kinky Friedman series. At first I could not figure out the the purpose of the investigation that much. Kinky (after having contracted Malaria and being confined to his loft) witnesses an episode of severe domestic assault. No one believes him, not even the police, he becomes obsessed with the victim and trying to prove she does exist and that he did witness what he witnessed. The end however, maybe up for the lack of pointed purpose that was missing in the last half for me - a very poignant ending.
January 17, 2008
I have a soft spot for this book because the character is stuck in his apartment. It may seem boring or slow to some people but I loved it. Kinky always has a sharp tongue and interesting insights no matter where his characters are or what they are doing.
December 11, 2007
This is not as exciting as Kinky's other wacky mysteries. He tries to put a "Rear Window" spin on the action, but doesn't keep the plot compelling. Instead, read "Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned."
January 5, 2011
I love Kinky, I love his key holder, I love Vandam street. Forget about Emma Bovary: I want to BE Kinky.
April 22, 2011
One of the better later Kinky detective novels. Lots of witty observations on life.
August 16, 2011
If I had read this before I read Jesus, Elvis & Coca-Cola, would I rate it higher? When you have eliminated the impossible, Watson, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truth.
November 2, 2012
Too many characters with not enough to do in this one-flat novel. A good setting, and I like Friedman's style of writing, although this time, he keeps repeating himself.
December 2, 2012
These books are always fun. Too bad he stopped writing them.
December 23, 2012
A good-but-not-great effort from The Kinkster; would seem relatively better if he hadn't put far superior stuff into his other books.
February 16, 2016
Fun quick read, but nothing great.
July 31, 2016
Started to read like Rear Window or that episode of Castle that paid homage to Rear Window. VERY disappointing ending though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2016
Strange. At first it was a chore to keep plugging. Then it caught me. I did enjoy the quirky crazy characters. But overall, not a book I'll remember long.
January 3, 2017
Real Cool Mystery Book.
Kinky has a different and unique voice and style.
I'm definitely going to check out some of his other works this year.
Kinky has a different and unique voice and style.
I'm definitely going to check out some of his other works this year.
August 16, 2012
This is so good - I read it in 2004 and am buying it on my kindle so I will always have it.
Read
August 7, 2011As Samuel Johnson said, "When a man is tired of Kinky, he is tired of life."
Read
April 29, 2019Meh. And this from a Kinky fan.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews