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martyfried's review
4.0
This was a great story. Typical Ross Thomas - a complicated story with lots of humor mixed in. Interesting characters, but I had trouble remembering who some of them were. And sometimes it's hard to even know who are the good guys and bad guys.
As usual, a whole lot of cheating going on, with some musical money that nobody knows who will get it, or where it will go.
As usual, a whole lot of cheating going on, with some musical money that nobody knows who will get it, or where it will go.
jakewritesbooks's review
4.0
The names are a bit too ridiculous (Chubb? Delft Csider?). And the casual racism is annoying. Otherwise, this is another good read from Ross Thomas, who knows how to write a witty, engaging political thriller.
seano's review
4.0
I really admire Ross Thomas. He writes tight crime/spy/thrillers with winning characters and page-turning plots, and a couple of twists thrown in.
They never last very long (this one I finished in two days) but they're always worthwhile.
The President's brother is missing, and the Libyans got him. Chubb Dungee is a negotiator. He doesn't have any leads, but he's got his wits and some luck.
Guess starring: Criminal Bill Gates, an international terrorist cell, two African ambassadors (one good, one evil), Ron Jeremy from the CIA, a one-eared George Clooney, a couple of Blonde assistants that mostly just look pretty, and a big lovable British oaf/burglar.
It's just a wee bit sexist in retrospect (no really strong women) but not worst than any other 70s/80s paperback.
A good read. I enjoy all his books, but I'm trying to parcel them out so they last.
They never last very long (this one I finished in two days) but they're always worthwhile.
The President's brother is missing, and the Libyans got him. Chubb Dungee is a negotiator. He doesn't have any leads, but he's got his wits and some luck.
Guess starring: Criminal Bill Gates, an international terrorist cell, two African ambassadors (one good, one evil), Ron Jeremy from the CIA, a one-eared George Clooney, a couple of Blonde assistants that mostly just look pretty, and a big lovable British oaf/burglar.
It's just a wee bit sexist in retrospect (no really strong women) but not worst than any other 70s/80s paperback.
A good read. I enjoy all his books, but I'm trying to parcel them out so they last.
nigellicus's review
5.0
My second Ross Thomas, the first I bought (in Cork city, Bridge Street Books as it was then, don't care what they changed it to, it's always Bridge Street Books to me, even if it was only called that for about a week.) My copy vanished, but I have now acquired a replacement, and it was so long ago and I was so callow and ignorant of the world that it's like reading a Ross Thomas book for the first time all over again! Yay for the callowness of youth!
The usual whipsmart plot sees a terrorist nabbed in London, leading to a counter-nabbing of the US president's brother by Libyans who were funding the terrorist and who think the original nabbers were the CIA. Except they weren't and nobody knows who has the terrorist. A quintessential shady Ross Thomas political fixer is summoned and a quintessential shady Ross Thomas troubleshooter - Chubb Dunjee, ex-congressman and so-called Mordida Man for his renown in getting people out of jams in Mexico - is enjoined to shoot the trouble. While he slides obliquely from London to Rome chasing connections and making plays the CIA, the terrorists holding the president's brother, a diplomat, a UN official, the Libyans and the actual original nabbers work their schemes and their plans and their plots. It's at once insanely complicated and smooth as a blade, like a good whiskey. Funny and dark and twisty and and sly and cruel. Quintessential Ross Thomas.
The usual whipsmart plot sees a terrorist nabbed in London, leading to a counter-nabbing of the US president's brother by Libyans who were funding the terrorist and who think the original nabbers were the CIA. Except they weren't and nobody knows who has the terrorist. A quintessential shady Ross Thomas political fixer is summoned and a quintessential shady Ross Thomas troubleshooter - Chubb Dunjee, ex-congressman and so-called Mordida Man for his renown in getting people out of jams in Mexico - is enjoined to shoot the trouble. While he slides obliquely from London to Rome chasing connections and making plays the CIA, the terrorists holding the president's brother, a diplomat, a UN official, the Libyans and the actual original nabbers work their schemes and their plans and their plots. It's at once insanely complicated and smooth as a blade, like a good whiskey. Funny and dark and twisty and and sly and cruel. Quintessential Ross Thomas.
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