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Review of CADILLAC BEACH by Tim Dorsey
William Morrow, February 2004
Review by Jennifer Vilches
Serge Storms, mental institution escapee and history buff has an off kilter master to-do list. At the top of his list are investigating his grandfather's death and finding missing diamonds from a forty year old heist. So of course his first step is to start his own Miami tour guide service with Lenny, his constantly stoned friend. That's just the beginning of the wild, wacky ride that Tim Dorsey has in store for the reader in Cadillac Beach.
History lessons and bodies are liberally strewn across Miami, as Serge takes his shell-shocked clients on their tour, tries to trace his grandfather's last steps, and masterminds a plan to invade Cuba. Cadillac Beach moves back and forth from Serge's wandering adventures in the present day and the exploits of his equally unbalanced grandfather, Sergio, in the 60s.
Both timelines are populated with villains and the not-quite-so-villainous. In fact, all of the characters are morally ambiguous, and the offhanded way the body count rises can be a little disconcerting. But for the most part, I found myself rooting for Serge and company. The frenetic pace of the story grabs hold, and the humorous moments smooth over the dark spots. Author Tim Dorsey does an excellent job of weaving all of the plot threads together at the end.
See more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by Tim Dorsey.
Three Stars
Reviewed 2/04/04
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