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The Big Bamboo
Serge Storms Mystery, No. 8

by Tim Dorsey



      I’m not sure how to describe Tim Dorsey’s books. Wacky? Satiric? Edgy? LSD in book form? You could make a case that all of those apply, and in Dorsey’s newest, The Big Bamboo, nothing has changed.

Serge Storms is back for his eighth go around, and his habitually stoned pal, Coleman, is back for the ride as well. I have yet to be able to accurately delineate the plot in any of Dorsey’s books, so I won’t attempt to do so here. But here’s what you’ll get: the kidnapping and murder of a Hollywood actress; the Japanese mafia; two movie studio moguls who bear a striking resemblance (in some ways) to Miramax’s Weinstein brothers; and an escapade to the Playboy mansion. There are plenty of other characters who join the fray and add to the frenzy, and Dorsey, as usual, has fun mixing and matching all of them.

But while Dorsey’s attempt to make fun of Hollywood works to a certain degree, it doesn’t seem to carry the same sharpness and causticity in the same way that his novels that target South Florida do. It’s nice to see Serge and Coleman get out and see a little of the rest of the world, but I think their zaniness and manic behavior play best in the heat, humidity, and diverse sub-cultures in and around the Everglades. There’s a lot to like in The Big Bamboo, but I’ll be anxious to see Serge and Coleman return home for their next adventure.

As I’ve said before, Dorsey’s work is an acquired taste. His humor works back and forth between bitingly intelligent and something akin to The Gong Show. It takes a skilled writer to convincingly mix both, and Dorsey does. Those unfamiliar with his work would be better suited to starting with Cadillac Beach or Stingray Shuffle to get a proper introduction to Serge and the gang. But for longtime fans of Dorsey, Serge and Coleman, The Big Bamboo makes a nice addition to their adventures.

Reviews of other titles in this series

Stingray Shuffle, No 5
Cadillac Beach, No 6
Torpedo Juice, No 7
The Big Bamboo, No. 8
Hurricane Punch, No 9
Atomic Lobster, No 10
Gator A-Go-Go, No 12
Pineapple Grenade, 15

The Book

William Morrow
April 2006
Hardcover - Paperback
0060585625
Mystery/Humor

Hardcover - Paperback at Amazon.com


The Reviewer

Jeff Shelby
Reviewed 2006
NOTE:Reviewer Jeff Shelby is the author of Killer Swell.
© 2006 MyShelf.com