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Serge Storms #13
Electric Barracuda
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Humor (2011)An alternate cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.
Serge Storms, that loveable thermonuclear vigilante and one-stop-Florida-trivia-shop, has been leaving corpses strewn across the Sunshine State for more than a decade. The authorities—especially one tenacious state agent—have begun to notice the exponential body count, and send a police task force to track down Serge. Could his luck finally have run out?
Meanwhile, armed with his perpetually baked sidekick, Coleman, Serge decides to blitz the state and resurrect his Internet travel-advice website—which, of course, must be the finest and the final word on trekking the Sunshine State. To up the ante, Serge concocts a theme vacation for his cyberspace audience. And that theme? You, too, can experience Florida through the eyes of a fugitive.
Off they go blogging along a getaway route through the state's most remote bayous, back roads, and bars, where the number of cadavers begin stacking up like Serge's website hits. And in the middle of all his make-believe close brushes, Serge finally wises up to his pursuers and realizes that the manic gumball rally is genuinely on "in the tradition of the great American chase movie."
Clues and questions mount:
Who are all the women being photographed naked in the swamp?
What made Coleman draw on his face with magic markers?
Where is the cruise-to-nowhere taking its drunk prisoners?
When was the last time a Civil War reenactment involved a sports car?
But Serge also has some personal business to tidy up. His grandfather's old Miami Beach gang suddenly had their life savings wiped out, and there's a good bet it was no accident. Too much action for Serge to juggle? Not when it all dovetails nicely into his Secret Master Plan. And especially if it involves Serge's favorite new obsession: tracking Al Capone's little-known escapades in the Everglades.
So gas up the car, say good-bye to the relatives, and join Serge on the lam as he drives straight for the deepest bowels of Florida to unravel the final mysteries of Electric Barracuda.
Serge Storms, that loveable thermonuclear vigilante and one-stop-Florida-trivia-shop, has been leaving corpses strewn across the Sunshine State for more than a decade. The authorities—especially one tenacious state agent—have begun to notice the exponential body count, and send a police task force to track down Serge. Could his luck finally have run out?
Meanwhile, armed with his perpetually baked sidekick, Coleman, Serge decides to blitz the state and resurrect his Internet travel-advice website—which, of course, must be the finest and the final word on trekking the Sunshine State. To up the ante, Serge concocts a theme vacation for his cyberspace audience. And that theme? You, too, can experience Florida through the eyes of a fugitive.
Off they go blogging along a getaway route through the state's most remote bayous, back roads, and bars, where the number of cadavers begin stacking up like Serge's website hits. And in the middle of all his make-believe close brushes, Serge finally wises up to his pursuers and realizes that the manic gumball rally is genuinely on "in the tradition of the great American chase movie."
Clues and questions mount:
Who are all the women being photographed naked in the swamp?
What made Coleman draw on his face with magic markers?
Where is the cruise-to-nowhere taking its drunk prisoners?
When was the last time a Civil War reenactment involved a sports car?
But Serge also has some personal business to tidy up. His grandfather's old Miami Beach gang suddenly had their life savings wiped out, and there's a good bet it was no accident. Too much action for Serge to juggle? Not when it all dovetails nicely into his Secret Master Plan. And especially if it involves Serge's favorite new obsession: tracking Al Capone's little-known escapades in the Everglades.
So gas up the car, say good-bye to the relatives, and join Serge on the lam as he drives straight for the deepest bowels of Florida to unravel the final mysteries of Electric Barracuda.
357 pages, Hardcover
First published January 25, 2011
148 people are currently reading
1330 people want to read
About the author
Tim Dorsey
38 books1,638 followersTim Dorsey was born in Indiana, moved to Florida at the age of 1, and grew up in a small town about an hour north of Miami called Riviera Beach. He graduated from Auburn University in 1983. While at Auburn, he was editor of the student newspaper, The Plainsman.
From 1983 to 1987, he was a police and courts reporter for The Alabama Journal, the now-defunct evening newspaper in Montgomery. He joined The Tampa Tribune in 1987 as a general assignment reporter. He also worked as a political reporter in the Tribune’s Tallahassee bureau and a copy desk editor. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Tribune’s night metro editor. He left the paper in August 1999 to write full time.
From 1983 to 1987, he was a police and courts reporter for The Alabama Journal, the now-defunct evening newspaper in Montgomery. He joined The Tampa Tribune in 1987 as a general assignment reporter. He also worked as a political reporter in the Tribune’s Tallahassee bureau and a copy desk editor. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Tribune’s night metro editor. He left the paper in August 1999 to write full time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
May 2, 2018
"I'm going to change. No more illegal stuff. Not even murder."
Don't worry. That was just a momentary lapse. Serge Storms will never, ever change. He'll always be the serial killing lunatic who won my heart.
Serge and his sidekick Coleman are on the run. Again. Oh, well. It's a great opportunity for Serge to plug his Florida Fugitive Tour. But, even with the law and a reality TV bounty hunter hot on his heels, he takes the time to dispense a little Serge-style justice to pedophiles, crooked bankers, and gator poachers. That's just the kind of guy he is.
Of course there's always a little cash flow problem, but nothing that can't be solved with a brief stint as a suicide hotline counselor. Yeah. As you can imagine that goes pretty well . . .
"Suicide hotline. My name is Serge. How may I save your life tonight? . . .
What the fuck? No wonder you're screwed up . . . Hey I'm screwed up, too, except you don't see me calling a complete stranger on some hotline, droning on and on about how there's no point anymore . . . Ha! You call that crazy? Yes, I can top that . . ."
Though he might evade capture, the past finally catches up with Serge, and he finds himself with new responsibilities, AND, a new ally.
All in all, another thrilling and funny adventure courtesy of my favorite maniac. I can't even begin to imagine what he'll get up to next.
"My audience deserves nothing but the finest fake chaos."
Don't worry. That was just a momentary lapse. Serge Storms will never, ever change. He'll always be the serial killing lunatic who won my heart.
Serge and his sidekick Coleman are on the run. Again. Oh, well. It's a great opportunity for Serge to plug his Florida Fugitive Tour. But, even with the law and a reality TV bounty hunter hot on his heels, he takes the time to dispense a little Serge-style justice to pedophiles, crooked bankers, and gator poachers. That's just the kind of guy he is.
Of course there's always a little cash flow problem, but nothing that can't be solved with a brief stint as a suicide hotline counselor. Yeah. As you can imagine that goes pretty well . . .
"Suicide hotline. My name is Serge. How may I save your life tonight? . . .
What the fuck? No wonder you're screwed up . . . Hey I'm screwed up, too, except you don't see me calling a complete stranger on some hotline, droning on and on about how there's no point anymore . . . Ha! You call that crazy? Yes, I can top that . . ."
Though he might evade capture, the past finally catches up with Serge, and he finds himself with new responsibilities, AND, a new ally.
All in all, another thrilling and funny adventure courtesy of my favorite maniac. I can't even begin to imagine what he'll get up to next.
"My audience deserves nothing but the finest fake chaos."
Want to read
March 27, 2019This hardcover is signed by Tim Dorsey.
August 26, 2016
As usual, some rib tickling moments provided by Dorsey, especially at the outset and interspersed occasionally. The ending could have been better. 6 of 10 stars
December 16, 2020
As with any Tim Dorsey book I read, I devour it as fast as I can, sometimes staying up well past my bedtime and/or sneaking in a few quick pages while I'm watching porn, calibrating the plutonium rod mechanism at the nuclear power plant, or showering. The adventures of Serge and Coleman are also the perfect complement to a few pitchers of beer with bong hit chasers. Not that I've done a bong hit in a few decades or attempted to drink a pitcher on my own lately, but I sometimes feel like I'm back in the woozy saddle of high times while reading these novels.
The best way for me to describe Serge and Coleman, the dysfunctional OCD/ADD protagonists of Electric Barracuda -- Dorsey's 13th installment in the continuing warped Florida adventures of this daft duo -- would be to compare them to an Abbot and Costello meets Jake and Elwood Blues amalgamation infused with Hunter S. Thompson gonzo dystopian eclecticism wrapped in a devious Hannibal Lecter taste for the erudite and obscene. It's like skydiving without a parachute, blindfolded and on acid, terror-filled yet exciting, and landing on a massive soft pile of overweight circus clowns dressed in garish neon-bright costumes wearing those crazy beer can holding helmets who all cram into a Mini Cooper to race across the sandy palm tree-dotted landscape dodging brain-addled geriatric drivers flipping the bird at pissed off Humvee hulking tourists while contemplating Nietzsche and discussing the relative merits of TNT versus C4 while doing shots. It's exhilarating and it's frightening. There's never a dull moment.
This book actually had a few more close calls than I'm used to. I kept thinking they were much closer to being caught than I was comfortable with. I felt genuinely nervous at times. The run-ins and near misses with their arch-nemesis, Agent Mahoney, kept me on the edge of my seat. The totally unexpected revelation about Serge and Mahoney at the end of the book shocked me. I can't wait to see how Dorsey incorporates this into his future books.
I didn't give this novel five stars because it just seemed a bit weaker than some of his other books. I can't really pinpoint why I feel this way, but it might have to do with some of the more improbable escapes and near misses of the bumbling entourage chasing Serge and Coleman. I thought the character of Doberman was hilarious. But let's hope the other epic bumblings of the poor character who never gets laid makes a return in the future, who I would compare to Doberman.
And, although these books are full of comic genius and hilarity, I'm also impressed by Tim Dorsey's intelligence and writing finesse. A discussion of male/female relations was so perfect that it should be mandatory reading for every pimply-faced male teenager embarking on the rocky road of dating:
"Let's get going," said Serge, heading into the woods. "That was a lucky clean break, no schmaltzy good-byes."
"Didn't she tell you not to leave?" [Coleman asked]
"Women always say that." Serge pushed through the branches. "But they actually WANT you to leave. They love that in a man."
Coleman stepped over a log. "I thought they hated it."
"They say they hate it, but inside they secretly want a rogue."
"Are you a rogue?"
"No, but I play one in books." Serge hacked through more branches. "You show me a guy who does everything a woman wants, and I'll show you the same guy six months later, standing on the sidewalk, wondering why some asshole's toothbrush is in her bathroom where his used to be."
I've never taken acid (LSD-25) before, but many of my close friends have described their experiences to me in vivid detail. Coleman's description of bad acid versus good acid, at the beginning of chapter six, is priceless:
"Good acid's totally different. Took some killer windowpane last year, and first got pissed because it wasn't working and I thought I'd been ripped off, and I'm playing with my zipper, up and down and up and down, hearing sounds of individual prongs locking and unlocking in musical scales like a xylophone, and the mechanism starts blowing my mind and I think: Hey, a lot of planning went into this motherfucker. So I took off my pants to get a closer look, zipping up and down in front of my face. Even more impressive! LSD's like that, always giving you a new perspective, especially when the pants are over your head, and you're looking OUT through the zipper: up, down, up, down, each time giving me a peek through the crotch to the tune of "Jungle Boogie." And you know how sometimes you just get this paranoid feeling on excellent drugs that someone's watching you? It was like that this time, except multiplied by a hundred, probably because I was in a restaurant. Suddenly all these people began screaming, and I thought maybe some customer had gone berserk, and I crawled under the table. Then suddenly the table went straight up in the air! I'm thinking, holy fuck, what kind [of] crazy McDonald's is this? Turns out some employees had lifted the table and grabbed me and then I was on the sidewalk in my underwear and some pants hit me in the face, and I went back to the motel and kept working the zipper, wondering about the person who invented it, and I finally nod to myself: Yeah, now this guy really had his shit wired tight--he could see the big picture. And I hid under the bed and played with the zipper for the next six hours until the trip wore off. Now, THAT'S good acid."
It's boyish, it's irreverent, it's entertaining, and it's not meant to be anything more. In the hands of this gifted writer, told through the minds of these outlandish and well-developed characters, it's just what Tim Dorsey's many fans expect from these humorous books.
Thank you, sir. May I have another?
The best way for me to describe Serge and Coleman, the dysfunctional OCD/ADD protagonists of Electric Barracuda -- Dorsey's 13th installment in the continuing warped Florida adventures of this daft duo -- would be to compare them to an Abbot and Costello meets Jake and Elwood Blues amalgamation infused with Hunter S. Thompson gonzo dystopian eclecticism wrapped in a devious Hannibal Lecter taste for the erudite and obscene. It's like skydiving without a parachute, blindfolded and on acid, terror-filled yet exciting, and landing on a massive soft pile of overweight circus clowns dressed in garish neon-bright costumes wearing those crazy beer can holding helmets who all cram into a Mini Cooper to race across the sandy palm tree-dotted landscape dodging brain-addled geriatric drivers flipping the bird at pissed off Humvee hulking tourists while contemplating Nietzsche and discussing the relative merits of TNT versus C4 while doing shots. It's exhilarating and it's frightening. There's never a dull moment.
This book actually had a few more close calls than I'm used to. I kept thinking they were much closer to being caught than I was comfortable with. I felt genuinely nervous at times. The run-ins and near misses with their arch-nemesis, Agent Mahoney, kept me on the edge of my seat. The totally unexpected revelation about Serge and Mahoney at the end of the book shocked me. I can't wait to see how Dorsey incorporates this into his future books.
I didn't give this novel five stars because it just seemed a bit weaker than some of his other books. I can't really pinpoint why I feel this way, but it might have to do with some of the more improbable escapes and near misses of the bumbling entourage chasing Serge and Coleman. I thought the character of Doberman was hilarious. But let's hope the other epic bumblings of the poor character who never gets laid makes a return in the future, who I would compare to Doberman.
And, although these books are full of comic genius and hilarity, I'm also impressed by Tim Dorsey's intelligence and writing finesse. A discussion of male/female relations was so perfect that it should be mandatory reading for every pimply-faced male teenager embarking on the rocky road of dating:
"Let's get going," said Serge, heading into the woods. "That was a lucky clean break, no schmaltzy good-byes."
"Didn't she tell you not to leave?" [Coleman asked]
"Women always say that." Serge pushed through the branches. "But they actually WANT you to leave. They love that in a man."
Coleman stepped over a log. "I thought they hated it."
"They say they hate it, but inside they secretly want a rogue."
"Are you a rogue?"
"No, but I play one in books." Serge hacked through more branches. "You show me a guy who does everything a woman wants, and I'll show you the same guy six months later, standing on the sidewalk, wondering why some asshole's toothbrush is in her bathroom where his used to be."
I've never taken acid (LSD-25) before, but many of my close friends have described their experiences to me in vivid detail. Coleman's description of bad acid versus good acid, at the beginning of chapter six, is priceless:
"Good acid's totally different. Took some killer windowpane last year, and first got pissed because it wasn't working and I thought I'd been ripped off, and I'm playing with my zipper, up and down and up and down, hearing sounds of individual prongs locking and unlocking in musical scales like a xylophone, and the mechanism starts blowing my mind and I think: Hey, a lot of planning went into this motherfucker. So I took off my pants to get a closer look, zipping up and down in front of my face. Even more impressive! LSD's like that, always giving you a new perspective, especially when the pants are over your head, and you're looking OUT through the zipper: up, down, up, down, each time giving me a peek through the crotch to the tune of "Jungle Boogie." And you know how sometimes you just get this paranoid feeling on excellent drugs that someone's watching you? It was like that this time, except multiplied by a hundred, probably because I was in a restaurant. Suddenly all these people began screaming, and I thought maybe some customer had gone berserk, and I crawled under the table. Then suddenly the table went straight up in the air! I'm thinking, holy fuck, what kind [of] crazy McDonald's is this? Turns out some employees had lifted the table and grabbed me and then I was on the sidewalk in my underwear and some pants hit me in the face, and I went back to the motel and kept working the zipper, wondering about the person who invented it, and I finally nod to myself: Yeah, now this guy really had his shit wired tight--he could see the big picture. And I hid under the bed and played with the zipper for the next six hours until the trip wore off. Now, THAT'S good acid."
It's boyish, it's irreverent, it's entertaining, and it's not meant to be anything more. In the hands of this gifted writer, told through the minds of these outlandish and well-developed characters, it's just what Tim Dorsey's many fans expect from these humorous books.
Thank you, sir. May I have another?
July 18, 2021
One of my favorite Tim Dorsey books yet. In addition to all the craziness of Serge Storm, this is a real travelogue of southern Florida including southwest Florida where I reside. The clever plot has Serge playing a made up fugitive on his cyberspace blog which in fact is real. Serge starts near Kissimmee and then works west to St. Petersburg and Cedar Key. The chase then heads south to Sarasota County and Mayakka River State Park. After a quick stop at the Snook Haven, they head south by boat to Ft. Myers, Sanibel - Captiva Cabbage Key and then down though Bonita Springs (which Dorsey denigrates as being Florida today) with a stop at Cork Screw Swamp and Sanctuary and down into the Everglades. For the history buffs there is plenty of fun stories of the Everglades including rumors of Al Capone and Loop Trail off the Tamiami Trail.
February 8, 2011
I have some business to get out of the way first before I bow in front of the Serge and Coleman altar to which I pay homage. Yes, I love the characters and Tim Dorsey is an amazing author; he delivers yet another novel to which I have caused stress to my diaphragm from too much laughing and my face still hurts from too much smiling. But I digress yet again. Here is the news, well at least some of it; I have way too much to pop it all in today. The deal is this: Check out the GZONE blogtalk radio show and The Novel Spot. Wednesday I have Vincent Zandri on the show at 12.30pmEST & then on Thursday Steve Berry jumps into The GZONE @ 10amEST. I make no bones about the fact that I am a Malone Clone and am excited about both interviews. Mr. Zandri is one of Kindle’s hottest authors right now with THREE, count them –THREE, novels in the TOP 100 there. And Steve Berry is well, Steve Berry, NYT bestselling author of numerous novels. Visit the Novel Spot to get in a quick word on what is a fun new place for authors and readers alike. On the Gelati’s Scoop home page push the badge and join, it is free, it is fun, and I think it is going to be a happening place. Check it out, be entertained, be involved, and have fun. If you cannot call into the show and have a question for the authors, drop me a line and I will ask for you, then catch the archives to hear it. Oh yeah, here is the call in number for The GZONE blogtalk radio show:1-949-270-5955. I look forward to hearing from you!
Now to our novel, Electric Barracuda! I did say I liked it, no change that I loved it. I am a true fan of Dorsey and his work, his style and the substance he brings to the table with these characters. Besides that I am a sucker for all that is Florida. For some reasons his novels have been dropped around this time of year and I get to read them as it snows or in the case of the last storm-ice, snow and then slush. Yummy stuff when you are reading about the beautiful state of Florida. What is between the covers this time you may ask, I am about to hit you with it:
“Serge Storms, that loveable thermonuclear vigilante and one-stop-Florida-trivia-shop, has been leaving corpses strewn across the Sunshine State for more than a decade. The authorities—especially one tenacious state agent—have begun to notice the exponential body count, and send a police task force to track down Serge. Could his luck finally have run out?
Meanwhile, armed with his perpetually baked sidekick, Coleman, Serge decides to blitz the state and resurrect his Internet travel-advice website—which, of course, must be the finest and the final word on trekking the Sunshine State. To up the ante, Serge concocts a theme vacation for his cyberspace audience. And that theme? You, too, can experience Florida through the eyes of a fugitive.
Off they go blogging along a getaway route through the state's most remote bayous, back roads, and bars, where the number of cadavers begin stacking up like Serge's website hits. And in the middle of all his make-believe close brushes, Serge finally wises up to his pursuers and realizes that the manic gumball rally is genuinely on "in the tradition of the great American chase movie."
Clues and questions mount:
Who are all the women being photographed naked in the swamp?
What made Coleman draw on his face with magic markers?
Where is the cruise-to-nowhere taking its drunk prisoners?
When was the last time a Civil War reenactment involved a sports car?
But Serge also has some personal business to tidy up. His grandfather's old Miami Beach gang suddenly had their life savings wiped out, and there's a good bet it was no accident. Too much action for Serge to juggle? Not when it all dovetails nicely into his Secret Master Plan. And especially if it involves Serge's favorite new obsession: tracking Al Capone's little-known escapades in the Everglades.”
To my followers, well first off thank you I appreciate it very much, you know I like to be entertained when I read; it is one of the most important factors for me in the read. Electric Barracuda delivers entertainment in spades and then some. I laughed so hard at times I cried, my wife was giving me funny looks, but then asked what I was reading, when I told her she just shook her head and murmured something unintelligible. She knows how I get when I read one of these novels: basically she keeps her distance and lets me zone into the gonzo side of me. Is this novel for everyone, no, probably not? If you can throw a few things out the window and just put a few other things aside and let go, then yeah, have a good time, a very good time. Tim Dorsey has an amazing sense of humor, which I can say is not to be missed. Take the ride through Florida with Serge and Coleman, they rock.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The GZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
November 17, 2011
If you like Tim Dorsey and his Florida travelogue adventures starring homicidal vigilante, Serge Storms, and substance abusing sidekick, Coleman, then you probably knew the date and time Electric Barracuda would be released long before it hit the shelves. But if Dorsey's thinly plotted, hyperactive tales aren't your cup of tea – well – don't say we didn't warn you. Like midget bowling during spring break in Panama City Beach, this kind of writing can be polarizing. To Tim's credit, you know exactly what you're in for with each Serge book. Over 13 books he's never broken formula and this one is no different.
Story:
Electric Barracuda finds Serge and Coleman ripping around Florida again, this time testing out their latest brainchild, a fugitive style tourist service, where clients get to experience the Sunshine State as if they were on the lam. As usual, the pair are pursued by a variety of law enforcement types, especially Serge's nemesis, Agent Mahoney. Regular readers have come to expect a barrage of Floridiana and Dorsey doesn't disappoint. Join Serge as he plows through the Everglades, Myakka River State Park, Cedar Key, and more, dispensing a few baddies with creative verve along the way. Prepare yourself for two startling developments in Serge's personal life, one which turns out to be a sham and the other perhaps more far-reaching.
Characters:
As a rule, if you find yourself identifying with any character in a Tim Dorsey novel, run, don't walk to the nearest psychiatrist and get medicinal help pronto! This is not about depth and development and back story. This is about mayhem, plain and simple. Still, after so many books, I'm somewhat nervous to admit the formula hasn't worn thin yet. I always look forward to the next with great anticipation.
Writing:
As a former news reporter for the Tampa Tribune, it's no surprise to find Dorsey's prose lean, tight, and firmly tilted away from flowery description. His command of the language is not as poetic as fellow Florida scribe Carl Hiaasen, but what he lacks in vocabulary, he more than makes up for with crazed situations. Plot? Don't need one. Not really. Not when the chain of events you group together and call a book is this much fun.
The Bottom Line:
If you've never drunk the Serge Kool-Aid before, you might be better served to go to Amazon and read a sample before plopping down your hard-earned cash. You might like it or you might hate it. One small complaint. The ebook sells for $9.99, which is a completely ridiculous price, though one the major publishers seem intent on clinging to. I look with great suspicion at any digital book priced above five bucks, though, as a long-time Serge reader, hold my nose and pay the price. Also, if you've never listened to a Dorsey book on audio, you might give it a shot. For some reason, his writing really works well in this format.
Story:
Electric Barracuda finds Serge and Coleman ripping around Florida again, this time testing out their latest brainchild, a fugitive style tourist service, where clients get to experience the Sunshine State as if they were on the lam. As usual, the pair are pursued by a variety of law enforcement types, especially Serge's nemesis, Agent Mahoney. Regular readers have come to expect a barrage of Floridiana and Dorsey doesn't disappoint. Join Serge as he plows through the Everglades, Myakka River State Park, Cedar Key, and more, dispensing a few baddies with creative verve along the way. Prepare yourself for two startling developments in Serge's personal life, one which turns out to be a sham and the other perhaps more far-reaching.
Characters:
As a rule, if you find yourself identifying with any character in a Tim Dorsey novel, run, don't walk to the nearest psychiatrist and get medicinal help pronto! This is not about depth and development and back story. This is about mayhem, plain and simple. Still, after so many books, I'm somewhat nervous to admit the formula hasn't worn thin yet. I always look forward to the next with great anticipation.
Writing:
As a former news reporter for the Tampa Tribune, it's no surprise to find Dorsey's prose lean, tight, and firmly tilted away from flowery description. His command of the language is not as poetic as fellow Florida scribe Carl Hiaasen, but what he lacks in vocabulary, he more than makes up for with crazed situations. Plot? Don't need one. Not really. Not when the chain of events you group together and call a book is this much fun.
The Bottom Line:
If you've never drunk the Serge Kool-Aid before, you might be better served to go to Amazon and read a sample before plopping down your hard-earned cash. You might like it or you might hate it. One small complaint. The ebook sells for $9.99, which is a completely ridiculous price, though one the major publishers seem intent on clinging to. I look with great suspicion at any digital book priced above five bucks, though, as a long-time Serge reader, hold my nose and pay the price. Also, if you've never listened to a Dorsey book on audio, you might give it a shot. For some reason, his writing really works well in this format.
Read
October 8, 2021I always like that ah-ha moment when reading these books when it reveals how the title correlates (Nuclear Jellyfish was the best). It was about 60% in before the Electric Barracuda showed itself and all its glory but well worth the wait.
Serge and Coleman infiltrate the southern most part of the Everglades on a wild make believe chase not realizing they're actually being chased. Quite a few new characters are introduced in this book, including one infamous non-fiction Florida legend, Lucky Cole. The book closes out with a whammy surprise for Serge.
There wasn't as much violence and weird murder contraptions in this book, but the story was a good switch-up from most Serge adventures. I read an article on Lucky Cole's page about how Tim Dorsey had discovered him and his work at the Rod & Gun Club while doing his research for this book in Everglade City, when he ran across pictures of naked women that Lucky had taken in the swamp (which is what he's known for). And ever since then they became friends. Thought that was a nice little factoid. Enjoy.
Serge and Coleman infiltrate the southern most part of the Everglades on a wild make believe chase not realizing they're actually being chased. Quite a few new characters are introduced in this book, including one infamous non-fiction Florida legend, Lucky Cole. The book closes out with a whammy surprise for Serge.
There wasn't as much violence and weird murder contraptions in this book, but the story was a good switch-up from most Serge adventures. I read an article on Lucky Cole's page about how Tim Dorsey had discovered him and his work at the Rod & Gun Club while doing his research for this book in Everglade City, when he ran across pictures of naked women that Lucky had taken in the swamp (which is what he's known for). And ever since then they became friends. Thought that was a nice little factoid. Enjoy.
June 25, 2016
I think this was the funniest Serge A Storms story to date! It seemed I was laughing more than any other story in the series. We meet some new friends: Seymour Bunsen (or is he/she really new??) and Mikey (who provides many of the laughs). And then there is Serge's crazy ex, Molly, who returns like the proverbial bad penny! Serge sets out to right a wrong done to the old gang . . . is he successful? You'll just have to read, and laugh, to find out! 8 out of 10.
October 1, 2024
Absolutely crazy, hilarious and fun read. I read this book borrowed on Libby. The end is a real treat and if you’re a Dorsey fan you don’t want to miss it. But I warn you, make sure you have read all his books prior to this one. You will then “Really” laugh like in no other Serge before this one.
BTW the author Tim Dorsey died young in 2023.
BTW the author Tim Dorsey died young in 2023.
May 15, 2011
Imagine a mash-up of MTV's iconic Beavis and Butthead meets gumshoe noir on a crazy trip through the set of Miami Vice (the Everglade years). This is one badass, non-stop thrill ride that will have you zigzagging all over the state of Florida. Who else can master dark comedy, crime thriller and state history better than Tim Dorsey? Electric Barracuda is a shining example of classic absurdist fiction. It focuses on the experiences of characters and their seemingly meaningless actions and events. By making use of dark humor, abasement of reason and bizarre philosophy, Dorsey opens a peep hole into American culture. The characters are amusing, fully-developed, inventive and most of all, the events are a fast-paced blast that will have the reader laughing until they weep (and then questioning whether the author was sober at any stage of the writing process). Of course, in this case, it's a good thing. An untamed ride ensues mingling past and present, which are in continual conflict. This instigates an appeal to the nature vs. nurture theory (I'll let readers chew on that for a while). To say this is just a satire is too simplistic and would be a crime against literature and possibly a felony against humanity. Did I go too far? True of most absurdist fiction, Electric Barracuda is deeply thematic and creatively communicative. The moral is not explicit and allows the reader to reflect and come to their own conclusion. The world is a dirty, gritty place and doing something wrong for the right reasons is so very forgivable and enduring. Tim Dorsey has earned his way onto my fan shelf. I'll be reading more twisted tales by this author soon.
February 7, 2011
I have never read a Tim Dorsey novel but being a Carl Hiaasen fan, he was recommended to me. I must say that I was not disappointed.
Dorsey has a similar style and wit to Hiaasen, but his delivery is much dryer, almost British in a way. Because his style is so different, I had trouble getting into the characters in the beginning.
That being said, once I figured out the two main characters' personalities were sarcastic most of the time, I began to get sucked in.
And while I lacked the character history of this obviously mid-series novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Dorsey did a great job of introducing them to me without subjecting me to "repeat material." He did what you're supposed to do, work in the backstory little by little.
Dorsey has given me another star to shoot for in my own writing.
While I won't give this book five stars, I'll say this: I bought another Tim Dorsey novel to read. That should sum up my review perfectly.
Dorsey has a similar style and wit to Hiaasen, but his delivery is much dryer, almost British in a way. Because his style is so different, I had trouble getting into the characters in the beginning.
That being said, once I figured out the two main characters' personalities were sarcastic most of the time, I began to get sucked in.
And while I lacked the character history of this obviously mid-series novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Dorsey did a great job of introducing them to me without subjecting me to "repeat material." He did what you're supposed to do, work in the backstory little by little.
Dorsey has given me another star to shoot for in my own writing.
While I won't give this book five stars, I'll say this: I bought another Tim Dorsey novel to read. That should sum up my review perfectly.
June 27, 2024
The spawn of Serge? Could it be? Is there really a mini-Serge? Why does the little kid kick everyone in the shins when being introduced?
Serge starts off on an elaborate "Fugitive Adventure" on his website, pretending to set up hair's-breadth escapes from an imagined pursuer. Or are they imagined? Of course several bad people accidentally end up dead. More convoluted connections than you can imagine all seeming to run to the same disastrous endpoint for Serge and Coleman.
Serge starts off on an elaborate "Fugitive Adventure" on his website, pretending to set up hair's-breadth escapes from an imagined pursuer. Or are they imagined? Of course several bad people accidentally end up dead. More convoluted connections than you can imagine all seeming to run to the same disastrous endpoint for Serge and Coleman.
July 19, 2023
The theme for this one was fugitives on the run with many references to the David Janssen television series as Serge maintains a blog advising prospective fugitives. I love that the series just keeps getting better as it progresses. It's somewhat formulaic, but the formula is the reason I enjoy these. Dorsey also manages to add enough twists to keep it interesting. There are a couple of great twists at the end of this one. I'm looking forward to where he heads next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2022
Hard to get into at first, but then hard to set down.
October 20, 2011
This was my first introduction to Tim Dorsey's crimnally insane character, Serge Storms and his stoner partner, Coleman, and I have to say, I loved it. The story was fast-paced, satrical, oft-times completely outrageous (and inappropriate), and if you don't have a fondness for serial killers who invent new ways of killing people who really do need a-killing, then you may not enjoy this. But I have a seriously UN-P.C. side and found myself laughing until it hurt.
One of the things that I liked best was the variety of sub-plots that eventually twine together and mesh at the end. There was so much going on, and it came together so well, that I was pretty much in giggling awe by the end.
So what was it about?
A lot of things.
Serge Storms is on the run from the law, and while on the move, he's blogging. You see he has this brilliant new idea: a guide for adventurous tourists who want to see something other than Disneyesque attractions. A guide for serial killers, on the run. Or anyone on the run from the law. Or anyone just plain crazy.
In the meantime, Serge and Coleman are being pursued by the law. Apparently, the law in Florida comes in a range of talent from the completely incompetant to the wildly nutso. Often the nutters are the only ones who have a clue. I particularly liked Agent Mahoney who pretty much believes he's a detective out of the 1940's, complete with a fedora.
I'm not going to go into excrutiating detail about the plot. It's too complex to give it justice. Suffice to say, it's fast and incredibly funny, but beware, it can be gruesome (but only in a humorous way, of course). You have to enjoy black humor to "get it".
I do. I got it. I loved it.
I'm looking for the next one.
One of the things that I liked best was the variety of sub-plots that eventually twine together and mesh at the end. There was so much going on, and it came together so well, that I was pretty much in giggling awe by the end.
So what was it about?
A lot of things.
Serge Storms is on the run from the law, and while on the move, he's blogging. You see he has this brilliant new idea: a guide for adventurous tourists who want to see something other than Disneyesque attractions. A guide for serial killers, on the run. Or anyone on the run from the law. Or anyone just plain crazy.
In the meantime, Serge and Coleman are being pursued by the law. Apparently, the law in Florida comes in a range of talent from the completely incompetant to the wildly nutso. Often the nutters are the only ones who have a clue. I particularly liked Agent Mahoney who pretty much believes he's a detective out of the 1940's, complete with a fedora.
I'm not going to go into excrutiating detail about the plot. It's too complex to give it justice. Suffice to say, it's fast and incredibly funny, but beware, it can be gruesome (but only in a humorous way, of course). You have to enjoy black humor to "get it".
I do. I got it. I loved it.
I'm looking for the next one.
January 19, 2011
Serge is back and in full cruisin’ mode. In this chapter of his life, he is blogging about a “fugitive themed vacation” and plotting the best getaway routes for vacationers with an edge, to enjoy. Of course, this being a Serge and Coleman novel means that along the way death and mayhem of the most humorous kind follow in their footsteps. In addition, of course, this being Serge means that mixed in with all the mayhem will be something personal…something that won’t be clear to us the readers until the very end and boy oh boy this is a biggie. A secret that I never saw coming. I enjoyed this book but I am sad to say not as much as I have enjoyed the earlier ones. I don’t know if I feel that the mayhem is getting too crazy, (but is there really such a thing as too crazy with Serge though?) or if the body count is getting too high for me, or if some of the scenarios are starting to feel a little over-used, I don’t know whatever it is I just know that I hope the next book goes off in a slightly different fresher direction than this one. Actually,, from the bomb dropped in this book, I would say that this could be a distinct possibility!
I loved the glimpses into Serge’s childhood and the secondary (tertiary?) plot with Serge obsessing over Al Capone and Al’s hidden loot.
This is definitely one of the most important books for those of us who have been reading about Serge and Coleman from the start
I loved the glimpses into Serge’s childhood and the secondary (tertiary?) plot with Serge obsessing over Al Capone and Al’s hidden loot.
This is definitely one of the most important books for those of us who have been reading about Serge and Coleman from the start
May 22, 2017
Tim Dorsey's 13th outing of the most lovable serial killer, Serge Storms, is among the best in the series. This time, Serge is back on his blog offering Florida visitors and natives his Fugitive Tour - through the backroads and rare sites. He decides to test out his route and techniques for avoiding getting caught by pretending to be a fugitive. Good for him that it works, since his arch-nemesis Mahoney along with other Florida agents are right on his tail. This book is loaded with twists, much more of Serge's inventive executions of child molesters, wildlife poachers and others you're at least tempted to kill yourself. There is the great behind-the-scenes Florida history, the usual characters, Serge's too-fast-for-you personality, and some scenes where you will need to put down the book to stop laughing before continuing. There are also cameo appearances from Florida authors Randy Wayne White and Brad Meltzer. If you are reading this thinking this sounds great, it is...but not for everyone. If you are easily offended, I'd stay away from this series. Reading Tim Dorsey is a bit like watching Quentin Tarantino, only Dorsey is much funnier.
February 20, 2016
“Electric Barracuda” is different from previous novels in the series because this time out you are continually aware that Sege is a wanted man and his lifestyle is against the law. The entire novel he is only seconds away from capture by the authorities. The police are constantly on him in this book, and I found it unsettling to think about the consequences of Sege’s choices. You usually don’t focus on those when you read this series.
A simple pleasure in this text for me is Dorsey’s satire of reality bounty hunter television shows. I loved his take on it, and its reality stars. It is understated, and not at all a focus of the text, it just provides a funny moment here or there.
Less pleasing for me was a plot twist at the end of the text that seems contrived and is actually kind of a letdown for where I was hoping the series might head. I won’t spoil it here.
“Electric Barracuda” is not as satisfying as some other books by Dorsey, but it is the 13th novel in the series and they can’t all be home runs. There is a law of averages after all. It is okay, and it will entertain you. Read it in the sun, or in the doldrums of winter, and that will be enough.
A simple pleasure in this text for me is Dorsey’s satire of reality bounty hunter television shows. I loved his take on it, and its reality stars. It is understated, and not at all a focus of the text, it just provides a funny moment here or there.
Less pleasing for me was a plot twist at the end of the text that seems contrived and is actually kind of a letdown for where I was hoping the series might head. I won’t spoil it here.
“Electric Barracuda” is not as satisfying as some other books by Dorsey, but it is the 13th novel in the series and they can’t all be home runs. There is a law of averages after all. It is okay, and it will entertain you. Read it in the sun, or in the doldrums of winter, and that will be enough.
June 26, 2022
Serge is up to his old tricks, along with his often stewed friend Coleman, in TIM DORSEY's ELECTRIC BARRACUDA, traveling from one end of Florida to the very southern tip of the Everglades. Dorsey introduces some new oddballs while Serge administers his own wacky form of justice, something no one ever walks away from, at least not the three guys that slighted Serge enough to find out what he really thought about them.
Mahoney, his old nemesis, along with White and Lowe, are hot on his trail following him from one hidey hole to the next, usually within spitting distance, but too inept to realize how close they really are to nabbing him.
I really enjoyed the off-color historical references, especially the Al Capone piece that takes place at the very edge of the Glades. Mahoney's 40's slang was a bit confusing but Lowe seemed to have a handle on most of it.
And then there's the ending, a real gut twister, but I won't spoil it for you. If you haven't read a Dorsey Florida romp, pick up a copy of one of his twenty-five titles, happy to say I have read most of them.
Mahoney, his old nemesis, along with White and Lowe, are hot on his trail following him from one hidey hole to the next, usually within spitting distance, but too inept to realize how close they really are to nabbing him.
I really enjoyed the off-color historical references, especially the Al Capone piece that takes place at the very edge of the Glades. Mahoney's 40's slang was a bit confusing but Lowe seemed to have a handle on most of it.
And then there's the ending, a real gut twister, but I won't spoil it for you. If you haven't read a Dorsey Florida romp, pick up a copy of one of his twenty-five titles, happy to say I have read most of them.
June 28, 2021
While these books are fun to read, they are pretty "one-note". The cartoonish adventures of Serge and Coleman tooling all over Florida, stopping at every spot that has even the slightest historical significance while meting out their own brand of bizarre justice to wrong-doers is pretty much the storyline of every book.
Yes, there is a continuing subplot that runs through the series, but for the most part, "if you've read one, you've read 'em all".
Yes, there is a continuing subplot that runs through the series, but for the most part, "if you've read one, you've read 'em all".
April 1, 2019
This is a great vacation read, especially if you're vacationing in Florida! It kept me going the whole time and I loved getting a little Florida history education along with the story.
August 21, 2024
I guess it looks likely I will continue with the series.
July 20, 2025
Serge designs a "Fugitive Vacation". Great fun, as always.
February 4, 2020
Hilarious. Great book about a quirky serial killer, Serge, and his stoner sidekick, Coleman, who traverse through the backroads of Florida. It’s a wild goose chase between Serge Storms and Florida PD. Very comical and also brushes over a brief history of Florida. Didn’t know it was part of a series, just picked it up cheap at Goodwill for 2 bucks!
April 19, 2022
Dorsey's lovable, living "Florida Man Headline," Serge Storms is back in his 13th adventure leaving bodies of neer-do-wells and villains in his wake...Dorsey always provides some segment of Florida culture and history and in this one, its a little slice of Everglade fugitive criminals and their role in the state's history as he attempts to market a tour based on the Florida fugitive experience...I laugh my ass off every time a read one of these...Love this series!
December 25, 2011
Two-Fisted and Twisted
Tim Dorsey Kicks Out Another Feisty Piece of Florida Fiction
John Hood
SunPost Weekly February 3, 2011
http://bit.ly/eLf8lO
Tim Dorsey’s hyperreal crime fictions have always tripled as road guides for anyone looking to see what’s left of what once was in this fabled state of ours. In fact, he told me last year more than a few folks use a highlighter while reading his books and then hit the road so they can hang at the hotspots he’s covered. But Dorsey’s interests are in all things Floridiana, not just the places. And in Electric Barracuda (William Morrow $24.99) the attributively-obsessed wordslinger also swingingly cites more of the sounds, words and visions that have made our state so great for ingrates and non-ingrates alike.
Word-wise, a lot of the regal regulars are included, from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the Grand Dame of the Everglades (her The Everglades: River of Grass should be required reading for anyone with a Florida address — or a conscience), to the peripatetic Peter Mathiessen (who’s Watson Trilogy makes the 10,000 islands even more mythic than they already were). Crime scribe Charles Willeford gets cited too (read the Hoke Moseley quartet before you die — or else), as does the wily Randy Wayne White, who makes a “masculine” cameo (his latest Doc Ford longplayer, Night Vision, racks at the end of February). There’s even a solid nod to Susan Orleans’ The Orchid Thief, which of course chronicles the the exploits of John Laroche and a group of his Seminole pals, who poached the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in order to find and clone the rare Ghost Orchid.
But it’s #1 New York Times bestseller author Brad Meltzer who Dorsey really takes to task, and his being cast as an underhanded (and underwhelming) attorney is so far against type it simply has to be for laughs.
Cinematically, Dorsey undusts Nicholas Ray’s 1958 Wind Across the Everglades (which starred Burl Ives, Christopher Plummer and Gypsy Rose Lee) and Victor Nuñez’s 1997 Ulee’s Gold (which featured Peter Fonda and was set on the grounds of the Lanier family, a third-generation beekeeping clan in Wewahitchka, Florida). And for songs Dorsey sings us both “Orange Blossom Special” (Ervin T. Rouse’s and Robert “Chubby” Wise’s 1938 ditty, which is based on the same-named train, has long been considered “the fiddler’s national anthem”) and “Tamiami Trail” (a 1926 rarity, written by Cliff Friend & Joseph H. Santly, that predates the coast-linking road’s opening by two years).
Though these cultural pepperings pair nicely with the salt of the earth itself (‘Cuda goes, among other places, from Lucky Cole’s on Loop Road and the Everglades City Rod and Gun Club, up to Snook Haven and Warm Mineral Springs in dear ol’ Sarasota), neither citings nor visitations would amount to more than a list of oddities (albeit a rather robust one) were it not for the story. And in this case, like a dozen other cases before it, the story is as mad and as bad and as dangerous as you’d want it to be — only more so.
As you might suspect, the story involves Dorsey’s uber creation Serge A. Storms and his perennially stoned sidekick Coleman. Like their previous exploits, the dynamite-fused duo are up to doing bad to those who do no good to others (well, Storms is anyway; Coleman’s simply along for the wild ride). This time however the backdrop is a Fugitive Tour the likes of which even the ever elusive Dr. Richard Kimble might never have escaped. Come to think of it, that brooding ‘60s TV hit series seems to be the trigger that pulls Storms and Coleman into their reeling orbit, and like all circular things it comes to no dead end.
Well, no dead ends for our anti-heroes, that is, who continue to leave both a coast-to-coast trail of corpses and their pursuers in their very wide wake. Or do they? An enlightened mind might see Storms’ Fugitive Tour as the blogging equivalent of tea leaves. And if his arch nemesis Mahoney can keep his specs on, Storms could just post himself and his partner right into the hoosegow.
Then again, after getting away with many multiples of murders over the course of a dozen sordid stories, there’s gotta be some consequence. I mean, even the most ruthlessly efficient serial killers eventually get caught, don’t they?
I don’t know. And I wouldn’t tell you if I did. Because to spill the beans would mean you’d only have the trip to look forward to. And as crazy as that trip may be, it’s always better if you don’t know just where – or even if – it’s ever gonna stop.
Buckle-up, baby!
Tim Dorsey Kicks Out Another Feisty Piece of Florida Fiction
John Hood
SunPost Weekly February 3, 2011
http://bit.ly/eLf8lO
Tim Dorsey’s hyperreal crime fictions have always tripled as road guides for anyone looking to see what’s left of what once was in this fabled state of ours. In fact, he told me last year more than a few folks use a highlighter while reading his books and then hit the road so they can hang at the hotspots he’s covered. But Dorsey’s interests are in all things Floridiana, not just the places. And in Electric Barracuda (William Morrow $24.99) the attributively-obsessed wordslinger also swingingly cites more of the sounds, words and visions that have made our state so great for ingrates and non-ingrates alike.
Word-wise, a lot of the regal regulars are included, from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the Grand Dame of the Everglades (her The Everglades: River of Grass should be required reading for anyone with a Florida address — or a conscience), to the peripatetic Peter Mathiessen (who’s Watson Trilogy makes the 10,000 islands even more mythic than they already were). Crime scribe Charles Willeford gets cited too (read the Hoke Moseley quartet before you die — or else), as does the wily Randy Wayne White, who makes a “masculine” cameo (his latest Doc Ford longplayer, Night Vision, racks at the end of February). There’s even a solid nod to Susan Orleans’ The Orchid Thief, which of course chronicles the the exploits of John Laroche and a group of his Seminole pals, who poached the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in order to find and clone the rare Ghost Orchid.
But it’s #1 New York Times bestseller author Brad Meltzer who Dorsey really takes to task, and his being cast as an underhanded (and underwhelming) attorney is so far against type it simply has to be for laughs.
Cinematically, Dorsey undusts Nicholas Ray’s 1958 Wind Across the Everglades (which starred Burl Ives, Christopher Plummer and Gypsy Rose Lee) and Victor Nuñez’s 1997 Ulee’s Gold (which featured Peter Fonda and was set on the grounds of the Lanier family, a third-generation beekeeping clan in Wewahitchka, Florida). And for songs Dorsey sings us both “Orange Blossom Special” (Ervin T. Rouse’s and Robert “Chubby” Wise’s 1938 ditty, which is based on the same-named train, has long been considered “the fiddler’s national anthem”) and “Tamiami Trail” (a 1926 rarity, written by Cliff Friend & Joseph H. Santly, that predates the coast-linking road’s opening by two years).
Though these cultural pepperings pair nicely with the salt of the earth itself (‘Cuda goes, among other places, from Lucky Cole’s on Loop Road and the Everglades City Rod and Gun Club, up to Snook Haven and Warm Mineral Springs in dear ol’ Sarasota), neither citings nor visitations would amount to more than a list of oddities (albeit a rather robust one) were it not for the story. And in this case, like a dozen other cases before it, the story is as mad and as bad and as dangerous as you’d want it to be — only more so.
As you might suspect, the story involves Dorsey’s uber creation Serge A. Storms and his perennially stoned sidekick Coleman. Like their previous exploits, the dynamite-fused duo are up to doing bad to those who do no good to others (well, Storms is anyway; Coleman’s simply along for the wild ride). This time however the backdrop is a Fugitive Tour the likes of which even the ever elusive Dr. Richard Kimble might never have escaped. Come to think of it, that brooding ‘60s TV hit series seems to be the trigger that pulls Storms and Coleman into their reeling orbit, and like all circular things it comes to no dead end.
Well, no dead ends for our anti-heroes, that is, who continue to leave both a coast-to-coast trail of corpses and their pursuers in their very wide wake. Or do they? An enlightened mind might see Storms’ Fugitive Tour as the blogging equivalent of tea leaves. And if his arch nemesis Mahoney can keep his specs on, Storms could just post himself and his partner right into the hoosegow.
Then again, after getting away with many multiples of murders over the course of a dozen sordid stories, there’s gotta be some consequence. I mean, even the most ruthlessly efficient serial killers eventually get caught, don’t they?
I don’t know. And I wouldn’t tell you if I did. Because to spill the beans would mean you’d only have the trip to look forward to. And as crazy as that trip may be, it’s always better if you don’t know just where – or even if – it’s ever gonna stop.
Buckle-up, baby!
November 19, 2020
The longer this covid thing goes on,the more I enjoy Serge and his myriad ways of dealing with ridiculously stupid and unsavoury ne´er do wells.What I liked best about this one,is that I looked up all the places,and real people who seem to know him e.g.Randy Wayne White.The appearance of Doberman the bounty hunter and his entourage and his misadventures was hilarious.Also,Serge has a kid!!?
April 20, 2021
Serge A. Storms is so in love with Florida and its history that he has now started something that only Serge could do – plan a tour of Florida from a fugitive’s viewpoint. Serge reminds his sidekick Coleman of the website he started a while back. He had started the site because no one else was giving tourists reports like his, ones that said which hookers to trust, what type of maneuvers to do if you are carjacked, things people needed to know but were too afraid to ask. Now Serge has taken that idea one step further with theme vacations. His first theme is “tourist fugitive” where the tourist pretends to be on the lam.
If you have read any of the previous twelve books by Tim Dorsey that include serial killer Serge Storms, you know that Serge is absolutely ideal to pull this off. When Coleman asks Serge why “normal” people would want to experience Florida on the lam, Serge replies, “Because it’s the best way to experience the finest parts of our state, which is the underbelly.”
What even Serge doesn’t acknowledge is that he really IS on the lam. The equally obsessed FDLE agent Mahoney has been chasing Serge for years and has tracked him to within minutes of his last known location. He’s wild to nail Serge, and his enthusiasm is catching. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement designed a task force to catch the maniac who has killed lowlife criminals and reprobates that society would otherwise be happy to be without. The two task force members hook up with Mahoney just back on active duty after a mental breakdown put him on leave.
This story isn’t so simple as Serge and Coleman running from a dive to dump. Certain people from Serge’s history we’ve been privileged to meet via Dorsey’s books are revisited. Don’t fret if you haven’t read any or all of these entries because Tim Dorsey seamlessly weaves whatever background material you need to know together with present day material. I must offer a disclaimer (I guess any Floridian reviewer must); I live in one of the cities Serge went through in this current volume of Florida history, and I’m sure it influenced my review.
Intertwined with blog entries about the fugitive tour stops, Serge has some personal business to handle. Those who remain from his grandfather’s old South Beach gang have discovered that their personal savings have been moved offshore where they can’t access the funds. Plus Serge’s new obsession is tracking Al Capone’s escapades in the Everglades.
Tim Dorsey can take everyday news clippings, stir in a little imagination, a history lesson or two, shake together and out drops Serge’s next story. Dorsey effortlessly captures Serge’s frenetic energy and Coleman’s laid-back styles. Mayhem ensues. Next thing you know we have a modern “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” Dorsey delivers another Florida madcap mystery.
If you have read any of the previous twelve books by Tim Dorsey that include serial killer Serge Storms, you know that Serge is absolutely ideal to pull this off. When Coleman asks Serge why “normal” people would want to experience Florida on the lam, Serge replies, “Because it’s the best way to experience the finest parts of our state, which is the underbelly.”
What even Serge doesn’t acknowledge is that he really IS on the lam. The equally obsessed FDLE agent Mahoney has been chasing Serge for years and has tracked him to within minutes of his last known location. He’s wild to nail Serge, and his enthusiasm is catching. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement designed a task force to catch the maniac who has killed lowlife criminals and reprobates that society would otherwise be happy to be without. The two task force members hook up with Mahoney just back on active duty after a mental breakdown put him on leave.
This story isn’t so simple as Serge and Coleman running from a dive to dump. Certain people from Serge’s history we’ve been privileged to meet via Dorsey’s books are revisited. Don’t fret if you haven’t read any or all of these entries because Tim Dorsey seamlessly weaves whatever background material you need to know together with present day material. I must offer a disclaimer (I guess any Floridian reviewer must); I live in one of the cities Serge went through in this current volume of Florida history, and I’m sure it influenced my review.
Intertwined with blog entries about the fugitive tour stops, Serge has some personal business to handle. Those who remain from his grandfather’s old South Beach gang have discovered that their personal savings have been moved offshore where they can’t access the funds. Plus Serge’s new obsession is tracking Al Capone’s escapades in the Everglades.
Tim Dorsey can take everyday news clippings, stir in a little imagination, a history lesson or two, shake together and out drops Serge’s next story. Dorsey effortlessly captures Serge’s frenetic energy and Coleman’s laid-back styles. Mayhem ensues. Next thing you know we have a modern “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” Dorsey delivers another Florida madcap mystery.
March 14, 2011
Summary: Serge Storms, that lovable thermonuclear vigilante and one stop Florida trivia shop, has been leaving corpses strewn across the Sunshine State for more than a decade. The authorities, especially one tenacious state agent, have begun to notice the exponential body count, and send a police task force to track down Serge. Could his luck finally have run out? Meanwhile, armed with his perpetually baked sidekick, Coleman, Serge decides to blitz the state and resurrect his Internet travel advice website, which, of course, must be the finest and the final word on trekking the Sunshine State. To up the ante, Excellent crazy main characters. Summary: Serge concocts a theme vacation for his cyberspace audience. And that theme? You, too, can experience Florida through the eyes of a fugitive. Off they go blogging along a getaway route through the state's most remote bayous, back roads, and bars, where the number of cadavers begin stacking up like Serge's website hits. And in the middle of all his make believe close brushes, Serge finally wises up to his pursuers and realizes that the manic gumball rally is genuinely on "in the tradition of the great American chase movie." Clues and questions mount: Who are all the women being photographed naked in the swamp? What made Coleman draw on his face with magic markers? Where is the cruise to nowhere taking its drunk prisoners? When was the last time a Civil War reenactment involved a sports car? But Serge also has some personal business to tidy up. His grandfather's old Miami Beach gang suddenly had their life savings wiped out, and there's a good bet it was no accident. Too much action for Serge to juggle? Not when it all dovetails nicely into his Secret Master Plan. And especially if it involves Serge's favorite new obsession: tracking Al Capone's little known escapades in the Everglades. So gas up the car, say good bye to the relatives, and join Serge on the lam as he drives straight for the deepest bowels of Florida to unravel the final mysteries of Electric Barracuda. -- From publisher.
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