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A review by mrfrank
Tijuana Donkey Showdown by Adam Howe
4.0
I found this book on many people's Best of 2016 lists. I love a good fun idea and TIJUANA DONKEY SHOWDOWN sounded like a great time. I enjoyed the hell out of it too. I'm a big fan of Tim Dorsey's Serge Storm books and this is every bit the fun caper story that those are. I've seen author Adam Howe compared to Joe Lansdale in style (and while I do see the comparison) but I think he's more closely compared to a Dorsey or Hiaasen at least in regard to this book.
The main character, Reggie Levine, is vivid and rich. All his cohorts are brilliant and funny. The characters drive the story and steer the plot where it needs to go. There are a lot of call backs to a Reggie Levine short story in a previous collection by Howe. The references are not heavy handed, they give you a deeper insight in to the character's motivations and as a bonus for the author, makes you want to go read Levine's adventure with the Stink Ape.
There isn't much I can poke at this critically. The writing is economical yet conveys a great deal of punch in its simplicity. The book is short but nothing is missing. And if you would want to complain about the length, there is a bonus short story thrown on at the end to give you a little extra bang for your buck
I'm glad I saw this book keep popping up on best of lists near the end of December. I picked it up and tore through it, determined to get it done by 2016. I'm glad I did. If you enjoy tales of funny criminal capers with lovable miscreants then TIJUANA DONKEY SHOWDOWN is for you. I mean, there is a genuine Tijuana Donkey in it, that alone is worth the cover price!
The main character, Reggie Levine, is vivid and rich. All his cohorts are brilliant and funny. The characters drive the story and steer the plot where it needs to go. There are a lot of call backs to a Reggie Levine short story in a previous collection by Howe. The references are not heavy handed, they give you a deeper insight in to the character's motivations and as a bonus for the author, makes you want to go read Levine's adventure with the Stink Ape.
There isn't much I can poke at this critically. The writing is economical yet conveys a great deal of punch in its simplicity. The book is short but nothing is missing. And if you would want to complain about the length, there is a bonus short story thrown on at the end to give you a little extra bang for your buck
I'm glad I saw this book keep popping up on best of lists near the end of December. I picked it up and tore through it, determined to get it done by 2016. I'm glad I did. If you enjoy tales of funny criminal capers with lovable miscreants then TIJUANA DONKEY SHOWDOWN is for you. I mean, there is a genuine Tijuana Donkey in it, that alone is worth the cover price!