Pineapple Grenade is the latest offering of renowned author
Tim Dorsey which is set in hot and steamy Miami, Florida. Readers are introduced to the ongoing
character Serge Storms who is a vigilante serial killer of sorts and his stoned
out friend Coleman. The 15th
in the series by Tim Dorsey, readers immediately get a feel for the quirkiness
of the writing with the washing up of an artificial limb on the shore and a
body that has been disposed in a forensically very interesting way (don't want to be a spoiler). As Wendy and I set out to read stories in
states where place was important as the characters, this book fit the
bill. I rambled the stacks in the
mystery section of the bookstore and wound up with this book as the next in
line of my journey. However, as an avid mystery reader, I am often choosing a book
in the middle of the series. You can often pick up threads of the past in the
first chapter or two that help you move through the book. It’s those story bits that leads you back and
connect the people to really motivate a reader new to your series. This book provided none of that. I began stark and new and clueless.
The lead character Serge seems to be an appealing enough guy
with the bumbling stoned out sidekick Coleman.
I am unsure if I am supposed to like these people or finding their brand
of vigilante killing something to care about.
The blurbs about Dorsey's books often include the word humor, so I was looking
out for those moments. Maybe I just didn't recognize humor when I saw it, but what do I know? Serge and Coleman
insinuate themselves into a group that is protecting the dictator of a fictitious
banana republic who is coming to Miami for a summit. Serge becomes a secret
agent of sorts that helps the dubious factions and winds up playing mind games
among the players. They all wonder who
Serge really is and who does he work for?
And as Serge goes along his merry way with Coleman in tow (who really
does that much drugs), he kills a few people with what seems to be a familiar mantra…”
I always leave a way out…” but in this book none of Serge’s victims
survive. I will say Serge is
ingenious. But Dorsey as an author lost
me. This reminds me that maybe this
character is the love child of Dexter the serial killer and Carl Hiaasen type
characters. But I am really not sure I
want to know more or revisit the previous 14 to find out how these characters
came to be. It’s obvious Dorsey has a
huge following, but while I didn’t hate the book, I am likely not to read another
unless I come across one at a library sale or swap table. Sorry Mr. Dorsey.
