Book Review: Nuclear Jellyfish

My husband calls Blountstown, Florida home and loves quirky crime novels, so when he picked up Tim Dorsey's first Serge A. Storms novel, Florida Roadkill: A Novel, and finished it in two days I knew he was in love. I dutifully went over to our one island bookstore on Providenciales to buy the rest of the series and order what they didn't have in stock.

I decided to read them after listening to hubby crack up into spontaneous unstoppable laughter every few pages and started with the aforementioned first of the series. And I didn't love it. I found it a bit too strange, too grungy, too Florida-centric. Plus, I hated all of the characters. Still, there was something that made me finish the book and start on the second, Hammerhead Ranch Motel, which I did not finish. So when I was offered a copy of the latest Serge A. Storms adventure to review I almost said no, but I knew hubby would kill me!

He plowed through it and loved it, finding it as strange and quirky as the rest but thought that I might find it a bit more approachable; that I might actually enjoy this adventure of Serge. And shockingly enough, I did!

"'What a magnificent day to be alive in this state! God has once again fulfilled my definition of happiness: Florida, a full tank of gas and no appointments.'"

This book follows Serge and his perpetually stoned friend Coleman on a travel advisory tour of Florida. Basically, Serge the sociopathic Florida-phile starts a travel blog and decides to chronicle all the spots he considers to be most interesting and important, including the Nascar museum, the former Monson Motor Lodge, Harry and the Natives, and the Bridge of Lions. He answers important questions such as how to avoid transmission rip offs and how to avoid being kidnapped. And he manages to fall in love.

Arch-nemesis Agent Mahoney makes a re-appearance, and there is a host of bad guys (including the slippery Eel). Serge is his usual ADD, OCD, serial-killing self, but there are plenty of really slimy bad guys here for him to work his inventive killing magic on without making anyone feel bad. Jewel thieves, coin collectors, and so much Florida trivia you may actually want to go south for your own personal road trip!

Tags: Reviews, tom dorsey, serge a storms, nuclear jellyfish