On the track of a briefcase full of millions in _Hammerhead Ranch Motel_

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Thanks to one of our fellow reviewer, Scott, I have managed to stumble onto some wildly funny novels about a spree serial killer named Serge, created with much aplomb by writer Tim Dorsey. Based in and around Tampa, his novels about Serge and his adventures take a look at the Florida beyond Disneyworld and reveal some of the craziness that is going on outside the theme parks. Serge A. Storms, now that he has his eyes set on a briefcase full of drug money -- just five million dollars of it -- is using his clever, twisted brain to get his hands on it. Living as he has done under the radar and off the grid, Serge lives his life in a remarkably free style, staying in the moment and exploring anything that his hyperspeed brain latches onto. In Hammerhead Ranch Motel, Serge decides to lay low in a low-rent motel that's a cover for a gang of nefarious boiler-room operators, led by Zargoza (never call him by his real name), a gang leader with some serious identity issues. With him are the Diaz Boys (or is it Brothers?) a collection of drug traffickers that never quite seem to get it together, along with assorted goons who work for Zargoza. Next door to the Hammerhead is a condo full of retirees who should be having the times of their lives, but instead are angry and resentful of everyone and everything around them. They indulge in petty lawsuits, careful aims with lawn darts, and generally trying to make life as rotten as possible for any and everyone. Intersecting with Serge and Lenny are City and Country, two beautiful girls who have managed to make a very bad decision and are on the run. As to why they are called City and Country, and why they are in so much trouble, is revealed here, and turned them into truly sympathetic characters for me. When this foursome get together, something truly dangerous is afoot, along with copious consumption of sex, alcohol and of course, drugs. Well, not Serge, but the other three... Especially Serge, who is never wavering in his quest for that missing briefcase. Along with the here and now, we get an entertaining flashback as to why Serge is the way he is, and more of his extremely creative ways of manipulation and disposal. Yes, it is awful as to what he does, but sometimes the various targets so richly deserve what they are getting, that I couldn't help but cheer Serge on. Along the way there's a host of minor characters, including Johnny Vegas in his quest to lose his virginity, two hapless college students, the Flying Hemingways, a loser and his teenage girlfriend, and the row of taxidermy hammerhead sharks outside of the motel. There's Boris the Hateful S***, a truly foul radio entertainer, a gaggle of Olympic committees lured to Tampa, C.C. Field a has-been celebrity, and the crew of a Hurricane chaser aircraft -- I rather liked "Bananas" Foster, myself. Looming overhead is Rolando-berto, and it seems that only Toto the weather dog and Serge know for sure who will live and die... Of course, this is just a mere scraping of the delights that await the reader in this one. The writing is much better in this second novel than what I found in Florida Roadkill. The pacing is tighter as well, and while the action and dialog is not at all for the squeamish or timid, for those of you out there who like a good screwball thriller, this will certainly fit the bill. Along the way, author Tim Dorsey does have a few serious moments, such as in the care of the mentally ill, the idiocy run amuck when moving vehicles and alcohol are involved, and the ongoing wasting of the environment. While the serious moments are not very frequent, they do work. Another point that I like is that the author knows the topography and history of Florida very well, and puts these in for great effect throughout the book. A look at the author's website at gives both a published order of the books, as well as a chronology. He also recommends that the books be read in the order that they were written. You can also find some nifty Serge swag there as well. Most of all, this is a book for those nights when you need a good laugh at the absurdity of it all. While this won't be for everyone, anyone who can handle the violence and drug use should be able to enjoy this one. All in all, four stars. It's a fun, if crazed read, and you'll never look at condos full of retirees quite the same way again. The Serge A. Storms Series by Tim Dorsey: Florida Roadkill Hammerhead Ranch Motel -- you are here Orange Crush Triggerfish Twist The Stingray Shuffle Cadillac Beach Torpedo Juice The Big Bamboo Hurricane Punch Atomic Lobster Nuclear Jellyfish Gator A-Go-Go Electric Barracuda When Elves Attack: A Joyous Christmas Greeting from the Criminal Nutbars of the Sunshine State Pineapple Grenade The Riptide Ultra-Glide Tiger Shrimp Tango Shark Skin Suite Tropical Warning: An Original Serge Storms Story and Other Debris Coconut Cowboy For more about Tim Dorsey, his books and some neat swag from the books, go to Hammerhead Ranch Motel Tim Dorsey 2000; HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. ISBN 978-0-0618-3672-5