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Lost Vegas
A mobster hires a gang of professional thieves to rob his own casino in Steve Brewer's latest thriller, LOST VEGAS.Nick Papadopoulos used to be a button man for the Mob. Now he's the front man for an aging casino in Fowler, Nevada, an isolated backwater known as "Lost Vegas." Nick's stuck in a rut and deep in debt. Then he gets an If someone would only rob his casino, he could collect on the insurance and get out from under.Tony Zinn runs a heist crew in San Francisco. He's never even heard of Fowler, Nevada. But Nick makes him an offer that's almost too good to be true.Neither man expects interference from rival casino owner Big Jim Kelton or his hired goon, a huge Samoan named Shamu. But once they're involved, it can only end in bloodshed.Filled with twists and double-crosses, LOST VEGAS is Steve Brewer at his best."Like Elmore Leonard, the writer whose work his most resembles, Brewer writes with a light and deft touch, bringing style and wit to the crime genre." --David Montgomery, Chicago Sun-Times
- GenresCrime
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2011
3 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Steve Brewer
64 books37 followersSTEVE BREWER is the author of more than 30 books, including the recent crime novels UPSHOT and COLD CUTS.
His first novel, LONELY STREET, was made into a 2009 independent Hollywood comedy starring Robert Patrick, Jay Mohr and Joe Mantegna.
Under his pen name Max Austin, Brewer wrote three hard-boiled crime stories set in Albuquerque, NM. The first, DUKE CITY SPLIT, was published by Alibi/Random House in April 2014. DUKE CITY HIT followed in December 2014. DUKE CITY DESPERADO came out in June 2015.
Brewer's short fiction has appeared in the several anthologies, and he's published articles in magazines such as Mystery Scene, Crimespree and Mystery Readers' Journal.
Brewer has taught at the University of New Mexico, the Midwest Writers Workshop and the Tony Hillerman Writers Seminar. He regularly speaks at mystery conventions, and was toastmaster at Left Coast Crime in Santa Fe, NM, in 2011.
He served two years on the national board of Mystery Writers of America, and twice served as an Edgar Awards judge. He's also a member of International Thriller Writers and SouthWest Writers.
A graduate of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, Brewer worked as a daily journalist for 22 years, then wrote a syndicated weekly column for another decade. The column, called The Home Front, produced the raw material for his humor book TROPHY HUSBAND.
Married and the father of two adult sons, Brewer lives in Albuquerque, NM.
More at www.stevebrewer.blogspot.com.
BOOKS BY STEVE BREWER
"Lonely Street," 1994, Pocket Books
"Baby Face," 1995, Pocket Books
"Witchy Woman," 1996, St. Martin's Press
"Shaky Ground," 1997, St. Martin's Press
"Dirty Pool," 1999, St. Martin's Press
"End Run," 2000, Intrigue Press
"Crazy Love," 2001, Intrigue Press
"Cheap Shot," 2002, Intrigue Press
"Trophy Husband," 2003, University of New Mexico Press
"Bullets," 2003, Intrigue Press
"Fool's Paradise," 2003, UNM Press
"Boost," 2004, Speck Press
"Sanity Clause," a novella, in "The Last Noel," 2004, Worldwide
"Bank Job," 2005, Intrigue Press
"Whipsaw," 2006, Intrigue Press
"Monkey Man," 2006, Intrigue Press
"Payoff," a short story in the anthology "Damn Near Dead," 2006, Busted Flush
"Cutthroat," 2007, Bleak House
"Limbo," a short story in the Mystery Writers of America anthology "Crimes by Moonlight," 2010, Berkley
"Firepower," 2010, Amazon/Smashwords
"1500 Rules for Successful Living," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"Calabama," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"The Big Wink," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"Lost Vegas," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"Party Doll," 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"A Box of Pandoras," 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Showdown," a short story, 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Found Money," a short story, 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Yvonne's Gone," a short story, 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Cemetery Plot," a short story, 2013, Amazon
"Duke City Split," writing as Max Austin, Alibi, 2014
"Duke City Hit," writing as Max Austin, Alibi, 2014
"Duke City Desperado," writing as Max Austin, Alibi, 2015
"Shotgun Boogie," 2016, Amazon
"Homesick Blues," 2016, Amazon
"Side Eye," 2017, Amazon
"Cold Cuts," 2018, Amazon
"Upshot," 2020, Amazon
His first novel, LONELY STREET, was made into a 2009 independent Hollywood comedy starring Robert Patrick, Jay Mohr and Joe Mantegna.
Under his pen name Max Austin, Brewer wrote three hard-boiled crime stories set in Albuquerque, NM. The first, DUKE CITY SPLIT, was published by Alibi/Random House in April 2014. DUKE CITY HIT followed in December 2014. DUKE CITY DESPERADO came out in June 2015.
Brewer's short fiction has appeared in the several anthologies, and he's published articles in magazines such as Mystery Scene, Crimespree and Mystery Readers' Journal.
Brewer has taught at the University of New Mexico, the Midwest Writers Workshop and the Tony Hillerman Writers Seminar. He regularly speaks at mystery conventions, and was toastmaster at Left Coast Crime in Santa Fe, NM, in 2011.
He served two years on the national board of Mystery Writers of America, and twice served as an Edgar Awards judge. He's also a member of International Thriller Writers and SouthWest Writers.
A graduate of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, Brewer worked as a daily journalist for 22 years, then wrote a syndicated weekly column for another decade. The column, called The Home Front, produced the raw material for his humor book TROPHY HUSBAND.
Married and the father of two adult sons, Brewer lives in Albuquerque, NM.
More at www.stevebrewer.blogspot.com.
BOOKS BY STEVE BREWER
"Lonely Street," 1994, Pocket Books
"Baby Face," 1995, Pocket Books
"Witchy Woman," 1996, St. Martin's Press
"Shaky Ground," 1997, St. Martin's Press
"Dirty Pool," 1999, St. Martin's Press
"End Run," 2000, Intrigue Press
"Crazy Love," 2001, Intrigue Press
"Cheap Shot," 2002, Intrigue Press
"Trophy Husband," 2003, University of New Mexico Press
"Bullets," 2003, Intrigue Press
"Fool's Paradise," 2003, UNM Press
"Boost," 2004, Speck Press
"Sanity Clause," a novella, in "The Last Noel," 2004, Worldwide
"Bank Job," 2005, Intrigue Press
"Whipsaw," 2006, Intrigue Press
"Monkey Man," 2006, Intrigue Press
"Payoff," a short story in the anthology "Damn Near Dead," 2006, Busted Flush
"Cutthroat," 2007, Bleak House
"Limbo," a short story in the Mystery Writers of America anthology "Crimes by Moonlight," 2010, Berkley
"Firepower," 2010, Amazon/Smashwords
"1500 Rules for Successful Living," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"Calabama," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"The Big Wink," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"Lost Vegas," 2011, Amazon/Smashwords
"Party Doll," 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"A Box of Pandoras," 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Showdown," a short story, 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Found Money," a short story, 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Yvonne's Gone," a short story, 2012, Amazon/Smashwords
"Cemetery Plot," a short story, 2013, Amazon
"Duke City Split," writing as Max Austin, Alibi, 2014
"Duke City Hit," writing as Max Austin, Alibi, 2014
"Duke City Desperado," writing as Max Austin, Alibi, 2015
"Shotgun Boogie," 2016, Amazon
"Homesick Blues," 2016, Amazon
"Side Eye," 2017, Amazon
"Cold Cuts," 2018, Amazon
"Upshot," 2020, Amazon
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 4, 2017
Lost Vegas is the first of a 5 book box named Die Laughing. The only author I have read before is Paul Levine(one of my favorites) Lost Vegas was very enjoyable and entertaining. I am looking forward to reading more of Steve Brewer's novels.
April 14, 2017
Steve Brewer writes great crime caper novels, and this is a perfect example. If no one character broke free of the stereotypes, that's OK. Just sit back and enjoy.
October 15, 2015
E-book package deals are becoming the rage and they are always a good deal for both the reader and the authors. Die Laughing 1 contained humorous mysteries/thriller by several authors with whom I was unfamiliar. And for $.99? The first in the compilation was Lost Vegas by Steve Brewer.
Shades of Donald Westlake’s Dortmunder with perhaps a touch of noir. Tony Finn and his crew are asked to hit a casino in a small town in Nevada so the owner, a former Chicago hit man, can claim insurance money and make it more competitive with the only other casino in town, run by Big Jim Kelton. It’s your typical heist story gone a bit wrong although I prefer ones with more subtlety and less explosive violence.
Brewer handles things well although not as deftly as Westlake. Certainly a pleasant way to spend time waiting in line or at a doctor’s office, but hardly memorable. Slumming can be fun, too.
Shades of Donald Westlake’s Dortmunder with perhaps a touch of noir. Tony Finn and his crew are asked to hit a casino in a small town in Nevada so the owner, a former Chicago hit man, can claim insurance money and make it more competitive with the only other casino in town, run by Big Jim Kelton. It’s your typical heist story gone a bit wrong although I prefer ones with more subtlety and less explosive violence.
Brewer handles things well although not as deftly as Westlake. Certainly a pleasant way to spend time waiting in line or at a doctor’s office, but hardly memorable. Slumming can be fun, too.
December 27, 2014
Amusing and fast paced.
February 16, 2021
I downloaded this novel in a bundle called “Die Laughing:Five Comic crime Novels.” It is an interesting, occasionally funny, very graphically violent novel.
May 6, 2025
This was an enjoyable crime caper. Good action, clever misdirections and lot of violence.
May 12, 2025
Fun caper novel. Good character development, great setting and fast paced story made this a fun read.
November 25, 2011
One of Brewer's best. Wonderful characters and fabulously descriptive writing. Brewer writes some of the most entertaining books out there.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews