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Key West #1
Florida Straits
Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
"People go to Key West for lots of different reasons. Joey Goldman went there to become a gangster..."
So begins this classic Key West caper, the hilarious and touching book that launched a much-loved series and introduced the world to Bert the Shirt and his chihuahua Don Giovanni, two of the most unforgettable characters in contemporary fiction.
Joey, the illegitimate son of a major NY mafioso, decides to break away from a decidedly unpromising future in the old neighborhood of Queens. But will the old neighborhood and the Family let him go in peace? Not if knucklehead half-brother Gino has anything to say about it. As Joey is finally establishing his new life in sunny Florida, Gino involves him in a disastrous scam featuring a boatload of stolen emeralds and several squads of very nasty thugs. Finding within himself resources of smarts and courage he never knew he had, Joey beats long odds and muddles through to a brilliant solution to the problems dumped on him by Gino.
Cleverly plotted, enlivened by pitch-perfect dialogue, Forida Straits is a completely satisfying mystery, but it's more than that as well. Think of it as a fish-out-of-water coming-of-age novel, a comedy of very bad manners with an unlikely hero you will root for from page one.
"People go to Key West for lots of different reasons. Joey Goldman went there to become a gangster..."
So begins this classic Key West caper, the hilarious and touching book that launched a much-loved series and introduced the world to Bert the Shirt and his chihuahua Don Giovanni, two of the most unforgettable characters in contemporary fiction.
Joey, the illegitimate son of a major NY mafioso, decides to break away from a decidedly unpromising future in the old neighborhood of Queens. But will the old neighborhood and the Family let him go in peace? Not if knucklehead half-brother Gino has anything to say about it. As Joey is finally establishing his new life in sunny Florida, Gino involves him in a disastrous scam featuring a boatload of stolen emeralds and several squads of very nasty thugs. Finding within himself resources of smarts and courage he never knew he had, Joey beats long odds and muddles through to a brilliant solution to the problems dumped on him by Gino.
Cleverly plotted, enlivened by pitch-perfect dialogue, Forida Straits is a completely satisfying mystery, but it's more than that as well. Think of it as a fish-out-of-water coming-of-age novel, a comedy of very bad manners with an unlikely hero you will root for from page one.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1992
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About the author
Laurence Shames
40 books238 followersLaurence Shames has been a New York City taxi driver, lounge singer, furniture mover, lifeguard, dishwasher, gym teacher, and shoe salesman. Having failed to distinguish himself in any of those professions, he turned to writing full-time in 1976 and has not done an honest day’s work since.
His basic laziness notwithstanding, Shames has published more than twenty books and hundreds of magazine articles and essays. Best known for his critically acclaimed series of Key West Capers--14 titles and counting!--he has also authored non-fiction and enjoyed considerable though largely secret success as a collaborator and ghostwriter. Shames has penned four New York Times bestsellers. These have appeared on four different lists, under four different names, none of them his own. This might be a record.
Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1951, to chain-smoking parents of modest means but flamboyant emotions, Shames did not know Philip Roth, Paul Simon, Queen Latifa, Shaquille O’Neal, or any of the other really cool people who have come from his hometown. He graduated summa cum laude from NYU in 1972 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. As a side note, both his alma mater and honorary society have been extraordinarily adept at tracking his many address changes through the decades, in spite of the fact that he’s never sent them one red cent, and never will.
It was on an Italian beach in the summer of 1970 that Shames first heard the sacred call of the writer’s vocation. Lonely and poor, hungry and thirsty, he’d wandered into a seaside trattoria, where he noticed a couple tucking into a big platter of fritto misto. The man was nothing much to look at but the woman was really beautiful. She was perfectly tan and had a very fine-gauge gold chain looped around her bare tummy. The couple was sharing a liter of white wine; condensation beaded the carafe. Eye contact was made; the couple turned out to be Americans. The man wiped olive oil from his rather sensual lips and introduced himself as a writer. Shames knew in that moment that he would be one too.
He began writing stories and longer things he thought of as novels. He couldn’t sell them.
By 1979 he’d somehow become a journalist and was soon publishing in top-shelf magazines like Playboy, Outside, Saturday Review, and Vanity Fair. (This transition entailed some lucky breaks, but is not as vivid a tale as the fritto misto bit, so we’ll just sort of gloss over it.) In 1982, Shames was named Ethics columnist of Esquire, and also made a contributing editor to that magazine.
By 1986 he was writing non-fiction books. The critical, if not the commercial, success of these first established Shames’ credentials as a collaborator/ghostwriter. His 1991 national bestseller, Boss of Bosses, written with two FBI agents, got him thinking about the Mafia. It also bought him a ticket out of New York and a sweet little house in Key West, where he finally got back to Plan A: writing novels. Given his then-current preoccupations, the novels naturally featured palm trees, high humidity, dogs in sunglasses, and New York mobsters blundering through a town where people were too laid back to be afraid of them. But this part of the story is best told with reference to the books themselves, so please spend some time and explore them.
His basic laziness notwithstanding, Shames has published more than twenty books and hundreds of magazine articles and essays. Best known for his critically acclaimed series of Key West Capers--14 titles and counting!--he has also authored non-fiction and enjoyed considerable though largely secret success as a collaborator and ghostwriter. Shames has penned four New York Times bestsellers. These have appeared on four different lists, under four different names, none of them his own. This might be a record.
Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1951, to chain-smoking parents of modest means but flamboyant emotions, Shames did not know Philip Roth, Paul Simon, Queen Latifa, Shaquille O’Neal, or any of the other really cool people who have come from his hometown. He graduated summa cum laude from NYU in 1972 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. As a side note, both his alma mater and honorary society have been extraordinarily adept at tracking his many address changes through the decades, in spite of the fact that he’s never sent them one red cent, and never will.
It was on an Italian beach in the summer of 1970 that Shames first heard the sacred call of the writer’s vocation. Lonely and poor, hungry and thirsty, he’d wandered into a seaside trattoria, where he noticed a couple tucking into a big platter of fritto misto. The man was nothing much to look at but the woman was really beautiful. She was perfectly tan and had a very fine-gauge gold chain looped around her bare tummy. The couple was sharing a liter of white wine; condensation beaded the carafe. Eye contact was made; the couple turned out to be Americans. The man wiped olive oil from his rather sensual lips and introduced himself as a writer. Shames knew in that moment that he would be one too.
He began writing stories and longer things he thought of as novels. He couldn’t sell them.
By 1979 he’d somehow become a journalist and was soon publishing in top-shelf magazines like Playboy, Outside, Saturday Review, and Vanity Fair. (This transition entailed some lucky breaks, but is not as vivid a tale as the fritto misto bit, so we’ll just sort of gloss over it.) In 1982, Shames was named Ethics columnist of Esquire, and also made a contributing editor to that magazine.
By 1986 he was writing non-fiction books. The critical, if not the commercial, success of these first established Shames’ credentials as a collaborator/ghostwriter. His 1991 national bestseller, Boss of Bosses, written with two FBI agents, got him thinking about the Mafia. It also bought him a ticket out of New York and a sweet little house in Key West, where he finally got back to Plan A: writing novels. Given his then-current preoccupations, the novels naturally featured palm trees, high humidity, dogs in sunglasses, and New York mobsters blundering through a town where people were too laid back to be afraid of them. But this part of the story is best told with reference to the books themselves, so please spend some time and explore them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
October 14, 2020
This was unexpected.
No, really, it was. I expected a Mafia thriller/farce–perhaps along the lines of ‘Get Shorty’–what I found was a rather interesting story of a man and his girlfriend moving to Key West and reinventing themselves in the Floridian tradition. A few reviews mention ‘zany,’ but I didn’t really get wild, as much as idiosyncratic.
The story opens with low-level wiseguy, Joey, talking to his bestie, Sal, before he leaves for Key West: “Fuck is down there for you?’ They were sitting in a green vinyl booth in Perretti’s luncheonette on Astoria Boulevard in Queens. It was January. Outside, torn newspapers were stuck in dirty ice at the bottom of dented wire garbage cans. People walked past holding their hats, their coat collars pulled up to their ears. Skinny dogs squatted on the pavement and steam came out from under them. Joey turned the question around. ‘Fuck is for me up here?'”
I can relate. There’s nothing to love about the north in January, and honestly, I’d really rather be away from my family too, although they aren’t exactly Mafia. At any rate, it takes a little more work to convince his girlfriend, Sandra, that it’s worth leaving her job as a bank teller:
“There was a certain expression, not severe, exactly, but immovable, that came onto Sandra’s face at moments when she realized that a double helping of practicality was required of her.”
But by Chapter 3, they’re headed out of town in the ’73 Eldorado convertible. Here’s where one expects the plot to pick up–a missing something, a McGuffin quest, perhaps some sort of caper–but there really isn’t. There’s Joey, looking for a job down in Key West, but the only thing he’s known is the hustle. So he tries to find the locals and get in on the local bizness, who object to this. His girlfriend finally suggests he tries going legit, and in one of the most delicious ironies of the book, realizes that getting people to attend timeshare presentations is just a legit con, but it’s going to require developing some new skills.
“‘You’re a little scared, Joey. That’s O.K.’
The word was like a lance, and after the flash of pain and the squelched rage of denying it was so, there was relief. Joey stared out across the flat and moon-shot water of the Florida Straits and let out a long breath that whistled slightly between his teeth.”
I liked the writing quite a bit. Shames has a nice way of description that doesn’t overpower the scene, but still makes it quite vivid and occasionally chuckle-worthy (see Sandra’s expression above). I actually grew to like these and maybe even believe these two characters’ journeys though they have lives nothing like my own.
The plot does kick into gear in Part II, but it’s a slow burn–perfect for old-school Key West, honestly–and does have it’s Mafia moments. The finish was solid and everything I would have expected going in.
It actually became a cool little character development story, a kind of How Joey the Ex-Mobster Forges a New Identity and Grows Some Cojones (there’s a reason they don’t have me write titles) story that ended up being even more enjoyable than any crime/caper aspect. Will Joey and Sandra stick together? Will Joey leave the Mafia behind? Oh sure, the Mafia intrudes, as it is wont to do, but all’s well that ends well. I’m a little nervous about the next book, based on friend Tony’s reviews (not a Mafia Tony), but I’ll still give it a shot, because he said the third is ripping. (Ok, the exact words were “an outstanding follow up,” but I felt the need to British it).
Three and a half stars, rounding up because I think it gave me the feels.
No, really, it was. I expected a Mafia thriller/farce–perhaps along the lines of ‘Get Shorty’–what I found was a rather interesting story of a man and his girlfriend moving to Key West and reinventing themselves in the Floridian tradition. A few reviews mention ‘zany,’ but I didn’t really get wild, as much as idiosyncratic.
The story opens with low-level wiseguy, Joey, talking to his bestie, Sal, before he leaves for Key West: “Fuck is down there for you?’ They were sitting in a green vinyl booth in Perretti’s luncheonette on Astoria Boulevard in Queens. It was January. Outside, torn newspapers were stuck in dirty ice at the bottom of dented wire garbage cans. People walked past holding their hats, their coat collars pulled up to their ears. Skinny dogs squatted on the pavement and steam came out from under them. Joey turned the question around. ‘Fuck is for me up here?'”
I can relate. There’s nothing to love about the north in January, and honestly, I’d really rather be away from my family too, although they aren’t exactly Mafia. At any rate, it takes a little more work to convince his girlfriend, Sandra, that it’s worth leaving her job as a bank teller:
“There was a certain expression, not severe, exactly, but immovable, that came onto Sandra’s face at moments when she realized that a double helping of practicality was required of her.”
But by Chapter 3, they’re headed out of town in the ’73 Eldorado convertible. Here’s where one expects the plot to pick up–a missing something, a McGuffin quest, perhaps some sort of caper–but there really isn’t. There’s Joey, looking for a job down in Key West, but the only thing he’s known is the hustle. So he tries to find the locals and get in on the local bizness, who object to this. His girlfriend finally suggests he tries going legit, and in one of the most delicious ironies of the book, realizes that getting people to attend timeshare presentations is just a legit con, but it’s going to require developing some new skills.
“‘You’re a little scared, Joey. That’s O.K.’
The word was like a lance, and after the flash of pain and the squelched rage of denying it was so, there was relief. Joey stared out across the flat and moon-shot water of the Florida Straits and let out a long breath that whistled slightly between his teeth.”
I liked the writing quite a bit. Shames has a nice way of description that doesn’t overpower the scene, but still makes it quite vivid and occasionally chuckle-worthy (see Sandra’s expression above). I actually grew to like these and maybe even believe these two characters’ journeys though they have lives nothing like my own.
The plot does kick into gear in Part II, but it’s a slow burn–perfect for old-school Key West, honestly–and does have it’s Mafia moments. The finish was solid and everything I would have expected going in.
It actually became a cool little character development story, a kind of How Joey the Ex-Mobster Forges a New Identity and Grows Some Cojones (there’s a reason they don’t have me write titles) story that ended up being even more enjoyable than any crime/caper aspect. Will Joey and Sandra stick together? Will Joey leave the Mafia behind? Oh sure, the Mafia intrudes, as it is wont to do, but all’s well that ends well. I’m a little nervous about the next book, based on friend Tony’s reviews (not a Mafia Tony), but I’ll still give it a shot, because he said the third is ripping. (Ok, the exact words were “an outstanding follow up,” but I felt the need to British it).
Three and a half stars, rounding up because I think it gave me the feels.
December 23, 2021
I think, in order to write this review, I'll simply respond to the GR blurb:
So, Bert is a retired wiseguy who pretends to hate his little dog -- complains about it so much that we are not at all surprised to learn that he actually loves the little furball. But most unforgettable characters in contemporary fiction? That's laying it on a little thick.
The plot is the second-best thing about this book, watching Joey learn and adapt to circumstances, finding clever ways out of various problems. The third-best thing about it is the slow way the Conch Republic lifestyle is revealed -- not hitting us in the face with it, but letting it roll out naturally. Of course, having grown up there I have little patience for the idea that all of this is somehow exotic -- as if the NYC lifestyle were the de facto standard and any deviations from it are strange and shocking. Uh, no.
The first-best thing about it is Joey's slow realization that he is in love with his girlfriend, and why. He doesn't go on and on about her beauty, but rather about her general demeanor, her adaptability and so forth. It was quite refreshing.
Pitch-perfect dialog? The rendering of a Queens accent actually drove me nuts, particularly the way the characters kept saying "innee ocean" for "in the ocean." Hey, growing up in the Keys means I met a lot of New Yorkers as a kid, and never once did I hear any of them speak of anything being "innee ocean."
In summary, this was a story that really didn't need to be told, but excrutiating attempts at accents aside, it was written with more grace and realism than many stories of this type. Slightly better than average, but I'll be generous and award it four stars. But I won't be rushing out to read the eleven sequels to this book.
So begins this classic Key West caper, the hilarious and touching book that launched a much-loved series and introduced the world to Bert the Shirt and his chihuahua Don Giovanni, two of the most unforgettable characters in contemporary fiction.
So, Bert is a retired wiseguy who pretends to hate his little dog -- complains about it so much that we are not at all surprised to learn that he actually loves the little furball. But most unforgettable characters in contemporary fiction? That's laying it on a little thick.
Joey, the illegitimate son of a major NY mafioso, decides to break away from a decidedly unpromising future in the old neighborhood of Queens. But will the old neighborhood and the Family let him go in peace? Not if knucklehead half-brother Gino has anything to say about it. As Joey is finally establishing his new life in sunny Florida, Gino involves him in a disastrous scam featuring a boatload of stolen emeralds and several squads of very nasty thugs. Finding within himself resources of smarts and courage he never knew he had, Joey beats long odds and muddles through to a brilliant solution to the problems dumped on him by Gino.
The plot is the second-best thing about this book, watching Joey learn and adapt to circumstances, finding clever ways out of various problems. The third-best thing about it is the slow way the Conch Republic lifestyle is revealed -- not hitting us in the face with it, but letting it roll out naturally. Of course, having grown up there I have little patience for the idea that all of this is somehow exotic -- as if the NYC lifestyle were the de facto standard and any deviations from it are strange and shocking. Uh, no.
The first-best thing about it is Joey's slow realization that he is in love with his girlfriend, and why. He doesn't go on and on about her beauty, but rather about her general demeanor, her adaptability and so forth. It was quite refreshing.
Cleverly plotted, enlivened by pitch-perfect dialogue, Forida Straits (sic) is a completely satisfying mystery, but it's more than that as well. Think of it as a fish-out-of-water coming-of-age novel, a comedy of very bad manners with an unlikely hero you will root for from page one.
Pitch-perfect dialog? The rendering of a Queens accent actually drove me nuts, particularly the way the characters kept saying "innee ocean" for "in the ocean." Hey, growing up in the Keys means I met a lot of New Yorkers as a kid, and never once did I hear any of them speak of anything being "innee ocean."
In summary, this was a story that really didn't need to be told, but excrutiating attempts at accents aside, it was written with more grace and realism than many stories of this type. Slightly better than average, but I'll be generous and award it four stars. But I won't be rushing out to read the eleven sequels to this book.
January 8, 2021
Shames does a brilliant job of just about everything in this, the first of his Key West series. His characters: pale, menacing NY mobsters, laid-back, tanned counter-culture residents, and sunburned, fat midwest tourists; the setting--palm trees, coral reefs, sketchy apartments and beach-front condos; the plot--Joey Goldman has moved to the keys and attempts to bludgeon self-absorbed Key West into mob culture.
Shames brings his characters alive with dialogue and his setting with simile. I'm only sorry I read 'Sunburn' first; read this one so you don't know who gets killed and who doesn't.
Shames brings his characters alive with dialogue and his setting with simile. I'm only sorry I read 'Sunburn' first; read this one so you don't know who gets killed and who doesn't.
December 4, 2013
This was my second read through of the book and I forgot what snappy dialogue it had. Originally I was planning to ditch it after finishing again but I'm inspired to keep it as lesson on how to give characters distinct voices. I also really liked how well realized Key West is as a place. The sights, sounds, and colors emerge from the page and it made me long to go there.
This is a very laid back book. The twists in the story aren't going to blow your mind but it's more believable as a result. As far as light Floridian crime farces go, I liked Florida Straits more than Barry's Big Trouble or Hiaasen's Sick Puppy.
This is a very laid back book. The twists in the story aren't going to blow your mind but it's more believable as a result. As far as light Floridian crime farces go, I liked Florida Straits more than Barry's Big Trouble or Hiaasen's Sick Puppy.
July 20, 2016
I normally don't read "beach books", but I found this one surprisingly entertaining. I also haven't been to Key West, a place that I wouldn't mind visiting now. It's just a breezy, enjoyable book with interesting characters that doesn't make you think too hard. Sometimes you just need those.
July 22, 2020
I can't remember where I heard of Mr Shames' books, well this one in particular, but I'm so pleased that I did. Initially it was one of those which I feared was a poor attempt to copy another's style, but is soon became apparent that this was something a little bit special.
This is so well put together and so easy to read. Just like many of the wonderful characters in here, Mr Shames doesn't waste time with anything which isn't relevent. There is no padding and nothing wasted. It's all worthwhile. All fantastic.
This is well worth a read. I could hardly put it down.
So it goes.
This is so well put together and so easy to read. Just like many of the wonderful characters in here, Mr Shames doesn't waste time with anything which isn't relevent. There is no padding and nothing wasted. It's all worthwhile. All fantastic.
This is well worth a read. I could hardly put it down.
So it goes.
December 15, 2021
Please read carol's excellent review for this title.
January 5, 2016
"Wacky Florida fiction" is now an established genre. (My book, Psycho-Tropics, often gets put in this category, but it's much darker.) Florida Straits shows why Mr. Shames is one of the true icons of the genre.
A failed mobster, Joey Goldman, flees New York for Key West, in search of a new life. Well, first he tries recreating his old life, attempting to pull off old-school mobster money-making schemes that hilariously flop in his new laidback environs, inhabited by wacky characters like his landlord who spends every day naked in the pool reading a book and sucking down beers.
Lost in culture shock and sinking quickly, Joey latches onto a mundane job luring tourists to a timeshare project and a piece of advice from retired mobster Bert the Shirt that, down here, wealth comes out of the water. Shames does such a masterful job describing Key West that you can almost smell the saltwater and feel the ocean breeze in your face. In a satisfying ending, Joey finally proves his worthiness to himself, his double-crossing half-brother, and their Mafia Don father. This book is the very definition of a "great beach read."
A failed mobster, Joey Goldman, flees New York for Key West, in search of a new life. Well, first he tries recreating his old life, attempting to pull off old-school mobster money-making schemes that hilariously flop in his new laidback environs, inhabited by wacky characters like his landlord who spends every day naked in the pool reading a book and sucking down beers.
Lost in culture shock and sinking quickly, Joey latches onto a mundane job luring tourists to a timeshare project and a piece of advice from retired mobster Bert the Shirt that, down here, wealth comes out of the water. Shames does such a masterful job describing Key West that you can almost smell the saltwater and feel the ocean breeze in your face. In a satisfying ending, Joey finally proves his worthiness to himself, his double-crossing half-brother, and their Mafia Don father. This book is the very definition of a "great beach read."
August 30, 2020
Cool little story, very well written and in all a terrific easy and enjoyable read! Somehow this book hits a mellow sweet spot in the world of Florida fiction. It is not too dark, not too crazy, not too crass and does not try to be too clever. It is just a well rounded solid story with snappy dialog and witty banter. In all the perfect beach read that makes me want to go back to head back to Florida.
March 30, 2021
A delight. With a gentle touch, this tale of Mafia, revenge and a late coming of age is poignant, funny, ironic and wise. The amusing atmospheric feel of New York and Key West is on the mark.
Who says crime doesn't pay?
Who says crime doesn't pay?
May 1, 2016
Joey Goldman's momma was a Jewish beautician at a mortuary. His papa is a very powerful capo in a well-established but not talked about business who also happens to have a very proper Sicilian wife and legitimate son, heir to the, um, business. Joey grows up in that half-world of illegitimacy, never quite fitting in. It doesn't help that Joey isn't the brightest bulb in the pack, with no real knack for the, um, family business. So he decides to leave New York and go to Key West, Florida, where the only shadow he'll be living under is a palm tree and not that of his Neanderthal half-brother, Gino. Joey figures he'll set up his own little corner of Da Business, become wildly successful overnight, and impress everyone back in New York who figured him for a failure.
What could possibly go wrong?
You can't help but like Joey. He's such a bumbling loser, sure, but he's so darned sincere in his dreams (delusions?) of grandeur. The dialogue is fabulous, the scenes so well described that you can smell the salt air (and other more eye-watering aromas) and hear the gulls screeching. The characters are so real they make you scoot over in your chair so they can read over your shoulder and provide their own running commentary. Some of them are kinda scary, so you just let them, even though reading-over-your-shoulder and running commentaries are a couple of your biggest pet peeves. Hey. It's life in Key West. Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll live longer.
What could possibly go wrong?
You can't help but like Joey. He's such a bumbling loser, sure, but he's so darned sincere in his dreams (delusions?) of grandeur. The dialogue is fabulous, the scenes so well described that you can smell the salt air (and other more eye-watering aromas) and hear the gulls screeching. The characters are so real they make you scoot over in your chair so they can read over your shoulder and provide their own running commentary. Some of them are kinda scary, so you just let them, even though reading-over-your-shoulder and running commentaries are a couple of your biggest pet peeves. Hey. It's life in Key West. Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll live longer.
March 15, 2022
Its Vice City if Vice City were a novel during the 90s.
Playing the part of Tommy Vercetti is Joey Goldman. Half Brother to a made "Wise Guy" and love child to the Don of The New York Family. Joey wants to move t0 Florida and start his own empire, before realizing that the mob life may not be for him.
Playing the Part of Ken Rosenberg is Burt the Shirt. A retired NYC mobster who gives Joey advice and keeps him alive. He is tasked with taking care of his late wife's dog, who he claims to hafe.
Playing the part of Sonny Forelli is Gino Delgado. Joey's half brother and made man in the NYC family. He's a greedy bully who has no respect at all for Joey and is a coward above all.
Playing the part of Ricardo Diaz is Charlie Ponte. Charlie is tagged as the main antagonist in this, but he's really just after what he believes his is.
The rest is filled in by a likable supporting class that show a promising start to what looks like a fun series
Playing the part of Tommy Vercetti is Joey Goldman. Half Brother to a made "Wise Guy" and love child to the Don of The New York Family. Joey wants to move t0 Florida and start his own empire, before realizing that the mob life may not be for him.
Playing the Part of Ken Rosenberg is Burt the Shirt. A retired NYC mobster who gives Joey advice and keeps him alive. He is tasked with taking care of his late wife's dog, who he claims to hafe.
Playing the part of Sonny Forelli is Gino Delgado. Joey's half brother and made man in the NYC family. He's a greedy bully who has no respect at all for Joey and is a coward above all.
Playing the part of Ricardo Diaz is Charlie Ponte. Charlie is tagged as the main antagonist in this, but he's really just after what he believes his is.
The rest is filled in by a likable supporting class that show a promising start to what looks like a fun series
April 28, 2017
This was a great revisit. I had forgotten how amazingly Shames captures the time and place. The characters are amazing. I'm looking forward to the other Novels.
July 19, 2017
This was an amazing book in my opinion. My current passion is Florida Books and Authors and Laurence Shames has made it to my top 5 authors.
November 19, 2019
This book took a while to get going - I wasn't really enjoying it until about 1/3 of the way through, and then I couldn't put it down.
Perhaps it was the fact that all the dialogue is written in the dialect of the stereotypical Brooklyn mafioso, or that the characters are mostly a bit one-dimensional and not all that likable early on. Maybe that's the beauty of Shames's writing - that the main characters really start to open up and grow on you once circumstances and scenery start to change. When that happens, the dialog becomes less distracting, this book became thoroughly enjoyable.
I'm glad there are so many in this series, and I'm hoping they continue in the same vein as this first book.
Perhaps it was the fact that all the dialogue is written in the dialect of the stereotypical Brooklyn mafioso, or that the characters are mostly a bit one-dimensional and not all that likable early on. Maybe that's the beauty of Shames's writing - that the main characters really start to open up and grow on you once circumstances and scenery start to change. When that happens, the dialog becomes less distracting, this book became thoroughly enjoyable.
I'm glad there are so many in this series, and I'm hoping they continue in the same vein as this first book.
January 14, 2021
(2 1/2). This isn’t just a Florida book, it is a Key West book. And if you have ever been there, you will doubly enjoy the action here. As is typical in this genre, the cast of characters is half the fun. This is embellished here by the family (and frenemies) of our fearless (and mostly clueless) protagonist who is the son of a big time mobster in New York City. A little bit of everything happens and our heart is mostly stolen by a tiny chihuahua who fits right in with all the other wackos. A very strange coming of age story that is mostly entertaining the whole way. Pretty good stuff.
September 18, 2018
I would give this novel 3.5 stars.
I was hesitant in reading this novel, but found it was an entertaining and fun read.
Loosely written on the lines of Carl Hiaasen: beefy mobster guys, kidnappings, drugs, a little violence, and some wacky characters.
I was hesitant in reading this novel, but found it was an entertaining and fun read.
Loosely written on the lines of Carl Hiaasen: beefy mobster guys, kidnappings, drugs, a little violence, and some wacky characters.
December 8, 2016
Good book I rate it 4.5 stars
The main character is identifiable and genuine I hope there are more books with him.Never been to the keys before but felt like I was there while reading the book .overall a really good story
The main character is identifiable and genuine I hope there are more books with him.Never been to the keys before but felt like I was there while reading the book .overall a really good story
April 16, 2019
Once again I wish reviewers had a half star option when rating books as this book really isn't 3 stars but not quite 4 stars either it's a decent 3 1/2 star book.
September 13, 2020
An Exciting Story of a Scam Turned Upside Down!
Joey Goldman's flying south for the winter. The second-string New York wiseguy just packed up his faithful girlfriend Sandra and took off for Key West -- land of sun, surf and sleaze -- where a small-time hustler in search of a racket can score the big one. If he can find it. Enter Joey's half brother Gino. On the lam from the mob after one of the most royally screwed-up jewel heists in Florida history, Gino's a man in need of a fall guy. Which is where Joey comes in . . .Suddenly, everyone's after Joey -- including the ruthless Miami don who wants his three million worth of uncut emeralds and who just dispatched his goons to deliver Joey a one-way ticket -- out. Now Joey's where he always wanted to be -- in the big time. All he has to do is find out where the stones are stashed. And for an unikely hero out to make a killing, this could be Paradise .
Joey Goldman's flying south for the winter. The second-string New York wiseguy just packed up his faithful girlfriend Sandra and took off for Key West -- land of sun, surf and sleaze -- where a small-time hustler in search of a racket can score the big one. If he can find it. Enter Joey's half brother Gino. On the lam from the mob after one of the most royally screwed-up jewel heists in Florida history, Gino's a man in need of a fall guy. Which is where Joey comes in . . .Suddenly, everyone's after Joey -- including the ruthless Miami don who wants his three million worth of uncut emeralds and who just dispatched his goons to deliver Joey a one-way ticket -- out. Now Joey's where he always wanted to be -- in the big time. All he has to do is find out where the stones are stashed. And for an unikely hero out to make a killing, this could be Paradise .
June 4, 2020
Best fiction book I have read on Amazon Unlimited so far
A top notch book. There is a lot to like, such as colorful and well developed
characters, the plot is very well paced, great dialog,
the protagonist has a very interesting point of view on the world, and he is given a lot of different types of problems to solve as the story progresses. There are also some very good insights into human nature and the complexities of family relationships so it also has it's educational aspects. I can't think of any negatives. This is all I could ask of a book and I appreciate it being available on Amazon Unlimited.
A top notch book. There is a lot to like, such as colorful and well developed
characters, the plot is very well paced, great dialog,
the protagonist has a very interesting point of view on the world, and he is given a lot of different types of problems to solve as the story progresses. There are also some very good insights into human nature and the complexities of family relationships so it also has it's educational aspects. I can't think of any negatives. This is all I could ask of a book and I appreciate it being available on Amazon Unlimited.
July 24, 2021
What a caper! I really enjoyed the ‘fish-out-of-water’ element of the mafioso in Key West. Great characters, I can tell the author really enjoyed writing this story.
June 12, 2016
Story: 3 stars
Character Development: 2 stars
Prose/Language: 2 stars
"When things went badly, it made sitting near water with a cocktail seem absolutely heavenly, saner than any possible action."
This book was weak in the one area it should have been strong: story. What should have been a fun beach read, this story was slow. Very slow. Too many descriptions of dinners by the pool. Too many boring descriptions of working a "strait" job. Too many descriptions of things that played no part in the story or character development. Nothing really happens to any of the characters until half way through the book; anything of interest is told via gossip. It could have benefited from being a short story or a novella, not a full length book. Also, the end wrapped up a little too clean and I didn't really believe mobsters' personalities would change so drastically in so little time.
Now, I'm not expecting award-winning prose from this type of book, but damn was it wordy! Every character description was one, very long paragraph which completely killed the pacing of the story. I started skipping these paragraphs because I don't care about the exact fabric, color, piping, and monograming on Bert's shirt every time he enters the room.
The only take away is the setting. Shames knows Key West so well he was able to capture a still life of such an odd place and people. This is my only take-away, a future vacation!
Character Development: 2 stars
Prose/Language: 2 stars
"When things went badly, it made sitting near water with a cocktail seem absolutely heavenly, saner than any possible action."
This book was weak in the one area it should have been strong: story. What should have been a fun beach read, this story was slow. Very slow. Too many descriptions of dinners by the pool. Too many boring descriptions of working a "strait" job. Too many descriptions of things that played no part in the story or character development. Nothing really happens to any of the characters until half way through the book; anything of interest is told via gossip. It could have benefited from being a short story or a novella, not a full length book. Also, the end wrapped up a little too clean and I didn't really believe mobsters' personalities would change so drastically in so little time.
Now, I'm not expecting award-winning prose from this type of book, but damn was it wordy! Every character description was one, very long paragraph which completely killed the pacing of the story. I started skipping these paragraphs because I don't care about the exact fabric, color, piping, and monograming on Bert's shirt every time he enters the room.
The only take away is the setting. Shames knows Key West so well he was able to capture a still life of such an odd place and people. This is my only take-away, a future vacation!
January 10, 2014
Joey, Joey, Joey... what a poor schmuck! Illegitimate son of a mafia boss who wants to please daddy and half-brother, but just cannot. Decides to head to Florida to make his mark there. Things go wrong for him every which way he turns. There are several F-bombs dropped here, but at least it is in tune with the type of characters that are dealt with in the book. However, if your offended by foul language you might want to steer clear. I wasn't sure what I got myself into during the first quarter of the story, but then Joey and Sandra grew on me. A fun caper of madness and trying to better one's self by getting out from under the old home rules. Chaos seeking normality.
Mafia, family ties, seeking ones way, discovering love, Florida, crime world, emeralds, thugs, boats, water, sunshine, alternate life styles, chaos, Bert the shirt and not to be forgotten - one scrawny Chihuahua named Don Giovanni. What's not to like?
Mafia, family ties, seeking ones way, discovering love, Florida, crime world, emeralds, thugs, boats, water, sunshine, alternate life styles, chaos, Bert the shirt and not to be forgotten - one scrawny Chihuahua named Don Giovanni. What's not to like?
January 16, 2017
The first of Shames' Key West series of mystery novels. (I had read two of the later ones on my own earlier and thought Maggee might enjoy them. I got hold of this one through a secondary seller since our library had only the two titles.)
Joey Goldman wants to leave New York city and his entanglements with the "family" (he is the illegitimate son of a Mafia don) and start a new life somewhere warm. He convinces his girlfriend Sandra to give Key West, Florida a chance, confident that once our from under the shadow of his father and older half-brother he can carve out a criminal fiefdom of his own in a tropical paradise. Key West has its own rules and its own culture; the New York ties aren't as easy to sever as Joey had anticipated and the transition to paradise in a more than a bit rocky.
Good characters. A couple of "look the other way" plot elements. But a fun read.s
This was book # 56 on our 2016 Read-alouds List.
Joey Goldman wants to leave New York city and his entanglements with the "family" (he is the illegitimate son of a Mafia don) and start a new life somewhere warm. He convinces his girlfriend Sandra to give Key West, Florida a chance, confident that once our from under the shadow of his father and older half-brother he can carve out a criminal fiefdom of his own in a tropical paradise. Key West has its own rules and its own culture; the New York ties aren't as easy to sever as Joey had anticipated and the transition to paradise in a more than a bit rocky.
Good characters. A couple of "look the other way" plot elements. But a fun read.s
This was book # 56 on our 2016 Read-alouds List.
April 12, 2018
Since I became an author, after writing the books I have, I have to admit, reading is a really tough endeavor now. I get critical, picky, as I read mistakes my editor tells me not to make It's irritating that this once avid reader, has a difficult time finding a book that I not only start but I finish.
So when Laurence Shames was recommended to me I thought, "Sure. Why not?" I'm glad I picked up that first book, a light, fun, easy reads with characters that I care about, some even recur throughout the series. Each story revolves around the mob in some way, shape or form and each is a travelogue of Key West.
I don't nitpick, I don't get huffy. I simply sit back with my legs up and let myself sink into an entertaining story. I highly recommend the series.
So when Laurence Shames was recommended to me I thought, "Sure. Why not?" I'm glad I picked up that first book, a light, fun, easy reads with characters that I care about, some even recur throughout the series. Each story revolves around the mob in some way, shape or form and each is a travelogue of Key West.
I don't nitpick, I don't get huffy. I simply sit back with my legs up and let myself sink into an entertaining story. I highly recommend the series.
May 11, 2017
Thank goodness that with Prime this was a free loaner or I would have been asking for my cash back. I really expected something different by reading the synopsis and the other reviews, something funny and clever ...I should have paid more attention to the critical reviews. They sounded a bit whiny to me (these were on Amazon) but now I get the point they had been trying to make.
This was worth every penny I didn't pay for it!
This was worth every penny I didn't pay for it!
January 28, 2020
Loved this book!
I read this book while snowbirding in the Florida Keys and enjoyed it immensely. I fell in love over the course of chapters with each unique character in Key West. The story unfolded brilliantly and believably. I can attest to the accuracy of the environment in which this book blossoms. And look forward to escaping into another book when I must return home from the paradise of the Keys.
I read this book while snowbirding in the Florida Keys and enjoyed it immensely. I fell in love over the course of chapters with each unique character in Key West. The story unfolded brilliantly and believably. I can attest to the accuracy of the environment in which this book blossoms. And look forward to escaping into another book when I must return home from the paradise of the Keys.
May 7, 2024
3.5
You know, little did I imagine I would find a cozy mystery in the depths of a secondhand library in Bogotá. Little did ai imagine I would actually like the book I randomly found and bought just because it has a chihuahua on the cover (and if you’re a chihuahua owner, you know that’s hard to resist). The only thing I have to say is: it was my first cozy mystery written by a man and… well. That was new.
En este libro seguimos a Joey Goldman: el hijo ilegítimo de un magioso italiano en New York. La historia empieza cuando Joey, cansado de ser opacado por Gino su hermano, y cansado de ser un don nadie, decide mudarse a Florida junto con su novia Sandra para empezar dr cero. Su plan en un inicio es ser un pro en los negocios de la mafie en este nuevo escenario, pero pronto se da cuenta de que 1) no es tan fácil como creía y 2) la vida legit, de hecho, le gusta. Pero simplemente desligarse de su vieja vida no es tan sencillo: el pobre Joey termina involucrado en la desaparición de unas esmeraldas que la mafia local recibió de (como no) colombianos.
Con ayuda de Bert the shirt, un viejo amigo de su familia, y Zack, su nuevo jefe, Joey empieza a encontrar su lugar en Florida, y las cosas tal vez salgan mejor de lo esperado, de la manera que él menos imaginaba.
Si te preguntabas que si, efectivamente, hay un chihuahua: pues sí, se llama Don Giovani y es el perrito de Bert, heredado de su esposa.
Fue chistoso, fue cute, fue entretenido. Se lee muy rápido, y si no estuviera obsesionada con Vampire Diaries, lo hubiera terminado antes. En la misma librería random encontré la segunda y tercera parte, así que estoy lista para continuar esta saga.
You know, little did I imagine I would find a cozy mystery in the depths of a secondhand library in Bogotá. Little did ai imagine I would actually like the book I randomly found and bought just because it has a chihuahua on the cover (and if you’re a chihuahua owner, you know that’s hard to resist). The only thing I have to say is: it was my first cozy mystery written by a man and… well. That was new.
En este libro seguimos a Joey Goldman: el hijo ilegítimo de un magioso italiano en New York. La historia empieza cuando Joey, cansado de ser opacado por Gino su hermano, y cansado de ser un don nadie, decide mudarse a Florida junto con su novia Sandra para empezar dr cero. Su plan en un inicio es ser un pro en los negocios de la mafie en este nuevo escenario, pero pronto se da cuenta de que 1) no es tan fácil como creía y 2) la vida legit, de hecho, le gusta. Pero simplemente desligarse de su vieja vida no es tan sencillo: el pobre Joey termina involucrado en la desaparición de unas esmeraldas que la mafia local recibió de (como no) colombianos.
Con ayuda de Bert the shirt, un viejo amigo de su familia, y Zack, su nuevo jefe, Joey empieza a encontrar su lugar en Florida, y las cosas tal vez salgan mejor de lo esperado, de la manera que él menos imaginaba.
Si te preguntabas que si, efectivamente, hay un chihuahua: pues sí, se llama Don Giovani y es el perrito de Bert, heredado de su esposa.
Fue chistoso, fue cute, fue entretenido. Se lee muy rápido, y si no estuviera obsesionada con Vampire Diaries, lo hubiera terminado antes. En la misma librería random encontré la segunda y tercera parte, así que estoy lista para continuar esta saga.
June 16, 2025
Joey, the generally-ignored stepson of a New York mob leader decides to get away and take some personal time in Key West with his girlfriend, and just maybe start a little enterprise of his own. He soon learns that not having any connections turns his feeble attempts sour. Needing to find some income due to his quickly depleting money, he starts shilling tourists off the street into a real estate project office. It turns out he is a natural.
His step-brother Gino, with whom he never got along, suddenly shows up, and a couple dead bodies follow in his wake. It appears that you can’t escape the family so easily. Joey turns into the creative one of the family as he tries to free his brother from being trapped in a luxury suite at the Flagler Hotel and avoid a burial at sea.
The author was compared to a couple other famous crime/humor authors from Florida. He does a fair job of combining the two genres and writes an amusing tale. This is the first of the series. It is entertaining enough that I will look for the next one.
His step-brother Gino, with whom he never got along, suddenly shows up, and a couple dead bodies follow in his wake. It appears that you can’t escape the family so easily. Joey turns into the creative one of the family as he tries to free his brother from being trapped in a luxury suite at the Flagler Hotel and avoid a burial at sea.
The author was compared to a couple other famous crime/humor authors from Florida. He does a fair job of combining the two genres and writes an amusing tale. This is the first of the series. It is entertaining enough that I will look for the next one.
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