What do you think?
Rate this book
Key West #13
One Big Joke
“What is with you lately?” Lenny’s wife would like to know. “You’ve been acting like everything is one big joke.” And it’s true—unemployed TV writer Lenny Sullivan has been having trouble seeing his life and times as anything more than fodder for edgy wisecracks. But when he bolts to Key West to refresh his lighter side, things suddenly turn serious. Well, sort of serious. A bullying businessman in league with a pair of bumbling mobsters is plotting to burn down his best friend’s struggling comedy club. The pill-popping star of his last best chance at a hit show is under a death threat from a very sore loser in a love triangle. And Lenny’s staunchest ally in the fight to keep the club, the star, and the laughs alive happens to be a 90-something named Bert the Shirt. Fortunately, Bert has a soft spot for comedians and is the savviest if not the most grammatical guy in town… Deftly balancing suspense and humor, mayhem and romance, Key West color and showbiz glitz, ONE BIG JOKE uproariously entertains while making a sly but impassioned argument for the saving grace of comedy in tough times.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2018
293 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Laurence Shames
40 books239 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 23, 2023
Different
Most of the time, murder mysteries or, in the case of a Shames’ book, murder avoidance, the stories stale after awhile. Same type of crime committed, cast of characters you could pick out of a glass jar, nothing original. Here, Shames created a good formula with a fairly confused plot that works to keep your interest, bad guys you really don’t have to dislike, a smart wise guy’s girlfriend, and some people with normal problems …. Except for the wise guys and the local douchebag, oh, and Bert the Shirt. Just read it. You’ll like it.
Most of the time, murder mysteries or, in the case of a Shames’ book, murder avoidance, the stories stale after awhile. Same type of crime committed, cast of characters you could pick out of a glass jar, nothing original. Here, Shames created a good formula with a fairly confused plot that works to keep your interest, bad guys you really don’t have to dislike, a smart wise guy’s girlfriend, and some people with normal problems …. Except for the wise guys and the local douchebag, oh, and Bert the Shirt. Just read it. You’ll like it.
December 9, 2022
Leave politics out of it!
I've been enjoying this series and then I get to this one and the author resorts to Trump bashing. I read books like this to escape from the constant barrage of bad news that makes up the world today. You need to leave the politics out of it Mr. Shames if you want to keep your readers.
I've been enjoying this series and then I get to this one and the author resorts to Trump bashing. I read books like this to escape from the constant barrage of bad news that makes up the world today. You need to leave the politics out of it Mr. Shames if you want to keep your readers.
November 22, 2024
A paranoid comedian, a burnt-out comedy writer, a night club owner , a couple of dim-bulb gangsters, a couple of real gangers and various wives, girlfriends and hangers-on get caught up in a deadly and very funny mess in Key West. Luckily we have Burt The Shirt to save the day. Very cute comic mystery. I liked it -- 3 stars.
January 27, 2019
The Key West Express
My favorite Sunshine State author is Tim Dorsey, Serge and Coleman never fail to put on a good show. Shames' character's in ONE BIG JOKE also deliver a good story and I plan to read more of his work.
My favorite Sunshine State author is Tim Dorsey, Serge and Coleman never fail to put on a good show. Shames' character's in ONE BIG JOKE also deliver a good story and I plan to read more of his work.
June 28, 2023
funny Mafia melding
Great characters. Upbeat read depicting everybody’s longing for the good life in a warm sunny beach town setting. If you like comedy and interesting people you’ll like this book.
Great characters. Upbeat read depicting everybody’s longing for the good life in a warm sunny beach town setting. If you like comedy and interesting people you’ll like this book.
July 26, 2023
Good story
It was a good story thru possible murder and mayhem and arson all wrapped up in a threat of mafia connection the puppet sorts it out with the help of his Holman Bert the shirt..ciao from Costa Rica....
It was a good story thru possible murder and mayhem and arson all wrapped up in a threat of mafia connection the puppet sorts it out with the help of his Holman Bert the shirt..ciao from Costa Rica....
January 22, 2018
Another great read from Laurence Shames. Fans of his Key West mysteries will love this one.
February 7, 2018
Not the strongest in the series, or the funniest.
March 16, 2018
Typical of the series, very good writing, love the Key West trivia, nice fast funny read.
September 10, 2018
another great story I highly recommend the entire series
July 4, 2019
I still love Bert the Shirt and of course Nacho.
July 5, 2019
Great summer read! Like taking a vacation in Key West. And glad to see that Bert the Shirt and Nacho are still healthy and doing well. Bodes well for more great stories to come!
December 24, 2020
One Big Joke is very entertaining Key West Caper featuring Bert the Shirt and a new cast of interesting fun characters. This is a fun light series and a great escape from serious books.
February 15, 2021
Leave your politics out of the comedy
Story was decent but the political jabs (coming from left to right) were unnecessary. I read this type of book to be entertained not for politics.
Story was decent but the political jabs (coming from left to right) were unnecessary. I read this type of book to be entertained not for politics.
June 26, 2021
Another great and sweet story. I listened to this. Jem Matzen is not a great narrator and this is always an issue.
November 17, 2023
all over the place
Just when you’re sure where this is going it takes a left at the light.
Fun to read. A nice escape.
Just when you’re sure where this is going it takes a left at the light.
Fun to read. A nice escape.
February 5, 2024
What makes these fun are that, like an old episode of the A-Team, Bert The Shirt is the only repeat character, the people with problems are always new, and usually naïve.
February 29, 2024
Great story line
I've all of the Key West Capers and the common thread is "Burt, The Shirt" who is a very endearing character!
I've all of the Key West Capers and the common thread is "Burt, The Shirt" who is a very endearing character!
March 4, 2024
I do not know how he does it, but every one of the books in this series is better than the last.
April 29, 2024
Bert the Shirt and little Nacho
Again in NYC style and splendid fashion. Bert D'Ambrosio saves the day. Kudos Mr. Shames. It should be a TV show.
Again in NYC style and splendid fashion. Bert D'Ambrosio saves the day. Kudos Mr. Shames. It should be a TV show.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews