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Serge Storms #22
No Sunscreen for the Dead: A Darkly Comic Serge A. Storms Mystery – Vigilante Justice in Florida
A USA Today Bestseller!
The Sunshine State’s most lovable psychopath, Serge A. Storms, kills it in this zany adventure from the “compulsively irreverent and shockingly funny” (Boston Globe) king of mayhem, New York Times bestselling author Tim Dorsey.
Serge and Coleman are back on the road, ready to hit the next stop on their list of obscure and wacky points of interest in the Sunshine State. This time, Serge’s interest is drawn to one of the largest retirement villages in the world—also known as the site of an infamous sex scandal between a retiree and her younger beau that rocked the community.
What starts out as an innocent quest to observe elders in their natural habitats, sample the local cuisine, and scope out a condo to live out the rest of their golden years, soon becomes a Robin Hood-like crusade to recover the funds of swindled residents. After all, our seniors should be revered and respected—they’ve heroically fought in wars, garnered priceless wisdom, and they have the best first-hand accounts of bizarre Floridian occurrences only Serge would know about. But as the resident’s rally for Serge to seek justice on their behalves, two detectives are hot on the heels of Serge and Coleman’s murderous trail.
In this epic adventure that jumps between present day and the tumultuous times of the Vietnam war, mystery fans are in for a witty and deliciously violent delight from the twisted imagination of bestselling author Tim Dorsey.
The Sunshine State’s most lovable psychopath, Serge A. Storms, kills it in this zany adventure from the “compulsively irreverent and shockingly funny” (Boston Globe) king of mayhem, New York Times bestselling author Tim Dorsey.
Serge and Coleman are back on the road, ready to hit the next stop on their list of obscure and wacky points of interest in the Sunshine State. This time, Serge’s interest is drawn to one of the largest retirement villages in the world—also known as the site of an infamous sex scandal between a retiree and her younger beau that rocked the community.
What starts out as an innocent quest to observe elders in their natural habitats, sample the local cuisine, and scope out a condo to live out the rest of their golden years, soon becomes a Robin Hood-like crusade to recover the funds of swindled residents. After all, our seniors should be revered and respected—they’ve heroically fought in wars, garnered priceless wisdom, and they have the best first-hand accounts of bizarre Floridian occurrences only Serge would know about. But as the resident’s rally for Serge to seek justice on their behalves, two detectives are hot on the heels of Serge and Coleman’s murderous trail.
In this epic adventure that jumps between present day and the tumultuous times of the Vietnam war, mystery fans are in for a witty and deliciously violent delight from the twisted imagination of bestselling author Tim Dorsey.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2019
698 people are currently reading
2600 people want to read
About the author
Tim Dorsey
36 books1,651 followersTim Dorsey was born in Indiana, moved to Florida at the age of 1, and grew up in a small town about an hour north of Miami called Riviera Beach. He graduated from Auburn University in 1983. While at Auburn, he was editor of the student newspaper, The Plainsman.
From 1983 to 1987, he was a police and courts reporter for The Alabama Journal, the now-defunct evening newspaper in Montgomery. He joined The Tampa Tribune in 1987 as a general assignment reporter. He also worked as a political reporter in the Tribune’s Tallahassee bureau and a copy desk editor. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Tribune’s night metro editor. He left the paper in August 1999 to write full time.
From 1983 to 1987, he was a police and courts reporter for The Alabama Journal, the now-defunct evening newspaper in Montgomery. He joined The Tampa Tribune in 1987 as a general assignment reporter. He also worked as a political reporter in the Tribune’s Tallahassee bureau and a copy desk editor. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Tribune’s night metro editor. He left the paper in August 1999 to write full time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
February 5, 2019
An excellent story with all the expected hijinks from Serge. 9 of 10 stars
August 29, 2022
“Life is a list of things you wish you could go back and change.” (3.5 stars)
I returned once again to the adventures of Tim Dorsey’s Floridian maniac Serge A. Storms in NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD, the 22nd novel in the series. In this go round Serge becomes obsessed with retirees and the retiree lifestyle. It is a fun romp and leads to some satisfying moments where Serge pays retribution on those who take advantage of the elderly.
An interesting theme with this book was how patriotic it is. Elements of the Cold War, retired spies, Russia’s attempts at a resurgence in geopolitical relevance, all combine nicely to remind the reader that even in America’s darkest days, most of its people are still pretty decent individuals.
Chapter two in this novel is brilliant. Mr. Dorsey satirizes the invasion (and loss) of privacy, and how the consumer carelessly turns it over to Big Tech all the time. It is biting, and scary, stuff.
Quotes:
• “The key to life is realizing that all our years are golden, and the sooner you retire the better.”
• “Celery is like food, yet it isn’t. You think you’re eating, but something’s missing from the program.”
• “But instead of guns and goons, privacy was conquered by this: ‘Terms of Agreement’”. People just gleefully handed it all over without a fight because they wanted to buy shit online.”
• “I love the word ‘waffle’! Say it three times and you can’t be in a bad mood. It’s just not possible.”
• “What great people the country still had.”
• “Someone has to thin the herd, but why do they always leave it to me?”
• “…but I’m a firm believer that anytime you can get in a history lesson just before boinking, it’s A-OK!”
• “There’s fantastic history to be found all around us if you’re just paying attention, but most people are looking at their phones.”
In NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD Serge does so many nice things for deserving people, that I could not help but smile constantly while reading it.
Maybe I was just in the mood for this read, but I greatly enjoyed this text, and found it to be one of the stronger of the last ten or so books in the series.
I returned once again to the adventures of Tim Dorsey’s Floridian maniac Serge A. Storms in NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD, the 22nd novel in the series. In this go round Serge becomes obsessed with retirees and the retiree lifestyle. It is a fun romp and leads to some satisfying moments where Serge pays retribution on those who take advantage of the elderly.
An interesting theme with this book was how patriotic it is. Elements of the Cold War, retired spies, Russia’s attempts at a resurgence in geopolitical relevance, all combine nicely to remind the reader that even in America’s darkest days, most of its people are still pretty decent individuals.
Chapter two in this novel is brilliant. Mr. Dorsey satirizes the invasion (and loss) of privacy, and how the consumer carelessly turns it over to Big Tech all the time. It is biting, and scary, stuff.
Quotes:
• “The key to life is realizing that all our years are golden, and the sooner you retire the better.”
• “Celery is like food, yet it isn’t. You think you’re eating, but something’s missing from the program.”
• “But instead of guns and goons, privacy was conquered by this: ‘Terms of Agreement’”. People just gleefully handed it all over without a fight because they wanted to buy shit online.”
• “I love the word ‘waffle’! Say it three times and you can’t be in a bad mood. It’s just not possible.”
• “What great people the country still had.”
• “Someone has to thin the herd, but why do they always leave it to me?”
• “…but I’m a firm believer that anytime you can get in a history lesson just before boinking, it’s A-OK!”
• “There’s fantastic history to be found all around us if you’re just paying attention, but most people are looking at their phones.”
In NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD Serge does so many nice things for deserving people, that I could not help but smile constantly while reading it.
Maybe I was just in the mood for this read, but I greatly enjoyed this text, and found it to be one of the stronger of the last ten or so books in the series.
July 6, 2024
"Trust me," said Serge. "What can go wrong?"
Serge and Coleman are looking to leave the rat race, and they find themselves in one of Florida's finest retirement communities surrounded by members of the "Greatest Generation." Serge is collecting stories, and the older folks have plenty to tell, including tales of military bravery that are honestly touching. But, all is not swell for these excellent seniors. It seems that a raft load of shady salesmen have been preying on the elderly citizens, selling them restaurant grade kitchen equipment and industrial humidifiers. (Humidifiers? In Florida?) Luckily, Serge is on the scene to avenge these victims against these dastardly scam artists, and the paybacks he cooks up are going to be imaginative and painful.
The golden guys and gals take a real liking to our free-spirited boys, and despite Serge's warning that Coleman isn't really a role model, but instead a cautionary tale, they are soon partying like animals. (And, partying with animals!)
Soggy people jitterbugged under strobe lights. Chef's salad splattered the walls, a shirtless Coleman stretched out across the bar for body shots of Patrón. A circle of residents openly passed joints by the steam trays, and someone drove by in a mobility scooter, blowing a noisemaker at him. An alligator with its mouth taped shut scampered across the dance floor.
This is just another fun entry in the series which revolves around the antics of my favorite serial killer, Serge Storms.
I'll close with a bit of advice from the man himself.
" . . . it's handy to know at all times where the nearest Amish are, like a fire exit, because if you're ever on the run and need to hide out as Harrison Ford did in Witness, the Amish are your go-to crowd."
Serge and Coleman are looking to leave the rat race, and they find themselves in one of Florida's finest retirement communities surrounded by members of the "Greatest Generation." Serge is collecting stories, and the older folks have plenty to tell, including tales of military bravery that are honestly touching. But, all is not swell for these excellent seniors. It seems that a raft load of shady salesmen have been preying on the elderly citizens, selling them restaurant grade kitchen equipment and industrial humidifiers. (Humidifiers? In Florida?) Luckily, Serge is on the scene to avenge these victims against these dastardly scam artists, and the paybacks he cooks up are going to be imaginative and painful.
The golden guys and gals take a real liking to our free-spirited boys, and despite Serge's warning that Coleman isn't really a role model, but instead a cautionary tale, they are soon partying like animals. (And, partying with animals!)
Soggy people jitterbugged under strobe lights. Chef's salad splattered the walls, a shirtless Coleman stretched out across the bar for body shots of Patrón. A circle of residents openly passed joints by the steam trays, and someone drove by in a mobility scooter, blowing a noisemaker at him. An alligator with its mouth taped shut scampered across the dance floor.
This is just another fun entry in the series which revolves around the antics of my favorite serial killer, Serge Storms.
I'll close with a bit of advice from the man himself.
" . . . it's handy to know at all times where the nearest Amish are, like a fire exit, because if you're ever on the run and need to hide out as Harrison Ford did in Witness, the Amish are your go-to crowd."
January 24, 2019
Tim Dorsey has kicked off the new year by writing what may be the best of his 22 books in the Serge A. Storms series thus far. NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD is certainly my favorite, given that it revolves around the sections of the population demographics of which I am happily a member. I also am pleased to report that Dorsey continues to find plenty of the arcane, unusual, bizarre and, yes, downright useful elements of the state of Florida to stuff this intriguing, one-sit novel right up to its brim.
Dorsey’s penchant for dropping factoids throughout his books is what initially attracted me to them, starting with FLORIDA ROADKILL and advancing right up to the present. What has followed over the past two decades has been formula writing at its best, each volume containing comfortably familiar elements strung together with a number of surprises. The maniacally homicidal but extremely polite Serge A. Storms is a righter of wrongs in the most inventive of ways. He remains loyal to a fault toward his trusted friend, the perpetually well-toasted Coleman, who somehow still possesses some functioning brain cells. The two of them find countless villains to battle in NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD, and do so with the usual inventive aplomb that has been a trademark of this one-of-a-kind series.
This latest installment kicks off with Serge wanting to visit Florida’s largest retirement community, a destination that quickly leads the duo to the Retirement Coast and the trailer park communities where seasoned citizens of both the landed gentry and snowbird variety reside. Serge makes friends quickly, but also discovers in due course that a cottage industry of skimmers and flim-flam artistes is taking advantage of those who for decades kept their noses to the collective grindstone in order to quietly maintain and enjoy their retirement years.
Those who are looking for ways to commit murder and mayhem with five-volt batteries and flour will find much to love here, as will the baby boomers who as children vacationed with their families in St. Petersburg and Tampa. Dorsey, through his fictional persona, also notes that the region played an extremely important role in the Cold War, which comes home to roost in the novel’s present. Those of us who load up our so-called smartphones with various apps will find a plethora of reasons to pause before automatically ticking off those agreement boxes after reading this book. Dorsey isn’t exaggerating. It’s one of the few areas here that doesn’t have one foot in the absurd.
There is more. Readers will look at swans in an entirely new way and appreciate lightning. By the time Serge and Coleman fade off in the distance once again, one can only conclude that NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD is more than worth its price of admission.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Dorsey’s penchant for dropping factoids throughout his books is what initially attracted me to them, starting with FLORIDA ROADKILL and advancing right up to the present. What has followed over the past two decades has been formula writing at its best, each volume containing comfortably familiar elements strung together with a number of surprises. The maniacally homicidal but extremely polite Serge A. Storms is a righter of wrongs in the most inventive of ways. He remains loyal to a fault toward his trusted friend, the perpetually well-toasted Coleman, who somehow still possesses some functioning brain cells. The two of them find countless villains to battle in NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD, and do so with the usual inventive aplomb that has been a trademark of this one-of-a-kind series.
This latest installment kicks off with Serge wanting to visit Florida’s largest retirement community, a destination that quickly leads the duo to the Retirement Coast and the trailer park communities where seasoned citizens of both the landed gentry and snowbird variety reside. Serge makes friends quickly, but also discovers in due course that a cottage industry of skimmers and flim-flam artistes is taking advantage of those who for decades kept their noses to the collective grindstone in order to quietly maintain and enjoy their retirement years.
Those who are looking for ways to commit murder and mayhem with five-volt batteries and flour will find much to love here, as will the baby boomers who as children vacationed with their families in St. Petersburg and Tampa. Dorsey, through his fictional persona, also notes that the region played an extremely important role in the Cold War, which comes home to roost in the novel’s present. Those of us who load up our so-called smartphones with various apps will find a plethora of reasons to pause before automatically ticking off those agreement boxes after reading this book. Dorsey isn’t exaggerating. It’s one of the few areas here that doesn’t have one foot in the absurd.
There is more. Readers will look at swans in an entirely new way and appreciate lightning. By the time Serge and Coleman fade off in the distance once again, one can only conclude that NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD is more than worth its price of admission.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
February 20, 2021
My book club has read quite a few Tim Dorsey novels and they are all well liked by everyone and this should be no exception. i enjoyed reading the book, mainly because I live in a Senior Adult Community. Not a trailer park but an apartment complex and there is drama there every day! I also liked that he talked about The Villages. There seems to be a movie or series about the Villages on Amazon now and I will watch since most people I know who move there are never heard from again. Assuming because they are so busy. This one was not as funny as some of them to me but very enjoyable and the main character Serge is a psycho/genius and I enjoy that a lot although it is not funny to kill people. LOL That's why it's getting 4 stars instead of 5.
August 23, 2019
This was my first read of Dorsey and his series featuring Serge, PI and his sidekick Coleman, but it is the 22nd book in the series. This was a new hardback book at my library, so I sat down and read it instead of carrying it home - thus, a touch of speedreading. I wanted to try it because of the theme of Florida as a haven for retirees (I'm old) and it did have some comical descriptions, but more on a lower level. For example, it starts out with a 67-year old woman being arrested for having sex in a public park and getting nationwide media coverage since that is supposedly over the hill. Hah! I wouldn't mind rolling back the clock to that age.
They are hired in the midst of their scheme to find a perfect haven on the west coast of Florida where they can settle down but they don't find any peace or recreation - although Coleman finds another kind of happiness (maybe he always gets the girl?). The FBI enters into their investigation and they find their path has been followed and muddied by a mole.
"Another typical clandestine meeting in a retirement trailer park involving national security."
And, yes, there was a duck costume in the plot.
I might try an earlier book sometime.
They are hired in the midst of their scheme to find a perfect haven on the west coast of Florida where they can settle down but they don't find any peace or recreation - although Coleman finds another kind of happiness (maybe he always gets the girl?). The FBI enters into their investigation and they find their path has been followed and muddied by a mole.
"Another typical clandestine meeting in a retirement trailer park involving national security."
And, yes, there was a duck costume in the plot.
I might try an earlier book sometime.
April 15, 2019
When you're with Serge, there's never a dull moment . . . and this book did not disappoint! Serge prepares for retirement by visiting Florida communities and finds himself in the thick of a situation where salesmen are taking advantage of the elderly, plus more! A fun read -- 8 out of 10.
August 30, 2019
Another stellar outing for Tim Dorsey's cheerful psychopath Serge Storms and his perpetually stoned sidekick Coleman, this time focused on the hidden secrets of Florida's retirees. Serge has gotten it into his head that he'd like to retire early and heads for the largest retirement community in the world, The Villages.
But after an all-too-brief foray there, and a stop at the Mennonite community in Sarasota known as Pinecraft, he and Coleman instead wind up at an over-55 mobile home park outside Sarasota called Boca Shores. There they quiz the senior residents about their pasts (decorated war heroes, Peace Corps volunteers battling disease and starvation etc.), showing that they are more than just punchlines to the jokes about early-bird specials and shuttle-bus tours (but there are plenty of those as well). Serge gleefully takes on the people who would take advantage of these folks -- dishonest salesmen, abusive caregivers and too-strict park managers -- while making friends with the park's lone security guard.
Meanwhile there are three other plots playing out, one involving a company that both invades your privacy and guarantees to protect it, another involving a Cold War era spy ring, and a third about a series of strange double murders of retirees. Sure enough, it all ends up leading to Boca Shores and Serge, who among other things has figured out how to weaponize the park's swan population.
Some of Dorsey's books come across as plotless shaggy dog stories, but this one has a coherent plot that was both delighfully twisted and fairly unpredictable. It was nice, too, to see Dorsey making the state's stereotypical seniors far more fully rounded characters who wind up bonding with, and helping, Serge to save a couple of their neighbors. I only take a point off because I surely do wish he'd stayed at the Villages a lot longer. Talk about targets of opportunity!
But after an all-too-brief foray there, and a stop at the Mennonite community in Sarasota known as Pinecraft, he and Coleman instead wind up at an over-55 mobile home park outside Sarasota called Boca Shores. There they quiz the senior residents about their pasts (decorated war heroes, Peace Corps volunteers battling disease and starvation etc.), showing that they are more than just punchlines to the jokes about early-bird specials and shuttle-bus tours (but there are plenty of those as well). Serge gleefully takes on the people who would take advantage of these folks -- dishonest salesmen, abusive caregivers and too-strict park managers -- while making friends with the park's lone security guard.
Meanwhile there are three other plots playing out, one involving a company that both invades your privacy and guarantees to protect it, another involving a Cold War era spy ring, and a third about a series of strange double murders of retirees. Sure enough, it all ends up leading to Boca Shores and Serge, who among other things has figured out how to weaponize the park's swan population.
Some of Dorsey's books come across as plotless shaggy dog stories, but this one has a coherent plot that was both delighfully twisted and fairly unpredictable. It was nice, too, to see Dorsey making the state's stereotypical seniors far more fully rounded characters who wind up bonding with, and helping, Serge to save a couple of their neighbors. I only take a point off because I surely do wish he'd stayed at the Villages a lot longer. Talk about targets of opportunity!
February 1, 2019
Time again for an annual update on the happenings of psychopath and serial killer Serge Storms and his addled sidekick Coleman. Granted he only kills folks who would harm Florida or Floridians and he always does it in creative fashion with a "bonus round" which permits them to escape their fate if they are clever enough. On his plus side, he is a trivia fountain with regard to Florida history and locations so always fun to tag along for that.
I've been into this series for 22 years and have run into Tim Dorsey all over the state from nearby Bradenton to St. Pete, Ft. Lauderdale and Ft. Myers so managed to accumulate all the Serge novels as signed first editions from an author who has got to be one of the hardest workers in the industry. Check his schedule on his website, I get worn out just looking at it!
Anyway, in this one, Serge is off to explore the world of retirement and picks the west coast of Florida to examine. Had to give this one 5 stars since a. I live on Florida's west coast and b. live in a community similar to the one that he describes in Sarasota, just a few miles down the road. And he nails it - the life style, the issues, the characters. Really a fun romp and probably one of the better books in the series. It has now made the rounds of a number of friends and family and they tend to agree.
I've been into this series for 22 years and have run into Tim Dorsey all over the state from nearby Bradenton to St. Pete, Ft. Lauderdale and Ft. Myers so managed to accumulate all the Serge novels as signed first editions from an author who has got to be one of the hardest workers in the industry. Check his schedule on his website, I get worn out just looking at it!
Anyway, in this one, Serge is off to explore the world of retirement and picks the west coast of Florida to examine. Had to give this one 5 stars since a. I live on Florida's west coast and b. live in a community similar to the one that he describes in Sarasota, just a few miles down the road. And he nails it - the life style, the issues, the characters. Really a fun romp and probably one of the better books in the series. It has now made the rounds of a number of friends and family and they tend to agree.
February 4, 2019
I loved No Sunscreen For The Dead. It is bonkers, extremely funny and actually rather an exciting story.
This is the 22nd Serge Storms book. If you don’t know Serge, he’s not easy to explain. He lives in Florida and is a manic collector of trivia who has crazes, during which he discovers scumbags behaving despicably and dispatches them in ways which have an ingenious poetic justice and which are wholly deplorable and extremely entertaining. This time, Serge is manically pursuing an oral history project among residents of a retirement village. He and his hilariously drugged-up sidekick Coleman discover that unscrupulous salesmen are preying on the residents...with extremely amusing and satisfying results for the reader (who really ought to disapprove, but hell – they deserve it) but not for the scumbags. Alongside this is a rather intriguing espionage story which began in 1970 and which eventually impacts on the present day joyous mayhem of Serge’s activities.
It’s just a joy. I laughed out loud regularly, Tim Dorsey writes superbly, with especially brilliant dialogue, he constructs and paces his story extremely well and there’s a lot a lot of genuinely interesting and amusing detail about all sorts of aspects of Florida. I read the whole thing with complete delight and can recommend it very warmly.
(My thanks to Farrago for an ARC via NetGalley.)
This is the 22nd Serge Storms book. If you don’t know Serge, he’s not easy to explain. He lives in Florida and is a manic collector of trivia who has crazes, during which he discovers scumbags behaving despicably and dispatches them in ways which have an ingenious poetic justice and which are wholly deplorable and extremely entertaining. This time, Serge is manically pursuing an oral history project among residents of a retirement village. He and his hilariously drugged-up sidekick Coleman discover that unscrupulous salesmen are preying on the residents...with extremely amusing and satisfying results for the reader (who really ought to disapprove, but hell – they deserve it) but not for the scumbags. Alongside this is a rather intriguing espionage story which began in 1970 and which eventually impacts on the present day joyous mayhem of Serge’s activities.
It’s just a joy. I laughed out loud regularly, Tim Dorsey writes superbly, with especially brilliant dialogue, he constructs and paces his story extremely well and there’s a lot a lot of genuinely interesting and amusing detail about all sorts of aspects of Florida. I read the whole thing with complete delight and can recommend it very warmly.
(My thanks to Farrago for an ARC via NetGalley.)
February 16, 2025
This audiobook hits different when you're two hours into a traffic jam on a Florida interstate, after having been awakened by a salesman who ignored your "No Soliciting" sign on your day off.
June 25, 2019
3 1/2 stars. In my opinion not as good as some of Dorsey's older works or his more recent works. Serve & Coleman are still crazier than ever.
February 1, 2019
Serge wears his colors on his sleeve and these colors do NOT run
Another excellent adventure from the twisted mind of Serges ghost author,Tim Dorsey. I always love the inventive and creative methods to punish the villains. Who doesn't love BONUS ROUND!! Serge and Coleman guide this party towards another retirement community full of commie traitors and the patriotic best of America. I know you'll love this latest installment of insanity,Serge style. I highly recommend this book.
Another excellent adventure from the twisted mind of Serges ghost author,Tim Dorsey. I always love the inventive and creative methods to punish the villains. Who doesn't love BONUS ROUND!! Serge and Coleman guide this party towards another retirement community full of commie traitors and the patriotic best of America. I know you'll love this latest installment of insanity,Serge style. I highly recommend this book.
December 5, 2019
The VERY BEST in the entire series - and I’ve read ‘em all!! The last book I read mentions Sarasota (The Institute) but this one takes place just a block from where I live. From the Bahi Hut, Jungle Gardens, the hot-sheet motels to the Van Wezel and Myakka State Park - like taking a ride through Sarasota. Good thing they avoided Chief DiPino in this adventure!!
A total spoof on retirement on the Suncoast - yes, I am an 80 year old retiree, but I do NOT live in a trailer park. This book sure makes it sound like a fun lifestyle, though (til a hurricane comes.)
Tim Dorsey is coming to Myakka State Park on January 11th - I won’t miss that - want to join the fun and see all the Serge wannabes!
A total spoof on retirement on the Suncoast - yes, I am an 80 year old retiree, but I do NOT live in a trailer park. This book sure makes it sound like a fun lifestyle, though (til a hurricane comes.)
Tim Dorsey is coming to Myakka State Park on January 11th - I won’t miss that - want to join the fun and see all the Serge wannabes!
July 24, 2020
Quite the entertaining slapstick story. Serge, along with his stoned buddy Coleman, start visiting diners where retirees eat. They start chatting with the people then go over to their homes (mobile homes) and find out how they have been swindled. They then proceed to dish out justice to those who are the swindlers. Serge always manages to have very inventive ways to punish the bad guys.
At the same time someone is killing off retirees around the state and an analyst at a data protection company realizes he may have inadvertently given the killers the names of those to target. When he goes to his boss about this and the information climbs up the ladder of bureaucracy others who learn about it are also killed. Another side story that eventually is pulled in with all the rest near the end involves a young high school kid that appears to be recruited by a Russian spy back in the 70s. The side story tells how he is recruited and what happens to him for several years then flashes to the present on how he is involved with the retirees and others.
Living in the particular Florida retirement community is anything but boring when Serge shows up. He spices up their lives, helps them out, dishes out justice and enjoys himself along the way.
Love this series.
At the same time someone is killing off retirees around the state and an analyst at a data protection company realizes he may have inadvertently given the killers the names of those to target. When he goes to his boss about this and the information climbs up the ladder of bureaucracy others who learn about it are also killed. Another side story that eventually is pulled in with all the rest near the end involves a young high school kid that appears to be recruited by a Russian spy back in the 70s. The side story tells how he is recruited and what happens to him for several years then flashes to the present on how he is involved with the retirees and others.
Living in the particular Florida retirement community is anything but boring when Serge shows up. He spices up their lives, helps them out, dishes out justice and enjoys himself along the way.
Love this series.
July 31, 2024
Not sure what to think of this one, but it did provide a nice distraction from serious thrillers or historical fiction. It's violent, bloody, and overly wordy in places. On the other hand, it's refreshing to read something that has a little humor, some 0ver-the-top quirkiness, as well as some appreciation for senior citizens' capabilities/intelligence and past accomplishments.
August 23, 2019
Only just one of the many satisfying stories in this series by Tim Dorsey. I can honestly say that Mr. Dorsey has only helped to deepen my appreciation of the wonderful state of Florida. Florida can be a great place to visit but there is much about Florida that just makes me wonder.
Mr. Dorsey's marvelous (anti-)hero Serge is another breed of psychopath that is intellectually engaged and motivated. He loves life every day he is master of his destiny. I love him. Not everybody loves Serge in the story but they are clearly the bad guys.
Serge has everyone's best interest at heart as he hatches some crazy events that create some serious adjustments in the lives of the folks in a retirement community near Treasure Island Florida. Who are through no fault of their own are getting taken advantage. There is another interesting story that runs parallel to Serge's antics...so there's lots going on. Serge is a sincere champion of fair treatment and fair play as you will see in his game show episodes. Traveling with his stoney wingman Coleman; Serge shows us how Florida is always worth the trip! Dear Mr. Dorsey, more, please.
Mr. Dorsey's marvelous (anti-)hero Serge is another breed of psychopath that is intellectually engaged and motivated. He loves life every day he is master of his destiny. I love him. Not everybody loves Serge in the story but they are clearly the bad guys.
Serge has everyone's best interest at heart as he hatches some crazy events that create some serious adjustments in the lives of the folks in a retirement community near Treasure Island Florida. Who are through no fault of their own are getting taken advantage. There is another interesting story that runs parallel to Serge's antics...so there's lots going on. Serge is a sincere champion of fair treatment and fair play as you will see in his game show episodes. Traveling with his stoney wingman Coleman; Serge shows us how Florida is always worth the trip! Dear Mr. Dorsey, more, please.
February 19, 2021
This is a strong 3 1/2 stars for me.
I have read several books with the characters Serge and Coleman, but it has been a while since.
The story line was ok with a back story involving Russian spies going on and catching up at the end along with the current story with Serge and Coleman.
I was laughing so much with Serge and Coleman's antics and his relationship with the senior citizens of a retirement community.
You see, Serge is a psychotic but harmless person for the most part and if you are on his good side like the seniors in the story, he will back you up and take care of your problems like, murder and make those problems go away. And his side kick Coleman? Well he is along for the ride and always high. If you know what I mean.
Hilarious situations that kept me laughing a lot. But story line not so much and that is why the 3 1/2 rating.
I have read several books with the characters Serge and Coleman, but it has been a while since.
The story line was ok with a back story involving Russian spies going on and catching up at the end along with the current story with Serge and Coleman.
I was laughing so much with Serge and Coleman's antics and his relationship with the senior citizens of a retirement community.
You see, Serge is a psychotic but harmless person for the most part and if you are on his good side like the seniors in the story, he will back you up and take care of your problems like, murder and make those problems go away. And his side kick Coleman? Well he is along for the ride and always high. If you know what I mean.
Hilarious situations that kept me laughing a lot. But story line not so much and that is why the 3 1/2 rating.
July 27, 2019
Disclaimer: full time Serge disciple here (we follow nobody).
A new Dorsey book to read is like drinking a fifth of sunshine on the rocks and number 22 was no exception. Russian spies (so timely!), tv trays, Jeopardy, pineapple bongs, death by brillow pads, philosophical pondering on junk drawers.... what more could I ask for from my favorite mass murderer and his kooky pothead sidekick?
A new Dorsey book to read is like drinking a fifth of sunshine on the rocks and number 22 was no exception. Russian spies (so timely!), tv trays, Jeopardy, pineapple bongs, death by brillow pads, philosophical pondering on junk drawers.... what more could I ask for from my favorite mass murderer and his kooky pothead sidekick?
November 21, 2019
Delightful quick spin around all the best Florida retirement villages by psycho superhero-with-a-heart Serge Storms and stoner sidekick Coleman! Mark my words, you will not be disappointed! Prepare to LOL! "Go, Serge, Go!"
August 30, 2019
3.5 stars. Another one of Serge’s wacky adventures!
June 24, 2020
I have enjoyed reading Tim Dorsey and Serge's adventures almost from the start and I am amazed at the novelty, excitement and humour that the tales consistently have. Tim is generous with his writing skills and keeps the reader enthralled from the start to the end.
I would find it hard to think of another series that is so good and in so much need of turning into a movie series!
Read on!
I would find it hard to think of another series that is so good and in so much need of turning into a movie series!
Read on!
Want to read
February 12, 2019It was pretty good but I had to read it at home since I didn't know it was not school appropriate
October 19, 2021
Hilariously psychotic. Perfect! The perfect literary palate cleanser between epic novels.
May 14, 2022
No Sunscreen for the Dead is a humorous romp filled with violence, the literary equivalent of Quentin Tarantino and Mel Brooks collaborating on a movie. Serge Storms and his sidekick Coleman are self-appointed vigilantes who seek out ne’er-do-wells and punish them however they see fit. While this brawling, boozing, womanizing pair will never be confused with Spandex-suited superheroes, they still enact a brand of street justice that readers will find satisfying. But now they are ready to put their years of head-knocking behind them and retire to one of the large, gated communities on Florida’s “Retirement Coast.” Once down there, they discover countless seniors have been swindled out of their life savings, so the dangerous due set out on one more mission.
January 27, 2019
I love this whole series! I think of it as one of my guilty pleasures. The humor, the wit, the Florida mania (my home state for a little over two decades), and the wacky cartoon plots all appeal to me. Even when I objectively might find an entry to be mediocre, I still always enjoy the books in this series no matter how close to the formula it stays. THIS, however, is one of the very best in the series, one of the three masterpieces by my count. Not only is it still funny. Not only does Serge still have some interesting ways of executing the scumbags that he issues his vigilante justice, but this time Dorsey makes it touching with his integration into a Sarasota retirement community. The love he feels for the senior citizens and the causes he champions for them in vintage Serge fashion is actually warmhearted! That's right, the action and silly humor has an actual heart with it for this story.
The most common weakness for a Tim Dorsey book is the subplot, which often inspires me to just want to skim ahead and find the next scene with Serge and Coleman. This subplot was very good, involving espionage with the early '70's counterculture, and focusing on the story of two childhood "friends" (I put that in quotes because...you'll see.).
For the first time in a long time, I didn't read the hardcover but listened to the audiobook as read by Oliver Wyman, and he does one hell of a job! His variety of voices (including elderly women) and the spot-on voices for Serge and Coleman (I love how he makes Serge sound like a profane Bugs Bunny on speed) are perfect! I am a very satisfied fan with this one!
The most common weakness for a Tim Dorsey book is the subplot, which often inspires me to just want to skim ahead and find the next scene with Serge and Coleman. This subplot was very good, involving espionage with the early '70's counterculture, and focusing on the story of two childhood "friends" (I put that in quotes because...you'll see.).
For the first time in a long time, I didn't read the hardcover but listened to the audiobook as read by Oliver Wyman, and he does one hell of a job! His variety of voices (including elderly women) and the spot-on voices for Serge and Coleman (I love how he makes Serge sound like a profane Bugs Bunny on speed) are perfect! I am a very satisfied fan with this one!
February 21, 2019
Welcome back Mr. Dorsey!! No Sunscreen for the Dead is one of the better Serge Storms book I have read in a while(Hurricane Punch is still my favorite). His last book (Pope of Palm Beach) was a bit of a letdown for me, but this one was a great read. Serge and Coleman are back to their old ways, and I mean old. Serge's new fascination is with the elderly, interviewing them and gaining all that wisdom. So Serge and Coleman immerse themselves in a senior citizen lifestyle and decide to retire in a retirement community and enjoy life. But not so fast,the pair have to help out when Serge discovers that the retirees are being taken advantage be door to door salesmen, and thats only the beginning. Throw in some CIA, FBI, and KGB spies, double agents and even triple agents, a string of double murders of elderly couples and a 9Volt battery and Brillo pads as a murder weapon and you have a fantastic wacky ride through the state of Florida. Can't recommend enough!!
October 23, 2019
Serge and Coleman never disappoint. Hilarious twists and tales throughout
July 16, 2019
I've read some of the earlier Serge Storm series and this showed up on my library's "New" shelves...Like the earlier stories "No Sunscreen for the Dead," was spit-take, Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen Funny!...Florida's favorite serial killer is at it again...Serge & his druggie sidekick target the enemies of all things Florida and its denizens...In this one Serge's efforts are to protect Florida's retirees in a mid-level "village" from a variety of targeted scams...Great dialogue and social commentary targeting meta data cultivation for the purposes of marketing...Throw in some Cold War espionage leftovers and we have romping good time read!!!
Read
February 11, 2019After reading a beautifully written, moving but sad book I was really up for something funny. This was not it. I was determined to give it a chance, but 13 pages of sophomoric not very original "humor" was all I could stand. I won't rate it, though, because MAYBE it gets better. I doubt it.
I suspect Tim Dorsey and I were not made for each other, although I thought I remembered enjoying a couple of his books a number of years ago. Has he changed or have I?
I'm glad it was a library book.
I suspect Tim Dorsey and I were not made for each other, although I thought I remembered enjoying a couple of his books a number of years ago. Has he changed or have I?
I'm glad it was a library book.
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