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Busted Flush
Summoned by a Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, law firm, aimless Dock Bass learns that he's inherited an ancient house from a deceased relative whom he never knew existed. Renovating the home, Dock stumbles upon a treasure trove of Civil War memorabilia squirreled away in an old root cellar, including pictures and possibly even a recording of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. As he's forced to defend his new find from the onslaught of collectors, history buffs, and media hounds, Dock discovers that, much like Honest Abe himself, he's the right man for the fight--independent, funny, loyal, and stubborn as a Missouri mule. When the scallywags and opportunists--including an easy-on-the-eyes television reporter with one hell of an attitude--start crawling out of the woodwork, he'll need all of that and a bit more.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2005
26 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Brad Smith
133 books101 followersBrad Smith was born and raised in southern Ontario. He has worked as a farmer, signalman, insulator, truck driver, bartender, schoolteacher, maintenance mechanic, roofer, and carpenter. He lives in a eighty-year-old farmhouse near the north shore of Lake Erie. His novel, "One-Eyed Jacks" was nominated for the Dashiell Hammett Prize.
Some of his books that have been published include One-Eyed Jacks (2000), All Hat (2003), Busted Flush (2005), Big Man Coming Down The Road (2007), Red Means Run (January 2012) and Crow's Landing (August 2012).
Follow Brad on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/uQYcIw.
Some of his books that have been published include One-Eyed Jacks (2000), All Hat (2003), Busted Flush (2005), Big Man Coming Down The Road (2007), Red Means Run (January 2012) and Crow's Landing (August 2012).
Follow Brad on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/uQYcIw.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 21, 2016
A comedic novel (supposedly. It's more low-key amusing than laugh-out-loud funny, even if you give it the benefit of the doubt) about Dock Bass, who starts out as a real estate agent married to a woman named Terri, whom he loathes for never-explained reasons. This is clearly supposed to make us sympathetic to a strong, independant man trapped by the rules of society.
Dock and I did not get off on the right foot, as you can probably tell.
Anyway, by page 15 Dock has quit his job (it made act like a hypocrite and Dock is too straight-forward for that, you see) and left Terri (not divorced, although that's his intention, literally "left", as in, "got in his truck and drove to another state without saying goodbye or having a fight". She is almost never mentioned again, so hopefully she filed divorce papers and lived a better life without Dock around to criticize her constantly). With nowhere else to go, Dock decides to answer in person a letter he recently received, informing him that he inherited a house in the town of Gettysburg from a distant relative. Once in Gettysburg, Dock fends off more evil real estate agents, who try to convince him to sell his property for less than it's worth so they can develop the area. Instead he decides to renovate the house on his own.
(Dock spends the rest of the book rebuilding a house from 1841. Literally rebuilds, completely by himself, by hand. Everything from tearing out the roof all the way down to the rafters, making new rafters, installing those, then shingling the new roof. Then he installs new drywall, does the electric wires, the phone lines, the windows, the doors, the flooring – everything. This seems like an implausible amount of skill for one man to have, even if he did used to be a carpenter, especially since it's implied he also knows how to do all of this in accord with 1840s historical restoration. But I barely know how to change a lightbulb, so I could be wrong.)
In the process of taking out the old walls, Dock discovers a long-sealed root cellar, which turns out to contain a huge collection of early photographs, including seven of Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address, as well as an actual sound recording of the same event. All of this, of course, immediately gets huge news attention, leading to various adventures with elderly Hungarian professors, shady antiquities dealers, millionaire collectors, competing claims to the ownership of the house, and more.
It's hard to decide what was my "favorite" part of the book. It could have been the main villain, Thaddeus St. John, who is a shockingly retrograde gay stereotype. He dresses like he's always at a costume party, wears makeup and perfume, lisps, has a barely-mentioned younger boyfriend who's clearly only there to establish the fact that Thaddeus like 'em young, is thin and weak and afraid of violence. Here's one particularly appalling line: They taped Thaddeus in front of the musket display – his suggestion. Apparently, he was going for as masculine an image as he could muster.
My favorite part also might have been that the book somehow manages not to actually take a stance on the Civil War, one of the easier moral questions out there, but rather drips with obsequious sympathy for both sides. Here's Dock raging at the corruption of modern times compared to the purity of the past at the emotional climax of the book: There’d been something gnawing at Dock ever since he’d opened up the doorway to Willy’s shop. He realized he’d been subconsciously comparing his world to that of Willy’s, and wondering why it was that 1863 kept coming out on top. And finally it came to him. Everything today had to be easy. And if you had to screw over your neighbor or your brother or your friend to make it easy, then get to it. Easy was the way to go in the modern world. Easy was the new God.
Yes, no one in 1863 ever cheated to make things easier, like, oh, say, OWNING SLAVES. What the fuck, Brad Smith. How did anyone let you publish this?
Also, for all of our sakes, I have not copy-and-pasted the scene where Dock tells a black woman she doesn't know enough about the Civil War and needs to have more sympathy for Confederate soldiers. Because they didn't have shoes. Shoes, you guys! Dock sure showed her. Somehow they end the book by hooking up despite this.
This is an unfunny, eyeroll-inducing book without a single sympathetic or enjoyable character to be found. On the other hand, it was a quick read?
....No, no, that's not enough to make up for the rest. Avoid at all costs.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
Dock and I did not get off on the right foot, as you can probably tell.
Anyway, by page 15 Dock has quit his job (it made act like a hypocrite and Dock is too straight-forward for that, you see) and left Terri (not divorced, although that's his intention, literally "left", as in, "got in his truck and drove to another state without saying goodbye or having a fight". She is almost never mentioned again, so hopefully she filed divorce papers and lived a better life without Dock around to criticize her constantly). With nowhere else to go, Dock decides to answer in person a letter he recently received, informing him that he inherited a house in the town of Gettysburg from a distant relative. Once in Gettysburg, Dock fends off more evil real estate agents, who try to convince him to sell his property for less than it's worth so they can develop the area. Instead he decides to renovate the house on his own.
(Dock spends the rest of the book rebuilding a house from 1841. Literally rebuilds, completely by himself, by hand. Everything from tearing out the roof all the way down to the rafters, making new rafters, installing those, then shingling the new roof. Then he installs new drywall, does the electric wires, the phone lines, the windows, the doors, the flooring – everything. This seems like an implausible amount of skill for one man to have, even if he did used to be a carpenter, especially since it's implied he also knows how to do all of this in accord with 1840s historical restoration. But I barely know how to change a lightbulb, so I could be wrong.)
In the process of taking out the old walls, Dock discovers a long-sealed root cellar, which turns out to contain a huge collection of early photographs, including seven of Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address, as well as an actual sound recording of the same event. All of this, of course, immediately gets huge news attention, leading to various adventures with elderly Hungarian professors, shady antiquities dealers, millionaire collectors, competing claims to the ownership of the house, and more.
It's hard to decide what was my "favorite" part of the book. It could have been the main villain, Thaddeus St. John, who is a shockingly retrograde gay stereotype. He dresses like he's always at a costume party, wears makeup and perfume, lisps, has a barely-mentioned younger boyfriend who's clearly only there to establish the fact that Thaddeus like 'em young, is thin and weak and afraid of violence. Here's one particularly appalling line: They taped Thaddeus in front of the musket display – his suggestion. Apparently, he was going for as masculine an image as he could muster.
My favorite part also might have been that the book somehow manages not to actually take a stance on the Civil War, one of the easier moral questions out there, but rather drips with obsequious sympathy for both sides. Here's Dock raging at the corruption of modern times compared to the purity of the past at the emotional climax of the book: There’d been something gnawing at Dock ever since he’d opened up the doorway to Willy’s shop. He realized he’d been subconsciously comparing his world to that of Willy’s, and wondering why it was that 1863 kept coming out on top. And finally it came to him. Everything today had to be easy. And if you had to screw over your neighbor or your brother or your friend to make it easy, then get to it. Easy was the way to go in the modern world. Easy was the new God.
Yes, no one in 1863 ever cheated to make things easier, like, oh, say, OWNING SLAVES. What the fuck, Brad Smith. How did anyone let you publish this?
Also, for all of our sakes, I have not copy-and-pasted the scene where Dock tells a black woman she doesn't know enough about the Civil War and needs to have more sympathy for Confederate soldiers. Because they didn't have shoes. Shoes, you guys! Dock sure showed her. Somehow they end the book by hooking up despite this.
This is an unfunny, eyeroll-inducing book without a single sympathetic or enjoyable character to be found. On the other hand, it was a quick read?
....No, no, that's not enough to make up for the rest. Avoid at all costs.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
March 14, 2008
Busted Flush
Brad Smith
Picador, 2005, 308 pps.
ISBN: 0312425678
History, humor, fraud and a mix of wonderful characters makes Busted Flush a fast read and a book I would highly recommend.
Dock Bass is disillusioned with his life as a carpenter turned real estate agent and sick of his wife who has turned out to be a vast disappointment. Dock just gets in his pick up and disappears. He winds up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the office of Tommy Trotter, Attorney-At-Law. Trotter had written a letter to Dock and Dock is there to find out why Trotter has contacted him.
Much to his surprise he finds that he has inherited some land and an old farm from a deceased relative he didn’t know existed. He decides he will stay awhile and try to restore the place to its original beauty. When he starts his restoration he discovers a room that has been locked up for years. The contents of the room is full of Civil War memorabilia as well as a diary of a young man that lived on the farm during Lincoln’s time. Dock becomes fascinated by the diary of young Willy Burns and the life he led during the troubled times of the Civil War.
Then we have Amy Morris who is a high profile television personality whose only interest is chasing down a political story but her boss sends her to Gettysburg to obtain a piece of the memorabilia for his own collection. Although disgusted with the assignment she eventually begins to feel the magic of Gettysburg.
Dock soon finds that people from everywhere are interested in his find and some including the local self-proclaimed expert will go to any lengths to get their hands on the memorabilia.
Grab a copy of Busted Flush and I don’t think you will want to stop reading until you reach the end.
Brad Smith
Picador, 2005, 308 pps.
ISBN: 0312425678
History, humor, fraud and a mix of wonderful characters makes Busted Flush a fast read and a book I would highly recommend.
Dock Bass is disillusioned with his life as a carpenter turned real estate agent and sick of his wife who has turned out to be a vast disappointment. Dock just gets in his pick up and disappears. He winds up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the office of Tommy Trotter, Attorney-At-Law. Trotter had written a letter to Dock and Dock is there to find out why Trotter has contacted him.
Much to his surprise he finds that he has inherited some land and an old farm from a deceased relative he didn’t know existed. He decides he will stay awhile and try to restore the place to its original beauty. When he starts his restoration he discovers a room that has been locked up for years. The contents of the room is full of Civil War memorabilia as well as a diary of a young man that lived on the farm during Lincoln’s time. Dock becomes fascinated by the diary of young Willy Burns and the life he led during the troubled times of the Civil War.
Then we have Amy Morris who is a high profile television personality whose only interest is chasing down a political story but her boss sends her to Gettysburg to obtain a piece of the memorabilia for his own collection. Although disgusted with the assignment she eventually begins to feel the magic of Gettysburg.
Dock soon finds that people from everywhere are interested in his find and some including the local self-proclaimed expert will go to any lengths to get their hands on the memorabilia.
Grab a copy of Busted Flush and I don’t think you will want to stop reading until you reach the end.
September 26, 2017
Books that are fun to read seem rare or, at least, are harder to find these days. All of Brad Smith’s offerings that I’ve read are not only entertaining; they are full of surprises and innovative ideas. Fun to read. Smith’s “Busted Flush,” written in 2005, is a gem, sure to be a favorite of Civil War buffs who relish the unusual but seldom find it in the huge piles of literature available.
Set in contemporary Gettysburg, PA, the writer takes us through a combination of history, some physical remains of the period, and a money battle for the relics. Smith adds a cadre of quirky characters who hover over the site like buzzards. His story is immensely readable.
Dock Bass, a notably odd person himself, picks up and leaves a wife he’s annoyed with and goes to collect an inheritance in Gettysburg. He has been bequeathed a run down property consisting of 25 acres of unproductive farmland, a ruined farmhouse built against a rock cliff, and assorted piles of debris that were originally outbuildings. He decides to enhance his now empty life by refurbishing the old dump.
In the process he discovers a hidden doorway to a root cellar in the face of the rock wall, a sort of shrine to the original owner, Willy Burns. Inside he finds old records, journals, a diary written by Burns, and assorted historic memorabilia from the Civil War. Not too impressed, Bass goes on about his work and leaves fact-finding about the discovery to an effeminate local antiques dealer and an eccentric professor at Gettysburg College.
Among the findings are glass photographic plates from before 1864 and a rare phonautograph with its recordable cylinder in place but unplayable. Word gets out about their value and hordes of buzzards descend on the recalcitrant heir, buzzards he swats away with earthy threats and cranky dismissal. A famous eye-candy television reporter with her own nosy agenda and a down-on-her-luck opportunist add to the ingredients for Smith’s clever story.
Smith is a well-known Canadian writer who has a way with words. His picturesque past has, no doubt, contributed to his knowledge of all things including a smart mouth and physical humiliation. This book is realistic, funny, and a great joy to read.
September 22, 2021
Brad Smith is the author of one of my all time favorite books - "The Return of Kid Cooper." "Busted Flush" sounded intriguing so I picked it and was not disappointed. Like Nate Cooper, Dock Bass is a risk taker and pretty much tells everyone in his life to take a hike and tries to start over with a clean slate. After having inheriting a piece of property near the Gettysburg Battlefield he unwittingly becomes embroiled in the cutthroat world of Civil War memorabilia collectors and the mainstream national news media. While working through the complex situation he finds himself in, he develops strong relationships with the people who help him; and finds them much more valuable than the shallow ones he had in his previous life.
While this is a work of fiction, the reader can learn a great deal about Civil War history, memorabilia collecting, and a bit about photographic and other technology available during the period. The premise on which the story is based is a bit far out but I found myself wishing it was true.
While this is a work of fiction, the reader can learn a great deal about Civil War history, memorabilia collecting, and a bit about photographic and other technology available during the period. The premise on which the story is based is a bit far out but I found myself wishing it was true.
August 5, 2020
5 🌟
This book fascinated me from the moment I read the book description. The author's wicked sense of humor is expressed so well in his main character, Dock Bass, as well as the Hungarian professor and Amy, the beautiful journalists. Brad Smith wove a beautiful story of a courageous young inventor at the core of this book. Excellent story, and very enjoyable reading. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love of American history.
This book fascinated me from the moment I read the book description. The author's wicked sense of humor is expressed so well in his main character, Dock Bass, as well as the Hungarian professor and Amy, the beautiful journalists. Brad Smith wove a beautiful story of a courageous young inventor at the core of this book. Excellent story, and very enjoyable reading. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love of American history.
March 6, 2019
I like Brad Smith. I like him as a person; I really, really like him (speaking as a library programmer) as a visiting author, and I love his characters, his plots and his writing. I think my favourite of all his early books is Busted Flush--maybe because I'm a Lincoln fan-- and I recommend it to anyone who likes humour, gritty settings, flawed and very human characters in their fiction.
June 14, 2020
Another winner from Brad
Once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. The characters are so life-like that I thought I knew them personally. Dock reminded me of Virgil Cain. Tough, plain speaking, clever, hard working, honest, thoughtful, kind with integrity. The perfect protagonist that you are rooting for every step of the way.
Once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. The characters are so life-like that I thought I knew them personally. Dock reminded me of Virgil Cain. Tough, plain speaking, clever, hard working, honest, thoughtful, kind with integrity. The perfect protagonist that you are rooting for every step of the way.
May 30, 2019
I do love all of Brad Smith’s books. His crisp and witty dialogues and clever plots and unique locales are refreshing.
Busted Flush is full of information that shows excellent research about the Civil War.
It is delightful reading.
Busted Flush is full of information that shows excellent research about the Civil War.
It is delightful reading.
October 26, 2017
Another fun read from Brad Smith. (He lives in Dunnville ON!) This story is based on Civil War memorabilia in Gettysburg. The clever wit of his characters keeps me smiling and entertained.
November 26, 2021
an interesting and well told story, BUT the protagonist is selfish and grouchy. It's hard to pull for an unlikeable main character who remains a jerk with nothing to resolve in the end.
May 19, 2025
Great story telling, even greater dialog.The main character reminds me a touch of Andrew Yancy for Carl Hiaasen's Bad Monkey. Really enjoyed this book.
November 7, 2023
Kindle Unlimited
I love Brad Smith's work - he has a fine story to tell, tells it well, and gives you a laugh or two along the way, and a sense of satisfaction with the ending. Busted Flush is not part of a series but I wish it were! This is a tale I am pleased to recommend to friends and family. A quick read will lift your spirits and leave you feeling like you have a royal flush in hand.
REVIEWED on October 26, 2023, at Goodreads, and BookBub. Not available for review on B&N or Kobo.
I love Brad Smith's work - he has a fine story to tell, tells it well, and gives you a laugh or two along the way, and a sense of satisfaction with the ending. Busted Flush is not part of a series but I wish it were! This is a tale I am pleased to recommend to friends and family. A quick read will lift your spirits and leave you feeling like you have a royal flush in hand.
REVIEWED on October 26, 2023, at Goodreads, and BookBub. Not available for review on B&N or Kobo.
May 29, 2013
Dock Bass suspects his wife is cheating on him with his boss. When Dock gets a letter from a lawyer in Gettysburg telling him he’s inherited a house, he packs his truck and heads off to take a look. “Busted Flush” by Brad Smith combines history, mystery and humor in this tale of a man who refuses to be bought.
Dock discovers a secret workshop in his new house which may contain authentic civil war relics. In this history-mad town, everyone wants a slice of what Dock has found. That includes Amy Morris, TV news superstar who would rather be chasing down a hot political scandal in Aruba.
Great cast of characters and a plot that includes a lot of colorful civil war history and Abraham Lincoln background.
Dock discovers a secret workshop in his new house which may contain authentic civil war relics. In this history-mad town, everyone wants a slice of what Dock has found. That includes Amy Morris, TV news superstar who would rather be chasing down a hot political scandal in Aruba.
Great cast of characters and a plot that includes a lot of colorful civil war history and Abraham Lincoln background.
May 4, 2010
Great book. For sheer entertainment, Brad Smith has to be one of my favorite Canadian authors. His heros are cool, smart, working class Joes who take on slimy villans who frequently have oddball or dimwitted side kicks. This book along withAll Hat: A Novel and One-Eyed Jacks are a great trio of books.
September 7, 2016
What fun!
A man inherits an old home in Gettysburg, and decides to renovate it. He meets all sorts of people from Gettysburg, some bad. While working on the house, he discovers a sealed door on the hill side of the house. He rips it out only to find a treasure-trove of Civil War memorabilia. Finding a couple of professors at the college to help him out, they determine the memorabilia is worth thousands of dollars. The fun begins when the newscasters, antique authorities and lawyers descend upon the sleepy little town!! Fast paced and thoroughly enjoying!
A man inherits an old home in Gettysburg, and decides to renovate it. He meets all sorts of people from Gettysburg, some bad. While working on the house, he discovers a sealed door on the hill side of the house. He rips it out only to find a treasure-trove of Civil War memorabilia. Finding a couple of professors at the college to help him out, they determine the memorabilia is worth thousands of dollars. The fun begins when the newscasters, antique authorities and lawyers descend upon the sleepy little town!! Fast paced and thoroughly enjoying!
February 28, 2010
Not a bad little novel about the strange fascination physical memorabillia has for the collector. This is akin to a Joseph Heller, Elmore Leonard or Larry Beinhart sensibility applied to a funny situation involving what might or might not be true new civil war relics. This is a tale that involves money, media and modern day attitudes in a delightful fashion.
May 8, 2008
A fun little corker with a surprising amount to say about the true meaning of historical artifacts with respect to our past. Worth reading for the opening chapter alone.
July 24, 2008
Not a major work of fiction by any means but a very amusing, mid slice of life crisis and triumph tome. The PA setting is fun too. Made me wanna go to Gettysburg.
December 11, 2013
loved the characters! made for a quick great read!
June 26, 2025
clever story with the cool guy, sexy lady and a boy from the civil war as a character. loved the read and without giving a long boring review- I will say it reminded me of a Hiaasan story
Read
July 19, 2013Loved this one
September 21, 2016
Fabulous. Unusual.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews