Big Trouble - Dave Barry

The work of Dave Barry was recommended to me by a fellow review writer after I wrote a review about Native Tongue a book by Carl Hiaasen. Indeed Hiaasen gets a mention in the forward of this book and certainly the pair share both a similar background and a funny writing style with the emphasis on using subject matter which focuses on corruption and big business. There are other similarities in their style however a comparison is not the purpose of this review and indeed the book Big Trouble deserves to be reviewed on its own merits. Based in Miami the story unfolds through the eyes of a number of disparate characters with no one main hero or villain instead ...  Read the complete review

Crime and comedy are two things that you don’t see lumped together that often. A mix of the two often results in one taking precedence over the other. Unfortunately for Dave Barry’s Big Trouble they seem to cancel each other out. Its too funny to be really thrilling and to make you care about the characters or the plot but there is too much crime to make it an out-and-out comedy. Confused? Well I’m sorry. The story is basically a collision of lives and events in Coconut Grove, Florida. First we have the Herk family, demented stepfather Arthur, wife Anna and daughter Jenny. Two hitmen try to kill Arthur but that coincides with Matt ...  Read the complete review

Dave Barry's probably best known to those of you that have heard of him as a regular columnist for the Miami Herald Tribune, who often gets reprinted in the International Herald Tribune. His columns have been collected together in numerous best-selling books, however, this is his first work of fiction, and it's a superbly entertaining comedy crime story set in Florida. There is an impressive collection of writers offering positive comments on the cover of the book, including fellow Floridian Carl Hiaasen, who has written numerous works of humorous crime fiction set in the state. The book concerns the Arnold family, Eliot – a struggling ...  Read the complete review

As I sat down to read this, I have to say, I did not expect much. I know you are not meant to judge a book by it's cover, but this is exactly what I did. However, as soon as I delved into it I was hooked. This thrilling, hilarious book should be awarded for its comedy value. Dave Barry has exelled himself and I would recommend this to anyone above the age of 15 as there is strong language and one or two sexual references. Each chapter I read got better and better and it was a pleasure. My personal favourite character is Roger the dog, whos enemy is a South American toad. A joy to read and I look forward to seeing the film. ...  Read the complete review