Stuff to Die For
Don Bruns
Reviewed by Diane Kasperski
'Have Truck Will Haul'
That's what the business cards say that James Lessor has printed for
their new business endeavor.
James was Skip's best friend since third grade and at the age of 24 he
should have never, ever followed James into the latest get-rich scheme.
They were roommates and lived in a dumpy apartment across from the
Marlin's stadium. Skip had a job he hated selling security systems in
an area where people didn't own enough to protect. James worked at a
local fast food joint but was always thinking of ways to earn lots of
money. After all, in James own words "People are more mobile than ever,
and they have more stuff than ever. They need trucks to haul their
stuff."
Skip wasn't to sure about this latest idea to make their fortune but he
talked it over with his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Emily. Skip
loved Emily but knew they weren't in the same class. She came from one
of the richest families in Carol City and he was from the opposite side
of the tracks. She had a good head on her shoulders though and knew
business so he trusted her judgement. Em actually thought it was a good
idea and knew someone who was separated from her husband and needed a
large amount of stuff moved.
First job, sounds good, money is great - some question of the
soon-to-be ex being involved with terrorist but ……why would that effect
James and Skip?
After arriving at the warehouse where they were to unload the contents
of the truck, a box of mail falls out. James was picking up the mail to
throw back into the box when he came across a bloody envelope. Nobody
could help looking into the envelope right? A severed finger falls out
with a familiar class ring - the same class kind of class ring that
both Skip and James had. Now what?
They should NEVER have opened the envelope. That one act begins a crazy
race to find an old school chum who just happened to save Skip's life
years before. They persist despite threats, attempts on their lives and
beatings. All leading to a very surprising end which includes the CIA
and a plan for war.
Mr. Bruns has a clever idea for a mystery. It was a first-rate read
that has a theme that is fresh. The characters are real flaws and all.
It is easy to sympathize with Skip reading how he just falls into
whatever trouble James gets him involved in. James is a likeable
character that is always thinking of business ideas and is sure that he
has fallen on the winner with the hauling business. Since this is the
first in a new series by Mr. Bruns it will be interesting to see what
kind of trouble they get themselves into next.