Read: "Gun Monkeys" by Victor Gischler

Read: Gun Monkeys by Victor Gischler, 2001, 9780966347364 (our paperback).

Good. This was one of Gischler's first books and even though it is good it is not at the level of Go-Go Girls. High body count with comic book and Hong Kong cinema styled violence.

Charlie Swift has worked for elderly Orlando, FL crime boss Stan since Charlie left the army 11 years ago. Charlie is in charge of the Monkey Room. The Monkey Room is a back room in a local strip club where Stan's hired muscle hangout during work hours when they are not out collecting money and beating or killing people.

Stan is starting to get pushed out of Orlando by a Miami crime boss who sees an opportunity to squeeze even more money out of Orlando than Stan is getting. Competitor promises to take it easy on Stan if Stan has a guy killed for Competitor since said guy is hiding out in Orlando. Charlie goes into the place where the mark is hiding and kills about 7-9 guys and comes out with some ledger books (this was set in 2001). Before Charlie can turn the books over Competitor starts moving in and killing off Stan's men.

Competitor wants the ledger books back. The FBI wants the ledger books. Crooked FBI agents want the ledger books. Competitor's banker wants the ledger books. Stan wants the ledger books. Charlie wants to stay loyal to Stan and get some revenge.

There are lots of shoot-outs and showdowns and a meandering trail for Charlie to follow while trying to figure out what is going on. Charlie is a hired goon and now needs to use his brain more than usual to figure things out. In the end Charlie kills everyone and does it without the help of a cell phone (even in 2001). He also comes to love a couple .410 revolvers he got off some dead dudes.

Nice mix of action and plotting by Gischler. Gischler also likes to google himself, so go suck eggs Gischler.