Listened: "Screwed" by Eoin Colfer

Listened: Screwed by Eion Colfer, 2013, Overdrive download.

Fun stuff.  Sequel to Plugged.  I read that Colfer will be the guest of honor at Bouchercon '14 or '15, whichever one is in Long Beach.  Colfer was at Boucheron in St. Louis.  He did a reading at that bar that hosted a Random House party and then a reading.  The Random House part had free booze.  I slurped down a lot of Dewar's that evening.  After Colfer read aloud I went over and asked him how to pronounce his first name.

Dan McEvoy now owns the small casino in New Jersey.  He is sort-of dating his former upstairs neighbor.  He is still paying protection money to a NJ mobster with a fake Irish accent.  Dan is told by NJ Mobster to deliver money to Manhattan.

Dan takes the money and figures out he has been set-up by Mobster to either get killed by the Manhattan guys or "go tactical" and kill the Manhattan guys.  Either way the NJ Mobster comes out ahead.  Dan escapes.  Dan is captured by two NJ cops.  Dan awakes tied to a chair and wearing a thong.  The two cops are dressed up in SM gear and watching a laptop.  The cops are selling Dan for a live, online snuff show.  Dan escapes.  Dan beats the cops unconscious with a dildo.  Why oh why was Dan captured by those guys?

Dan is hungry.  Dan goes to a restaurant.  In walks a lady claiming to be his step-grandmother.  Dan's Irish grandfather was a wealthy Manhattan businessman (and crook, I think) who was an A-1 Asshole.  Dan is asked by Step-Granny to find his alcoholic aunt.  Step-Granny is so sweet and sincere.  Dan says, "I'll ask around."

Things go on.  Dan has lots of trouble.  His would be girlfriend is mentally ill and dislikes her medication.  His best friend Zeb is a drunken doctor.  Dan has to fight the Manhattan mobsters.  Dan has to escape the policemen who saw the live feed of Dan dildo beating the NJ Cops.  Dan fears murder by NJ Mobster.  Dan's would-be girlfriend still calls him Carmine (the name of her husband who disappeared 20 years ago).  Dan's drunken aunt shows up and the step-grandmother wants to kill her for her trust fund.  Laughter ensues. Dan is sometimes an emotional mess but he knows it. 

Dan struggles through with a couple concussions.  People die but PTSD stricken Dan (Irish Army tours in Lebanon) doesn't have to do any of that.

Comments:
1.  Dan still has auditory hallucinations.  In this book his guns are talking to him and encouraging him to kill NJ Mobster.
2.  Learn more about Dan's background: hear some Lebanon stories, hear some family stories of booze, hear some family stories of abuse, hear some family stories of booze abuse.