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kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Second in the Shake* suspense series revolving around an ex-wheelman who has the hardest time going straight.
* This is my name for the two books about Shake Bouchon.
My Take
Technically, I suppose this is a suspenseful story, annnddd it has a healthy dose of some unhealthy romance. Talk about dysfunctional…but it does seem to work for them. It's the kind of situation that will make you shake your head in disbelief.
Whiplash River is somewhere between the roller coaster of a ride that was Gutshot Straight, 1, and a fairly standard thriller. Albeit with some of the craziest characters I've ever encountered. That FBI agent is a bulldog of a bully, the tiny Meg has such a one-track mind with the biggest chip on her shoulder, then there's Quinn. Omigod. I'm getting a headache just thinking of his scamming ways!
With Quinn, you take a step 'cause it seems reasonable, but then you take another, then another, and you're in so deep...you may never get out! I suspect the way he wanted to help Shake in the first place was simply because it was so much more fun---for him---that way. Then there's the best way to corral people...oh brother.
Then there's Terry. He might not be very bright, but he's easygoing and not one to hold a grudge. Then there's Meg. She's not very bright either, but she's definitely a firecracker.
What was he thinkin'?! I mean, I love the sound of his restaurant in Belize. And it would sound even better if he'd kept his money.
I'm still not getting the deal with Gardenhire. Yeah, it was a huge surprise to discover who he was at the end. And I still don't get it. He was pretty dang serious at the start.
Whoa, that bit of backhistory---what happened between Shake and Gina after Gutshot Straight ended---is not what I expected.
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah...it's the only way it could go down if Quinn is involved...ROFLMAO.
It just goes to show that nice people and nutjobs are evenly sprinkled throughout the population. Any population, anywhere.
The Story
Shake's living out his dream with his Sunset Breeze on the beach, with all the attendant hassles of incompetent help, not-too-competent assassins, and not being able to make the vig. Even the intended victim has his competency issues.
It all gets blown up in every way you can imagine with the FBI and the legbreakers after him. A dubious escape, questionable help, and such a desperate need for money that the shakedown in Egypt actually starts looking good.
The Characters
Charles Samuel Bouchon, Shake since his first fall for grand theft auto, is living his dream of owning a restaurant. If only he didn't owe money on it. Jasper is a "friend" in Vegas who now runs his own strip club. Gina is in San Francisco and appears to have gone legit with Two Birds, a venture capital fund. Boringly so.
Special Agent Evelyn Holly has her own plans for Shake. Sarah is her very responsible daughter. Andre Guardado is her ex-husband, and the district attorney who blindsided her with the deal he made with the Armenians (see Gutshot Straight). Cory Nadler is with Diplomatic Security in Mexico City and terrified she's gonna screw up his own op. Mike is her ASAC.
Harrigan Quinn has been everywhere, done everything, and knows everyone. Yup, one of thossse. And he does not know how to shut up. The biggest problem is he knows too much about Sticky Jimmy. Benny is hanging out in Central American, importing birds and other wildlife. Mahmoud is Quinn's contact in Cairo. Just as big a blowhard too.
Idaba is the hostess at Sunset Breeze. Armando and Roger are his incompetent help. Pijua is another chef on the island; Shake reckons probably the best in Central America. Pijua returns the compliment.
Walter "Baby Jesus" Jenkins is a drug-running bastard with no heart.
One Love is part of his Rasta thug entourage.
Meg is a sociopathic "elf" while her boyfriend Terry Epperson isn't running on all cylinders. They're trying very hard to break into the assassin game big-time. Jorge Nolasco is Meg's friend in Guatemala City who assigns her jobs.
Kevin Coover claims to be a government official, a.k.a., Paul Babb, a bad man for hire.
Daniel Gardenhire is the start of the assassination attempt. He works for Sticky Jimmy, a.k.a., Logan James of Blackbird Energy, billionaire, who is running for president.
Devane is the target; he runs a nightclub called The Wild Rose.
The Cover
The cover make me think of a target as the bullet chases Shake and Quinn round and round as they make their escape in the boat.
Oh, yeah, it's a Whiplash River all right. The jerks and jolts just keep coming, wave after wave.
* This is my name for the two books about Shake Bouchon.
My Take
Technically, I suppose this is a suspenseful story, annnddd it has a healthy dose of some unhealthy romance. Talk about dysfunctional…but it does seem to work for them. It's the kind of situation that will make you shake your head in disbelief.
Whiplash River is somewhere between the roller coaster of a ride that was Gutshot Straight, 1, and a fairly standard thriller. Albeit with some of the craziest characters I've ever encountered. That FBI agent is a bulldog of a bully, the tiny Meg has such a one-track mind with the biggest chip on her shoulder, then there's Quinn. Omigod. I'm getting a headache just thinking of his scamming ways!
With Quinn, you take a step 'cause it seems reasonable, but then you take another, then another, and you're in so deep...you may never get out! I suspect the way he wanted to help Shake in the first place was simply because it was so much more fun---for him---that way. Then there's the best way to corral people...oh brother.
Then there's Terry. He might not be very bright, but he's easygoing and not one to hold a grudge. Then there's Meg. She's not very bright either, but she's definitely a firecracker.
What was he thinkin'?! I mean, I love the sound of his restaurant in Belize. And it would sound even better if he'd kept his money.
I'm still not getting the deal with Gardenhire. Yeah, it was a huge surprise to discover who he was at the end. And I still don't get it. He was pretty dang serious at the start.
Whoa, that bit of backhistory---what happened between Shake and Gina after Gutshot Straight ended---is not what I expected.
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah...it's the only way it could go down if Quinn is involved...ROFLMAO.
It just goes to show that nice people and nutjobs are evenly sprinkled throughout the population. Any population, anywhere.
The Story
Shake's living out his dream with his Sunset Breeze on the beach, with all the attendant hassles of incompetent help, not-too-competent assassins, and not being able to make the vig. Even the intended victim has his competency issues.
It all gets blown up in every way you can imagine with the FBI and the legbreakers after him. A dubious escape, questionable help, and such a desperate need for money that the shakedown in Egypt actually starts looking good.
The Characters
Charles Samuel Bouchon, Shake since his first fall for grand theft auto, is living his dream of owning a restaurant. If only he didn't owe money on it. Jasper is a "friend" in Vegas who now runs his own strip club. Gina is in San Francisco and appears to have gone legit with Two Birds, a venture capital fund. Boringly so.
Special Agent Evelyn Holly has her own plans for Shake. Sarah is her very responsible daughter. Andre Guardado is her ex-husband, and the district attorney who blindsided her with the deal he made with the Armenians (see Gutshot Straight). Cory Nadler is with Diplomatic Security in Mexico City and terrified she's gonna screw up his own op. Mike is her ASAC.
Harrigan Quinn has been everywhere, done everything, and knows everyone. Yup, one of thossse. And he does not know how to shut up. The biggest problem is he knows too much about Sticky Jimmy. Benny is hanging out in Central American, importing birds and other wildlife. Mahmoud is Quinn's contact in Cairo. Just as big a blowhard too.
Idaba is the hostess at Sunset Breeze. Armando and Roger are his incompetent help. Pijua is another chef on the island; Shake reckons probably the best in Central America. Pijua returns the compliment.
Walter "Baby Jesus" Jenkins is a drug-running bastard with no heart.
One Love is part of his Rasta thug entourage.
Meg is a sociopathic "elf" while her boyfriend Terry Epperson isn't running on all cylinders. They're trying very hard to break into the assassin game big-time. Jorge Nolasco is Meg's friend in Guatemala City who assigns her jobs.
Kevin Coover claims to be a government official, a.k.a., Paul Babb, a bad man for hire.
Daniel Gardenhire is the start of the assassination attempt. He works for Sticky Jimmy, a.k.a., Logan James of Blackbird Energy, billionaire, who is running for president.
Devane is the target; he runs a nightclub called The Wild Rose.
The Cover
The cover make me think of a target as the bullet chases Shake and Quinn round and round as they make their escape in the boat.
Oh, yeah, it's a Whiplash River all right. The jerks and jolts just keep coming, wave after wave.
sandin954's review against another edition
4.0
Just as fun as the previous book in the series. I am big fan of comic capers and this really delivered with a fast and furious plot and quirky characters.
leebeeloves's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
zzzrevel's review against another edition
4.0
Another entertaining read about Shake Bouchon and
Gina Clement. I compared the last one ("Gutshot Straight")
to sort of an Elmore Leonard romp but without as
much Leonard witty dialog. This one reads more
like a Carl Hiaasen romp complete with some
ridiculous (but fun) sequences. It's good.
And it seems like there could even be the possibility
for a third book. I hope so because I'll be there
waiting for it.
A Postscript: I do not recall the title of this book
ever appearing in the story. Anybody know why
it was called Whiplash River ?
Gina Clement. I compared the last one ("Gutshot Straight")
to sort of an Elmore Leonard romp but without as
much Leonard witty dialog. This one reads more
like a Carl Hiaasen romp complete with some
ridiculous (but fun) sequences. It's good.
And it seems like there could even be the possibility
for a third book. I hope so because I'll be there
waiting for it.
A Postscript: I do not recall the title of this book
ever appearing in the story. Anybody know why
it was called Whiplash River ?
carolsnotebook's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed Whiplash River by Lou Berney. It made me gasp and smile. It’s a romp, a caper, a slightly mad-cap thriller.
Opening line:
The view from the veranda was a killer.
A sugar-sand beach, palm trees, the Caribbean glittering beneath a full moon. A wooden pier curved out over the water, with a thatch-covered palapa perched at the end. Straight off a postcard.
Shake had bought the Sunset Breeze more than two years ago. You’d think he wouldn’t even notice the view any more, but he did. Every single time he stepped onto the veranda of the restatuant, his restaurrant, that was still his first though: Straight off a postcard.
Shake’s an ex-con who is trying to go straight. Unfortunatley, Shake’s one of those loveable guys that fate just seems to want to screw with, of course, his own decisions don’t help.
Shake’s Bad Ideas:
1.Going in debt to the local drug lord, Baby Jesus, to open his restaurant. Baby Jesus wants paid, and he wants paid on time. Tough to do when when your restaurant goes up in flames.
2.Turning to Quinn, an elderly man who is full of stories, when you’re in trouble. After all, he almost got killed in the middle of your restaurant and now the assassins are after you too, along with a gorgeous FBI agent who wants to nail your former employer, the Armenian mob.
3.Agreeing to a major score, stealing a historical American artifact currently in a collection in Egypt, conned into the heist by Quinn.
4.Bringing in your dangerous, and very attractive ex-girlfriend to help with above score. After all it’s impossible without her, isn’t it?
Yeah, not the best choices, but it does make for a great novel, where events just keep spinning farther and farther out of Shake’s control. You have to love Shake, he’s charming, handsome, one of the good guy crooks. Quinn is a mysterious man, you don’t know how much of his stories to believe, but you know he’s bound to get Shake into trouble. And Gina, the ex, is a strong woman, smart, lovely, better prepared for life than Shake by far, and Berney plays with the romantic connection well. Not only do you want Shake and Gina to pull off the score without getting caught, you want them back together by the end.
Exotic locales, a larger than life cast of characters, a fast-paced plot and snappy dialogue made this my favorite read of the summer so far. It made me laugh and cringe, a good combo.
Opening line:
The view from the veranda was a killer.
A sugar-sand beach, palm trees, the Caribbean glittering beneath a full moon. A wooden pier curved out over the water, with a thatch-covered palapa perched at the end. Straight off a postcard.
Shake had bought the Sunset Breeze more than two years ago. You’d think he wouldn’t even notice the view any more, but he did. Every single time he stepped onto the veranda of the restatuant, his restaurrant, that was still his first though: Straight off a postcard.
Shake’s an ex-con who is trying to go straight. Unfortunatley, Shake’s one of those loveable guys that fate just seems to want to screw with, of course, his own decisions don’t help.
Shake’s Bad Ideas:
1.Going in debt to the local drug lord, Baby Jesus, to open his restaurant. Baby Jesus wants paid, and he wants paid on time. Tough to do when when your restaurant goes up in flames.
2.Turning to Quinn, an elderly man who is full of stories, when you’re in trouble. After all, he almost got killed in the middle of your restaurant and now the assassins are after you too, along with a gorgeous FBI agent who wants to nail your former employer, the Armenian mob.
3.Agreeing to a major score, stealing a historical American artifact currently in a collection in Egypt, conned into the heist by Quinn.
4.Bringing in your dangerous, and very attractive ex-girlfriend to help with above score. After all it’s impossible without her, isn’t it?
Yeah, not the best choices, but it does make for a great novel, where events just keep spinning farther and farther out of Shake’s control. You have to love Shake, he’s charming, handsome, one of the good guy crooks. Quinn is a mysterious man, you don’t know how much of his stories to believe, but you know he’s bound to get Shake into trouble. And Gina, the ex, is a strong woman, smart, lovely, better prepared for life than Shake by far, and Berney plays with the romantic connection well. Not only do you want Shake and Gina to pull off the score without getting caught, you want them back together by the end.
Exotic locales, a larger than life cast of characters, a fast-paced plot and snappy dialogue made this my favorite read of the summer so far. It made me laugh and cringe, a good combo.
beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
If you like your mysteries with a whole lot of funny, you need to check out Berney's Shake Bouchon series!
Shake's dreams have finally come true! The ex wheelman is the proud owner of his very own restaurant in Belize. Course he had to take out a pretty big loan from the local drug lord, Baby Jesus, a man who wants his payments no matter what. And it's kind of bad for business when a guy comes in and shoots up the place one evening. But it's even worse when the whole restaurant explodes, leaving Shake with no source of income. Soon Shake finds himself on the run and picking up his old crime boots once again as he joins forces with his ex on a heist that could mean a serious score.
This is the second book in the series, though I've not had the pleasure of reading book one, Gutshot Straight. And oh, how I wish I had! Don't get me wrong, Whiplash River can definitely be read on its own and as an intro to the series without any issues, but it's clear that Shake has more of a story and now I want to know what it is!
So feel free to start with Whiplash and be prepared to run out and buy Gutshot as well.
Whiplash is sort of a caper mystery. There's a lot of play on Ocean's Eleven (and quite a few mentions of it) and the book is heavy on the humor, which is pretty great in my opinion. In truth, Whiplash River was the perfect weekend read for me. It's silly and a bit WTF?! at a few points, but it's pure entertainment (and would make a fabulous movie! I picture Peter Weller a la Dexter as Quinn!). Berney's dialogue in particular is witty and snappy. Paired with a quick pace it makes for an excellent one-sitting read. I'd recommend fixing up an umbrella drink and finding a good spot in the shade for this one: once you begin, you'll be hardpressed to stop before you reach the end!
Shake's dreams have finally come true! The ex wheelman is the proud owner of his very own restaurant in Belize. Course he had to take out a pretty big loan from the local drug lord, Baby Jesus, a man who wants his payments no matter what. And it's kind of bad for business when a guy comes in and shoots up the place one evening. But it's even worse when the whole restaurant explodes, leaving Shake with no source of income. Soon Shake finds himself on the run and picking up his old crime boots once again as he joins forces with his ex on a heist that could mean a serious score.
This is the second book in the series, though I've not had the pleasure of reading book one, Gutshot Straight. And oh, how I wish I had! Don't get me wrong, Whiplash River can definitely be read on its own and as an intro to the series without any issues, but it's clear that Shake has more of a story and now I want to know what it is!
So feel free to start with Whiplash and be prepared to run out and buy Gutshot as well.
Whiplash is sort of a caper mystery. There's a lot of play on Ocean's Eleven (and quite a few mentions of it) and the book is heavy on the humor, which is pretty great in my opinion. In truth, Whiplash River was the perfect weekend read for me. It's silly and a bit WTF?! at a few points, but it's pure entertainment (and would make a fabulous movie! I picture Peter Weller a la Dexter as Quinn!). Berney's dialogue in particular is witty and snappy. Paired with a quick pace it makes for an excellent one-sitting read. I'd recommend fixing up an umbrella drink and finding a good spot in the shade for this one: once you begin, you'll be hardpressed to stop before you reach the end!
turophile's review against another edition
3.0
You know what I hate? Reading along with a book I’m enjoying. You look down at the page count – hey about 40 pages to go. This is great. Boom, you hit an acknowledgements page. What the F? Why did they interrupt the book for this. And then you realize – nope. The book is over. Except you didn’t realize it was over because the e-reader is telling you that there are 40 pages left. Kinda leaves a bad taste in your mouth about the ending. Which is too bad, because that’s probably not the author’s fault.
Other than the stupidly abrupt ending, I enjoyed this book. Lou Berney is clearly channeling Carl Hiaasen. Tropical locale, larger than life, slightly criminal characters, humorous dialogue, situations straddling the probable/improbable line, middle aged guy who’s never quite got his life together, yet there’s a hot woman who still wants him.
Funny book. If you like Hiaasen, you’ll probably like this one. But damn – why did the publisher do that at the end.
3.5/5
Other than the stupidly abrupt ending, I enjoyed this book. Lou Berney is clearly channeling Carl Hiaasen. Tropical locale, larger than life, slightly criminal characters, humorous dialogue, situations straddling the probable/improbable line, middle aged guy who’s never quite got his life together, yet there’s a hot woman who still wants him.
Funny book. If you like Hiaasen, you’ll probably like this one. But damn – why did the publisher do that at the end.
3.5/5
joyfilledwander's review against another edition
4.0
When former American gangster for the Armenians, Charlie, or Shake as he prefers to go by, decides to start life over again, he picks Belize. A nice coastal town with a beach, a breeze, and a restaurant all his own. No chance of finding trouble here. But trouble finds Shake in Whiplash River by Lou Berney. A loan shark drug lord named Baby Jesus, an elderly man with a hit out on him, a lovely FBI agent, a former flame, and a couple with guns for hire keep this story running on all cylinders. It's action packed and laugh out loud funny. It's a rare book that can manage both well.
I flew this book, which I listened to as an audiobook, and loved it all. I couldn't stop listening. I found myself wanting to always know what would happen next. I love that in a good book!
I flew this book, which I listened to as an audiobook, and loved it all. I couldn't stop listening. I found myself wanting to always know what would happen next. I love that in a good book!
candyflynn's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0