Chris Haslam — Alligator Strip

Abacus 2005 Paperback, 352pp. At the end of TWELVE STEP FANDANGO, Martin Brock, the book's hilarious anti-hero, escaped by jumping on a ship bound for Africa. Now in Morocco, we join him as he runs at full pelt through the streets of Marrakesh being pursued by an angry restaurateur. Saved by a rather camp ex-military American who thinks he can put Martin's talents for canny deception and extravagant bullshitting to good use, Martin accepts a job in Florida. There the two of them set to work on a brilliant scam that could see them sharing millions of dollars of gold coins. Their plan cannot possibly fail, unless of course the foils of love, snakes, a murderous ex-husband and the American's peculiar past get in the way. (ISBN: 9780349118390). Very Good.