Tony Dunbar

Tubby decides to sit Hurricane Katrina out at his house and ends up having to deal with the flood, various people who need rescuing, and his middle daughter who gets kidnaped by a psychopathic murderer. He has also started drinking again, which is good, since liquor keeps well in a flood. But despite the very serious elements that make up the story, Dunbar doesn't go for the jugular. The killer, despite his moments of violence, is not Hannibal Lecter, but an interesting, multi-faceted show more character--just one more added to the gallery that makes this series of books so entertaining. Like most of the others in the series, the plotting is haphazard, there really is no mystery, the coincidences are unbelievable, and it just doesn't matter because the story is entertaining, angry about what happened to New Orleans, and even funny at times. The descriptions of the flooded city and the encounters with those trying to cope with it (or help, in the case of out of town National Guardsmen) are well done. I'll be moving on to the next installment soon. (P.S. No word on how Monster Mudbug made out during the hurricane. That is a SERIOUS omission!) show less

Another wild ride through New Orleans with the sometimes less-than-upright lawyer Tubby Dubonnet and his merry band (secretary, private detective buddy, drinking buddy, latest girlfriend, etc.) This time Tubby is having pangs of conscience about the murder in New Orleans, 40 years before, of a student anti-war demonstrator who ended up dying in Tubby's arms. The trail leads him to some unexpected places. As usual, the story is long on coincidence and not that adept at achieving a smooth show more climax or tying up loose ends, but it doesn't matter. For reading pleasure, this is one of the top books in the series, as Tubby winds his way through a torture session, several restaurants, a good number of drinks, some lovemaking, run-ins with good and bad cops, and a few other things I can't remember at the moment. Just read it--you'll enjoy it. Nobody makes New Orleans come alive more than Dunbar. (Obviously I was destined to read this book. The day after I picked it up--or picked my Kindle up and searched for it--I found myself behind a car with a Tulane license plate holder. A little while later I was behind a different car with a Louisiana license plate. Since I live in Northern Virginia, this seemed like too much of a coincidence.)

Alas, although Monster Mudbug is at least mentioned, he does not make an appearance. show less

The second entry in the Tubby Dubonnet series is just as flavorful and more entertaining than the first. Dubonnet is still rather lacking in the ethics department; in this case he ends up in possession of a large amount of money he shouldn't have. But the various plots, while still somewhat implausible and improbably connected, are better worked out than in the first book. It starts with the murder of an oil man (actually, peanut oil) and involves an environmental group, which includes one show more of Tubby's daughters, a casino, its shady boss, and a lady who frankly seems much too fond of Tubby to believe. Characterization is a real strength of this author, and combined with the fond depiction of the city of New Orleans, it makes for a very enjoyable read. At Kindle prices, don't even think of resisting! show less

One of my favorite series because of the New Orleans settings, so lovingly depicted by an author who knows them very well. Here are my individual reviews:

Crooked Man (*** stars) - Solidly entertaining from start to finish, with a great New Orleans atmosphere, this book nevertheless suffers from a lack of tight plotting. The protagonist, lawyer Tubby Dubonnet, also does some pretty dumb things that, in a cynical reader's eye, might be considered mechanisms to just keep the story going along. show more All this is way too critical, however, because Dunbar's book is a quick, fun read and it makes you want to come back for more. The depictions of the band of people, some native, some not, who congregate in New Orleans are well done. The ending is a little too neat, but it is pretty satisfying. It will be interesting to see how many of these characters appear in the later books in the series.

City of Beads (**** stars) - The second entry in the Tubby Dubonnet series is just as flavorful and more entertaining than the first. Dubonnet is still rather lacking in the ethics department; in this case he ends up in possession of a large amount of money he shouldn't have. But the various plots, while still somewhat implausible and improbably connected, are better worked out than in the first book. It starts with the murder of an oil man (actually, peanut oil) and involves an environmental group, which includes one of Tubby's daughters, a casino, its shady boss, and a lady who frankly seems much too fond of Tubby to believe. Characterization is a real strength of this author, and combined with the fond depiction of the city of New Orleans, it makes for a very enjoyable read. At Kindle prices, don't even think of resisting!

Trick Question (**** stars) - The usual cast of recurring characters is back in this third entry in the series, and like the previous one, it is solidly entertaining. (So much so that I read the two back-to-back.) An improbable murder at a medical research facility is at the heart of this one, combined with the usual variety of subplots. Once again, the characters make this a good read. This time, we're introduced to Denise DiMaggio, a female boxer. The subplot involving Tubby's relationship with his ex-wife and daughters is also well done. I'll definitely continue reading this series. Dunbar writes well (better than he plots) and the New Orleans atmosphere is very well done. show less