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Review: 20-something entrepreneurs James Lessor and Skip Moore think they've discovered the path to easy money when they convert their panel truck into a mobile caterer in Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, the second mystery in this series by Don Bruns.

The site for their new venture is the local fairgrounds where a long weekend revival is being held by the Reverend Preston Cashdollar. (No, that is not a misprint.) Thousands of people attend the various services and after the uplifting messages dispensed by Cashdollar, they're hungry and swarm to the various catering trucks that dot the property. But the other vendors are suspicious of newcomers James and Skip. And Skip himself is suspicious of the entire setup. He remembers a time when he was young and he met a young girl at a revival at these very same fairgrounds, a girl that was later murdered. In fact, James discovers there have been more than a few deaths associated with the Cashdollar organization. When James and Skip are threatened, and another vendor is later found dead, it seems this easy money gig may be more dangerous than either of them had ever imagined.

Stuff Dreams Are Made Of is far more of a character-driven mystery than a plot-driven one. The plot itself starts slow and maintains a steady, methodical pace until the final chapters when the energy level is taken up a notch. And despite the dead bodies (both on stage and off, present and past), there really isn't much suspense. From a character perspective, however, the book is first rate. James and Skip (the narrator) are portrayed as unique, complex individuals but with very common, all too human tendencies. The numerous backstories help to add depth and dimension to both, and in particular Skip, though often at the expense of furthering the plot in any meaningful way. Even their panel truck takes on many qualities of a character, being not only where much of the action take place but also providing a backdrop for the dreams and aspirations of its owners. The book concludes in a rather unusual way, and many readers will appreciate the exceptional manner and style in which the author chooses to bring this story to a close.

Stuff Dreams Are Made Of by Don Bruns — A James Lessor and Skip Moore Mystery

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1-933515-16-8
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $24.95