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Shark Skin Suite

A Serge A. Storms Mystery by Tim Dorsey

Shark Skin Suite by Tim Dorsey

Review: Serge A. Storms has decided to become a lawyer, concluding that his intimate knowledge of courtroom films — and a boundless supply of Florida trivia — provides a better foundation for his new profession than any law school could, in Shark Skin Suite, the 18th book in this series by Tim Dorsey.

It just so happens that a major legal case is being decided in the Florida Keys, a class action civil case between homeowners who have been foreclosed upon, and the banks and finance companies that ejected them from their homes. Brook Campanella, the plaintiff's lead lawyer is in over her head against an army of Ivy League-trained attorneys. It doesn't help that the witnesses her own firm has provided her end up hurting their case more than helping it once they get on the stand. Enter Serge, who has a plan to make it right, never mind that a body — or two or three — has to be sacrificed along the way.

Shark Skin Suite is, for this series, rather tame, which isn't necessarily a negative comment in this context. Serge doesn't commit his first murder until well past the 100-page mark, with the murders he does commit cleverly devised, as always. He is in rare form, however, when it comes to Florida facts and figures, especially with respect to films filmed in the state and more importantly, how they relate to the case being tried in Key West. Coleman is, mercifully, off stage for much of the book, which helps keep the frantic-factor from wildly overheating. And while the overall plot, such as it is, is rather confusing — not unlike the whole sub-prime mortgage and subsequent foreclosure mess — the courtroom scenes towards the end are really terrific theater. On balance, there are more positives than negatives here, and while the storyline may be topical it also isn't quite as edgy as fans might have come to expect. Again, not necessarily a bad thing.

Acknowledgment: HarperCollins provided a copy of Shark Skin Suite for this review.

Review Copyright © 2015 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

Selected reviews of other mysteries by this author …

Mystery Book Review: Tiger Shrimp Tango by Tim DorseyTiger Shrimp Tango
William Morrow (Hardcover), January 2014
ISBN-13: 9780062092816; ISBN-10: 0062092812

Mystery Book Review: Coconut Cowboy by Tim DorseyCoconut Cowboy
William Morrow (Hardcover), January 2016
ISBN-13: 9780062240040; ISBN-10: 0062240048

Location(s) referenced in Shark Skin Suite: Key West, Florida

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Shark Skin Suite by Tim Dorsey

Shark Skin Suite by A Serge A. Storms Mystery

Publisher: William Morrow
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-224001-9
Publication Date:
List Price: $26.99

Buy the Book (purchase options)

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Page Author: Lance Wright
Site Publisher: Mysterious Reviews

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