Dave Barry’s second novel delivers the same hilarious and fast-paced action as his first. Tricky Business is a wonderful novel in the true Barry style.
The plot revolves around a gambling cruise ship that leaves a wharf in Florida every night to take its passengers into international waters, where they can gamble to their hearts’ content until it’s time to turn around and go home. Unbeknownst to the gambling passengers, the ship is not just a floating casino; the owners of the boat use it for drug smuggling and money laundering.
So what happens when a sleazy, rich, and relatively stupid guy buys the boat, is forced to be party to the ongoing smuggling, and decides to take action — because he wants a piece of the action. On the same night that one of the smugglers has also decided to take over operations and abscond with all the money and drugs being transported that night.
And what will the crew — including the aging garage band that plays, essentially, Muzak for three hours every night — do in the insanity that erupts when the takeovers start conflicting all over the place? Is the sexy single mother serving as a cocktail waitress really just a waitress? And who is in the pink foam conch suit?
This is not a book for children. Aside from lavish use of the F-word, there is a good bit of sex and violence in the story. So, this is a grown-up book. But it’s a grown-up book that will leave you feeling like a kid again.