I have read and enjoyed several of Perry's Jane Whitefield novels which feature a Native-American woman who acts as a guide leading people to a new life when they are being sought out by others. STRIP is the first non-Whitefield novel I have read by him and I enjoyed this one immensely! It reminded me a lot of Donald Westlake's Dortmunder novels or some of Elmore Leonard's best. It is a really good suspense/thriller that is full of quirky people, action, and humor.
The story is about a strip club owner in Los Angeles, Manco Kapak, who is robbed by a masked gunman as Kapak was making a night deposit of his club receipts at a local bank. Kapak is not pleased and puts the word out to find a man who is new in town and who is freely spending cash. After talking with many people in the clubs, Kapak's henchman come up with the name Joe Carver who was mentioned by two women as fitting the description. However, Carver is not the robber but that doesn't stop Kapak and his goons from going after him. In the mean time, the real robber, Jefferson Davis Falkins hits Kapak again and again after meeting up with Carrie who thinks she is another Bonnie to Falkins' Clyde.
The book has a lot of characters and some great subplots including a double cross by Kapak's drug dealing partner, a secret side to the police lieutenant out to get Kapak, dissatisfaction by Kapak's gang who think his luck has run out, and a potential love interest by one of Kapak's waitresses at one of his clubs. And watch out for Carrie! This was overall a very compelling and enjoyable read running the gamut of emotions from shock to humor. I will definitely be reading more of Perry.
The story is about a strip club owner in Los Angeles, Manco Kapak, who is robbed by a masked gunman as Kapak was making a night deposit of his club receipts at a local bank. Kapak is not pleased and puts the word out to find a man who is new in town and who is freely spending cash. After talking with many people in the clubs, Kapak's henchman come up with the name Joe Carver who was mentioned by two women as fitting the description. However, Carver is not the robber but that doesn't stop Kapak and his goons from going after him. In the mean time, the real robber, Jefferson Davis Falkins hits Kapak again and again after meeting up with Carrie who thinks she is another Bonnie to Falkins' Clyde.
The book has a lot of characters and some great subplots including a double cross by Kapak's drug dealing partner, a secret side to the police lieutenant out to get Kapak, dissatisfaction by Kapak's gang who think his luck has run out, and a potential love interest by one of Kapak's waitresses at one of his clubs. And watch out for Carrie! This was overall a very compelling and enjoyable read running the gamut of emotions from shock to humor. I will definitely be reading more of Perry.
My third-favorite Thomas Perry book, after Butcher's Boy and Metzger's Dog.
