Former bootlegger Frank Hearn is just trying to make an honest buck in 1920s Miami when he falls down a rabbit hole of misfortune in Irby's captivating follow-up to 7,000 Clams
(2005). Desperate to pay back a loan and prove himself worthy to the father of his well-heeled fiancée, Irene Howard, Frank joins his opportunist real-estate partner in a fixed jai alai bet. When the jai alai club's mobster owner finds out and sends his goons after them, Frank escapes only to be tossed in jail and robbed of his winnings by corrupt cops. His secretary bails him out the next morning, and Irene surprises him as he's clad only in towel and eye patch—just as the dishy secretary walks in with breakfast. Before Hearn has the chance to explain, he's charged with his not-so-lucky partner's murder. Irene, harboring a tiny shred of faith in her fiancé, pairs up with Horace Dyer, an honest Fed, to try to save Hearn. Ratcheting tension, smoothly incorporated flapper lingo, rich period details and likable characters should help win new fans for this humorous crime series. (June)
