The Old Limey

British humor meets American flair in a wacky comedy involving a retired British general, a kidnapped young lady, two California beach beauties and a Jamaican drug gang. After spending his life in Her Majesty's Army, at the age of 60 Nigel Haversham is just beginning to think of settling down with a glass of fine sherry and a woman at his side. Unfortunately for him, his goddaughter Alexandra has run off to California with her drug-dealing boyfriend, Sean Stalker, and her mother calls upon Nigel to find and return her safely to England. Approaching the disappearance like a military maneuver, Nigel heads for L.A., enlisting the aid of April and Penelope, two beautiful, ex-cheerleading Gen-Xers whom he literally falls over at an outdoor restaurant. Nigel plans to smoke out Stalker, torture him for information and quietly arrange to take Alexandra back home. But Stalker is also being hunted by Jamaican thugs, whose money he stole, Alexandra is kidnapped by a Mexican drug gang (intent on forcing Stalker to purchase their drugs) and one of Nigel's American beauties runs off with Stalker, leaving Nigel with no weapons, no leads and no Alexandra. The eccentric Nigel is a hoot, as is the book's riotous surprise ending. Armed with blurbs by Christopher Buckley and The French Connection's Robin Moore, this comedy from the author of the business bestseller Robert E. Lee on Leadership should sell particularly well to Anglophiles and connoisseurs of tart humor. (Jan. 15)