The Maltese Iguana

At the start of bestseller Dorsey’s antic 26th novel featuring vigilante serial killer Serge A. Storms (after 2022’s Mermaid Confidential), the Covid lockdown causes panic among the residents of Pelican Bay, a condominium complex in the Florida Keys where Serge and his stoner pal, Coleman, have been taking a break from their wilder shenanigans. This being Florida, life soon gets back to what passes for normal in the Sunshine State. In Honduras, a mishandled CIA operation leads to the death of the wrong man, and an honest police officer, Yandy Falcón, who witnesses the debacle, realizes he must flee the country to save his life. Yandy winds up in South Florida, where he eventually comes under the protective wing of Serge, who has been having fun leading Serge’s Florida Keys Underbelly Spy Tours. At the spectacular climax, Serge drives a tour bus onto an abandoned bridge where an action movie is being filmed, followed by a host of bad guys on Yandy’s trail. As usual, the comic set pieces overshadow the plot, which can be hard to follow at times, but no matter. Dorsey reliably delivers the gonzo goods. Agent: Nat Sobel, Sobel Weber Assoc.