An ex-navy SEAL, Mick Callahan (Memorial Day
) is now a recovering alcoholic and profane radio talk show psychologist. Mick struggles with his recovery, has a personal history he'd rather forget and, surprise, has incredibly bad luck with women. He also likes to beat the heck out of people, so when child pornographers kidnap his maid's young nephew, and a crack whore (from Memorial Day
) asks Mick for protection, he is happy to leave the studio to mix it up with the lowlifes—but what if he's being set up for a lethal case of revenge? A supporting cast of two cops (ambivalent about Mick's situation), a boozed-up computer geek, a psychotic porn lord, a strangely behaving FBI agent and nasty villains from Memorial Day
all come together, more or less, for the event that gives the book its title: Nevada's countercultural Burning Man Festival. Fast-paced and an easy read, the story is short on convincing suspense as Mick lurches from one violent scene to the next. Mick is convincingly righteous, vengeful and wisecracking in this second outing, but the story is anything but tightly wrapped and believable, and the other characters are forgettable. (Nov.)
