A vacation isn't a vacation without bringing Serge Storms along. Tim Dorsey's The Big Bamboo is a novel that continues the lively Florida-centric antics of your favorite serial killer, Serge, and his always intoxicated sidekick, Coleman. While Dorsey usually keeps Serge in Florida, in this installment, he makes his way to Hollywood, with the usual hilarious results. Serge has gotten it into his head that Florida needs to retake the movie making crown from Hollywood, and attempts to write a screenplay that will once again make Florida the center of the movie industry. But the screenplay is a work in progress, as Serge continues to revise it to match his adventure, or the novel changes to match Serge's screenplay. I am not sure which. As Serge is writing, and rewriting, his screenplay, he finds time to get himself mixed up with an unscrupulous nursing home owner, Japanese mafia, "redneck" mafia, a group of retirees running a scam, his grandfather (not quite as "eccentric" as Serge), and a couple of Hollywood movie makers. As with all of Serge's adventures, this one does not lack for characters or laughs.
This novel takes Serge out of his precious Florida, and with that, it seems that a little something was missing. And yet, it was an extremely enjoyable read. While most of the people with whom Serge interacts never know quite what to expect, putting him in Hollywood gives Dorsey ample opportunity to raise the bar, adding unique California characters and situations. Further, readers familiar with Serge, know that he can't sit still long. Placing him on an airplane for the trip to California was one of the highlights of the book. You may think that you have had bad flights, but they will pale in comparison to one described in the book. Finally, Dorsey pulls all of the characters together in an excellent climax, one that may require you to reread, as so many things occur, with great effect. Unusual in that the action does not occur exclusively in Florida, The Big Bamboo is a very good addition to the Serge Storms novels.
