Gutshot Straight

This book kept me chuckling and guessing all the way through it; in fact, to the very last paragraph. Mr. Berney knows how to write a thriller, and he has a great sense of humor. Mr. Balerini, though, is a truly wonderful discovery. His feel for the material is absolutely commanding. His delivery of the funny stuff is dead-on; there are lines in the book which might be just mildly funny, but he makes them sing. The plot is inventive, taking Our Hero Shake through LA, Las Vegas and all the way to Panama City. The search for the religious relic is hilarious. I won't spoil it by telling you what everybody is fighting for; that's half the fun. Gina, our female star, is someone I can't really call a hero, but she sure is fun herself, if you are amused by a ruthless, amoral psychopath using her blazing sexuality to baffle every man in sight. I loved her. There are sleazy bad guys and complicated good guys, an obscenely wealthy dork whom you can't possibly do anything but hate, an extremely clever female Armenian gangster (yes, Armenian) and a bunch of others whom only Mr. Berney could invent. I hope he is working on another book, and I desperately hope Mr. Balerini reads it. More fun than a barrel of monkeys.

This is pretty standard suitcase-full-of-money fare. (Though in this case the suitcase is stuffed with something a good deal more bizarre and entertaining) Pleasant enough and nicely paced. The Panama setting where it ends up adds some tasty local color. The two characters at the center of the story are appealing and it is the tension between them which keeps us engaged when the plot wears a trifle thin. Berney writes with intelligence and some wit, so all in all I was happy to ride along with him to the end.

This was my first experience with Lou Berney and I was quite pleased.

While some of the reviewers and critics describe the story as hilarious, rib-tickling, or knee slapping, it is not by any stretch - so don't expect an outright comedy. The book was simply a very entertaining caper-style story, which was also very well written with a few chuckles and snickers along the way.

The Publisher's Summary nails the story line as the main character "Shake", goes on a crazy roller coaster ride through Vegas and Panama, linked to a girl he meets (Gina) while on a "job" a driver.

The character development is good in that there are a lot of twists and turns along the way, which fits these types of characters perfectly - all of them.

All in all, I enjoyed this one and may look for another book by Lou Berney as well.

Recommended!!

If you are looking for an entertaining story, beautifully read, you have come to the right place.

OK, you have to like a good crime story. You have to want it to have a sense of humour. You need to be happy for it to be a little off the wall, with a nice line in terse dialogue. you have to like a narrator who identifies with the characters, who IS them.

If you are up for that. Go for it. You will love it. I did.

This is the best audio book for sheer entertainment I have listened to for a while. More please, Lou. And stick with Edoardo. He's a keeper.

Lou Berney has created the coolest hero I've encountered since Elmore Leonard's Chili Palmer in Get Shorty. And thank goodness for talent like Eduardo Ballerini to bring this story to life.

The story is suspenseful, fast paced and believable. Absolutely one of my favorite books!

I don't know. I really enjoyed Edorado Ballerini, he did a great job.

Haven't

NO

It was purely entertainment. As stated it was almost a comedy, almost a parody, almost a thriller. It was fun to listen to. It was like a game trying to anticipate the next surprise, much the same as the story line. I was glad I bought it. will check into some of his other books. The reader was great!!! The author took a great position, he is writing almost tongue in cheek it seems, and therefore doesn't try to push anything beyond his goal. He never got in his own way in terms of story line, ability, humor, etc. Well done.

Loved all the characters, good guys and bad ones a like.

Kept the wonderful wit in the story without making it silly.

yes, but it took two days

Great story line and characters that were both humorous and real.

The final gun pointing show down, so to speak. Very funny, would make a excellent movie scene.

The million dollar foreskin.

Mr. Ballerini's narration is perfect and makes the characters come to life. The plot, though predictable at times, still manages to be riveting. A great listen I hated to put down!

Yes, the writer made a great story that held my attention and I loved his characters. They were believable and most interesting.

Creole Belle, storyline somewhat the same and both narrators really make a great story even better!!!

Shake of course. He is the main character that is tough but likable.

Yes, I had a hard time putting it down.

I am looking for more audios by these two!