Book ~ "Bermuda Schwartz" (2008) Bob Morris

From Amazon.com ~ When a benign trip to Bermuda with his significant other is upset by a brutal murder, and some financial jiggery-pokery robs him of $2 million from a Bermuda bank account, former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zack Chasteen blitzes. He's quickly up to his keister in violent local thugs, the search for sunken treasure, Bermudan police and his own machinations to recover his two mil. Morris' third Zack novel is amiable, engaging and brisk, and Zack's direct approach to problem solving is a pleasant change of pace from so many of today's conflicted and complex fictional knights errant. But some readers may feel they've been shorted on character development, and others will miss a strong sense of place.

This is the third in the Zack Chasteen series.

I enjoyed the first two (though I'd read them out of order). This one was okay, not as good as the first two.

I found that it got bogged down with too many details of the history of the sunken treasure. And there seemed to be so many characters to keep track of (no doubt to throw the reader off).

I wasn't enthused about the one who dunnit ... and less excited about the quick wrap up at the end. It wasn't necessary.

Book ~ "Bahamarama" (2005) Bob Morris

From Amazon ~ As Morris' hard-boiled, edgy debut novel opens, former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zachary Chasteen is being released after serving almost two years in a Florida penitentiary on trumped-up charges. Zack longs to be reunited with Barbara Pickering, his velvet-voiced lover, who is busy in the Bahamas shooting a spread for the magazine she owns. He gets ditched mid-journey by the limo driver she's sent ahead to fetch him and is suddenly on his own, penniless and without ID. Zack hitches a ride to his childhood home but once there, he's ambushed by the violent lackeys of Victor Ortiz, the man who framed him years before. Zack manages a narrow escape but is faced with even more trouble. Barbara's ex-fiancé, Brice, is found murdered and she's been kidnapped with a hefty ransom on her head. Police inspector (and former football player) Lynfield Pederson and Zack put their heads together as Hurricane Curt barrels toward them. After the limo driver who originally deserted Zack is identified as a well-known deadly criminal and the probable source of all things bad, Zack gets a lucky break and speeds off to a bat-filled sea cave to confront his nemesis at the novel's bullet-ridden climax. An array of colorful locals gives the story some much-needed texture, while juicy plotting keeps this impressive page-turner simmering. Morris has produced an accomplished first novel with a priceless final scene.

I'd read Morris' second novel last month and enjoyed it ... so wanted to check out the others in the series.

And this is where it all started.

It's a quick fun read with lots of action. I liked the writing style ... funny and fast-flowing.

I'm not a fan of Barbara's (too fussy and snooty) so was glad she wasn't in it too much.

Book ~ "Jamaica Me Dead" (2006) Bob Morris

From Amazon ~ It’s opening game of the football season at Florida Field and Monk DeVane, a former teammate of Zack Chasteen’s, invites Zack and his girlfriend to a halftime party in one of the exclusive skyboxes. But they find chaos - there’s a bomb under the chair of Darcy Whitehall, Monk Devane’s boss and the rakish Jamaican owner of Libido, a chain of anything-goes Caribbean resorts.

The bomb turns out to be a dud but someone is putting the squeeze on Darcy Whitehall, and Monk DeVane enlists Zack to help protect his employer. When Zack arrives in Jamaica things quickly go to hell - more bombs (this time, for real), gnarly Jamaican politics, and the kinky diversions at Libido, where the prime spectator sport is watching guests frolic on the naked flume ride. As if that weren’t enough, Zack’s snooping around puts him in jeopardy with Freddie Arzghanian, king of the Caribbean money launderers.

I hadn't heard of this author or series before ... I came across this book at the library and it sounded like fun.

And it was.

I enjoyed the writing style ... it's funny and sarcastic. The characters are different and interesting. I wasn't crazy about Zach's fussy girlfriend, Barbara (why are they always fussy and annoying!!??). Thankfully she wasn't in the book all that much. I figured out who was behind it right away but it was still an enjoyable ride to get there.

I'll definitely be checking out the other of Bob Morris' Zach Chasteen series.