MONACO HEIST

 

MONACO HEIST

By Van Allen Plexico & Alan J. Porter

White Rocket Books

306 pgs

 

We’ve always loved “caper” crime novels. It is always fun watching professional thieves overcome near impossible challenges to abscond with whatever prize they are focused on stealing. Award winning pulp writer, Van Allen Plexico is also a fan of this crime sub genre and has created an on-going series featuring two really likeable thieves, Harper and Salsa. He put them through their paces in their first two outings, “Vegas Heist” and “Maimi Heist.” Both are highly recommended, if you haven’t read them yet. 

In this third outing, Plexico is joined by another veteran scribe, Alan J. Porter, who is a racing car affectionato. You see, dear readers, this entry takes place in the colorful principality of Monaco where our guys are out to steal six priceless diamonds mounted on the hood of a racing car as it winds its way through the city’s narrow street in this annual International Grand Prix. 

The diamonds are owned by a wealthy shipping tycoon with plans to take over the small little country. But he’s also heavily in debt to a mysterious criminal organization. Hoping the publicity generated by the audacious racing gimmick will allow him to sell the diamonds for enough money to satisfy his creditors; at the same time have enough left over to continue his own nefarious schemes. Into the twisted scenario, our protagonists, along with their respective girlfriends, Lois and Connie, arrive totally unaware how complicated their plans are about to become. And if all this wasn’t enough to keep one guessing, Plexico and Porter throw in two deadly secret agents in a weird spy versus spy subplot. 

“Monaco Heist,” is one of those fast-paced books that keeps the reader mesmerized from the first checkered flag to the last. There are almost as many twist and turns in the plot as there are in racecourse itself. By the conclusion, we felt as if we were romping through a madcap Pink Panther movie without an Inspector Clouseau. Although Salsa comes very close to filling that role. Honestly, this is a fun read. and we are thrilled to learn there are more Harper and Salsa capers on the way. You should be too.