God Bless John Wayne

Kinky Friedman is to the detective novel what Frank Zappa is to rock and roll: a gleeful gadfly who delights in offending purists. . . . There's just no stopping him. And who wants to?-PeopleSince Sam Spade, no private investigator has been charmed to see a deadbeat client darken his door-and country singers turned amateur detectives are no exception. That goes double for deadbeats who are their friends. So when Ratso-longtime pal, assistant crime solver, and notorious nonpayer-comes to Kinky with a case of his own, the Kinkster is reluctant to take it on. But if there's one thing a country singer relates to, it's mamas, and it's his long-lost birth mother that adoptee Ratso is seeking. The case turns sour in a hurry, and soon it gets hard to tell the murder victims from the suspects. One thing's for certain: Kinky would rather have a deadbeat for a client than be a dead dick.Praise for God Bless John WayneBrash, crass and colorful.-Houston ChronicleHow is this mystery writer different from all other mystery writers? . . . We don't read him, for instance, to find out what happens next. We read him to find out how far he will go.-The Washington Post Book WorldGod Bless John Wayne is another triumph for the Kinkster-the perfect mix of mystery, literature and wit.-The Associated Press