Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Thin plot, plenty of laughs in comic thriller
It’s amazing how Tampa author Tim Dorsey has taken what is essentially a one-joke plot and delivered it through his 20th novel, “Clownfish Blues.” Think about it: 20 years of writing about Serge A. Storms, a serial killer who targets those who defy, desecrate or disrespect his beloved Florida. Dorsey’s comic novels traverse the state from the Panhandle to the Keys and lovingly show why Serge is so enraptured with the Sunshine State.
Yes, Serge knows Florida is full of loonies, but he is one, too, so he is always at home. In “Clownfish Blues,” Serge sets off to re-create the TV show “Route 66” with his stoner buddy, Coleman, who may have had a last name at one time, but no one, not even he, can remember it. Yes, Serge knows “Route 66” is not located anywhere Florida, but he also knows that several episodes of that 1960s series were filmed in the state, and that’s good enough for him. So he has a shiny Corvette convertible, just like Tod and Buz drove, and, just like those two TV characters, Serge plans to visit a different area each week, get a new job in each city and leave the area a better place for having visited. Or something like that. But this is Serge, and his brand of heroism has a way of turning into havoc. Serge and Coleman get their kicks on their version of Route 66. They try worm-grunting, a form of harvesting the critters, in Apalachicola (mainly he likes saying names of that region and of the town Sopchoppy), spin some advertising signs along the highway and get caught up in a lottery scam. They also get mistaken for hostage negotiators — FBI? CIA? Doesn’t matter— because they are wearing windbreakers and that’s enough for most people.
Serge also becomes a bit of an enforcer, dispatching a caregiver who steals from his elderly patients, a jerk in a red Porsche and reality show filmmakers. No part of Florida is left alone as Serge enjoys the ride while spouting off bits of obscure, but interesting, history.
As usual, Dorsey’s plot, such as it is, falls apart in the middle and it’s hard to see where he is going. But in “Clownfish Blues,” as his other novels, it’s all about the jokes that come fast and furious —another road show that Dorsey may one day find a Florida link. These novels have made Dorsey a best-selling author, and crowds flock to his book signings, with some of the audience sporting Serge tattoos. With “Clownfish Blues,” Serge and Coleman are on the road again.