Rating: 
Summary: Who said insurance was boring? A comic mystery that is
Review: written on several levels.First it is a murder mystery. Who, if anyone, killed Lenny Stilmach and why? Then it is a comedy with several funny stories and characters. The story about the funeral of an Omaha politician was a howler. There is the love/lust interest for our hero. Computers, since they are a pervasive element of modern society, are prominently featured. Drugs, unfortunately, are also in the same category. The ancient vice of greed is the main element. The sick selling their life insurance policies during the their lifetime may or may not be a public good. It does happen but the criminal element have moved into the industry and many honest people have been bilked by what they thought was a safe investment doing some good for people. Religion plays a role and shows that there is nothing new under the sun. As in "Brainstorm" life imitates art. The recent takeover by the Florida Department of Insurance of Future First Financial Group (a viatical company) shows Dooling is right on the mark. Detective Becker, styled after real Omaha detective Charlie Parker, is my favorite character. The names are funny and, as an Omaha native, it is fun to see Omaha locations described in the book. But the insurance company Hartnett works for is NOT Mutual of Omaha or even Mutant of Omaha.
Rating: 
Summary: Kind of a dud
Review: Yeah, it's hard to get really wrapped up in insurance fraud, despite the pretty decent writing... the religious stuff is interesting, and there's a couple of REALLY killer scenes at the end of the book (the one with Don, the contract and the cell phone is awesome!)...
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