Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining "noir" novel
Review: "The Naked Detective" is a good summer read. The protagonist, Pete Armsterdam, is listed in the yellow pages as a private investigator, solely based on his accountant's advice so that he can write off his wine and music rooms as his "office." One afternoon, as he calmly relaxes in his hot tub, a woman walks through his house and implores him to take her case. Although he initially declines, an ambivalent Armsterdam becomes caught up in a complex mystery filled with colorful characters, with elusive motivations. "The Naked Detective" is a quick, enjoyable and colorful detective story. It is my first Laurence Shames novel, so I can't compare it to his other writings. I liked his "noir" style reminiscent of an earlier era.
Rating: 
Summary: "Shames's Best Yet"? Hardly.
Review: Although I read voraciously (154 books this year so far) and check out Amazon's editorial and customer reviews on an almost daily basis, this is the first time I've been motivated to write a review. This is the most disappointing book I've read in years, most likely because I was excited about a new book by Shames. His early works are among my favorites, with offbeat characters and laugh-out-loud moments. I hate to kick an author when he's down but, sad to say, this one's as dead as the rodents Pete Amsterdam finds in his hot tub. Skip this, and read his other books.
Rating:
Summary: "Shames's Best Yet"? Hardly.
Review: Although I read voraciously (154 books this year so far) and check out Amazon's editorial and customer reviews on an almost daily basis, this is the first time I've been motivated to write a review. This is the most disappointing book I've read in years, most likely because I was excited about a new book by Shames. His early works are among my favorites, with offbeat characters and laugh-out-loud moments. I hate to kick an author when he's down but, sad to say, this one's as dead as the rodents Pete Amsterdam finds in his hot tub. Skip this, and read his other books.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay, but not great.
Review: As a Laurence Shames fan of long standing, picking this one up was a no-brainer. Even so, would this one be stuck in a formula or series rut, or would it deliver something fresh? I am happy to say that it delivered all the expected elements that make a Shames book enjoyable: great characters, humor, suspense and local flavor. That said, I found this one most remarkable for what was different this time around. While the environment was familiar, it presented no cameos of prior characters--a welcome break. It deliciously walked the line between engaging the reader in a suspenseful plot and more pointedly than before spoofing the genre and its cliches. Most remarkably for the author, this one's written in the first person. Along with that, it delivers more introspection (serious and humorous), more character depth and some heart-warming reflections on personal growth (or the avoidance thereof). The conclusions of the protagonist's soul searching were both realistic and hopeful. In the end, they showed him growing without falling into overly optimistic or heavy-handed plot and character resolutions. I got pulled in, laughed, enjoyed myself, and even did some reflecting. What more could I ask for?
Rating: 
Summary: Funny, spoofy, heartfelt, even thought-provoking
Review: As a Laurence Shames fan of long standing, picking this one up was a no-brainer. Even so, would this one be stuck in a formula or series rut, or would it deliver something fresh? I am happy to say that it delivered all the expected elements that make a Shames book enjoyable: great characters, humor, suspense and local flavor. That said, I found this one most remarkable for what was different this time around. While the environment was familiar, it presented no cameos of prior characters--a welcome break. It deliciously walked the line between engaging the reader in a suspenseful plot and more pointedly than before spoofing the genre and its cliches. Most remarkably for the author, this one's written in the first person. Along with that, it delivers more introspection (serious and humorous), more character depth and some heart-warming reflections on personal growth (or the avoidance thereof). The conclusions of the protagonist's soul searching were both realistic and hopeful. In the end, they showed him growing without falling into overly optimistic or heavy-handed plot and character resolutions. I got pulled in, laughed, enjoyed myself, and even did some reflecting. What more could I ask for?
Rating:
Summary: Special noir-very different PI
Review: As a licensed private detective, he can carry a gun, but has no plans to use his "profession" except as a tax dodge. When Pete Amsterdam came into some money, he retired to a small Key West cabin. He plays a lot of tennis and rides a bicycle. When he wanted to install a wine cellar in his home, his accountant suggested Pete advertise as a shamus so he can claim a deduction for an "office." While Pete relaxes in his hot tub in the buff, a woman approaches him to beg him to help her. Pete refuses, but the woman strips to reveal she is a male, Kenny Lukens, who allegedly killed himself some years ago. Apparently, Kenny stole two satchels containing money belonging to his boss, but one of the bags held something else. Kenny vanished when his boss threatened to kill him. With his boss dying, Kenny wants to regain the satchels, but Pete still says no. Kenny dies in an attempt to secure the two bags. Kenny's friend Maggie visits Pete next. Although he tries to stay out of sleuthing, Pete ends up in the middle of alligators. Imagine Woody Allen starring as Jim Rockford and you will understand the satirical essence of the NAKED DETECTIVE. The anti-hero is a delightful odd duck. He behaves valiantly even as his gut pleads with him to remain mellower than Major Bummer by staying out of the mess. Additionally, Laurence Shames paints an inviting picture of Key West. Readers who enjoy a reluctant sleuth tale will receive much pleasure from this tale and want more stories starring Pistol Pete. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Plot good. Writing superlative.
Review: At about the time of its publication I perused a copy of Florida Straits, Laurence Shames first novel, and was struck by the author's vivid description of garbage accumulating on a New York City street corner. I read the book and became a fan. Mine is the perspective of one who has read each of Laurence Shames' novels in the order by which they were written. All of them are very good, but some are better than others. The Naked Detective is some of Shames best writing yet. The formula for the author's eighth novel is familiar Shames: colorful Key West denizens reluctantly or unwittingly drawn into a zany plot involving farcical criminal capers, with overtures of lust and ever present danger. This book -- as the others -- are simply fun to read. This plot is slightly less farcical than we have come to expect, but the prose, as always, is wonderfully refreshing. The Naked Detective is somewhat novel for its style, it is the first book Shames has written in the first person, but it showcases his splendid writing skills wonderfully. Shames' descriptive techniques are superlative; spirited dialogues come alive with vibrant descriptions of body gestures, posture and (his specialty) hand movements. And of course there is the ever present artfully drawn tapestry of Key West. A slight disappointment is that there are no cameo appearances by now familiar characters, such as Joey Goldman or Burt the Shirt, nor are any ailing pets woven into the story line (I hope the chihuahua is still alive), but several new characters are introduced and fans can only hope that one day they will all meet at a Key West sunset cocktail party in a forthcoming Shames story.
Rating:
Summary: Chill out - it's a fun read!
Review: Being a P.I. (private investigator) is screwing up Pete Amsterdam's tennis game, but in a rather convoluted way it seems to be improving his love life. You see, in spite of the fact that he has only gotten his P.I. license to save on his taxes thanks to his accountant's suggestion ("I'm renovating. Building an addition." - You're putting in an office.") he nevertheless gets drawn into a real mystery. One where people die and where his life expectency is in some jeopardy. In trying to sort things out he attracts the interest of the daughter of the recently deceased local crime boss, Lefty Ortega. Lydia Ortega is a temptress with a penchant for strong drink and weak men ("You don't toy with Lydia. Lydia toys with you!". The stumbling and bumbling are entertaining and while this is not Shames's top effort, it still helps pass the time in a pleasant and entertaining fashion, which is about all I look for in this genre of writing.
Rating:
Summary: Laurence Shames had to meet a deadline!
Review: Having read Hiaasen, Hall, Shames and now Dorsey, I was used to the common formula of character introduction and how the stories usually unfolded. Either Shames didn't write any of his previous books and decided now to try it, or he wrote the previous books and decided to let a ghost writer pen this trash. The formula, of which every book he has written uses, starts off fine and then it just falls by the wayside. The plot, which is never the main focus anyway, does't exist. The ending was terrible, the idea of the videotape was terrible...it just read as if 2-3 people were writing different chapters. (Check out Naked Came the Mantee)This is the first book I have been disappointed with from Shames and maybe he needs to go read the Tim Dorsey books before he goes back to trying another book. If Amazon would refund my money, I would send this garbage back in a minute~!. Maybe he needed to fufill a deadline or contract. I won't waste my money on another Shames hardback. I'd rather lose $7 than $17.
Rating:
Summary: A very different Laurence Shames. A 3 and 1/2.
Review: I am a big fan of Laurence Shames and his Key West capers with many a colorful character. The high dose of humor his stories usually contain is a huge selling point. Like Woody Allen, I enjoy Laurence Shames when he's funny. There is scant humor in "The Naked Detective", so it ranks low on my personal likeability meter. However, it is a strong noirish short novel. As usual the Key West descriptions are so vivid you can taste the salty air, get burned by the sun and feel the dampness of the humidity. The scenes are brilliantly set. The action is a bit uneven; nonstop at times, followed by lulls. The whodunit is a clever twist and the "Maltese Falcon like" buried treasure's identity is kept from the reader until the end. Neither is easily telegraphed, so you have plenty of time to play guessing games and solve the mystery.
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