An oddly spiced tale

A somewhat whimsical tale about the trials and tribulations of Ben Casper as he is chased by the Chinese, the Russians, the … well, just about everybody.

His best friend has jumped to her death from her balcony but may have been pushed by any of the above or one of a few others because she may have been a spy or she may have had an affair or she may just have become superfluous to requirements.

Read the book and you’ll find out the real reason, which will probably come as a bit of a surprise.

Casper, a website newspaper proprietor, tries his hand at blackmailing the CIA and others, riding fast motorcycles and living without funds when all his credit cards are frozen.

Apart from anything else, this first person narrative is an invaluable source of trivia and you can garner such useless information as how many American presidents were left handed. Casper also gives a running commentary on the relative merits actors’ and actresses’ performances in various movies – in the process offering a somewhat vicarious admission that the authors (or at least one of them) have also watched B- and C-grade movies you were too embarrassed to admit enjoying.

You will either love or hate the writing style or, as this critic did, allow it to grow on you and enjoy a slightly oddly spiced story which gives truth to the old chestnut that even paranoid people have enemies.