Book Review: Just Another Day in Paradise by A. E. Maxwell

Just Another Day in Paradise
Author: A. E. Maxwell
Series: Fiddler and Fiona (Book 1)
Publication: Busted Flush Press, LLC (February 1, 2009)

Description: When you say paradise, I think snakes. Maybe that’s because I live in the slice of paradise known as southern California’s Gold Coast. And maybe it’s because I spend my time killing other people’s reptiles.

So I wasn’t too surprised when my ex-wife and sometime lover, Fiora Flynn, came to me because Danny, her beloved dunce of a twin brother, was in trouble.

What did surprise me was the kind of trouble he was in. The killing kind. Complete with the FBI and international spooks.

I didn’t think Danny boy had it in him.

The good news is that unraveling Danny’s snarl brought Fiora back to me. The bad news….

Well, there’s always bad news, isn’t there?

My Thoughts: When Fiddler's ex-wife Fiora comes to ask his help with her twin brother Danny, Fiddler is quick to offer. After all, she's the only woman he has ever loved despite the fact that they couldn't work out living together. 

While Fiora is a financial genius, Danny is more of a screw-up who's always certain that the next scheme will be the one to lead to riches. This time he's in way over his head when he partners to export technology to the Eastern Block even though he knows he'll be smuggling. 

It isn't only the Russians who want the chip technology. The Vietnamese are also interested but mostly to prevent Russia from succeeding. Between the Russian dating Fiora and the Vietnamese woman dating Danny, both factions are hoping to keep track of their subjects. But then Danny is killed, and the last crucial piece of the factory goes missing. 

Fiora is kidnapped by Danny's partner, the Russian spy she's been dating, and Fiddler needs to find the last piece of the factory they are to smuggle out and trade it for Fiora's life. Both the US Customs and the FBI are also involved and each have their own agenda.

Fiddler comes up with a complicated scheme to get Fiora back without letting the missing piece of equipment fall into enemy hands. 

The story was fast-paced and exciting but a dated. The ethnic slurs and attitudes toward homosexuals were a little bit jarring. However, Fiddler was a fascinating character with a strong sense of honor and a really twisty mind. He's a man with perfect pitch who gave up playing the violin because he couldn't produce the perfection he heard in his mind. It was intriguing the way he related the activities of the plot to various sorts of musical forms. 

This is the first of an eight-book series. 

Favorite Quote:

I filed that uneasy coincidence with the other disharmonies sawing away in my brain. I didn't know if I could make the Calexico connection harmonize with anything. It was just one of those little bytes of information I play around with in my spare time. The only difference between my mind and a computer is that a computer knows what's going to happen next. 

I bought this one February 25, 2009. You can buy your copy here.