Customer Reviews

Singapore Wink

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Edward Cauthorne presently makes his living as part owner of an outfit that rehabilitates and sometimes sells vintage cars. He used to be a Hollywood stuntman with an enviable reputation but he lost his nerve and can no longer practice his chosen profession. Though he's not as world weary as the usual Ross Thomas protagonist, his cynicism easily matches that of the the most cynical among them. And that's saying quite a bit.

One day, not much different than any other, Cauthorne is approached in his downtown Los Angeles office by a couple of oldtime hoods who inform him that a highly placed consigliere in Washington, D.C. has an important assignment for him. An assignment that will require his traveling to Singapore, the very place Cauthorne and his nerve parted company.

What follows is a thoroughly enjoyable tongue-in-cheek romp with Cauthorne placed right in the middle of a byzantine conflict involving two Mafia factions, the FBI and Singaporean gangsters. As is the case in most Ross Thomas novels, the characters are quirky, the action often shocking and the humor urbane and delightfully cynical. The Singapore Wink is great fun. Highly recommended.

Ed Cauthorne is quietly selling vintage cars when two mafia enforcers walk in and make him the classic 'offer that can't be refused.'

Cauthorne, a retired stuntman, believes he is responsible for the death of the 'god son' of a senior Mafioso, who it now appears has risen from the dead after two years.

With some heavy handed coercion they want Ed to travel to Singapore to recover information that the 'god son' has stolen. They need Ed to go as they believe the recently risen Angelo will only deal with him.

'Singapore Wink is another classic Thomas tale of betrayal, deceit and the normal humour. This is much more of a romp than some of his other work with some very camp characters and an outlandish scenario.

As stated before you will never be disappointed by the late lamented Ross Thomas. (Published 1969)