Twelve Step Fandango [Paperback]

Chris Haslam (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 2003

Within the space of ninety late afternoon minutes I had snorted up a quarter-gram of coke, smoked an eighth of blinding kif and then knocked back a half pint of 80- proof home-grown aguardiente. It was reasonable to expect that I might be feeling a little off-centre.' Martin, an assuming, apathetic, amoral, yet eminently likeable character lives just in from the costa dealing to get by but dreams of expanding his business into a real money-spinner. When an old acquaintance turns up on his doorstep and promptly dies, leaving behind five kilos of high-quality cocaine, Martin realises his dream could come true without him actually having to do any work. But then the owners of the coke turn up, just a little bit upset that their property has gone missing ...Written with incredible pace and a truly original humour we follow Martin across the unforgiving landscape of rural Spain as, through a combination of bad luck, stupidity and downright betrayal, his situation becomes ever more desperate.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Haslam's perpetually stoned protagonist, Martin Brock, a throwback to the seventies, would give the venerable Hunter Thompson a run for his money in the staggering amount of pharmaceuticals he ingests on a daily basis. Englishman Martin is on a serious downward spiral, living in a ruined castle on the Spanish coast; dealing overpriced, stepped-on drugs to the tourists; being henpecked by a coke-addicted harridan; and consorting with an overly paranoid motley crew of expatriates. Droll and self-deprecating, Martin is all too aware of the rut he is in. Then an old friend appears and promptly dies, leaving Martin five kilos of cocaine so pure he gets brain freeze just looking at it. But the drugs bring in their wake a set of ruthless gangsters. Showing more ambition than he has in years, Martin refuses to tell them where he has stashed the coke, leading them on a merry chase through the foothills, wheezing all the way. A memorable debut novel full of high energy and dark wit. Joanne Wilkinson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

A classy debut caper The DAILY MAIL Haslam writes with brio... you could happily waste a few hours over the end result Time Out

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Abacus (June 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0349115907
• ISBN-13: 978-0349115900
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome, intelligent thriller, May 17, 2004

By 

Douglas Cox "retired programmer" (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Twelve-Step Fandango (Paperback)

This is one of the best books I've ever read, and I'm very jaded as far as good writing goes. Chris Haslam is an amazingly good writer if this is indeed his first novel. His use of the English language is a joy. He may go a little too far in his use of similies, but he is definitely a master of them. As for the plot, the pace, and the characterizations, they're also just about as good as I've ever encountered. I don't know who to compare him to, because he's written an intelligent thriller with a mix of excitement and literary skills I've never seen before. But the book IS about a drug dealer/user (cocaine) in the south of Spain who gets into some serious drug-related trouble, so it won't appeal to everyone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read, July 10, 2005

By 

J. Miller "AJM" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Twelve-Step Fandango (Paperback)

While waiting for an airplane I happened open this book. It was a great read! Two thirds of the way through I was still waiting for the hero to appear, but couldn't put it down! This book will draw you in and also make you realize how bad drug addiction can be. This author must have done his or her share of drugs.

Nonetheless, if you want to get lost in a great story that you can't put down, read this book.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars clever title: should have used some of that on the plot., November 26, 2006

By 

Terry Oreilly (San Mateo, Ca.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Twelve-Step Fandango (Paperback)

A druggies trip through Spain with a weak crime plot which is unconvincing even for the stoned. The writer has talent but not much of a plot. if he wants to find out how to write an addict's mystery story with conviction, i suggest Ken Bruen or Ian Rankin.
A cult book, probably because druggies don't write as well as alcoholics.