| A novel based around real estate in Miami, I | | | | Walter, who also happens to own one of |
| was not convinced that I would enjoy it. I | | | | Benji's favorite watering holes needs 'dirt |
| had thoughts of tawdry love affairs among | | | | help', he leaps, albeit reluctantly, into the |
| realtor's, and board room struggles between | | | | ride of his life. |
| power brokers. But, instead I found a hugely | | | | |
| entertaining, and side splittingly funny | | | | The rather decrepit Century Club that Walter |
| novel that makes me chuckle every time I see | | | | owns has suddenly become a much sought after |
| the cover. This is humor at its very apex. | | | | piece of dirt. And there are few lengths that |
| Humor is a hard genre to be successful in but | | | | an unscrupulous developer will not go to |
| this author definitely has 'The Write Stuff.' | | | | secure it's ownership. |
| | | | |
| Alan Rolnick has created a vignette of life | | | | The characters that Alan Rolnick has created |
| in Miami with Landmark Status that deserves a | | | | are wild. But they are so well crafted they |
| spot on the best seller list. The characters | | | | take on a reality in the readers mind. From |
| are wild, bent politicians, bent land | | | | the accident prone Benjy, to the money hungry |
| developers, and even a Ponzi scheme thrown in | | | | mayor Oscar Torres, the even money hungrier |
| for good measure, and what finer setting than | | | | would be land developer Chuck Steinbeck and |
| Miami? | | | | his slightly aging trophy wife Evelyn, they |
| | | | are all so well described I can guarantee you |
| The hero in our story is attorney Steven | | | | will love them. And these are just the |
| Benjamin Bluestone, Benjy to his friends. | | | | beginning, we also have love interest from |
| Benjy is a delightful character, and as he | | | | the Mayors niece Delia, we have Raj the Cigar |
| explains early in the book, he became an | | | | Man, oh, and of course Rico the bungling |
| attorney because his father was one, but he | | | | bodyguard! |
| has little interest in wrangling and | | | | |
| courtroom drama preferring the more sedate | | | | This is a riotous book, you are laughing on |
| type of lawyering that involves smoking Cuban | | | | page one, and you are still laughing on the |
| cigars and ogling young ladies! He avoids at | | | | last page. There are cars wrecked, planes |
| all cost the world of Real Estate, 'Dirt | | | | burned, Voodoo curses, even cemeteries |
| Lawyers' is how he describes them. | | | | desecrated, and this is all achieved with a |
| | | | dark humor that I find hard to believe comes |
| Unfortunately for Benjy an old client | | | | from a first time author. This is also a book |
| returns, one who had used his services in a | | | | that would transition easily into a very very |
| divorce (something else that Benjy doesn't | | | | funny movie. And I did note that Alan Rolnick |
| do), and persuades him to assist in a 'dirt | | | | is not only an attorney, and an author, he is |
| deal'. If Benjy has a fault it is not being | | | | also a director, so come on Alan, make it |
| able to say no, when ex client, and friend | | | | happen! |