Tricky Business
Written by Dave Barry
Narrated by Dick Hill
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
The Extravaganza of the Seas is a five-thousand-ton cash cow, a top-heavy tub whose sole function is to carry gamblers three miles from the Florida coast, take their money, then bring them back so they can find more money. In the middle of a tropical storm one night, these characters are among the passengers it carries: Fay Benton, a single mom and cocktail waitress desperate for something to go right for once; Johnny and the Contusions, a ship’s band with so little talent they are…well, the ship’s band; Arnold and Phil, two refugees from the Beaux Arts Senior Center; Lou Tarant, a wide, bald man who has killed nine people, though none recently; and an assortment of uglies whose job it is to facilitate the ship’s true business, which is money-laundering or drug-smuggling or…something.
Dave Barry
DAVE BARRY is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor writer and bestselling author whose work has appeared in hundreds of newspapers.
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For This We Left Egypt?: A Passover Haggadah for Jews and Those Who Love Them Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Thalia Book Club: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Sword of Mercy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Swamp Story: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry's Money Secrets: Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Big Trouble Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry Is Not Taking This Sitting Down Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Science Fair Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism from Dave Barry Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lessons From Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old, Happy Dog Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry's Greatest Hits Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dave Barry Talks Back Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster): Life Lessons and Other Ravings from Dave Barry Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry Is from Mars and Venus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry's Worst Songs and Other Hits Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for Tricky Business
277 ratings18 reviews
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I so didn't enjoy this book. Although I admit I have bias against violence, this one caught me totally off guard. I read Dave Barry's "Complete Guide to Guys" and then I read this...total shock. This book has so much unnecessary violence. It was touted to me by a friend as this totally hilarious book - turns out she read the first chapter and got too busy to finish it. It's not a funny read, although it might have some dark humor. But if you're into gore and details, I guess you're ready for this book.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Tricky Business doesn't come together quite as well as Big Trouble, and a little more of the action has to be resolved in the epilogue, however this is still great, outrageous fun.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An enjoyable romp with some very good jokes, some dramatic tension and a couple of scenes that are joyfully nauseating. The narration is absolutely perfect. A happy escape for a few hours.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Time with Dave Barry and his characters, is time well spent. Thanks!
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Silly story about a casino ship hijacking during a tropical storm. Some very funny lines the Dave Barry who is a Florida humorist, but overall I got bored with the whole thing.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I was very disappointed with this book. I found it EXCESSIVELY trashy. Barry has lost his way.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I was very disappointed by this, after reading 2 Dave Barry novels that were clever, intriguing, and full of fun.In this one, Barry seems to substitute violence, including fairly graphic scenes of torture, for humor.I do not find this a winning strategy.The excessive violence- Ok, mostly toward the Bad Guys- and especially the torture really turned me off. I was not expecting grimdark here.The plot is OK. The senior citizens who save the day are great. The use of farting as a plot device was... interesting. All endedd well except for the Bad Guys, who met gruesome fates.Parts of the plot were silly, and without the violence might have made a much more fun novel.I really do not recommend this one. Barry has written some fabulous southern Florida funny crime novels- read them instead.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An utterly hilarious look at the cruise industry through the eyes of one of Florida's most famous humorists. The section that starts on pg. 18 makes me, even now, laugh until I'm completely incoherent: I can't even read it out loud.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I don't know why this scores less than Big Trouble, because Tricky Business is definitely funnier than the latter. Not only that, it's smarter and more imaginative. Unfortunately, the surprise factor of Big Trouble had worn off. Still, the gags are hilarious and if you tell them to your friends, you'll get laugh out loud laughs. Just like Big Trouble, this book is funniest in the first few chapters, after which the plot thickens and the jokes dry up. For such a good book there's quite a few pages dedicated to flatulence and barfing jokes. If you can get past that, then definitely pick up this book to read.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Tricky Business doesn't come together quite as well as Big Trouble, and a little more of the action has to be resolved in the epilogue, however this is still great, outrageous fun.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I have enjoyed Dave Barry's column and collections for a long time. This is like a Where's Waldo book, looking for the humorous writing that I normally associate with him. It is in there, but it is mixed in with a serious combinations of mobsters, drug-trafficers, undercover agents, geriatrics, and a whole cast of other characters. I just read this for the second time, and found it to still be an enjoyable entertaining read. Much grittier than his other writing, without a single reference to boogers, (thought there are references to other bodily functions). Definately an adult drama with homor.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Don't expect this to be a "funny" Dave Berry book - it's not. It's a strange mystery novel.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dave Barry's second novel delivers the same hilarious and fast-paced action as his first. Tricky Business is a wonderful novel in the true Barry style.The plot revolves around a gambling cruise ship that leaves a wharf in Florida every night to take its passengers into international waters, where they can gamble to their hearts' content until it's time to turn around and go home. Unbeknownst to the gambling passengers, the ship is not just a floating casino; the owners of the boat use it for drug smuggling and money laundering.So what happens when a sleazy, rich, and relatively stupid guy buys the boat, is forced to be party to the ongoing smuggling, and decides to take action --- because he wants a piece of the action. On the same night that one of the smugglers has also decided to take over operations and abscond with all the money and drugs being transported that night.And what will the crew --- including the aging garage band that plays, essentially, Muzak for three hours every night --- do in the insanity that erupts when the takeovers start conflicting all over the place? Is the sexy single mother serving as a cocktail waitress really just a waitress? And who is in the pink foam conch suit?This is not a book for children. Aside from lavish use of the F-word, there is a good bit of sex and violence in the story. So, this is a grown-up book. But it's a grown-up book that will leave you feeling like a kid again.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A rare mix of laugh-out-loud hysterics and a serious mystery. Dave Barry is right up there with Carl Hiaasen.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5surprisingly good plot, reasonably controlled silliness
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I love Dave Barry's humor columns, but this book had too much death in it for me. Call me innocent or naive if you will, but I prefer when he writes about silly things going on in the world instead of a bunch of bad guys dying. There were funny parts, and in the book he says that all the people who died were scumbags, which was true, but I just don't like graphic descriptions of people being killed. Turns my stomach. Sorry Dave Barry! I love your work and I will continue to be a faithful reader of your humor and young adult books. :)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'm a huge Dave Barry fan so I was patiently awaiting the release of this book. While it wasn't quite as good as Big Trouble, I still thoroughly enjoyed this one. Great characters, entertaining plot and just enough slight twists to keep you one your toes. Highly recommended in the humor category.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dave Barry is a genius when it comes to writing comedic situations. Great summer pick. A lot longer then his first "Big Trouble", but well worth it!!!