CRASHED is one of my first reads by Timothy Hallinan and
I loved the book! A laugh out loud read, that will have you
on the edge of your seat at times. Junior Bender
performs some funny antics when breaking into homes, etc.
Junior Bender has been breaking into homes since he was
fourteen years old and has never been caught... not
until now. Junior has been set up for blackmail by Trey
Annunziato, a very powerful crime boss in L.A. Trey wants
to use Junior as a private investigator for a porn movie
starring Thistle Downing, a child star who was loved by her
fans. Sadly, Thistle is taking so many drugs, and with the
passing of time, she looks terrible, used up and is going
down a path of destruction.
Junior must find out who is sabotaging the movie even
though he finds himself feeling bad for Thistle, but if he
helps her to get out of ruination, he will be putting his
own life at risk. Thistle will make a lot of
money for doing the porn movie even though it's not the
best for her, but Junior has some strange friends who help
them along the way. There are lot's of laughs in this
story, but always keep in mind that Junior does work on the
opposite side of the law.
I look forward to reading more about Junior, for he's a
fun character, full of charm and caring in his own way.
INTRODUCING JUNIOR BENDER, THE FAVORITE
BURGLAR-TURNED-PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR OF HOLLYWOOD CROOKS
Junior Bender is a Los Angeles burglar with a magic touch.
Since he first started breaking into houses when he was
fourteen years old, he’s never once been caught. But now,
after twenty-two years of an exemplary career, Junior has
been blackmailed by Trey Annunziato, one of the most
powerful crime bosses in LA, into acting as a private
investigator on the set of Trey’s porn movie venture, which
someone keeps sabotaging. The star Trey has lined up to do
all that’s unwholesome on camera is Thistle Downing,
America’s beloved child star, who now lives alone in a
drug-induced stupor, destitute and uninsurable. Her starring
role will be the scandalous fall-from-grace gossip of
rubber-neckers across the country. No wonder Trey needs help
keeping the production on track.
Junior knows what that he should do—get Thistle out and find
her help—but doing the right thing will land him on the
wrong side of LA’s scariest mob boss. With the help of his
precocious twelve-year-old daughter, Rina, and his criminal
sidekick, Louie the Lost (an ex-getaway driver), Junior has
to figure out a miracle solution.