Meanwhile Back at the Ranch

This was the first Kinky Friedman book that I have ever read. I picked it up at the library after hearing that he was an "interesting" author in a few magazine write-ups. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.This book reads very well and VERY quick. The characters portrayed in the book are full of quirks, ticks, and other little nuances that add to their personalities. As the story moved on, I found myself laughing out loud at quite a few pages and at the same time, still being intrigued at the mystery. You don't find a lot of mystery books with a twist like that.Kinky Friedman succeeds in this book by not taking himself too seriously and at the same time tells an in depth story. Pick it up... you'll be glad you did!

Private detective (and former musician) Kinky Friedman finds himself torn between a missing three-legged cat in Texas and a missing autistic child in New York. The cat comes first and Kinky heads down to Utopia, Texas for some good-ole-boy moments, but his duty calls him back to New York where his recurring pal Rambam demands to be made part of the case (Rambam also thinks he might have found his future bride--the sister of the missing child and an obvious suspect). Using visions, both his own and others', and some clever detecting Kinky strips away some of the confusion--but can either a three-legged cat or an autistic child survive for long on their own--either in the wilds of Texas or those of New York? Fans of the Kinky Friedman series will find a lot to enjoy in MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH. Kinky's observations about life in general, his descriptions of the customs and people he meets, and his insights into human nature ring true. Kinky's strange similies will bring a smile to even the most jaded reader (maybe especially to the jaded reader). And Friedman goes out of his way to be an equal opportunity offender, slinging insults at all religions and ways of life. Kinky Friedman books are not for everyone but MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH is one of the better ones.

God bless Kinky Friedman, member of the country-freak outfit the Jewboys and author of 15 novels. There've been stalls in the series, poorly executed plotlines, and inexcusable scatalogical humor. Yet, Friedman's detective series based not-so-loosely on himself and his friends, is as fresh as ever with Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch. I enjoyed Friedman's other Texas adventures, although I'm not sure if readers like seeing him spend an entire novel away from his home base of New York City. Here we get a perfect mix, as Kinky is balancing several mysteries at once, and one of them sends him down to the Texas hill country to team up with a dog to find a cat. Yeah, I know...but it's hilarious. Just read it.The NYC portion of the book has a storyline that is slightly more of a serious nature, and Rambam (one of the more serious Village Irregulars) is brought in to help out with the rough stuff. An autistic child is missing and a serial killer is on the loose, although any regular Friedman reader knows that the solution to the mystery is often not of great import. Speaking of sidekicks, why is Ratso only onboard for a page or two? Perhaps real life Larry "Ratso" Sloman's success with the reissue of his Bob Dylan book will thrust him back into Kinky's universe. Sorry, I miss him. While Kinky's rants on life have tamed some over the years, he's maintained a personal touch that connects with people. It's a short book (like the entries before it) and can be read in a short afternoon. Expect more Willie Nelson than Ellery Queen.

this book is the latest in the adventures of country star turned best selling author kinky friedman. it brings back the village irregulars (kinky's cast of crazy characters) & continues the friedman series. this book isn't about solving mysteries as much as it is about a unique outlook on life that is both humane and to the point. kinky's mantra is: if you can't laugh a little at life then there doesn't seem to be much worth living for. this book adheres to this addage and provides the reader with a fun trip in search of a young autistic boy who only says "shnay" while in persuit of a lost three legged cat named lucky. definately worth a read if you are just looking for something fun or if you are a returning friedman fan.

For private sleuth Kinky Friedman working on more than one case at a time is just too much work. Yet now he is stuck with two distinct investigations in different parts of the country. The first case involves the search for a missing eleven-year-old autistic child, Dylan Weinberg, whose entire vocabulary consists of one expression "shnay". The other case focuses on a vanished cat in Texas.For Kinky, the case he prefers to work on is the missing boy, not because he is altruistic, but because Dylan's sister Julia is a sexy siren. However, he finds himself at Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in Texas seeking the lost Lucky whose owner Cousin Nancy Parker plans to call in the Feds of several nations if Kinky does not find her purloined feline soon. However, Kinky decides to work both cases with the hope his consoling Julia turns more into her consoling him.The latest Kinky Friedman novel can be summed up in one word (not shnay, but kinky). The hero remains as irreverent and wild as ever and his support cast, including the irregulars as well as his current clients, enables Kinky to be wackier than ever. Fans of the series will fully relish his dividing time between Manhattan, the Texas ranch, and even Schenectady, as he takes no prisoners in solving his cases.Harriet Klausner