Steve Bentley’s Calypso Caper by Robert Dietrich

Do you remember that episode of X Files where the Smoking Man gets a rejection letter for the pulp paperback novel he wrote?

There is no way that wasn’t a nod to E Howard Hunt, the man who wrote under the name Robert Dietrich. I don’t want to get in-depth here, but he was CIA and had a hand in major shady events, one being the Watergate scandal. He was a real-life Smoking Man. Look ‘em up.

But let me tell you, for being a terrible person he sure could write an enjoyable little hardboiled mystery. I mean, who wouldn’t love to read the Smoking Man’s book?? I bet it’s like a Sam Durell novel. Tough but not too flashy. A little morose.

I love stories set in the Caribbean. It feels like I’m on vacation. I can envision it so well that I never want to actually go there because it would ruin my fantasies of what I imagine it to be. Typical book person, I know.

Steve Bentley is a CPA from Washington DC. Yeah, our tough talking, murder solving, chick laying hero is a fucking accountant. I’m sure there are some hard accountants out there, it’s just not the first thing you think of for a protagonist of a manly crime novel. I’m not sure if that makes it better though. In fact, even though I enjoyed the whole thing I never got used to it. Like, why is this accountant solving murders??

He’s hired by his rich friend to help navigate a financial deal with a team of investors to buy a large piece of the island to build condos or a resort or something like that. Immediately we get handed a Mai Tai and front row seats to the friend’s rocky marriage. Fun! I love bickering in books. Actually, it’s not that bad. Husband has some infidelities. Wife pounds down the drinks.

Coincidentally the body of a criminal ex-casino owner has floated to shore. It’s the talk of the town. The locals even made a calypso song about it. That reminds me, I doubt it needs to be said knowing who the author was, but the language isn’t of the highest regard for the locals. We’ll just leave it at that.

Rich buddy has been having an affair with a “mulato” Calypso singer. She works at a bar owned by the island gangster who also happens to be ex-partner of floating body, who also happens to be married but separated to one of the investor’s daughters. Keeping it all straight? Good.

Murder shows up. Rich friend is accused. There are many possible murderers on the island to choose from. A whole lotta motives. Steve picks up the investigation and kicks around the island talking to people. We’ve got foxy ladies, frustrated feds, physical altercations, relationship drama, illegal gambling, colorful locals, calypso songs, conspiracies, more dead bodies, slick lawyerin’, and plenty of drinking.

I was reading a Stephen Marlowe book at the same time, and I have to say, Calypso Caper blew it out of the water. It was so much smoother. This book is a sugar filled fruity blender drink, heavy on the rum. The laid-back tropical setting. The nonchalant way that Bentley investigates the crime with a mixed drink in one hand and a babe on the other made it feel more like a little vacation adventure than a serious crime. Dark it is not. Not to say it wasn’t hardboiled. That’s what I think made it stand out so much for me. It wasn’t 3am dark alleys in the rain but it was 3am island jungle with a cool misty breeze coming off the ocean. It still had that hard edge, but the tension was simmering. You want to know what happens but first let’s finish this drink.

I absolutely loved it. I’m not sure I would like the others in the series though as it seems like he’s usually in Washington DC but who knows? Everyone on the internet says Calypso Caper is the worst of the series. Maybe they just hate fun?

Dell 1961

Covert art: Tom Miller

Review by Nick Anderson