Laurence Shames: Sunburn (USA 2015)

From the Publisher:
It's not easy being the Godfather. All those secrets and all that guilt add up to a terrible burden--a weight that's killing Vincente Delgatto. When the old man travels to Key West for a visit with his illegitimate son -- Joey Goldman, the unlikely hero of FLORIDA STRAITS -- Joey floats the idea of a conscience-easing memoir, to be written in collaboration with a local reporter.

It's a well-intentioned but extremely dangerous idea, since no one -- not the Mafia, not the FBI, not the legitimate heir to the Delgatto family business -- wants to see that memoir published. Will Vincente live long enough to get a lifetime's worth of secrets off his chest? Will writer Arty Magnus ever actually finish a book? For that matter, will Bert the Shirt and his chihuahua Don Giovanni ever enjoy a completely successful walk, and are there punishments enough on earth for Gino, the ingrate son who'd rat out his own father?

Balancing suspense and humor, double-crosses and tenderness, SUNBURN is both a full-throttle crime novel and a touching meditation on family, old age, and the many shades of human loyalty.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn. CreateSpace Independent Publ., ISBN: 9781508661238 (March, 2015), 298 p., $12.99, eBook $4.99.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn (USA 2001)

From the Publisher:
Laurence Shames is the author of Eight Key West novels: Mangrove Squeeze, Virgin Heat, Tropical Depression, Sunburn, Scavenger Reef, Florida Straits, Welcome To Paradise, and The Naked Detective. He is also the uncredited co-writer of the New York Times Bestseller Boss of Bosses. Shames lives with his wife Marilyn in Key West, Florida.

When Joey Goldman's illegitimate father, a nefarious godfather from New York, heads to Key West, Joey has the bright idea of letting a Key West reporter help write his memoirs, a book that no one - the Mafia, the FBI, or the real heir to Delgatto's family business - wants to see published.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn. Backinprint.com, ISBN: 0595006388 (December, 2000), 376 p., $21.95.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn (UK 1998)

From the Publisher:
WINNER OF THE CWA LAST LAUGH DAGGER IN 1995
Joey Goldman is playing host to his newly widowed father Vincente Delgatto, the capo di tutti capi. Desperately searching for something to keep his old man occupied, Joey comes up with the idea of a memoir. Bert the Shirt D'Ambrosio doesn't think this is such a good idea - since when has keeping secrets gone out of fashion with the Mob? But Key West is a million miles from the mean streets of New York, and the last great Godfather is persuaded by a mixture of sunshine and nostalgia to dish the dirt of a lifetime to a local hack. It could be a bestseller that will make Arty Magnus's name.

One thing's sure when the Mafia or the FBI get to hear of Vincente's new pastime the big guns are all pointing Joey's way

Laurence Shames: Sunburn. Orion Books, ISBN: 0752815989 (May, 1998), 328 p., £5.99.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn (UK 1996)

From the Publisher:
Murder. Mayhem. And some very high protection factors...
Joey is back. He's respectable, married and grills great fish. His father, Vincent Delgatto, the last great mafia Godfather has come to visit, and following in his wake is Gino, Joey's half-brother. Following Gino is chaos.

Sunburn continues the story begun in Florida Straits -as Laurence Shames brings his sun-dazed Key West characters back to even brighter life: Gino's girlfriend Debbi, no ordinary bimbo; Bert the Shirt, deeply concerned about his ancient and constipated chihuahua and Joey's Pop. Can he really be planning to let go the secrets of a lifetime...?

Laurence Shames: Sunburn. Pan Books, ISBN: 0330343564 (August, 1996), 328 p., £5.99.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn (USA 1996)

From the Publisher:
"A DELIGHT FROM PAGE ONE WITH ITS PERFECT PITCH DIALOGUE, MEMONABLE CHARACTERS, AND FLASHY, FUNNY STORTLINE." - THE MIAMI HERALD

When Vincente Delgatto, an aging Mafia godfather, heads down to Key West to spend time with his half-Jewish bastard son, Joey Goldman, he thinks that the worst thing that can happen is that he'll get a little too much sun.

"WELL IMAGINED AND EXTREMELY ENJOYABLE... DELIGHTFUL!" - CHICAGO TRIBUNE

But it's other people who get burned. Like the Key West reporter who befriends the old man and helps him write his memoirs, a book that no one-the Mafia, the FBI, or the real heir to Deigatto's family business-wants to see published....

"SUNBURN IS ONE OF THOSE BOOKS YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO END." - BOOKLIST

And before it's over, no one who touches the godfather is safe: not the sexy pet shop beautician, not the musclehead FBI agent with dreams of glory, not Bert the Shirt-the octogenarian ex-wiseguy who tries to save the day with the help of his ancient, constipated chihuahua.

SUNBURN IS MORE THAN A THRILLER - IT'S AN ESCAPE FROM REALITY AND THE PERFECT TONIC AT THE END OF A HARD DAY." - ORLANDO SENTINEL

Because who would dare target the godfather when there are so many others to choose from! Sunburn is Laurence Shames's sharpest, funniest, most engaging navel yet.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn. A Thriller. Hyperion, ISBN: 0786889039 (March, 1996), 384 p., $4.99.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn (USA 1995)

From the Publisher:
Enter the wild and wonderful world of Laurence Shames's Key West novels-and discover the hottest crime fiction to emerge from the Sunshine State.

When Vincente Delgatto -- an aging Mafia godfather decides to spend some time in Key West with his half-Jewish bastard son Joey Goldman (who is decidedly not in the family business), he thinks that the worst that can happen is he'll get a little too much sun. After all, the only thing he wants is peace and quiet, and some time to recover from the recent loss of his sainted wife.

But then Joey introduces the old man to his pal Arty Magnus, a local reporter who has had his fill of covering what passes for crime in this funky community of tourists and refugees. Together, they cook up the idea of collaborating on the godfather's memoirs: the last word on the decline and fall of the mob.

But it's not so easy.

Just as Arty gets the old man to open up, others hope to shut him down. Word leaks out that the godfather is talking, and all have their own reasons for wanting him stopped -- from the FBI to the New York mob to Vincente's own legitimate son Gino, who can't just stand by and watch his family business being given away. But does anyone dare target the godfather? Or do they target the godfather's ghostwriter?

A wonderful mix of savory characters-a sexy pet shop beautician, an ambitious musclehead FBI agent who has career dreams of bringing down the godfather, and an octogenarian ex-wiseguy who tries to save the day with the help of his ancient, constipated chihuahua -- all work together to keep the plot running at full throttle, and make Sunburn Laurence Shames's sharpest, funniest, most engaging novel yet.

Laurence Shames: Sunburn. A Thriller. Hyperion, ISBN: 0786860685 (March, 1995), 279 p., $21.95.