The “Dutch Uncle” in this book is Harry’s uncle Manfred, a hard-partying coke fiend! Who ends up being murdered. And then Harry goes on the run. And then, well, and then it just didn't interest me at all. Definitely one of my least favorite books on the Hard Case Crime label. ( )

Florida is a frequent locale for crime stories, but the fact that Pavia uses Florida as his locale doesn't mean he's a copycat. This tale stands on its own merit. It takes the reader to a more recent world of Miami Beach, a world of endless beaches and wannabe models looking for an agent to set them up, a world of parolees who can't land a real job, a world of cocaine dealers and addicts, a world of ripoffs and backstabbers, and Barroom brawls, and the pounding beat coming from dozens of nightclubs.
This book, Dutch Uncle, is the real deal. Harry came down to Florida with a seemingly rich girlfriend who he never hears from again after a bar brawl lands him six months in County. Upon getting out, he thinks about playing it straight but he needs the cash a few quick deliveries for the Dutch Uncle, Manfred, can pay off. Harry didn't bargain on getting caught up in murder. Leo set him up with this deal but Leo has his hands full with Vicki who doesn't like to wear clothes and never leaves the house and two good old boys he sends to do his dirty work. As the body count grows, the police start focusing on Harry and Leo. Detective Martinson is a character in his own right and Lili Acevedo is like Angie Dickinson returning as Jennifer Lopez in tight beige suits. Pavia gets the cool beat of Miami Beach just right. Terrific reading and truly a worthwhile addition to the Hard Case Crime series. ( )

Fresh out of jail, Harry Healy bumps into old cell-mate Leo Hannah. Leo offers Harry a job delivering some cocaine. Harry'd been hoping to play it straight, but the job seems too easy to pass up.

Things go smooth (well, smooth enough for a drug deal anyway) until Harry returns to find the supplier, Manfred Pfiser (the Dutch Uncle of the title) dead. Figuring he's been set up, Harry hoofs it and all sorts of complications ensue.

The book is set in Florida and Peter Pavia excels at capturing the atmosphere of the place. The sunshine, the fashions, clubs, dives, models, gangsters, drugs and quirky weirdos are all here and presented well. There were tons of little, off-hand details of life in Florida and various criminal activities worked into the narrative that made me feel that Pavia knew the scene he was describing. He could be way off the mark, but to an outsider like me, the details rang true and gave the book an added depth.

I loved the author's voice. Though the book is written in the third person, Pavia injects personality and wry observations into the narrative, occasionally giving it a first person flavor. This might sound like it would be distracting, but it works very well, giving the writing real personality.

The characters had some depth to them. Well, at least Harry and the officer, Martinson did. None of the characters were likeable, but then again this is a crime story, so they don't have to be. The characters were all at least believable.

On the downside, the author had a habit of going off on tangents. Though they would usually relate back to the story, sometimes it felt like he was indulging himself. In a reversal of a typical crime novel setup, this story begins with a single narrative that diverges in to three separate storylines, following Harry, Leo and detective Martinson. Each story was interesting, but it never felt like the book was really going anywhere. This, I think, is the book's biggest sin. It lacked tension. A driving force that would push me to keep picking up the book. It didn't feel like a Hard Case Crime book at all.

The book was exceptionally well written. I would definitely give Peter Pavia another chance. It's almost worth reading just for the Florida vibe it so effortlessly gives off. However it is also the weakest of the Hard Case Crime books I've yet read. ( )