The Up and Up

Returning to the boisterous, colorful world he created in his critically acclaimed crime novel, 7,000 Clams, Lee Irby opens a unique and exhilarating window on the Roaring Twenties. Charming yet ill-fated Frank Hearn is ready to leave behind his high-stakes lifestyle and finally stake his claim in the worldand no place promises a quicker route to the good life than Miami. With suckers aplenty looking for land in the Sunshine State, Frank and his partner, the well-connected son of a former mayor, plan to make a killing in the real estate biz. The first thing on Franks agenda, however, is repaying a loan from Seddon Howard, the father of his very classy fiancée, Irene. A bet on a fixed jai alai match puts the cash in his pocketas well as a vengeful gambling kingpin hot on his trail.

When a close acquaintance of Franks is discovered murdered the next day, his well-intentioned plan quickly turns upside-down and he is accused of the crime. Adding to his troubles, a federal investigator is digging into his real estate transactions, while a desperate outlaw takes him on a suicide mission into the Everglades to look for a stash of buried cash. To further complicate matters, Irene, whose suspicions are already mounting, is scheduled to arrive in Miami with her parents to attend Harvey Firestones party for President Calvin Coolidge. And on the side, Gloria Swanson begins a torrid affair with the powerful banker and movie mogul Joseph P. Kennedy . . . a liaison that threatens to bring down all involved.

Miami during the Roaring Twenties is a place where the line between reality and fantasy, cop and criminal, barely existsand Lee Irby intelligently recreates its sizzle in vibrant, authentic detail. Funny, suspenseful, and filled with one-of-a-kind characters, The Up and Up ranks up there with the best of Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiassen.

"Former bootlegger Frank Hearn is just trying to make an honest buck in 1920s Miami when he falls down a rabbit hole of misfortune in Irby's captivating follow-up to 7,000 Clams (2005). Desperate to pay back a loan and prove himself worthy to the father of his well-heeled fiance, Irene Howard, Frank joins his opportunist real-estate partner in a fixed jai alai bet. When the jai alai club's mobster owner finds out and sends his goons after them, Frank escapes only to be tossed in jail and robbed of his winnings by corrupt cops. His secretary bails him out the next morning, and Irene surprises him as he's clad only in towel and eye patch — just as the dishy secretary walks in with breakfast. Before Hearn has the chance to explain, he's charged with his not-so-lucky partner's murder. Irene, harboring a tiny shred of faith in her fianc, pairs up with Horace Dyer, an honest Fed, to try to save Hearn. Ratcheting tension, smoothly incorporated flapper lingo, rich period details and likable characters should help win new fans for this humorous crime series. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

With suckers aplenty looking for land in the Sunshine State during the Roaring Twenties, Frank Hearn and his partner, the well-connected son of a former mayor, plan to make a killing in the real estate biz. However, when his partner is brutally murdered, Frank is accused of the crime.

LEE IRBY teaches history at Eckerd College and lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.