# Big Trouble

By Dave Barry

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/big-trouble-6f7030b3/

Matt Arnold's water-pistol assassination game brings him to Jenny Herk's house just as professional killers arrive for her embezzling stepfather. An advertising man and a drifter sleeping in the yard get caught in the same Coconut Grove mess.

## What makes it funny?

Puggy thinks Miami has treated him wonderfully: within hours of arriving, he's been paid to vote repeatedly. Accepting a lower fee for his fourth ballot seems to him like giving something back.

### The comedy at work

Barry lets characters apply cheerful everyday reasoning to criminal behavior. The water-pistol game and the real hit overlap, while Kirkus notes that even the animals pursue agendas of their own.

### Try this if…

Crime capers with a crowded cast and a relaxed attitude toward suspense are the draw. Kirkus praises the genial handling of the chaos; this is a promising choice when you prefer foolish criminals to grim procedural detail.

### Good to know

The setup includes murder attempts, an alcoholic stepfather, and sexual references. Barry's satire extends to Miami's elections and civic life.

## What to expect

- Genre: Crime & thriller
- On the shelf: Crime caper
- Kind of humor: Farce · Satire
- The atmosphere: Irreverent
- Format: Novel
- Length: 304 pages
- Audiobook: 7 hr 12 min
- Published: 1999

## A few distinguishing details

- A teenage water-pistol game intersects a professional hit
- A drifter treats paid repeat voting as civic generosity

## Sources & further reading

- Publisher: [Publisher](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/335460/big-trouble-by-dave-barry)
- Review: [Kirkus review](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/dave-barry/big-trouble)
- Book information: [Unabridged audiobook](https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/big-trouble-unabridged/id291545290)
- Reading sample: [Chapter one excerpt](https://www.bookbrowse.com/excerpts/index.cfm/book_number/441/big-trouble)