This was a truly fast and entertaining read. Our protagonist, Tim Kearney, is something very akin to Inspector Clouseau, man so very much out of his depth but with that streak of luck and raw instinct that makes him survive under the most impossible conditions ever.

Forced by DEA to impersonate a very powerful marijuana kingpin (using the fact that mentioned kingpin is dead) Tim gets involved in weird exchange with Mexican narco cartel where he is to be exchanged for the blown undercover police agent. But when this exchange goes down in a very very bad way Tim will have to find a way to survive because it is obvious everybody has something against the guy he is impersonating - cartels, crime network he left after his death, his love interest (or interests?) to name the few - plus we have people that want Tim dead because he is Tim ... not this other guy.

So underestimated by all parties involved Tim will prove a touch nut to crack (I mean how much do we know about people, right? This must be question in the head of the DEA officers during this entire novel :)) and end game is nothing short of epic.

Level of action, twists, bad guys getting surprised and blown away (and ever growing "street cred" for our boy Tim) makes this material that just flies from the pages. There are few steamy sex scenes too but they just feel organic to the whole plot, this disaster waiting to happen on every turn. At the end of each chapter you just can see Tim escaping the most certain death by the skin of his teeth.

Very enjoyable book, great action adventure novel. I haven't seen the movie so cannot give any comparison here but give yourself a treat and read the novel.

Highly recommended to all fans of crime fiction. ( )

Cuando Tim Kearney, un delincuente de poca monta, le rebana en cuello a un motorista de la banda de los Ángeles del Infierno y se gana una perpetua en una cárcel llena de colegas del difunto, sabe que es hombre muerto. Hasta el día en que la DEA le hace una jugosa propuesta: la libertad a cambio de suplantar al legendario traficante de drogas Bobby Z y convertirse así en la moneda de cambio que permita a la agencia recuperar a uno de sus agentes. Pero algo sale mal y Tim tiene que improvisar una huida a través del desierto en la frontera entre EE. UU. y México. Pisándole los talones van el FBI, un enjambre de motoristas, señores de la droga y un siniestro indio americano experto en rastreo.

3.5⭐️ ( )

A three time loser named Tim Kearney is recruited to play the role of a dead drug dealer/legend, Bobby Z in an attempt to trade for a federal agent, but things get very messy when Tim gets involved with a beautiful woman and Bobby's son. In an incredulous metamorphosis, Tim becomes principled and helps rescue the boy and girl when big trouble ensues (in the form of a Mexican drug lord.) ( )

This one didn't grab me immediately but was well worth sticking with. It's funny and frantic and really good. Tim Kearney is a real looser. As he says he's great at breaking and entering. It's breaking, entering and EXITING that he hasn't perfected. He keeps getting caught. Then in prison he has to kill a Hell's Angel so now even his life in prison is in jeopardy. He's offered an out - just impersonate a drug dealer for a trade for a government agent. He takes the deal and the story takes off. It doesn't sound funny, I know, but… trust me. ( )