PADANARAM VILLAGE

In Burbank’s comedic thriller, a financially strapped architect stumbles upon a windfall with dangerous consequences.

The year is 1999. Rich Lewis is an architect who, due to the highly unfavorable terms of his divorce, is in dire financial straits; Rich can hardly pay his rent, let alone his other bills. Something shocking happens: Rich is out doing some nature photography when two mobsters enter the area and bury a body. Along with the body, they also bury two suitcases full of money—lots of money. After they leave, Rich investigates. He calls the police with an anonymous tip about the body and makes off with almost 30 million dollars. Rich speaks to his attorney, Alan, about the situation; Alan tells him this has bad news written all over it. It turns out the money belongs to a local gangster named Carlo Bartelli. Surely Carlo will want his money back, and surely Carlo is not to be trifled with. But Rich has a plan to free himself of responsibility while also sticking it to his ex-wife’s obnoxious new man, a real estate agent named Tom Cochrane. Burbank spins an intriguing, fast-moving plot with plenty of humor thrown into the mix. For instance, when someone uses the acronym I.C.U. over the phone, the other person, thinking they meant “I see you,” responds with, “Do you see me now?” As silly as such jokes are, they keep the caper lighthearted. Some of the characterizations, on the other hand, are not as successful. Carlo is a mafia stereotype right down to the way he likes to play bocce ball and make “special meatballs.” While a more extreme or nuanced version of a mobster could be played for laughs, Carlo does not come across as particularly funny. Still, the story’s premise makes for a relatable situation—the reader can’t help but think about what they might do in Rich’s shoes and will be compelled to read on to find out what happens.

A playful, briskly paced story about the perils of easy money.