Don Bruns Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of Caribbean Mystery Books
Jamaica Blue | (2002) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Barbados Heat | (2003) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
South Beach Shakedown | (2006) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
St. Barts Breakdown | (2008) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Bahama Burnout | (2009) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Publication Order of Lessor and Moore Mystery Books
Stuff to Die For | (2006) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Stuff Dreams Are Made Of | (2008) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Stuff to Spy For | (2009) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff | (2010) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Too Much Stuff | (2011) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Hot Stuff | (2012) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Reel Stuff | (2013) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Publication Order of Quentin Archer Mystery Books
Casting Bones | (2017) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Thrill Kill | (2018) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
No Second Chances | (2018) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Publication Order of Anthologies
Don Bruns
Don Bruns is American songwriter, cook, painter, musician, advertising executive, writer, standup comic and bestselling author of nonfiction, mystery and thriller novels. He has authored over nine books and edited an anthology titled A Merry Band of Murderers.
Author Sue Grafton vigorously supported the author’s debut novel Jamaica Blue, and subsequently, the book became a part of his Caribbean series. Bruns has also written another series, Stuffed series that features two Miami detectives in their mid-twenties. The novels have been highly praised for their humorous characters and compelling storyline.
Stuff to Die For
Stuff to Die For, the first book in Stuff series introduces us to James Lessor and Skip Moore. The two have been best friends since childhood, and now they are in their mid-20’s: immature and living in a tumbledown apartment in south Florida with the hopes that soon their lives will change for the best.
The man with such goals for a better life in the future is James who gets Skip to go along with whatever he has in mind to achieve them. However, in reality, James is a cook, and his best friend James is a sells lousy security systems.
Fortunately, James receives a small share of inheritance and grabs it to buy a truck, and the two best friends decide to venture into the hauling business. James projects that his new business would make them a fortune within two years- but as a wise reader, you probably know that’s not the case.
On the other hand, Skip’s lover Emily from a wealthy social status find the two best friends their first job which involves transporting property that belonged to a Miami woman’s womanizing husband to a storage unit.
Everything seems going well for the couple until they find an envelope leaking. Upon opening it, they are shocked to find a severed finger inside the envelope- the finger has a ring on it- but from the same years as their graduation from high school.
It’s not long before Skip figure out that the finger is that of Vic Maitlin Fuentes. It is revealed that during his high school years, Skip was faced with an unsafe situation and it was Vic who risked everything to save him. Skip figure out that it’s high time to return the favor.
When James and Skip contact Rick Fuentes, Vic’s father he requests to find his son. However, its easier said than done because there are some bad guys involved. However, to find even a single clue, the two friends open some more mail in Rick stuff, and they unravel a scheme involving Los Historicos people who fund revolutionaries to reclaim their property in Cuba. James and Skip try to investigate on the up-and-up, but they soon find themselves entangled in a dangerous conspiracy that threatens their lives.
Don Bruns does a fantastic job in his first book in Stuff series. The main characters keep on getting deeper and deeper into trouble despite their effort to do what’s right. Even though they have goals that they should meet in the future, what most important for them is their friendship.
Stuff to spy for
Still “dressed” in their high school personae, we find the two best friends chasing the American Dream for a better life. Even with his new business in school training, Skip is still struggling as a salesman for the security business while his best friend works for a Cap n Crab.
As an underachiever, Skip is tasked with installing security for a government agency, the Department of Defense and it finally seems that the two friends are finally getting somewhere in their life. Skip hires a crew that includes his friend James; he also hires a neighbor- a man who has not been of interest to them but seems to have some knowledge on the security equipment.
However, Skips first “mission” is to play the role of boyfriend to his boss- girlfriend to throw the wife off the scent. No soon Skip is introduced to the project than a body turns up under his desk. Then he and his crew discover that other people working for the government department have been reported missing as well. To make matters even worse, more strange characters begin surfacing as more spy intelligence equipment is purchased to investigate to the bottom.
Stuff to spy for is not your typical spy story as the author; Don Bruns has created characters that are both entertaining and likable.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
James Lessor and Skip Moore are roommates and two best friends who have been licensed as private investigators. The investigation firm is More or Fewer Investigations, and the two don’t have even the slightest idea on how to run the detective agency. However, James wants to purchase a box truck for he believes that it will help them during their investigations.
On the other hand, Skip sells his security systems, but he is not successful. Angie Clark hires James to be her marketing agent for Moe traveling carnival. Subsequently, Moe hires both James and Skip to investigate his carnival and some life-threatening accidents that have occurred on the carnival that Moe feels someone is responsible.
However, since the two best friends have no idea how to conduct the investigation, they rely heavily on Skip’s lover Emily. They also decide to purchase a lot of spy equipment from a private investigator named Jody Stacy who sells spy equipment. The private investigator fails to tell them the cost of the equipment, and when they receive their payment for the investigation, some of it goes to Jody.
The best ride at the carnival dubbed wild ride on the Dragon Tail inspires the two best friends never to ride the Dragon Tail. A visit to Freddy Fun House makes s the two friends believe that even the carnies are not their friends and the little dog at kids pet zoo takes a dislike to James and Skip.
When one of the workers at the carnival is killed, James and Skip decide that its time to investigate. With help from Jody and Emily, the two finally discover the person behind the killing. However, who is he?
Thanks!