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John Sandford

I could write about how much I loved "Gloria Bell," and how I'm certain it's the movie of the year, and how Julianne Moore surely deserves her second Academy Award. But we all know all of this, so let me turn your attention to a book you may have missed.

"John Sandford" is the nom de plume of a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter; he has thrown in the journalism towel and turned his attention to pulp fiction. He seems extremely prolific; I think he writes at least two books a year. There are mystery novels, and then there also seems to be at least one science fiction novel. You scan his pages and sense an old man having fun--and that's not to be undervalued in the world of literature.

"Deep Freeze" is my first of the Sandford books. It concerns a detective named Virgil--finding himself amidst hijinks in Wisconsin and its surrounding areas. Someone has murdered a powerful wealthy woman; the killer may have an involvement in an important upcoming high-school reunion.

As Virgil tries to identify the killer, he also struggles with a woman who is selling "altered Barbie dolls" on the black market. This woman--who seems brilliant--takes Barbie and Ken dolls and turns them into porno devices. Ken grows an erect penis. Barbie is posed in various receptive positions, with a new, orgasmic look on her face. You can't go far with this idea, because the Barbie manufacturer will come after you. Yes, that's the story that consumes a sizable portion of "Deep Freeze."

As the drama unfolds, we learn about a bondage "therapist"--and about how his professional history, and its various secrets, might spell the end of some important clients if "leaks" happen. We meet Justin, now considering a life as "Justine," and we hear about how relations dimmed with his wife in the final years of his marriage, but also about how he still sometimes--erotically--"helped her along." We learn about wife-swapping, husband-swapping, and a fantasy involving one man and a pair of sisters. Sandford--a dirty old man--is clearly entertained, and so we are, as well.

This novel is not "War and Peace." But who cares? I can unabashedly recommend "Deep Freeze."

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