John Straley calls himself a crime fiction writer, but this is a novel that is almost impossible to categorize. It reminds me of the work of Carl Hiassen, Christopher Moore, Dave Barry, Cory Doctorow, and Elmore Leonard, all authors who like to mix humor, suspense and satire. Cold Storage is the kind of story that would make a great Coen brothers' film.
The author says the book is about compassion, two brothers trying to reconnect, and people in a small town on the edge of nowhere attempting to cope with a world that's a lot stranger and more bizarre, when you stop and think about it, than they are. You'll know within the first few pages if this book is meant for you, because either you will crack up completely or you will shove the book back on the shelf in total bafflement. Straley is definitely a love him or loathe him kind of author; there's no in-between. But for those who love him, there is a sequel, The Big Both Ways. It was actually published before Cold Storage, but Straley says it's a sequel, and hints that there may be more stories about the denizens of Cold Storage in the future.
I also found two videos of John Straley talking about the book. Click HERE and HERE to hear more from the Writer Laureate of Alaska!
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