After a dame gives him a cockamamie story about a sea voyage, an East Asian souvenir, and some unwanted attention from a trio of hooligans, a statue of a bird drops in the lap of San Francisco private eye Jaguar Beault, triggering a comic romp. The adventure pits Beault against a cluster of gun-totin, obsessed and creepy villains of both sexes who hound him to turn over the repulsive bird and the hidden jewels and gems ancient legends lead them to believe it holds. Does this sound familiar? Maybe. The Madagascar Pigeon spoofs The Maltese Falcon, the acclaimed Dashiell Hammett-Sam Spade...

Here is the latest Jaguar Beault Thriller, so wrap up warm against the San Francisco fog and come along with the famous shamus as he collides with assassins, yes, "termination determinators," who lay claim to a spate of slayings. These assassins prove...they...well, let's just put it this way, they are elusive. Jaguar Beault, San Francisco's private eye extraordinaire, who unraveled that strange statue fracas re-told in The Madagascar Pigeon, once again is mired in mystery up against loaded guns and edgy people. Beault calls on his growing circle of friends to help him rid the city of these...

Enter Constantinople Ob to resurrect the short essay, which has fallen on hard times in recent decades. In this fun-filled volume salted with a tongue-in-cheek view of the world, Ob exposes things heretofore not seen in any books. Well, it's true. You will laugh at them because that is their purpose. However, you are petitioned to not laugh at his name. It is a stupid name, sure, but it is on his birth certificate. It is a done deal, but what were his parents thinking? The Ob-servations? Read 'em and laugh and then discuss them with your friends...and remember the Constantinople Ob mantra,...