The Flaxen Femme Fatale

The Flaxen Femme Fatale is a 2008 gonzo comedy science-fiction detective novel by John Zakour, sixth in a series of such starring the last freelance P.I. on earth, Zachary Nixon "Zach" Johnson. (If you noticed the similarities between the author's and protagonists' names, you win a no-prize.)

Hitherto I've only read the first novel in the series, The Plutonium Blonde, and that many years ago. I was initially worried about missing out on the intervening novels, but it turns out that that's actually not all that important, for two reasons: a) the author is kind enough to fill people like me in on the relevant bits of the backstory as they come up, and b) it's two-fisted action and madcap antics set in a world with comic-book physics; continuity isn't the point.

“Don't spin him around too much. Believe me, you don't want an Elvis to barf on you.” Yes, I was speaking from experience.

— Zach Johnson, The Flaxen Femme Fatale

It reminds me most of Sam and Max. Yes, there's a plot, with recognizable (if four-color) characters, but they're not the point either; the psychics and aliens and mad scientists and superpowered politicians and loons and freaks and goons and geeks (our tenacious protagonist arguably being included in all four of those last) are really all just a medium by which may be delivered hilarity.

All in all, it is exactly what it tries to be: an entertaining read. (Which is more than many books manage.) I have no reservations at all in rating it a cheerful 1 out of 1, and cheerfully recommend it. Even without reading any of the first five books.