NASCAR racer Sam Hooker and his mechanic, the cute and sassy Alex Barnaby, continue their most current mystery, which is the first to be set in a graphic format. For those who didn't read the first volume, the Happy Hooker, Sam's hard earned boat has disappeared and the ransom note left behind makes it clear that the people are not fooling around. The note was actually left by a local mobster looking to get control of Baron Samedi, a life-sized wooden voodoo idol that connects this world to the afterworld, and that mobster thinks Hooker knows where the idol is.

Of course, he got that idea because Baron Samedi's hand ended up being in the possession of one of Hooker's friends in the hopes of using it to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. To make matters worse, said friend also has the rest of the idol, and they now need to get it to the designated place to trade off the boat for the idol ... in the swamps near Miami. The question is whether they will survive to that point as Hooker, Barnaby, and the gang are confronted with rabid chickens, snarling snakes in bags, and gang members.

This is a very quick and fun read that really should have been included with the previous volume in a single book. Neither of them is very long, and the only reason to separate them is to increase the amount of money that could be asked for them. With that said, the book is truly fun, filled with action and humor. The comic illustrations really capture the characters and keep the story moving at an easy pace.

I have never really liked the Barnaby books as much as I love Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, but I really found that the graphic format really works well for this cast of characters. I would definitely suggest this for anyone who likes light and humorous reads. Don't get me wrong, there is danger, but it is really a fun read.