Mike Resnick's "Connoisseurs" (short story, non-genre detective, free): Communicating a secret by openly flaunting it!

One of the more mundane Lucifer Jones stories, though detective part is somewhat interesting. Humor is ok, but nothing like the hilarious I've come to expect from best of Lucifer Jones series.

This story is set in Bogotá, Colombia, South America.

Story summary.

Lucifer's long time nemesis, Erich von Horst, has enrolled him yet again in a plan where Lucifer must lose - not the least because of his own greed. Erich has committed a heist with some locals, & needs Lucifer's help to get rid of locals so he will have to divide the money only with Lucifer; of course, he has no intention of dividing it with anyone.

We go through an elaborate ritual where Lucifer is helping, getting greedy & trying to get everything alone, & finally being outwitted yet again by Erich.

While the idea of stealing a valuable openly is very old, I liked that part of the plot - probably because I haven't read a real detective in a while.

Collected in.

1. Mike Resnick's "Hazards" (yet to be published).
   

Fact sheet.

First published: Subterranean magazine, Spring 2008.
Rating: B
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