THE NAKED TROCAR is the first of what may be a series of 'mysadventures' starring the slugabed detective, Knees Calhoon. He was born, in a literary sense, in the Snooker 8 Pool Hall when the author needed a monicker for the chalkboard used to keep score in snooker. He chose 'Knees' because of a Catholic curse placed on him by a particularly vicious nun. He and his 5th-grade friends used to laugh mercilously -- and secretly -- at the nun because her knees would pop every time she knelt down. Ever since he left the Catholic Church after the 8th grade, his knees have popped when he kneels. Fortunately, he doesn't have to kneel as much as he used to. 'Calhoon' comes from a childhood hero of the author's, Algonquin J. Calhoun, the lawyer for Kingfish on the old Amos 'n' Andy TV show. It was also the name of one of the author's early bands, and when a signpainter mistakenly spelled it 'Calhoon" instead of 'Calhoun', the band liked it and kept the misspelling.

Calhoon's laziness and penchant for inappropriate thoughts and actions in the face of danger are his hallmark and in THE NAKED TROCAR he has opportunity for plenty. He's in town (Farmington, New Mexico)for a short vacation when he becomes embroiled in a modern crime, as well as one that took place six years earlier, one that may have something to do with the death of his younger brother. Before he's done, several historic locations in the Four Corners area of the Southwest figure in this tale of betrayal and perversity in the mortuary business.

Also included in the book is THE BEST REVENGE, a tale of 1899 Farmington and its denizens who are caught between conflicting technologies and sensibilities. It may be the most unusual 'western' you'll ever read.

Not credited is THE MARTINGALE ARMS, a short short about casinos and the homeless, and a gambling strategy that will have you wondering if it might actually work.

Fender Tucker is a remarkably unprolific writer whose books you should read while you can. There probably won't be many of them.