Stuff to Spy For

Don Bruns
Oceanview Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9781933515229
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (12/09)


Roommates Skip Moore and James Lessor often find themselves in unbelievable situations.  James is a dreamer, thinking financial success is always just around the corner.  He therefore constantly jumps from one crazy scheme to another.  Skip is more down-to-earth.  However, he does not want to crush his friend’s dreams and often gets in way over his head.  When the company Skip works for is hired to install an expensive security system at Synco, the whole project ends up in a convoluted mess as people keep offering him odd, but well-paying, side jobs that include pretending to be someone’s boyfriend and spying on the president of the company.  As events proceed, Skip and James become entangled in the spy business and end up wondering who is really spying on whom.

The author created some interesting characters in this story.  Skip and James are probably the most inept spies that have ever existed.  They are not the most intelligent people either, but I found them to be very endearing.  Skip’s insecurities as to what his wealthy and beautiful girlfriend sees in him are portrayed to explain why he so desperately wants to make it on his own.  James is naive and a bit of a slacker, but he is still lovable.  He has a big heart and even bigger dreams for making his father proud of him.  The interactions between Skip and James truly depict the intricacies of their friendship.

“Stuff to Spy For” is absolutely hilarious.  The scenes when Skip and James were shopping for spy gadgets are priceless.  Watching them try to comprehend what is really going on at Synco’s headquarters was amusing.  Driving around in James’ most precious possession -  an old box truck that is practically falling apart - while trying to blend in to the surroundings really displays their ineptitudes.

This book is well-written and very entertaining.  Don Bruns did such an excellent job of describing the settings in “Stuff to Spy For,” I could easily picture them in my mind.  This story will appeal to all adults and teenagers.  The plot moves at a good pace and there are a few surprises along the way.

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