Big Numbers by Jack Getze is the first book in the “Austin Carr” mystery series. Publisher: Down & Out Books, May 2013

Root for divorced dad Austin Carr, a funny, oversexed scamp who’ll use anything and everything to get his kids back. Think Bugs Bunny with guns and a penis.

Divorced father Austin Carr wakes up every day in a beat-up camper, parked on someone else’s private property. Why? Because his alimony and child support payments were established by New Jersey’s family court system when his income was double, and for the last two years he has failed to earn the legally mandated monthly nut. He’s had his savings drained, his Maxima repossessed, his salary attached, and his visiting rights suspended. He bought the twelve-year-old Chevy pick-up with the rusty camper for $800 last month because another landlord tossed his butt in the street. Will stretching the rules, his own morals, and the boundaries of common sense raise the cash needed to get his kids back? Or will his big mouth and bad behavior set him up for a nasty double-cross? Find out if Austin can redeem himself and win back his children.

Jack has created a down on your luck protagonist whose main goal is to see his kids regularly. However, the road to that is filled with perilous situations that Austin gets into, but the best part is watching to see whether he can extricate himself out of it all.

This is such a fun read that you have to laugh at the capers our protagonist is pulled into. The writing is wonderfully-stated and the mystery of how it will all end is played out throughout the pages in the fast-paced and action-fill drama. With playful humor, engaging dialogue and a likable protagonist, I enjoyed this adventure and I look forward to more exciting exploits with Austin Carr.