All his life Alan Johnson has been obsessed with writing. After his agent lands him a speaking engagement in Las Vegas, he hopes to connect with his muse and complete his breakout novel. Soon he's drawn into the recent murder of an exotic dancer. At the same time, an enterprising redhead goes into the revenge business and decreases the odds of her victims making it home alive.
Carl Hiaasen has been quoted as stating that his stories are populated with slightly altered true tales from Florida since truth is indeed stranger than fiction. In that vein, Spending Money is a 14,000-word satirical take on several real-life events that were widely reported on during the wild, free-wheeling, anything goes ’90s decade in Sin City where the author once lived.
In the following story, Penni Nichols represents a combination of several women who had personal issues and decided to take matters into their own hands. The name was lifted from a coed the author knew briefly a long time ago. Struggling writer Alan Johnson may or may not have been an actual person who once burned through Las Vegas years before. Names and dates of this tale have been altered for obvious reasons.
Taking a hard look at current events, it’s oddly amusing how Las Vegas almost twenty years ago now seems like 'the good old days.' Maybe decadence is relative.
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