Cussler Hustlers

In the gripping finale of Clive Cussler's second book, the entire plot is recapped multiple times for both the characters and the readers, and most of the action happens off-screen with other people. HOWEVER... we get QUITE the dramatic setpiece for the climactic showdown. Also, Dirk Pitt is a furry, and QUITE tolerant of some... unexpected developments!

The timely news coverage you've come to expect is in full effect this week! Also several dives into history... 1933 and 1973, to be specific. Was Clive Cussler an early high-tech Communist, or a patriotic neoliberal? Probably the second, but it's fun to imagine!

Columbo is BACK! Also Dirk Pitt, but it's harder to get excited about that. Don't let his outfit fool you: this episode is CHOCK FULL of manliness. Fairly bursting with it. One boat does indeed burst with it. Fortunately it's full of henchmen, so everything's fine.

Carpeted boats, carpeted bathrooms, carpeted women. In the age of upholstery, our hosts try to figure out of Clive knows how sexist he's being, or if he's making an incisive statement about masculine culture? Pull out your centerfold pinups of Cannery Weekly for this one!

We start discussing some real gruesome (and delicious!) true crime, then remember we have a podcast. Dirk the Insufferable has seventeen bouts of Gut Knowledge around some corpses, and then gets shot out of the sky.Also, if you can figure out why we called the episode this, please let us know?

Our hosts dive into Clive's 2nd book, Iceberg! A shorter one this week, due to repeated failures with that most unpredictable of modern technologies: book printing. We do get into swans, goats, worms and gremlins, though, so... y'know, pretty regular show.

The thrilling conclusion to The Mediterranean Caper! It's got everything: gunshot wounds, cat food, and "a young black" who doesn't deserve a name but is absolutely crucial to the plot. Also some diversions into some of the worst war crimes in history, and the Russian women who would have made for a much better book.

In this episode, Clive remembers that he has to get to the plot before the end of the book. We finally meet this book's Giant Henchman, along with seventeen other characters that don't matter. Also, some charming banter about funerals and drug dealers.

Our brave hosts dodge the pitfalls of unwitting but well-meaning racism. Does Dirk dodge as diligently? Only time will tell! Also, an awful lot of dog talk. Entirely too much, really.

Our plucky hosts get a little tipsy and try to figure out who the villain of this story is (here's a tip: IT'S THE .) They also start sorting out their audio issues, for your continued aural pleasure.