It's not every day you get a character-driven caper novel that has "romantic frisson," but Publisher's Weekly gives that tag to Lou Berney's  debut novel Gutshot Straight.

The January release is an evolution of Berney's previous writing experiences, where he's written screenplays and TV scripts for outfits like Paramount, Warner Brothers, ABC, Fox, and more. He's also honed his chops in short fiction, earning spots in such prestigious markets as The New Yorker, Ploughshares, New England Review and the Pushcart Prize anthology.

Berney's debut novel from William Morrow has drawn comparisons to crime-caper legend Elmore Leonard, with the high-stakes worlds of Las Vegas and Panama setting the scene.

Charles "Shake" Bouchon, professional wheel man, has only two problems: he's too nice a guy for the life he's led, but not nice enough for any other. So he says "yes" when he's asked to deliver a package for his former boss, the formidable pakhan of the Armenian mob in Los Angeles. Only the package turns out to be a wholesome young housewife named Gina whose husband has run afoul of Dick Moby, aka "The Whale," an unpleasant 400-pound strip club owner.

Now Shake and Gina are on the run to Panama. If Shake wants to stay alive he'll have to out-maneuver two angry crime bosses, a murderous Armenian thug plagued by erectile super-function, and a billionaire swindler with a flair for the theatrical. Not to mention, and not least, Shake will need to survive his own heart, since he's going to discover that wholesome housewife Gina is a lot more complicated, than he ever imagined.

 Berney has worked as everything from a baseball coach to a grill cook to a movie theater doorman, but eventually shifted his movie career onto pen and paper. When the Writers Guild went on strike, Berney filled his time by writing a novel. With influences as diverse as Flannery O'Connor and the Flaming Lips, he grabs whatever surrounds him as inspiration--from fairy tales to a character based on his wife.

The title "Gutshot Straight" is a poker term for a type of reckless gamble, and while Berney's skilled delivery guarantees a good hand, you'll want to keep turning the cards to see what comes up next.

Scott Nicholson is the author of seven thrillers, including THEY HUNGER, as well as six original screenplays, two story collections, and the comic series "Dirt." He was the original bass player in the Killer Thriller Band. His virtual haunt is www.hauntedcomputer.com.