Dingonaslav Marion Radashonovich, better known as Dingo Radish, lives in Bennington Falls, Saskatchewan. His parents were killed when he was eighteen and since then, he's been responsible for his promiscuous sister, Marty, and his mentally handicapped brother, Pitch. Dingo works at the local farm supply depot/feed mill. He's also a thief.

I learned early on that I came equipped with a special gift. I could take things from others without them knowing. It started out innocent enough. As a kid, it was just fun to swipe things. Most times, I got as much pleasure from not getting caught even when I put things back. That all changed when I was offered ten dollars for a baseball mitt I'd ripped off from Redman's. I realized then that there was a lot more to this stealing business than an adrenaline rush. But it wasn't until years later that I would consider crime a serious career option.

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Dingo steals pesticides and other chemicals from supply depots in neighbouring towns and sells them with the help of his unscrupulous boss. He plans to use the money to start a new life for his family, far away from the town where they are social outcasts. An unexpected turn of events, however, has pushed his plan up and he needs to pull off one last big job. A job that will turn out to be far more dangerous than Dingo ever imagined.

I really liked Dingo. He was smart, he was funny, and he loved his family fiercely. Sure, he did some things that were less than honourable but his heart was in the right place. Pitch was seen mostly through the eyes of his big brother. He was sweet and childlike but remarkably strong when he needed to be. Even prickly Marty won me over eventually.

The story was interesting with its emphasis on the dangers of genetic engineering. I have no idea if the things suggested are even remotely possible but, then again, I don't really care either. The idea of them was fascinating enough. And once Dingo started planning his last job, the action shifted into high gear and didn't relent until the final chapter.

A good book with a great lead character. Worth reading.

Reviewed by Lynn Bornath.

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