"Prime Mates" is a satirical comedy novel that follows Elliot Emory, an ambitious but inept advertising executive, as he attempts to save his career by capturing Bigfoot for a shoe company commercial. After losing a major account due to his insensitivity toward a former Marine client, Emory convinces his boss to give him one last chance: if he can land the Klamath Footwear account, he'll make partner.
Emory assembles an unlikely expedition team including his assistant Barnie Balou, primatologist Dr. Harold Simeon, and tabloid journalist Zoe Robinson (Simeon's ex-wife). Their misadventures in the wilderness lead them to the Fang brothers - Festus and Filbert - eccentric twins who mistake their Japanese maple farm for a marijuana operation and Emory's expedition for a DEA raid. Funny, a "wood nymph" somehow related to the Fangs, maneuvers to possess their dilapidated shack while being sidetracked by "medicinal" shrooms.
The story combines elements of romantic comedy, farce, and cryptozoological adventure as relationships become increasingly complicated. Emory pursues Zoe in spite of Simeon's jealousy, while Zoe manipulates both men for her own malicious agenda. Meanwhile, Frank and Stein from the tabloid "The Moon" orchestrate a fake Bigfoot hoax that collides with potentially real Bigfoot encounters.
The novel employs multiple narrative threads including corporate satire, relationship drama, and supernatural mystery, all while maintaining a consistently comedic tone. The dialogue is sharp and witty, filled with wordplay and misunderstandings. The story culminates in an absurdist ending where some characters find success, while others meet a darker fate.
Throughout, the novel satirizes advertising culture, tabloid journalism, pseudo-science, and human nature, while playing with classic tropes of Bigfoot mythology and wilderness adventure stories. The narrative style employs rich descriptive passages that emphasize the increasing absurdity of events while maintaining a grounded sense of character motivation and relationships.
