Country music superstars Brooks & Dunn have enjoyed massive success (30 million albums sold, dozens of awards), but surely a novel about their alter egos couldn't possibly excite anybody outside of die-hard fans, could it? Actually, the duo, along with novelist Fitzhugh, bash out a comic caper that has enough plot twists and nutty one-liners to hook even twang-haters. The book follows lanky, laconic Slim and romantic, goofy Howdy as the two troubadours ramble around the Texas honky-tonk circuit. There's the time Slim, armed with a pair of hedge clippers, reclaims his stolen guitar from Brushfire Boone; or the hot double date that ends with a pantsless Howdy dodging bullets. The boys land a steady gig at a roadhouse in Del Rio until its owner is kidnapped and ransomed. With no shortage of suspects, the boys follow the trail into the Mexican desert, where a zany cast of bad guys gathers for the boffo final shootout. It's like a particularly good episode of The Dukes of Hazzard : corny as hell, but heaps of fun. (May)