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Skink #5
Skinny Dip
Marine biologist Chaz Perrone can't tell a sea horse from a sawhorse. And when he throws his beautiful wife, Joey, off a cruise liner, he really should know better. An expert swimmer, Joey makes her way to a floating bale of Jamaican pot-and then to an island inhabited by an ex-cop named Mick Stranahan, whose ex-wives include five waitresses and a TV producer. Now Joey wants to get revenge on Chaz and Mick's happy to help her.But in swampy South Florida, separating lies from truths and stupidity from brilliance isn't easy. Especially when you're after a guy like Chaz-who's bad at murder, great at fraud, and just terrible at getting caught...
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
1,068 people are currently reading
11.3k people want to read
About the author
Carl Hiaasen
88books9,042followersCarl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida. After graduating from the University of Florida, he joined the Miami Herald as a general assignment reporter and went on to work for the newspaper’s weekly magazine and prize-winning investigations team. As a journalist and author, Carl has spent most of his life advocating for the protection of the Florida Everglades. He and his family live in southern Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,677 reviews
June 26, 2022
Ah, Florida.
To most of you, it's a nutty state with lots of theme parks and beaches. But to me, it's my childhood home. I grew up there amongst the swamps, alligators, venomous snakes, and (most frightening of all) the snowbirds.
You're from New York? You don't say...
I live in By God South Carolina now, but I really feel that my time in Florida prepared me for anything that my adopted state can possibly throw at me.
Though, to be honest, I couldn't imagine living in a civilized place. Where would the fun be in that? I'm not sure how the rest of you do it, but I have a feeling that may be a direct result of my upbringing.
If you don't already know, Carl Hiaasen is known for his accurate descriptions of Florida life. Not the shit they show in advertisements whilst trying to get tourists to spend money on vacations, the real Florida that is both ridiculous and beautiful.
And humid as Hell itself.
Ok, the story goes like this: Joey gets chucked overboard by her douchebag husband, Chaz, on their 2nd-anniversary cruise for reasons unknown to her at the time.
She survives because she isn't a pussy and swims toward shore like a champ, then manages to cling all night long to a bail of Jamaican pot that happens to float by, until she's rescued by Mick, an ex-cop who now lives on an island off the coast of South Florida.
And when she wakes up? She doesn't want to call the police, she wants revenge.
I feel you, Joey.
What ensues is a fun romp through the Everglades with a wacky cast of characters that you could only find in the Sunshine State. It's as though the entire peninsula is filled to the brim with half-feral humans who don't fit in anywhere else, and even the normal ones (like myself?) are too weird to really acclimate to anything that isn't hot and full-up with insanity. Hiaasen absolutely nails everything about the Florida way of life in Skinny Dip and I was completely homesick by the time I finished.
This was my 2nd go-around with this book. This time I listened to the audio version narrated by Stephen Hoye and I thought he was excellent.
To most of you, it's a nutty state with lots of theme parks and beaches. But to me, it's my childhood home. I grew up there amongst the swamps, alligators, venomous snakes, and (most frightening of all) the snowbirds.
You're from New York? You don't say...
I live in By God South Carolina now, but I really feel that my time in Florida prepared me for anything that my adopted state can possibly throw at me.
Though, to be honest, I couldn't imagine living in a civilized place. Where would the fun be in that? I'm not sure how the rest of you do it, but I have a feeling that may be a direct result of my upbringing.
If you don't already know, Carl Hiaasen is known for his accurate descriptions of Florida life. Not the shit they show in advertisements whilst trying to get tourists to spend money on vacations, the real Florida that is both ridiculous and beautiful.
And humid as Hell itself.
Ok, the story goes like this: Joey gets chucked overboard by her douchebag husband, Chaz, on their 2nd-anniversary cruise for reasons unknown to her at the time.
She survives because she isn't a pussy and swims toward shore like a champ, then manages to cling all night long to a bail of Jamaican pot that happens to float by, until she's rescued by Mick, an ex-cop who now lives on an island off the coast of South Florida.
And when she wakes up? She doesn't want to call the police, she wants revenge.
I feel you, Joey.
What ensues is a fun romp through the Everglades with a wacky cast of characters that you could only find in the Sunshine State. It's as though the entire peninsula is filled to the brim with half-feral humans who don't fit in anywhere else, and even the normal ones (like myself?) are too weird to really acclimate to anything that isn't hot and full-up with insanity. Hiaasen absolutely nails everything about the Florida way of life in Skinny Dip and I was completely homesick by the time I finished.
This was my 2nd go-around with this book. This time I listened to the audio version narrated by Stephen Hoye and I thought he was excellent.
July 24, 2022
4.5 stars rounded down for for a funny, but serious book about crime in Florida. It starts with Charles Perrone trying to murder his wife by getting her drunk and throwing her overboard from a cruise ship. But she survives and instead of going to the cops, she thinks of ways to torment him. What follows is a wacky romp through Florida's Everglades with people who are out to cheat and steal.
Some other characters:
Detective Karl Rolvaag, assigned to the case of the woman who went missing from the cruise ship. He has 2 pet pythons
Mick Stranahan, retired police officer who finds Joey Perrone, Charles wife.
Red Hammernut, owner of a farm bordering the Everglades.
This was a library book that I read in 2 days.
Some other characters:
Detective Karl Rolvaag, assigned to the case of the woman who went missing from the cruise ship. He has 2 pet pythons
Mick Stranahan, retired police officer who finds Joey Perrone, Charles wife.
Red Hammernut, owner of a farm bordering the Everglades.
This was a library book that I read in 2 days.
November 4, 2021
3.5 stars
In this 2nd book in the 'Mick Stranahan' series, the ex-cop helps a damsel in distress. The book can be read as a standalone with no problem.
I always enjoy Carl Hiaasen's satiric, comic novels - which generally highlight some atrocity humans are inflicting on the state of Florida. In this book, Hiassen concentrates on Everglades pollution.
The story: Chaz Perrone - who likes to be called 'Dr. Perrone' - has a Ph.D. in marine biology and a cushy job for the state of Florida - monitoring pollution in the Everglades.
The thing is, Chaz should really be called 'Dr. Scumbag' because he's being paid off by Red Hammernut, a south Florida farmer whose fertilizer is contaminating the region. Chaz pretends to test Everglades water samples, makes up fake results, and collects his payoff. Job well done (in his own mind)!
Things start to go bottoms up when Chaz thinks his wife, Joey, has cottoned on to his scam. So Chaz takes Joey on a luxury cruise for their second wedding anniversary, and throws her overboard in the middle of the night. Chaz pretends to be overwrought about his 'missing wife', but Detective Karl Rolvaag - who gets the case when the ship returns to port - is immediately suspicious.
Meanwhile, Joey - a champion swimmer - has survived. She evaded predatory wildlife, latched onto a bale of marijuana, and drifted toward shore on the Gulf Stream.....all the time seething at her husband. Luckily, Joey was rescued by Mick Stranahan, a fiftyish ex-cop living on a tiny island off Florida's coast. After hearing Joey's story Mick wanted to call the police, but Joey had a better idea. She planned to drive that lowlife Chaz crazy!!
Chaz, convinced he got away with murder, proceeds to live his life. He rids the house of Joey's belongings; romances his long-time girlfriend/hairdresser Ricca Spillman; and dreams of a fruitful, long-lasting partnership with Red. Though Chaz is repeatedly questioned by Detective Rolvaag (à la Columbo), he believes there's no proof of his crime.
Joey starts her campaign against dirtbag Chaz by hanging a favorite black dress in her (now empty) closet and leaving a torn photo under his pillow.
Chaz is bewildered, and thinks some stranger is breaking into his house. When Chaz reports the intrusion to Red Hammernut, the farmer saddles Chaz with a 'bodyguard' - a big, hairy galoot named Earl O'Toole ('Tool').
Tool is in pain from a bullet lodged mid-butt, so he sneaks into hospitals/nursing homes and peels Fentanyl patches off elderly patients - then puts them on his roughly shaved back. In the course of this larceny Tool meets an elderly lady, Maureen, and they develop a rather sweet friendship.
Through all this, Joey continues to play tricks on Chaz - with the help of her brother Corbett and Mick. As the pranks escalate, Chaz's anxiety increases, and he becomes alarmed when he 'can't get it up anymore.' Chaz starts taking 'little blue pills' - and the results are priceless. Eventually Joey and her fellow tricksters perpetrate a jaw-dropping hoax, which is wonderfully effective. As they spend time together, Joey and Mick develop an attraction, which should appeal to romance fans.
As Chaz's life falls apart, he starts to become suspicious of everyone around him. In fact - in the course of the story - Chaz 'kills' several people. However, none of them stay dead. LOL
All this action and hilarity leads to an appropriate climax that's quite satisfying.
Some fun animal characters in the story (besides the Everglades alligators and mosquitoes that freak Chaz out) are: Mick's dog - a lovable, but slow-witted Doberman called Strom, who tries to bark potential intruders away from the island; and Detective Rolvaag's two pet pythons - who don't have much personality....but might just be eating the building's pet cats and dogs.
I enjoyed the book, which made me laugh. Recommended to fans of light, amusing books (with a message).
You can follow my reviews at
August 27, 2014
Ok, now I get it! And by "it" I mean all the Hiaasen hoopla among those with whom I share a certain brand of humor � an "it" that baffled me after my first encounter with Carl via Bad Monkey.
We're back in Florida, where even the craziest of characters areplausible probable. Since I'm not exactly trailblazing new territory here in book review land, I'll just give you some quick picks from the cast of
Skinny Dip
which may or may not overlap with everyone's favorite super secret spy agency (damn you terrorists for taking its name!):
Open scene with Joey Perrone tossed off a cruise ship and into the drink by her husband Chaz (who is selfish even by Sterling Archer standards).
But for his lack of ethical scruples, Chaz Perrone is ill-suited for his job as a biostitute (a clever portmanteau of biologist and prostitute). He's more than happy to fake results for his boss whose farming operations pollute the fragile ecosystem, but, he's not exactly outdoorsy.
Welcome to the Everglades, where everything either wants to eat you, or give you malaria.
Assorted other tie-ins?
Dumb muscle bodyguard (and one of the funniest characters).
We've also got the little old lady who breaks through even the toughest of façades.
Good times, good times.
We're back in Florida, where even the craziest of characters are
Open scene with Joey Perrone tossed off a cruise ship and into the drink by her husband Chaz (who is selfish even by Sterling Archer standards).
But for his lack of ethical scruples, Chaz Perrone is ill-suited for his job as a biostitute (a clever portmanteau of biologist and prostitute). He's more than happy to fake results for his boss whose farming operations pollute the fragile ecosystem, but, he's not exactly outdoorsy.
Welcome to the Everglades, where everything either wants to eat you, or give you malaria.
Assorted other tie-ins?
Dumb muscle bodyguard (and one of the funniest characters).
We've also got the little old lady who breaks through even the toughest of façades.
Good times, good times.
May 27, 2011
Joey Perrone is pissed--and she has every right to be. On their second wedding anniversary, her husband, Chaz, surprises her by booking a romantic Carnival-style cruise. He surprises her again by getting her drunk, throwing her overboard in the middle of the night, and leaving her as shark bait. What Chaz doesn't know is that Joey survives by clinging to a wayward bale of Jamaican weed. She's found, exhausted and a little worse for wear, by Mick Stranahan, a recluse who lives on a private island and shuns the mainland after being forced into early retirement from the police force after killing a politically well-connected criminal. If fate dealt Joey a cruel blow that night on the cruise ship, it's certainly making up for it by creating the perfect situation in which to exact revenge on her philandering and murderous husband. What follows is a bizarre, tangled, and amusing revenge scheme that reveals just what a lowlife Chaz Perrone really is.
Carl Hiaasen books are quick, funny reads with a soul. Skinny Dip is full of quirky characters (such as Tool, the bodyguard with a bullet lodged in the crack of his ass and a penchant for collecting roadside crosses; Red Hammernut, the Yosemite Sam like billionaire making big profit off of thwarting EPA rules; Ricca, Chaz's mistress who has, shall we say, some peculiar artistic tendencies when it comes to personal grooming), implausible plot lines, and witty dialogue. However, for all of the absurdity, there is an underlying environmental message about the Everglades and how big money and political influence can circumvent the very agencies who are trying to do right by our planet. The message is never preachy; Hiaasen simply uses the characters and the plot to point out how corporate corruption is going on beneath our very noses and how industrial farming's mismanagement of natural resources is making itself felt in our water supply, our land, and in the animals who inhabit the very ecosystems we're destroying. However, if you're not looking for an environmental message, that's cool--still consider giving Hiaasen a try. There are plenty of zany capers, madcap adventures, and fun to be had.
Cross posted at
Carl Hiaasen books are quick, funny reads with a soul. Skinny Dip is full of quirky characters (such as Tool, the bodyguard with a bullet lodged in the crack of his ass and a penchant for collecting roadside crosses; Red Hammernut, the Yosemite Sam like billionaire making big profit off of thwarting EPA rules; Ricca, Chaz's mistress who has, shall we say, some peculiar artistic tendencies when it comes to personal grooming), implausible plot lines, and witty dialogue. However, for all of the absurdity, there is an underlying environmental message about the Everglades and how big money and political influence can circumvent the very agencies who are trying to do right by our planet. The message is never preachy; Hiaasen simply uses the characters and the plot to point out how corporate corruption is going on beneath our very noses and how industrial farming's mismanagement of natural resources is making itself felt in our water supply, our land, and in the animals who inhabit the very ecosystems we're destroying. However, if you're not looking for an environmental message, that's cool--still consider giving Hiaasen a try. There are plenty of zany capers, madcap adventures, and fun to be had.
Cross posted at
June 8, 2019
I was out looking for a short term relationship, a book “with benefits�, a quick encounter with no long term demands, just a few hours of pleasure. I met “Skinny Dip� in the ŷ “bar� and who wouldn’t be attracted to a cover with a suggestively unclothed blond beauty in the water. I asked her out from the library for a brief fling. I wasn’t disappointed that’s for sure. Written by some guy I had never heard of, it had good reviews. I checked and made sure it wasn’t part of some 15-part novel series. I just didn’t need to be adding more books to my TBR shelf. lived up to its� billing, the pages going down like chips and salsa on a football afternoon. The characters dreamed up by Mr. Carl Hiaasen are just so good. Mr. Big is named Red Hammernut, his enforcer is Mr. Tool and the scientist working for Red is a real Darwin award winner. Dr. Chaz Perrone is, well, think of the Bill Pullman character (Earl Mott) in Ruthless People…yeah he is that dumb in some areas. Hiassen isn’t laugh-out-loud funny except in a few places but I have to go with a 5 Star rating, just based on the amount of time I had a grin on. His main story is about the wife, Joey Perrone, who is thrown off her anniversary cruise ship by her dimwit husband. She survives by hanging onto a bale of Jamaican dope floating in the Gulf Stream and is rescued by Mick Stranahan, a retired investigator living on an island off Miami. The rest of the novel is about her effort to find out why her husband wanted to kill her and to take her revenge. Hiassen moves the story along nicely and the revenge is so sweet, you will be chuckling. Here are some nuggets for you purview:
As Red Hammernut listened to Chaz Perrone’s story, he thought of the many blessings that had come his way, but also of the toil. A big farming operation like his was a challenging enterprise, relying as it did on rampant pollution and the systematic mistreatment of immigrant labor. For Red it was no small feat to keep the Feds off his back while at the same time soaking taxpayers for lucrative crop subsidies and dirt-cheap loans that might or might not be repaid this century. He reflected upon the hundreds of thousands of dollars that he’d handed out as campaign donations; the untallied thousands more for straight up bribes, hookers, private-yacht charters, gambling stakes and other discreet favors; and, finally, the countless hours of ass-kissing he’d been forced to endure with the same knucklehead politicians whose loyalties he had purchased.
This was no easy gig. Red Hammernut got infuriated every time he heard some pissy liberal refer to the federal farm bill as corporate welfare. The term implied contented idleness, and nobody worked harder than Red to keep the money flowing and stay out of trouble. Now the whole goddam shebang was in danger of falling apart because of one man.
While Mick is waiting to meet up with the hairdresser girlfriend of the good doctor, he visits the salon:
Taking cover behind a magazine, Stranahan attempted to immerse himself in the travails of Eminem, a deep though conflicted young man. Apparently wealth, fame and unlimited sex are nice, but true spiritual happiness must come from within.
While Hiassen doles out the humor, he also puts some thoughtful pieces in. Mr. Tool’s evolution is priceless and he throws in some serious Everglades conservation ideas while still being fun. The only problem is I am adding a bunch of Carl Hiassen’s novels to my TBR as he is just damn funny and, what the heck, I’m always up for chips and salsa.
As Red Hammernut listened to Chaz Perrone’s story, he thought of the many blessings that had come his way, but also of the toil. A big farming operation like his was a challenging enterprise, relying as it did on rampant pollution and the systematic mistreatment of immigrant labor. For Red it was no small feat to keep the Feds off his back while at the same time soaking taxpayers for lucrative crop subsidies and dirt-cheap loans that might or might not be repaid this century. He reflected upon the hundreds of thousands of dollars that he’d handed out as campaign donations; the untallied thousands more for straight up bribes, hookers, private-yacht charters, gambling stakes and other discreet favors; and, finally, the countless hours of ass-kissing he’d been forced to endure with the same knucklehead politicians whose loyalties he had purchased.
This was no easy gig. Red Hammernut got infuriated every time he heard some pissy liberal refer to the federal farm bill as corporate welfare. The term implied contented idleness, and nobody worked harder than Red to keep the money flowing and stay out of trouble. Now the whole goddam shebang was in danger of falling apart because of one man.
While Mick is waiting to meet up with the hairdresser girlfriend of the good doctor, he visits the salon:
Taking cover behind a magazine, Stranahan attempted to immerse himself in the travails of Eminem, a deep though conflicted young man. Apparently wealth, fame and unlimited sex are nice, but true spiritual happiness must come from within.
While Hiassen doles out the humor, he also puts some thoughtful pieces in. Mr. Tool’s evolution is priceless and he throws in some serious Everglades conservation ideas while still being fun. The only problem is I am adding a bunch of Carl Hiassen’s novels to my TBR as he is just damn funny and, what the heck, I’m always up for chips and salsa.
September 15, 2014
It was boggling to realize that an elevated ribbon of dirt was essentially all that separated 5 million raucous, distracted human beings from the prehistoric solitude of the Everglades. The detective regretted that during his hitch in South Florida he hadn't spent more time on the other side of the levee; the sane and peaceful side.
Carl Hiaasen take us for a rollercoaster ride through the insane and troublesome side of the levee. A place where husbands throw their wives overboard during the cruise for their second wedding anniversary. A place where corrupt industrial farmers bribe fake scientists to falsify water pollution reports so they can continue to destroy the Everglades National Park. A place where migrant workers are slaving away under the supervision of brutal and illiterate hitmen. A place where police officers keep large pythons as pets in their apartments and paid killers collect memorial crosses from the side of the road.
I have read and enjoyed the novels of Carl Hiaasen before, and Skinny Dip is one of his better efforts. His signature touches are wacky characters, complicated plots where inept criminals are brought down by their own stupidity, hilarious dialogue and, most importantly, a genuine love for the natural environment of Florida that is getting systematically destroyed under the demnads of business. The last part and the talent for creating memorable characters is why I rate Hiaasen above the run-of-the-mill crime novelist. He is entertaining, but there is always an engagement with the issues of corruption in politics and habitat protection.
It will be difficult to make a short resume of the plot of Skinny Dip, but I would say that people who liked the movie Overboard with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are probably going to enjoy another comedy about a rich, hot babe falling into the ocean from a pleasure ship. Instead of being amnesiac, Joey Perrone is well aware that her husband is the one who deliberately pushed her overboard. Being a skilled swimmer, and with a bit of luck in the shape of a bale of marijuana drifting in the Gulf Stream, she survives and sets out to exact revenge on her dearly beloved creep of a husband, Chaz Perrone. Joey is helped along by a reclusive former State attorney who prefers the isolation of a small private island to the bustle of civilization, by a sexy member of her Book Club, by a brother who enjoys life among sheep in New Zealand. Chaz the scoundrel is already chasing other skirts, mostly a fiery Latino hairdresser named Ricca, but, thanks to his supposedly deceased wife hauntings, he has developed, for the first time in his life, erectile disfunctions, and has extra troubles with the industrial tycoon sponsoring his illegal activities and with his assigned bodyguard, a hairy and slow witted killer for hire named Tool. The novel alternates between the points of view of the wife and of the husband, with a third thread dealing with the police investigation into the accident / suicide / murder of Joey.
Skinny Dip is a stand-alone among the novels written by Carl Hiaasen, but fans of the author will recognize some recurring personages, among them Skink, the one-eyed giant wearing a shower cap and living off the land in the middle of the swamp, as usual saving damzels in distress and dealing cruel and unusual punishment to environmental criminals.
Comedy is ensured by dialogue filled with sexual innuendo and sarcastic commentaries on married life, politics, pollution, violence. Then there's the pland going awry, the misunderstandings, the physical and even gross out humour, but mostly it is the crashing of opposing personalities that produce the sparks. I'm also enjoying the fact that there isn't a clear cut demarcation line between the good guys and the bad guys, with Joey acting outside the law in order to punish her husband and with the gorilla Tool reexamining his life choices when he becomes friends with a terminally ill woman (my favorite passage from the novel):
I believe it's never too late to change. I'm eighty-one years old, but I still think I can be a better person tomorrow than I am today. And that's what I'll believe until I run out of tomorrows.
I will be checking more of the Florida crime books by Hiaasen, as well as the rival series written by Tim Dorsey. It's difficult to pick a favorite between them: both are dealing with the environment and with the criminal underworld of the Sunshine State. I would say the psychopat Serge Storms is more volatile and vicious than Skink et Co., but Hiaasen has the better plots and the more nuanced characterization.
February 19, 2020
This was better than I thought it would be. It was very funny while still being serious enough to have an interesting story with a message about pollution.
Carl Hiaasen and Dave Barry both worked at the Miami Herald, and did a lot of work together. Dave Barry is a very funny guy, but his books tend to get a bit juvenile, and might appeal most to high school or college males with lots of beer drinking, etc. So I was a little worried about this book, but it wasn't like that at all.
The basic story was about a real loser who managed to get a PhD in Biology somehow, even though he can't think himself out of a paper bag. He's very self-centered, to the point of trying to kill people who he thinks might be a threat to him. Fortunately, he's a total failure at that, as he is at everything else. All he really wants to do is play golf and seduce every woman he meets, even the ones he is going to try to kill. He has a job testing for pollution in the everglades, which he hates, and gets paid off to fake the data by a rich polluter who is almost as dumb as he is, and much meaner.
There are some other losers, including one who turns out to slowly be a good guy, more or less. He starts out with a bullet wound that he can't go get treated for, so he takes pain medication, which he gets by sneaking into hospitals and stealing pain killer patches off patients, mostly seniors. Nice guy.
Carl Hiaasen and Dave Barry both worked at the Miami Herald, and did a lot of work together. Dave Barry is a very funny guy, but his books tend to get a bit juvenile, and might appeal most to high school or college males with lots of beer drinking, etc. So I was a little worried about this book, but it wasn't like that at all.
The basic story was about a real loser who managed to get a PhD in Biology somehow, even though he can't think himself out of a paper bag. He's very self-centered, to the point of trying to kill people who he thinks might be a threat to him. Fortunately, he's a total failure at that, as he is at everything else. All he really wants to do is play golf and seduce every woman he meets, even the ones he is going to try to kill. He has a job testing for pollution in the everglades, which he hates, and gets paid off to fake the data by a rich polluter who is almost as dumb as he is, and much meaner.
There are some other losers, including one who turns out to slowly be a good guy, more or less. He starts out with a bullet wound that he can't go get treated for, so he takes pain medication, which he gets by sneaking into hospitals and stealing pain killer patches off patients, mostly seniors. Nice guy.
August 9, 2007
is right at home in that collective of modern, witty crime fiction writers who are neither nor and hope against that you won't attempt the comparison. That he's good, there's no doubt. It's just: he's not genius.
And that's fine. Not everyone can abide in stellar heights, unreachable and ever-gunned-for. Skinny Dip was a perfectly enjoyable ode to revenge. All the bad people got what was coming to them and none of the good people ever fell prey to their various bumblings and inadequacies. I devoured the last half of the tale in a single sitting, staying up late enough in bed reading that my performance at the office the next day may have been diminished.
It's just... I've read the greats. And so I think that subconsciously I'm always left thinking, Wow, that was fun... but *sigh* it was no . I know it's probably not fair to Hiasaan, but it's kind of like reading most any fantasy epic after having read . You end up feeling kind of hollow.
No hard feelings, Carl? You're still as good as !
And that's fine. Not everyone can abide in stellar heights, unreachable and ever-gunned-for. Skinny Dip was a perfectly enjoyable ode to revenge. All the bad people got what was coming to them and none of the good people ever fell prey to their various bumblings and inadequacies. I devoured the last half of the tale in a single sitting, staying up late enough in bed reading that my performance at the office the next day may have been diminished.
It's just... I've read the greats. And so I think that subconsciously I'm always left thinking, Wow, that was fun... but *sigh* it was no . I know it's probably not fair to Hiasaan, but it's kind of like reading most any fantasy epic after having read . You end up feeling kind of hollow.
No hard feelings, Carl? You're still as good as !
June 29, 2008
This book was recommended as great light, pulpy reading by two of the people I love and respect most in this world. And it is with all respect to those two people that I say here, I just don't get it.
The first chapter was good enough to grab my attention, but by the time I was 1/3 the way through I just kept thinking it's got to get better , its got to get better. Turns out, the third act just gets worse. I mean I know its supposed to be pulpy, but the dialogue in this book reminded me of a Michael Bay screenplay. People don't talk like this. They just don't. It also didn't help that I didn't find many of the characters sympathetic. If Joey is the cream of the crop, this is one sorry lot. And the end was so perplexing. I mean he managed to tie up all the plot points in as contrived a way as possible, while at the same time completely managing to miss anything that resembles a satisfying ending.
Maybe I'm just not cut out for pulp. Excuse me, I need to go find some Sylvia Plath to cleanse with.
The first chapter was good enough to grab my attention, but by the time I was 1/3 the way through I just kept thinking it's got to get better , its got to get better. Turns out, the third act just gets worse. I mean I know its supposed to be pulpy, but the dialogue in this book reminded me of a Michael Bay screenplay. People don't talk like this. They just don't. It also didn't help that I didn't find many of the characters sympathetic. If Joey is the cream of the crop, this is one sorry lot. And the end was so perplexing. I mean he managed to tie up all the plot points in as contrived a way as possible, while at the same time completely managing to miss anything that resembles a satisfying ending.
Maybe I'm just not cut out for pulp. Excuse me, I need to go find some Sylvia Plath to cleanse with.
July 16, 2021
Carl Hiaasen's 'Skinny Dip' is the usual hilarious and bittersweet Hiaasen plot about fantastic and ridiculous criminals working legally under Florida's lax and corrupt government's environmental laws and victims who decide vigilantism will work better than Florida's legal system (not exactly untrue, is it?).
As the book begins, beautiful and rich Joey Perrone is being murdered by her husband of two years, Chaz. Chaz is a Florida State biologist whose job normally involves measuring agricultural pollutants in the Everglades. But on this balmy Florida night, while the couple is on a luxury boat cruise celebrating their wedding anniversary, Chaz has inexplicably pushed his wife over the railing down into the ocean. Joey is thankful she was co-captain of her college swim team. She is determined to find out why her husband wants her dead, so she stubbornly starts the miles-long paddle to shore.
Mick Stranahan, the retired police officer from the previous novel in the series, , has moved to a small Florida island as caretaker for its absentee owner. He loves the isolation and the beauty of the ocean. One of the perks of the job is being able to fish for dinner whenever he likes. However, this time he has caught a naked lady floating on a bale of pot. It looks like his idyllic days of quiet and sun will be temporarily over - for about 400 fun pages! Skink puts in a short appearance as well, gentle reader, from the ongoing Skink series.
I should mention Hiaasen's plots are developed from actual headlines and scandals which have come to the attention of federal and other agencies and individuals who actually are trying to make Florida accountable for its still ongoing rape of the Everglades, as well as exposing Florida's irritation at the presence of any animal and ocean wildlife. Although the various businesses and elected government officials involved in Florida's environmental destruction have been written about openly in the news for almost a century or two, nothing has slowed down the extraction of Florida's natural resources and the poisoning of what is still left of its flora and fauna.
As Florida politicians add more and more written speeches about saving the Everglades to the stacks of speeches already given through the decades of human 'stewardship and care', real scientists have measured how much of the Everglades still remains from its original size - 10% - with the result of many animal populations having disappeared or crashed.
But the planing off of the natural surface of Florida to replace it with cement and farms is not the only problem Florida has right now.
Sinkholes are breaking up the infrastructure of Florida neighborhoods, and the poisoning of fresh water sources are popping up everywhere. These problems are linked to rising levels of salty ocean waters invading the low-lying lands of Florida.
A sinkhole map of Florida:
However, the issues of no fresh water and homes disappearing into black holes opening up in the ground has not stopped people from continuing to pave over Florida for fun and profit:
A sample quote from The Vanity Fair Magazine article by David Kamp:
"For all the sober talk about grave and ongoing environmental challenges, it is apt that Miami Beach has a self-styled Bloombergian mayor. For, curiously, at the very same time that some climate scientists are questioning whether the city will even survive into the next century, Miami Beach is going through an economic and building boom that evokes nothing so much as Bloomberg-era New York at its most sparkly and flash. In the last 12 months alone, the city has added more than 2,000 hotel rooms, many of them under impressive imprimaturs. Tommy Hilfiger is refurbishing the historic Raleigh hotel, and Ian Schrager has given the 50s-era Seville Beach Hotel a luxury redesign and a new name, Edition Miami Beach. And though the city doesn’t boast a feat of urban design as ingenious as New York City’s High Line, it can lay claim to what has become, since its completion in 2010, the world’s most architecturally celebrated parking garage, 1111 Lincoln Road, a house-of-cards-like structure by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron that has become an international tourist attraction in its own right."
But wait! There is more! 'Dead' spots in the ocean, particularly all around Florida beaches!
In my humble opinion, I think America is going to have a homegrown refugee problem within a century. Big Government or small, there won't be much help from any government around the world, much less for Florida.
As the book begins, beautiful and rich Joey Perrone is being murdered by her husband of two years, Chaz. Chaz is a Florida State biologist whose job normally involves measuring agricultural pollutants in the Everglades. But on this balmy Florida night, while the couple is on a luxury boat cruise celebrating their wedding anniversary, Chaz has inexplicably pushed his wife over the railing down into the ocean. Joey is thankful she was co-captain of her college swim team. She is determined to find out why her husband wants her dead, so she stubbornly starts the miles-long paddle to shore.
Mick Stranahan, the retired police officer from the previous novel in the series, , has moved to a small Florida island as caretaker for its absentee owner. He loves the isolation and the beauty of the ocean. One of the perks of the job is being able to fish for dinner whenever he likes. However, this time he has caught a naked lady floating on a bale of pot. It looks like his idyllic days of quiet and sun will be temporarily over - for about 400 fun pages! Skink puts in a short appearance as well, gentle reader, from the ongoing Skink series.
I should mention Hiaasen's plots are developed from actual headlines and scandals which have come to the attention of federal and other agencies and individuals who actually are trying to make Florida accountable for its still ongoing rape of the Everglades, as well as exposing Florida's irritation at the presence of any animal and ocean wildlife. Although the various businesses and elected government officials involved in Florida's environmental destruction have been written about openly in the news for almost a century or two, nothing has slowed down the extraction of Florida's natural resources and the poisoning of what is still left of its flora and fauna.
As Florida politicians add more and more written speeches about saving the Everglades to the stacks of speeches already given through the decades of human 'stewardship and care', real scientists have measured how much of the Everglades still remains from its original size - 10% - with the result of many animal populations having disappeared or crashed.
But the planing off of the natural surface of Florida to replace it with cement and farms is not the only problem Florida has right now.
Sinkholes are breaking up the infrastructure of Florida neighborhoods, and the poisoning of fresh water sources are popping up everywhere. These problems are linked to rising levels of salty ocean waters invading the low-lying lands of Florida.
A sinkhole map of Florida:
However, the issues of no fresh water and homes disappearing into black holes opening up in the ground has not stopped people from continuing to pave over Florida for fun and profit:
A sample quote from The Vanity Fair Magazine article by David Kamp:
"For all the sober talk about grave and ongoing environmental challenges, it is apt that Miami Beach has a self-styled Bloombergian mayor. For, curiously, at the very same time that some climate scientists are questioning whether the city will even survive into the next century, Miami Beach is going through an economic and building boom that evokes nothing so much as Bloomberg-era New York at its most sparkly and flash. In the last 12 months alone, the city has added more than 2,000 hotel rooms, many of them under impressive imprimaturs. Tommy Hilfiger is refurbishing the historic Raleigh hotel, and Ian Schrager has given the 50s-era Seville Beach Hotel a luxury redesign and a new name, Edition Miami Beach. And though the city doesn’t boast a feat of urban design as ingenious as New York City’s High Line, it can lay claim to what has become, since its completion in 2010, the world’s most architecturally celebrated parking garage, 1111 Lincoln Road, a house-of-cards-like structure by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron that has become an international tourist attraction in its own right."
But wait! There is more! 'Dead' spots in the ocean, particularly all around Florida beaches!
In my humble opinion, I think America is going to have a homegrown refugee problem within a century. Big Government or small, there won't be much help from any government around the world, much less for Florida.
February 22, 2021
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June 11, 2022
I came in with low expectations and I was blown away. This book was funny from start to finish. It nailed that delicate balance between being silly while still telling a coherent story.
I loved every single character including that asshole, Chaz Perrone. Earl O'Toole is hands down my favorite character. He is presented as this serious and deadly guy you never want to cross paths with, but you quickly realize what a nut case sweetheart he really is. Anything out of his mouth is comedy gold.
I was a bit worried about the length of the book and the story getting a bit stagnant along the way. To my delight, it seemed to hum along just fine until the end. I think the funniest parts about the story is how much of a screw up loser Chaz is and how nobody seems to ever die. I could totally see this being made into a film. Fingers crossed!
I loved every single character including that asshole, Chaz Perrone. Earl O'Toole is hands down my favorite character. He is presented as this serious and deadly guy you never want to cross paths with, but you quickly realize what a nut case sweetheart he really is. Anything out of his mouth is comedy gold.
I was a bit worried about the length of the book and the story getting a bit stagnant along the way. To my delight, it seemed to hum along just fine until the end. I think the funniest parts about the story is how much of a screw up loser Chaz is and how nobody seems to ever die. I could totally see this being made into a film. Fingers crossed!
October 12, 2023
Carl Hiaasen writes novels about Florida. I won't get started about Florida - the ex-President, governor, theme parks, retirees.... Mr. Hiaasen takes on subjects like these and others in all of his books. His method is to take an evil scoundrel who's made a fortune by raping the wildlife and wildlands of Florida, pin them down and gut them (figuratively or, sometimes, literally). In Skinny Dip, the culprits are a philandering husband who tries to murder his wife by throwing her off the deck of a cruise ship and a crooked mega-farmer who's polluting the Everglades with run-off from his agricultural empire.
Skinny Dip is an entertaining read, though there's some recycling from past novels. Skink, the former governor of Florida who lives in the Everglades, makes a couple of nominal appearances. And there's a goon (though with a twist this time) with a bullet in his anus, who's a throwback to the villain in Double Whammy who walks around with the head of a dead pit bull attached to his arm.
This isn't the best Carl Hiaasen novel I've read, but there was enough here to keep me engaged.
Skinny Dip is an entertaining read, though there's some recycling from past novels. Skink, the former governor of Florida who lives in the Everglades, makes a couple of nominal appearances. And there's a goon (though with a twist this time) with a bullet in his anus, who's a throwback to the villain in Double Whammy who walks around with the head of a dead pit bull attached to his arm.
This isn't the best Carl Hiaasen novel I've read, but there was enough here to keep me engaged.
April 22, 2018
This book was plain hilarious. It begins with Chaz throwing wife Joey overboard a cruise ship and her not only surviving, but plotting her revenge against him with ex-cop Mick. She decides to "stay dead" while slowly driving Chaz mad until the big ending. A little action, comedy, and romance wrapped into one book. As unrealistic and laughable as Hiaasen's books are, they somehow tend to work out well this way. I always feel like it's a light break from the heavy stuff and can always expect a good laugh. This is one of my favorite of his novels.
September 7, 2007
This is a favorite author of mine. He has the very best of characters. Bizarre, misdirected, lost, but always fun.
September 8, 2016
Carl Hiaasen is a funny author. He creates a lot of compelling and funny characters.
That said, why are his female characters (especially the lead here) underdeveloped and boring. When you have tertiary characters (Tool, Red, the Captain) that are far more interesting than your main character, you have to wonder about the author's ability to flesh out the women in his books. I have the same complaint about the only other book of his (Lucky You) that I've read.
Still, an amusing book - well-plotted and entertaining.
That said, why are his female characters (especially the lead here) underdeveloped and boring. When you have tertiary characters (Tool, Red, the Captain) that are far more interesting than your main character, you have to wonder about the author's ability to flesh out the women in his books. I have the same complaint about the only other book of his (Lucky You) that I've read.
Still, an amusing book - well-plotted and entertaining.
December 6, 2016
Stranahan is back! (And so is ex-governor 'Skink'). That may be why I put a fifth(!) star on this one. Or it just fit me perfectly at the time. Anyway, I had a tremendously fun time with this book.
May 19, 2008
this guy had a great plot for a book, but wasted my time writing it. the whole thing was a masturbatory exercise in stereotyping and - ready to be shocked? - creating a baseless, boring romance between a gruff older cop and a gorgeous younger woman. i was completely underwhelmed by this novel and will be steering clear of his other books.
May 28, 2015
I read 307 pages of this book, which frankly is 300 pages too many for me. It's the selection for my book club, otherwise I doubt I would have even tried as much as I did with this. I pretty much hated this book. I didn't like or care about any of the characters (except for Tool, he was interesting). I didn't at all buy Joey as a victim. In fact I found her trite and spiteful and plain stupid. Also, I don't know a single woman who goes around goading people into action by saying come on you pussy. Her husband was even worse.
Chaz and Joey are caricatures of unlikable people. Because I didn't care about them I found the whole set up a waste of my time and stretching incredulity. And at no time did I care about the resolution. I just didn't find this book humorous in any way, either.
The one thing I actually did like quite a bit was the setting. Hiaasen lives in the part of South Florida where I grew up. And the sense of place was very authentic. I've been to most of the places his characters go to. I was thinking about Stiltsville as he described it. I felt nostalgic for the South Florida of my youth as I was reading it (I haven't lived in Miami since 1986).
But that wasn't enough to keep me in this book. Life is too short, and I have too many books I want to read to waste this much time on something I hate doing. I've had dental work without novocaine that was less painful than reading this book was.
Chaz and Joey are caricatures of unlikable people. Because I didn't care about them I found the whole set up a waste of my time and stretching incredulity. And at no time did I care about the resolution. I just didn't find this book humorous in any way, either.
The one thing I actually did like quite a bit was the setting. Hiaasen lives in the part of South Florida where I grew up. And the sense of place was very authentic. I've been to most of the places his characters go to. I was thinking about Stiltsville as he described it. I felt nostalgic for the South Florida of my youth as I was reading it (I haven't lived in Miami since 1986).
But that wasn't enough to keep me in this book. Life is too short, and I have too many books I want to read to waste this much time on something I hate doing. I've had dental work without novocaine that was less painful than reading this book was.
January 8, 2025
Joey Perrone is shocked when her husband is reaching for the keys to their stateroom, but instead he grabs her ankles and throws her over the side of their cruise ship. As she surfaces, she recalls that it is their anniversary! What a piece of work her husband is. It’s not enough that he’s cheating on her all over town, but to throw her overboard on their anniversary cruise is too much!!
So begins Hiaasen’s 10th book. Lots of original characters and a murder mystery to solve. Or rather an attempted murder mystery to solve. I would give it 3 and a half stars if I could. I couldn’t get into it until half way through it. Maybe it was me though.
So begins Hiaasen’s 10th book. Lots of original characters and a murder mystery to solve. Or rather an attempted murder mystery to solve. I would give it 3 and a half stars if I could. I couldn’t get into it until half way through it. Maybe it was me though.
July 12, 2022
I used to habitually read in the last century. I decided to revisit (2004) to see if the magic was still there and� it is.
A young woman is pushed off a cruise ship by her sociopathic husband. He doesn’t expect her to survive but, of course, she does, and let’s just say, revenge is sweet.
Another inventive and rollicking plot delivers all the familiar ingredients: a rich vein of dark humour, hapless and egotistical men, clever women, and astute observations on the cynical local politics of Florida.
4/5
More about (2004)....
Joey Perrone is a woman with a mission. She's just been pushed overboard from a cruise liner by Chaz, her scumbag husband, and survived to tell the tale. But rather than reporting him to the police, she decides to stay dead and - with a little help from her friends and a few of Chaz's enemies - instead of getting mad, she's going to get even.
Filled with a host of endearingly offbeat characters, and a narrative that is hilarious, romantic and thought-provoking by turns, Skinny Dip takes us on a journey through the warped politics of Southern Florida and through the madness created by the human heart.
A young woman is pushed off a cruise ship by her sociopathic husband. He doesn’t expect her to survive but, of course, she does, and let’s just say, revenge is sweet.
Another inventive and rollicking plot delivers all the familiar ingredients: a rich vein of dark humour, hapless and egotistical men, clever women, and astute observations on the cynical local politics of Florida.
4/5
More about (2004)....
Joey Perrone is a woman with a mission. She's just been pushed overboard from a cruise liner by Chaz, her scumbag husband, and survived to tell the tale. But rather than reporting him to the police, she decides to stay dead and - with a little help from her friends and a few of Chaz's enemies - instead of getting mad, she's going to get even.
Filled with a host of endearingly offbeat characters, and a narrative that is hilarious, romantic and thought-provoking by turns, Skinny Dip takes us on a journey through the warped politics of Southern Florida and through the madness created by the human heart.
January 16, 2014
Find all of my reviews at:
3.5 Stars
Joey Perrone would have never guessed her husband would toss her overboard during their anniversary cruise. Mick Stranahan would have never guessed he’d pull a naked woman off a floating bale of marijuana while fishing. After their bizarre chance encounter, Joey and Mick team up to find out why Joey’s philandering husband would choose to kill her rather than ask for a divorce and to get some payback in the process.
Like all of Hiassen’s books, Skinny Dip takes place in the Sunshine State
and is filled with an abundance of bizarre characters and multiple plotlines.
I’ve seen a lot of reviewers say that Hiassen is obviously a woman hater. Since I haven’t seen him broadcast any disgusting opinions in interviews (*cough* Orson Scott Card *cough*), I have no idea if that is true. I do know that his female characters tend to be one-dimensional, but normally I don’t really give a poo. Hiassen is a man’s man and writes books that dudes would want to read. Unfortunately in Skinny Dip one of the leads is a woman. A woman who should have been a lot more awesome than she was. Luckily, he casts his books with eleventy billion other characters to pick up the slack. While not even remotely as brilliant as Bad Monkey, Skinny Dip was still a fun read.
3.5 Stars
Joey Perrone would have never guessed her husband would toss her overboard during their anniversary cruise. Mick Stranahan would have never guessed he’d pull a naked woman off a floating bale of marijuana while fishing. After their bizarre chance encounter, Joey and Mick team up to find out why Joey’s philandering husband would choose to kill her rather than ask for a divorce and to get some payback in the process.
Like all of Hiassen’s books, Skinny Dip takes place in the Sunshine State
and is filled with an abundance of bizarre characters and multiple plotlines.
I’ve seen a lot of reviewers say that Hiassen is obviously a woman hater. Since I haven’t seen him broadcast any disgusting opinions in interviews (*cough* Orson Scott Card *cough*), I have no idea if that is true. I do know that his female characters tend to be one-dimensional, but normally I don’t really give a poo. Hiassen is a man’s man and writes books that dudes would want to read. Unfortunately in Skinny Dip one of the leads is a woman. A woman who should have been a lot more awesome than she was. Luckily, he casts his books with eleventy billion other characters to pick up the slack. While not even remotely as brilliant as Bad Monkey, Skinny Dip was still a fun read.
February 12, 2019
Do you need a little fluff in your life? Do you want to forget about the fact that your car is in the shop, you won't be getting that refund on your income tax you had been expecting, your doctor has told you to reduce your drinking, and your 65-inch flat screen just went black? Then this is the book for you.
I hadn't read any Carl Hiaasen before my brother-in-law recommended this book, and I'm still laughing. I'm not sure if other passengers on the plane to Sacramento last week appreciated the constant chuckling coming from me, along with the occasional guffaw, but it's a free country, isn't it?
The main character, Chaz Perrone, is a marine biologist who hates the outdoors and despises wildlife. But he's found a wonderful, if fraudulent, way to make buckets of money using his "biology skills." Unfortunately, his wife Joey may have caught on to his scheme. Oh well, there's nothing for it but to throw her overboard on their anniversary cruise and feed her to the sharks. But there's the rub. Chaz is not a very good murderer, even though he gets to try it several times as the novel unwinds.
Here is a story of criminal ineptitude at its "Coen-Brothers-Best." If it were beach weather here, I'd say to bring it along to the shore. Since it's not, curl up by the fire with it, but first reach an understanding with your partner or house guest that you are not responsible if you burst out laughing and disturb their binge-watching Game of Thrones.
I hadn't read any Carl Hiaasen before my brother-in-law recommended this book, and I'm still laughing. I'm not sure if other passengers on the plane to Sacramento last week appreciated the constant chuckling coming from me, along with the occasional guffaw, but it's a free country, isn't it?
The main character, Chaz Perrone, is a marine biologist who hates the outdoors and despises wildlife. But he's found a wonderful, if fraudulent, way to make buckets of money using his "biology skills." Unfortunately, his wife Joey may have caught on to his scheme. Oh well, there's nothing for it but to throw her overboard on their anniversary cruise and feed her to the sharks. But there's the rub. Chaz is not a very good murderer, even though he gets to try it several times as the novel unwinds.
Here is a story of criminal ineptitude at its "Coen-Brothers-Best." If it were beach weather here, I'd say to bring it along to the shore. Since it's not, curl up by the fire with it, but first reach an understanding with your partner or house guest that you are not responsible if you burst out laughing and disturb their binge-watching Game of Thrones.
November 25, 2015
This is the seventh Hiaasen book I’ve read. While he’s never going to be my favourite author, I really enjoyed the first six. This seventh outing, however, didn’t have the same appeal. In fact, every time I stopped reading this book it was because I’d fallen asleep! It’s definitely not a good sign that a comedy/thriller has me dropping off so frequently while reading it.
I think part of the problem was that the plot didn’t cope with being stretched out so much. If this book had been about two thirds the length it would have been a lot better. There were points where I was wishing they’d just get on with it!
Also, apart from Mick Stranahan, virtually all the characters irritated me to some degree. With the female characters, it was mainly that they were barely two-dimensional and almost completely vacuous. I’m pretty sure a couple of the supporting characters were extraneous and could either have been cut out completely or had their parts performed by one of the other characters.
Don’t get me wrong; I did enjoy this book (hence three stars and not two) and its weaknesses certainly won’t put me off reading more Hiaasen in the future but it was definitely my least favourite of all his books I’ve read so far. I much preferred ‘Skin Tight�, the first book to feature Stranahan.
Buddy read with Sunshine Seaspray.
I think part of the problem was that the plot didn’t cope with being stretched out so much. If this book had been about two thirds the length it would have been a lot better. There were points where I was wishing they’d just get on with it!
Also, apart from Mick Stranahan, virtually all the characters irritated me to some degree. With the female characters, it was mainly that they were barely two-dimensional and almost completely vacuous. I’m pretty sure a couple of the supporting characters were extraneous and could either have been cut out completely or had their parts performed by one of the other characters.
Don’t get me wrong; I did enjoy this book (hence three stars and not two) and its weaknesses certainly won’t put me off reading more Hiaasen in the future but it was definitely my least favourite of all his books I’ve read so far. I much preferred ‘Skin Tight�, the first book to feature Stranahan.
Buddy read with Sunshine Seaspray.
April 9, 2007
I do love to junk out on Carl Hiaasen - his characters are the best of the best as far as endearing-bizarre-flaky. A failed attempt at killing his wife leads a fantastically sleazy, comical and completely unlikable pseudo-biologist down a hot, sticky, mosquito-infested, crocodile-ridden, and ridiculously ill-fated path... from a previously bland housing-development life in Boca Raton to the depths of the swampy Everglades. Crimes against the environment and one miserably failed murder attempt after the next definitely kept this read fast, fun and intriguing. As always, Hiaasen's beyond-quirky characters drive the story. I enjoyed this, but Nature Girl still reigns supreme
April 28, 2022
Was great to see a guy who get by his looks all his life to get his comeuppance. The hilarious
ending has all the characters get their just rewards, much like a Dickens novel. The author does have a preponderance about erect penises.
PS If you have not read Madame Bovary beware that this novel gives away the ending of Madame Bovary.
ending has all the characters get their just rewards, much like a Dickens novel. The author does have a preponderance about erect penises.
PS If you have not read Madame Bovary beware that this novel gives away the ending of Madame Bovary.
March 25, 2021
For a long time, the name Carl Hiaasen sat on the periphery of my noggin. But then I reeled it a little further in.
This was after reading Mark Harris' terrific bio of Mike Nichols. In it, there was mention of the fact that, after what became his final film ('Charlie Wilson's War'), Nichols had entertained the idea of adapting 'Skinny Dip' with his collaborator Elaine May (!). That, sadly, did not come to pass - but that was all I needed to make sure to read the book.
What a ride!
~ and, if this one (one of his longer novels), is any indication of what can be expected elsewhere, I'm on-board! It's easy to see why Hiaasen acquired the position of heir apparent to Elmore Leonard. There are certain similarities in terms of overall tone - though I suspect that Leonard is consistently darker. Hiaasen appears more jovial - even if, like Leonard, he also more than wades in the muddy waters of duplicity.
There's a whole lot of physical muddy water in 'Skinny Dip' as well. Water plays a huge role, as most of the murder activity (shall we say) happens in and around it.
But murder itself might be less on Hiaasen's mind than Leonard's. Mainly because (at least here) he gathers a cast of characters that can somehow maintain an air of levity when that could be the last thing called for. Hiaasen appears to have real affection for all of the people he creates and throws together - even (on some level) the least of them (or maybe he just enjoys making the lesser ones dumbly but comically self-aware).
And then there's the actual story. Well, as the opening tune in 'The Court Jester' puts it: "~ which brings us to the plot, plot we got, quite a lot!" The way Hiaasen scours the madcap possibilities within the narrative is impressive. A number of the set-ups are priceless (and one is even bizarrely touching). Of course, he's working with a large cast - so maybe that made it a bit easier to be inventive. But he still had to devise countless elements of surprise.
The level of shenanigans is so high in this novel that it was almost in danger of exhausting me... if one can actually grow tired from laughter.
This was after reading Mark Harris' terrific bio of Mike Nichols. In it, there was mention of the fact that, after what became his final film ('Charlie Wilson's War'), Nichols had entertained the idea of adapting 'Skinny Dip' with his collaborator Elaine May (!). That, sadly, did not come to pass - but that was all I needed to make sure to read the book.
What a ride!
~ and, if this one (one of his longer novels), is any indication of what can be expected elsewhere, I'm on-board! It's easy to see why Hiaasen acquired the position of heir apparent to Elmore Leonard. There are certain similarities in terms of overall tone - though I suspect that Leonard is consistently darker. Hiaasen appears more jovial - even if, like Leonard, he also more than wades in the muddy waters of duplicity.
There's a whole lot of physical muddy water in 'Skinny Dip' as well. Water plays a huge role, as most of the murder activity (shall we say) happens in and around it.
But murder itself might be less on Hiaasen's mind than Leonard's. Mainly because (at least here) he gathers a cast of characters that can somehow maintain an air of levity when that could be the last thing called for. Hiaasen appears to have real affection for all of the people he creates and throws together - even (on some level) the least of them (or maybe he just enjoys making the lesser ones dumbly but comically self-aware).
And then there's the actual story. Well, as the opening tune in 'The Court Jester' puts it: "~ which brings us to the plot, plot we got, quite a lot!" The way Hiaasen scours the madcap possibilities within the narrative is impressive. A number of the set-ups are priceless (and one is even bizarrely touching). Of course, he's working with a large cast - so maybe that made it a bit easier to be inventive. But he still had to devise countless elements of surprise.
The level of shenanigans is so high in this novel that it was almost in danger of exhausting me... if one can actually grow tired from laughter.
October 4, 2013
Someone recommended Carl Hiaasen’s latest book to me, Bad Monkey. But I am not as dumb as I may appear! From the effusive encomium of this trusted recommender, I knew I would like this guy, so I went back a bit in time to acquaint myself with this author. That way, when I found that I loved him, I wouldn’t have to go totally backwards in my reading, which I hate doing! Skinny Dip is a crime novel that sits heads and shoulders above the usual fare, for its characterizations, biting and witty social satire, madcap noirish humor (sort of like the Coen Brothers) and deft writing in general. I am delighted to have discovered this author, and even more so to find out that there are many more of his books to read!
As you discover right in the beginning, Chaz Peronne, good-looking, but good-for-nothing, as well as vapid, contemptible, and greedy, dumps his wife Joey off the deck of a ship on a cruise to celebrate their second wedding anniversary. Joey can swim, but eventually she tires out. However, she lucks out by bumping into a floating bale of Jamaican pot. She hangs on until she is rescued by Mick Stranahan, a 53-year-old ex-cop who now lives on a remote island off the coast of Miami.
Once she recovers, Joey has no interest in calling the police; she wants revenge on Chaz, and Mick agrees to help her. Meanwhile, back on shore, a transplanted Norwegian detective from Minnesota, Karl Rolvaag, who likes to pretend he’s in the script of the movie Fargo, doesn’t buy Chaz’s story that his wife’s death was an accident. So Rolvaag also goes after Chaz.
And that’s not all! Chaz is also being watched by “Tool,� a humongous bodyguard sent by Red Hammernut, his corrupt boss, who worries that Chaz will become unstable and spill the beans about their depredation of the Everglades. Tool is, to me, the best character in the book: very large, very dumb, but soft-hearted, lonely, and more open to new ideas and new relationships than anyone else in the story. The person he finds to fill the holes in his life creates the best and most touching story of the book.
The noose tightens around Chaz, with a corresponding increase in zaniness in the story. I don't think it's purely coincidental that one of the characters loves Fargo - there are many similarities. The story wraps up in a satisfying way, with "cosmic justice" for all!
Discussion: There are several hilarious ongoing jokes in this book, from Chaz’s relationship to his male member, to Tool’s love of collecting roadside crosses, to the trials and tribulations of criminals. Hiaasen integrates them into the story so well, and in just the right proportions, that it is never tedious or repetitive, but rather delightfully entertaining. Mick Stranahan may be an “old geezer� as Joey calls him affectionally, but he is one of the most endearing as well as romantic characters I have encountered in fiction. And Rolvaag: how subtle and funny, and how lovable as well. He too has an unusual way to deal with his loneliness, and one that is also very funny.
This author not only writes books for adults, but has won the coveted Newbery Honor for his debut children’s book. He churns out those now too, as well as some non-fiction. His books get gushing reviews and now I can see why. I can’t wait to tackle more of his oeuvre!
Evaluation: This book is clever, zany, and heartwarming all at once. It’s a quick, entertaining read, and yet it is much more memorable than most in this category. Highly recommended!
As you discover right in the beginning, Chaz Peronne, good-looking, but good-for-nothing, as well as vapid, contemptible, and greedy, dumps his wife Joey off the deck of a ship on a cruise to celebrate their second wedding anniversary. Joey can swim, but eventually she tires out. However, she lucks out by bumping into a floating bale of Jamaican pot. She hangs on until she is rescued by Mick Stranahan, a 53-year-old ex-cop who now lives on a remote island off the coast of Miami.
Once she recovers, Joey has no interest in calling the police; she wants revenge on Chaz, and Mick agrees to help her. Meanwhile, back on shore, a transplanted Norwegian detective from Minnesota, Karl Rolvaag, who likes to pretend he’s in the script of the movie Fargo, doesn’t buy Chaz’s story that his wife’s death was an accident. So Rolvaag also goes after Chaz.
And that’s not all! Chaz is also being watched by “Tool,� a humongous bodyguard sent by Red Hammernut, his corrupt boss, who worries that Chaz will become unstable and spill the beans about their depredation of the Everglades. Tool is, to me, the best character in the book: very large, very dumb, but soft-hearted, lonely, and more open to new ideas and new relationships than anyone else in the story. The person he finds to fill the holes in his life creates the best and most touching story of the book.
The noose tightens around Chaz, with a corresponding increase in zaniness in the story. I don't think it's purely coincidental that one of the characters loves Fargo - there are many similarities. The story wraps up in a satisfying way, with "cosmic justice" for all!
Discussion: There are several hilarious ongoing jokes in this book, from Chaz’s relationship to his male member, to Tool’s love of collecting roadside crosses, to the trials and tribulations of criminals. Hiaasen integrates them into the story so well, and in just the right proportions, that it is never tedious or repetitive, but rather delightfully entertaining. Mick Stranahan may be an “old geezer� as Joey calls him affectionally, but he is one of the most endearing as well as romantic characters I have encountered in fiction. And Rolvaag: how subtle and funny, and how lovable as well. He too has an unusual way to deal with his loneliness, and one that is also very funny.
This author not only writes books for adults, but has won the coveted Newbery Honor for his debut children’s book. He churns out those now too, as well as some non-fiction. His books get gushing reviews and now I can see why. I can’t wait to tackle more of his oeuvre!
Evaluation: This book is clever, zany, and heartwarming all at once. It’s a quick, entertaining read, and yet it is much more memorable than most in this category. Highly recommended!
December 8, 2013
How to categorize this book? It’s not a mystery � although it starts with a murder. It’s not a police procedural, although a policeman is trying to make the case against the murderer throughout the book. It’s not a romance, although it ends with a ‘happily-ever-after�. It’s not a comedy, although absurdities pile up on the pages. I’d call it a farce with environmental flavor.
In the beginning, the antagonist, biologist Chaz Perrone, pitches his wife Joey overboard from a cruise ship. He is happy with the deed done well, but unfortunately for him, Joey survives. The rest of the book is dedicated to Joey taking revenge on her inept murderer of a husband. She is also trying to figure out why he decided to murder her.
The plot line is preposterous to the point of crazy, but the value of this novel doesn’t reside in the plot, it is in the characters. They are diverse and colorful, especially the bad ones.
The antagonist Chaz is a tangle of contradictions. One moment, he is a sleek confident liar, the next � a slimy, soulless prick, cowardly but sly. Everyone holds him in contempt, his ‘friends� and enemies alike, but somehow, his overworking sense of self-preservation always helps him to end up on top, not exactly winning but not really losing either, just biding his time. Pathetic as a villain, he is nonetheless frightening in his sordid venality � and for the lowest possible price. This self-admiring worm is the best-defined character in the novel, the focal point of the action. Every twist of the plot revolves around him.
Chaz’s partners in crime include his employer Red, a corrupt and ruthless owner of vegetable farms, and Red’s goon Tool, a hirsute ape of a man, whose conscience is stirring unexpectedly.
On the positive side, there is a Norwegian detective Rolvaag, superbly honest and tenacious like a bulldog but slightly eccentric: he keeps pythons as pets. A loner Mike is also one of the good guys. A former policeman and Joey’s savior, he is the one who fished her out of the sea. He helps her with her vengeance scheme and generally plays the role of a knight in tarnished armor.
And then there is Joey. She should be the protagonist, she almost got killed in the beginning of the story, but she is somewhat fuzzy as a character. Actually, all the female characters are fuzzy in this novel, as opposed to the male characters, each one with his sharply defined personality and quirky history.
The story is unevenly paced, sometimes galloping, sometimes crawling. Too many back stories slow down the action, and I wondered why the author included them. They are not really relevant to the proceedings. They are funny though, but for some reason, I didn’t laugh, not even once. I suspect a screwball comedy isn’t for me, although the juxtaposition of a petty criminal and the huge evil of his crime � murder, even unsuccessful � felt intriguing. I definitely wanted to know the resolution of this cat’s cradle of lies and subplots.
The setting, Everglades, Florida, plays a major role in this book. The author obviously loves its endless marches and abundant wildlife, and the entire book reads as a tribute to Everglades.
Overall � a ridiculous but absorbing read. I enjoyed it.
In the beginning, the antagonist, biologist Chaz Perrone, pitches his wife Joey overboard from a cruise ship. He is happy with the deed done well, but unfortunately for him, Joey survives. The rest of the book is dedicated to Joey taking revenge on her inept murderer of a husband. She is also trying to figure out why he decided to murder her.
The plot line is preposterous to the point of crazy, but the value of this novel doesn’t reside in the plot, it is in the characters. They are diverse and colorful, especially the bad ones.
The antagonist Chaz is a tangle of contradictions. One moment, he is a sleek confident liar, the next � a slimy, soulless prick, cowardly but sly. Everyone holds him in contempt, his ‘friends� and enemies alike, but somehow, his overworking sense of self-preservation always helps him to end up on top, not exactly winning but not really losing either, just biding his time. Pathetic as a villain, he is nonetheless frightening in his sordid venality � and for the lowest possible price. This self-admiring worm is the best-defined character in the novel, the focal point of the action. Every twist of the plot revolves around him.
Chaz’s partners in crime include his employer Red, a corrupt and ruthless owner of vegetable farms, and Red’s goon Tool, a hirsute ape of a man, whose conscience is stirring unexpectedly.
On the positive side, there is a Norwegian detective Rolvaag, superbly honest and tenacious like a bulldog but slightly eccentric: he keeps pythons as pets. A loner Mike is also one of the good guys. A former policeman and Joey’s savior, he is the one who fished her out of the sea. He helps her with her vengeance scheme and generally plays the role of a knight in tarnished armor.
And then there is Joey. She should be the protagonist, she almost got killed in the beginning of the story, but she is somewhat fuzzy as a character. Actually, all the female characters are fuzzy in this novel, as opposed to the male characters, each one with his sharply defined personality and quirky history.
The story is unevenly paced, sometimes galloping, sometimes crawling. Too many back stories slow down the action, and I wondered why the author included them. They are not really relevant to the proceedings. They are funny though, but for some reason, I didn’t laugh, not even once. I suspect a screwball comedy isn’t for me, although the juxtaposition of a petty criminal and the huge evil of his crime � murder, even unsuccessful � felt intriguing. I definitely wanted to know the resolution of this cat’s cradle of lies and subplots.
The setting, Everglades, Florida, plays a major role in this book. The author obviously loves its endless marches and abundant wildlife, and the entire book reads as a tribute to Everglades.
Overall � a ridiculous but absorbing read. I enjoyed it.
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