Very reader needs one author who they can have in their book pile who provides a laugh or a lighthearted read when necessary. Carl Hiassen has become that author for me. I do not discriminate – I have read both his novels for adults and those for young adults. Both are great for adults and young readers and provide some levity in these strange and troubled times.
A pair of rare blue tongued voles have disappeared from a Florida Keys wild animal/amusement park run by a disreputable, shady owner. A group of local blue haired eco-conservationists are on the warpath and want justice for the missing voles.
Joe Winder, formerly a serious investigative journalist, now hating his job as public relations maven at said park, is fed up with the park, his bosses and the very light public relations releases he is forced to write. Additionally, Joe happens to love the local environment and does not want it further eradicated for golf courses.
Into the mix drop two inept burglars and a character I have written about in previous blogs, Skink. Skink is a former Florida governor who became disgusted with big business, development and the destruction of the environment and has become a renegade who lives off the grid and becomes part of many adventures.
As it turns out, the man who owns the wildlife park is in the Witness Protection Program and has decided to buy up what he considers swamplands in order to develop golf courses to make more money. The problem with Francis X. Kingsbury is that he never quite left his mob lifestyle behind and now he has all kinds of people on is tail looking to get even.
This is a fast paced story with many laughs. At no time do you feel a lag in the story. One of the strengths of Hiassen as an author is his ability to create wonderfully colorful characters and to keep the story rolling. So grab this one and take a reading vacation in the Florida Keys with swamp dwellers.
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