Skinny Dip - Carl Hiaasen

Joey Perrone had looked forward to the cruise that she and her husband Chaz were taking to mark their second anniversary, when he suggests a moonlight walk on the deck in the drizzle, Joey is surprised but not as surprised as she is when she feels Chaz's hands round her ankles just before she is flipped overboard.

But Chaz, a doctor of marine biology with no clue to which way the gulf stream flows, doesn't fully take into account the ...
...bale of Jamaican pot or an island inhabited by an ex-cop named Mick Stanahan

Now against Mick's wishes Joey wants revenge, and against his own common sense Mick is only too happy to help, but in the swamps of South Florida, separating lies from the truth and stupidity from brilliance isn't easy. It's only made harder in their pursuit of Chaz, a man who is bad at murder, great a fraud, and just terrible at getting caught.

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Joey Perrone had looked forward to the cruise that she and her husband Chaz were taking to mark their second anniversary, when he suggests a moonlight walk on the deck in the drizzle, Joey is surprised but not as surprised as she is when she feels Chaz's hands round her ankles just before she is flipped overboard.

But Chaz, a doctor of marine biology with no clue to which way the gulf stream flows, doesn't fully take into account the fact that Joey is an expert swimmer or the floating bale of Jamaican pot or an island inhabited by an ex-cop named Mick Stanahan

Now against Mick's wishes Joey wants revenge, and against his own common sense Mick is only too happy to help, but in the swamps of South Florida, separating lies from the truth and stupidity from brilliance isn't easy. It's only made harder in their pursuit of Chaz, a man who is bad at murder, great a fraud, and just terrible at getting caught.

Carl Hiaasen is an activist but not one who is well known, as unlike Michael Moore, Al Franklin (who are funny in their own right) or Ben Elton (who I find praises his own self knowledge a bit too much). Carl Hiaasen is more subtle, anyone who is a fan of his work will already know of his scathing disgust of the political machine and how his nations greed and power hungry members have now almost destroyed the Florida Everglades.

So once again Carl Hiaasen uses the Everglades in his novel, but this time they are more than just a backdrop, as then main story revolves around Chaz Perrone own disinterest in the 'glades, using them solely for financial gain. But although he uses the Everglades in his novels, it doesn't seem as though he is recycling characters or situations, it's more like Stephen King using the setting of the state of Maine is his books.

Throughout the book the perspective changes between the characters, so not only do you see the story from Joey's point of view, but that of Mick, Chaz, Red Hammernut, a farmer that employs Chaz and Tool, a man also employed by Red Hammernut, so you get an overall picture of what is going on.

Anyone who is a fan of Christopher Brookmyre will like a book written by Carl Hiaasen, as they are both kings of the black comedy thrillers, as these books will make you laugh out loud as well as keep you guessing until they end, because even when you think that you have everything worked out, something twists at the last second.

Price
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RRP - £7.99
Play.com - £5.99 with free delivery or used and new from -£2.49
Amazon.co.uk - £5.99 or used and new from -£0.01 

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