Double Whammy

You wouldn't think someone would stoop to murder to win a bass fishing contest, but then few of us have the imagination of Carl Hiaasen. He creates characters and plots guaranteed to snare your interest and jiggle your funny bone. Then all you need is a George Wilson to inhabit these South Florida denizens and make the most of these unlikely situations, and you're hooked. R.J. Decker, novice sleuth and professional photographer, wades into this mystery to solve the death of a fisherman looking into dirty doings at tournaments. He mixes with a half-mad sidekick, a larcenous evangelist, his ex-wife, and a lowlife named Thomas Curl, who ends his days with a pit bull's head clamped to his arm. Wilson becomes each of these (except the pit bull) and easily navigates between them. He has "redneck" down pat. A double whammy, by the way, is a lure. One hopes this review is as well. J.B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

January 1, 1988
A Miami Herald reporter who struck a blow against corrupt entrepreneurs in Tourist Season, Hiaasen follows through with this acid satire, a real double whammy. Private detective R. J. Decker is hired to prove that TV host Dickie Lockhart cheats to win fortunes in Florida bass-fishing tournaments. The investigation makes Decker a prey to hired killers who have murdered other "snoops,'' but the detective also finds a strong if weird ally in a hermit who calls himself Skink. Along with two honest cops, Skink goes with Decker to the lake where a big tournament is under way and the four make a tremendous splash, to the dismay of the assembly. Hardest hit is Reverend Weeb, Lockhart's sponsor on the Outdoor Christian Network, whose generous supporters don't know that he's addicted to prostitutes, profanity and land-grabbing. The cast of bizarre characters and the suspenseful events confirm Hiaasen's reputation for creating singular villains and heroes. While he's probably unpopular among some fellow citizens in his home state, he will certainly please readers who appreciate the Swiftian wit in his cautionary tales.

December 1, 2003
In this work, which is vividly read by George Wilson, R.J. Decker, private investigator, takes an assignment to catch and photograph cheaters in the bass fishing tournament circuit. He thinks it's a cream puff case, but when people start dying, he teams up with a crazed backwoods hermit named Skink to solve the mystery. When R.J. is framed for one of the murders, Skink seeks help from his friend Jim Tile, who happens to be a Florida State Trooper. Jim, in turn, teams up with a Dade County police detective who is looking for R.J. As a team, these guys have no parallel. In typical Hiaasen style, everything takes on a manic, over-the-top kind of insanity, creating a funny, bizarre, and somewhat unnerving happy ending. Recommended.-Joanna M. Burkhardt, Coll. of Continuing Education Lib., Univ. of Rhode Island, Providence

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