Jack Tagger, a journalist in his 40s, works at a newspaper in Florida. Due to back-talking the new media conglomerate during a crucial meeting among staff, board, and executives, he has been demoted from writing front-page articles to the obituary section. However, his interest is piqued by the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of former punk rock star Jimmy Stoma. Despite being told to stop by his younger and less-experienced editor, Tagger persists in investigating the death, hoping to uncover a story that will restore his byline to the front page.

I have a particular fondness for mystery novels set in Florida that feature eccentric characters and capture the warmth and quirkiness of the Sunshine State. I have read works by Laurence Shames and Tom Corcoran, but for some reason, I never picked up a book by Carl Hiaasen until now. I truly enjoyed this one, especially because it delves into both the music business and the newspaper business, areas with which I am fairly acquainted. The author's wry observations of the flaws in these two worlds ring true. I'm somewhat disappointed that this is the only novel with Tagger as the main character, as the author is a prolific writer, yet all of his novels are stand-alones. Hiaasen is pro-environment, and you can catch glimpses of this in the novel, but he doesn't overly push the point. I will definitely read more of this author's books. They may not be overly profound, but they are great fun to read.

Not one of Hiaasen's best, but still good.

I guess I like his zanier stuff. This particular work is a satirical take on print media, encompassing both newspapers and the mighty media corporations. It also weaves in a murder mystery, creating an engaging and unique narrative.

As is typical with Hiaasen's writing, I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. His wit and humor are on full display, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the story.

However, if you've never read Hiaasen before, I would not recommend this as a starting point. His style can be quite distinct, and it might be better to begin with one of his more well-known or accessible works.

But if you're already familiar with his writing and have a taste for his brand of satire and mystery, then by all means, go for it. You're likely to have a great time reading this book.

One of his best works.

It is again targeted at more mature kids from middle school (MS) and any high school (HS) kid will surely enjoy it.

Jack Tagger, who is a columnist for a paper in South Florida, of course, has a strong desire to resurrect both his career and life.

When Jim Stoma, from an infamous band with a rather bold name, Jimmy and the Slut Puppies, comes into the picture, Jack senses that something is amiss and resolves to crack the case.

However, adventure soon ensues as everyone seems to stand in his way. This includes his young boss, the paper's owner, and the deceased's lovely wife.

The story is not only funny but also easy to read. As described by USA Today, it is "A culpable caper." I would wholeheartedly agree with this assessment.

It offers an engaging and entertaining read that keeps the readers hooked from start to finish.

I read this book many years ago, but it was through an audiobook. It was a truly enjoyable experience. I vividly remember sitting there, listening intently, and guyczuk was right beside me. The whole time, we were both laughing hysterically. The story was so engaging and filled with hilarious moments that had us in stitches. It was one of those rare occasions when we could just let go and have a great time. The narrator's voice added an extra layer of charm to the story, making it even more captivating. Even now, whenever I think about that audiobook, I can't help but smile. It was a wonderful memory that I will always cherish.

I always relish the opportunity to learn about the newspaper business from the irreverent Hiaasen, and this instance was no different.

I have a great affection for the journalist characters he crafts, who are perpetually annoying editors and consequently pushed into a second-tier position as a form of penance. Writing obituaries is an especially ingenious job for this purpose, and it was highly entertaining to catch a glimpse of that under-examined niche within journalism. It's the perfect way for Hiaasen to interweave a great deal of gallows humor and wisecracks into a story.

As for the story itself, I must concur with some of the other reviewers here that it wasn't anything particularly special or memorable. It seems as though the obit writer gets a hunch early on and essentially follows it in the exact direction one would anticipate.

Although I've recently, ahem, reached middle age, I didn't feel quite old enough to fully appreciate some of the jokes in this book. Perhaps Hiaasen was satirizing a slightly older era of rock musicians and their fans than I'm familiar with.

Overall, while the book had its moments of amusement and interesting insights into the newspaper world, it didn't quite manage to leave a lasting impression on me.

Positively,

this is one of my least favorite Hiaasen reads. In fact,

it's much closer to 1 star than the 2 stars I'm awarding it.

The only redeeming factor is a few clever lines written by an obituary writer who is in fear of his own fatality.

This aspect adds a touch of dark humor to the otherwise lackluster story.

However,

it's not enough to salvage the overall experience.

The plot feels convoluted and the characters are not as engaging as in some of Hiaasen's other works.

I found myself struggling to get through the book,

and by the end,

I was left with a sense of disappointment.

Overall,

I would rate this book 3 out of 10 stars,

and I would not recommend it to others who are looking for a great read.

This is a very enjoyable book.

Unlike the Skink series which had you laughing so hard that your sides hurt for at least 2 days, this book is also very humorous in its own way.

The author has a unique writing style that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

If you are a fan of Carl Hiaasen and haven't read this book yet, you really should give it a try.

You will be pleasantly surprised by the witty dialogue, the interesting characters, and the hilarious situations they find themselves in.

It's a great read for anyone who loves a good laugh and a lighthearted story.

So don't hesitate, pick up this book and get ready to be entertained!

Jack Tagger has been exiled to the obit desk of his Florida newspaper. However, he has a clever plan to find the perfect death that will catapult his by-line back to the front page.

When Jimmy Stoma's death notice lands on his desk, the game begins. Stoma was the front man of an old rock group. Tagger suspects that his death was not due to natural causes. The cast of characters in the world of Stoma and Tagger is a typical Hiaasen mash-up, consisting of likeable, colorful individuals and potential Darwin Award winners.

Hiaasen, a long-time Miami Herald columnist, usually targets politicians, environmentalists, and builders. But some of his sharpest criticisms may be directed at the industry he loves the most. This story is definitely a keeper.

If you’re ever in south Florida or happen to be from south Florida, I highly recommend reading this particular piece.

I found myself laughing out loud on multiple occasions due to the sheer ACCURACY of it.

It truly captures the essence and the unique sense of humor that Floridians possess.

Floridians are known for their funny and often outrageous antics, and this article does a great job of highlighting that.

Whether it’s the crazy stories, the unique sayings, or the just plain odd situations that seem to occur only in Florida, it’s all here.

So if you want a good laugh and a better understanding of the Floridian way of life, give this a read. You won’t be disappointed!

I've liked Hiaasen before. So, when I spotted a bunch of his books for sale at the thrift store at a criminally cheap price, I picked them up without hesitation.

Like all of his books, these ones are also pretty simple, with a fast-paced narrative and fairly well-plotted storylines. I've been trying hard to figure out how to explain his character writing.

I'm not entirely sure if I can, but here's my attempt. Each character is well thought out and unique, as if he keeps a detailed journal somewhere, plotting out their entire lives, including their likes, interests, motivation, and backgrounds. However, they aren't that deep. They are real enough and honest enough, but there is something lacking. There is some true-ness, some spark of reality that they do not possess.

It's like that with the book as a whole too. It's kind of like watching a movie. The characters come across as believable representations, but maybe it stars an actor you've seen before in other roles. He's good at his job, and you willingly suspend your disbelief. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you know that it's just a wild, crazy story, and that's all there is to it.

Overall, Hiaasen's books are an enjoyable read, but they don't quite reach the level of true literary depth.

Let’s get this out of the way: “Shipwrecked Heart” sounds like a Warren Zevon song. If you thought that while you were reading Basket Case, then congratulations, since at the end of the book Hiaasen almost concedes this when Zevon is co-credited with the title song (“Basket Case”).

Anyway, I don’t read a lot of books like this. I’ve picked up a few Hiaasens (and a Dorsey) since Dave Barry is always crediting him as a template for his fiction (cheap plug: Swamp Story was published a few weeks back!). The basic framework is mostly familiar to me from the Galbraith mysteries.

However, there are a few quibbles. Hiaasen, like many writers of pop fiction, has a tendency to stuff his material with an abundance of beautiful women. Seriously, poor Jack Tagger can’t seem to go a single minute without running into one.

Also, there’s the myth of newspaper journalism. This is mostly a leftover from Watergate. While I’m sure there has been some actual value in it, the history of the press is vast and not always so glorious. A significant portion of this book is based on the sorry state of newspaper journalism twenty years ago. Today, it has been gutted more than ever, and this is a direct result of the pandemic. How is that even possible? It makes no sense. Newspapers are a product that can be assembled, delivered, and read without any concern for social distancing. But that other myth of the decline of print media (ten years ago magazines were boasting of rising sales) would have you believe that papers were always headed in this direction. TV media and social media get all the attention these days. No one, except those complaining about the fate of newspapers, even seems aware that newspapers still exist. And yet, newspaper people will tell you that society would fall apart without them. Well, it’s really hard to tell, since newspapers have limped along with everyone else, complaining about society falling apart in recent years. So what am I missing here? Maybe someone should write a series of hard-hitting articles about it and get back to me.

That was truly quite bad.

The story itself wasn't great at all. It lacked depth and originality, failing to engage the reader on a deeper level.

The characters, on the other hand, were even worse. They were one-dimensional and lacked any real personality or development.

There was no emotional connection that could be formed with them, making it difficult to care about what happened to them throughout the story.

Overall, it was a disappointment, and one that left a lot to be desired in terms of both story and character.

It's clear that more work needs to be done to improve this piece and make it more engaging and enjoyable for the reader.