After finishing Basket Case and feeling somewhat disappointed due to the lack of hysterics, Double Whammy has restored my hopes of finding great laughs along with some new insights in a Carl Hiaasen book.

This book delves into the subject of a murder that is tied to possible bass fishing cheating. Hiaasen's work features a few familiar faces once again, namely Skink and (one of my favorites) Jim Tile.

He also introduces the formerly Jewish minister Reverend Weebs and a seriously cocky bass fisherman who has his own Christian fishing show.

Adding in the kookiness of a small town filled with bass-fishing fanatics and some crazy tournaments, you end up with one nutty mystery.

The combination of these elements makes Double Whammy a truly entertaining read that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

Hiaasen's unique writing style and ability to create such vivid and humorous characters make this book a must-read for fans of mystery and comedy alike.

Overall, I highly recommend Double Whammy to anyone looking for a lighthearted and enjoyable read that will have you laughing out loud.

This was probably more like a 2.5 star book.

However, I didn't think it managed to reach the 3-star level.

Undoubtedly, it was a wild and highly entertaining beach read.

The story was filled with exciting twists and turns that kept me engaged throughout.

But in the end, it just felt a little too ridiculous for my taste.

Some of the情节seemed far-fetched and over-the-top.

I can understand the appeal of this type of book for many people.

It offers a quick escape and a lot of fun.

However, the writing style didn't resonate as strongly with me as I would have liked.

Perhaps it was too simplistic or lacked the depth that I usually look for in a book.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but not one that I would highly recommend.

Fun read

I truly adored this book. It was so captivating that I am likely going to devour the entire series. However, there were a couple of instances where the sheer volume of detail became overwhelming for me. It made it a bit challenging to maintain a smooth reading pace. While some individuals might have an affinity for that level of detail, others could potentially get sidetracked by it and lose their reading momentum. This is precisely why I gave it four stars. Nevertheless, the cast of characters was outstanding. They were well-developed and added depth to the story. The plot was both outlandish and palpable, which made it all the more engaging. The journey throughout the book was filled with interesting twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. It was a truly enjoyable read that I would highly recommend to others.

It's almost a sad moment when we come to the end of a few days spent in the safe and capable hands of Carl Hiaasen. He is truly a master who always delivers and never disappoints. This particular work is no exception. The characters are amazing, and the story is equally astonishing, bordering on the utterly bonkers.

This book dates back to 1988. I was simply passing a charity book table in Tesco when I spotted it there for just a pound. My instinct took over immediately, and I'm so glad it did. It's been a while since I last read any of Hiaasen's works, and I always tend to associate him with the extremes of his writing. However, what I often forget is that he is not only extremely entertaining but also extremely good at what he does.

The quote on the front cover from P.J O'Rourke sums it up perfectly: 'Better than Literature.' This statement really captures the essence of Hiaasen's writing. His works are not just ordinary literature; they are something more, something that grabs your attention and takes you on a wild ride. It's a testament to his talent that this book, even after all these years, still has the power to engage and delight readers.

Double Whammy is a truly entertaining mystery that features a cast of outrageously unique characters.

From start to finish, it takes readers on a chaotic and thrilling ride that had me completely enthralled. The story is filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

However, the ending left a lot to be desired. It felt as if I was missing a crucial chapter, and the two major storylines never really had a proper conclusion.

Despite this, the high jinks and antics of RJ Decker and Skink, along with the absolutely insane and bloody mystery, make this book worth a read.

Just be prepared for an ending that may leave you a bit disappointed. Overall, Double Whammy is a wild and exciting adventure that will keep mystery lovers entertained.

3.5 Stars

Well, as I embarked on reading this book, despite my deep affection for Carl Hiaasen's quirky characters, I simply couldn't fathom how he would manage to make me eager to read a book centered around Bass fishing. Even my intense love for Skink and his infamous shower cap (yes, I've had numerous steamy dreams about him and that very cap) wasn't sufficient to maintain my interest. But, as it turns out, I was completely wrong.

The first third of the book was dedicated to laying out the mechanics of professional bass fishing tournaments. However, once a couple of murders were thrown into the mix, along with RJ, an ex-photographer-turned-private investigator, a hot ex-wife that RJ is still hopelessly in love with, and of course, Skink, then we have quite the captivating fish tale.

I had no idea just how fiercely competitive professional bass fishing could be. And when you add in a sleazy Christian network minister, you've got the perfect recipe for disaster. Thankfully, RJ, Skink, Jim Tile, and Al Garcia are on the case. I laughed so hard at one point that I snorted, and the problem was that I was sitting in my work lobby, and the sound really echoed. It's important to note that if you have a sensitivity to the N word, be aware that Jim Tile is a black State Trooper in Florida, and he endures a great deal of abuse while doing his job. He and Skink have been friends for a long time, and he's perhaps the only one who can keep Skink somewhat in check.

If you've never read a Hiaasen book before, I would highly recommend starting with Sick Puppy, Lucky You, or Strip Tease (the book was far superior to the movie that Demi Moore made). These books are filled with countless laugh-out-loud moments. And although I'll never develop a passion for tournament Bass fishing, Hiaasen did manage to make it both interesting and hilarious in the end. The only drawback was that the ending felt a bit too abrupt. I was really hoping that RJ and Catherine would get back together.

Over the edge funny!

I have been in desperate need of some reads that would truly make me laugh out loud. And let me tell you, this one did exactly that! It was filled with one disturbing and odd twist after another, which made it absolutely hilarious. I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat, not knowing what was going to happen next. The author's creativity and sense of humor really shone through in this piece. Each turn of the story had me in stitches, and I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this read to anyone who is looking for a good laugh and a unique and entertaining story. It's definitely one that you won't forget!

This is an extremely entertaining piece! I have a profound love for the writing style employed here. It is filled with humor and a certain quirkiness that makes it truly captivating. The Skink series of books has without a doubt found its way onto my "want to read" list. I can't wait to explore the adventures and stories that these books have to offer. The unique charm of the writing has piqued my curiosity and left me eager to delve into the world of Skink. I am confident that I will thoroughly enjoy every page of these books and that they will provide me with hours of entertainment and literary pleasure.

My second book by Hiaasen left me with a hint of disappointment. It wasn't terrible; it simply didn't meet my expectations. There was this persistent thought at the back of my mind that it could have been so much better.

R.J. Deckard, a former news photographer turned private investigator, is hired by billionaire Dennis Gault to expose a cheating ring in the world of high-stakes bass tournaments. The suspected culprit has his own TV show on the Outdoor Christian Network, owned by a faith healer turned televangelist. Along the way, Deckard teams up with Skink, a half-crazed hermit with a dark secret. All these elements suggest a potentially great story. And indeed, there are some good parts. However, the book seems to drag on and on. There are numerous threads and characters that seem rather superfluous, resulting in a jumbled mess.

To me, it felt like the author could have cut about a hundred pages and had a tightly-knit neo-noir novel. Or perhaps a different hundred pages could have been removed to create a really funny crime comedy. But the problem, as I see it, is that the two genres coexist in an uncomfortable way.

Don't misunderstand me; I never considered giving up on the book. I just wished it would decide what it wanted to be and then fully embrace that genre instead of wandering aimlessly between them.

I've been reading the Skink books in a random order. But then, I made up my mind to go back to the very beginning.

These books are truly hilarious! They may not be overly deep, yet learning about the reason why Skink ends up living off the land is a significant statement on its own.

Hiassen has the remarkable ability to transport me out of my own self and my daily life and into a world filled with non-stop action. Admittedly, very little of this action is believable, but somehow, he manages to neatly tie it all up at the end.

I'm setting aside the rest of the books to return to whenever I'm in need of a mood lift. It's like having a secret stash of laughter and adventure waiting for me when I'm feeling down.

I can't wait to explore more of Skink's crazy world and see what other wild and wonderful stories Hiassen has in store for me.

OK. This is truly classic Hiaasen...or perhaps it's even superior to classic Hiassen. It encompasses everything one could imagine. There are crooked bass fishermen who engage in unethical practices, while there are also honest bass fishermen坚守着自己的原则. Then there's a crazy preacher who not only has his own mega-church but also a cable network and is organizing the largest bass tournament ever. We have dumb rednecks who lack intelligence, smart rednecks who are shrewd, vicious rednecks who are mean-spirited, and good rednecks who have kind hearts. There are good cops who uphold the law and bad cops who abuse their power. And, as if that weren't enough, there's even the kitchen sink. (Well, actually it's a bathroom sink, but who's going to quibble over that?)

If you are a bass fisherman yourself, know someone who is a bass fisherman, or have ever been curious about bass fishermen, then you absolutely must read this. Even if you haven't had any prior connection to bass fishermen, you still need to give this a read! It's a captivating and entertaining story that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

I read this while on a recent backpacking trip.

I chose it because one of the fellows is an angler. If I wasn't already suspicious of some of the fantastic (literally) aspects of Double Whammy, he confirmed this one: a 29-pound fish is unlikely to pull a grown man off of a boat that's churning in the opposite direction.

A mystery that appeals to me has to have credible components to stump the detective/police; otherwise, it's not a mystery, it's a fantasy. I don't fancy fantasies.

Could a dead dog's head maintain its grip on the decaying arm of the deteriorating killer? Come on!

Could a guy tie up a gal with super-thin fishing line so that she looked like a mummy?

Could the several good guys beat up bad guys with fists, a tire iron, etc., breaking bones and putting people in the hospital; even killing them, without some sort of legal repercussions? Or shoot holes in $$$ boats to sink them? Or get the permits to build on polluted swampland? Could a governor simply disappear? Is the first time that someone checked his fingerprints years after he disappeared -- given his lifestyle, he was NEVER in a situation that required fingerprinting?

Is EVERYONE in Florida on the take?

Three stars for the clever set-up of the bass tournament cheating, and (I guess) the continued relationship of the detective and ex-wife. Otherwise, I was disappointed in this book. The story had some interesting elements, but the lack of credibility in many of the plot points really detracted from my enjoyment. I wanted a mystery that would keep me on the edge of my seat, but instead, I was left shaking my head at the absurdities. I understand that some suspension of disbelief is required in fiction, but there has to be a limit. Maybe others will enjoy this book more than I did, but for me, it just didn't hit the mark.