Carl Hiaasen is truly a master when it comes to creating over the top funny and intriguing stories. His work, such as "Skinny Dip," fits right in with other greats like "Razor Girl" and "Bad Monkey."

However, there is one aspect that could potentially hold his stories back from reaching first-class status. That is when he seems to take off his newspaper columnist hat and makes food production seem overly evil.

While it's important to address and bring attention to certain issues, perhaps he could tone down this particular aspect a bit. This way, the overall story could shine even brighter and truly captivate readers on a whole new level.

Nevertheless, despite this minor criticism, Carl Hiaasen's ability to craft engaging and humorous tales is still highly commendable, and his books continue to be a favorite among many readers.

I read 307 pages of this book, which, to be honest, is a whopping 300 pages too many for me.

It was the selection for my book club; otherwise, I highly doubt I would have even bothered as much as I did with this one.

Frankly speaking, I pretty much loathed this book. I didn't have the slightest bit of liking or concern for any of the characters (except for Tool, who was somewhat interesting).

I simply couldn't buy Joey as a victim. In fact, I found her to be trite, spiteful, and just plain stupid.

Moreover, I don't know a single woman who goes around goading people into action by saying "come on you pussy." Her husband was even worse.

Chaz and Joey are nothing but caricatures of unlikable people. Since I didn't care about them, I found the whole setup to be a waste of my precious time and stretching incredulity to the limit.

And at no point did I have any interest in the resolution. I just didn't find this book humorous in any way whatsoever.

The one thing that I actually did like quite a bit was the setting. Hiaasen lives in the part of South Florida where I grew up.

The sense of place was extremely authentic. I've been to most of the places his characters visit.

I was vividly imagining Stiltsville as he described it. I felt a wave of nostalgia for the South Florida of my youth as I was reading it (I haven't lived in Miami since 1986).

But that wasn't sufficient to keep me engaged in this book. Life is far too short, and I have an abundance of books that I'm eager to read.

There's no way I'm going to waste this much time on something I detest doing. I've had dental work without novocaine, and that was less painful than reading this book was.

Everything he writes is truly fabulous. I am always amazed at how he manages to tie everything up so neatly in the end. His writing style is quirky, snarky, often hilarious, and even surprising. Hiaasen entertains like no other.

Deep in his highly revered swamps of Florida, numerous scenes and secrets unfold. Chaz Perrone is hell-bent on murder, but just doesn't seem to get a break. With a creative toss of a rambunctious cast of characters, you can easily visualize every scene, every face, and every emotion. I am completely addicted to his books. I can think of no better way to ride out a pandemic than escaping into the wonderful world created by Hiaasen. His stories provide a much-needed escape from the reality of the outside world, allowing us to immerse ourselves in a world of adventure, mystery, and humor. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a good read, Hiaasen's books are sure to delight.

Chaz Perrone is a man who is solely driven by two powerful forces - money and the urge to release his sexual energy. His wife, Joey, unfortunately, finds herself in a rather complicated situation. She unknowingly aids him in one of these drives, yet gets in the way of the other. As a result, on their anniversary cruise, Chaz callously chucks her overboard.

Joey Perrone, on the other hand, is no stranger to tragedy. Her parents passed away when she was still young, and her first husband met an untimely death in a freak accident. Now, her second husband has added to her misfortunes by throwing her overboard on their supposed celebration. Miraculously, Joey survives the fall.

The reader gets an early insight into the reasons and methods behind Chaz's heinous crime. What follows is a series of events that are both humorous and captivating as Joey devises various ways to exact her revenge on Chaz and uncover the true motives behind his actions.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite having never read the work of this author before. The plot was both enjoyable and delightfully twisted, making it the perfect read while lounging on the beach, escaping into a world of mystery and intrigue.

Everything about this book was truly hilarious.

However, beneath the surface of the humor, there were moments that were incredibly touching and poignant, such as the scenes between the bodyguard and the woman from the nursing home.

This was an extremely impressive book that has successfully made me a lifelong fan of Hiassen.

If at the beginning you find yourself feeling a bit lost or disoriented when reading his books, it's important to remember that they are not meant to be able to "actually occur in real life."

Instead, they are deliberately designed to be unrealistic, and the humor stems from the exaggerated caricature of reality.

This unique style of writing adds an extra layer of entertainment and makes Hiassen's books truly one-of-a-kind.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good laugh and a thought-provoking story.

I absolutely adored this book.

It has been a few years since I last delved into the works of Hiaasen. Previously, my favorites were either "Flush" or "Chump", but now, without a doubt, it's this one.

He truly masterfully utilized the setting in this story. From the idyllic island to the vast and mysterious Everglades, you could vividly sense the unique environment.

The characters were equally amazing. Each and every one of them was developed to an extremely high level. Your emotions towards different characters, whether love or hatred, truly deepened as you progressed through the book. This makes it a very memorable literary piece.

The plot was simply outstanding. It was a perfect blend of mystery and the beauty of nature. I would rate this book a solid 10/10.

It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys a captivating story with rich settings and well-developed characters.

This book was simply hilarious.

It kicks off with Chaz callously throwing his wife Joey overboard a cruise ship. Miraculously, Joey not only survives but also hatches a devious plan for revenge against him with the help of ex-cop Mick.

She cunningly decides to "stay dead" and proceeds to slowly drive Chaz insane, all leading up to a big and unexpected ending.

The story is a wonderful blend of a little action, plenty of comedy, and a touch of romance, all neatly wrapped into one engaging book.

Although Hiaasen's books are often unrealistic and border on the laughable, they have a strange charm that makes them work extremely well.

I always view reading his books as a light and welcome break from the heavier and more serious stuff.

And I can always count on getting a good laugh out of them.

This particular novel is definitely one of my all-time favorites of his works.

It's a truly entertaining read that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

The favorite character of mine in this book, surprisingly, is Tool. Did I remember the name wrong? :)) He is a big, hairy guy who has a bullet stuck in his butt for several years and refuses to have it removed. Although he looks like that, he has quite a clear moral perspective, can distinguish right from wrong, and is the only character in the story that I think has the most obvious psychological change and character development.

Joey, his wife, actually doesn't have any overly distinctive personality traits, but I really like the way the author describes her psychological trauma and the indescribable pain when she knows that her husband killed her. Throughout the story, although Joey is a bit one-sidedly constructed, the author delves deep into the character's psychology and vividly portrays the pain from knowing that her husband killed her, then she has to accept that fact, and then suppress herself because she still remembers the memories with him.

The main male character Mick is similar to any retired police officer in detective stories, so I don't have a very deep impression of him.

Another interesting character after Tool is Chaz, the husband of the morning biology professor. He is as stupid as can be but still manages to get a doctorate. This guy also knows how to think, but his way of thinking is too rustic and stupid, so no matter what he does, he doesn't get anywhere. The only thing that makes him so lucky is his ability to pick up girls and his handsome face. At least he still has some thoughts about his newly killed wife, and he retains a bit of the affection between husband and wife.

I want to give this a solid 4.5 stars! Carl Hiaasen's writing is truly a delight. He is hilarious, with a unique brand of humor that keeps you engaged from start to finish. His prose is also pithy, getting straight to the point while still managing to be entertaining. And let's not forget his unbelievably large vocabulary! It's truly impressive and makes reading his work a great learning experience. Seriously, if you're looking to study for the GRE, this book would be a great choice. I initially picked it up because my Kindle was broken and I had to find a book in my parents' house, but I ended up loving it! However, I did dock it 0.5 stars because it's bordering on copaganda. While the story is engaging, there are some elements that seem to glorify the actions of the police in a way that may not be entirely accurate or fair. Overall, though, it's a great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining book.

For a long time, the name Carl Hiaasen lingered on the periphery of my mind.

But then I pulled it a little closer.

This was after reading Mark Harris' excellent biography of Mike Nichols. In it, there was a mention of the fact that, after his final film, 'Charlie Wilson's War', Nichols had considered adapting 'Skinny Dip' with his collaborator Elaine May (!). Sadly, that didn't happen - but that was all I needed to ensure I read the book.

What a wild ride it was!

If this one, one of his longer novels, is any indication of what can be expected elsewhere, I'm all in! It's easy to see why Hiaasen is regarded as the heir apparent to Elmore Leonard. There are certain similarities in terms of the overall tone - though I suspect Leonard is consistently darker. Hiaasen seems more jovial - even if, like Leonard, he also delves into the murky waters of duplicity.

There's a whole lot of literal muddy water in 'Skinny Dip' too. Water plays a huge role, as most of the murder activity (let's say) occurs in and around it.

But murder itself might be less of a concern for Hiaasen than for Leonard. Mainly because (at least here) he assembles a cast of characters who can somehow maintain an air of levity when that might be the last thing called for. Hiaasen appears to have a genuine affection for all the people he creates and throws together - even (on some level) the least of them (or maybe he just enjoys making the lesser ones comically self-aware).

And then there's the actual story. Well, as the opening song in 'The Court Jester' says: "~ which brings us to the plot, plot we got, quite a lot!" The way Hiaasen explores the madcap possibilities within the narrative is impressive. A number of the set-ups are priceless (and one is even bizarrely touching). Of course, he's working with a large cast - so maybe that made it a bit easier to be inventive. But he still had to come up with countless elements of surprise.

The level of shenanigans in this novel is so high that it was almost in danger of wearing me out... if one can actually get tired from laughing.

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The in-flight entertainment system offers a wide variety of options, from the latest movies to engaging games, keeping passengers entertained throughout the flight.

The attentive and professional flight attendants are always ready to assist, providing excellent service and ensuring that the passengers' needs are met.

Finally, a safe and on-time arrival at the destination is the ultimate goal of plane-ride perfection.

When all these elements come together, it creates a memorable and enjoyable flying experience that leaves passengers looking forward to their next flight.

Whether it's for business or pleasure, plane-ride perfection is something that every traveler deserves.

I'd give 3.5 but that's not an option so it gets 3.

I really liked this book, yet I didn't have an intense love for it.

It was an extremely easy read, which means I could pick it up and put it down without having to worry about losing the plot.

There's no doubt that it wasn't a complicated read at all.

The story flowed smoothly and was presented in a straightforward manner.

The characters were well-developed, although not necessarily the most complex or deeply engaging.

Overall, it was an enjoyable book that I would recommend to others who are looking for a light and easy read.

However, if you're someone who prefers more challenging and thought-provoking literature, this book might not be for you.

Nonetheless, it served its purpose of providing some entertainment and a quick escape from reality.