"The right arm is being sent back to Miami to be buried with the left one. There's plenty of room in the coffin." -Sheriff Sonny Summers
If that quote sounds strange, you ain't seen nothing yet! I listened to the audio version of this one in my car. It made me smile, laugh aloud at times and shake my head often at the surprise twists and turns in the plot. It was read by Arte Johnson---remember him from "Laugh-In"? I doubt anyone could have done it better.
Most of the Hiaasen work I have read is juvenile literature, Hoot for example. This one is definitely NOT for kids---plenty of strong language and sexual references! A Florida author, Hiaasen sets most of his books in the Sunshine State. This one goes back and forth from South Florida to the Bahamas.
Protagonist ex-detective Andrew Yancy has been "demoted" to a restaurant inspector AKA the "roach patrol." Early in the story he acquires a severed arm reeled in by a fisherman. Rather than believe it the result of a boating accident, he finds reason to investigate it as a possible homicide. If he can solve the mystery and find the perp, maybe he can earn his badge back. The reader meets many wacky characters as the plot spins---a scam artist, an unscrupulous realtor, a voodoo witch, an ex-girlfriend who is a sexual predator on the lam and a maniacal monkey, the former animal star of "Pirates of the Caribbean," just to name a few!
You cannot really call an audio book a page-turner, now can you? All I can say is it was entertaining to the max---a 5 rating for sure! Now I really look forward to Razor Girl in which Yancy tries again to regain his place in law enforcement. It is bound to be another wickedly funny romp!
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