Hall offers yet another look at the seamy underbelly of South Florida life, this one with a plot revolving around revenge, the threat of environmental havoc, and a rather forgettable cast of characters. The ostensible hero, Thorn (although he's not particularly interesting or likable to root for, nor nasty enough to be an anti-hero) comes across a scheme to genetically modify and breed Red Tilapia, with potentially devastating consequences for Florida's coastal ecology. Thorn is apparently a carryover from previous novels, in which other relatives and friends of his have been murdered, so perhaps the reader is meant to have gotten to know him better from these previous outings. In any event, when his girlfriend dies mysteriously while diving, he and his ex-cop buddy start poking their noses around. This soon entangles them with Sylvia, a stereotype man-eating sex kitten who has a bizarre relationship with her ex-CIA hitman father. Their combined actions and motivations require a rather substantial suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader. This is also required when someone tried to kill Thorn in his house, spending a considerable time firing a gun at his house without rousing anybody in the neighborhood. Of course, it's never really clear how or why this person comes looking for Thorn, much less to shoot at! Throw into the mix a wildlife inspector with a detachable nose, a pudgy retired Mafia boss, a mass killing at a federal research facility that apparently somehow got covered up, a bizarre and herky-jerky climax, and what you're left with is a big mess. Hall is at his best in his lyrical descriptions of the water and landscape, but when it comes to dialogue and story, he falters and often fails.

Invasive exotic species, get the picture? Eventually so does Thorn. A breeding program to develop a species of "red" tilapia under the theory that Americans will eat anything that's "red," not so far fetched now that we know about red dye in farmed salmon, threatens to unleash a flood of unwelcome visitors into the glades watershed. The story is a bit heavy handed, but after all so is Thorn.
I discovered a used copy of this novel in a bookstore in the Keys a few years ago while hunting a poolside "read." Almost got as red as the tilapia as I forgot the time in the sun and since have hunted down the entire series. A rough, tough south Florida adventure novel, and while not Hall's best it's worth the time if you like this sort of fiction. I do.

...Hall, if you are at all familiar with him, is absolutely an incredible author. If you are coming to Hall via Hiaasen/Shames/Dorsey/Barry or even Leonard, a word of caution: Hall tends to use a slightly more doom and gloom approach to his writing. His is a work that is going to have a more ominious (even melancholy)tone to it---no offbeat hijinks to level off the atmosphere. With the other authors, save for instance Randy Wayne White, you get a little humor to lighten the load somewhat. Not here. Here, you better hang on because it's going to be a bitter armageddon.

This is classic Hall. The story involves a huge amount of topics, all of which Hall (like a juggler) never lets fall. There are times when Hall returns to a point/storyline a bit late, but I truly only say that as a word of caution to those with severe attention-span disorders. But, as I cautioned above, the storylines here weigh pretty heavy.

Topics include a mafioso guy with a penchant for child pornography. An under-developed, highly-sexed-in-situations girl who in involved with an incestuous relationship with her father (whom she is trying to kill). The incest-father is an ex-cia masterkiller who is slowly poisoning the stroke-victim-husband of his exwife (incest victim's mother). Not to give too much away, mafioso guy is related to incest victim and exwife and has his hand in the murder. Or does he? How???? Hmmm, for you to find out.

Also include some great government conspiracies and nudist colonies. Now throw in some old fashioned underwater murder and you've got just a wee sketch of what's going on.

Hall carries this off amazingly. Dark subject matter, sure. But a [darn] good story by an altogether incredible author. Other authors could learn a thing or two from Hall. Particularly, as much as I love him, Tim Dorsey. Dorsey has a slight problem with including far too many storylines that are of no consequence (and are totally meaningless in the big picture), and has a [heck] of time trying to keep them altogether. Still, don't take this to imply that you should avoid Dorsey. In fact, read all of his books. I certainly have.

Anyway, enjoy this one if you are up for it. Just realize what you're in for. Hopefully I've given you a heads up as to what that is.

While not quite as good as previous books in the Stan Kraychick series due to too many odd-ball characters (but, this is Key West), this was still a fun, easy read. I longed for the continuation of the interesting relationship between Stan and his police detective friend/adversary from prior books. That relationship has more life in it and is more real than the contrived situations in this book. Still, it was a fast, fun read.

This is the first gay mystery I've read and it was a page turner for me. I couldn't put it down. I think it is a great read.

I started this book on the plane en route to Key West and finished it while on vacation at a guest house there. It's a great book for a fun read, particularly while sitting poolside in Key West and envisioning the characters and locale. Not great literature, but a good story with vivid characters and locales. Looking forward to reading his other books.

Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana are two high powered and intense lawyers who have had a rocky relationship over the years. They take a break from their busy schedules to spend a few days in a beautiful inn on a secluded island in the Florida Keys. This is the setting for Barbara Parker's latest suspense novel, "Suspicion of Madness."

Connor and Quintana are guests at a place called The Buttonwood Inn. The proprietors of the inn, Martin and Teri Greenwald, have invited Gail and Anthony to be their guests in return for Anthony's legal assistance. Teri has a son, Billy, from a former marriage, and her son is a suspect in a murder case. The Greenwalds are hoping that Anthony can help prove Billy's innocence.

Gail and Anthony meet an assortment of odd characters during this trip. They include Martin's overbearing sister, Lois, a strange former actress named Joan Sinclair, who acts like Gloria Swanson from "Sunset Boulevard," a disreputable and conniving attorney, and a creepy handyman. All of these people are together on this isolated island when a ferocious storm hits. Naturally, dead bodies begin to pile up and it soon becomes apparent that a madman is on the loose.

Parker's usual crisp writing style is nowhere in sight this time around. At almost 370 pages, the book meanders along its slow path, and very little happens during large portions of the novel. The dialogue is forced and unconvincing and the plot is contrived and silly. Even the chemistry between Connor and Quintana cannot save "Suspicion of Madness" from being a below average and rather dull thriller.

I am a fan of this series and will continue to be.

But this story lacked tightness. It was spread too thin with too much going on. Not enough tension. The plot seemed tired, as if she threw in characters just to fill the space.

But I still can't wait for the next one. I am sure the next one will be better.

of this particular episode in the ongoing series of Connor/Quintana mysteries by Barbara Parker. True to form, Parker keeps the action localized to Florida -- this time by setting her crime/investigation in the Florida Keys. I'm not sure why Anthony and Gail thought they'd be able to have a romantic getaway given what Anthony knew about his prospective client; the stepson of a wealthy hotel owner that Anthony has defended before. This time, the client, Billy Fadden, has graduated from suspected arson to murder. There isn't a lot of evidence against Billy, but he has confessed to the murder of a young lady he'd been romantically involved with.

Parker tries to keep the reader guessing with a variety of potential suspects, but too many of them have "over the top" personalities. There's an aging film star (Sunset Boulevard) holed up in a decrepit mansion, a strange and moody handyman, the sister of the hotel owner - who fantasizes a love life with a local real estate lawyer (stalking him), etc., etc. There's a storm in the keys, and the result is that we get a lot of descriptions of going back and forth from the hotel to the various places that Anthony & Gail are investigating the crime (I guess that's to get a sense of how difficult it can be to get around in the Keys).

We also get the ongoing debate about whether Gail and Anthony will marry -- this time they both fret endlessly about getting the marriage license. As she did in her last book, Parker seems to be taking the tack of letting Gail's investigative talents outweigh Anthony's own, because of his tendency to jump to conclusions, and minimize small clues. This is one more schism she is building in the relationship; not sure it is a good one.

All in all, getting through the book was kind of a labor of love; even the climax that unmasks the identity of the real killer was way over the top for me. I enjoy the series and will continue with it, but this was definitely a setback in terms of how far afield Parker was willing to go to get a change of pace. Anthony and Gail belong in courtrooms, or with legal puzzles that are more realistic to the types of law they practice.

The Wreck of the Henrietta Marie wasn't quite what I originally expected it to be, but it was in some ways more than expected. I started reading it out of an interest in history and sailing ships, and with curiosity about slaving ships. What I found was a fair amount on slaving ships and the history of slavery. But more than that, I became sympathetically engrossed in the author's personal journey of discovery in which he traveled to England and Africa to find more information. I, too, have sometimes become passionate about a topic, searching out information like a detective. But for obvious reasons, this African-American diver and writer had an expecially deep and meaningful passion for this topic. This book inspried me to learn more about the history of slavery in America, and I am currently reading Africans in America: America's Journey through Slavery (by C. Johnson).

I was able to feel the pain and pride that the author presented in this book. I found myself kneeling at the dedication momument beside the author during his prayer for all the lost african souls lost in the middle passage.

Michael Cottman has written a gripping account of a slave ship, The Henrietta Marie, whose remains were, appropriately and accidentally, discovered by an African American diver searching for lost treasure. The ship is located on New Ground Reef off the Marguesas Keys (approximately 37 miles from Florida). Cottman painstakingly researches the ship's path, finding the town in England where the ship's guns were made. He next traces the most likely path of the Henrietta Marie to the coast of West Africa, where slaves were brought on board; and he then describes the route to Barbados and Jamaica where slaves were off loaded. These islands are where a new cargo of sugar and rum was picked up for the return trip to England. The vast majority of Americans have no concept of the conditions under which slaves were transported to the Americas. A small minority may have seen the film Armistad, but Cottman's writing brings home this tragedy that makes compelling reading. His pages describing the Middle Passage evoke heart wrenching descriptions of man's inhumanity to man. Cottman has done a masterful job in capturing the emotion of this sadly neglected episode in American History. Yet, equally important, he has captured the celebration of spirit of a people who refused to be defeated by the horrors of slavery. This is a story that needs telling and retelling. As a former teacher, I would make this required reading for every American.

The most useful aspect of the Fodor's Guide for Miamai and the Keys when compared to other guidebooks is that this book covers the areas north of Miami, all the way up the Atlantic coast to Sebastian. My past few trips to Florida have been to Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Vero Beach as well as Miami and the Keys. It's nice to have the basic information in one place.

However, I always feel that Fodor's guidebooks tend to be a little superficial. The last five or six I've read haven't included the hotels I've stayed at (for example a Hyatt that has been open for at least ten years). I also don't care for the type of paper stock that Fodors uses. I like to take a highlighter to my guidebooks and you can't use them on this paper because it bleeds through the pages. I will continue my quest for the perfect guidebook!

Great places to stay in Key West. Never disappointed...however, it forgot to mention the great cuban coffee, cafe con leche, that Frommer's went into detail with and had mentioned as a must have. Great restaurant's, esp. the cuban ones.

This book is probable very good with it's coverage of Miami and South Florida, but coverage of the Keys is bare minimum (47 pages (1 chapter of 13) of over 300 pages in the book).

The Fordor guides are a good source for the various locations around the globe. They are not as good as the Arthur Frommer guides. The Fodor guides are not for the budget traveler. They focus on the pricier accommodations and restaurants. But, what they do rate there is a wonderful detailed description. The maps could be a little more detailed.

I bought this book hoping for great insight on Key West (an infinitely more desirable and intriguing locale to write about than Miami) and was sorely disappointed.

I really enjoyed Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to WDW and frankly, expected more from this book. A lot more.

To be fair, most guide books don't pay nearly enough attention to the Keys, instead imparting more information than I ever wanted to know about Miami, a city that I've come to deplore.

It might be me; I just don't get the hype and focus on a sullied, soulless, filthville of a town like Miami over the glorious, exquisite keys.

At any rate, if for whatever unfathomable reason you really want to spend lots of time in Miami, this book is for you. If you're looking for Keys information, look elsewhere (though I haven't found a good alternative myself).

Just be forewarned that there's a good reason MIAMI has a huge typeface on the front and "the Keys" is shrunk down in size. It's a damned shame.

This book rates hundreds of hotels on quality, 1-4 stars, and also rates them by price. But the really excellent part is that the quality/price ratings are rolled into one more listing, and that is the VALUE listing.

Looking at the value lists, you can spot in the top value hotels a couple that are in your price range, and are high quality (relative to the others in that price range). When I was a college student in Florida this was a fantastic way to find a low priced hotel, and still be confident that it has good quality.

Unfortunately the (first edition) book does not have text descriptions of all the hotels, but really, that is not what I am looking for. I just want the best quality I can find for a certain price. It does have amenities listings, and phone numbers so you can go ahead and call the three or four hotels that look best value.

Now the first edition is seriously out of date in this very dynamic tourism market. The third edition is about two years old so it may be out of date, too, but the value guidelines will still hold for the key properties.

After reading the book I can understand the disparity in the customer reviews. "State of Mind" was a disappointment to me as I found Mr. Katzenbach's "Hart's War" & "Shadowman" among the best books I have ever read. Parts of "State of Mind" just flew by and I became quite engrossed...then periods of dull nonaction. Perhaps it was just too long. Were it not for my faith in Mr. Katzenbach's writing there were many times I would have quit this one. Kept figuring it would pick up in the next chapter. Ending is a pretty good payoff, but takes too long to get there and it's a plodding journey. Set in a Blade Runner world the overall plot made sense and the characters were well drawn. Mr. Katzenbach has entertained me before and will again.

John Katzenbach has created an America of the future where anarchy reigns. It is a violent, dangerous place where employees have to be escorted from the office in groups to ensure their safety, and no-one walks the streets at night for fear of losing their life. Within this grim picture comes a proposed 51st state. A haven where crime will be unheard of. Entry into the state will be closely controlled and stable families will be welcomed with open arms.

But it's here, in the budding crime-free zone that an alarming number of young girls have gone missing with a few of them being found dead. Officially they were reported to have met with an unfortunate accident, but those in the know can see that they are dealing with the work of a serial killer. This is something thought impossible in a crime-free state and is potentially devastating to the chances of the state being accepted into the Union.

The concept of a new state raised a very interesting point. It was created to give people a place to live in safety, when really, all it achieved was the creation of a false sense of security in the minds of the residents. By instilling the thought that the state was crime-free, the residents did not take any precautions against crime. No one locked their doors or took the proper care when walking at night and the police didn't know how to properly process a crime scene. Basically, an environment was created where a criminal could work with virtual impunity.

Although the book starts out with a very clever idea that made me pause for thought about where the world is heading, Katzenbach tended to take the long road to get to the final showdown, which then seemed to pass by with an air of inevitability. Once the concept of the new state was established along with all the differences it would bring, the rest of the book just read as a standard serial killer story, granted, with a couple of twists thrown in for good measure.

I think it must be considered one of the most riveting novel of our time.It is a really page turner and i couldn't put it down!!!J.K.creates real characters,a wonderful plot and a story that is full of suspense with a good ending. Now, i'm reding Just Cause and i consider J.K.a genius of thriller. Buy this book.AND READ IT!!!!!FANTASTIC

when i heard laurence shames had a new book out- i made haste to get it. I had read all of his previous books and loved them for their quick diologue and original and diverse characters. i assumed Naked Detective would have more of the same- and discovered it had none of that- the entire book has about 4 characters- and with the exception of a cap driver/tennis bum- all are totally bland and forgetable. It seems like mr shames rushed this one off the fullfill a publishing contract- it is a very very slow moving book- with main characters who are wooden and artificial- it is hard to believe that the same man who created "bert the shirt" could paint in such tiresome colors. I sincerely pray this will be the only shames book with pete amsterdam- but like another Lawrence- Sanders- i fear once an auther has sucess- and an easy tiresome formula- IE- the McNally books- they never are able to recapture their past glory- To me this book is a cop-out- a quickie which tricks mr shames loyal readers into thinking they are in store for more of the wonderful same- yet to get though this book is a real trial..it is that boring and humdrum

The name's Amsterdam. Pete Amsterdam. A tough no-nonsense Key West private eye solving cases with style and ease like a modern day Philip Marlow. Yeah, right. A wacky caper that could only have been dreamed up by Laurence Shames, The Naked Detective is the story of a reluctant gumshoe who would rather be drinking wine naked in his hot tub instead of trying to solve a puzzling murder mystery.

Pete Amsterdam never wanted to be a private eye. He only opened Southernmost Detection on the advice from his accountant. A write-off. A legitimate tax dodge. Butt naked in his hot tub, Pete is approached by a woman (who turns out to be a man) looking to hire a detective. Amsterdam declines to take the case and the next day, the would-be client turns up dead on Sunset Key. Coincidence? Pete decides to investigate and find out for himself. The results are both amusing and intriguing. A fast moving mystery that will keep you guessing whodunit up until the very end.

Laurence Shames has a knack for making the reader feel like he's in the middle of the action. It's not as good as some of his previous books, but an enjoyable read nonetheless. I am anxiously waiting for the day when he writes a Key West novel featuring all of his memorable characters (Charlie Pont, Bert the Shirt, Ziggy Maxx, Tommy Tarpon, Arty Magnus, Joey Goldman, Sukie Sperakis, etc.) Wouldn't that be a hoot?

At about the time of its publication I perused a copy of Florida Straits, Laurence Shames first novel, and was struck by the author's vivid description of garbage accumulating on a New York City street corner. I read the book and became a fan. Mine is the perspective of one who has read each of Laurence Shames' novels in the order by which they were written. All of them are very good, but some are better than others. The Naked Detective is some of Shames best writing yet.

The formula for the author's eighth novel is familiar Shames: colorful Key West denizens reluctantly or unwittingly drawn into a zany plot involving farcical criminal capers, with overtures of lust and ever present danger. This book -- as the others -- are simply fun to read. This plot is slightly less farcical than we have come to expect, but the prose, as always, is wonderfully refreshing.

The Naked Detective is somewhat novel for its style, it is the first book Shames has written in the first person, but it showcases his splendid writing skills wonderfully. Shames' descriptive techniques are superlative; spirited dialogues come alive with vibrant descriptions of body gestures, posture and (his specialty) hand movements. And of course there is the ever present artfully drawn tapestry of Key West.

A slight disappointment is that there are no cameo appearances by now familiar characters, such as Joey Goldman or Burt the Shirt, nor are any ailing pets woven into the story line (I hope the chihuahua is still alive), but several new characters are introduced and fans can only hope that one day they will all meet at a Key West sunset cocktail party in a forthcoming Shames story.

Kelsey didn't have two brain cells to rub together evidenced by the fact that she intentionally involved herself in dangerous situations. She also acted like she was above everyone else and refused to believe that a friend she'd had little contact with for years could have "changed". There was virtually no character development and the romance was not at all convincing. What was the whole story behind St. Augustine and what happened between Kelsey and Dane after her brother's death? There were also pages of useless dialogue, who cares about an involved discussion of where to go to dinner. Again, boring!!

The Florida Keys is an idyllic paradise that harbors a murderer in this latest romantic suspense from Ms. Graham. When Kelsey Cunningham takes a vacation from her busy job in Miami, she agrees to spend the week at the Florida Keys duplex of old chum Sheila Warren. But Sheila is missing, and none of Kelsey's old friends seem concerned, as Sheila is somewhat of a free spirit. And Kelsey must, once again, confront Dane Whitelaw, an old flame and the last person to see Sheila alive.

As Kelsey and Dane attempt to discover Sheila's whereabouts, each is unwilling to trust the other, and Dane appears even more evasive, because his secrets would have disastrous effects if they became known. Their attraction becomes more volatile, and they are unwilling partners as their search for a possible serial killer leads them to Miami's strip clubs and the home of Sheila's sleazy stepfather.

The cast of supporting characters adds depth to the read as it increases the number of suspects implicated in Sheila's disappearance. There is Cindy, the enterprising fitness dynamo who owns a t-shirt business. Nate, Kelsey's ex, runs a local bar, and admits to having once had a relationship with Sheila. Larry, Sheila's ex, never really got over the divorce. Izzy may be Sheila's supplier, but no one knows for sure. And Jorge makes mysterious boat runs as he dumps cargo overboard.

The suspense is superb: it builds slowly and begins to spin out of control as the killer gets frightened that someone is getting too close to the truth. Readers won't be disappointed when this page-turning read packs one wallop of a conclusion.

She has become one of my favorite authers in the thriller category. This is a great summer read. It has the mystery and romance that kept me turning the pages. I actually didn't want the book to end because it has everything I like to find in a book for summer.