Double Whammy (Carl Hiaasen novel)

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Double Whammy book cover
Double Whammy book cover

Double Whammy is a murder mystery novel that was written by Carl Hiassen in 1987.

[edit] Plot

Double Whammy could just as easily have been named "Bass Fishing In America", though it bears no resemblance at all to Trout Fishing in America. On the surface, it is a murder mystery set in Florida, starting in the professional bass-fishing circuit region where its plot twists around, like the Everglades, into the murky shoals of suspect real estate deals, crooked politicians and second-rate TV shows.

[edit] Characters

In the best tradition of John D. MacDonald, Hiassen animates bizarre yet such detailed characters as to be not only believable, but very, very funny: a police detective/amateur herpetologist whose pet snake gets out, and whose neighbor's obnoxious toy poodle contemporaneously disappears. A well-read swamp rat who relishes roadkill, and cultivates a deep and meaningful relationship with an enormous wild bass--as a pet in the wild. A televangelist who swears like a sailor off air, fakes faith-healing on-air, and has a real thing for cheerleaders in hip-waders at night.

Couple this with detailed descriptions of gas-guzzling trucks and boats (decades before it criticizing gas-guzzlers became fashionable), what poorly planned development can do to the water, flora and fauna of a perfectly good swamp and hilarious tropes on the absurd granfaloon of televised competitive fishing and televised competitive praying-- and you've got one good read.