Carl Hiaasen returns to his native element in Bad Monkey, a mystery filled with dark comedy, morbid clues, corrupt land despoilers--er, developers--a dash of romance and, of course, a foul-tempered monkey who may or may not have starred alongside Johnny Depp in a certain famous film franchise involving pirates.
To say Andrew Yancey's life has gone awry would be an understatement. Having already lost his position with the Miami Police, he's now about to lose his new job with the Monroe County sheriff's office thanks to an ill-considered and widely witnessed act of violence involving his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend's husband and a cordless vacuum cleaner. Demoted to health inspector, Yancey can barely eat after counting cockroaches all day. Oh, and let's not forget the disembodied arm in his freezer.
Allegedly, said arm became estranged from its owner due to a boat accident followed by a shark feeding frenzy, but Yancey's not buying it, especially not after the arm-owner's daughter tells him she thinks her stepmother murdered her father for his money. If he can solve a murder and bring the killer to justice, Yancey believes his commander will undo his demotion. His investigation will take him from Florida to the Bahamas, where he'll meet a Bahamian struggling to save his beach from land developers, a toothless sex-crazed voodoo woman called the Dragon Queen and the eponymous bad monkey, a mostly bald little terror with a ready bite and no house training.
Assisting Yancey is the beautiful medical examiner Rosa Campesino, who feels the inclusion of a morgue table can only heighten the enjoyment of a romantic rendezvous. Using brave, foolish and borderline illegal methods, the couple come face to face with the truth in a plot twist only Hiaasen could make convincing.
Calling a Hiaasen novel funny is like calling the ocean damp. Hiaasen continues to show off a twisted sense of humor unlike any other, leaving the reader helpless with laughter at macabre situations that would seem purely distasteful in the hands of a lesser writer. Characters who choose to exploit nature receive their just deserts in ways straight out of an environmentalist's fantasies as Hiaasen's passion for wild Florida shines through once again, this time with an added note of empathy for the Bahamas. Whether you're a long-standing fan or new to Hiaasen's riotous style, get in line for this roller coaster of sheer, wicked fun. --Jaclyn Fulwood
Shelf Talker: Hiaasen's wicked sense of humor is on display once again as Andrew Yancey investigates a murder involving a severed arm, a voodoo woman and a very bad monkey.