12 October 2009 2:53pm
Pulp fiction, Florida style
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Mystery and crime writers love to tickle the swampy underbelly of the Sunshine State. Grab a book from this list (which focuses on the early novels of famous series) and hit the beach for another murderous day in paradise. Sure beats watching David Caruso pooncing about in CSI: Miami.
Rum Punch (Elmore Leonard, 1992) Leonard is the undisputed master of intricate plots, crackling dialogue and terrific bad guys. This one’s set in Miami, and was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s movie Jackie Brown.
Double Whammy (Carl Hiaasen, 1987) Hiaasen perfected his absurdist, black-comic rage in his second novel. Bass tournament murders lead to riotous consequences; you’ll laugh till you cry.
Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper (John D MacDonald, 1968) The godfather of Florida crime fiction introduces us to Travis McGee, who saves a girl from suicide and gets only trouble as thanks.
Sanibel Flats (Randy Wayne White, 1990) Oh, White can turn a phrase. Here he introduces his much-beloved ‘retired’ NSA agent Doc Ford.
Miami Blues (Charles Willeford, 1984) Willeford first made it big with this addictive novel about a denture-wearing detective’s chase after a cold, quirky criminal.
Cold Case Squad (Edna Buchanan, 2004) Miami police sergeant Craig Burch leads the cold-case squad after killers whose ‘trails vanished long ago like footprints on a sea-washed beach.’
Torpedo Juice (Tim Dorsey, 2005) Zany Serge A Storm only kills people who really deserve it – people who don’t respect Florida – as he searches for love in the Keys.
Tropical Depression (Laurence Shames, 1996) Shames is off-the-wall silly. Here, an inept Jersey bra magnate seeks to find himself in Key West. Yeah, right.
All a bit hard-boiled for you? Wrap your peepers around our Florida guide instead…it’s just as gripping as any novel, with a cast of colorful characters you couldn’t dream up!
