"Skink – No Surrender" by Carl Hiaasen – The Swamp Detective

We all know that one person in our circle of friends or acquaintances that tends to be somewhat troublesome, with a real knack for getting themselves into sordid adventures.

And that is a fortunate turn of events, for as it happens these people often need the help of their more level-headed friends to untangle some situations.

That's exactly what happens in Skink – No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen, as the cool Richard goes in search of impulsive cousin Malley who ran away with some random guy she met on the internet to avoid being sent to a public school.

As those who are familiar with the author can guess, this is yet another of Hiaasen's books featuring the very memorable Skink, a half-crazed ex-governor who also happens to be a ruthlessly effective detective with a talent for sniffing out the strangest situations there are.

As the case lands in his lap, Skink heads across Florida in company of Richard in search of Malley, going on a number of bizarre detours along the way, trying to sort through the million and one things that could have happened to her and bring this mystery to an end.

Even though this is one of Hiaasen's novels aimed at adults, you can guess that on the whole, the subject matter is rather light and there is a whole lot of humor to go around, most of it revolving around Skink's antics and the comedic trials he goes through, such as crossing a gator-filled pond or rescuing a baby turtle for no reason other than compassion.

Basically speaking, Skink is himself the walking embodiment of comedy in all of its shapes and forms, and that tremendously helps to carry this story which at times tarries and slows down to concentrate on the less consequential.

If you are planning on reading this for the plot alone, then you'll find that the real beauty of this book lies in watching Skink interact with the world around him the way he does all while finding ways to ceaselessly move the case forward.

The settings and the characters are quite varied and extreme in their nature; things, people and places are always recognizable by vivid traits that jump to the eyes, with subtlety not being prioritized in any way.

I believe that was actually the only way to go considering the nature of the journey, which admittedly feels a bit bright and psychedelic at times, if only for the ridiculousness of the events our characters come across.  The overall pace of the book is quite fast, even if a good part of that pacing is done outside of the story.

Fortunately, the simple and pleasant language makes everything rather easy to follow, with the author preferring to be direct in most cases rather than coat his meanings in metaphors and allegories.

That is not to say there are no subjects for reflection here... on the contrary, a few moments raise important questions in regards to human relations.

All things considered, Skink – No Surrender is an entertaining ride from start to finish and is successful on all fronts for those who are seeking a fast-paced, lighter mystery with a healthy dose of comedy and unpredictability thrown in.

The characters are just as interesting to analyze as the events are to witness, and for its sheer entertainment value it is a book I recommend for fans of the genre.

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Carl Hiaasen Personal site Carl Hiaasen is an American columnist, novelist and journalist who mostly writes in the domains of criminal fiction and thrillers, being known to concentrate on the topic of governmental corruption. Some of his more famous works include Double Whammy, Strip Tease (also made into a full-feature movie with Demi Moore and Burt Reynolds) and Basket Case.