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Skink #4
Sick Puppy
Independently wealthy eco-terrorist Twilly Spree teaches a flagrant litterbug a lesson--and leaves the offender's precious Range Rover swarming with hungry dung beetles. When he discovers the litterer is one of the most powerful political fixers in Florida, the real Hiaasen-style fun begins.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
752 people are currently reading
6,265 people want to read
About the author
Carl Hiaasen
83 books9,074 followersCarl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida. After graduating from the University of Florida, he joined the Miami Herald as a general assignment reporter and went on to work for the newspaper’s weekly magazine and prize-winning investigations team. As a journalist and author, Carl has spent most of his life advocating for the protection of the Florida Everglades. He and his family live in southern Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,475 reviews
October 20, 2022
Independently wealthy eco-terrorist Twilly Spree as a huge issue with personal polluters and litterers and is as likely to tailgate a random litterer on a highway as he is to try and take on a corporate polluter; and it's his determined pursuit of such a litterer that he finds himself the sole person looking to prevent the environmental destruction of an island to build a gold course at the hands of various conspirators in corporate or government power. What he doesn't know that he has a huge potential ally in the elusive and now rarely seen eco-warrior fanatic that is Skink!
As ever with Carl Hiaasen books for me, yes it's quite funny and innovative with it's pro-environment and anti corporate and government themes, yet all the comedy is still very predictable and the characterisations limited to what is needed for the comedy so many of them feel quite linear including the main protagonists; despite that I do find his work very readable and interesting, it maybe needs a bit of angst and/or pathos to push it over the Three Star rating for me? 6 out of 12. Dog lovers should note that this is not a throwaway book title, as one of the main protagonists is a black Labrador :)
2022 review
As ever with Carl Hiaasen books for me, yes it's quite funny and innovative with it's pro-environment and anti corporate and government themes, yet all the comedy is still very predictable and the characterisations limited to what is needed for the comedy so many of them feel quite linear including the main protagonists; despite that I do find his work very readable and interesting, it maybe needs a bit of angst and/or pathos to push it over the Three Star rating for me? 6 out of 12. Dog lovers should note that this is not a throwaway book title, as one of the main protagonists is a black Labrador :)
2022 review
June 19, 2018
4 stars
This is another book in the "Skink" series by Hiaasen. However, most of it is focused on Twilly Spree and his anger when he sees a litterbug on a Florida highway toss garbage out his window. Twilly is independently wealthy due to an inheritance and decides to teach the litterbug a lesson. But this causes a whole series of unexpected events with criminals, real estate developers and politicians interacting with each other like bumper cars.
Some of the characters:
Florida Governor Dick Artemus, who describes himself as "...a people person's people person,' though the phrase induced muted groans from his staff.)
Palmer Stoat, litterbug and lobbyist for the rich and powerful
Desie Stoat, Palmer's wife, who now realizes Palmer is a jerk
Mr.Gash, a hired thug whose favorite pastime is listening to 911 tapes
I read this library book in 3 days.
This is another book in the "Skink" series by Hiaasen. However, most of it is focused on Twilly Spree and his anger when he sees a litterbug on a Florida highway toss garbage out his window. Twilly is independently wealthy due to an inheritance and decides to teach the litterbug a lesson. But this causes a whole series of unexpected events with criminals, real estate developers and politicians interacting with each other like bumper cars.
Some of the characters:
Florida Governor Dick Artemus, who describes himself as "...a people person's people person,' though the phrase induced muted groans from his staff.)
Palmer Stoat, litterbug and lobbyist for the rich and powerful
Desie Stoat, Palmer's wife, who now realizes Palmer is a jerk
Mr.Gash, a hired thug whose favorite pastime is listening to 911 tapes
I read this library book in 3 days.
August 11, 2021
3.5 stars
Carl Hiaasen's books are always hilarious and this one is no exception.
*****
Despoilers of Florida's beauty better beware of Twilly Spree, a (slightly nuts) twenty-something, self-styled environmentalist.
Twilly has already blown up his uncle's bank for loaning money to an unethical rock-mining company so he's not beyond a little retribution when he sees someone throwing trash onto a Florida highway.
The 'someone' happens to be lobbyist Palmer Stoat, who - in addition to being a litterbug - 'hunts' exotic game in the local Wilderness Veldt Plantation that imports elderly animals for bigwigs to shoot.
To teach Palmer not to litter Twilly fills one of the Stoat cars with stinking rubbish, fills another with rustling dung beetles, and - when Palmer seems to be missing the message - removes the glass eyes from all the trophy heads in the Stoat mansion and fashions them into a pentagram.
When Palmer still doesn't get it Twilly kidnaps the lobbyist's labrador retriever Boodle. As it happens Palmer's beautiful wife Desie - who's getting tired of her slobby, cigar-smoking husband - adds herself to the dog snatching.
At this point Twilly learns that slovenly Palmer Stoat is happily facilitating a plan to turn Florida's offshore 'Toad Island' into an upscale golf resort called 'Shearwater Island.' The resort's developer is former drug dealer Robert Clapley who's greased politicians' palms to ease the way AND taken measures to wipe out the toads for which the island is named. In an attempt to stop the project Twilly threatens to harm lovable Boodle.....but can a dog's welfare stand up against fortunes to be made?
One funny (and ridiculous) predicament follows another as the story unfolds. A hitman who collects CD's of 911 calls is hired to dispatch opponents of the resort; developer Clapley indulges his Barbie-doll fetish with live hookers and rhino horn 'aphrodisiac'; Boodle gets to wear a blindfold; and (of course) Florida's former governor Clinton Tyree (Skink) - who lives rough, eats roadkill, decorates his beard with buzzard beaks, and dresses in a shower cap and kilt - gets in on the action.
The book rolls along to a memorable climax and appropriate finale. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers who like offbeat humorous stories...especially people who'd like to see some of our natural environment preserved.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
March 30, 2018
"Who could be so inexcusably disrespectful of God's creation?"
As someone who HATES litter in all forms, I really enjoyed the fact that the entire premise of "Sick Puppy" starts when the protagonist of the text, a guy named Twilly Spree witnesses a fella littering and gives chase to discuss with the idiot what he is doing to the Florida environment when he throws junk out of the window. Lucky for the reader, the litterbug does not learn his lesson on the initial confrontation.
The novel boasts Carl Hiaasen's usual assortment of characters, a mix of those who don't care a hoot for the environment, those who love it above human beings, and those who fall somewhere in between. The text also includes perennial Hiaasen favorite, ex governor of Florida Clint Tyree, otherwise known as Skink.
The book's ending comes full circle, and ends almost exactly as it began. That is always a pleasant touch in a text like this.
"Sick Puppy" is a fun read, although my mind wandered from time to time. I would rank it square in the middle of Hiaasen's output.
As someone who HATES litter in all forms, I really enjoyed the fact that the entire premise of "Sick Puppy" starts when the protagonist of the text, a guy named Twilly Spree witnesses a fella littering and gives chase to discuss with the idiot what he is doing to the Florida environment when he throws junk out of the window. Lucky for the reader, the litterbug does not learn his lesson on the initial confrontation.
The novel boasts Carl Hiaasen's usual assortment of characters, a mix of those who don't care a hoot for the environment, those who love it above human beings, and those who fall somewhere in between. The text also includes perennial Hiaasen favorite, ex governor of Florida Clint Tyree, otherwise known as Skink.
The book's ending comes full circle, and ends almost exactly as it began. That is always a pleasant touch in a text like this.
"Sick Puppy" is a fun read, although my mind wandered from time to time. I would rank it square in the middle of Hiaasen's output.
June 2, 2024
All the Hiaasen books I read were prior to Goodreads so as I added books back in ‘08, I just rated them and moved on.
This is one of my Skink faves— and all I can say, because the delightfully funny scenes should not be spoiled for anyone— is that the hubby and I still reference the title of this book. IYKYK.
Love an absurdist mystery about greedy people whose endings are truly poetic? This one’s for you!!
Note- I just gave it a fifth star 🌟. If you’re still cracking jokes about a book years later, it deserves all the love!
(Reviewed way after I read it- 6/2/24)
This is one of my Skink faves— and all I can say, because the delightfully funny scenes should not be spoiled for anyone— is that the hubby and I still reference the title of this book. IYKYK.
Love an absurdist mystery about greedy people whose endings are truly poetic? This one’s for you!!
Note- I just gave it a fifth star 🌟. If you’re still cracking jokes about a book years later, it deserves all the love!
(Reviewed way after I read it- 6/2/24)
February 10, 2014
Carl Hiaasen is a literary comic genius, a Samuel Clemens for our day, as evident in his hilarious book "Sick Puppy", but to say that his books are simply entertaining is to miss the point. He's writing primarily about Florida, a state which no one should have to actually live in, due to the number of ridiculously insane people that inhabit it, most of whom are politicians, elderly retirees, immigrants, or criminals. Hiaasen takes aim at everyone: Republican or Democrat, young or old, rich or poor. He's an equal-opportunity satirist, and he's brilliant. If you've never read a Hiaasen novel, pick one up and prepare to laugh hysterically.
May 21, 2007
This book is about a hundred pages too long and is a poorly developed story about an unstable environmentalist that stalks an asshole lobbyist/exotic game hunter because he saw him toss trash out the window of his car. The most frustrating thing about this book is that it has potential to turn into an interesting story, but it moves in a bunch of roundabout directions and never delivers. Worst of all, it seems like the author wanted to use every strange character he had ever developed in one book. There's a big game hunter/lobbyist, a former toyota salesman turned governor, a former governor that now lives wild in the everglades, a developer with a barbie fetish, a young and reckless enviromnetalist that is also super rich, a biologist that has sold his appreciation for nature for some quick cash, etc. and sometimes that is not the right way to go. The only reason I put this book on my shelf is that I thought I had too many books I like on there!
June 7, 2022
This was pretty good up until near the end, where it became very good. I thought it was really funny during the Rhino hunt, especially the dog's POV. That part alone was worth reading the whole book for me.
All in all, this was a satisfying read because most of the people got what they deserved, at least the bad guys. I think perhaps the good guys also, but we don't get all the details. I liked it enough to read more by Carl Hiaasen. This is the final book of the Skink series, but there are a few more that I'll probably try.
All in all, this was a satisfying read because most of the people got what they deserved, at least the bad guys. I think perhaps the good guys also, but we don't get all the details. I liked it enough to read more by Carl Hiaasen. This is the final book of the Skink series, but there are a few more that I'll probably try.
June 15, 2007
man. this book made me laugh. hiaasen is friggin hilarious. the book has crazy floridian creeps causing eco-mistakes. the main character simply doesn't like it. picture an entire truck load of dung beetles being dumped onto your fancy SUV because you threw a mcdonalds wrapper out your window. and Skink, the vagabond with good teeth, gives me the smiles. just - if you are wanting to laugh, this is it. so silly. and there is always a good message about development destroying the world and whatnot. his books rule.
May 8, 2017
4.5 STARS
It’s usually such a bore when writers gives you stories with a clear message on any given issue, and for the most part I try to avoid them.
But, Carl Hiaasen is a great writer with a sharp wit. He obviously loves Florida and hate what it has become – I’ve read enough of his work to feel comfortable with that statement – but his stories are entertaining enough to enjoy whether you care about it or not.
In some ways he is like a history professor who has a solid philosophy about the dangers of the modern society, but the way he tells the stories keeps you interested and laughing until the end.
I enjoyed this novel especially and the only thing that keeps me from giving it five stars is the fact that it could have been a little shorter.
It’s usually such a bore when writers gives you stories with a clear message on any given issue, and for the most part I try to avoid them.
But, Carl Hiaasen is a great writer with a sharp wit. He obviously loves Florida and hate what it has become – I’ve read enough of his work to feel comfortable with that statement – but his stories are entertaining enough to enjoy whether you care about it or not.
In some ways he is like a history professor who has a solid philosophy about the dangers of the modern society, but the way he tells the stories keeps you interested and laughing until the end.
I enjoyed this novel especially and the only thing that keeps me from giving it five stars is the fact that it could have been a little shorter.
September 17, 2007
One of the funniest books I've ever read. What enjoyable, escapist fiction should be. Twilly Spree is a character Joseph Heller would have been proud of, a hero in anger management classes, and his exploits are so absurd that they are only believable because they take place in the state of insanity known as "Florida". Absolutely fun and all that good, escapist fiction should be.
NC
NC
November 25, 2023
Carl Hiaasen continues to be one of my go-to authors especially when I want some humor with my story. As usual this was another hilarious satirical romp through Hiaasen's Florida. In this one, he takes aim at the politics involved in the development of what once was unspoiled Florida and of course the novel was filled with the usual wacky characters that tend to fill his novels.
This one was focused on Twilly Spree, a young man who is disgusted by people who ignore the environment and want to pave over untouched land in Florida. Twilly is angered when he sees a litterbug on a Florida highway toss trash out his car window. The litterer is a lobbyist with a lot of pull in the State named Palmer Stoat. Twilly takes aim at Palmer by dumping a load of garbage on his wife, Desie's BMW convertible. He then fills Palmer's Range Rover with dung beetles and kidnaps his black lab named Boodle. He also pries out the glass eyes from Palmer's taxidermied collection of hunting trophies which came from a local illegal safari ranch. Unfortunately Boodle swallowed some of the glass eyes resulting in the titular "Sick Puppy." Palmer's wife, Desie, goes with Twilly to safeguard Boodle and ends up agreeing with Twilly's points regarding Florida. Twilly decides to rename the dog to McGuinn after the Byrds guitarist. Then Desie tells Twilly about Toad Island that is headed for development and this becomes the bane of Twilly. What can he do to stop it?
All of this leads to the involvement of the developer, Robert Clapley, who never got over his adolescent attachment to Barbie dolls; the governor, Dick Artemus; and one of the vilest characters to come out of a Hiaasen novel, Mr. Gash, Clapley's hired killer who collects recordings of 911 emergency calls involving people who get killed. And then Skink, the former governor who lives in the wild and is trying to protect the Florida environment, gets called in to try and stop Twilly. Skink has appeared in several of Hiaasen's works and is one of my favorite characters.
I enjoyed this one a lot. It had a great assortment of characters and the whole premise of the novel was a pleasure to read. I especially liked Twilly who is like a younger Skink. Hopefully, he will appear in more of Hiaasen's novels. McGuinn the dog also played a big role in the story and in the end he was really the one who was able to achieve justice against the shady politicians and developers. Unfortunately, I only have a few of Hiaasen's novels left to read but I will be looking forward to them.
This one was focused on Twilly Spree, a young man who is disgusted by people who ignore the environment and want to pave over untouched land in Florida. Twilly is angered when he sees a litterbug on a Florida highway toss trash out his car window. The litterer is a lobbyist with a lot of pull in the State named Palmer Stoat. Twilly takes aim at Palmer by dumping a load of garbage on his wife, Desie's BMW convertible. He then fills Palmer's Range Rover with dung beetles and kidnaps his black lab named Boodle. He also pries out the glass eyes from Palmer's taxidermied collection of hunting trophies which came from a local illegal safari ranch. Unfortunately Boodle swallowed some of the glass eyes resulting in the titular "Sick Puppy." Palmer's wife, Desie, goes with Twilly to safeguard Boodle and ends up agreeing with Twilly's points regarding Florida. Twilly decides to rename the dog to McGuinn after the Byrds guitarist. Then Desie tells Twilly about Toad Island that is headed for development and this becomes the bane of Twilly. What can he do to stop it?
All of this leads to the involvement of the developer, Robert Clapley, who never got over his adolescent attachment to Barbie dolls; the governor, Dick Artemus; and one of the vilest characters to come out of a Hiaasen novel, Mr. Gash, Clapley's hired killer who collects recordings of 911 emergency calls involving people who get killed. And then Skink, the former governor who lives in the wild and is trying to protect the Florida environment, gets called in to try and stop Twilly. Skink has appeared in several of Hiaasen's works and is one of my favorite characters.
I enjoyed this one a lot. It had a great assortment of characters and the whole premise of the novel was a pleasure to read. I especially liked Twilly who is like a younger Skink. Hopefully, he will appear in more of Hiaasen's novels. McGuinn the dog also played a big role in the story and in the end he was really the one who was able to achieve justice against the shady politicians and developers. Unfortunately, I only have a few of Hiaasen's novels left to read but I will be looking forward to them.
May 27, 2020
A familiar topic with Hiaasen books, Sick Puppy, is also about Florida's environment. Starting off with highway chase, the book's hero can't stand people who dump trash out of their vehicle. We also have endangered animals being hunted, horns being used for Chinese miracle erection powder. Condos and golf courses development. This is Skink #4.
" Are you a manhunter?"
"More like a shit scraper," the visitor replied, "and I'm starting with you."
"Look, I'll tell you the whole story, everything, but first let me towel off and put on some clothes. Please."
"Nope. You stay right there. In my experience, men who are buck naked and scared nutless tend to be more forthcoming. They tend to have better memories. So let's hear your sad doggy story."
" Are you a manhunter?"
"More like a shit scraper," the visitor replied, "and I'm starting with you."
"Look, I'll tell you the whole story, everything, but first let me towel off and put on some clothes. Please."
"Nope. You stay right there. In my experience, men who are buck naked and scared nutless tend to be more forthcoming. They tend to have better memories. So let's hear your sad doggy story."
February 22, 2024
__________________________
“The greatest pleasure of [having] a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you,… he will make a fool of himself, too.”― Samuel Butler
This is the story of two eco-maniacs and a black lab. If you have read any of Hiaasen’s other Skink books, you will know that one of them is named…duh…Skink. He is a former governor of Florida who had a mental breakdown and walked out of his office years ago and now haunts the Everglades swamp, dispensing vigilante justice to polluters, corrupt politicians, land developers, and lobbyists. His favorite food is fresh road kill.
In Sick Puppy, a new antihero, Twilly, is introduced. He is a self-styled eco-warrior with serious self-control issues. Scary serious. He gets very upset if litterers don’t take the hint the first time. He is bound and determined to teach them a lesson, whether they survive this particular course of study or not.
Then there is the sick puppy. It’s not clear if the titular sick puppy is the black lab Twilly dognaps to coerce the dog’s sleazy, littering owner or if it’s Twilly himself. It’s hard to tell which one is denser–the dog or the dognapper. Note: The dog is funnier.
Carl Hiaasen started his career as an investigative reporter, and he knows plenty of politicians of the “scratch my back and I’ll make your daughter head of the State Commission on Governmental Corruption ––which meets once a year–– for a $140,000 a year salary plus frequent consulting fees and full time use of a state-owned BMW” ilk. I come from Illinois, where we take our political corruption very seriously. A 4-year governorship in Illinois is basically just a training ground for 5 to 10 years in federal prison. [You may remember after Obama left the Senate to become President, Illinois governor Bogdanovich tried to sell the open senate seat to the highest bidder. Four Illinois governors have gone to jail since I have been old enough to vote.] So Hiaasen’s portrayal of corrupt politics in this novel rings true to me, and although it is slightly exaggerated for comic effect, is eye opening–even to someone from Illinois. {See footnote}
★★★★ This is a typical Hiaasen Skink novel. It’s amusing, but nothing new.
Footnote: One Illinois governor was indicted for bribery but was found innocent--and through some weird coincidence, 8 of the jurors who acquitted him ended up getting state jobs during the rest of his term as governor. Let’s see Florida beat that, Carl Hiaasen.
“The greatest pleasure of [having] a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you,… he will make a fool of himself, too.”― Samuel Butler
This is the story of two eco-maniacs and a black lab. If you have read any of Hiaasen’s other Skink books, you will know that one of them is named…duh…Skink. He is a former governor of Florida who had a mental breakdown and walked out of his office years ago and now haunts the Everglades swamp, dispensing vigilante justice to polluters, corrupt politicians, land developers, and lobbyists. His favorite food is fresh road kill.
In Sick Puppy, a new antihero, Twilly, is introduced. He is a self-styled eco-warrior with serious self-control issues. Scary serious. He gets very upset if litterers don’t take the hint the first time. He is bound and determined to teach them a lesson, whether they survive this particular course of study or not.
Then there is the sick puppy. It’s not clear if the titular sick puppy is the black lab Twilly dognaps to coerce the dog’s sleazy, littering owner or if it’s Twilly himself. It’s hard to tell which one is denser–the dog or the dognapper. Note: The dog is funnier.
Carl Hiaasen started his career as an investigative reporter, and he knows plenty of politicians of the “scratch my back and I’ll make your daughter head of the State Commission on Governmental Corruption ––which meets once a year–– for a $140,000 a year salary plus frequent consulting fees and full time use of a state-owned BMW” ilk. I come from Illinois, where we take our political corruption very seriously. A 4-year governorship in Illinois is basically just a training ground for 5 to 10 years in federal prison. [You may remember after Obama left the Senate to become President, Illinois governor Bogdanovich tried to sell the open senate seat to the highest bidder. Four Illinois governors have gone to jail since I have been old enough to vote.] So Hiaasen’s portrayal of corrupt politics in this novel rings true to me, and although it is slightly exaggerated for comic effect, is eye opening–even to someone from Illinois. {See footnote}
★★★★ This is a typical Hiaasen Skink novel. It’s amusing, but nothing new.
Footnote: One Illinois governor was indicted for bribery but was found innocent--and through some weird coincidence, 8 of the jurors who acquitted him ended up getting state jobs during the rest of his term as governor. Let’s see Florida beat that, Carl Hiaasen.
December 6, 2016
Skink #4 is a great roller-coaster ride of more or less unlikely events that escalate quickly from a case of egoistic and mindless littering. Great characters and immensely entertaining.
August 1, 2016
'Sick Puppy', book four in the Skink series, is overrun with the usual odd, oblivious and obscene characters who populate Carl Hiaasen's Florida. Land developers are littering the landscape with ludicrous destruction.
Clinton Tyree, aka Skink, ex-governor of Florida and slightly insane, is once again drawn out of his Everglades home to involve himself in an affair between an alliance of greedy real estate developers and perverted politicians struggling to pave over an undeveloped Florida island, and a crazed wealthy environmentalist, Twilly Spree, who is getting in the way of their plans with threats and sabotage.
Twilly Spree is fighting a losing war against the developers, but he can't help himself. When Twilly follows a lobbyist, Palmer Stoat, home in order to teach Stoat a lesson about not tossing garbage out of his car, he sees a chance for chastisement in kidnapping Boodle, a friendly brainless black Labrador romping about the Stoat house. Stoat does not understand the message, being in the middle of working a deal for the state legislature and the Florida Governor, Dick Artemus, to provide funding for a bridge to an island, currently home to millions of frogs, for one of his clients, a criminal, Robert Clapley, who wants to turn the island into skyscrapers and parking lots. Instead Stoat's wife, Desie, follows Twilly
When Governor Dick discovers the mess Stoat is in - the supposed kidnapping of his wife and dog - he reluctantly vetoes the bridge funding. However he is not going to let his campaign contributors down - he sends for Skink, planning to blackmail him into tracking down Twilly. Meanwhile Crapley sends his murderous henchman, Mr. Gash, after the kidnapper, too.
Unfortunately, everyone forgets big rambunctious Boodle has agendas, too, doggie though they may be. Don't drop that leash! Oh oh.
Can a cluster of conniving cons conceivably counter each others' clash of cultures? Stay tuned...
Clinton Tyree, aka Skink, ex-governor of Florida and slightly insane, is once again drawn out of his Everglades home to involve himself in an affair between an alliance of greedy real estate developers and perverted politicians struggling to pave over an undeveloped Florida island, and a crazed wealthy environmentalist, Twilly Spree, who is getting in the way of their plans with threats and sabotage.
Twilly Spree is fighting a losing war against the developers, but he can't help himself. When Twilly follows a lobbyist, Palmer Stoat, home in order to teach Stoat a lesson about not tossing garbage out of his car, he sees a chance for chastisement in kidnapping Boodle, a friendly brainless black Labrador romping about the Stoat house. Stoat does not understand the message, being in the middle of working a deal for the state legislature and the Florida Governor, Dick Artemus, to provide funding for a bridge to an island, currently home to millions of frogs, for one of his clients, a criminal, Robert Clapley, who wants to turn the island into skyscrapers and parking lots. Instead Stoat's wife, Desie, follows Twilly
When Governor Dick discovers the mess Stoat is in - the supposed kidnapping of his wife and dog - he reluctantly vetoes the bridge funding. However he is not going to let his campaign contributors down - he sends for Skink, planning to blackmail him into tracking down Twilly. Meanwhile Crapley sends his murderous henchman, Mr. Gash, after the kidnapper, too.
Unfortunately, everyone forgets big rambunctious Boodle has agendas, too, doggie though they may be. Don't drop that leash! Oh oh.
Can a cluster of conniving cons conceivably counter each others' clash of cultures? Stay tuned...
June 26, 2016
Twilly Spree is a trust-fund baby and eco-terrorist with some anger-management issues. When he witnesses blatant littering by the driver of a Range Rover with vanity plates, he is compelled to teach the litterbug a lesson. Within a few pages the reader is immersed in the usual Hiaasen scenario featuring a dog-napping and peopled with corrupt Florida politicians and ruthless developers; among the characters here are a former Toyota salesman who is now governor, a hunt-trophy-happy lobbyist, a millionaire developer with a fetish for Barbie dolls (yes, the actual dolls), and our favorite “out-there” one-eyed hero, Skink.
It’s typical Hiaasen, with outlandish plot developments and tender young women whose good sense far outshines the idiots they work for (or are married to). Hiaasen has a gift for colorful description, for example: Willie Vasquez-Washington eyed Stoat as if he were a worm on a Triscuit. Of course all the bad guys will get their just desserts in the end – and in colorful, inventive ways. The action is non-stop and the pages turn fast. A fun, enjoyable diversion!
It’s typical Hiaasen, with outlandish plot developments and tender young women whose good sense far outshines the idiots they work for (or are married to). Hiaasen has a gift for colorful description, for example: Willie Vasquez-Washington eyed Stoat as if he were a worm on a Triscuit. Of course all the bad guys will get their just desserts in the end – and in colorful, inventive ways. The action is non-stop and the pages turn fast. A fun, enjoyable diversion!
July 29, 2019
In true Carl Hiaasen fashion this book is irreverent, quirky, crazy, and unpredictable. Skink makes a return and this one involves: A slimy, fat Florida lobbyist, his disenchanted younger wife, a drug dealer turned real estate tycoon, twin Franken-Barbies, the current Florida Governor, a do-gooder environmentalist millionaire, and of course a sick puppy. A happy, slappy, black Lab starts the ball rolling by eating a glass eyeball. Oh and don't miss out on the sleazy "big game" hunting preserve where the grand finale takes place.
I won't spoil it for you- but this seemingly unrelated cast of characters created by Hiaason mix well together and create a highly entertaining story.
I won't spoil it for you- but this seemingly unrelated cast of characters created by Hiaason mix well together and create a highly entertaining story.
August 11, 2009
I haven't read any Carl Hiaasen in about ten years. It's worth saying that based on his first 5 books, his investigative reporting and the fact that he once appeared on IN SEARCH OF alongside Leonard Frickin' Nimoy, I regard Hiaasen as a genius to be spoken of in hallowed tones. I will now proceed to speak of him in tones more harsh than hallowed, even though I still think he's one of America's greatest writers and one of the top 10,443 crime novelists in god damned South Florida; since they all seem to settle there, he's got lots of competition.
This book, interestingly, is about where I left off in his oeuvre -- sort of randomly selected. I got the sense that if I kept reading them, it'd be deja vu all over again. I guess I was kinda right.
I don't know if I've changed or if the world has, or if Sick Puppy is less inventive than previous Hiaasen books. But all the stuff that struck me as brilliantly insightful, stirringly romantic and bewitchingly clever in previous books struck me as kind of vapid in this one.
The book is also about twice as long as it should be based on the amount of plot that's here... every paragraph felt too long, which was weird given Hiaasen's breezy prose. About 200 pages in to its 337 pages, I felt like I was buttonholed at a cocktail party retirement community by an old codger and I was trying to send via psychic vibes the message "Stop Talking!" Had the book been about 100 pages shorter, I don't think I would have felt that way, since the story itself is fun and the characters are familiar and comfortable. And it's worth saying that Hiaasen's outrage at Florida politics and overdevelopment is also familiar, and I share it. But it was just all a little too easy... like I could read it and chuckle at it on the beach at a Florida resort or the patio of my McMansion in Boca Raton, and never give a real thought to what it's actually about or why its characters are pissed off. A certain amount of that is expected in an escapist crime novel masquerading as an environmental thriller, but there was more of it than I cared for here, and it left me feeling slightly icky.
The book wraps up in a very satisfying way, and apart from the slight ickiness I felt good and righteous and anti-consumption and anti-development for having read it. So... all in all, a good read, but not nearly as inspiring as I hoped.
This book, interestingly, is about where I left off in his oeuvre -- sort of randomly selected. I got the sense that if I kept reading them, it'd be deja vu all over again. I guess I was kinda right.
I don't know if I've changed or if the world has, or if Sick Puppy is less inventive than previous Hiaasen books. But all the stuff that struck me as brilliantly insightful, stirringly romantic and bewitchingly clever in previous books struck me as kind of vapid in this one.
The book is also about twice as long as it should be based on the amount of plot that's here... every paragraph felt too long, which was weird given Hiaasen's breezy prose. About 200 pages in to its 337 pages, I felt like I was buttonholed at a cocktail party retirement community by an old codger and I was trying to send via psychic vibes the message "Stop Talking!" Had the book been about 100 pages shorter, I don't think I would have felt that way, since the story itself is fun and the characters are familiar and comfortable. And it's worth saying that Hiaasen's outrage at Florida politics and overdevelopment is also familiar, and I share it. But it was just all a little too easy... like I could read it and chuckle at it on the beach at a Florida resort or the patio of my McMansion in Boca Raton, and never give a real thought to what it's actually about or why its characters are pissed off. A certain amount of that is expected in an escapist crime novel masquerading as an environmental thriller, but there was more of it than I cared for here, and it left me feeling slightly icky.
The book wraps up in a very satisfying way, and apart from the slight ickiness I felt good and righteous and anti-consumption and anti-development for having read it. So... all in all, a good read, but not nearly as inspiring as I hoped.
December 1, 2020
In many ways SICK PUPPY is a typical Carl Hiaasen satire. Its major characters include glad-handing governor, Dick Artemus; his efficient assistant, Lisa June Peterson (Southern girl = three names); idealistic eco-warrior Twilly Spree, who means well but in the book's early sections cannot dream and is out of touch with his feelings; and Estrella, a call girl who only serves Republicans as clients. Clinton Tyree ("Skink") is on hand from earlier books, as is his loyal Fla. trooper. Jim Tile.
Although one of the nicer folks in this novel is Desirata ("Desi") Stoat, we cannot say the same of hubby Palmer Stoat, sleazy influence-peddler and fixer, who loves drugs and slaughtering endangered species. But what really sets the plot afire comes when Twilly Spree catches him dumping fast-food rubbish onto the Interstate at high speed.
Happily, there's a "good guy" among all this cynicism: a good-humored if goofy Black Lab named Boodle (later "McGuinn"), who is a major plot agent in this book. A surprising amount of this book is seen through the dog's eyes -- or should I say nose?
SICK PUPPY may not be the best Hiaasen novel, but it comes close. "Boodle" adds a welcome presence.
from the book:
"Boodle was a hefty load -- 128 pounds. He had been trained at no small expense to sit, fetch, shake, lie down, heel, and not lope off with strangers. To forcibly abduct the dog, Stoat surmised, would have required more than one able-bodied man. Then Desi reminded him that Boodle wasn't functioning at full strength." (p. 62).
Although one of the nicer folks in this novel is Desirata ("Desi") Stoat, we cannot say the same of hubby Palmer Stoat, sleazy influence-peddler and fixer, who loves drugs and slaughtering endangered species. But what really sets the plot afire comes when Twilly Spree catches him dumping fast-food rubbish onto the Interstate at high speed.
Happily, there's a "good guy" among all this cynicism: a good-humored if goofy Black Lab named Boodle (later "McGuinn"), who is a major plot agent in this book. A surprising amount of this book is seen through the dog's eyes -- or should I say nose?
SICK PUPPY may not be the best Hiaasen novel, but it comes close. "Boodle" adds a welcome presence.
from the book:
"Boodle was a hefty load -- 128 pounds. He had been trained at no small expense to sit, fetch, shake, lie down, heel, and not lope off with strangers. To forcibly abduct the dog, Stoat surmised, would have required more than one able-bodied man. Then Desi reminded him that Boodle wasn't functioning at full strength." (p. 62).
August 23, 2015
“Sick Puppy” by Carl Hiaasen, published by Alfred A. Knopf.
Category – Mystery/Humor Publication Date – February, 2000.
How can one resist a good mystery/humor novel that has a dog, not only a dog but a Labrador retriever, as one of its characters. Hiaasen has again put together a book that takes a look at the corrupt politics of Florida that is driven by a greed for ocean front property and litter bugs.
The characters, again, are outrageous. You have the former Governor of Florida, Clinton Tyree, who is as eccentric as you can get, living in the wilds of Florida dressed in a kilt made of a checkered flag. Twilly Spree is a multi-millionaire college drop out that has a thing for litter bugs. Palmer Stoat who is a lobbyist with a passion for big game hunting but only under special conditions, who is hired to insure that a new bridge is built to Toad Island. Toad Island is being sought after for a new Florida community for the hoity-toity.
Then there is Boddle/McGuinn the adorable Lab.
Twilly and Clinton, (aka Skink), take up the task of setting Florida straight as they fight not only litter bugs but those who are destroying the natural beauty of Florida.
Hiaasen again puts together a novel that is not only very entertaining but one that has social and economic value, a book that will not only have the reader laughing but taking a hard look at the politics of corruption.
Category – Mystery/Humor Publication Date – February, 2000.
How can one resist a good mystery/humor novel that has a dog, not only a dog but a Labrador retriever, as one of its characters. Hiaasen has again put together a book that takes a look at the corrupt politics of Florida that is driven by a greed for ocean front property and litter bugs.
The characters, again, are outrageous. You have the former Governor of Florida, Clinton Tyree, who is as eccentric as you can get, living in the wilds of Florida dressed in a kilt made of a checkered flag. Twilly Spree is a multi-millionaire college drop out that has a thing for litter bugs. Palmer Stoat who is a lobbyist with a passion for big game hunting but only under special conditions, who is hired to insure that a new bridge is built to Toad Island. Toad Island is being sought after for a new Florida community for the hoity-toity.
Then there is Boddle/McGuinn the adorable Lab.
Twilly and Clinton, (aka Skink), take up the task of setting Florida straight as they fight not only litter bugs but those who are destroying the natural beauty of Florida.
Hiaasen again puts together a novel that is not only very entertaining but one that has social and economic value, a book that will not only have the reader laughing but taking a hard look at the politics of corruption.
July 8, 2021
This is another hugely enjoyable Skink book. There’s probably not a lot more to be said, but for the record:
This time a zealous eco-warrior with a huge trust fund and anger management issues takes action against a serious litterbug he sees on the highway...and becomes involved in political chicanery, the wanton destruction of Florida’s flora, fauna and natural beauty, general scumbaggery from people who profit therefrom...etc. It’s a Carl Hiaasen novel – what do you expect? And, as usual, it’s funny, it’s very readable and carries its serious underlying messages lightly with satire, farce and some very satisfying come-uppances. The Captain is on excellent form and it’s just an all-round pleasure.
If you know Carl Hiaasen you won’t need any urging from me to read this. If not, do give him a try – he’s great. Warmly recommended.
This time a zealous eco-warrior with a huge trust fund and anger management issues takes action against a serious litterbug he sees on the highway...and becomes involved in political chicanery, the wanton destruction of Florida’s flora, fauna and natural beauty, general scumbaggery from people who profit therefrom...etc. It’s a Carl Hiaasen novel – what do you expect? And, as usual, it’s funny, it’s very readable and carries its serious underlying messages lightly with satire, farce and some very satisfying come-uppances. The Captain is on excellent form and it’s just an all-round pleasure.
If you know Carl Hiaasen you won’t need any urging from me to read this. If not, do give him a try – he’s great. Warmly recommended.
March 30, 2009
I love Carl Hiaasen. I am not a big mystery/thriller person and his stuff is great! His characters are OTT and at the same time so very human and in this instance humane. How can you not love a man who would chase down an idiot for throwing trash out of his car doing 80 on the freeway?!?! Twilly Spree is my hero. With Hiaasen you just never know where you will wind up - except that it will be in Florida, that much you know.
December 2, 2017
Sick Puppy is one of Florida journalist-author Carl Hiaasen's finest novels. The plot is familiar to anyone who's read Hiaasen or lived in Florida - greedy developers and corrupt politicians plot the destruction of the state's remaining natural areas. Hiaasen somehow makes this funny, with colorful characters, slapstick antics, and the promise of comeuppance. My only complaint was that Hiaasen has a penchant for rambling, and Sick Puppy would have read better if trimmed. Nevertheless, I recommend it, especially to Floridians.
January 17, 2025
Hysterical, per his usual. Kind of wish Skink remained governor of Florida (especially given who is actually the governor today). Hiaasen has a twisted mind in the best way. One day, I'll end up reading all his books.
April 6, 2021
My recent, initial 'foray' into Hiaasen World (by way of 'Skinny Dip') was a thing of wonder and rather a wacko joy. This 'Round 2'... not so much.
The good news: 'Sick Puppy' is just as quick a read and it follows a similar structure. Still, halfway-through, I found something was bothering me and wondered what it was. I also wondered whether I should finish the book but, being halfway and figuring it would all be over soon enough, I kept on. I remained bothered - and there was next-to-nothing in the second half that bolstered enthusiasm (~though the climax was a welcome surprise).
What bothered me was: This is a novel in which theme dwarfs both plot and character.
Hiaasen reveals a legitimate gripe and his story's main (and urgent) concern is Florida as the equivalent of an endangered species - with politics and greed systematically driving it out of existence. It's a dismal reality to face but it's also one that sits uncomfortably (at least here) with the purpose of fiction.
It's not that the book wants for plot and characters (though, here, there may be a few too many characters; I'd lost the relevant purpose of a couple of them as the story progressed) - but the territory of the story is so repellent that it makes for a plot that just makes you sick over environment issues, and it's largely populated with such repulsive people that Hiaasen is pressed for opportunities to make the bulk of them remotely interesting. Stupid lust for land-power (and other machismo lust) here results in reading of the tiresome behavior of neanderthals.
One thing is clear: Hiaasen hates various kinds of nefarious movers-and-shakers, but especially lobbyists. Justifiably.
'Skinny Dip' is hilarious. 'Sick Puppy', however, is largely humorless. (Weirdly, some of what is meant for humor falls as flat as forced shtick.) The book also feels longer than it needs to be.
All that said, it's not a terrible read. Hiaasen certainly knows his stuff and there's a lot of valuable info to learn here. But, after reading 'Skinny Dip', the last thing I expected to feel throughout reading another Hiaasen book was... depressed.
Still, near the end of the novel, a character says something that puts everything in an appropriate perspective:
The good news: 'Sick Puppy' is just as quick a read and it follows a similar structure. Still, halfway-through, I found something was bothering me and wondered what it was. I also wondered whether I should finish the book but, being halfway and figuring it would all be over soon enough, I kept on. I remained bothered - and there was next-to-nothing in the second half that bolstered enthusiasm (~though the climax was a welcome surprise).
What bothered me was: This is a novel in which theme dwarfs both plot and character.
Hiaasen reveals a legitimate gripe and his story's main (and urgent) concern is Florida as the equivalent of an endangered species - with politics and greed systematically driving it out of existence. It's a dismal reality to face but it's also one that sits uncomfortably (at least here) with the purpose of fiction.
It's not that the book wants for plot and characters (though, here, there may be a few too many characters; I'd lost the relevant purpose of a couple of them as the story progressed) - but the territory of the story is so repellent that it makes for a plot that just makes you sick over environment issues, and it's largely populated with such repulsive people that Hiaasen is pressed for opportunities to make the bulk of them remotely interesting. Stupid lust for land-power (and other machismo lust) here results in reading of the tiresome behavior of neanderthals.
One thing is clear: Hiaasen hates various kinds of nefarious movers-and-shakers, but especially lobbyists. Justifiably.
'Skinny Dip' is hilarious. 'Sick Puppy', however, is largely humorless. (Weirdly, some of what is meant for humor falls as flat as forced shtick.) The book also feels longer than it needs to be.
All that said, it's not a terrible read. Hiaasen certainly knows his stuff and there's a lot of valuable info to learn here. But, after reading 'Skinny Dip', the last thing I expected to feel throughout reading another Hiaasen book was... depressed.
Still, near the end of the novel, a character says something that puts everything in an appropriate perspective:
"Son, I can't tell you what to do with your life--hell, you've seen what I've done with mine. But I will tell you there's probably no peace for people like you and me in this world. Somebody's got to be angry or nothing gets fixed. That's what we were put here for, to stay pissed off."
January 3, 2022
Sick Puppy is my introduction to Carl Hiaasen, an author that my girlfriend felt would be a good way to get me introduced to Florida. I'll probably read him again, although I found this book to be one of diminishing returns. It starts out as a satisfying read; Twilly Spree is a maladjusted and overgrown trust fund kid who gets to live out a popular revenge fantasy: he spots a litterbug on the Florida highway and decides to spend as much time and energy as possible to teach the litterbug a lesson. Twilly has had "anger management" problems in the past, to the extent that he's spend some time in the proverbial Rubber Room, but it so happens that this litterbug is to become one of his greatest antagonists: he is Palmer Stoat, a graduate of the Universal School of Archetypes with summa cum laude honors in Lobbying. And Stoat's current pursuit has to do with the despoiling of one of the few untouched islands off the Florida coast.
Environmentalism is, of course, one of Hiasaan's major passions, and he demonstrates a lot of knowledge about why the state of American development today is as corrupt and outrageous as it is. But once the novel goes beyond the initial game of petty and funny strikes and retaliations and opens its canvas to a battle over whether or not the despoiling of said island will successfully take place, the revenge fantasy is both too good to be true and much too long in its execution. Worse, Hiassan's characters tend to wear their Outrageousness on their sleeves, and certain jokes that would connect in passing--a survivalist ex-Governor, a hitman who listens to tapes of absurdly tragic 911 calls, a developer whose Barbie fetish has led him to dangerous games with Eastern European models and plastic surgery--become tiresome once we spend more than a few scenes with the same characters and the same quirks. Still, the sheer volume of characters, some of whom switch allegiances, makes for a certain amount of suspense in the plotting and pleasure in seeing What Happens Next. The book just isn't half as sick as it imagines itself to be.
Environmentalism is, of course, one of Hiasaan's major passions, and he demonstrates a lot of knowledge about why the state of American development today is as corrupt and outrageous as it is. But once the novel goes beyond the initial game of petty and funny strikes and retaliations and opens its canvas to a battle over whether or not the despoiling of said island will successfully take place, the revenge fantasy is both too good to be true and much too long in its execution. Worse, Hiassan's characters tend to wear their Outrageousness on their sleeves, and certain jokes that would connect in passing--a survivalist ex-Governor, a hitman who listens to tapes of absurdly tragic 911 calls, a developer whose Barbie fetish has led him to dangerous games with Eastern European models and plastic surgery--become tiresome once we spend more than a few scenes with the same characters and the same quirks. Still, the sheer volume of characters, some of whom switch allegiances, makes for a certain amount of suspense in the plotting and pleasure in seeing What Happens Next. The book just isn't half as sick as it imagines itself to be.
June 6, 2011
Okay. I'll concede that there are oversimplifications in this book. The bad guys are irredeemably bad; the good guys are little better than the bad guys. That's true of most of us, isn't it? The destruction of habitat for condos is a central Hiaasen theme, so don't get your Speedos in a wad. The characters are too wild and crazy to believe? Have you ever spent time in Florida? Every nutjob who isn't on a survivalist ranch in Idaho picks up their mail in Florida (it used to be California before living there got too expensive). The amorality in politics? I find that in every state of the Union, so please squash that motion. In fact, just read the book with an open mind (like you would read a comic book as a child). You'll find, as you go along, that you don't know who will prevail (have you counted how many condos there are in Florida, and how little unspoiled beach remains?); most of all, you will not be able to predict what will happen ten pages ahead. All of this adds up to an enjoyable, entertaining book for me. The only thing missing is the scene at the end where Geraldo Rivera is hosting a live show featuring the discovery of Blackbeard's treasure chest and what ensues when it is opened. Maybe that will show up in one of Hiassen's later novels.
In fact, I wish Hiassen would take the time and knit together all the disparate characters who populate his books in the style of Wm Faulkner, recycle and shuffle them and tell of their new (mis)deeds and adventures. Not even in the novel format; write a collection of short stories about the intersection of characters from his various books. There is a richness here of setting, character, and irony that I haven't seen since Faulkner and I find myself wanting more... exactly where Hiassen wants me.
In fact, I wish Hiassen would take the time and knit together all the disparate characters who populate his books in the style of Wm Faulkner, recycle and shuffle them and tell of their new (mis)deeds and adventures. Not even in the novel format; write a collection of short stories about the intersection of characters from his various books. There is a richness here of setting, character, and irony that I haven't seen since Faulkner and I find myself wanting more... exactly where Hiassen wants me.
January 19, 2016
You gotta love a dog story and especially one which nails the essence of a dog as well as Carl Hiaansen’s Sick Puppy. It is clear that Hiaansen has been around his share of dogs with descriptions such as this:
“That’s the thing about being a Labrador retriever--you were born for fun. Seldom was your loopy, freewheeling mind cluttered by contemplation, and never at all by somber worry; every day was a romp. What else could there possibly be to life? Eating was a thrill.......And everywhere you went were gullible humans who patted and hugged and fussed over you.”
But Sick Puppy is not just a dog story, it is also a mystery set in Florida which examines the mistreatment of the environment of the Sunshine State by real estate developers and politicians in collusion with a biting humor. Hiaansen cagily develops a complex story which weaves itself around Florida dragging in politicians, lobbyists, ex-drug lords turned developers, big game park owners, scientists and numerous others. He tags them with names which a twentieth century Dickens might have come up with; Twilly Spree, Desirata Stoat, Palmer Stoat, Mr. Gash, Richard Artemus and Richard Clapey.
I’ve wanted to read a Hiaasen book for a long time and I kept help wondering why I waited. This was great.
“That’s the thing about being a Labrador retriever--you were born for fun. Seldom was your loopy, freewheeling mind cluttered by contemplation, and never at all by somber worry; every day was a romp. What else could there possibly be to life? Eating was a thrill.......And everywhere you went were gullible humans who patted and hugged and fussed over you.”
But Sick Puppy is not just a dog story, it is also a mystery set in Florida which examines the mistreatment of the environment of the Sunshine State by real estate developers and politicians in collusion with a biting humor. Hiaansen cagily develops a complex story which weaves itself around Florida dragging in politicians, lobbyists, ex-drug lords turned developers, big game park owners, scientists and numerous others. He tags them with names which a twentieth century Dickens might have come up with; Twilly Spree, Desirata Stoat, Palmer Stoat, Mr. Gash, Richard Artemus and Richard Clapey.
I’ve wanted to read a Hiaasen book for a long time and I kept help wondering why I waited. This was great.
July 10, 2014
Ok, I read it. Read the whole thing. Was this my favorite Carl Hiaasen book? No, but it was an entertaining read. The characters are:
Palmer Stoat – an obsessive/compulsive type prone to littering rather than having the offending item on his possession, Stoat is a cocksure deal maker in the middle of the Florida political arena.
Desie Stoat – young, beautiful, and unlucky with men. She is wife number three and wondering how or why she was still hanging around.
Twilly Spree – to say Twilly is a hero would be stretching the label a bit. With anger management problems and no filter, he pursues injustices he sees in every nook and cranny of the state.
Boodle/McGuinn – Palmer’s dog got the name Boodle as a joke. Boodle means bribe of illicit payment. Twilly quickly changes his name to McGuinn when he acquires him.
The focus of all of these characters is Shearwater Island, a natural, lightly populated habitat soon to be turned into luxury condos, hotels, and golf course. The story moves quickly, introduces more interesting characters than those I’ve listed, and reaches a satisfying conclusion. This might be a good summer beach read. Guarantee it won’t be a waste of time.
Palmer Stoat – an obsessive/compulsive type prone to littering rather than having the offending item on his possession, Stoat is a cocksure deal maker in the middle of the Florida political arena.
Desie Stoat – young, beautiful, and unlucky with men. She is wife number three and wondering how or why she was still hanging around.
Twilly Spree – to say Twilly is a hero would be stretching the label a bit. With anger management problems and no filter, he pursues injustices he sees in every nook and cranny of the state.
Boodle/McGuinn – Palmer’s dog got the name Boodle as a joke. Boodle means bribe of illicit payment. Twilly quickly changes his name to McGuinn when he acquires him.
The focus of all of these characters is Shearwater Island, a natural, lightly populated habitat soon to be turned into luxury condos, hotels, and golf course. The story moves quickly, introduces more interesting characters than those I’ve listed, and reaches a satisfying conclusion. This might be a good summer beach read. Guarantee it won’t be a waste of time.
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