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ogreart's review against another edition
4.0
This case was led into more slowly. There was more character development going on. It was a different look at a long con.
papidoc's review
3.0
John D. MacDonald...what more needs to be said. The modern knight errant takes up another "outside the fringes" case. He adds to his well-earned tapestry of scars, both physical and emotional, but nevertheless saves the innocent and punishes the evil, extracting a few more months of living expenses along the way. His values and world views don't always coincide with mine, but I like his willingness to throw himself into balancing the scales of justice for the victims of criminal enterprise.
In this sixth volume of the Travis McGee series, that victim is Arthur Wilkinson, a fish out of water who was legally, but unethically, scammed out of everything he owned by a bunch of con artists. McGee makes things right.
In this sixth volume of the Travis McGee series, that victim is Arthur Wilkinson, a fish out of water who was legally, but unethically, scammed out of everything he owned by a bunch of con artists. McGee makes things right.
thebeardedpoet's review
5.0
McGee works on "commission" to recover things for people. In this one, an acquaintance has been conned out of everything thing he had (and within an inch of his life), and McGee sets out to recover what he can. The villain of this book is one scary dude with a number of surprises up his slippery sleeve. Of course, McGee has his own set of tricks. Additionally he has two assistants with him who rise to the occasion. The book has it's share of gruesome events and violence. Christi and I found it quite suspenseful. We also enjoyed again McGee's waxing poetic and philosophical about love, violence, and human nature.
jovial_glider's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
attytheresa's review
4.0
Before there were [a:Carl Hiaasen|8178|Carl Hiaasen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1522420456p2/8178.jpg], [a:Lee Child|5091|Lee Child|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1377708686p2/5091.jpg], or [a:Tim Dorsey|27017|Tim Dorsey|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1274614239p2/27017.jpg], there was [a:John D. MacDonald|24690|John D. MacDonald|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1225553045p2/24690.jpg] who delivered engrossing gritty detective thrillers often set against a Florida backdrop of white collar crime. He also seamlessly wove his own strong views on the environment, ecology, over-development, and commercialization into his characters and plots, especially Travis McGee. There is also no doubt that the world of boats, fishing, and Florida are well-known and beloved by the author who enriches his plots with details from those worlds.
Here in the second in his McGee series, setting much of the action in the Everglades provides plenty of opportunity for sharing his views and concerns while Travis tries to retrieve the money stolen from a naive friend by skilled grifters. The villains here are amoral criminals, and McGee and those with him face much danger before a satisfactory conclusion is reached.
Published in 1965, this reads amazingly modern, except for an occasional certain slight dated feeling here and there. It was a page turner and McGee us a fascinating and complex character whom I could see plated by Humphry Bogart back in the day of Key Largo and To Have And Have Not. The villains abuse and use women, there are frank discussions among characters and 1960s era graphic sex. The villains named Boo is chillingly evil and casually violent. Terrific as it is, this series will not be for everyone.
Here in the second in his McGee series, setting much of the action in the Everglades provides plenty of opportunity for sharing his views and concerns while Travis tries to retrieve the money stolen from a naive friend by skilled grifters. The villains here are amoral criminals, and McGee and those with him face much danger before a satisfactory conclusion is reached.
Published in 1965, this reads amazingly modern, except for an occasional certain slight dated feeling here and there. It was a page turner and McGee us a fascinating and complex character whom I could see plated by Humphry Bogart back in the day of Key Largo and To Have And Have Not. The villains abuse and use women, there are frank discussions among characters and 1960s era graphic sex. The villains named Boo is chillingly evil and casually violent. Terrific as it is, this series will not be for everyone.
ava_catherine's review
3.0
One of Travis McGee's friends is taken for 250K by con artists, one of whom married the mark. McGee decides to help the guy retrieve his money, which leads to escapades all over southern Florida. This is my first John McDonald book, and I am somewhat disappointed. The plot seemed disconnected, it seemed like a long series of haphazard chases strung together. But the main problem for me
sreeves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
papi's review against another edition
3.0
John D. MacDonald...what more needs to be said. The modern knight errant takes up another "outside the fringes" case. He adds to his well-earned tapestry of scars, both physical and emotional, but nevertheless saves the innocent and punishes the evil, extracting a few more months of living expenses along the way. His values and world views don't always coincide with mine, but I like his willingness to throw himself into balancing the scales of justice for the victims of criminal enterprise.
In this sixth volume of the Travis McGee series, that victim is Arthur Wilkinson, a fish out of water who was legally, but unethically, scammed out of everything he owned by a bunch of con artists. McGee makes things right.
In this sixth volume of the Travis McGee series, that victim is Arthur Wilkinson, a fish out of water who was legally, but unethically, scammed out of everything he owned by a bunch of con artists. McGee makes things right.