Bad Monkey

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: Arte Johnson

Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

A wickedly funny novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Squeeze Me in which the greedy, the corrupt, and the degraders of what’s left of pristine Florida—now, of the Bahamas as well—get their comeuppance.

“[A] comedic marvel … [Hiaasen] hasn’t written a novel this funny since Skinny Dip.”—The New York Times

Andrew Yancy—late of the Miami Police and soon-to-be-late of the Monroe County sheriff’s office—has a human arm in his freezer. There’s a logical (Hiaasenian) explanation for that, but not for how and why it parted from its shadowy owner. Yancy thinks the boating-accident/shark-luncheon explanation is full of holes, and if he can prove murder, the sheriff might rescue him from his grisly Health Inspector gig (it’s not called the roach patrol for nothing). But first—this being Hiaasen country—Yancy must negotiate an obstacle course of wildly unpredictable events with a crew of even more wildly unpredictable characters, including his just-ex lover, a hot-blooded fugitive from Kansas; the twitchy widow of the frozen arm; two avariciously optimistic real-estate speculators; the Bahamian voodoo witch known as the Dragon Queen, whose suitors are blinded unto death by her peculiar charms; Yancy’s new true love, a kinky coroner; and the eponymous bad monkey, who with hilarious aplomb earns his place among Carl Hiaasen’s greatest characters.

©2013 Carl Hiaasen (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[A] comedic marvel ... [Hiaasen] hasn’t written a novel this funny since Skinny Dip.... Beautifully constructed.” (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)

“No one writes about Florida with a more wicked sense of humor than Hiaasen.” (Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today)

“[A] rollicking misadventure in the colorful annals of greed and corruption in South Florida.... Hiaasen has a peculiar genius for inventing grotesque creatures ... that spring from the darkest impulses of the id. But he also writes great heroes.” (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times)

Another classic Hiaasen

Hilarious as always. A great Florida novel from Carl Hiaasen, arguably the second best writer alive from the state of Florida.

excellent!

narrator was wonderful. story was better than usual. adding more because I still need 2 words . . .

Made me laugh out loud many times

Would you listen to Bad Monkey again? Why?

Probably not

What about Arte Johnson’s performance did you like?

Very good reader. Sort of a combination of the Car Talk men and Columbo

If you could take any character from Bad Monkey out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Nevel

Any additional comments?

This isn't the best written book, but it is so funny and nice mystery with a twist. Just a lot of fun!

Couldn't finish it.

I tried twice to finish this book and could not get through it. I've read almost every other hiaasen book and this one kind of bored me.

good Hiaasen book

Would you listen to Bad Monkey again? Why?

Very entertaining book. Arte Johnson read okay. His accents weren't the best, but he still did a creditable job and did not distract at all from the story.

Fast paced and laugh out loud funny at times

What did you love best about Bad Monkey?

The humor that was mixed in with the story.

What about Arte Johnson’s performance did you like?

At the beginning I found it hard to understand him, but then I grew accustomed to his voice and intonation and it was great.

Good Story

Good story but performance was boring. Often found my mind wandering and had to replay too often to see what I missed.

Fun

This is a fun book that at times I found myself laughing out loud. Can’t wait to see it on the screen in year or so.

Deviously Hilarious

This book is fast-paced, well-plotted and hilarious. I guarantee that you’ve never read anything like it. The author has a wicked sense of humor. And Arte Johnson’s delivery is a delight. Laugh out loud hilarious.

Brilliant

Hiassen at his best. If you read enough of his stuff there are definitely some recurring themes but it’s always a fun ride with some twists and turns.