Skinny Dip

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

When Chaz Perron's wife discovers that he is running a scam (posing as a marine biologist to doctor water samples so that an agribusiness tycoon can continue illegally dumping fertilizer into the Everglades), he pushes her overboard from a cruise liner. Unlucky for Chaz, Joey survives clutching a bale of Jamaican pot. Rescued from the Atlantic by a former police officer, Mick Stranahan, she decides not to report him but instead haunt and taunt him, with Mick's help, by playing dead. As a result, Chaz becomes increasingly erratic and inept, a fact noticed by his ruthless and cold-blooded coworkers. Also, the six-time-married Mick rediscovers the thwarted romantic in him, believing that the seventh time might be the charm.

©2004 Carl Hiaasen (P)2004 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"At this point in his career as a comic novelist, Carl Hiaasen did not need to get any better. He has long been writing smarty, fizzy Floridian escapades that amount to pure reading pleasure. But Skinny Dip, his latest, is something more: a screwball delight so full of bright, deft, beautifully honed humor that it places Mr. Hiaasen in the company of Preston Sturges, Woody Allen and S.J. Perelman....Mr. Hiaasen writes with finesse." (The New York Times)
"Hiaasen's signature mix of hilariously over-the-top villains, lovable innocents and righteous indignation at what mankind has done to his beloved Florida wilderness is all present in riotous abundance in his latest....Hiaasen's books are so enjoyable it's always a sad moment when they end." (Publishers Weekly)
"No reprobate escapes the satirical eye of Hiaasen, who writes like the love child of Hunter S. Thompson and Evelyn Waugh....Like Hiaasen's nine previous novels, this one's a corker, chock-full of belly laughs and blistering truths." (Booklist)

Great Book

Great book, I enjoyed all the characters and the fun of each. Sometimes it's just fun to see a person come back from the dead/or not and get even in a most revealing way. Even the worst of trash can shine through, in there own way.
I have traveled allot in the last few years and still remember enjoying this book. It's a must buy for an entertaining listen.

Not Hiaasen's best work.

Striptease and Tourist Season are infinitely better and more entertaining books. rent them instead of this

Great Story/Bad Reader

After having read every other Hiassen book this was the last. One of his better books but I cannot say the same for the reader. I quess I was used to George Wilson narration which was fantastic but I just wanted to shut this one off. To monotone and to hard to follow different characters because of reader. gave the book itself 5 stars but the reader 2 stars

SKINNY DIP

An incompetent murderer, two frisky victems, Lust,love,intrigue, blackmail and above all humor and an unexpected delightful ending.

Narrator Deserves an Award!

This is a typical Carl Hiaasen novel - off beat characters, vaguely amusing situations, Florida setting. What makes this one outstanding is the narration. Stephen Hoye does one of the best jobs ever narrating this novel, with excellent vocal characterizations which make the story. I'm not sure I would have liked this in printed form, but really enjoyed the audio version.

Screwball comedy

Any additional comments?

This was a funny, smart guilty pleasure that was just what I was looking for after finishing a heavier, more emotional book. I was looking for something light and amusing, a good way to pass some reading time. It took a little while to enjoy the reader - a little too loud and over the top initially. But either he settled down or I got used to the style. It was not long before I was happily going along for the ride. Chock full of entertaining characters. I really fell in love with Tool. So what if there was predictability and outrageous behavior. It was so well strung together and I couldn't wait for Chaz to get his come uppance - over and over again. One of the most fun reading experiences in a while. Well recommended.

A great listen

This is a great, funny light read. Mick Stranahan is a hilarious but subtle hero. If your just looking for fun and don't want to over analyze - you'll love it.

Perfect fit of narrator and story

You've read how fun the plot and characters are - I can only agree. But what really added to the audio experience was the narrator's voice - just the right ironic tone and inflection to underscore the delightful (and believable) absurdity of the story, without being a distraction that takes the listener out of the story.

Funny and engaging, perfect for long drives

I have a long commute and I need audiobooks with interesting characters and stories. After I'd started Skinny Dip, I found myself looking forward to to the long ride home so I could find out what happened next! Hiaasen's books tend to hit similar themes -- and Florida is full of priceless but endangered natural wonders, and many many very strange people -- but his sense of humor only occasionally goes overboard.

Hilarious... with a point

As usual, Hiaasen's over-the-top characters are hilarious, but there's always an underlying morality at work having to do with greed, avarice and the rape of our environment. None of this detracts from the fun, though. A couple of times I laughed so hard I almost went off the road. Definitely worth listening to.