The Deep Blue Good-By

A Travis McGee Novel, Book 1

By: John D. MacDonald

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 6 hrs

Publisher's summary

He's a self-described beach bum who won his houseboat in a card game. He's also a knight errant who's wary of credit cards, retirement benefits, political parties, mortgages, and television. He only works when his cash runs out, and his rule is simple: he'll help you find whatever was taken from you, as long as he can keep half.

Nothing that John D. MacDonald wrote is better loved and more enduring than the 21 books in his series about Travis McGee, the Florida-based “salvage consultant” who recovers property for a fee so he can take his retirement “a piece at a time”. Narrator Robert Petkoff, hand-chosen to narrate with the approval of MacDonald’s estate, brings McGee’s world of the Busted Flush (his houseboat, which he won in a poker game) and “Miss Agnes” (his custom Rolls-Royce pickup truck) to vivid life.

©1964 John D. MacDonald Publishing, Inc. Renewal © 1992 Maynard MacDonald (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[T]he great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller." (Stephen King)

"[M]y favorite novelist of all time." (Dean Koontz)

"[W]hat a joy that these timeless and treasured novels are available again." (Ed McBain)

A Refreshing Step Back

This was my first exposure to John MacDonald, and I'll be listening to another in this series. I really enjoy a well-crafted mystery and this one certainly qualified. It held suspense and elements of cruelty, sex and death but generally without the gore and unnecessarily vivid details common in this genre in more modern publishing. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Finally!!

This is the kind of detective story I've been searching for! Hardboiled mystery writing at its finest. Flawed, quirky, relatable, reluctant hero? Check. Heinous villian committing unspeakable acts of violence? Check. Not to mention the excellent writing style and literary flair with which MacDonald tells his stories. I am very eager to read the next installment in this series.

WOW

Loved it. binged it in one day while i worked. This is a great story told through the lens of a classic, rugged hero.

As Good As I Remembered

My grandfather loaned me his Travis McGee books when he finished them. I loved them then, and thought I’d try one again - just to see….not disappointed!

Terrific

Narration was excellent, wonderfully descriptive. Easy to sit back and enjoy the mystery, with a couple of twists.

Gripping

Had from the first chapter on. Very entertaining. Quickest I have finished a book in a while.

Some excellent hard-boiled writing, but not for me.

Some of the prose were excellent, but I had some trouble getting fully connected to this particular story.

Finally

Any additional comments?

So glad the Travis McGee series is finally on Audible! Just wish you could get Sam Elliott to narrate!

Finally.............Unfortuately Poorly Performed

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes because it John D MacDonald.

How could the performance have been better?

Find Scott Brick or have the reader understand the nuances charactor and S L O W D O W N.

Any additional comments?

I have waited and requested the Travis McGee books but the reader completely destroys the story with his very poor performance. I do not take any pleasure in my criticism of the reader, but I do not appreciate what he has done to the character of Travis McGee.I will purchase one more book in hopes he improves.

Travis is Jack Reacher with a houseboat(2thumpsup)

Would you listen to The Deep Blue Good-By again? Why?

One feels for the characters thanks to the author.

What did you like best about this story?

All of it except some scenes of violance.

What about Robert Petkoff’s performance did you like?

He is Travis

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

interaction of lifestyles

Any additional comments?

Read it and judge for yourself