The Quick Red Fox

A Travis McGee Novel, Book 4

By: John D. MacDonald

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

It was the standard blackmail scheme. For years, sultry Lysa Dean's name on a movie had meant a bonanza at the box office. Now a set of pictures could mean the end of her career.

When first approached for help by lovely Dana Holtzer, Lysa's personal secretary, Travis McGee is thoroughly turned off by the tacky details. But being low on cash, and tenderly attracted by the star's intriguingly remote secretary, McGee sets out to locate his suspects -- only to find that they start turning up dead!

©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)

Sensibility Adjustment Required

Listening to MacDonald's Quick Red Fox required some adjustment of sensibilities for this American woman listener. Having loved the "beautiful woman walks into the office" openings of Hammett's and Ross MacDonald's mysteries, I started out enjoying Travis Magee as ably read by Robert Petkoff. The mystery of a salacious-photo blackmail of a celebrity fit the expected genre subtype. I even appreciated the gentler language and the quick descriptions of violence in an older hardboiled mystery.

My discomfort came with Travis's "my woman" attitude toward a love interest, his stereotypical flippant comparison of two lesbians to "authentic males," and the constant attention to female physical appearance without the equivalent descriptions of males.

Even trying to set these aside, I can't say I find this novel meets the quality of other writers of about the same time in language, character or story. This was my first John D. MacDonald and I'm comparing to all of Ross M and Dashiel H, so I may be being a bit unfair!

Loved this story!

This is my fourth Travis McGee story and is my favorite so far. I loved how this story unfolded with lots of great MacDonald twists and turns throughout. Petkoff is masterful as the narrator, handling the accents beautifully. Highly recommended if you are a MacDonald fan.

Vince

This book was written in 1964, I was 16 and read it back then. I remember Travis McGee very well and other stories by John D MacDonald, he was a superb storyteller.

This book was slightly different in that Travis was essentially salaried with a vague promise of substantial bonus, of which his client short changed. Really her career was only worth $20,000 according to McGee’s 50% fee basis? Just another cheapskate celebrity.

The story flowed well with McGee doing his typical digging and analysis by hypothetical assumption.

Other reviewers have made comments about the seemingly misogynistic attitude toward women. Clearly they expected 21st century attitudes to be presented in 1964, a truly ridiculous expectation. In 1964 (remember I was 16) women and girls expected doors to be opened for them, they dressed with the intention of garnering visible male appreciation of their appearance. My god, women were just barely starting to burn their bra’s. Gain some knowledge of the era your book is written in and from before criticizing the author’s views. MacDonald is an excellent storyteller and wore well through the years.

The only thing I don’t really like about Robert Petkoff is his constant presentation of McGee’s comments as harsh, when actually MacDonald wrote McGee as a sarcastic cynic and constantly laughing inside himself at himself.

I think if you follow Macdonald through the years you’ll find he changes as society changes although McGee remains a sarcastic cynic of himself and his rationalizing of his desires and actions. His relationship with Skeeter is much more representative of his attitudes toward women, sure they tried a sexual relationship but realized they didn’t relate on that plane, but did like and trust each other in a platonic relationship even though he did briefly reconsider her sexual appeal when he put her to bed. But he didn’t act on it even though Skeeter commented before he laid her down. She wasn’t outraged that he hesitated a second but seemingly just questioned whether he wanted to try again. She was plausibly pleased that he still found her attractive and desirable, a feeling I expect many women of any generation would find pleasing. They don’t necessarily want you to make a pass but like knowing that you find them appealing and I, as a man, find that very nice in women I know but to whom I would never make a pass.

If you look at McGee through my review you might just find him an interesting fellow with many deep friendships and far more attachments to things and his way of life than he consciously wants.

A good time Capsule.

A good overall story and great narrator (other than the same voice for all women). This really demonstrates how a man who respects women, at the time, really has taking them to bed in his mind constantly. Now I see what my noble grandfather meant when I was a boy. He ironically loved his Gin as well.

Travis McGee - The "Authentic Male" circa 1964

Back in the mid 60s, John D. McDonald introduced me to the mystery genre and to my then hero, Travis McGee...and as McGee calls himself, the "Authentic American Male." It's now 2012, I'm 60 years old and the philosophies of McGee that seemed so cutting edge and liberating to my 14 year old mind, now seem so 1964. Travis, who talks about treating women as 'equals,' calls the "better specimens"..."a fine girl." His equality is based on the fact that he is...an authentic male and they are after all, women. Travis is all for an open life style, not tied down by the establishment and the chains of job, mindless security and the suburbs, but he also has no problem preaching against the depravity of the 'butch' life style...again aimed at women. For a guy who loves the "female species," he seems to have a problem with them...that is until he 'cures' them with his unbelievably compassionate and thoughtful lovemaking. As an "authentic male" myself, I find this just a bit over the top. I could go on, but I don't want to discourage anyone from reading this series. The beauty is that they are extremely well written and they truly reflect the era. Travis is an idealized 1964, free thinking individualist. Travis is what men in 1964 wanted to be, a Playboy magazine ideal, authentic male...not a man in a grey suit carrying a briefcase. I imagine as I revisit this series I'll find Travis disliking the hippie movement, but his philosophies in this book are a true precursor to the spirit that spawned the late 60s anti-establishment 'rebellion.' Free thinkers in a movement that remained a 'man's world.'

Dated but interesting

There are many remarkable things about MacDonald & Im sure he broke some ground in his time. The stories are certainly interesting enough to hold my attention. But the machismo- even tempered by his "love" requirement- gets a bit tough to digest, as does his outlook on women, gays, & a few other things. He seems to think of "Trav" as this Uber-Male who has calculated the exact sum of every circumstance, especially women. Anyway...it isn't so awful I won't listen to the next one, but buyer be warned.

Another good one

Travis McGee dives into the seamy undersides of the entertainment industry and finds scandalous sex, lies, love and murders galore. John D. MacDonald never fails to entertain and takes you back in time to the lifestyles of the '60s.
Robert Petkoff brings Travis to life just as you would imagine him sounding.

Good yarn but showing its age

Would you listen to The Quick Red Fox again? Why?

No. Kept me entertained, but not archival by any means.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes. Several nice twists and surprises.

What about Robert Petkoff’s performance did you like?

His voicing of Travis McGee. His female voices are not so good

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

Travis McGee--A romantic in a cynical shell.

Any additional comments?

I'm delighted that Travis McGee is on Audible. The books are entertaining and still have some excellent writing, although some philosophy found here is not PC.

Travis' Travelogue

A Hollywood sex symbol Lysa Dean is receiving threats from someone who sounds quite deranged. Enter Travis McGee; he and Lysa's private secretary Dana Holtzer hit the road investigating the other people pictured in the orgy photos. While traveling through Florida to upstate New York; to San Francisco; to Las Vegas; to Phoenix Travis narrows down the the suspect list, and finds a killer. Dana naturally falls in love then into bed with him; huge surprise. The stopover in Vegas gives McGee an opportunity to verbally bash lesbians as MacDonald shows another side of his misogynistic attitudes. Then there is the ever present condescension MacDonald seems to feel for most of the human race. As usual though his ability to write overcomes his painfully out of date attitudes about sex and towards women and his almost supercilious attitude towards the rest of the world. This a short quick moving mystery that is a good read and a good listen.

Good story, creepy characters

Not quite the suspense of the first three, but still a very good story. The narration is wonderful and the story-telling is spell-binding. But it's hard to build much empathy for the characters because most of them are such sleaze-bags - but then again, I think that was one of the big points of the novel.