Squeeze Me

A Novel

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • A hilarious novel of social and political intrigue, set against the glittering backdrop of Florida’s gold coast, from the author of Skinny Dip and Razor Girl

“If you could use some wild escapism right now, Hiaasen is your guy.” —The New York Times

WITH A NEW EPILOGUE

At the height of Palm Beach’s charity ball season, Kiki Pew Fitzsimmons, a prominent member of geriatric high society, suddenly vanishes during a swank gala. Kiki Pew was a founding member of the Potussies, a group of women dedicated to supporting the President, who spends half the year at the “Winter White House” just down the road. Meanwhile, Angie Armstrong, wildlife wrangler extraordinaire, is called to the island to deal with a monster-sized Burmese python that has taken residency in a tree. But the President is focused on the disappearance of Kiki Pew. Never one to miss an opportunity to play to his base, he immediately declares her a victim of rampaging immigrant hordes. This, it turns out, is far from the truth, which now lies in the middle of the road, where a bizarre discovery brings the First Lady’s motorcade to a grinding halt. Irreverent, ingenious, and uproariously entertaining, Squeeze Me perfectly captures the absurdity of our times.

©2020 Carl Hiaasen (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Carl Hiaasen remains the undefeated, unscored-upon conscience of Florida, maybe the conscience of the whole country. I laughed and laughed and laughed while I read Squeeze Me - until I remembered, hey, I live in Palm Beach! Oh yeah, spoiler alert - the python did it.” (James Patterson)

"By the evidence of the scabrous and unrelentingly hilarious Squeeze Me, the Trump era is truly Carl Hiaasen’s moment... Just dive in and have a wonderful time." (Richard Lipez, The Washington Post)

"Novelists, like the rest of us, can’t look away from the Trump administration. Unfortunately, they haven’t found much interesting to say about it. Carl Hiaasen’s thriller Squeeze Me is, blessedly, an exception ... Hiaasen is clear-eyed: He meets the president on his subterranean level ... Squeeze Me is funny, but as with Hiaasen’s best work, it’s grounded in genuine outrage over the corruption that increasingly defines American political and cultural life. And it turns out there’s no better place to invoke that outrage than the wealthy swamps of Florida." (Alex Shephard, The New Republic)

Fantastic

Hiassen was created to write this one. It is laugh out loud funny, the satire of Palm Beach MAGA-like characters hysterical without being heavy handedly political or interfering with the story. Its got all you expect from a Hiassen book.

Great book and great performance

Hiaasen always funny and entertaining .. Scott Bricks performance is great and keeps you engaged and wanting more !

A wonderful escape!!!! Thanks to the master.

C.H. Is at his best! I’ve so missed his levity. Being a Florida resident, I really need to laugh to stay in this world!. 👩🏼‍🦰🤧

Great “old” Hiaasen!

I loved this book. Reminds me of early Hiaasen like “Sick Puppy”, Tourist Season“. Last 2-3 books were just ok but this is a big LOL! Irreverent fun ride. I feel all these “I love Hiaasen, but blah blah politics” couldn’t have possibly loved his satirical sometimes raw humor. But anyway, too bad for them. Could be straight out of the days happenings. There are so many clever and funny lines I’d rewind to listen again. Hiaasen at his best. I love the character of Angie and hope he continues with her. Even Skink makes his appearance(incubating an iguana egg in his eye socket) to assist her with the marauding pythons. Mastodon, a gaggle of adoring P-tussies, tanning beds and daily truck loads of Key Lime pies. Perfect for Hiaasen.

Hugely Entertaining and Fun

First of all, ignore the comments about the president from his overly sensitive fans. There's nothing in this book about him that isn't believable or outside of his character. In fact, it's a fabulously hilarious and a thoroughly entertaining story. Great characters with some very clever moments. A fun caper especially enhanced if you're a Floridian due to it's native references. Carl's best so far.

Hilarious

Depending on your political views you’ll either love it or hate it. The author must have had such a blast writing it and coming up with all the crazy details.

another great CH story!

however, sensitive Trump worshippers will be highly offended at this hilarious and semi-fictional yarn involving the orange groper himself. the story revolves as an allegory around him and his administration, and a hilarious one at that.

Look beyond the politics

It’s an entertaining listen. Just as, say what you will, Trump was an entertaining potus.
It’s no Skinny Dip, but it’s still a fine and humorous book. Going in, I wasn’t sure if Scott Brick as narrator could pull it off, but his penetrating and versatile voice did the job.
One complaint, don’t talk about safeties on Glocks. I imagine it might be a joke as many writers seem fond of mentioning it, but still.
All in all it’s a good listen and worth a credit.

Classic Hiaasen with Pertinent Twist

What a ride! It’s great to meet new classic Hiaasen characters and revisit some old ones. Rapturous plot and characterization made me howl with laughter. A good laugh goes a long way after the last few years. Thanks Carl, you did it again!

Absurdly clever writing

While occasionally over the top (in the fashion of literary Three Stooges), the story is great fun, the portrayals of certain current political figures hilariously pointed and accurate, and the views of Palm Beach's "finest" too spot-on! Scott Brick is probably my favorite Audible reader and did a terrific job with this, but, as a fourth-generation Floridian, I must chide him about his pronunction of the ancient city of St. Augustine! All in all, a truly fun listen!