Bad Monkey

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: Arte Johnson

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.

Typical Hiassen

Any additional comments?

Although I have always admired Arte Johnson, and would love to listen to more books he's narrated, I am a firm fan of George Wilson and I've always thought he is the best narrator for any Hiaasen book. His dry reading, pace, and timing cannot be matched.

Not the same Hiaasen

I thought the humor forced, the characters unbelievable and the story farfetched. It read to me as if Hiaasen's publisher demanded something, anything, in writing and he wasn't in the "mood". I didn't laugh once...a slight snicker at times on a phrase. until I remembered that I read it in one of his previous books. Disappointing. Not up to Hiaasen's earlier works. Maybe working at the newspaper has caused him to loose some of his style.

Hiaasen; not at his best....but still funny!

The Story is the Story; the Narrator is the Narrator and he can only make the story great if the story is great......this is not.
I liked Arte Johnson, he had a languid and relaxed Floridian style to his read that put me in the Florida state and kept me there for the listen... Liked his accents and the impish way he portrayed the money scenes that were beyond funny, and then comic-tragic when detailing him as the 'son' of the witchy woman.
I don't understand if it is the group-think in operation here, but even though it was a slower-paced story and read, it still had its highs, and my test? I would listen to it again...even though it was not great, it was entertaining...

Vintage Hiaason

One of the few writers who makes me laugh out loud. Full of people with peccadillos and a deep love of Florida.

Fun

If you could sum up Bad Monkey in three words, what would they be?

Lololololo

What did you like best about this story?

The story was quick. It didn't bog down

Which scene was your favorite?

The house next door that was being sold and the pranks he pulled to sabotage the selling

Any additional comments?

it's a fun book. You may not want to eat at restaurants later