Bad Monkey

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: Arte Johnson

Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2013 Carl Hiaasen (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[A] comedic marvel ... [Hiaasen] hasn’t written a novel this funny since Skinny Dip.... Beautifully constructed.” (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)

“No one writes about Florida with a more wicked sense of humor than Hiaasen.” (Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today)

“[A] rollicking misadventure in the colorful annals of greed and corruption in South Florida.... Hiaasen has a peculiar genius for inventing grotesque creatures ... that spring from the darkest impulses of the id. But he also writes great heroes.” (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times)

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...

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.

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

Florida Keys fun mystery

What made the experience of listening to Bad Monkey the most enjoyable?

I just love Carl Hiaasen's work. Easy to read and follow with interesting characters.


Excellent narration by Arte Johnson. It is hard to believe this is the same Arte Johnson we used to watch on Rowen and Martin's Laugh In, but it is.

He's soon better

This is typical Hiaasen. I enjoyed his previous work much more. There were a few chuckles here, but this one felt like he kinda " mailed it in"

Fun read. Great narration.

Pretty good hard boild Florida yarn about the seedy underbelly of tbe sunshine state. Characters are all well developed and a bit off kilter. Story is intriguing and a funny twisted page turner.
Gokd Read.

not quite classic Hiaasen

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator is the worst! As for the story, it lacks some of the vivid and ridiculous characters of previous books by Hiaasen.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting: the use of the monkey as a thread in the story. Least interesting: the characters seemed a little flat.

Would you be willing to try another one of Arte Johnson’s performances?

No, I would avoid him.

Did Bad Monkey inspire you to do anything?

Listen to older Hiaasen novels narrated by George Wilson

great new "hero"

Andrew Yancy is a ''new antihero" for Hiaasen or I might have missed other books he has been in. Hard to replace the wonderful one eyed former governor gone rogue but this is a continuing very plausible, on some points, and outrageous book. Medicare fraud is rich in opportunities and the billions of dollars in waste in the system are much more understandable and will be on your mind every time you see an electric "scooter chair" in south florida. Arte Johnson is a great reader and will go find other things by him. "sexy forensic pathologist" is a term I thought I would never use, but there is one here.

fun as usual

One hilarious ride"

Would you listen to Bad Monkey again? Why?

It was a great story done very well.

What other book might you compare Bad Monkey to and why?

Any of the Serge A Storms novels by Tim Dorsey.