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)

Here is a possible Movie Script

(Scene opens as camera pans across the room and stops on an old rotary phone)
Silence

(Phone rings)
Ring, Ring, Ring

(unknown hand picks up phone and listens)
"Hello this Carl, i wrote a new book."

The end

(Working Title, "Carls phones it in")

Twisted fun

Carl Hiaasen is consistent as usual. He knocked it out of the park again. He has such a grasp of the Floridian twilight zone mentality. Surely, as an outsider this may seem weird, but as a Floridian...this depiction is the norm. Funny from beginning to end. It certainly keeps your attention, and kudos to narrator Arte Johnson. He is very pleasant to listen to.

Great Book

Would you consider the audio edition of Bad Monkey to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version.

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

Yes, there were lots of twists and turns and I really did not see many of the events coming.

Which scene was your favorite?

There are too many to pick just one.

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

The monkey isn't the only bad one!

Any additional comments?

I've starting listening to more of the author's books and he is a terrific author.

Not Sorry I Finished It, But...

Jury was still out two and half hours in. The narrator isn’t helping. His accent and cadence aren’t working for me (he sounds more Brooklyn or Jersey than Floridian to me, but what do I know?). He doesn’t even try to make the women sound different from the men, or each other unless the accent is supposed to be from a person of color. I’m always aware I’m being read to, preventing me from getting sucked into the story. If a narrator is going to stick out, he/she should add to the story, not take away from it. The story is all over the place with lots of viewpoints, something I usually enjoy in Hiaason’s books, but I get lost in this one. I do like the protagonist, Yancy. The story improved as various threads came together, and I even forgot about the narrator for a while. Some parts were hilarious. I enjoyed the way the ends were tied up, and of course, the wide range of interesting characters.

Long time fan

Fantastic. This is terrific. Typically crazy and convoluted Hiaasen, and fantastic. Thanks for keeping it going, Carl.

Funny & Engaging

Funny, engaging, and well written. A crime mystery set in the seedy tropics of Florida.

ANOTHER RAVE REVIEW FOR BAD MONKEY AND CARL HIAASEN!

Well, what more can be said beyond " Carl Hiaasen interpreted by Arte Johnson!"
I had a sudden flash while listening to Arte Johnson perform this work: It has been Arte Johnson's voice in my head when I read Hiaasen's books all along! What the hell he's been doing in my head all this time..... Who knows! The book is great! The performance is great! Two thumbs way up! Buy this book!

outstanding

love Carl haiisen. His humor and intelligence are so fun to read. he's the best.

Good listen

Entertaining story. Makes you want to travel to the Florida Keys. I’ll be checking out more of this writer’s works.

Love it!!

Carl Hiaasen’s novels are so fun and interesting and keep me glued! Highly recommend all of his novels.