Double Whammy

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: George Wilson

Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

"Robert Clinch loved his boat more that anything else in the world...more than his wife...his kids...his girlfiend...even more than the largemouth bass he was pursuing." Thus begins a twisted tale of murder in the world of big-stakes bass fishing tournaments. Filled with ex-wives, evangelists, and an armed pit-bull, this is a story that could only be concocted by Carl Hiaasen, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, New York Times best-selling author, and czar of Florida noir fiction.

©1988 Carl Hiaasen (P)1998 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"The cast of bizarre characters and the suspenseful events confirm Hiaasen's reputation for creating singular villains and heroes. While he's probably unpopular among some fellow citizens in his home state, he will certainly please readers who appreciate the Swiftian wit in his cautionary tales." (Publishers Weekly)
"The action is swift, and there are some very funny scenes." (Library Journal)

Florida - the strangest place on Earth

Carl Hiaasen makes Florida sound like one dangerously crazy place. This 1987 mystery revolves around the world of bass sports fishing. The protagonist, a man named Decker, is a former photographer turned private investigator who has been hired by a rich man to catch his rival, a big-name bass fisherman, cheating. Apparently most of the big-name bass fisherman cheat in competitive fishing tournaments, and the rich guy has become obsessed with a celebrity who has his own cable TV show.

Decker, however, soon finds he's been set up, and the plot zigs, zags, and does backflips, involving Decker's ex, a televangelist trying to sell Florida real estate, a bunch of racist Florida rednecks, a crazy former Lieutenant Governor now living as a mad hermit, a black state trooper assigned to the most racist hick backwaters of the state, a Cuban police detective who has to learn to fish, and a would-be assassin who spends the latter part of the book staggering around with a rotting pit bull's head clamped onto his arm.

Even Mickey Mouse got a mention. About the only thing that didn't make an appearance was alligators.

Double Whammy is both fun and well-plotted; as zany as the plot twists may seem, Hiaasen actually brings it all together, weaving all these strange, loony, venal, and oddly noble characters together into a story about timeshares, bass fishing, and murder. The fact that Hiaasen actually knows Florida and evidently did copious research on the subject of bass fishing just makes the details shine, though it's the characters and the twists that will really get your attention.

While a bit dated now (the book was written in 1987, as you can tell by all the problems that come up that would be solved nowadays by a cell phone), it was a good read. I've read two books by Carl Hiaasen now, and he has a gift for making Florida sound like the weirdest place on Earth and then sticking an almost-plausible plot into it.

Good story, lots of 'F' words

I enjoyed the story. Hiaasen is one of my favorite authors... I sure learned a lot about fishing that I didn't know, too. My only complaint was the almost non-stop use of the 'F" expletive and rather raw language... seemed a bit over the top and unnecessary for the story to me, but that's just me. I would recommend it to any of my friends, but not to my mother :)

Fasten your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride

Carl Hiaasen is a great author with a sometimes casual disregard for the laws of science and chance, and he is at his best at these times; and this is his best of those times. If you don't like your fiction wild, improbable, irreverent (sort of like it has just snorked up a tablespoon of speed and then topped it off with a warm beer and a slice of pizza that it found stuck to the ceiling of the trailer, before running down the street with no pants on), and mixed with a bit of grumbling about how Florida ain't like it used to be, then avoid this book at all costs. But, if you can suspend disbelief for a short period of time you will be richly rewarded and entertained.
When a new Hiaasen comes out my wife and I fight, quite brutally, over them, and we both agree that this is his wildest and most entertaining. Like I said, if you're looking for an Agatha Christie, this ain't it; thank goodness.

Great Story

I always enjoy the crazy humor of Carl Hiaasen. Mr Wilson has an irritating saliva clearing while speaking that should have been edited.

Poking Fun at Professional Fishing

Poking fun at professional fishing, it was really funny on many levels. This is Carl Hiaasen at his best. Fabulous reader, really suits my tastes.

Bravo!

I read this book years ago. Loved listening to it after all these years. Carl is one of my favorites.

Production was terrible

Would you listen to Double Whammy again? Why?

No. I could not stand to listen to George Wilson swallow and breath in my ear. Very distracting and took away from the listening pleasure

What was one of the most memorable moments of Double Whammy?

Skink and all his antics.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

His voice was very good but the production was terrible. Could hear him swallow and breath with every couple of sentences. But if it wasn't for that, I would have given him 5 stars.

If you could take any character from Double Whammy out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Either of the ladies from the book, They sound interesting.

Excellent!!!

Great listen! Couldn't wait to turn on my CD player after work. Give us more Carl!!!

How did it end?

My i6 kept me starting each listen someplace new. I gave up after many hours of resets. Well written story but I am looking for a new book.

Great Read...True Florida

Where does Double Whammy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Over my 70 plus years in the top 25

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

laughs on the edge seat, I am a Florida girl.

What does George Wilson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great drama at the correct times!

Who was the most memorable character of Double Whammy and why?

Skink of course...I am a retired employe of the great State of Florida , takes one to know one.

Any additional comments?

I have two hard copies I made my family read,they don't like audio.