Skin Tight

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: George Wilson

Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

This novel by Carl Hiaasen, author of Tourist Season and Native Tongue, begins as most thrillers do, with a killing. But this is no everyday, hum-drum, garden variety killing. Our hero, Nick Stranahan, a 42-year-old private investigator who has killed five men and been married five times, skewers his attacker's aorta with the razor-sharp bill of a stuffed marlin, setting off a roller coaster ride of events that will drop-kick Stranahan into the deep slime of Miami's prosperous plastic surgery industry.

As with Hiaasen's other books, Skin Tight is one long, extended farce, a comic take on everything from TV tabloid hosts to ambulance chasers, chronicling modern America's ever-growing penchant for tastelessness, self-absorption, and high sleaze.

You will find yourself laughing in spite of yourself at wildly improbable characters like Chemo, a 7-foot monster with a face like a bowl of breakfast cereal; Heather Chappell, who wants to completely renovate her Barbi-doll body; and Reynaldo Flemm, the host of prime time's In Your Face, who stages mock attacks to his person in order to increase the Nielsen ratings.

©1989 Carl Hiaasen (P)1993 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Hiaasen's latest thriller is his funniest and sharpest novel to date....This wickedly amusing story is the work of a keen satirist who off-handedly exposes the moral rot at every level of society." (Publishers Weekly)

Lighthearted But Serious Subject

I enjoyed this book. I was looking for something light after I had read a series of serious books, however due to the subject matter it probably wasn't the best choice for a relaxing read. While it is humorous, a lot of people are killed in this book.

I listened to Skinny Dip prior to this, so it was interesting to see where Mick Stranahan came from. I think some of the conclusions are a bit far fetched, but really it was enjoyable if you don't read into it too much.

Just a heads up. While I listen in the car I have to keep my audio player at top volume so I don't have to keep my car speakers so loud because I get static, this usually is not an issue - but for some reason this book had a weird buzzing noise in the background every time the narrator was "on". If the narrator stopped and it was just space interjected during editing it didn't buzz. I could drown out the buzzing without too much trouble, but it was obvious when he went on and off. I thought the narration was fine (a few minor blips, but nothing unexpected) but I knocked it a star because of the editing/buzzing. It also seemed like it stopped and started a new chapter/paragraph without proper spacing in some areas. Spacing I'd expect at the end of a sentence and it took me a minute to catch up that we were talking about different people.

Not my favorite, but still a fun read.

This one was not my favorite of the three Carl Hiaasen books I've read. It got a little tedious at times - but was still entertaining and fun.

Another excellent read!

Got a long road trip--take this a long to while away the miles. Hiasson once again manages to spin an enjoyable and entertaining yarn with a wild bunch of characters. You just never know what kind of whacky behavior one of them will display during the course of the story, or even in what direction the story will go. Intellectuals would probably look down their noses at this writing, but it is fun, light hearted, and brilliant. I can only imagine what the author must be like in real life--he really does come up with some warped ideas!

Another batch of fun from Hiaasen.

One of the Hiaasen stories without Skink, it still manages to contain enough madness to be loads of fun. The hero, Mick Stranahan shows up in a few of Hiaasen's stories and is one of his best characters. If you haven't read any Hiaasen before, this is a decent one to start with though starting at the beginning with Tourist Season and working your way here is even better. I have all of his books and always enjoy the combination of the serious mixed with the madness and ending up with the bad folks getting exactly what they deserve.
This narrator have done several of Hiaasen's books and does a decent job, rarely getting in the way of the storyline.

Good, but not one of his best

I had read this before on paper, tried it again in audio and I can say that while it’s a good listen, it’s not Carl’s best work. It’s interesting to know Chemo’s background and how he gets his hand ripped off as he later appears in “Star Island.” This book is worth listening to if you enjoy Mr. Hiaasen’s entertaining warped sense of humor.

"The" Carl Hiassen

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, reading Hiassen books is always worth the time. I live in the Intermountain West and Hiassen's sense of humor is a nice change from the mystery stories set in the west that I usually read. Hiassen doesn't have the anti-government bent that some of the stories set in the west do. His bent seems against anti-environmentalists. And Hiassen's work is heavy on the bizarre and the funny.

Has Skin Tight turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, just about anything that Hiassen has written I have either read and/or listened to. He writes great books.

Do you think Skin Tight needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

It's is hard to tell if Hiassen's other books are follow ups. I tend to think they are, as they feature some of the characters. (Particularly the ex-governor 'skink.' I love Skink.)

Any additional comments?

In Skin Tight, the part where the barracuda bites the character's hand off and it is replaced with a "weed hacker" is one of the more hilarious pieces of his work. The re-appearance of the "weed wacker" man in Star Island was great.

It's still Hiaasen

Newer, shinier and has Hummers. Hiaasen doing Hiaasen again. Great Stuff!

Skin Tight

Love some Carl Hiaasen but this one wasn't quite as funny. No skink in this one.

Shallow and dated.

Slightly entertaining, but mostly shallow characters. It was very dated with the mention of television personalities. Most likely enjoyed more if you are a James Bond fan.

an older book, hilariously funny from the start!

this one will have you laughing and listening and laughing and listening, very intently. highly recommended.