Skin Tight

As much as the late 80s and early 90s are prevalent in the story, the Magnum PI-esque crime novel features more than meets the eye in its characters. If you go beyond the often hilarious and familiar pop culture situations, you find a deeply disturbing chain of events by equally disturbed people. Even the main character is a bit of an unapologetic anti-hero, which only adds depth beyond the printed word.

At times I wasn’t sure who I should be rooting for, and for that, I highly recommend this book and others in his Skink Series of stories.

Carl Hiassen is so good at leading readers on hysterical romps through the corrupt and criminal underbelly of modern-day Florida that almost any of his books could make my list, but this one stood out for me.

His digs on the plastic surgery and landscaping industries, Geraldo-style sensationalism and vanity, and the sheer absurdity of a hit man riding around naked on a jet ski had me in stitches. Books do not have to be “serious” to be great, and I would argue any day that, collectively, Hiassen’s crime books provide one of the best commentaries on Florida’s dark side. 

Skin Tight mixes suspense with satire. Mick Stranahan, a retired state investigator, kills a would-be assassin with a stuffed Marlin. To stop further attempts on his life, Stranahan investigates his list of old enemies, including a hitman of dubious talent, an inept personal injury lawyer, an incompetent surgeon, and an irritating journalist. The mix of bumbling criminals and satire of authorities and politicians is hilarious. I relish tales with suspense, humor, flawed protagonists, and sendups of people in power.