Helpful Score: 1
While marlin fishing, the Braswell's oldest boy was pulled overboard by the fish. The family has many secrets and affiliations but their obsession with tracking that particular marlin has destroyed them. This was my first James W. Hall book but certainly not my last. This was wonderfully suspenseful and wacky.
A powerful Florida family, its high-tech fortune dwindling, is haunted by an elusive, enormous blue marlin that claimed the life of its eldest son, who was meant to restore the family's prominence. But the Braswells are tormented by even darker secrets, such as incest and treason, that drive this dark, atmospheric thriller to an explosive conclusion, which might have been pulled straight from recent headlines. James Hall pits Thorn, his series protagonist, against the Braswells and their deadly plans. Although an existentially morose antihero is a convention of the mystery genre, Hall manages to transcend it with a fascinating plot and a powerful narrative, resulting in a suspenseful and resonant novel that shows off his well-developed talents for character development, place, and pacing. The author of 11 previous mysteries (including Mean High Tide and Rough Draft), Hall gets better with every book, and this one continues the trend. --Jane Adams for amazon.com
Dick Hill reads this abridged audio version, and does an excellent job. The abridgement leaves a suspenseful story that still hangs together well. A marvelous way to spend about 6 listening hours.
Dick Hill reads this abridged audio version, and does an excellent job. The abridgement leaves a suspenseful story that still hangs together well. A marvelous way to spend about 6 listening hours.
Abridged version on 4 cassette tapes.
