Ten Thousand Islands (A Doc Ford Novel)

This is my first Doc Ford mystery. Never had much interest in Randy Wayne White's series before but I found this at the library for a dime and, being in the mood for some vintage mass-market paperback casual reading fare decided to give it a run. No question, Randy Wayne White is a good writer. Technically this is a fine read and I like the incorporation of Southwest Florida history, especially the Calusa Indians, into the story that is his stock in trade. I've spent a lot of time around the Ft. Myers area including many of the locations in this novel (Florida inspires writers and I even worked on a draft of one of my novels on Pine Island many moons ago). Doc Ford, like RWW himself, is a classic Florida character. RWW clearly caught the writing bug from the likes of Floridian scribblers like John D. MacDonald and Ernest Hemingway. The Florida of this novel is a haven for retired, world-worn Baby Boomers and elder GenXers who listen to Jimmy Buffet, drink too much, sleep around, beach bum, boat bum, sometimes dive and fish, and live a life of comfortable ease in the FLorida tropics. At one point, the main character Doc Ford speaks of Southwest Florida as a haven for retired intelligence types from around the world. Wow, that's where I fit in... except I don't run to type nor do I particularly care for the world of people like Doc Ford... which is probably why I had a hard time liking this novel. In this episode, our retired NSA agent turned Marine Biologist is asked to help a friend of a friend whose dead daughter is the victim of grave robbers. The girl, who died mysteriously as a teenager, had an obsession with new-agey Indian stuff and a penchant for finding rare Calusa Indian artifacts among the mounds of the Ten Thousand Islands mangrove area south of Marco Island. The investigation, kicked off by Doc Ford's faithful stoner sidekick, Tomlinson, opens a Pandora's box of strange connections to the rich and powerful of South Florida political and business elites--especially a local family with a taste for Indian artifacts, bizarre occult rituals, and human trafficking. This novel has interesting nuggets and well-developed suspense scenes. But I found the story structure to be convoluted and confusing. Some seemingly important characters disappear to be replaced by newcomers who aren't compelling. I couldn't sympathize with any of them. While the book's ending was pretty good, RWW resorted to an old plot device to develop suspense in a story that was moving a little slow -- an inbound hurricane. While hurricanes are part of the Florida environment, to the point of having a role in the Calusa Indian lore that colors the text, it's still a plot device and suggests lazy writing. Hurricanes are the ultimate Deus Ex Machina for tying up loose ends and erasing evidence at sea... although, weirdly enough given Florida, it's not unrealistic! Doc Ford remained a blank slate for me. Maybe that's my fault because this is episode 7 of the series and I have not read any others. The bad guys are truly bad but unreal. Doc Ford seems like a guy who can't get his personal life straight who spends too much time with friends who have addiction issues. And no, "normal people" are not all like that. I hope someone reading this review can guide me to a book in the series that develops Doc Ford's character so I can finally meet him. I don't want to give up on RWW yet, even if I may never sympathize with the drunken denizens of his marine mystery novels.

This new Doc Ford novel is a combination of the best of his previous titles. Those who enjoyed the "Man Who Invented Florida," and the straightforward style of "Captiva," will like this novel that combines the best of both books. Without giving away the plot, this novel concerns an unscrupulous politican, an oncomming hurricane, and the beauty of the Ten Thousand Islands area of Southwest Florida and Key Largo. The most important element is the Calusa artifact that has caused a sequence of events to be set in motion. The history of the artifact, and the Calusa Indians, is rendered in a way that is not only informative but enjoyable. This is an easy read, with crisp dialoge, and the characters are all memorable. If you love Doc Ford you are sure to enjoy this title, if you are new to the series I Highly recommended it. I Just finished an interesting book: "A Tourist in the Yucatan" While not perfect, I did find it a convincing thriller, & especially fun if you have traveled in Yucatan.

Mr. White has the ability to capture the atmosphere of Southwest Florida as well, if not better than Jimmy Buffet does through his many songs.He is a master story teller that takes the reader along for a ride, with you being next to Doc Ford from Page to page. This book, was impossible to put down. Mr. White's ability to make the reader understand the effect of uncontrolled civilization on the barrier islands; to the fury of an approaching hurricane, leaves one, with a great admiration for the man, his imagination and intellect. I encourage all to read Ten Thousand Islands, and then continue the adventure with the entire Doc Ford series. I can hardly wait for his next work, fiction or non-fiction. Randy Wayne White truly loves Southwest Florida and his work shows it.

This last installment in the Doc Ford series is the best. Slightly edges out "Sanibel Flats". By the way, I think it is imperative to have read "Sanibel Flats" prior to reading this one. This book is tightly plotted and has you going from the first chapter. Probably the most Travis McGee-like of all the Doc Ford novels. The characters are richly drawn and the Florida coast is written by White better than anyone.

I started TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS on a Thursday afternoon andfinished it at 5 a.m. on Friday -- my first novel all-nighter sinceSILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Marine Biologist Doc Ford, Florida's most compelling, unromantic, anti-hero is at the top of his form. Nearly two decades ago, on Marco Island,FL, a brilliant 14-year old girl dug up an Indian grave and found a golden medallion once worn by the king of pre-Colombian Florida. A few months later, she's found dead, hanging from a tree. Now, 15-years later, someone's dug-up the grave and it's up to Ford and buddy Tomlinson to find out why. Based on a true story, the tale that follows is brilliant, compelling, terrifying and sometimes hilarious. I laughed and actually wept. Tomlinson steals the show as usual, but Ford is also elevated: He does psychedelic mushrooms and briefly re-meets his true soul mate -- two solitary islands among ten thousand in this touching, metaphorical tale. The real star, as usual, however, is the strange place called Florida and no one is better than White when it comes to capturing it on paper.

This new Doc Ford novel is one of the best entries yet in the series, and is unmissable if you are already a fan; if you're new to White's novels, then this is a great way to start out. It combines the historical lore of "The Man Who Invented Florida" with the crisp style of "Captiva"; this novel is perhaps more "unputdownable" then some of the others. The action takes place in Southwest Florida and the Keys, and concerns an unscrupulous politican, a Calusa artifact, and a dangerous hurricane. White's characters are some of his sharpest yet, and the suspense kicks in from the first page. Mystery novels, and in particular Florida mystery novels, don't get much better than this one. If you are partial to that sort of thing, then don't miss "Ten Thousand Islands."