This'll probably the only book I'll ever shelve as 'thriller' -- I don't usually read them -- but was caught at the library without my 'want to read' list, so I opted for blindly picking any audiobook read by audio superstar George Guidall. White certainly knows his stuff when it comes to creating interesting characters, building tension, & making me wince.audio-books thriller27 s Glen5,455 63

An old man comes to Doc Ford, muttering about a curse connected to a multiple murder in 1925. Ford starts poking around, of course, and finds a family of throwback serial killers, and the ghosts of Chinese slaves.

It's more a horror tale, Texas Chainsaw Massacre crossed with Blair Witch, than an adventure tale, but it's very engrossing. I think White wanted to use some muscles he'd neglected. We get another look at a neglected piece of Florida history.

Highly recommended.espionage florida men-s-adventure11 s Valerie699 39

I have always loved Randy Wayne White's Doc Ford series of novels, although I have missed a few (which I intend to remedy fairly soon!). This one features Doc Ford and his sidekick, Tomlinson, in a story that goes back to the days of Prohibition in Florida. White takes real events from history, and weaves a very interesting and hard to put down story about current events and the past, including a tantalizing ghost story.

Tootsie Barlow, a legendary charter captain, and his extended family, have come under attack by what Tootsie thinks is a curse from the past when his family was involved in some shameful history during the Prohibition years. His grand niece, Gracie, meets a man named Slaten who she thinks is her 'one true love'. During this time, Gracie disappears and Ford and Tomlinson find that Gracie and boyfriend Slaten had been visitors at the old and deteriorated home of Walter Lambeth, who had been a murderer and rum runner during Prohibition days. Although Lambeth is dead, the supernatural is very much alive in this story. Lambeth and his cohorts had used Chinese workers to build the railroad which eventually became the Tamiami Trail, linking Tampa to Miami, a distance of about 275 miles or so. The Chinese workers were treated very badly by Lambeth and his cohorts during the Prohibition era. The author uses some metaphysical stories in writing this novel; i.e. the idea that a demon can actually use a human body to carry out its 'dirty' work. (This type of legend has its roots in ancient Tibetan Buddhist stories. Some think that this is actually more than just a legend!). If that is not enough to fascinate a prospective reader, there is plenty of action and frightening scenarios to keep a reader interested.

I found the story absolutely fascinating, and I learned a few things about electricity itself that I did not know. This book is an excellent addition to the Ford and Tomlinson series of novels, and I am going to go back and read the previous one, "Deep Blue", which was published last year and I missed because the local library never ordered a copy! 9 s Paul471 9

I keep reading the Doc Ford series even though the formula has gotten a little bit tired. In this latest installment, the writing has continued to improve from a low point, 'Chasing Midnight', several books ago. White has re-introduced more views into biologist Marion Ford's 'second job' as an international assassin in recent books including this one.

Why do I keep reading this series? The characters are interesting, as is the Florida setting. The plot lines usually move quickly with plenty of action. And I rarely guess the ending correctly.

A secondary 'second job' plot muddies the waters and White continues his fascination with sea monsters. But the plot, which delves into the wide-open days of early south Florida, is interesting until White inevitably gets bogged down in minutiae when giving background. The ending was disappointing but well written.

Doc Ford fans will enjoy 'Mangrove Lightning'. New readers may want to start at the beginning of the series as some of the early books are better than this one.6 s Mark738 11

Doc Ford and Tomlinson deal with one of the creepiest villains ever to show up in the series in a plot that has threads going back to Prohibition.
I thought the secondary storyline involving a lesser member of the British Royal house was unnecessary and just muddied the waters of an already intricate plot. I think Mr. White should've saved this for it's own novel. There were also some loose ends that I wish had been tied up.
Still, the series is always entertaining, and is now intertwined with elements of the "Hannah Smith" series.5 s Mary826 12

This one was a bit dark as his books get sometimes. Tomlinson meets up w/ an old fishing guide and he is being hounded by Feds that if he or someone else don't live on the property it will be taken from him, so he has moved out there in the Glades away from everyone and everything. Ford is going out soon as he was hired by the Feds to check out the fish and water. They find out the fishing guides niece is mission, and Ford and Tomlinson rescue her from evil people, or did they....4 s Shereadbookblog757

This is the 24th in the prolific Doc Ford series written by White. I've read a few of his other books; if this had been the first one, I probably would have never read another. Perhaps fans of his will enjoy the story, but I found it to be a bit of a jumble. There is a subplot second story that never really seems to go anywhere, just adding to the muddle. While I did enjoy some of the history of the southwest Florida area, this was not a pleasant story and a bit too misogynist and fragmented for me.4 s Alan571 8

I used to be quite fond of the adventures of Doc Ford and his hippy pal, Tomlinson. But White has really crossed the line now, going from the merely incredible to the ridiculous. The latest books in the series are all pretty poor, which is too bad, because I used to love the settings and the old Florida flavor. It appears to me that the author has put very little effort into these latest novels. His Hannah Smith novels went steadily downhill as well.4 s Peter1,161 40

Mangrove Lightning (2017) is the latest in Randy Wayne White’s Doc Ford series. All of Randy Wayne White’s twenty-two Doc Ford mysteries take place in Southwest Florida, roughly along the 150-mile coastline from Captiva Island in Lee Country southward through Naples in Collier County and down to Everglades City, also in Collier County. This area is rife with a complex history and with interesting lore. This history and lore provide the skeleton for the plots of the Doc Ford books, which are well written and engaging page turners.

This tale has more moving parts than a Pratt & Whitney jet engine. There are character jumps, location jumps, and time jumps that keep the reader on high alert. The local history is fun for those of us familiar with southwest Florida. The plot is, well . . . unly, but that is common to the genre.

Historical Context

The historical context of the book is the Marco War of 1925, in which the advertising tycoon Baron Collier came up against strong opposition by locals to his plans to gentrify Marco Island, ten miles south of Naples. Barron Collier is a real figure—a northern advertising tycoon—first to place ads in street cars—who moved to the area in the 1920s, established Everglades City as his “company town” and purchased vast swaths of land along the coast from Fort Myers down to Everglades City. At that time all of southwest Florida from Key West up to Fort Myers was in Monroe County; the sheriff was headquartered in Key West, so there was little law and order elsewhere in Monroe County. In 1925 Collier instigated creation of a new county—Collier County—between Fort Myers and Everglades City. This not only established a new kingdom for Collier, it also created a new sheriff for him to use. Hence the Marco War of 1925.

Collier was a “robber baron” of a sort, but he also created what is now southwest Florida. Everglades City became a modern town with trolleys, streetlights, and services for its residents, most of whom were Collier employees. He single-handedly constructed the leg of the Tamiami Trail from Naples to Miami to provide a route for buyers of property along “his” coastline. In part due to him, Marco Island is now very gentrified. But Collier’s once elegant company town of Everglades City—the seat of Collier County until 1960— has become almost unpopulated, a visiting spot for fishermen and occasional tourists.

The Characters

Marion “Doc” Ford is the primary protagonist. He is a marine biologist, a former CIA agent, a part-time private investigator, and a man armed with the best technology. He knows and is known by all the local fishermen, farmers, roustabouts and cops. He is a clever man always a step or two ahead of the bad guys, and his ability to get into trouble is matched only by his ability to get out of it.

On Doc’s side of the good vs. evil fence are two other permanent figures: the book are the Right Reverend Sighurdr Tomlinson, a Buddhist Priest by virtue of a mail-order certificate, and Tootsie Barlow, an aging but revered fishing guide. Tootsie lives in the desolate interior along Route 29, an old road that runs from Everglades City into the Everglades. Tootsie has a teenage niece, Gracie, who has taken up with a lowlife named Slaten Lambeth. Now Gracie has disappeared in the area of Chino Hole, a huge freshwater sinkhole 100 yards that is a residue of Baron Collier’s operations in the 1920s. Chino Hole is well inland but rife with tarpon—the fish of Kings—as well as with bodies from the Marco War. The corpses don’t mind the salinity, but tarpon are a saltwater species so this indicates some channel from the ocean into the Hole.

Around our key character (Doc Ford) are a number of lesser lights. On the Doc Ford side of the good vs. evil are the Rt. Rev. Tomlinson driving along Route 29 to visit his old friend and fishing guide, Tootsie Barlow. Route 29 is an old highway that runs through Everglades City into the interior; it is the synonym for a road to nowhere. On the way Tomlinson decides to find nearby Chino Hole, a huge freshwater sinkhole 100 yards that is a residue of Baron Collier’s operations in the 1920s. Chino Hole is reported to be rife with tarpon—the fish of Kings—as well as with bodies from the Marco War. The corpses don’t mind the salinity, but tarpon are a saltwater species so they indicate some channel from the ocean into the Hole.

The area around Chino Hole is an abandoned farm once owned by Walter Lambeth, now long dead. Walter was a fellow who ran a large moonshine facility during Prohibition. Moonshine was sent out by a railroad, and his employees were cheap Chinese laborers, whom he would kill when their use-by dates arrived. Those Chinese corpses are still buried on the farm and cry out to be repatriated to their homeland. The decayed moonshine facility is now occupied by Walter’s twisted daughter, Ivey Lambeth , and her nephew Slaten Lambeth, whom we believe is also her son—Let’s see: that makes Ivey both . . .? Oh, well. It’s the South!

The Plot

Doc Ford is in the Bahamas for a conference when he gets enmeshed with a beautiful young woman, a hoity-toity Brit, when he prevents her rape in an adjacent hotel room; apparently some bad guys wanted to film her rape for a porno flick. The lady is clearly involved in something nefarious but still she is not a willing participant so Doc rescues her and they escape her assailants in a stolen rental car. They end up in a remote area with a large sinkhole in which toxic lionfish are found. This is a parallel to the mystery of Chino Hole—lionfish are not indigenous to the Bahamas, and their abundance in this sinkhole is inexplicable. The young lady turns out to be Lady Gillian XX, great-grandchild of Queen Victoria’s illegitimate daughter (huh?). After their escape Ford returns to link up with Tomlinson and Tootsie in the Glades.

Back in the Everglades Tomlinson is on his way to visit Tootsie in the Chino Hole area and he decides to visit the Hole. Once there, he quickly senses that something or someone is watching him. He receives a strange telepathic communication with some simple advice: RUN! He takes that advice and while running he encounters a heap of old railroad cars hidden by vegetation. One is a once-elegant private car. From the inside of that car comes a plaintive voice saying, LET US OUT. Tomlinson instructs his feet to double their RPMs.

Tomlinson meets up with Tootsie and learns that Gracie is missing and that Slaten Lambeth might be involved. They go to the moonshine facility and find Gracie tied up, beaten, repeatedly raped, and in delirium. Ivey is killed when she attempts to escape. The police arrive and arrest Slaten, but Gracie tells them that the real perpa giant was a guy named “Mr. Bird,” a giant who would rape while he wore a mask. She knows it wasn’t Slaten because, well, the rapist’s member was a different size. (Only in the South do women carry tape measures for perp identification.) But nobody believes her and Slaten is carted off to jail and booked on kidnapping and rape charges.

Oh, yes. And then Lady Gillian reappears in Doc’s life, followed by the porn mafia.

The Denouement

They should have believed Gracie about Mr. Bird, a truly bad dude with more personalities than Days Inn has rooms. And he will not go easily.

Fortunately, no Chinese were harmed in the writing of this book.

Four Stars.
fiction-thriller3 s Michelle Akers-dicken182 5

I had high hopes because the Doc Ford stories were so talked up. Randy White even made a best sellers list at some point and I should KNOW better to use that little fact as a reason to believe in a book! But I love Sanibel and all things Sanibel related. I bought this book from the Doc Ford restaurant (one of my favorites) on Sanibel Island and it was even signed by the author. That always excites me!

I found this story to be so disjointed and scattered. It was hard for me to connect and stay focused. I finally gave up. I HATE giving up on anything I've invested time in. Maybe on the last page it will all come together? I couldn't last that long because life is short and there are just too many books (signed and unsigned) that are calling me! In the end, I left this one in the free treasure chest of books for tourists to take and read on the Sundial Resort in Sanibel. Maybe some other more focused and patient person will love it. I'll probably not want to read another Randy White story because I just don't care for his story telling or his writing style. fiction own sanibel-stories ...more3 s Don Gorman1,829 11

(3 1/2). This is another really over the top Florida style story from Randy Wayne White. That being said, it is probably the most exciting and suspense filled Doc Ford tale to date. Tomlinson is here in flying colors, and there is even a minor role for Hannah Smith with some strong future implications. Lots of voodoo going on, and one of the baddest bad guys we have ever encountered really keeps this one going. Doc is here, but not as a main focus. He is awfully busy doing his other contract CIA type stuff and only seems to show up when really needed. In the last couple of stories, Doc has become very Mitch Rapp, Scot Harvath in that he is just one of the toughest guys on the planet. This is a real page turner. Randy Wayne does a good job keeping this series on my must read list.3 s Carol17

I usually really enjoy Doc Ford books, and I've read them all. I had a hard time with this one. I nearly stopped several times. The writing is quite formulaic as if the author has given up on creativity. The creativity is replaced here by grossness and disgusting descriptions in an attempt to be compelling. I didn't give up and kept reading because I'm fond of Ford, Tomlinson, and Hannah Smith, but I have to say this was not an enjoyable book.3 s Ray Palen1,692 48

MANGROVE LIGHTNING marks the 24th novel in Randy Wayne White's Doc Ford series. Set in and around Florida this story focuses on a true cold case dating back to 1925 that still haunts residents who have heard the gruesome tale.

Before I begin I have to admit that I have not read any of the prior novels in the Doc Ford series. For whatever reason I thought they were going to be more comic and provincial telling tales of old and new Florida the works of Dave Barry and Tim Dorsey. I could not have been more wrong. MANGROVE LIGHTNING drew me in immediately with the Author's Note that speaks of events during Prohibition times in Florida and the Bahamas with reports of various smuggling expeditions that were regular occurrences during this time period.

The case in question at the heart of this novel involved the disappearance of a Deputy Sheriff and his entire family in February, 1925. The bodies of J.H. Cox along with his wife and two young children were found in a giant mud hole on Marco Island off the coast of Fort Myers. Deputy Sheriff Cox was the principle witness in 19 indictment cases against known smuggler's. Author White provides a map of this region of Central Florida along with the islands that are just off the coast.

When a local charter captain and tour guide named Tootsie Barlow approaches Doc Ford about a legendary curse attached to the 1925 cold case he is immediately interested. Barlow is embarrassed to admit the role his relatives played in that 1925 and urges Ford to look into the case as a means of redemption. Ford is not a believer in curses but does engage his long-time companion, Tomlinson, to look into the matter.

Ford is instantly taken by the tales of alcohol smuggling tied to the s of everyone from Al Capone to Joe Kennedy. Prohibition created a league of criminal activity and along with that came murder. To truly uncover what happened with the Cox case of 1925 Doc Ford will have to enlist the aid of a tough female fishing guide, Captain Hannah Smith. Her name, ironically, matched the same as a murdered young Florida girl also from the early 1900's. The two will be eventually linked with a madman who may hold the answers to the nearly 100 year old mystery.

MANGROVE LIGHTNING, at it's best, makes for some riveting reading. There are some parts in the middle of the novel that get a bit mired in the local characters and culture that may be difficult for non-residents to find accessible. This is not a tale of the Central Florida of Walt Disney World, rather it harkens back to a time well before tourism and hospitality were the major industries.

For those interested in a preview of MANGROVE LIGHTNING please use the following link:

http://www.randywaynewhite.com/excerp...



Reviewed by Ray Palen2 s Viccy2,085 4

Doc Ford is in the Bahamas, doing something covert for someone covert. He escapes the bad guys and rescues a minor member of the Royal Family along the way. Meanwhile, back in Florida, Tomlinson is communing with the spirits at Chino Lake, an area soon to be developed by the Feds, where Doc is supposed to be counting the tarpon. Chino Lake is the site of a hellish old home where Chinese immigrants were literally worked to death by Walter Lambeth. Tomlinson, in his usual spiritual manner, really does commune with the living and the dead, especially when he has toked enough. He knows there are restless spirits around Chino Lake who are hungry for revenge. He also wants to help his friend, Tootsie Barlow, who is a retired fishing guide who wants to keep his home away from the developers who are panting to build another hotel. Gracie Barlow, Tootsie's niece and heir, has disappeared and both Tootsie and Tomlinson are worried about her. Tomlinson is a marvelous character but there were a few gaping plot holes and a few too many unanswered questions about the nature of the evil that inhabits Chino Lake. While I really enjoy a visit with Doc and Tomlinson, I was left scratching my head at the end of this read.2 s DemetraP4,658

The rape scenes by the villain were really graphic and disturbing. Not what I was expecting to read.

I was also upset at how "too stupid to live" one of the characters was in the book. She was just so naive and kept refusing to believe her boyfriend (who was almost twice her age) was bad news. I also didn't how she set Hannah Smith up to be kidnapped because she was under the control of the bad guy.

The too stupid to live character (Gracie) even thinks to herself, "I could warn Hannah but the bad guy will know and hurt me." So instead she lets both herself and Hannah be taken because she doesn't warn her. Hannah had a gun and if she had known the bad guy was out there they both would never have been kidnapped. Very upsetting.

I'm also really tired of Doc Ford's love life always being a disaster. We find out in this book that Hannah Smith (his ex girlfriend) is 4 months pregnant with another man's baby. She plans to keep the baby and doesn't tell anyone that the father of her baby is dead. She does tell Ford she knows Ford is not the father.

At the end of the book, Ford tells the reader that he asked Hannah Smith to marry him. He even says he waited to take a fishing trip so he could ask her. But the reader is NOT TOLD IF HANNAH SAYS YES OR NO to the marriage proposal. It's just a vague "Are you sure?" comment to Hannah. We don't know if she's sure about her yes or no answer because WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE TOLD FORD. AAAARGH.

That is so mean of the author. Why not tell the reader? Does the author enjoy torturing the reader? It really makes me angry.

And the villain's family/villain we're never told if the villain is really a demon/ghost who keeps coming back (Bird Demon/Water Beast) or if the villain's descendants were just warped by what he had done to them and they became serial killers too. It's left ambiguous.

And then we're told the victims that were branded will always belong to the demon in the underworld. Ummm, is there no way to fix that? Really disturbing.

2 s Shannon633 43

Doc Ford has been involved in many strange cases. This may be one of the strangest. A legendary charter captain and guide named Tootsie Barlow has come to him, muttering about a curse. The members of his extended family have suffered a bizarre series of attacks, and Barlow is convinced it has something to do with a multiple murder in 1925, in which his family had a shameful part. Ford doesn't believe in curses, but as he and his friend Tomlinson begin to investigate, following the trail of the attacks from Key Largo to Tallahassee, they, too, suffer a series of near-fatal mishaps. Is it really a curse? Or just a crime spree? The answer lies in solving a near-hundred-year-old murder...and probing the mind of a madman.

This is the first book in the Doc Ford series that I have read. The synopsis intrigued me, even though I don't usually these types of mystery series. I was also interested because of the location in Florida, it sounded it would be an interesting story. There are two story lines happening simultaneously in this book, which is a style I not a huge fan of, but it did work for this book. I enjoyed the story line involving the 100 year old murder, as the history and time period intrigued me. The plot moves along at a fairly steady pace throughout the book and although the characters are fairly well developed, I never really found myself connecting with Doc Ford. Now, this very well be because I have not read any of the other books in this series, so I haven't had a chance to really get to know his characters. Overall, I did enjoy the book, as I do love a good mystery or thriller and I do believe that fans of this series, who already know Ford's character well, will really enjoy this book. The cover of this book is amazing and reminds me of many areas of Florida! Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced reading copy of the book.

You can read the first 24 pages here and the book will be released on March 21, 2017!


2 s Ed5,305 56

#24 in the Doc Ford series. This novel is a mixed bag. Beginning and interspersed through the novel is a secondary plot about child porn and members of the British Royal family. The main story line has Doc and Tomlinson involved with current events related to prohibition era criminal activity. Author White is skilled enough to handle a story arc that includes internal narrative by a villain who is channeling his vicious ancestor. That said, it is still distasteful and I look forward to doc returning to a more straightforward story without supernatural aspects.

Doc Ford series - At issue is the fate of Florida Everglades property owned by retired fishing guide Tootsie Barlow. Barlow's property is near Marco Island, which during Prohibition was the site of a war between bootleggers, such illegal activities as human smuggling (mostly Chinese), and the 1925 disappearance of Deputy J.H. Cox and his family. Barlow's ancestors were involved in the bootlegging, and Doc's ex-lover, Hannah Smith, is a descendant of the murder victim. Now Barlow's few remaining relatives are meeting with fatal accidents, and Doc and Tomlinson, head to Marco Island to investigate. There they confront a number of human monsters controlled by an unly mastermind.
adventure florida thriller2 s Cheryl5,628 214

This is my first introduction to this series. At first I struggled with this book. In fact, after just a few chapters I thought about giving up on this book. Yet, I told myself to give it at least a few more chapters. I am glad that I did. There was potential in what I read but it was subtle. I think that had I had that established relationship with Doc Ford, I would have been more engaged in the story. Yet, he does seem to be an interesting character. Maybe in the future I might go back and start from the beginning.

Ok, so back to the book. There were two storylines happening in this book. However, the one that somewhat got my attention was the one involving Mr. Bird. The mystery surrounding the hundred year old murder was docile. Now, if this book had been just about a madman terrorizing the islands of Florida than I would have been more engaged in the story. Because in those scenes the intensity was higher. I may not have loved this book but I did not hate it either. 2 s Ruth Ann2,039

White's best Doc Ford to date, I believe, Mangrove Lightning combines Florida prohibition history with present day bringing Marion and Tomlinson to a remote location in order to help a former legendary fishing guide keep his claim on land wanted by the federal government.
Tootsie Barlow needs to have a family member live on his land for 9 months every year. Tootsie's problem is that he is running out of family members, due to death or injury in strange accidents. Gracie Barlow is his last hope - and she is missing.
This plotline is scary, creepy and confusing. I found myself wanting to re-read some parts; I found myself having to put the book down a couple of times due to Gracie's dilemma.
The other plotlines are intriguing and I wonder if they will be revisited in future books:
the British royalty element;
Hannah Smith's last thought.adventure crime-fiction family ...more2 s Ned Frederick716 19

Imagine a conversation, or at least an attempt at one, with someone with ADHD and a touch of dementia. And you'll get the sense of how this book reads. It bounces around a pinball launched in zero g. Watching it ricochet randomly is not without its charms. But it's annoyingly hard to follow anything resembling a narrative. "How did we get here?", popped into my head many times. When it does finally evolve into something coherent, at least temporarily, it's pleasantly reminiscent of earlier Doc Ford books. But the net result of this mish-mash is too often a Gothic fever dream. Complete with the author's overindulgence on dark skies, heavy rains and thunder and lightning. Not the fresh installment in the Doc Ford series of mysteries I had been hoping for. 2 s Elise67 23

Randy Wayne White writes a terrific crime series based upon the exploits of his dark protagonist Doc Ford. A biologist with some crazy skill sets, which he obviously did not learn in the confines of a lab. Along with Ford’s near-do-well associate, they uncover some grizzly and gruesome realities about the era of flappers, Al Capone, and illegal Chinese immigration. It all comes back to haunt them in the series latest thriller Mangrove Lightning.
Read the rest of the review here: https://journalingonpaper.com/2017/02...2 s Kate1,155 151

As someone who lives in Doc Ford country, I am always amazed at what he teaches me about my community. A Marco Island war? That isn't in any of the history books. Randy Wayne White's books are either total hits or misses and I am happy to say he has been on a good streak for a while, even despite Mangrove Lightning's silly second story involving an English heiress. If you're a fan, you'll this one. If you haven't read him yet, start with Sanibel Flats and fall in love.2 s Erwin852 3

The latest in the Doc Ford series brings a touch of Florida history to a wave of crime involving the family of a legendary charter Captain Tootsie Barlow. Filled with some very evil 'bad guys' and heavily involving Doc's best friend Tomlinson and also his 'companion' Hannah Smith this is a fun ride into the dark side of Florida and Florida history going back to the smugglers and murderers of the 1920's. One of my favorites in the Doc Ford books.favorite-author fiction series2 s Ann Pisarello418 2

Doc Ford is a marine biologist and crime fighter in Florida. In this story he is involved in a kidnapping with roots in a 1925 multiple murder. Involved in this case are the family of people involved in the Prohibition-era smuggling and murder. Fear of a curse, and a mad man bring tension and drama. One of the better books in this series. 2 s Karen Slaska39 1 follower

I'm liking most Doc Ford books less and less. I started listening to this on audio and it was particularly bad, switched to reading it and it was somewhat less melodramatic but still weak.
Violence Porn someone called it and I agree.2 s Dylan438 7

Maybe starting with Mangrove Lightning wasn't such a good idea given that it is #24 of Randy Wayne White's Doc Ford novels. In my defense, these types of novels tend to be easy enough to read as separate standalone features that don't require you to be caught up on the series (un most fantasy series) so that's pretty much what I was expecting when I started.

The first 20% of the book was confusing. I thought that maybe it would all make sense soon enough - and it did, but only after I checked to figure out what was going on. What is going on in that first 20% is essentially the next chapter in one of Doc's earlier adventures but there is no recap for the reader - nothing to introduce you to the character(s) or what is going on leaving you wondering why things are happening as White jumps back and forth between his two primary POV characters.

If only White had included some key details in these first pages. Make the book an extra 10 or 12 pages if only to ensure your reader is comfortable and understands what is happening and why - or, better yet, just cut the bulk of the first 20% and have the novel open with the scene where this story really begins. (Perhaps the biggest concern with this solution is that it might feel an especially large info-dump the start the novel off.) If either or these approaches had been taken I probably wouldn't be marking this book as a DNF at 70%.

Despite my poor reception of Mangrove Lightning's beginning it improved drastically once White focused in on the plot of this novel instead of spending time bridging where the previous novel left off. This is what I had come for: a solid plot!

...but sadly, that plot can only carry it so far. After 70% of the book, I realized that I didn't care about these characters at all. I didn't know them or their motivations and didn't feel invested in them.

I can almost guarantee that had I been reading the Doc Ford novels from the get-go this would not have been a problem because my relationship with these characters would already have been cemented many, many books ago, but as someone jumping into the world of Doc Ford I can't say White does a good job of making his audience feel interested in these characters. Perhaps worst of all I felt that both Doc Ford and Tomlinson are caricatures; Doc Ford is too good at everything he does and Tomlinson is bumbling and comedic - is that really what White is going for? Again, maybe I would understand these characters better to find their particular personalities endearing had I started with the first book.

I wanted to enjoy this book but given its awful beginning and my lack of interest in the characters, I won't be finishing this one despite its interesting plot because a plot can only get you so far. While it's not bad - and certainly might be thoroughly enjoyable if one was already familiar with the series - it's not something I see myself revisiting. The writing itself is fast-paced and engaging and easily readable.

DNF: 230/3281 Charles302

A tale of the ghosts of crimes committed long ago that still haunts today. This book is based on true cold case, woven into this book as an investigation into bootlegging, Chinese immigrants in the 1920's, and the murder of a policeman that was never solved. During the investigation, Doc and Tomlinson come across a diabolical, psychopathic criminal bent on murder and torture. Tomlinson takes on much of the investigation in this novel. Doc Ford is on a separate case, working on a case for the Royal family. Hannah Smith is also briefly in the book. I have read almost all of the Doc Ford novels, and it is one of my favorite series. This one was good, but not one of my favorites. I prefer those with more emphasis on the Dinkins Bay Marina area, with Doc having a more central role.1 Helen1,100

I enjoyed the glimpse into Florida history and the Marco Island War of 1925, set in the context of a modern-day horror story. Tomlinson looks into the disappearance of a deputy and his family back during wild west day of the Everglades and finds the past isn't really past. Turns out they weren't the only ones who disappeared or met an untimely end. It gets a little confusing with the villain channeling his ancestors but I thought was worth reading. The subplot set in the Bahamas was an irrelevant distraction.florida-setting mystery-thriller1 Pat Harris402 16

Doc Ford and Tomlinson books are not sophisticated literature but they are sure fun and comfortable. Comfortable tall of human smuggling, spirit creatures and cannibalism? Yes, indeed. But then you’d have to know Doc and Tomlinson. 1 Jeff P272 23

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