| Once in a rare while, I read a book and think that even | | | | barking. Most of the characters in the club are somber, |
| an experienced writer could learn from it. "Whale | | | | wounded people finding wacky solutions to their |
| Season" is such a book, a murder story yet highly | | | | problems. |
| literary, full of twists and turns, myriad characters all | | | | Far from being somber, the story is entertaining with |
| well-drawn, and a storyline that pulsates with | | | | numerous off-the-wall characters like the RV sales |
| excitement. Added to all this, the author's very unique | | | | locale owner Leon. In the beginning of the story, on a |
| voice and fun-loving style make "Whale Season" a | | | | Christmas night, Jesus--a.k.a the Cuban doctor Ricardo |
| successful novel highlighted with sarcasm and satire. | | | | Garcia who is not really Cuban--talks Leon into a |
| Satire because the setting is in Florida where I live; | | | | game of poker. Jesus has parked his RV, the |
| therefore, I can chuckle at the playful handling of the | | | | Fleetwood American Dream worth 250,000 dollars, in |
| setting and the characters. The author writes as if she | | | | Leon's lot to surrender it to Leon by purposely losing |
| is delivering stand-up comedy, but her words are sharp | | | | the poker bet. He has acquired it when he killed its |
| and serious with a lot of truth in them. It is impossible | | | | elderly owners. |
| for a reader not to care about the characters, the | | | | Jesus is a demented serial killer, killing in order to save |
| setting, or the tiny details like that of a panther family | | | | souls, but only a few people catch on to him until later. |
| promenading on a deserted beach. Each character, | | | | The one who finds out about it first is Sheriff Trot |
| even a villain, is very human, and the writer plays | | | | Jeeter, Leon's best friend. Trot likes Leon's girlfriend |
| masterfully with their quirks, scars, longings, and | | | | Carlotta but also has a past with Dagmar, the owner |
| dreams. | | | | of the Pink and Leon's ex-wife. |
| Whale Harbor resembles a lot of towns in Florida in | | | | Jesus has his heart set on killing or rather saving the |
| the sense that the locals are desperate to lure the | | | | soul of Jimmy Ray, a Buddhist blues musician at the |
| tourists. Inside it is the Pink, a strippers' paradise club | | | | Pink and also Dagmar's biological father who |
| where the mayor Bender is also the bartender. Bender | | | | underplays his paternity. After many unexpected |
| believes people have to recognize their inner dog and | | | | twists and turns, the story comes together effectively |
| bark accordingly, succeeding to pull some people into | | | | at the end. |