Chasing Midnight

Doc Ford #19

by Randy Wayne White

It began peacefully enough, on one of Florida's private islands.

At a reception hosted by a notorious Russian black marketeer, Doc Ford uses darkness, and his friend Tomlinson, as cover to get an underwater look at the billionaire's yacht. By the time Ford surfaces, everything has changed.

Environmental extremists have taken control of the island. Or are they thugs hired by the Russian's competitors? Whatever the motive, they have herded everyone together and threatened to kill one hostage every hour until midnight unless their demands are met-at which point they will just blow everybody up.

Electronic jammers make communications with the outside world impossible. The only hope of avoiding terrible consequences: The militants do not know Ford's capabilities, or that he is still on the loose. But that situation won't last for long . . . and the clock is ticking.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

315 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2012

About the author

aka Carl Ramm, Randy Striker

Randy Wayne White (born 1950) is an American writer of crime fiction and non-fiction adventure tales. He has written best-selling novels and has received awards for his fiction and a television documentary. He is best known for his series of crime novels featuring the retired NSA agent Doc Ford, a marine biologist living on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida. White has contributed material on a variety of topics to numerous magazines and has lectured across the United States. A resident of Southwest Florida since 1972, he currently lives on Pine Island, Florida, where he is active in South Florida civic affairs and with the restaurant Doc Ford's Sanibel Rum Bar & Grill on nearby Sanibel Island.

Series:
* Doc Ford Mystery

Reviews

[Jim A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not even close to the quality of the earlier Doc Ford novels. Thankfully instead of my usual purchase, I borrowed this from my local library.

Authors, like readers, get bored with characters over a long series. I think that either White is bored with the Ford character or he is trying to find a new direction to take the series. The last two or three efforts have not measured up to the first nine or ten.

[Cathy DuPont · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried, I really, really tried but could not get through this lackluster of a book. And it was hard for me to put down because I have been such a hard core follower of RWW. Put down and picked back up three times and nothing changed. It was just a lousey reading book, everything about it.

There is definately something lacking in the writing of this, and the last three or four books.

Such a disappointment, to me personally, to conclude the writing was just kind of silly. Seemed amateurist and certainly not at the usual standards RWW has already established.

Doc Ford who is specialized in training techniques, making quick solid, correct decisions, seems lost. From time to time he'll say to himself 'Idiot' or something similar when he sees he's made a mistake. He can't even tackle two bumbling kids who don't know what they're doing. He's just not the same fellow I read about in Sanibel Flats or Ten Thousand Islands.

I'll probably take a look at next year's book but will not attend a signing which I've done for the past three years.

I'll have to go back and re-read the earlier ones to get my Doc Ford and Florida fix!

[Jack Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars. My first time with Doc Ford. It wasn't as exciting as some first dates, but there was something. Next I'll try an earlier volume in the series. Number ones are hard to find, but it's a good challenge. He wangles an invite to a reception on a beautiful yacht anchored near Vanderbilt Island off Florida's west coast. It's being hosted by Victor Kozlov, one of those Russian mobster businessmen with oodles of money. The yacht is sitting a little heavy in the water so our ocean biologist-turned-US government operative dives below to look more closely. He barely escapes an underwater accident and, upon surfacing, finds a thug pointing a gun at his head and the island taken over by two environmental crazies. They claim to be out to stop the "toxic rich," Kozlov and his competitors, who are in the lucrative "kill-the-female-sturgeon-for-caviar" business in the Caspian Sea. The crazy brothers truly are unstable; they threaten to kill hostages on the yacht. Have they placed a hidden bomb on board? Could they be supporting Kozlov's competitors? Is Doc's friend Tomlinson in on this? You'll find out. (October 2019)

[Theo Fenraven · Rating 2 out of 5]

White releases a new Doc Ford book every March, and I've been looking forward to them for years.

This one, however, disappointed me. It starts with narrative, and that's all you get for a long time. There's very little action, very little dialogue. It's not until the last fourth of the novel that things finally take off, and some readers wouldn't wait that long to get involved in the story.

I discovered White when I lived in Florida. Since then, I've read every book he's written, and there has been some unevenness to the joy I get from it. It seems that every other book is outstanding and captures me from the first page. The others are just okay.

I know it's difficult writing a series, and I give him kudos for continuing to come up with interesting plots, but yeah, gonna admit it: I only really enjoy about half of them. I'll probably keep reading him, but I'll wait for the paperback, which is cheaper than the hardcover and Kindle (this lasts really bugs me; I'm paying $13 for an electronic copy? Really?! Never again!).

[Kyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This gets my "worst book of all time" award. Poorly written entirely in first person mode, it plods along slower than a sea urchin creeping across a continental shelf.

Honestly, I question the intelligence of anyone who continued past the third chapter. This is the first book in well over ten years that I slammed shut and refused to push further. I read three to five fiction books per year, and run across plenty off clunkers. But truly, this one appears to be a practical joke played upon a segment of readers.

I won't torture myself with sampling another RWW title. Apparently there are enough easy marks willing to do so to keep this "author" in business.

[Viccy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am never going to NOT like a Randy Wayne White book. That being said, this seemed to me to be a writing exercise for Mr. White; not one of his better efforts. All of the action takes place within a six-hour time period and if I were Doc Ford, I would be completely exhausted by the end of hour one. Doc has wrangled an invitation to a gathering of cavier moguls on Vanderbilt Island. A Russian black marketeer claims to have created a hybrid sturgeon that will revolutionize cavier production. This is big news to Doc, a marine biologist and undercover operative for a shadowy government agency. Doc is investigating underwater when he hears an explosion; when he surfaces the island is blacked out and all comuunications are jammed. Environmental extremists have taken over the island, only problem is, two of these extremists are actually insane and are using this action to cover a myriad of other crimes. Doc must face down the extremists, rescue the cavier moguls and everyone else on the island, including his best friend, Tomlinson, all without benefit of communication with the outside world. Non-stop action and dare-devil antics, typical of all White's books. If only this knight in rusty armor really existed.

[Jay Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Randy Wayne White as a writer and as a Sanibel legend. Every time I hear about a “Doc Ford” citing, the more I admire White. Plus, for my family with its ties to the South Sea Plantation on Captiva Island, the epilogue to “Chasing Midnight” is worth the price of admission.

Having said all of that … I must admit that “Chasing Midnight” is a subpar entry in the Doc Ford series. But never fear, any writer who can come up with the following description can be forgiven a slight misstep:

“Despite his regal gray hair, Darius Tellas from Turkmenia looked like a man whose body had been assembled from pumpkins: huge head, swollen belly and a double sized butt.”

Looking forward to your next Doc Ford, Randy Wayne.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randy Wayne White is back in great form. After a couple of lackluster performances, he has stormed back with an exciting and gripping tale with Doc Ford and Tomlinson. The action sets up in the first chapter and doesn't stop until the end.

Randy Wayne White once said about writing, "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Just get to Friday and don't worry about the rest." He certainly follows his own theory in this suspenseful story that takes place in all of twenty four hours. Expertly weaving the backstory into the action, RWW keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Is this finally the undoing of Tomlinson? Does Doc Ford push too far? These answers and more fill this pager turner until the end.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Has the series about Doc Ford, Florida marine biologist, finally jumped the shark? Seems like it. The Florida stuff is still well done. The marine biology stuff is still interesting and the whole business about Mote Marine Aquarium and sturgeon and caviar was fascinating. I had no idea.

What was not well done was the plot - eco terrorists attacking international caviar exploiters - and the characters - the eco-bitch, the video nerds and the psychopathic bible quoting twins. Doc is a cardboard cutout of his former self. And Tomlinson is so far beyond annoying that it's hard to describe. I hardly ever wish for an author to kill a character, but I'm there now, and it doesn't have to be painless or tidy - just over.

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of disappointing. One of the least well-plotted Doc Fords. There is at least one error in the editing (timeline) and too many things happen in too short a time frame. Too cerebral but when there was action it was B grade movie chase-chase stuff. Interestingly some of the plot hinges on sturgeon and the harvesting of caviar. I read this right before the giant monster fish (sturgeon) showed up on the local news. Fact is stranger than fiction?

[Christian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Randy Wayne White is losing his touch, Doc Ford who has gone from a tough Character to a deliberate Killer is now a whiner. Half the book he is complaining about his own incompetence. Where is the decisive Character we still know from Black Widow or Heat Islands? I'm beginning to understand why RWW started to write about Hanna Smith in his latest Novel instead of Doc Ford.
I was severely disappointed by this book.

[Herzog · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping to give this book 2 stars, but couldn't bring myself to do it. This series has gone seriously down hill - a completely lackluster plot with phony suspense and almost none of the sparkling dialogue from earlier efforts in the series.

[Sally Maddox · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really like this author but this particular book, not so much. The plot just was not believable. The bad guys were whinny, over-educated, out of shape mechanical engineers for goodness sake. Really? It was a little hard to buy in to. I will look forward to the author's next effort.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doc Ford and Tomlinson go to a special meeting on Vanderbilt Island, where several black market millionaires were gather to hear about one of their competitors ideas on caviar trade fish, sturgeon, supposedly being able to get the caviar without killing the fish. Ford does not think it can be done. Tomlinson mostly along for the ride, because he was Ford's excuse fir being there, as part owner of his two rum bars. A few environmentalists who crashed the party, and Ford was surprised they were not immediately escorted off the island, unfortunately that was not done and the nightmare began as Ford was sneaking around in the waters behind the resort.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was surprised at the negative reviews. It wasn't the best Doc Ford but it was pretty damn good. It's Florida, Doc Ford and Tomlinson. just read it and enjoy.

[Barbara Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second thrill-ride with Randy Wayne White. The first one I read and reviewed took place in and near a Florida lake and I was holding my breath half the time while I was reading it. This one is set on a private island just south of Sanibel Island, Florida. Doc Ford is White's hero, a marine biologist who manages to get into all kinds of scrapes.

This time he has wangled an invitation to a big party on Vanderbilt Island. A Russian billionaire has invited his peers from around the world to this party, apparently to sell them a new breed of sturgeon which would make them even richer. Caspian Sea sturgeon are being slaughtered indiscriminately and may soon disappear, so a breed that can produce caviar without the necessity of killing the fish to get the roe is in all their best interests. The party is a bore, especially when uninvited eco-warriors, we'll call them, show up ready to cause plenty of trouble. Ford escape to do a little diving; he's curious about the Russian's huge boat.

Thus it is that Ford is safely alone in the water when there is an explosion, all communication with the island is jammed, and hostages are taken. Soon someone comes gunning for Ford which begins this mystery in which you don't know whether ecologists or mobsters are the source of the problems. Ford's pal Tomlinson is, as usual, half stoned and doesn't recognize the danger until too late so he is one of the hostages and Ford fears he might be dead.

This is such an exciting story, well crafted and a page-turner. I love a book that insists you stay with it and to heck with everything else. That's Chasing Midnight. White has written a long list of Ford novels which I must make time for, as well as nonfiction books about fish and fishing. He also writes under the pen name Randy Striker.

I highly recommend Randy Wayne White's books and this one is a great example of his stories. I won the book from LibraryThing, and it was released for sale on March 6, 2012.

[Joe Noir · Rating 1 out of 5]

I apologize to Randy Wayne White, but I had to put this book down. I could not get into it. After reading the cover blurbs, I was expecting something like Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp or Kill Zone by Loren D. Estleman, but after 127 pages nothing much had happened (the power went out on the island, a few shots were heard in the distance, and Ford has a strange encounter with a Russian bodyguard). On page 128 Doc Ford checks his watch and it's 11:15 p.m. On page 131 he checks his watch again and it's "fifty five minutes until midnight" (perhaps he entered a time warp). On page 145 he checks his watch for the third time since he'd entered a room and it's 11:30 p.m. By page 175 (almost half the novel), still nothing much had happened (someone shot at Tomlinson's boat while Ford was on it, a principal possible villain apparently dies of a heart attack, Ford and a female character do CPR, and a hyped up video game cowboy shoots a slug into a corpse. Mostly to see what it's like. Doc Ford has still not begun to kick ass). In all fairness, this is the 19th book in the series, and my first Doc Ford novel, so perhaps this may not be the best place to begin the series. I found the writing style difficult, with a lot of flashbacks and speculation on the part of Doc Ford. This could all be my approach to this novel, and I am not writing off Randy Wayne White, but I had to put this one down and move on. Life is too short.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I look forward to RWW's books. I love Doc Ford. I am from Florida with family from one of the nearby islands that are the center of this series. That is why I picked the first one up so many years ago. I am also interested in the ecology of area and problem with over fishing. That being said, I was somewhat dissapointed in this book. It was a little slow to get into the action, I did like that we were in Doc's mind more than usual and feeling the man who is an agent. I like seeing how his mind works and how he works through any problem. Doc accepts who he is: scientist, spy and killer. I wish he would find a love relationship that lasted with a woman who accepted him for all that he is. A woman author would have written that elemant. A male author does not dwell on a permanent relationship. I have hope for the future. I did like that there was less of Tomlinson. I must admit that I never would choose him over Ford. I do not like that he does not respect their long friendship and does not hesitate to hit on Ford's female friends. I like his character as an interest in the stories, but do not like him as a person. He is not honorable, just talks a good game. Doc Ford is always honorable (according to his code) and loyal. I still liked this book and am already waiting for the next one.

[Betsy Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randy Wayne White has turned out another Doc Ford mystery with a cadre of baddies: Russian black marketeer, Chinese billionaire, an eco-terrorist and more. Ostensibly brought together on a private island estate to discuss opportunities to reestablish gulf sturgeon using a modified cross-bred fish. Doc Ford, an introspective hero, dives to find out what is really going on inside a yacht, surfaces to find the island under control of terrorists and cut off from civilization. They've jammed all the communications from the island.

Doc Ford once again must differentiate friends from foes, prevent a bomb from going off at midnight and trust his friend Tomlinson to have his back. Action flows quickly in a compressed time frame. Easy to read in a day or two, because once you open the book, you won't want to put it down.

A good thriller that involves high-tech devices, multiethnic villains, rapid and unrelenting action -- everything a reader expects from a Randy Wayne White thriller.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series. Randy Wade White's editor needs to work with him to trim down the narrative. Doc Ford is a good character. The Florida setting is wonderful and the combination of ocean biology, boating and intrigue works well when White's on his game. In this case there was too much explaining - there were 3 pages where 3 well written paragraphs would be better.

I think Doc Ford is Travis McGee brought into the 21st century with a PHD, a bit of McGyver, and often a better attitude towards women. John D. MacDonald's lean writing in the McGee stories lets the reader enjoy the characters, the setting and the story without pages of extra narrative. I hope Randy Wade Wright and his editor take a page from MacDonald and collaborate to make the next Doc Ford a tight suspenseful story.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up my copy of this book in Sanibel while on vacation (15th year in a row). It's just as great a place as Randy Wayne White makes it out to be, only with less crime and fewer psychos and thugs :) I read 3 Doc Ford books during this one week vacation, so I'm now pretty well caught up. This book was a little bit like the one before it, Night Vision, in that it dealt with some extremely unsavory characters, but in this book there were super-rich businessman creeps and psychopathic environmental extremists. The last book was about trailer trash steroid creeps and gang members. As usual, Doc and Tomlinson are both involved. White tells a great story that moves quickly all the way through. More fun in southwest Florida.

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never read about cavier, sturgeons or beluga whales. Nor have I ever heard of the high tech TAM equipment. Doc Ford definitely got himself im hot water when he convinced Tomlinson to procure the tickets to a lucrative caviar reception hosted by a black marketeer. On the brighter side Doc Ford seems to have found a rimantic match and gained more trust in Tomlinson.

We never really know how dependant we have become on or electronic devices, until they are completly unavailable. Murder, suspense and eco-maniacs on isolated island can make you have a think about it.

This is not my typical read and I likely will not attempt to pick out another book like this. There were so many editing errors, I feel like the authors are not getting what they paid for.

[Andrew Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Randy Wayne White and the Doc Ford character. I've been a little slow catching up but when I found this book available in e-form, I was so excited. And just as fast I was disappointed. I have to check the fine print to see if someone else wrote this book as a Ghost Writer or something. Boring! And what happened to Doc Ford? I would never have read another Doc Ford book if this had been the first time... wake up! man up!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard book to get into

This was the first book of Whites that I found hard to stay focused on. I'm not sure why as I always enjoy his books.

[Gilbert G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t believe that a book that is 315 pages long could cover ONE day in the life of Doc Ford and his pacifist neighbor Tomlinson.
They go up against some pretty sleazy international criminal who are attempting to control the Worlds Caviar Market.
The book is full of intrigue and murder. The Villains are a Russia oligarch, an Arab, and multimillionaire from China who want to monopolise the World trade of Caviar which is extremely lucrative.
Each one of the above bring body guards to an invitation only party in order to control the Sturgeon and their valuable Caviar which takes years to harvest.
I will not tell you any more about the book other than I have never read a book that provided, intrigue,murder, insanity in some the characters that just covered one day and one event.
There are also some surprises about Doc. I’m pretty sure that you would really enjoy reading the book, Chasing Midnight by Randy Wayne White.
It takes place in Florida in a lot of the areas my wife and I visit twice a year.
Give it a try, I truly think you will enjoy it👍👍

[Rick Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow motion martial arts fight & boat crash

The real question in this book is who killed the three ultra-rich billionaire leaders of extensive criminal enterprises? When you finish the book, that question and why are pretty much left to your imagination. The whole story - the billionaires and GMO sturgeon - which should have been a good one - was sidetracked by the uncharacteristically inept (for the intrepid Doc Ford) and extended chase of environmentalist sociopaths. It was the equivalent of watching a TV chase scene in slo-mo. No plot twists, no themes, very linear. A backhanded nod to Boston Whaler; clearly RWW not a fan. Frankly, I would have been more satisfied with Doc handing over the twins to the Turk. But then we’d have to have a couple chapters of Doc & Tomlinson moralizing… Basically, the book started with a great story, made a turn, and got completely mired in the mudflats at low tide.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four major bad guys in the black market caviar business get together at a resort near Sanibel Island for a conference. Ford and a bunch of restaurant owners (including Tomlinson) wangle invitations to the party. And a group of radical environmentalists (which might include Tomlinson) crash the party.

Guns are fired. The lights go off.

As with in the lake diving book (DEEP SHADOW?) a lot of the action takes place in the dark and is seen only through hi-tech infrared monocular that Ford uses. Ford doesn't know who is shooting at whom, he is unclear on what the various agendas are, there may or may not be a bomb... and as a reader I felt like I was lost in the dark too much of the time.

An interesting premise and setting but...

[Rick Dunlop · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story centers on the dark side of the caviar business and a secret meeting held by the world's top producers. The party is crashed by Doc Ford and Tomlinson and separately by a number of environmentalists, including twin sociopaths. The whole book is a 7-8 hour scene on the island where they twins take over with the intent of freeing thousands of sturgeon fingerlings and crashing a major resort that keeps dolphins on display. The book is suspenseful from beginning to end but not a captivating storyline.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

“At a reception hosted by a notorious Russian black marketeer, Doc Ford uses darkness, and his friend Tomlinson, as cover to get an underwater look at the billionaire's yacht. By the time Ford surfaces, everything has changed.

Environmental extremists have taken control of the island. Or are they thugs hired by the Russian's competitors? Whatever the motive, they have herded everyone together and threatened to kill one hostage every hour until midnight unless their demands are met-at which point they will just blow everybody up.

[William Howle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as "Shark River" the story seemed to ramble. Deals with international black market sellers of caviar and the the over fishing of Sturgeon. The story finally takes shape in the latter part of the book. There are eco terrorists and how Doc Ford handles the situation in spite of the interference of his buddy Tomlinson. He must know some one like Tomlinson as it's hard to imagine such a pain in the rear coming from his imagination.