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Hannah Smith #1
Gone
New York Times bestselling author Randy Wayne White introduces Hannah Smith—a lady with the heart and courage to take on the world…
Hannah Smith is a tall, strong, formidable Florida woman, the descendant of generations of strong Florida women. She makes her living as a fishing guide, but her friends, neighbors, and clients also know her as an uncommonly resourceful woman with a keen sense of justice, as someone who can’t be bullied—and they have taken to coming to her with their problems.
Her methods can be unorthodox, though, and those on the receiving end of them often wind up very unhappy—and sometimes very violent. When a girl goes missing, and Hannah is asked to find her, that is exactly what happens…
Hannah Smith is a tall, strong, formidable Florida woman, the descendant of generations of strong Florida women. She makes her living as a fishing guide, but her friends, neighbors, and clients also know her as an uncommonly resourceful woman with a keen sense of justice, as someone who can’t be bullied—and they have taken to coming to her with their problems.
Her methods can be unorthodox, though, and those on the receiving end of them often wind up very unhappy—and sometimes very violent. When a girl goes missing, and Hannah is asked to find her, that is exactly what happens…
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
299 people are currently reading
1152 people want to read
About the author
Randy Wayne White
77 books1,593 followersaka 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 392 reviews
November 5, 2013
Okay to everyone who like this I'm sorry. I tried. The idea sounded like a nice solid plot and the opening scene was a good one. The action of getting the boat back to shore and leaning on how well she knew the channels and so on was good.
But I have to say that our hero's body issues tended to overpower anything else in the book. I got so tired of the discussion of her poor history with men, how she'd only "flowered" recently and her wondering if now men stared at her because they liked what they saw or not.
My three word reaction is that made famous by Charlie Brown. "Oh Good Grief."
The mom character whom we meet early on started out well, she's not really "with it" any more and so as we see in a lot of older characters used to add color to novels, she speaks her mind in a direct and possibly embarrassing way. But White ran it into the ground. The "inappropriate conversation" that started out as mildly humerus went on and on and on. It ceased to be funny and simply got tedious. Uncle Jake was just as bad. He was another version of the same idea and his conversation was also circular as he always got back to the seeming fixation EVERYONE in the book had with Hannah's love life, or lack thereof.
Hannah, I only wished I could get her to one side and assure her, "YES MEN LIKE CURVY WOMEN. Now move on for crap's sake!"
The idea behind this novel is that Hannah gets called in to track down a missing girl but the peripheral stuff totally overcomes and suffocates the plot. I put it down, don't plan to come back and don't plan to read anything else from the writer. As I've noted about other authors, I'm just not the "target audience".
But I have to say that our hero's body issues tended to overpower anything else in the book. I got so tired of the discussion of her poor history with men, how she'd only "flowered" recently and her wondering if now men stared at her because they liked what they saw or not.
My three word reaction is that made famous by Charlie Brown. "Oh Good Grief."
The mom character whom we meet early on started out well, she's not really "with it" any more and so as we see in a lot of older characters used to add color to novels, she speaks her mind in a direct and possibly embarrassing way. But White ran it into the ground. The "inappropriate conversation" that started out as mildly humerus went on and on and on. It ceased to be funny and simply got tedious. Uncle Jake was just as bad. He was another version of the same idea and his conversation was also circular as he always got back to the seeming fixation EVERYONE in the book had with Hannah's love life, or lack thereof.
Hannah, I only wished I could get her to one side and assure her, "YES MEN LIKE CURVY WOMEN. Now move on for crap's sake!"
The idea behind this novel is that Hannah gets called in to track down a missing girl but the peripheral stuff totally overcomes and suffocates the plot. I put it down, don't plan to come back and don't plan to read anything else from the writer. As I've noted about other authors, I'm just not the "target audience".
December 22, 2013
"The fact that Mrs. Whitney and I wore the same bra size—-34D—-had helped, too. It created a sisterly feeling…"
"Once I got the straps adjusted, the bra was such a soft pleasure, the way it held me…"
"...the lonely girl’s eyes move up the mirror where the woman spills out of her favorite 34D bra..."
“I had undone a third button, enough for him to see me spilling out of Mrs. Whitney’s 34D Chenille bra…”
Seriously? Seriously: Randy Wayne White is seriously smart and seriously entertaining, I seriously love his Batfishing in the Rainforest, and I seriously hate to diss him. That said, the notion that the above quotations represent the way a "smart" and "strong" woman thinks about herself is seriously silly. (And things get little better when other people share. Sample: "I see you as a gawky American colt who’s turning into a swan but doesn’t realize it…sensuous…pure motion.")
Seriously sorry, but this one gets a D.
A 34D, in fact.
"Once I got the straps adjusted, the bra was such a soft pleasure, the way it held me…"
"...the lonely girl’s eyes move up the mirror where the woman spills out of her favorite 34D bra..."
“I had undone a third button, enough for him to see me spilling out of Mrs. Whitney’s 34D Chenille bra…”
Seriously? Seriously: Randy Wayne White is seriously smart and seriously entertaining, I seriously love his Batfishing in the Rainforest, and I seriously hate to diss him. That said, the notion that the above quotations represent the way a "smart" and "strong" woman thinks about herself is seriously silly. (And things get little better when other people share. Sample: "I see you as a gawky American colt who’s turning into a swan but doesn’t realize it…sensuous…pure motion.")
Seriously sorry, but this one gets a D.
A 34D, in fact.
December 30, 2012
I love this author, and would have recommended any of his books to friends in the past. In fact, I have recommended them. To date, his primary protagonist was a nature-loving marine biologist with decidedly Special Forces-like skills. This book launches a planned new series centered on Hannah, a minor character in an earlier book with a rich back-story intertwined in the history of the State of Florida. I had high hopes going into this book, since i had always enjoyed his other books. Unfortunately, he shows in this book that his grasp of women and their desires and weaknesses is beyond pathetic. The book rolls along pretty well, even though there are little harbingers of the HUGE way he has gotten women wrong throughout. Initially, I overlooked those, cutting him some slack as he tried to launch a new female heroine for a series. Eventually, though, it became clear that those little oddities were not bumps in the road, to him, they WERE the road. I have yet to meet a single woman whose celibacy has turned her into a controllable love doll by the appearance of any man willing to have sex with her. Perhaps men are more enslaved by their lust and desires than women (to a degree I had never imagined possible) and he is projecting this onto his protagonist. I certainly hope that if he has any women in his life, they have set him straight. Celibacy in women does not cause them to see every remotely phallic shape as a penis nor do they imagine the sex that might follow. And, under no circumstances, I mean NEVER, would they be so mesmerized by a scummy lowlife, talking dirty to them, that they would start undressing at his command.
I may never be able to read this author again after the colossal failure of the second half of this book. What a mess! He owes every person who has read this book a huge apology and a gift of eyewash.
I may never be able to read this author again after the colossal failure of the second half of this book. What a mess! He owes every person who has read this book a huge apology and a gift of eyewash.
January 17, 2014
i'm not sure if this book is that rancid, really, it's just so unbelievably plodding and awkward i cannot imagine giving it the two stars to qualify it as 'okay'.
this guy.. wow, man. good on you, Randy White. you tried to make a female protagnist. now, you clearly only used the acting prior to a lowbudget porno as character reference, but you tried to even that playing field. and that's something, hilarious as the attempt was.
the protagonist started off okay. and when i reflect back on it, i realised this capable creature was actually gender neutral in those scenes. she was just a human, and it didn't even occur to me to care or look for her gender.
but then.. wow, man. she, uh, ..is really fucking vapid and incapable lol. toss around mentions of her feeling a 'sisterly bond' to a woman because they have the same bra size (LOL. WUT. WUT? WHEN WOULD THIS EVER HAPPEN EVER LOL). that's fine. it's a quirk, i can take that.
but then she... suddenly sympathises with the girl who was KIDNAPPED because she finds the girl's vibrator and sex toy stash? LOL WUT. WUT
WUT
WHAT WHAT WUT IS THIS. LOL. WHAT.
and then.. okay.. this girl is ... weird as all fucking hell, but that's okay. i can accept this.
but then 75% of this book, literally as i was keeping tabs on my kindle, is about NOTHING BUT THIS. kidnapped girl taken away as a sex slave? 'THIS IS EROTIC I FEEL MYSELF HEAVING AT THE TABOO'. meets a botanist for information? 'HIS HANDS. I WANT TO FUCK HIS HANDS.' in a good mood one morning? 'THAT'S CAUSE I FUCKED MYSELF LAST NIGHT'
AS HER ELDERLY MOTHER CONSTANTLY TALKS ABOUT HER DAUGHTER'S MASTURBATION HABITS, BY THE WAY.
WHAT LOL
WHAT
WHAT
WHAT IS THIS. A GIRL IS POSSIBLY DYING. DRY YOUR VAGINA OFF YOU FUCKING WEIRDO.
it's just hilariously unbelievable. i mean that in the mind blowing sense. i honestly think the author has never even spoken to a woman before. i HONESTLY, 100% believe, he watched the acting portion of pornos to derive his female lead. i had a hard time picturing her in anything else but a thong running around 'solving crime' while simutaneously concerned about her breasts and the breasts of others.
and that's another thing. 'solving crime'.
nothing
nothing
happens until 75% into the book. she talks to people and 'gleans information' (using no deductive skills, by the way. how is she an investigator again??), but nothing happens until the bad guy corners her.
she fights him, she outwits him, yadda yadda. it's finally ACTION and it flows. i can see the angle the author was trying to make her technically helpless against his raw male power to then EMPOWER her with her inner strength, and it's a valid point, but WHAT IS THIS CHARACTER DOING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? she's not an investigator. she's not a police officer. she doesn't even care that much, except for that she LIKES VIBRATORS JUST LIKE THE CAPTIVE. THAT'S your turning point? she cares so much because the girl reminds her of herself? why did she take this case in the first place?
why did NOTHING happen until the last 25% of this book. why was her concern HER BRA? MANY TIMES? THE WOMAN HAS BEEN WEARING A BRA FOR DECADES AND SHE'S NOT USED TO IT YET? WHAT? WHYYY was there a mentioned but never plot-centric moment of a woman trying to seduce her in a naked swim? WHAT? like it did NOTHING for the plot, nothing for the character.
AND IT WAS MENTIONED IN RETROSPECT. whenever ANYTHING happened, the action would abruptly end and it would skip to the next day when protagonist would then choppily reveal what happened. i found myself wondering if i was missing pages, or had skipped by accident, only to find out that Hannah would then have a flashback in which she just recounted one or two sentences from the endeavor.
WHAT?
WHAT?
that's not how a fucking story works.
my god.
so.. hannah's character is hilarious and odd and not human and unqualified and has dialogue and inner thoughts out of a 'fucking the pizza boy' porno. the plot goes no where, and when something happens, it's predictable with one or two interesting moments. but it's just...
he doesn't know what he's writing? that he's never met a female in his life? he tried to make a female protangist and he failed. he started well until he realised he had to character develop and it all fell apart.
it was just really, really bad.
this guy.. wow, man. good on you, Randy White. you tried to make a female protagnist. now, you clearly only used the acting prior to a lowbudget porno as character reference, but you tried to even that playing field. and that's something, hilarious as the attempt was.
the protagonist started off okay. and when i reflect back on it, i realised this capable creature was actually gender neutral in those scenes. she was just a human, and it didn't even occur to me to care or look for her gender.
but then.. wow, man. she, uh, ..is really fucking vapid and incapable lol. toss around mentions of her feeling a 'sisterly bond' to a woman because they have the same bra size (LOL. WUT. WUT? WHEN WOULD THIS EVER HAPPEN EVER LOL). that's fine. it's a quirk, i can take that.
but then she... suddenly sympathises with the girl who was KIDNAPPED because she finds the girl's vibrator and sex toy stash? LOL WUT. WUT
WUT
WHAT WHAT WUT IS THIS. LOL. WHAT.
and then.. okay.. this girl is ... weird as all fucking hell, but that's okay. i can accept this.
but then 75% of this book, literally as i was keeping tabs on my kindle, is about NOTHING BUT THIS. kidnapped girl taken away as a sex slave? 'THIS IS EROTIC I FEEL MYSELF HEAVING AT THE TABOO'. meets a botanist for information? 'HIS HANDS. I WANT TO FUCK HIS HANDS.' in a good mood one morning? 'THAT'S CAUSE I FUCKED MYSELF LAST NIGHT'
AS HER ELDERLY MOTHER CONSTANTLY TALKS ABOUT HER DAUGHTER'S MASTURBATION HABITS, BY THE WAY.
WHAT LOL
WHAT
WHAT
WHAT IS THIS. A GIRL IS POSSIBLY DYING. DRY YOUR VAGINA OFF YOU FUCKING WEIRDO.
it's just hilariously unbelievable. i mean that in the mind blowing sense. i honestly think the author has never even spoken to a woman before. i HONESTLY, 100% believe, he watched the acting portion of pornos to derive his female lead. i had a hard time picturing her in anything else but a thong running around 'solving crime' while simutaneously concerned about her breasts and the breasts of others.
and that's another thing. 'solving crime'.
nothing
nothing
happens until 75% into the book. she talks to people and 'gleans information' (using no deductive skills, by the way. how is she an investigator again??), but nothing happens until the bad guy corners her.
she fights him, she outwits him, yadda yadda. it's finally ACTION and it flows. i can see the angle the author was trying to make her technically helpless against his raw male power to then EMPOWER her with her inner strength, and it's a valid point, but WHAT IS THIS CHARACTER DOING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? she's not an investigator. she's not a police officer. she doesn't even care that much, except for that she LIKES VIBRATORS JUST LIKE THE CAPTIVE. THAT'S your turning point? she cares so much because the girl reminds her of herself? why did she take this case in the first place?
why did NOTHING happen until the last 25% of this book. why was her concern HER BRA? MANY TIMES? THE WOMAN HAS BEEN WEARING A BRA FOR DECADES AND SHE'S NOT USED TO IT YET? WHAT? WHYYY was there a mentioned but never plot-centric moment of a woman trying to seduce her in a naked swim? WHAT? like it did NOTHING for the plot, nothing for the character.
AND IT WAS MENTIONED IN RETROSPECT. whenever ANYTHING happened, the action would abruptly end and it would skip to the next day when protagonist would then choppily reveal what happened. i found myself wondering if i was missing pages, or had skipped by accident, only to find out that Hannah would then have a flashback in which she just recounted one or two sentences from the endeavor.
WHAT?
WHAT?
that's not how a fucking story works.
my god.
so.. hannah's character is hilarious and odd and not human and unqualified and has dialogue and inner thoughts out of a 'fucking the pizza boy' porno. the plot goes no where, and when something happens, it's predictable with one or two interesting moments. but it's just...
he doesn't know what he's writing? that he's never met a female in his life? he tried to make a female protangist and he failed. he started well until he realised he had to character develop and it all fell apart.
it was just really, really bad.
November 11, 2012
Randy Wayne White has pulled off something that I consider extremely difficult, if not impossible. White has taken a minor character from his Doc Ford series and turned her into the central character in his latest outing, "Gone". That, however, was not the impossible part. What he has managed to accomplish is a female character, the lead nonetheless, and make her come across as authentic.
This is no small task. I read mysteries almost exclusively. They are the quintessential American art form. It is possible to explore practically all of the human condition within the limits of this genre. Because of its versatility, I rarely read anything else.
With that in mind, I have occasionally encountered an author that attempts to write in the voice of a character of the opposite sex. To the best of my recollection, I have never seen a writer pull off this Herculean task successfully. That is, until now.
Hannah Smith, a fourth generation 'Hannah', is a beautifully realized, fully fledged character with a feminine voice capable of carrying an entire novel. She is strong, capable and very importantly, likable. Just as interesting, in her early thirties, she is still coming into her own.
Included in the mix is a cast of well drawn characters and a bad guy that you will love to hate. Doc Ford and his hippie friend Tomlinson, White's meat and potato characters, make cameo appearances.
The icing on the cake is White's ability to masterfully construct a narrative. Unlike many modern authors, there is not one extraneous word to be found. There is no skipping over sentences or paragraphs to get to the next part. This work is beautifully crafted.
It saddens me to see that anyone could give this work less than five stars. True, not all five stars are created equal. In my mind, the two crucial elements for a good story are characters in which you become invested and pacing. With that in mind, White's "Gone" achieves five stars on points alone.
This is no small task. I read mysteries almost exclusively. They are the quintessential American art form. It is possible to explore practically all of the human condition within the limits of this genre. Because of its versatility, I rarely read anything else.
With that in mind, I have occasionally encountered an author that attempts to write in the voice of a character of the opposite sex. To the best of my recollection, I have never seen a writer pull off this Herculean task successfully. That is, until now.
Hannah Smith, a fourth generation 'Hannah', is a beautifully realized, fully fledged character with a feminine voice capable of carrying an entire novel. She is strong, capable and very importantly, likable. Just as interesting, in her early thirties, she is still coming into her own.
Included in the mix is a cast of well drawn characters and a bad guy that you will love to hate. Doc Ford and his hippie friend Tomlinson, White's meat and potato characters, make cameo appearances.
The icing on the cake is White's ability to masterfully construct a narrative. Unlike many modern authors, there is not one extraneous word to be found. There is no skipping over sentences or paragraphs to get to the next part. This work is beautifully crafted.
It saddens me to see that anyone could give this work less than five stars. True, not all five stars are created equal. In my mind, the two crucial elements for a good story are characters in which you become invested and pacing. With that in mind, White's "Gone" achieves five stars on points alone.
August 1, 2015
This is the introduction of Hannah Smith as the private eye of a new series. I liked hanging out in her mind, appreciated her careful attention to details, her blue-collar sensibilities, but I was a bit bored over her ongoing insecurities about her attractiveness as a woman. Also her first case here was disappointing in terms of mystery and detective challenges. She grew up helping her father as a fishing guide and later in his one-man detective agency. One of her wealthy fishing guide customers wants her to track down a missing daughter, judging that her contacts in the Gulf Coast Florida communities will help. Hannah’s investigations lead her to suspect the daughter got involved with a man associated with a private cruise service that takes wealthy people out on a fancy yacht for luxurious entertainment and orgies. A particular suspect she learns is very abusive to women, so the pressure is high to work fast. Mistakes are made and Hannah gets herself in serious trouble. The resolution is pretty anti-climactic and does not tap much cleverness from Smith. I love the consistent plotting and charms of White’s series with Doc Ford and Tomlinson, so I may give this new series another chance.
January 22, 2016
inauthentic female voice, author clearly doesn't know any women. and he really likes 34d cups. overall tone is of a salacious male fantasy.
February 7, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of thriller/mystery/suspense novels with a truly strong woman, not just a "spunky", stubborn, and usually actually fairly silly woman.
Trigger Warnings: (implied) rape, bully, sexual predator
My Thoughts: I’ve been trying to collect the Doc Ford books for awhile, but as luck would have it, this new book in his new Hannah Smith series is the one I’ve had the chance to read first. Now I’m more determined than ever to read the Doc Ford novels (once I actually have them), because this author is a real hoot. He has a comedic gift that started me giggling about 6 pages in and just kept me going. For instance:
Hannah’s voice is wry, self-deprecating without being self-denying or self-hating, and I love the way she views the world around her, as well as her zany family. I really had no idea what to expect, since this is the first book by this author I've read, so this was a really joyous discovery.
The next paragraph is about some of the characters, some of which I cannot discuss without spoilers, so will only be posted in its entirety on sites like Goodreads where I can place them under a spoiler tag. Other sites will have an attenuated version, which I have tried to set up so that it will still make sense, just without the spoilerish bits.
The villain of the piece is a nasty piece of work, and there’s no doubt about that. I think he’s the only character in the entire book that freaks Hannah out, and I had to laugh over how she dealt with that fear. He’s a sexual predator and a bully, a murderer and a rapist, and very dangerous. I had to admit, he scared me too. I loved the memories that Hannah (also known as Hannah Four) has of her aunt Hannah. Doc Ford makes a cameo, although we don’t actually see him, only hear about him through memories and recounting of “out-of-scene” action. In fact, all the characters are really well done, described just enough without overdescribing, and carefully differentiated with their way of speaking and interacting with others, like Nathan, Darren, Mrs. Whitney, Olivia, Lawrence Seasons, and Martha, to name a few.
Hannah is a truly strong woman, strong within and without, and I really enjoyed learning about her, "meeting" her, and reading this really excellent story. All this has made me that much more excited about finding the rest of the Doc Ford books and reading them, because Randy Wayne White is a very good writer. Technically speaking, the book I read is not perfect, because it is an ARC, but I imagine the final copy will have the last of the typos removed. R.W.W. does an excellent job of “showing not telling.” In the scenes where, for example, Hannah is scared, I felt tense too.
If you enjoy reading books with female protagonists, but are becoming irritated with the too-stupid-to-live silliness that is being presented as “spunky” but just comes off as stupidly stubborn, then you really will find this book a breath of fresh air. Highest recommendation from me.
Disclosure: I received an ARC via the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Back Cover Copy: Hannah Smith: a tall, strong, formidable Florida woman, the descendant of generations of strong Florida women. She makes her living as a fishing guide, but her friends, neighbors, and clients also know her as an uncommonly resourceful woman with a strong sense of justice, and they have taken to coming to her with their problems.
Her methods can be unorthodox, though, and those on the receiving end of them often wind up unhappy, sometimes forcibly so. And when a girl goes missing, and Hannah is asked to find her, that is exactly what happens.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of thriller/mystery/suspense novels with a truly strong woman, not just a "spunky", stubborn, and usually actually fairly silly woman.
Trigger Warnings: (implied) rape, bully, sexual predator
My Thoughts: I’ve been trying to collect the Doc Ford books for awhile, but as luck would have it, this new book in his new Hannah Smith series is the one I’ve had the chance to read first. Now I’m more determined than ever to read the Doc Ford novels (once I actually have them), because this author is a real hoot. He has a comedic gift that started me giggling about 6 pages in and just kept me going. For instance:
Speaking of something her mother, Loretta (who is brain damaged due to a stroke, and therefore likely to say and do whatever strikes her fancy), did early on in the book, Hannah says, “Some of the words she wrote were so foul, they had never even passed my lips—not louder than a whisper, anyway—let alone would I use Day-Glo orange to write them in cursive, exclamation points dotted, t’s [sic] neatly crossed, for all the world to see.”
“Hippie food, I guessed, was anything that didn’t produce grease for gravy or a good old-fashioned heart attack.”
Hannah’s voice is wry, self-deprecating without being self-denying or self-hating, and I love the way she views the world around her, as well as her zany family. I really had no idea what to expect, since this is the first book by this author I've read, so this was a really joyous discovery.
The next paragraph is about some of the characters, some of which I cannot discuss without spoilers, so will only be posted in its entirety on sites like Goodreads where I can place them under a spoiler tag. Other sites will have an attenuated version, which I have tried to set up so that it will still make sense, just without the spoilerish bits.
The villain of the piece is a nasty piece of work, and there’s no doubt about that. I think he’s the only character in the entire book that freaks Hannah out, and I had to laugh over how she dealt with that fear. He’s a sexual predator and a bully, a murderer and a rapist, and very dangerous. I had to admit, he scared me too. I loved the memories that Hannah (also known as Hannah Four) has of her aunt Hannah. Doc Ford makes a cameo, although we don’t actually see him, only hear about him through memories and recounting of “out-of-scene” action. In fact, all the characters are really well done, described just enough without overdescribing, and carefully differentiated with their way of speaking and interacting with others, like Nathan, Darren, Mrs. Whitney, Olivia, Lawrence Seasons, and Martha, to name a few.
Hannah is a truly strong woman, strong within and without, and I really enjoyed learning about her, "meeting" her, and reading this really excellent story. All this has made me that much more excited about finding the rest of the Doc Ford books and reading them, because Randy Wayne White is a very good writer. Technically speaking, the book I read is not perfect, because it is an ARC, but I imagine the final copy will have the last of the typos removed. R.W.W. does an excellent job of “showing not telling.” In the scenes where, for example, Hannah is scared, I felt tense too.
If you enjoy reading books with female protagonists, but are becoming irritated with the too-stupid-to-live silliness that is being presented as “spunky” but just comes off as stupidly stubborn, then you really will find this book a breath of fresh air. Highest recommendation from me.
Disclosure: I received an ARC via the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Back Cover Copy: Hannah Smith: a tall, strong, formidable Florida woman, the descendant of generations of strong Florida women. She makes her living as a fishing guide, but her friends, neighbors, and clients also know her as an uncommonly resourceful woman with a strong sense of justice, and they have taken to coming to her with their problems.
Her methods can be unorthodox, though, and those on the receiving end of them often wind up unhappy, sometimes forcibly so. And when a girl goes missing, and Hannah is asked to find her, that is exactly what happens.
May 29, 2018
That's it: 3 stars for me. As in many books, it got much better toward the last 75 pages. I do admire Hannah Smith, her strengths, and how the author can write, as a man, from a female perspective. We do not see (in our imagination) or hear much, unfortunately, about Doc Ford or my hippie-man Tomlinson in this one, though. I do look forward to his other Hannah novels.
September 11, 2012
Well, at least, Randy Wayne White kept the setting the same for his new series, featuring Hannah Smith. Captiva, Sanibel, Pine Island Sound and the rest of the south gulf coast of Florida can certainly support two series. Especially if written by the more than able White.
The key question is can his new lead character – Hannah Smith – do these locales justice?
Well, even with a slew of references to White’s previous central character, Doc Ford, and the ever-faithful Tomlinson, and the fact that an introduction to a new series is always top-heavy with exposition, I’m not in Hannah’s corner, yet. This may be more due to White’s poor history with female characters – all previous efforts were to one extent or another unidimensional and relevant only by their relationship to Ford and/or Tomlinson. The fact that Hannah has the “hots” for an unseen Ford – “so far I’ve had three dates with him,” she says breathlessly about occasions when she and Ford cross paths – is not a good thing.
I’ll be patient and see if White can expand his reach, but for now, I wish he would give us another Doc Ford. Or a believable woman.
The key question is can his new lead character – Hannah Smith – do these locales justice?
Well, even with a slew of references to White’s previous central character, Doc Ford, and the ever-faithful Tomlinson, and the fact that an introduction to a new series is always top-heavy with exposition, I’m not in Hannah’s corner, yet. This may be more due to White’s poor history with female characters – all previous efforts were to one extent or another unidimensional and relevant only by their relationship to Ford and/or Tomlinson. The fact that Hannah has the “hots” for an unseen Ford – “so far I’ve had three dates with him,” she says breathlessly about occasions when she and Ford cross paths – is not a good thing.
I’ll be patient and see if White can expand his reach, but for now, I wish he would give us another Doc Ford. Or a believable woman.
June 9, 2017
When an author gets a very popular series going, they almost always start another. Not a bad thing. Rex Stout tried to start one himself when Nero Wolfe became very popular, Dol Bonner. She was a little mentioned supporting character in the series. Another detective they called when Wolfe felt he needed a woman detective. He also started Tecumseh Fox, but that's another story.
It seems Randy Wayne White is trying a similar strategy. He launched a series with Hannah Smith, a friend of Doc Ford.
Both Dol Bonner and Hannah Smith are a bit of a let down.
In this case, the story itself isn't so bad, but I got so tired of reading about Hannah's poor body image and problems with her mother that I felt like hurling the book across the room.
It seems Randy Wayne White is trying a similar strategy. He launched a series with Hannah Smith, a friend of Doc Ford.
Both Dol Bonner and Hannah Smith are a bit of a let down.
In this case, the story itself isn't so bad, but I got so tired of reading about Hannah's poor body image and problems with her mother that I felt like hurling the book across the room.
April 18, 2025
Nope. l really enjoy the author's Doc Ford series and Hannah Smith is a good supporting character in some of those books, but she only shows up in limited doses.
Hannah is hired by a wealthy former patron of her late uncle, whose steps she followed in becoming a fishing guide. The man's niece is missing and he wants Hannah to find her. lnteresting enough premise, right?
But the presentation is just trashy.
Hannah is hired by a wealthy former patron of her late uncle, whose steps she followed in becoming a fishing guide. The man's niece is missing and he wants Hannah to find her. lnteresting enough premise, right?
But the presentation is just trashy.
July 23, 2020
Having been a huge fan of the author's Doc Ford series for years now, I've been wanting to start this spinoff. And I wasn't disappointed. Although Doc makes an appearance or two, and I'd think he would in subsequent books, fans of the aforementioned series shouldn't get your hopes up. Hannah Smith is a uniquely engaging and interesting heroine far different from Doc Ford. That's a good thing.
Hannah (actually the 4th Hannah Smith in her lineage and sometimes called Hannah Four) comes from a long line of strong and remarkable Smith clan women. One even drove cattle across the state in bygone times. But our Hannah Smith is a self assured but sometimes self doubting young woman who runs her own charter along the southwest Gulf coast. And then one day she's approached by a wealthy man who's niece has gone missing. He asks Hannah for help, because she's done PI work on a small scale before. Hannah agrees and is soon drawn into a dangerous web of murder, illicit sex and human trafficking. This one is a bit of a slow burn but the payoff is well worth the ride.
Highly recommended for fans of Doc Ford and Florida mystery thrillers.
Hannah (actually the 4th Hannah Smith in her lineage and sometimes called Hannah Four) comes from a long line of strong and remarkable Smith clan women. One even drove cattle across the state in bygone times. But our Hannah Smith is a self assured but sometimes self doubting young woman who runs her own charter along the southwest Gulf coast. And then one day she's approached by a wealthy man who's niece has gone missing. He asks Hannah for help, because she's done PI work on a small scale before. Hannah agrees and is soon drawn into a dangerous web of murder, illicit sex and human trafficking. This one is a bit of a slow burn but the payoff is well worth the ride.
Highly recommended for fans of Doc Ford and Florida mystery thrillers.
August 9, 2012
It used to be that female sleuths were ex-police and now private detectives like Kinsey Milhone and VI Warshawski. They were hardened, athletic, loners and very professional. Now any line of work provides female detectives. There are chefs and caterers, knitters, herbal doctors and now a fishing boat captain that takes tourists out. And, oh yes, on the side she solves mysteries.
Randy Wayne White has a series of novels featuring Doc Ford in the western Florida Islands. He now has a female protagnist. The problem with Hannah Smith is that you are painfully aware it's written by a male. First of all, there is a lesbian pick-up scene that just doesn't fit. It's just sort of plopped there without any context. This is clearly a male fantasy. Second, the character is always frightened and whenever she achieves something it seems to be accidental. She fumbles around and loses her gun. It falls out of her pants pocket. Really? Third, the villian is a man who controls women through degrading sex. This was clearly a man's view of what women are like.
There was not much of a plot and virtually no mystery. You know who the bad guy was immediately and there are no red herrings. There was plenty of descriptions of a yacht that held sex parties on it. There was a lot of men degrading women. There was a lot about fishing boats. There was just nothing to really hold your interest. If I hadn't been reading it for Amazon, I would never have finished this drivel.
Randy Wayne White has a series of novels featuring Doc Ford in the western Florida Islands. He now has a female protagnist. The problem with Hannah Smith is that you are painfully aware it's written by a male. First of all, there is a lesbian pick-up scene that just doesn't fit. It's just sort of plopped there without any context. This is clearly a male fantasy. Second, the character is always frightened and whenever she achieves something it seems to be accidental. She fumbles around and loses her gun. It falls out of her pants pocket. Really? Third, the villian is a man who controls women through degrading sex. This was clearly a man's view of what women are like.
There was not much of a plot and virtually no mystery. You know who the bad guy was immediately and there are no red herrings. There was plenty of descriptions of a yacht that held sex parties on it. There was a lot of men degrading women. There was a lot about fishing boats. There was just nothing to really hold your interest. If I hadn't been reading it for Amazon, I would never have finished this drivel.
November 3, 2014
Hannah Smith is a fishing guide in Florida. She inherited the business and a home from her uncle, Doc Ford. He was the father Hannah never had and she was the son, he never had.
Things are difficult, financially, for the fishing guide business. It's the end of the fishing season and Hannah understands that she'll probably have to get some kind of part-time job to pay the bills.
One of her wealthy fishing clients asks if she'd help find his niece, she isn't exactly missing but might be being held under the influence of an unscrupulous man.
Since Hannah had also helped her uncle with some of this investigations, she accepts.
The narrative displays Hannah's growth as a new investigator and cries out in protest because people don't think she can do the job-either because she's a woman or because she's not adequately educated.
There is good dialogue, lots of action and picturesque settings along with a protagonist who has a strong ethical center. I think this will be a good addition to the Doc Ford series, taken to the next generation.
Things are difficult, financially, for the fishing guide business. It's the end of the fishing season and Hannah understands that she'll probably have to get some kind of part-time job to pay the bills.
One of her wealthy fishing clients asks if she'd help find his niece, she isn't exactly missing but might be being held under the influence of an unscrupulous man.
Since Hannah had also helped her uncle with some of this investigations, she accepts.
The narrative displays Hannah's growth as a new investigator and cries out in protest because people don't think she can do the job-either because she's a woman or because she's not adequately educated.
There is good dialogue, lots of action and picturesque settings along with a protagonist who has a strong ethical center. I think this will be a good addition to the Doc Ford series, taken to the next generation.
October 2, 2012
This is the start of a new series by Randy Wayne White, one of my favorite writers. I adore Marion Ford and his hippy side-kick, Tomlinson. Hannah Smith is the fourth woman of that name in her family. Her best friend, Nathan, calls her Four. She is a strong and formidable woman, like the women who came before her. She works as a fishing guide in Florida, but is hired by one of her clients to find his niece who has gone missing. Hannah discovers Olivia has been seduced by a con artist who preys on weak women. Hannah finds her own strength as she searches for Olivia among the banyan trees and mangrove swamps do the Ten Thousand Islands off the coast of Central Florida. Doc Ford and Tomlinson make several cameo appearances along with a cast of eccentric Floridians. A promising start and I look forward to more Hannah adventures. One caveat: White needs to work on his POV. Writing from a woman's view is not his forte.
June 12, 2013
I love Randy Wayne White and Doc Ford. I wanted to love this book. I did not.
I have always thought White's weakness as an author was his female characters. That certainly is proven in Gone. Hannah 4 is filled with adolescent angst and doubts. She constantly worries about her "changing" body image. My God she is 30+ years old. Grow up already! I cannot see her as this tough fishing guide. If she is to be Doc Ford's love interest as appears from his latest book, she needs to mature. Is she smart enough to be Doc's love? It does not appear to be so from this book.
Hannah 4's whole internal struggle and sexual doubts were boring after the first couple of times they were discussed. If this had not been a story by Randy Wayne White I would have given it up half way through. Please if she is to continue either on her own or with Doc, make her smarter, tougher and not a teenager in her mind. Doc deserves better and so do your fans.
I have always thought White's weakness as an author was his female characters. That certainly is proven in Gone. Hannah 4 is filled with adolescent angst and doubts. She constantly worries about her "changing" body image. My God she is 30+ years old. Grow up already! I cannot see her as this tough fishing guide. If she is to be Doc Ford's love interest as appears from his latest book, she needs to mature. Is she smart enough to be Doc's love? It does not appear to be so from this book.
Hannah 4's whole internal struggle and sexual doubts were boring after the first couple of times they were discussed. If this had not been a story by Randy Wayne White I would have given it up half way through. Please if she is to continue either on her own or with Doc, make her smarter, tougher and not a teenager in her mind. Doc deserves better and so do your fans.
September 11, 2018
This book ran across my radar when someone was talking about the narrator for the audio book. Renée Raudman is a favorite of mine so I thought I would check it out. I have to say that overall the book was just ok for me. Had I been reading it versus listening to it I would have dnf'ed the book.
I didn't care for Hannah, thought she was wishy washy. At times she came of asexual, then she would think maybe she liked girls, maybe men, but only older men. I didn't know why this needed to be addressed in the book, it sort of loosely connected to the story, but didn't really matter who, if anyone, she is interested in.
I had a hard time buying Hannah as a PI. Sure she figured things out, but mostly by stumbling her way through.
I didn't care for Hannah, thought she was wishy washy. At times she came of asexual, then she would think maybe she liked girls, maybe men, but only older men. I didn't know why this needed to be addressed in the book, it sort of loosely connected to the story, but didn't really matter who, if anyone, she is interested in.
I had a hard time buying Hannah as a PI. Sure she figured things out, but mostly by stumbling her way through.
April 21, 2022
This is the first in the series, Hannah Smith, (four), her Aunt and 2 others, preceded her w/ the name. Interesting character and I like her and her friends, White has a way of making a character come to life, and yes, you can really dislike the "bad guys". This one starts out a bit slow, but then Hannah, decides to use her license for Private Investigator her Uncle insisted she get and help out a client and friend when he asked and then things really got interesting.
May 18, 2025
Another great book from Randy Wayne White! The first in his series featuring Hannah Smith and there are times where White seems unsure how to handle a female protagonist. But he does a decent job in the end and I’m hoping that the second book will show a little more respect to Hannah. I’m also hoping for some more interesting supporting characters. I’ve got faith that RWW will come through.
May 16, 2017
This is an easy read and part of a series about detectives. No head jarring revelations or twists just good old gum shoe detective work.
An easy read for those lazy summer days that will eventually show up
An easy read for those lazy summer days that will eventually show up
July 25, 2017
Fun book, loved the Tarpon fishing part.
March 27, 2023
I liked this Hannah Smith novel. She’s a great character who loves boating in Florida!
I recommend this nice vacation-read thriller/crime book.
I recommend this nice vacation-read thriller/crime book.
December 3, 2018
Misogynist trash. There isn't a single realistic female character in this book. "90% of all women are bisexual…the other 10% are lesbians"? Has the author met any real women?
November 27, 2016
Hannah Smith is thirty-one years old. A tall, strong, buxom woman with a long family history in her part of the world – The Gulf Coast of Florida. Her mother has had a stroke, so Hannah regularly spends time with her, even though they often don’t get along. They live in a fishing village across the bay from Sanibel Island. She works as a fishing guide to wealthy clients. An expert in her field, she learned from the best, her late uncle Jake. She knows her way around boat engines, and is even more familiar with the waters surrounding her home state. She captains a ‘flats skiff’, a boat that can go at incredible speeds, even in very shallow water.
One of her wealthy clients is very impressed by her performance under pressure and thinks her local knowledge will be useful in finding his niece, who hasn’t been heard from for some time. Olivia Seasons is “Gone“. An incredibly wealthy woman in her own right, her uncle Lawrence fears for her well-being.
Why employ a fishing guide to find a missing person you ask? Well, Hannah’s Uncle Jake also worked for Lawrence Seasons who had set him up with his private investigator’s license. Jake taught Hannah everything he knew… With the promise of a fee higher than she could earn in a whole season of being a fishing guide, AND, the promise of living on Lawrence Season’s Marlow Prowler for a year, Hannah takes the assignment.
With the assistance of her good friend, Nate, she begins investigation into Olivia’s disappearance. It is suspected that Olivia made the acquaintance of a rough, manipulative, male predator, who sometimes goes by the name of Ricky Meeks.
The more that Hannah learns about Olivia, the more she wants to find her. Hannah identifies with Olivia, who is near Hannah’s own age.
Hannah learns that Ricky might be holding Olivia in an area called “The Ten Thousand Islands“, a vast area known for its everglade-like terrain, it is a mangrove wilderness where lies a maze of bays, creeks, and channels in which it is all too easy to lose your way.
The intrepid Hannah follows the trail, putting herself and her boat in dire jeopardy. The suspense of Hannah’s situation keeps the reader avidly turning pages. I found her to be a likable, well-rounded character whose plight I had a vested interest in. She seemed less foolhardy than some other female protagonists I have read, and is someone I wouldn’t mind having around in an emergency.
The setting was well described, with obvious local expertise shown by the author.
In the novel, Hannah befriends a biologist named Doc Ford. Ford is a recurring character in the author’s popular series which now includes twenty-four titles! It is obvious that Hannah and Ford are attracted to one another and the reader is led to believe that they will be an ‘item‘ in future novels. As “Gone” is the first novel in the Hannah Smith series, I am guessing that it will be a ‘cross-over’ series which features Doc Ford in some respect.
An easy, page-turning read, I recommend “Gone“. It is the first novel I’ve ever read by this author and I’m intrigued to learn more about Doc Ford and Hannah.
I purchased this novel due to the fact it was chosen as the group read for the month of November by my in-person bookclub, Whodunit.
One of her wealthy clients is very impressed by her performance under pressure and thinks her local knowledge will be useful in finding his niece, who hasn’t been heard from for some time. Olivia Seasons is “Gone“. An incredibly wealthy woman in her own right, her uncle Lawrence fears for her well-being.
Why employ a fishing guide to find a missing person you ask? Well, Hannah’s Uncle Jake also worked for Lawrence Seasons who had set him up with his private investigator’s license. Jake taught Hannah everything he knew… With the promise of a fee higher than she could earn in a whole season of being a fishing guide, AND, the promise of living on Lawrence Season’s Marlow Prowler for a year, Hannah takes the assignment.
With the assistance of her good friend, Nate, she begins investigation into Olivia’s disappearance. It is suspected that Olivia made the acquaintance of a rough, manipulative, male predator, who sometimes goes by the name of Ricky Meeks.
The more that Hannah learns about Olivia, the more she wants to find her. Hannah identifies with Olivia, who is near Hannah’s own age.
Hannah learns that Ricky might be holding Olivia in an area called “The Ten Thousand Islands“, a vast area known for its everglade-like terrain, it is a mangrove wilderness where lies a maze of bays, creeks, and channels in which it is all too easy to lose your way.
The intrepid Hannah follows the trail, putting herself and her boat in dire jeopardy. The suspense of Hannah’s situation keeps the reader avidly turning pages. I found her to be a likable, well-rounded character whose plight I had a vested interest in. She seemed less foolhardy than some other female protagonists I have read, and is someone I wouldn’t mind having around in an emergency.
The setting was well described, with obvious local expertise shown by the author.
In the novel, Hannah befriends a biologist named Doc Ford. Ford is a recurring character in the author’s popular series which now includes twenty-four titles! It is obvious that Hannah and Ford are attracted to one another and the reader is led to believe that they will be an ‘item‘ in future novels. As “Gone” is the first novel in the Hannah Smith series, I am guessing that it will be a ‘cross-over’ series which features Doc Ford in some respect.
An easy, page-turning read, I recommend “Gone“. It is the first novel I’ve ever read by this author and I’m intrigued to learn more about Doc Ford and Hannah.
I purchased this novel due to the fact it was chosen as the group read for the month of November by my in-person bookclub, Whodunit.
March 29, 2015
Florida fishing guide turned author Randy Wayne White has penned 19 novels about ex-spy turned biologist turned crime-fighter Doc Ford. Now he sets out to create a new character -- a female counterpart to rugged, manly, always capable Doc. Her name is Hannah Smith and she's a Florida fishing guide who resembles Barbara Stanwyck. And White chooses to tell the story in the first person.
White's attempt to write in the voice of a woman is not quite believable. At times he sounds like he's channeling Nancy Drew. At times he sounds exactly like he's channeling one of those '80s body-switching movies or TV episodes: "Oooo, I've got breasts now! And I care about my looks! And I buy shoes!" Why he feels the need to mention Hannah's bra size three times is beyond me.
On the other hand, White is trying to do a balancing act here of depicting a woman who's tough and no-nonsense when she's out on the water but awkward and tentative when she's a fledgling private eye.
Where White is at his best is when Hannah is out on her skiff, zooming across the flats, coping with sudden storms and other factors. The opening chapter, where Hannah is trying to outrun a brewing lightning storm, is well-written and compelling.
As Hannah searches for a missing heiress, there's very little mystery to the mystery, and little to mark the villain as particularly clever or compelling. That said, the way White devises the final showdown is clever and I actually stayed up later than I intended to see how it all played out.
Bottom line: White used this book to get to know his new character and learn her voice, and I look forward to seeing a big improvement in the second one.
White's attempt to write in the voice of a woman is not quite believable. At times he sounds like he's channeling Nancy Drew. At times he sounds exactly like he's channeling one of those '80s body-switching movies or TV episodes: "Oooo, I've got breasts now! And I care about my looks! And I buy shoes!" Why he feels the need to mention Hannah's bra size three times is beyond me.
On the other hand, White is trying to do a balancing act here of depicting a woman who's tough and no-nonsense when she's out on the water but awkward and tentative when she's a fledgling private eye.
Where White is at his best is when Hannah is out on her skiff, zooming across the flats, coping with sudden storms and other factors. The opening chapter, where Hannah is trying to outrun a brewing lightning storm, is well-written and compelling.
As Hannah searches for a missing heiress, there's very little mystery to the mystery, and little to mark the villain as particularly clever or compelling. That said, the way White devises the final showdown is clever and I actually stayed up later than I intended to see how it all played out.
Bottom line: White used this book to get to know his new character and learn her voice, and I look forward to seeing a big improvement in the second one.
April 10, 2013
For once a fiercely independent female protagonist that I can put my money on, in a tight spot. Hannah is a force to be reconnect with for sure. Born and raised in the southern area of the Florida keys she knows all the ins and outs of the hidden waterways for sightseeing, and the best fishing areas, all taught to her by her father. She doesn't wear high heels or name brand duds, but she's single, likely to remain so, good looking and incredible intelligent and resourceful. She has taken over his guide business and is well respected and sought after by the best fishermen in the country as well as the rich and famous who enjoy a thrill.
But one of the rich and famous, needs her help in another matter knowing full well that she assisted her father in his second business, as a private investigator. This man's niece has gone missing, and has spent over $250,000. of her inhieritance, and racked up almost that much in credit card debt. Hannah reluctantly agrees to take on the case. In the meantime her ailing mom has taken to sneaking out at night and desecrating the buildings next door. Because they tore down an Indian burial ground, Hannah's muscle bound pal has a photog boyfriend that wants to take photos of her in a glamour setting, a rich widow has been bilked out of her money by a white trash hood, while the idle rich are planning yacht cruises that cater to their wild sexual proclivities. What connects all these seemingly random and bizarre occurrences, you ask? That's what makes this a wild ride on the mystery train.
But one of the rich and famous, needs her help in another matter knowing full well that she assisted her father in his second business, as a private investigator. This man's niece has gone missing, and has spent over $250,000. of her inhieritance, and racked up almost that much in credit card debt. Hannah reluctantly agrees to take on the case. In the meantime her ailing mom has taken to sneaking out at night and desecrating the buildings next door. Because they tore down an Indian burial ground, Hannah's muscle bound pal has a photog boyfriend that wants to take photos of her in a glamour setting, a rich widow has been bilked out of her money by a white trash hood, while the idle rich are planning yacht cruises that cater to their wild sexual proclivities. What connects all these seemingly random and bizarre occurrences, you ask? That's what makes this a wild ride on the mystery train.
July 28, 2013
I was really looking forward to a new book by Randy Wayne White as I had to stop reading this author's previous series featuring Doc Ford, because the storylines became so farfetched. Little did I know the author would create a new series that is not even as good as the worst book in the last series? I received an early reviewer� s copy of this book and even if the continuity problems are addressed, and they need to be as there are many, this book would never have seen the light of day if it had been written by an unknown author. At times I didn't know if I should root for or laugh at the main character Hannah, who is so hopelessly unbelievable. Clearly the author writes what he knows; the boats and fishing details I can only assume are accurate, as for what women do and how they behave, I think the author needs to get out more. Hannah winds up being cartoonish, stupid, wildly naive, and hopelessly boring, throughout the book. The bad guy is evil in a PG sort of way but you don't really get to know anything about him other than he is a white trash predator. Scary stuff. I can't imagine anyone caring about what happens to this character, in future books, which unfortunately there will probably be at least two.[return] This reader will not be reading anymore books from this author, with the possible exception of nonfiction. I really had hoped this series would be good, but it is not, at least the first book isn't.
September 29, 2012
I can't recommend this one. I was disappointed throughout the book when both the actions and thoughts portrayed from the female point of view of the main character, Hannah Smith, felt clumsy and didn't ring true to me. While listening to an audio book I am a somewhat captive audience and usually finish a book I started; had this been print I would have been tempted to throw it across the room and highly likely to have not bothered to finish.
I expected better from Randy Wayne White, I enjoy the Doc Ford series books. I don't recall that his portrayal of female characters in that series in general struck me this way, but there, the women are more secondary characters and aren't telling their own story in their own voice. I gave it two stars because I finished it and because the setting and locale were as expected, well described and inviting. As for the characters, none of them were inviting.
I expected better from Randy Wayne White, I enjoy the Doc Ford series books. I don't recall that his portrayal of female characters in that series in general struck me this way, but there, the women are more secondary characters and aren't telling their own story in their own voice. I gave it two stars because I finished it and because the setting and locale were as expected, well described and inviting. As for the characters, none of them were inviting.
September 14, 2012
It's been a long while since I've read a Doc Ford book, so I can't adequately compare White's previous novels to this one, but I do recall enjoying the Doc Ford series. Sadly, I'm not impressed with his attempt at a female protagonist.
I never felt that he truly got inside the mind of a woman. He wanted her tough, but sexy and she came off flighty instead. The lesbian tangents were completely unnecessary and is more male fantasy than the true thoughts that occupy a woman's mind. Not sure if White is trying to compete with Fifty Shades, but he doesn't need even the illusion of smut in his books.
There was an erratic feel to the book due to the oft abrupt end in the action of lead characters which would be recapped through flashbacks to clue the reader in to what they had missed. It lead to a very disjointed read with the reader always wondering what they missed and how they missed it (I often was flipping back through the book to try to find what I missed only to discover that Hannah would have a flashback in a couple more pages to fill me in.)
While the ending provided some nail biting drama, it sadly wasn't enough to make the entire book an enjoyable read.
I never felt that he truly got inside the mind of a woman. He wanted her tough, but sexy and she came off flighty instead. The lesbian tangents were completely unnecessary and is more male fantasy than the true thoughts that occupy a woman's mind. Not sure if White is trying to compete with Fifty Shades, but he doesn't need even the illusion of smut in his books.
There was an erratic feel to the book due to the oft abrupt end in the action of lead characters which would be recapped through flashbacks to clue the reader in to what they had missed. It lead to a very disjointed read with the reader always wondering what they missed and how they missed it (I often was flipping back through the book to try to find what I missed only to discover that Hannah would have a flashback in a couple more pages to fill me in.)
While the ending provided some nail biting drama, it sadly wasn't enough to make the entire book an enjoyable read.
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