Barrier Island

by John D. MacDonald

Tucker Loomis is a hard and dangerous man with a ruthlessness all West Bay fears and respects, and an improbable amount of money. Wade Rowley is a common man who aspires to honour but gets caught up in the footwork of a skilled swindler.In a pitiless game, with a few harsh rules and just one way of keeping score, the wrong man will die. And another will get away with more than murder.'Lively, gritty ... complex and convincing' New York Times Book Review

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Noir, Suspense, Novels

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

John D. MacDonald was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and educated at the Universities of Pennsylvania, Syracuse and Harvard, where he took an MBA in 1939. During WW2, he rose to the rank of Colonel, and while serving in the Army and in the Far East, sent a short story to his wife for sale, successfully. He served in the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations. After the war, he decided to try writing for a year, to see if he could make a living. Over 500 short stories and 70 novels resulted, including 21 Travis McGee novels.

Following complications of an earlier heart bypass operation, MacDonald slipped into a coma on December 10 and died at age 70, on December 28, 1986, in St. Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was survived by his wife Dorothy (1911-1989) and a son, Maynard.

In the years since his death MacDonald has been praised by authors as diverse as Stephen King, Spider Robinson, Jimmy Buffett, Kingsley Amis and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.. Thirty-three years after his passing the Travis McGee novels are still in print.

Reviews

[Tracy P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

John D. MacDonald (as always) hit this one out of the park. To date, there is not one book by Mr. MacDonald which I haven't devoured.

Barrier Island is overflowing with intrigue, unscrupulous behavior, scandal, and (of course) lots and lots of $greed$.

Get ready to hang on tight as you coast along the various innovatory twists and turns, of which Mr.MacDonald was the master.

A definite reread.

Enjoy.

[Jerry B · Rating 4 out of 5]

MacDonald makes literature out of real estate swindle !

Despite being a rather well-read mystery/thriller buff, we're new to MacDonald, having somehow missed his Travis McGee character. We picked up "Island" on a whim, not understanding either that it is the author's last work prior to his death nor that it is not a series book, but rather a "slice of life" story about a real estate partner who smells a rat and decides to set a trap for it.

Ostensibly, the tale is about good ol' Mississippi boy Tuck Loomis, who makes money out of real estate developments that border on shady. Loomis' life in general is not an attractive one as he wheedles his way with money to grease the skids for his various schemes, all the while cheating on his wife, now an invalid barely alive (so now he makes it with the nurses...). His latest scheme is to buy up a barrier island, "sell" all kinds of expensive lots (mostly to cronies), and make elaborate plans for million-dollar estates, so that when the government eventually takes over the land as necessary for environmental reasons, he'll make a windfall on the condemnation. He hires Gibbs/Rowley, a reputable local realtor, to "facilitate" the deeds, basically part of the scam to make everything look on the up and up. Bern Gibbs doesn't mind the questionable deal, but his partner Wade Rowley does, leading to not only their split-up, but ere the novel reaches its climax, several men are dead and the US Attorney / FBI start to realize the true story.

At first, this book meandered so bad we thought it might not have any plot. Then as the real estate stuff started to make sense, as we learned more about bad boy Tuck, and came to appreciate what a good guy Rowley was, we got hooked. And when it was all over, we realized this slim book was really a morality tale, with the poignant descriptions of local color and insights into the desires of men and women all bonus materials just thrown in for free! Gee, maybe that's what great writing is all about -- the author quietly talks to us about life, family, and the human condition, while he wraps his lecture around an entertaining story about bad boys seemingly getting rich. For those who have read the 21 McGee stories, they might wonder where this one came from. To us, we wonder how he ever got started on those!!

[Noreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish I had read more MacDonald in college or high school. It would have saved me quite a bit of emotional pain over the years. MacDonald novels are an education in male psychology, relationships and dynamics. Recommended for high school and college girls trying to understand the varieties and complexity of the human male.

Long ago I remember watching a PBS special on educating kids. There was a mother with 2 boys. The older was about 5, the younger was 4. Each boy had an activity sheet to color. The mother gave each boy the same number of crayons. The 4 year old, kept taking his brother's crayons, insisting his older brother had more. The mother had the younger boy on her lap, and was counting out the crayons so he could see they had the same number of crayons. The younger boy kept grabbing his brother's crayons insisting his brother had more, his mother was unfair, and throwing a tantrum. I've observed the same dynamic in adult males at estate division time. One male insists his "share" is 100%.

MacDonald's relationships reveal the same hyper-competitive driving force behind their activities. Bern and Wade are long time business partners. " I hate you, Rowley. Every one of these past three or four years I've hated you more. I don't know when it started or how it started. I hate your bland dumb face, and the lazy way you float around, and I hate your magazine story marriage and your fairy-tale wife and kids. I hate the way everybody that works for us tried to break their ass to keep you happy. I hate the way you turn your back on the realities of the business world. Most of all I guess I hate doing eighty percent of the money and collecting fifty percent of the net."

[Dave]

Barrier Island was MacDonald’s final Novel, published in MacDonald’s final year (1986). It is a bold novel with quite a different feel than his older work and filled with far more dialogue than action for the most part. The setting is the Mississippi gulf coast where the federal government has seized most of the barrier islands for a National Seashore, islands penne to tides and hurricanes, not exactly firm land to build on and not connected to the mainland.

One island by error escaped the government’s reach and one wily entrepreneur has decided to set up plans and architecture and deeds so that it has value before the government gets around to seizing it in condemnation proceedings. The idea is that Tucker Loomis will in effect sell the taxpayers worthless unbuildable swampland for millions of dollars in imputed value and every palm along the way has been properly greased.

The story told through the eyes of various real estate types caught up in the web of corruption shows how their partnerships fracture as a result and how Loomis’ efforts to cover his tracks turn darker and more deadly as the court hearing gets closer.

One man in the swamp seems to yet have some integrity and yet even he can’t believe how close the forces of corruption come to crushing him. Tucker said “money was a funny commodity. It stood for different things with different people. It could buy almost anything. With some men, he had said, it would buy more than it would with others. It was important, he said, that a man find out early just where he ought to plant his personal For Sale sign.”

Macdonald uses the story to wax on about out of area developers out to make a buck with no ties to the local community and no long term ideas on what their developments will do to the environment itself: “There’s a new kind of structure. The developers and local construction firms are the biggest frogs in the pond. But they don’t have any kind of continuity. They plan something, sell hell out of it, build it and move to something else. Local government is probably our biggest growth industry, and the good old boys who get themselves settled into local office don’t have any check reins on them anymore. They can make their own rules, and the big rule is just don’t screw up so bad you can’t get elected again. We’ve got hotshot hustlers who deal in bank paper, tax shelters, penny stocks, commodity straddles, mortgages and things like that. In and out, mostly. Grab and run.”

[Missy J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thanks to my Goodreads friend Noreen, whose review of this book spiked my interest! I can't believe "Barrier Island" is out of print already. The book's themes resonate with today's world more so than it did when it was published in 1986 (the year the author John D. MacDonald passed away).

Essentially, this book is about a real estate/development swindle. Rowley and Gibbs are partners in their own real estate firm, but are slowly diverging into separate ways when Tucker Loomis asks for Gibbs' assistance to purchase and develop Barrier Island. Things start to go bad pretty soon. MacDonald doesn't only speak about business, but also environmentalism, male-female relationships, complexities of marriage, teenage angst, care homes in the Sun Belt, etc. The coastline and weather of southern Mississippi were described beautifully. I loved the ending of the book too.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating, twisting story about a real estate swindle, and fraud, centered around the ruthless man determined to develop a barrier island. He engages in numerous devious schemes to be sure it is done. He cares little for the effect of the development on others, or on the environment. The other main character of the book is the initial reluctant partner, who uncovers the fraud, and what he does to stop it. The plot delves into all the others who are affected by the swindle, and the consequences for each, sometimes with tragic results. It is a well developed, complicated plot, with outstanding character development for all characters, even the real estate swindler. The characters are not all likeable, but they are all memorable! I did not realize, prior to reading the book, that this was John D. MacDonald's last book. It is a fitting end to his esteemed writing career. I enjoyed the book! Well done Mr. MacDonald and RIP.

[J.D. Frailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was John D’s last book, published in 1986, the year he died. I’m in the Florida panhandle near the Gulf, similar country to the Mississippi Gulf coast on which the book is set. It was okay, not great, but still with the insights into the human psyche that revolve around greed, pettiness, temptation, and revenge. Oh, and sex 😉
Rest In Peace, John D, and thanks for the memories.

[Freddie the Know-it-all · Rating 1 out of 5]

More Boat Kookery

Bailed at 8%.

I can only take so much from Boat Kooks.

I live on the Gulf of America and you can just imagine how much of this Floating Chloroform I've had to listen to in real life - every time I leave the house, to be precise.

I'm sure as hell not gonna subject myself to it in the safety of my own home too.

[Erik Tanouye]

Got this at Wonder Book in Gaithersburg in late 2024 or early 2025.

[Chris Sunderland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up this book based upon the recommendation of Lee Child; Child said he read one of MacDonald's book while on vacation and was so impressed with the writing he bought and read all of MacDonald's books upon his return to England. While I had difficulty finding the book, it was very well written, good character and plot development. This was one of MacDonald's stand alone books; I will seek out his detective series.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and all our keys and islands you will love John D - when it comes to ecology he was way ahead of his time. He makes me proud to live in Sarasota !!

[James Thane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1986, this is the last novel from John D. MacDonald who was one of the most prolific writers of the second half of the Twentieth century. MacDonald is probably best remembered for his series featuring Florida "recovery artist" Travis Magee, but he wrote a large number of standalones as well, and those novels have generally held up much better than the Magee series.

This book is set along the gulf coast of Mississippi and reflects the author's concern about the destruction of the environment in that part of the country as well as his outrage against the developers, bankers, and others who are out to line their own pockets with no regard for the ultimate consequences of their actions, either for their fellow citizens or for the earth itself.

These are familiar themes for MacDonald but, as is almost always the case, he bundles them into a terrific story that engages the reader from the beginning and keeps him or her steadily turning the pages.

In this case, an ambitious developer named Tucker Loomis sees a chance to cheat the federal government out of an enormous sum of money. The government is gradually condemning and buying up a number of barrier islands along the Mississippi coast because the islands serve as a critical shield for the coastline and for the communities beyond it. Before the government can get to it, Loomis buys one of those islands, Bernard Island, claiming that he intends to build on the island a very upscale and private enclave that will appeal to very wealthy people.

In spite of the fact that the island is miles from shore, that it is periodically ravaged by hurricanes and other storms, that construction costs would be prohibitive, and that it would be virtually impossible to get the permits required to build such a development, Loomis draws up grand plans, builds scale models, and begins selling lots.

It's perfectly clear that Loomis never intends to build this development; he's simply setting the stage for when the government condemns the island and is forced to buy it from him. He will then claim that the government's action will cause him to lose a potential fortune and that he needs to be reimbursed accordingly. The net result will be to win him a huge profit for a relatively small amount of money invested. And to protect the scheme, he begins bribing selected officials to ensure that the government's decision goes his way.

Loomis is using the real estate firm of Rowley/Gibbs to facilitate the sales. One of the partners, Bern Gibbs, doesn't object to Loomis's shady dealings because the fees are bulking up the income of Rowley/Gibbs. His partner, Wade Rowley, is more of a straight shooter and is becoming increasingly concerned about the possibility that his firm is becoming too entangled with Loomis. Rowley fears Gibbs may be putting the firm in legal jeopardy, and when Rowley begins to investigate the scheme more closely, Loomis will feel compelled to take whatever steps are necessary to protect his grand scheme.

Even though this book was written in the 1980s, it sounds very much like the novels that MacDonald wrote in the 1950s, which is not necessarily a bad thing. But the relationships between men and women, and their respective roles in particular, are much more of the 1950s than the 1980s. The men are the bread winners and the wheeler-dealers. The wives stay at home, and with only one real exception, the women who are employed work as secretaries or nurses or in other such roles, and often serve as sexual diversions for the married men who employ them. It's as though the feminist revolution of the 1960s and '70's never reached the coast of Mississippi.

The book is much more "modern" in its concern for the environment, but this is largely because MacDonald was really in the front wave of the environmental movement and was raising these kinds of concerns even in the 1950s, before a lot of other people had expressed concern. All in all, I enjoyed this book and I'm thankful for the fact that MacDonald left such a great body of work that readers can continue to enjoy nearly forty years after his death.

[Michael Compton · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a good book in here, but MacDonald seems determined sometimes to smother it. It's about a real estate swindle that goes bad, and while I might appreciate the knowledge the author displays of the subject, I don't need pages and pages of it. One character, after a long narrative about her day of wheeling and dealing, actually asks why she is going on about it, and my thought was, yes, why ARE you going on about it? There is so much exposition, and ultimately, most of it is of no consequence to the plot. Eventually, the story does pick up, and the second half is a fairly entertaining read. I was prepared for a ripping climax, but he muffs that by switching to a grand jury transcript that mostly just rehashes everything we already know. The ending is subtle, and actually kind of nice, but it doesn't feel earned. MacDonald was a hugely popular writer in his day, but I've read three of his books now (including two Travis McGees), and so far, none of them have really done it for me. This one has some good scenes, and the characters are well done, but the story gets derailed by the author's poor choices.

[blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first MacDonald, and I started out pretty impressed with the careful poetic writing and the strong characterizations. And the characters are good throughout. The plotting is fine. I think the second or third chapter is all dialogue (like to the point where it's hard to know who's saying what, and it doesn't seem super important, since it's basically exposition).

It's about a real estate scam in Mississippi. But it's basically just a soap despite being described on the cover as a "murder novel" or something lurid like that. There is one murder but it's over in a page and isn't really resolved (for the characters). I guess the real estate angle makes it more broadly interesting than (say) a romance novel might be.

It's just super low-key. I didn't really get the point of it. But, as I said, well-written (when it's written), good characters and well-plotted. (Everything hangs together, as I think MacDonald said himself once in a foreword to a Dean Koontz book.) It feels a bit like a pitch for a made-for-TV movie.

[Andrew Langert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the last novels written by John D. MacDonald. This was published in 1986,the year he died. MacDonald was one of my favorite authors in th 1970s and 1980s. Most of the books I read by him faetured his Travis McGee character. Barrier Island is not a Travis McGee novel.
This is a story about a land swindle involving undeveloped land on a Gulf Coast island. The swindler uses fraudulent paperwork and bribery to inflate the value of this island, which the purchaser has bought cheap. The idea is to get the government to condemn the property, but paying the swindler handsomely for an artificially high value. The swindler is discovered by a simple, honest businessman whose firm was aiding the swindler through the other partner in his firm.
This was not as good as I remember this author’s other works to be. The plot meandered and there really was not that much action. And the book kind of ended with a thud also.

[Jwt Jan50 · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading 'The Gulf' this year, I learned that McDonald was an avid environmentalist. Not just talk, but actual doing. And, that he had written at least three stand alone novels that dealt with the environment around the Gulf. This is the third of those which I have read this year.

I had tried the Travis McGee series back in the 70's and had not pursued them. Consequently, I had been quite 'dismissive' of McDonald as shallow and offensive in his depiction of women. These three re environmental/real estate chicanery have way more depth. In these, he feels like the 'true' heir of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler.

If you're considering reading Davis' 'The Gulf' - when he gets to the barrier islands off the Mississippi delta - consider pausing and reading McDonald. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was published after the author's death. The story deals with environmental damage caused by ruthless businessmen as well as the frailty of men and their inability to resist greed. In the end, all is well with the barrier island in question and the quiet hero is able to settle down with his loving family and enjoy the perks of being an honorable man. This all sounds very pompous...and it really is. But MacDonald is able to present this tired scenario in an exciting plot.

I still miss MacDonald's Travis McGee books!

[john lambert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to read what is sometimes called a 'beach read,' meaning a straight forward book that has a good flow. Nothing fancy. And this was it!

It's a simple story of bad-ass developer versus an honest real estate man. The writing is good, solid dialogue, good descriptions of people's motives.

I give the book only 3 stars because it's a 'beach read.' I will read more of MacDonald's books. This one was good. It's nice to read a book that you don't have to pay much attention to!

No highlights...

[The_Old_Brick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting with 5 stars...

-1 star Too many named characters! Readers must employ these techniques to get through the book:

* Only remember the most important characters
* To refresh your memory, repeatedly use the "search" feature to find where a character was first described
* Read for the general plot, not trying to piece together every detail

MacDonald should remind readers about less-important characters who are referenced later in the book.

+1 star Finally a book that doesn't include 150 pages of unnecessary filler

[Tim Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barrier Island, John D. MacDonald’s final novel, was not great but was a good solid read. In addition to telling a tale of an unscrupulous land developer and the real estate agent who thwarts him, MacDonald returns to his themes of environmentalism, greed and the dark underbelly of humanity, and the need to strive for a moral code in a fallen world.
I still have many MacDonald books to read and look forward to many happy hours of enjoyment.
I highly recommend all of John D. MacDonald’s books.

[David Rosner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of his best

MacDonald wrote a lot of books - and this Barrier Island is one of his lesser efforts. John D always made comments about how Florida had gone to hell, was overpopulated, too much plastic. This book wasted a lot of space on those themes, and the characters were not well developed.

[Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first try at MacDonald and I thought it best to avoid the Travis McGee series until I had a feel for his work. The story is simple, but well-told, the dialogue is realistic and of course, it's not hard to paint real estate developers as evil characters. He's definitely less heavy-handed than guys like Hiassen. This novel was written in the 1980s, so the moralizing is manageable.

[Mike Vines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a Travis McGee but a fine standalone. Tucker Loomis has created a lucrative real estate scam, has all the players in his pocket, except one. Wade Rowley could be a problem. Excellent plotting, characters, and settings. Unexpected twists add to your pleasure. Enjoy! Remember to shop your local. independent bookstores. They need your support.

[Barry Fulton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not his best. Good writing, but indifferent story and disappointing ending. Corruption among developers, politicians, bankers, etc. Doesn’t compare to one of his masterpieces with similar theme: Condominium.

[Randall Coan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Of The Greats

I love John D. McDonald's work. He is truly one of the great crime writers and writers in general. While Barrier Island is not his best work, and not really a crime novel, it is still a tremendously good novel and I highly recommend it. A wonderful read.

[RA Podboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine MacDonald

Excellent character development, a plot that pulls you in, beautiful descriptions of human emotions and feelings. Dialogues in the voice of the South. Everything MacDonald does so well.

[Mizloo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated in some ways, but the underpinnings and details of scams, as well as the description of how natural wonders are despoiled by greed and weakness, remain contemporary.

[Dane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am struggling to remember if I actually read this. I believe I did, after reading "Condominium." I'll either have to reread it, or check out a bunch of reviews.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite JDM book but interestingly the last one written if I am not mistaken. You can not uncover a JDM gem without reading his books. The "mediocre" books are still typically with a read.

[John Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story from John D. MacDonald. Well written as always. Nothing very exciting...as usual.