Dead Silence

Doc Ford #16

by Randy Wayne White

So terrifying it'll leave readers breathless...

When a Minnesota teen is kidnapped, Doc Ford is given an unthinkable ultimatum, and only 36 hours to act on it. But there's something unusual about the boy that his captors don't even know, twisting this deadly game out of control in ways no one can imagine.

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

490 pages, Paperback

First published March 10, 2009

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

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sanibel Island is largely missing in White’s 16th offering in his Doc Ford series. Sigh! On the other hand, he has packed this thriller with lots of action in a fairly complicated plot. It involves 2 Cuban psychopaths intent on retrieving boxes held by the U.S. Government that were the property of the now deceased Fidel Castro. They had intended to kidnap a U.S. Senator to force the Americans to return them to Cuba. Instead, they ended up with a 14-year-old Native American from Oklahoma. [Will Chaser ends up being the star of this story!] There are subplots involving characters that are unnecessary to the overall action, and readers need to pay close attention to the plot’s tangled twists-and-turns. Enjoy!

[Mike French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable and entertaining book in the Doc Ford series! If you are a fan of the Travis McGhee by John D. MacDonal series and haven't read this Randy Wayne White series, do yourself a favor and start ASAP.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book #16 in Randy Wayne White's Doc Ford series. Doc is one of my favorite fictional characters. I happened to pick up this copy at "Doc Ford's Rum Bar and Grill" on Sanibel Island, which is the setting of most of the stories. We've been vacationing here for about 12 years and have read all of the Doc Ford books up until the last 4. Some are better than others, but all are fun. In this story, a Minnesota teen is kidnapped as Doc Ford watches. This story involves some of the details of Doc's past and takes a lot of twists and turns. There are some very creepy characters involved in this crime. Good tale!

[Jay Fusco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is one of the best of the Doc Ford books I have read. Quirky characters, intriguing plot and a really captivating story.

[Vic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another top notch offering from Randy Wayne White. Personally, I think Doc Ford is one of the all time great fictional characters of modern time. Over the course of this series we have learned a lot about Doc and his friend Tomlinson. We have watched them mature and age while Mr. White takes us deeper and deeper into their personal histories. Some characters appear briefly and others seem to appear briefly in multiple stories. The continuity of the supporting cast, as well as the marina at Dinkins Bay are both familiar and reassuring whether or not they figure prominently in the story. In this case, they did not. The story centered predominantly in the Hamptons of New York.

I could give you details about this episode, but why bother. Read it for yourself. You would be perfectly happy with the story even if you've never heard of Doc Ford. But the real fun comes with watching Mr. White reveal bits of information, create situations and relationships that seem as real as any non-fiction relationship you might be familiar with. The stories are always informative, often filled with a down home wisdom and practicality that leave me grinning and nodding my head. Start with Sanibel Flats, his first in the series, and see if I'm right.

Oh and one final admission. Doc is tough and he's a trained killer. Moral and or ethical considerations aside, he acts out some of my own fantasies. I find great satisfaction in Doc's ability to kick the crap out of (or worse) a bully, a rapist, a sadist or some other type of low life. Doc is willing and able to cross the line we all mostly back away from and it feels good. Does that make me more or less human?

[wally · Rating 4 out of 5]

3:44 pee em, the 19th of december 2017, tuesday...afternoon...cue the sound-track. just finished. second from white randy wayne, second doc ford story. good read. i really liked it. four stars, kindle, library loaner. some of the same kind of set-up john d macdonald gave readers with travis mcgee...some other things not as copacetic...frontier justice if you will. happens here...as it does in some others currently writing...jack reacher stories come to mind...others? yes...can't say off-hand who.

anyway, good story. and he has a pile more so there'll be something to read for a time. onward, ever onward.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A man can't fight that kind of power. Since Annie died, I've visited family in California...Texas too. Rich people everywhere, but it's spread out. Not like here, the Hamptons. I saw an iceberg once, fishing in Nova Scotia. It comes into my head when I try to tell people. Peaks lit up like fire at sunrise, but the ocean was dark under the surface, a whole mountain of ice down there, and cold. It's that kind of power they got. Even when they use it, you don't see it."

Dead Silence is my first time reading a book by Randy Wayne White...and by extension, my first time meeting Doc Ford. Based on the reviews, most people say this is a series worth getting into, and that Doc Ford is a character worth getting to know. Ford lives on Sanibel island on the West coast of Florida (it's a real place, look it up). He's a sort of marine scientist, but also does secret work for a branch of the government. In this offering, he's a bystander during the attempted kidnapping of a US senator, and then joins the taskforce of people searching for a teenage boy who was kidnapped instead (due to unfortunately being inside the limo after winning an essay contest with the attached prize of touring the Capitol).

The aforementioned teenager is Will Chaser. He's at least half Native American, and has grown up in a mixture of reservation housing and foster care. He has a giant chip on his shoulder, and is more than willing to make life difficult for his kidnappers. White does a fantastic job of developing his character, and getting readers to relate to him. Unfortunately, he's up against Cubans who have made a career out of torturing prisoners...first in Vietnam, and then elsewhere. This part too is based on real events, which makes the book all the more terrifying. The Cubans take Will to a horse farm in the Hamptons. The US has taken property that belonged to Castro, and they are demanding to have the property returned. As incentive for quick compliance, they are preparing to bury Will alive.

The kidnappers weren't counting on a man like Doc being part of the investigation team though. He is anything but conventional. He has a clear moral compass, but his tactics border on actions we would expect from the protagonist of a hard-boiled or noir mystery. He's desperately trying to find Will before the deadline, and the sense of urgency is almost palpable. Along the way we are given glimpses into the world of the ultra-rich. People who are rich enough to own 3-5 homes in private enclaves worth 10+ million each, complete with devoted caretaker staff. People with private jets and 65 ft. luxury yachts. People with ties to secret societies like Skull and Bones, and the power to "fix" problems that might crop up. For one of the ultra-rich, fixing a problem might include being the brains behind the kidnapping plot. Doc is determined to find out.

Bottom line: White knows how to write a suspense novel, and he does it well. The fast-paced plot kept me turning the pages (and staying up late), the dialogue was crisp, and the characters were both believable and interesting. My only gripe was that the ending tied up a little too nicely/conveniently, and (in my opinion) kept the book from 4.5/5 star territory. It's still a heck of a read though. Given 4 stars or a rating of Excellent. Definitely recommended!

[Werdna Snave · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Another solid Doc Ford adventure from RWW.

[Koby Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be clear, this is book #16 of a long running series... and I have read all 15 up to this one. This is a fictional series set in a place in Florida that is real... the main character of the book lives in Sanibel, FL. He is a marine scientist, or at least that is his cover, as he is a black ops operative for the government. I had many friends that lived (and bartended) in that area in Florida, and it is an open secret that area is where many in the intelligence community live and go to retire. This makes the premise of the books even more intriguing. The whole series is full of what I like to call "Old Florida culture" and gems of wisdom... basically character observances of the values and unique characteristics of Florida known typically by those who have lived there for generations (including my family). This book in particular was exceptional for an action packed book. It was non-stop and believable action. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and as in reality and many of these books - not everyone survives. You can read this one alone or as part of the series, although if you read it alone you may not appreciate the connection to one of the main characters family with a particular Native American that passed on many books ago in the series. If you want the full entertainment with all the Old Florida Gems, start with the first of the series... Sanibel Flats by Randy Wayne White.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another addition to the Dr. Ford series-Professor and Special government agent. While on vacation in NYC, his quick wits thwart a kidnap attempt on a US Senator as she is escorting a Native American boy, a contest winner in her home state. Unluckily for him, he is taken in her place.

As the story goes through its mazes of clues and villains, Dr. Ford unearths plots by criminals and and assassins with links to Cuba. It is a race against time to meet the demands of the kidnappers and save the boy who has been buried alive.

This is a suspenseful page turner well worth the time.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit different for a Doc Ford novel. Doc and Tomlinson are in New York when a Senator with whom Doc was going to have dinner was almost kidnapped and a teen aged boy who won an essay contest was taken in her place. The perpetrators, Cuban torturers left over from the Castro regime, bury the boy alive. But he is not what he seems and things progress from there. Doc spends the novel attempting to rescue the boy and eliminate the Cubans. There is lots of action and even more suspense. It even gives some background for Tomlinson. This will catch and hold your interest.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good entry in the Doc Ford series.

When some of Fidel Castro's personal papers are found, some don't want them exposed to the public. A team of communist torturers especially don't want them exposed, so they try to kidnap a female US Senator, who just happens to be friendly with Doc. They miss the senator, and instead nab a 14 year old kid.

From there, we get a lot of conspiracy stuff about the Skull and Bones fraternity, delve into Tomlinson's history, and eventually get to the bottom of things.

Pretty good.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was turned on to South Florida mysteries years ago by John D. MacDonald...Randy Wayne White continues this traditional genre...a lot of elements of MacDonald emerge in the Doc Ford series like Tomlinson as a Meyer-like aid-de-camp etc...this one is continuation of Ford and his past work for the US government and spying in Cuba...a possible introduction of characters on par with his late Joseph Egret and the eccentric Tucker Gatrell...I'm wondering where he will go with them?

[Krissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter in New York City: Amid sleet and snow, Doc Ford is at the Explorers Club with his new friend, former (and maybe current) British agent Sir James Montbard, researching a jungle expedition and awaiting the arrival of an attractive U.S. senator.
Could NOT put this one down; finished in one sitting!

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent installment in the series. It frequently references previous books, so I can’t recommend it as a stand-alone. But if you’re a devotee of the series and simply haven’t started this one, you have good things to look forward to.

The Cubans wanted to kidnap the U.S. senator. She was in the company of a young man who had won an essay contest. Its prize meant a trip to D.C. among other things. For 14-year-old Will Chaser, a few days away from his foster home in Minnesota seemed like the right thing to do.

Doc Ford was on hand to help thwart the kidnapping of the politician, but he inadvertently allowed the Cubans to take the feisty native American kid. The Cubans want personal papers that once belonged to the late Fidel Castro and had found themselves in the senator’s possession sealed by a court. The Cubans’ ultimatum: Either hand out the papers or we bury the kid alive with limited air.

Reading about Will’s incarceration in that box buried in the Florida sand horrified me. Some of Will’s other adventures attempting to defeat the Cubans make this a great read.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doc meets a new character, very colorful of course, a young Native American boy named Will, who is kidnapped in a bungled attempt to kidnap a lady Senator, and of course, Ford feels the need to rescue.

[Michael Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual lots of action, intrigue and violence. As usual some humor is sprinkled throughout the book. I’d give it 5 stars except there were about 50 pages in the middle that were a bit monotonous.

[Ray Almeida · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was ok. I was very skeptical in the beginning of the book. A lot of concepts and descriptions went right over my head. The whole idea of Castro's belongings being in one place or another seemed really down to earth with basic reasoning, but as a reader I didn't care about their whereabouts at all. I'm not sure why. I also felt like a lot of descriptions were unnecessary or pointless. It'd be like the author would be describing an interesting event and then point my attention to a random pavilion with a trashcan (example)nearby before continuing on with the event. I also struggled with the identity of Dr. Ford. He seemed to be everything at once. A biologist, an assassin, a spy,etc. I would just assume he was just a crafty guy from a secret group most of the time until some random person with little purpose in the story reminded me that oh yeah, he's a marine biologist.

The other people in the story seemed like faceless shadows with very basic supporting roles. I could never come up with a decent idea of what any of the law enforcement officials even looked like. There was even a point where some female cop at the end of the book was mentioned to be wearing a skirt and I was like"what? when did this happen? I thought cops wear different attire?" There's a cop running around at night with a skirt and gun by her side to investigate a dangerous area? There was also a point where I couldn't even identify the genders of the cops because they all have these generic last names that don't really hint at anything. I REALLY had to pay attention just to keep track of generic cop A ,talking to generic cop B, mentioning generic cop C. And then other small characters I wondered why they were even in the story or even named. I'm still wondering what significance Hooker even had with the book. He was just there once or twice drinking with Ford. Ok? He's in a secret society. So? It went nowhere unless I missed something.

The bad guys were generic in the sense of being the smart,demented tormentor, and the idiot with retard strength. Funny enough, the dummy with the retard strength actually seemed way more interesting that many of the characters in this book. Will Chaser, the hostage, is ok. It was nice seeing him develop and resist his kidnappers(although cheesy at times).

Barbara Sorrento wasn't remarkable. Just a bossy political figure who wants information on the case and is willing to make connections in the process. Keeps Ford as a nearby friend, that eventually turns into a friend with benefits...I didn't care for her. Seemed manipulative to the extreme of even to the point of using her body as a bargaining chip to solidify their partnership.

The part I liked was all the parts with Ford snooping around and gathering information. He was the only one who seemed to be doing something. Even some of the info seemed aimless, it was either humoring or used to emphasize other facts that added up. That's probably what allowed to me to finish the book.

Lastly, most of the book's pacing seemed decent until the very end. Honestly, the end of the book seemed VERY rushed. It was stupid. You get closer and closer to the finale and are given more and more details and then it's done. Nothing really climactic, no showdown, no meaningful casualties. Not even interesting closure on the guy with retard strength who was actually still alive and swimming around in the water nearby! It was as if they didn't care enough to finish the ending events. Once the tormentor guy was killed(which the way he died seemed quick and ridiculous), I was thinking"watch out, Hump is still in the water! He's probably going to take someone out before he's killed!" But no, the scene just kind of ends with Will Chaser SOMEHOW alive with a bow and arrow. I mean come on, that was the pinnacle of stupidity. The book describes him dying etc, and then in the next chapter or so, he's alive, above ground after being buried for quite some time, sets fire to a random building, dressed like indian rambo equipped with a freakin bow, and has enough strength and accuracy to shoot an arrow directly into a man's throat. This kid belongs in Marvel comic books, geez! Then during the last pages they try to explain the miracle of how the kid was able to get out of the box he was buried in despite the fact he was totally resigned to his fate of drowning, with his lungs filled with water,etc. The ending was terrible, honestly.I was in disbelief.

All in all, it's a decent book with the middle of the book packed with spying and deception,etc. The beginning might be a lil slow or confusing, but it picks up after awhile. The ending is complete trash. He had to meet his deadline it seemed lol.

[Mathew Carruthers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, but damn...an author this successful should have a top-notch editorial and proof-reading team on staff. There were grammar and typographical errors that I wouldn't tolerate from a high school English paper, much less a best-selling author. I am seeing this more and more in contemporary fiction and it truly disturbs me. I'm just glad I borrowed this book from the library, rather than shelling out my hard-earned coin on a 1st edtion hardback.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the book right before the last one i read (in order). I THINK THIS IS BOOK 14 or 15 AND deep shallow is 15 or 16. i read it out of order. i went online this week and ordered books 1, 2 and 3 in this series. i love the characters and the mystery of the books. . i think there is 18 books in this series. i'm looking forward to seeing how the characters came to be. easy reads. good twist, fast moving, hardly any foul manage and they stay clean.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed another Doc Ford story. This was number sixteen in the series. Doc Ford a marine biologist from Dinkin's Bay, Florida is in New York at the Explorers Club where he is witness to an attempted kidnapping of a woman. Thanks to Ford they didn't get the woman but they did get a teenage boy. By now readers know that Doc is more than a quite marine biologist. Ford leads a double life. It is anything but quite...

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like the Doc Ford character, but after the first scene this story is a complete waste of time. 1 of 10 stars

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 5 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “YOU WILL BE HOOKED IN THE FIRST TEN MINUTES!”
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Doc Ford, biologist and secret operative for the United States Government on an “as-needed-basis”… had a dinner date at the New York Explorer’s Club to meet Senator Barbara Hayes-Sorrento. While he awaited the Senator’s arrival he shared a drink with his friend and British spy Sir James “Hooker” Montbard. On the way to the meeting with Doc… the Senator… as a favor to a colleague… agreed to pick up a fourteen-year-old boy from the airport who won a Minnesota essay contest which entailed a trip to New York. When the Senator’s limo pulls up in front of the Explorer’s Club… all hell breaks loose. There is a professionally executed kidnapping attempt… that is partially thwarted by Doc and Hooker… and by partially… I mean… the original target of the kidnapping was the Senator… but after Doc’s intervention… the Senator was saved… but the fourteen-year-old boy was snatched instead.

The boy… Will Chaser… is definitely not your average fourteen-year-old. Though he currently resided in Minnesota… he is a Native American Indian… originally from Oklahoma… who has been through as many foster families… as Larry King has been through wives. He was a champion rodeo star “who qualified for senior competitions before he was thirteen. At a regular school, the equivalent would be a seventh grader playing varsity football starting at quarterback.” He had an anger problem… when he would start seeing colors… and then go berserk. Will didn’t actually “legally” win the national essay contest… he blackmailed his ninth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Thinglestadt into writing it… being that Will sold her “weed” and had sex with her… it was hard to for Mrs. Thinglestadt to refuse his request.

Will is held by two former Cuban-Soviet torturer-interrogator’s… one known as “Hump”… because he had a genetic deformity… that looked like a horn growing out of the side of his head… and the other known as…”Farfel”… because of the way his dentures clicked when he talked… just like the “Nestlé’s Quick TV puppet that clicked his wooden teeth shut at the end of every sentence.” As Will tangled with Hump and Farfel during his captivity… he called them “Buffalo Head” and “Metal Eyes”. Hump and Farfel had tortured and performed demented experiments on POW’s in Viet Nam, Panama, and in the Middle East. They threatened the Senator and the United States with putting Will in a coffin and burying him in the ground with a limited amount of oxygen in exchange for a large cache of secret documents… and fortunes… that were stolen from Fidel Castro’s secret home. Every government… and every individual… including Doc… are worried about what will happen… if the “CASTRO-FILES”… get in the wrong hands.

The action is non-stop… and the writing is brilliant. The author is everything that Grisham and Patterson are no longer. Randy Wayne White… is perhaps at his pinnacle… when he deftly describes individuals interactions. His literary descriptions of body language… tone… and attitude… is viscerally acute. The more characters that are involved in a scene… seems to elevate the author to even greater heights. An early scene involving Doc, the Senator… Hooker… the FBI… the NYPD… and countless aides… is writing at its finest. Add in supporting characters such as Tomlinson… a “paranormal observer”… with a drinking and drug problem… with ties to the ultra-rich in the Hampton’s… who routinely makes comments such as: “I’M PRONE TO EXAGGERATE WHEN I’M SOBER”… and “I SAID, MOTHER, I CHOSE LSD, NOT IBM. THINK OF IT AS A BUSINESS TRIP.”… and you’ve got one of the best action-mystery-thrillers… I’ve read in quite awhile. I recommend this book highly.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Ford isn't your normal marine biologist. In a moments notice he can be called away to foreign countries or international situations on US soil. This time it's a foiled kidnapping of a US citizen in one of the coldest New York winters. However, a 14-year old high schooler was with the senator and was kidnapped instead and then buried alive while the ransom, important Fidel Castro papers, are delivered. What the kidnappers aren't aware of, at least on the onset, is that this young man has an incredible troubled past and can hold his own. Think of "The Ransom of Red Chief" on steroids! Typical to Dr. Ford, there's much dry humor, and his side-kick, the loyal, incredibly smart stoner is a riot. Dr. Ford is definitely resourceful. Reminds me of Harrison Ford in the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie franchise.

[DemetraP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even 16 books into this series, I'm eager to read every book. I love the action and the suspenseful moments and the quiet moments on Doc Ford's boat. I love how so many unpredictable things happen in every book.

I was fascinated by how Doc Ford got out of the freezing pond before he got hypothermia. Little details like this really make the story so interesting and "can't put it down"

I liked the character of Will Chaser a lot. He was tough and made lots of mistakes and loved horses.

I hope the skull of Geronimo (or is it?) is solved in the next book.

I've been binge reading each book since I discovered this series. It's so awesome when you have 20+ books out in a long running series and you can read all of them one right after the next book.

[Jeff Tonkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a number of this series and I found this one very well written. There's something about the delivery and style that I found more deliberate and enjoyable to read. For one thing the main antagonist isn't perpetrating grizzly and disgusting crimes every other page (at least not until the end of the book). Except for a few points the plot is believable. But it's more the way the story unfolds where we find Doc Ford in a situation and then back play to how he got there.

There is an exchange between Tomlinson and Doc Ford that made me laugh more than in any other book.

My only gripe is the narrator, George Guidall, who has very limited range, sounds bored, and ruins the voice of Tomlinson.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another exciting installment in the Doc Ford series as Doc races to find a kidnapped teenager, taken in place of a U S Senator. These kidnappers, however, do not want money as ransom, but secret documents from Cuba instead. In the process, more of Tomlinson's boyhood history is revealed, along with a cold case from long ago. The book is well written, with many plot twists that kept me guessing until the end. Tomlinson are 2 of my all time favorite characters, and they do not disappoint in this book. And there were new characters added in this book, that hopefully, will appear again! Thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Peggy Gustafson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best ever prose. It's impressive how interestingly descriptive Randy Wayne White's writing is. If I'd highlighted every sentence, thought, and tales that I enjoyed, the pages would all be yellow.
This is my second book of his but I won't be reading any more because I do not like the violence, murder, and near death torture.
(I wonder if he's written a romantic - small suspense novel that's not as heavy and horrible. )
I'll end with one of Tomlinson's great quotes in this book: For people who choose to attack their potential, to live fully, not simply exist, life, is a target-rich environment.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dead Silence" is the 16th novel in Randy Wayne White's Doc Ford series, published in 2009. The story centers on Marion "Doc" Ford, a marine biologist and semi-retired covert operative living on Sanibel Island, Florida. In this high-stakes thriller, the plot kicks off with an attempted kidnapping of a U.S. senator that Doc witnesses. During the chaos, he manages to thwart the attackers, injuring one, but the senator disappears
-presumed dead-until her kidnappers issue an ultimatum. However, the plan goes awry when the assailants accidentally abduct a teenage boy named Will Chaser instead.
Doc, being a witness to the kidnapping, starts his pursuit of the kidnappers.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a young boy is kidnapped instead of a senator friend, Ford is asked to find and rescue him. The timing is just right to keep him inaccessible during a suspicious drowning investigation.

This kid is smart. His foster mother was right in her prayers. But it’s interesting how no matter where or with whom the crime is the clues and the bad guys always end up connected to Ford in some way. He gotten around a lot.

Fave scenes: the tombstone windchill factor, the man on the beach, passing the green navigation marker and the definition of friends.