Everglades

Doc Ford #10

by Randy Wayne White, Dick Hill (Read by)

Doc Ford returns to his stilt house on Dinkin Bay to find an old friend and one-time lover waiting for him. Her real-estate developer husband has disappeared and been pronounced dead, and she's sure there is worse to follow - and she's right. Following the trail, Ford ends up deep in the Everglades, at the gates of a community presided over by a man named Bhagwan Shiva (formerly Jerry Singh). Shiva is big business, but that business has been a little shaky lately, and so he's come up with a scheme to enhance both his cash and his power. Of course, there's the possibility that some people could get hurt and the Everglades itself damaged, but Shiva smells a killing. And if that should turn out to be literally, as well as figuratively, true...well, that's just too damned bad.

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

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 2003

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

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another solid and electrifying Doc Ford novel, in which our intrepid marine biologist and former assassin (although, as we have learned, not so much former) is pulled into a plot by a New Age guru, Shiva, bent on turning a huge tract of the Everglades into a casino resort. A friend and former lover, Sally Carmel, as reached out to Doc for help, since her wealthy husband's disappearance, supposed death, and she feels like her life is now in danger. Doc agrees to help her find answers, along with his hippie sidekick, Tomlinson, and things soon, as they usually do, go south. Shiva's sociopathic right-hand man, Izzy, has other plans, and if Doc and Tomlinson aren't careful, Sally's worst fears will be realized. As usual, Randy Wayne White blends suspense and Florida noir in a way no one else can, and even gives us a bit of a Florida Everglades history and ecological lesson, all wrapped up in an enjoyable package. Highly recommended series.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doc is out of shape and drinking too much. Tomlinson is Tomlinson. A woman Doc knew years earlier shows up at his house and tells him that her husband disappeared off a boat in the Atlantic and she would like proof of his death. She has hired a PI to investigate. She also tells him that her husband was involved with a charismatic Guru who is attempting to purchase a large section of the Everglades and join in with two different groups of Native Americans to open a huge Casino operation. That is basically the start of this adventure. It involves a great deal of Florida natural history and Indian lore. There is also enough complexity in the plot and violence to keep most everyone enthralled. It also has a very satisfactory ending with a solution that was well appreciated.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the Doc Ford mysteries and also enjoy reading them. This story involves a cult church and the evil people who are running it, committing murder in its name, and just in general being nasty characters. There are plot lines involving Native American tribes and others. Doc finds himself in a depression but is able to function and do what he needs to do, until circumstances force him to rebound and when he does, he is stronger and more capable than ever. Despite the terrorists and murderers, there are also some good people trying to do what is right. This is another good entry in the series.

[Kevin Findley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I haven't read most of the prior books (maybe none of them), I'm at a bit of a loss why Doc is so moody and walking around like the Pillsbury Doughboy in need of anti-depression meds. Even with that, this was a good entry into the series.

The villain is appropriately dastardly and his sidekick is dealt with satisfactorily. Anyone familiar with the rise and fall of clowns like Baker or Swaggart will certainly recognize a few familiar attitudes. The author does not hammer the similarities into the reader's head with a nail gun, so they actually add to the villainy rather than make you roll your eyes in exasperation.

By the end, Doc is back to his old self and ready to take on bigger and badder bad guys.

Read it!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I had lost Doc Ford forever after reading the last book of his I finished (1 star) but happy to say he is back with this book. I love the marine biologist living on Dinkin's Bay Florida along with his best friend Tomlinson. People tend to go to Ford for help. This time around,Doc finds a friend waiting at his stilt house. She says her husband has disappeared and she is frightened. Doc always has room for a friend in need.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as always. I can never go wrong spending time with Doc Ford and his friends.

[Jay Fusco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Round up to 4.5. This is one of the best Doc Ford books yet. I am reading them in order so I have plenty to read yet. As an added bonus, I am sitting in Sanibel right now. This story was intense and entertaining and hard to put down. Tomlinson is one of my favorite literary characters. I enjoyed Doc's growth as he rises from a bleak period, and becomes who he is meant to be. I liked that he brought Joseph Egret into the story (he appeared in The Man Who Invented Florida). This is the classic story of the hero overcoming many trials and tribulations to defeat his enemies, including rescuing the damsel in distress. For me a great author who teaches and shares different points of view while being entertaining and telling a great story. That is why Randy Wayne White is one of my favorite authors.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good series, and this was a good one, better than last one I read, (which is after this one in the series.). Doc Ford and Tomlinson get mixed up w/ a cult leader and his sidekick, and also meet some unusual Native Americans living in the Everglades.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this entry, Doc Ford is minding his own business when a former lover shows up.

She's married now, and her husband has disappeared after joining a cult. Like most cults, there is a very shady side to it, concerning a casino the cult wants to open on land owned by the Calusa Indians, a tribe consisting of the children of a late friend of Doc's

Funnier than a lot these novels, with some very poetic justice.

[A. Lieberson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is White's tenth Doc Ford novel. An old friend has asked Doc Ford to find out if her husband has died or just disappeared. Doc Ford's search takes him to the Everglades . I found the story moved very slowly and the plot was not very credible. The few main characters were well done. But stick with it just to see the ending.

[Agnes Muscoreil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the story was very interesting, but boy, this one really gives you a history lesson! Sometimes good, but way too wordy! A lot of research must have gone into this LOL!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first foray into this series. They don't give a lot of background info, so while I could follow the story, I did feel like I was missing some of the nuance. To nut shell it Doc Marion Ford is a nerdy marine biologist with a "military" past, studies bull sharks (and has some penned up) and some anger management issues (like Bruce Banner and the Hulk only doc doesn't turn green). Initially, the character was engaging enough that I was hoping this could be an Andy Carpenter read alike series and for the right reader, maybe. Although this book has more language and sexual content than Andy Carpenter, which then brought me to the Stone Barrington series. I like Doc's character better than Stone's and while he's trying to stay away from the misogynistic, you still have voyeur perverts and spoiler, his rocking hot body wins back a bi-sexual ex lover. Why, just why? This book also touches on conservation and indigenous people, hopefully this is not a one off. I would say the series is a solid rec.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Everglades” is another Doc Ford book.
Doc has a visitor at his stilt house, a old friend, who needs his help. Her husband disappeared after going overboard and she is not certain he is dead. Doc decides to try to help her and he has his long time friend, Tomlinson, to help him and to offer advice and of course some unique perspective.
One quote from the book from Tomlinson…
“Did you know that the outdoor temperature can be estimated to within a couple of degrees by timing the chirps of a cricket? You count the number of chirps in a fifteen-second period, and add thirty-seven to the total. It doesn't work in winter. Anytime else, though, the result will be very close to the actual Fahrenheit temperature."
So Doc’s investigation takes him deep into the Everglades where everything and everyone are not always what they appear to be.
There’s mean people, volcanoes, explosives and Indian lore Doc has to go through to try to find answers.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Sally Mister’s husband becomes deeply involved with a tyrannical cult that’s planning to build a casino in the Everglades, he dies falling out of a boat on a lone fishing trip. But when his body isn’t found and a photo shows up of him on a beach the insurance company gets involved. When she realizes she’s being followed and her house searched, Sally runs to Ford for help.

The plight of the cypress trees is sad but true of trees all over. Same with bees.

Fave scenes: the Wizard of Oz soldier song, the description of the Everglades, Tomlinson & Shiva discussing ego and the new sinkhole.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second of two Doc Ford mysteries I completed this week...I just seemed to have missed both "Deep Blue," where Doc and his friends are threatened by a psychotic tech billionaire, and "Everglades," where the group is threatened by a religious cult leader and his ex-Mossad enforcer...Both put me into a quandary, as to who provides the better examination of Florida history, development and culture, Randy Wayne White or Tim Dorsey, with his Serge Storm series...I love them both and they both seem to do the job...Although, White seems to acknowledge the influences of one of my favorite authors of all-time, John D. MacDonald more than Dorsey...Just great Stuff!!!

[Kylie Hood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like the doc ford books are making a comeback! I easily followed and enjoyed the story and who wouldn't love some Tomlinson quotes from his paper "one fathom above sea level". It's probably made better because I'm sitting on sanibel beach as I type the review.

"Hope could not exist if man were created by a random, chemical accident. Pleasure yes. Desire, yes. But not hope. Selfless hope is contrary to the dynamics of evolution or the necessities of a species" _
-Tomlinson "One Fathom Above Sea Level"

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dark side of Doc Ford comes to the rescue in this fascinating read. Through in a religious New Age fanatic, his demented partner, a fling from the past equals another good read by RWW. One of his better writings, fast paced, loaded again with aquatic facts and figures and of course Dinkins Bay. What's better than that. Highly recommend this work and of course Tomlinson is there along with his faithful followers which adds spice to the tale.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should have started reading these books in order, but no matter, #10 maintains the same brilliant writing as book #1 (and I didn't feel at all lost or behind). I love the characters and how they play off each other, how they evolve, and the well-conceived, nail-biting plots. Just a top-notch series that makes me want to live on Sanibel Island (I've only been to the Bubble Room!).

[Michael Springer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doc is out of shape and down on himself when a former girlfriend shows up at his door asking for his help. Her husband has disappeared and is presumed dead; then why is someone following her? With the help of his sidekick Tomlinson, Doc investigates a religious cult that may have been behind the disappearance, and finds some enlightenment along the way.

[Frank Dame · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait for the next one!

Randy Wayne White’s stories are interconnected so reading them in order will give the reader perspective. However, if thry are not read in order, there is enough redundancy for the reader to understand the backgrounds of the characters. Enjoy the Doc Ford series!

[Jay Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good story and nice ending, but not one of my favorite Doc Ford novels. The story revolves around a murder possibly involving a quack religious group. Without going into too much detail, I just had somewhat of a hard time 'getting into' this one compared to most of the author's novels. Am happily looking forward to the next in the series!

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing my read of Randy Wayne White. Everglades was fun with some interesting facts included. Tomlinson continues to be one of my favorite characters as is Doc Ford himself. It’s fun to see White take on the crazy cults. Scientology anyone.

[Nikhil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the book felt like fluffy descriptions of the Florida landscape rather than real substance. I got bored reading after s certain point. The end gets pretty exciting but I shouldn't have to wade through so much filler to get to the important parts. Overall, just decent.

[Ken Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been making my way through the Doc Ford collection. This was my 10th. They are all easy and fun reading. I felt liked that Ford had a touch more humanity in this one. A few more layers. An added bonus was learning new facts about native Americans in Florida.

[Susan Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Doc Ford book, and it won't be my last. It took me about 100 pages to really get hooked, but then it was a quick, engrossing read. i think I will now look for them in sequence, i think that would cut down on the lag time at the beginning. Highly recommend.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read a Doc Ford story. This one did not disappoint. White writes about Florida like a local (which he is); not just the "Disneyworld" view - but true Florida. And, he's a good story teller too!

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite so far in this stellar series. Loved all the vivid descriptions and background of the Glades and the native inhabitants. Plus a great action/mystery on top of it and character development/deepening for Doc Ford.

[Jenny Lyn Senter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually a 3.5 rating would be my score. I love Doc Ford, but this was a hard book. Mostly, for me, because of the cult leader (I've had too close of an experience with one of the worst cult leaders in all time), and Doc's tough time. It's worth slugging through the whole book, but be warned.

[Vic Roe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everglades has much of the thrill and amazing historical context as many of Randy Wayne White’s novels. One item that this book addresses in more depth is Ford’s relationship with alcohol and how that impacts his health. I appreciated being able to see the rawness of that relationship play out.

[H-Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my fav RWW DOc Ford book. I’d call it “historical fiction” because he adds so much history about Florida - human and geological. Like fellow-Florida writer, Carl Hiasen, he exposes greedy developers.