Travel Reading

I love finding books set in the places I have traveled to. Reading The Perfect Storm while in the Rockport/Gloucester area about 15 years ago started me on this quest, to find books set in my destination, to read while there. I have enjoyed reading books set in Slovenia, Toronto, and Seattle...but none caused me to write about, or recommend anything particular. As we planned our trip to Florida, I looked for the Doc Ford series by Randy Wayne White.  I picked up the first one Sanibel Flats at the library, the day before we left for Sanibel, Florida.

I read the second The Heat Islands (and discovered I had read it years ago; it was THE book that put Sanibel on the travel radar for me, only getting to visit now!). I bought it at Doc Fords restaurant, which is on Sanibel, and was just a couple of miles from the cottage we stayed in. I ordered books 3-7 on Amazon, and just finished Captiva, which is the fourth book (in I believe 21 at this point).


I vowed after reading each of the four thus far, that I would take a break and read something else in between, but each is so compelling, it has me reaching for the next book, without reading something else in one of my many piles of "to read" next books.

Thus, I am starting North of Havana, leaving piles of other reading material behind.  I can't imagine reading all 21 before venturing into other genres/other writers, but who knows?

It is interesting to me that the first 3 were written in 3rd person, and Captiva switched to first person.  White pulls this off beautifully, and I truly enjoyed the switch...I liked the 3rd person narratives, but enjoy hearing Ford's voice come through in such a compelling manner.

If you like Carl Hiaasen, you will enjoy this series.  In reality it is probably more Hiaasen mixed with perhaps John MacDonald...basically, if you enjoy mysteries, interesting locales, great character development, and adventure thrown in for good measure (while also dealing with local politics and environmental issues), then you too might want to check out this series.  Just be prepared, because you won't be able to stop with just one.