Sick Puppy - Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen has written many hilarious books. This isn't one of them. The standard ingredients are all there but the magic isn't. Big time lobbyist Palmer Stoat habitual litter throwing from his car attracts the attention of Twilly Spree. Instead of talking to Palmer and trying to convince him of the error of his ways, Twilly uses increasingly weird methods of expressing displeasure, ranging from dumping a garbage truck's contents in Palmers convertible car to kidnapping his dog. Actually, the car was owned by Palmers wife, Desie, who soon becomes Twilly's willing accomplice. But Palmer remains oblivious that his littering is the cause of all ...  Read the complete review

It's tempting to suggest that finally Carl Hiaasen is running out of inspiration. 'Sick Puppy' doesn't really have anything new to say about the world which Hiassen has been chronicling and sending up very successfully. It has the same mix of nasty scumbags getting punished for their crimes in a gleefully savage fashion and full-throttle eco-propaganda as all of his other novels, but isn't as distinctive as any of them. Perhaps because the specific target here (developers) have already got what's coming to them in previous Hiaasen romps. the book doesn't offer anything new. Moreover, the wacko eco-terrorist Twilly Spree is a direct ...  Read the complete review