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Everyone I know who has been recommended a Carl Hiaasen book has the same response - "Who's he?"  When told he wrote Striptease (well-known only because of the movie starring Demi Moore), most respond with a dismissive wave of their hand.  However, those that do take the recommendation to heart and actually sit down with one of Mr. Hiaasen's books are for the most part pleasantly surprised and find themselves in remarkably good humor.

It's odd that he gets so little national press, and that everyone I know can tell you how they came to read their first Carl Hiaasen book.   Me, well, I dated a girl in college who had gone to high school with Mr. Hiaasen's daughter.  As a result, she had many of his books and introduced me to the South Florida author.  All was good.

Everyone needs to read stories once in a while without much redeeming value, the sort of fluff that makes you laugh and smile, the same way most commercial movies do nowadays.  Without reservation, I can say that Carl Hiaasen is the master at this.  I could easily recommend any of his books, even Striptease.   The only reason I have chosen Stormy Weather is that I just finished reading it myself, and the other books of his that I have read, I read two or three years ago, so they are not fresh in my memory.

To give you a rough idea about this particular book, it involves a former governor of Florida who ties himself to a bridge during a hurricane, several exotic animals roaming free through South Florida's suburban areas, sacrifices to voodoo gods, and of course, several murders.  If this sounds interesting, this is the book for you.  Once again, thank Peg Menzel for lending it to me, reaffirming my faith in Mr. Hiaasen's work.