Swampy's Florida

The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything by John D. MacDonald

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


First note: I’ve held off reading this book for about 40 years. I now have a few different editions of it, along with all of MacDonald’s books. This one I held off because of my dislike of science fiction.

Review: This is as close as MacDonald ever got to writing like Hiassen and Tim Dorsey would later write like. It’s a really silly story, written as lightly as any of MacDonald’s books or short stories.

This is also the issue I have with this book. It’s really light. With the word ‘watch’ in the title, you’d think it would have a more significant spot than appearing half-way through the book and then used to mostly play with than adding anything to the plot.

There is reference that all are looking for some all-powerful Maguffin, which is the watch. Yet there is never a tug-of-war for it. It mostly sits in a box or a pocket. Pulled out to be silly with.

So much could be done with the concept and MacDonald let it slip through his fingers. The films did a better job. Referencing his science fiction books, he could have started and ended with the watch as the nucleus all else stems from. Fascinating idea.

The characters are also an odd lot for JDM. The main character is not consistent. He alters one way and then another. It’s clear he falters at ladies most of the time. Then he doesn’t.
The women are all mostly the same and are written to set men in their place. Don’t know why MacDonald did this with the vocal ladies.
The bad guys are more typical JDM bad guys. Though, in this case, a woman is the most violent.

The Florida part: JDM demonstrates his knowledge of Florida with locations in Dade and Broward Counties. It’s certainly less than most all of his other books. The Dave Dresser ‘Mike Shayne’ series does a better job of description and use of locations in the same counties.

Bottom line: i don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.



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