Hiaasen moves well beyond the expected obvious humor that political satire promises by combining a badass female animal control officer come-sleuth with a solid murder mystery complete with an invasion of LSD-hopped up pythons, undocumented immigrants, a rogue political recluse and a dash of FBI testosterone to create a perfectly hilarious spoof of our current Jack-Ass in Chief. This was my favorite summer read this year - just the antidote to Covid Summer. Pick it up -- as crazy as it seems, I still think "truth" may still be stranger than fiction , although ...

As always, Carl Hiaasen is such an incredible writer. He pulls you into the story immediately, and you never want to put the book down until it's finished. He's so good at writing humor and drawing you into the story. I looooved Squeeze Me and cannot recommend it enough to fans of Hiaasen or anyone in general.

Oh la la. Well, how does one review this book? I laughed. A lot. I snorted and chuckled. I had to hide my voter registration party affiliation. They might kick me out if they knew how much I laughed. I think this book is great. The pythons creeped me out a bit.

Classic Hiassen with richly portrayed Florida characters, some of whom are indeed very wealthy.

Set in Palm Beach among a wealthy set of widows who frequent the daily charity balls. After one is swallowed by a giant python, Angie. Is called in to remove the beast so that the media will not get wind of what has happened to the aging socialite. Angie Armstrong, the main character, is tough, gutsy has a sense of the ironic and is highly principled. Once a veterinarian, she left off the practice when she couldn’t take the pain of a dog dying in surgery. She became a wildlife officer but served time in jail after feeding the hand of her ex husband to an alligator. Now In the wildlife relocation business, she hauls away wild animals from houses and other places they don’t belong. Her ex, Pruitt, continues to make nightly threats throughout the book. Nothing she can’t handle.

Enter the president, his mistress, wife and her lover. The president goes for his daily tanning sessions and is getting ready for a big fund raiser. What with pythons running rampant, the tanning booth going haywire and his mistress putting together a tell all book, there is plenty to laugh about. Many of us sorely need something to laugh about with this administration.

Nevertheless, even though the book is only recently released, because of the pandemic and Trump’s total mishandling of the health crisis as well as his sending Federal agents to Portland and other cities, Squeeze Me feels sadly out of date. Trump’s presidency has become so dangerous, that even the laugh out loud, hilarious moments; feel dated.

This book is Carl Hiaasen at his best. A level of ridiculousness that can only happen in Florida: giant snakes, a spitfire former park ranger who spent a little time in jail for feeding a man's hand to an alligator, the president himself and his wife, wealthy socialites who drink too much and love the President to excess - they even create a club supporting him called the Potussies. I could not stop laughing all the way through this book. The portrayal of the President in all his ludicrous glory was spot on, and I liked the sympathetic(ish) portrayal of his wife. A wild, hilarious, fun picture of the unbelievable place we have ended up politically.

Angie Armstrong is a disgraced wildlife officer as well a felon (that story, alone, is worth the price of admission). Now, she has her own critter-removal company, Discreet Captures, in Lake Worth, Florida. It’s only a stone’s throw from Casa Bellicosa, the President’s Winter White House. It’s a life Angie enjoys, even though she sometimes misses her former career. All is well, until an elderly and wealthy guest disappears during a charity function at a posh Palm Beach resort. Soon, Angie finds herself involved in reptile removal, a murder investigation involving several unsavory and not-too-bright characters, and security concerns at the President’s resort.

Squeeze Me is a riot. The characters are all great (even the bad guys) and the plot is over the top, while the satire is spot-on. I loved the writing, the pace, and the way so many characters and events intertwined with each other. Even though there were some moments when the plot was a little too farcical, it is still a great romp and so entertaining! Squeeze Me is such a nice getaway from the everyday world. I am ashamed to say that this is the first Carl Hiaasen book I have read but I don’t believe it will be the last. I’m so glad I finally gave this author a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Squeeze Me is another Carl Hiaasen romp. If you want to escape the news and go with the preposterous and absurd, please read this book. Take the improbable from the news and make it almost ridiculous but with characters from his past books history. This book takes politics, immigration, ageism, sexism and environment on as subjects but manages to do it in such a way that, I believe, no one will be offended. Or maybe because every one of them is portrayed in a way that you can’t help but laugh. And laugh I did. Casa Bellagio, suntanning booths and Burmese pythons – enjoyable read!

If you read one book this year, make sure it is this one. Oh, by the way, if you are a supporter of the present dweller in the White House, you might want to sit this one out. Carl Hiaasen has done it again. His satire and knowledge of Florida's odd characters is spot-on.

Kiki Pew Fitzsimmons, wealthy, older and a supporter of the president, is a member of the Potussies, formerly known as the POTUS Pussies (the newspapers opted not to use this term, thus the name change), goes missing at a fundraising event at the southern White House, Casa Bellicosa, in Palm Beach, The president blames a Honduran refugee. As all of this is happening, there is an influx of Burmese pythons, which cause havoc wherever they go. Angie, owner of Discreet Captures, gets called to capture these snakes. Along the way, she tries to clear Diego's name.

Oh, yes, Skink plays a part in this story as well. Hiaasen continues to comment about the over population of Florida and what it means to the environment and the animals.

Hiassen has done it again! Squeeze Me is another irreverent, often over-the-top, mystery and comedy with Florida’s environmental issues as a plot focus. Readers who are fans of our current political leadership or are easily offended should stay away. This time the story involves big snakes and their unexpected appearances at large political gatherings and wealthy social events. Some of the characters will be familiar to the author’s fans, while some are new but entertaining. The main plot line involves the unexpected death of a wealthy, fanatical Republican widow, too inebriated at a political fundraiser to avoid death by a gigantic snake. Simultaneously, we meet an illegal immigrant trying to blend in, who is discovered and charged with her murder. Once the president picks up the news story and begins a Tweet firestorm, the book takes off full-steam ahead. It’s an incredibly intricate story, and it’s also hilarious in true Hiassen fashion. Be ready for a wildly entertaining ride!

I admit that I am a fan of Carl Hiaasen. I certainly like his adult writings more than his middle-grade content. Squeeze Me is the first novel I’ve read that addresses the “pandemic” which made the book seem current. What do pearls, the President, and pythons have in common? Read the book to find out. It is typical Hiaasen with unique characters, environments, and odds circumstances that weave together to form an entertaining story. Some people might be offended when reading about the political landscape within Squeeze Me, but it becomes another unique feature of the novel. If you liked other books by the author, this one should be pleasing as well.

Who doesn't love Carl Hiaasen? Ihave read all his adult books, a YA title, and all his children's books (which by the way were fabulously popular in my lower school library). SQUEEZE ME had me laughing out loud and I could hardly wait for Skink to appear as well as Jim Tile (please don't kill him off, Carl!). From the juvenile title, SQUIRM, featuring rattlers to these title featuring Burmese pythonss, I am getting over snake fear.
Please, please keep them coming-the books not cessarily the snakes!

Another hilarious mystery from Carl Hiaasen! Fans and new fans will laugh their way thru the swift moving plot filled with rich, unique characters!

Delivered with Hiassen's usual knack for capturing the absurd, this novel is both timely and an antidote for depressing current events. In the opening scenes an extremely wealthy and petite socialite disappears during a swank fundraiser in Florida. At the same time a python with a mysterious bulge is located at the gala location. Heroine Angie, former vet and now an animal retriever, is called in to deal with the python. Her life is turned upsidedown when the snake disappears from her car and her home is ransacked. A secret service agent, local police, lowlife thugs, an llegal immigrant, the first lady, the president, and a bevy of his supporters all combine to make this quite a madcap mystery. Depending on your politics, the portrait of the president is absolutely hilarious.

Long Live Skink! This hilariously ripped (or gulped?) from the headlines tale is just the sort of escapism I needed right now. Our warped and turbulent world is ripe for Hiaasen's wrath, and he has delivered. I always thought his Florida was a bit preposterous- Floridians couldn't be that different from you and me, right? Now I"m not so sure. Either way, this much deserved skewering was a delight.

It’s sad that the President of the United States is like a satirical Hiaasen character come to life, but it makes for a funny novel! This is classic Hiaasen and definitely a new fave!

Carl Hiaasen's work never disappoints. This fun and funny novel is a perfect beach read, particularly for those of us who are wary of a particular Florida resident and his impact on our country.

Once again, Hiaasen manages to make me laugh out loud - even during a pandemic. It was nice to meet some new characters as well as to see some old friends. I highly recommend this title.

If you're a Carl Hiaasen fan, you know that he has a pretty twisted sense of humor. This newest book is no exception. Eccentric rich old ladies, an overweight bumbling philandering president, a statuesque First Lady, a veterinarian turned animal control expert, an illegal immigrant who may or may not be the leader of a violent gang, and a plethora of other oddball characters, and a sudden plague of giant pythons all populate this tony Florida island. What ensues is an almost slapstick "murder" mystery with satirical overtones.

While I enjoyed the story and was captivated as it slowly unfolded, curious about how all the pieces would come together, frankly I tired of the constant over-the-top antics of the characters. This is a not-so-thinly veiled send up of President Trump and the First Lady. Actually it's a clear parody/satire that becomes tiresome after a while.. No, I'm not a fan of Trump and his fanatic followers, but the mystery here just seems to be a very thin thread that ties together Hiassen's disdain for the President.

If you've read many of Hiassen's books before, many of his political beliefs are included in his stories, so it's not a surprise that there are environmental issues and other political issues included here. But usually these views are secondary to the story. This time unfortunately, the politics overwhelmed the story itself. I do want to note, however, that there were several times I laughed out loud! So all is not lost.

"Squeeze Me" by Carl Hiaasen lives up to his previous books. There are invasive species of snakes in Florida and with conscience and mayhem Carl makes us aware of this fact. There are two returning characters that we all love that aid and abet in the mayhem.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
Carl Hiaasen is back with a very timely new novel! Angie Armstrong runs her own wildlife capture and relocation company. She is called to one of Palm Beach’s exclusive clubs to remove an enormous python during a charity event. Also during this same event, Kiki Pew, a very wealthy widow, has seemingly disappeared without a trace. To complicate matters, Kiki was part of the Potussies, wealthy and influential widows who are HUGE fans of the current POTUS and looking to blame an innocent undocumented Honduan. Squeeze Me is classic Hiaasen, complete with stupid criminals, contemporary satire, and favorite characters from previous novels. I absolutely loved this book. I would highly recommend it!