Swamp Story, the latest novel by Dave Barry,is a tale replete with losers of all types — a muscular shirtless wannabe TV star, a wannabe filmmaker, an out of work journalist, a lawyer deeply in debt due to gambling, enforcers for a mobster, a TV anchor reduced to location reporting, a Secretary of the Interior with presidential ambitions, a young unwed mother, a time traveling quack and a pair of down on their luck brothers looking to make an easy buck. The story’s locale is the Florida Everglades where all of these characters (not to mention the alligators, pythons, owl and boar) intersect in an interesting and humorous manner. The birthday party scene had me laughing out loud.

The book is pure escapism fun and I thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

This is one zany book filled with a sleezy lawyer, drug dealers, a politician, a python, boar, alligator and a melon monster. The whole making of the melon monster clip which went viral for a get rich quick scheme had me laughing and thinking only in Florida.

Poor Jesse followers her baby daddy in to the everglades where he drains her bank account. She soon realizes that he only has eyes for himself in the mirror. He is trying to make it in television by becoming the "Glades Man" by mostly just running around without his shirt on.

Jess realizes she made a mistake following Slater into the everglades and needs to find a way out and to keep Willow safe.

I think I'm landing on a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars for this one. I love Dave Barry and this story did not disappoint. It was a hilarious take on the "Florida man" meme that made the rounds a few years ago. I loved reading about the antics of all of the different characters and the ultimate ways their story intersected. One of my favorite scenes was the press conference and all of the fiascos that ensued there. I read this book in about 24 hours - it was a quick and hilarious read.

What I disliked: the storyline with Jesse and her baby - it really stressed me out how much Willa was endangered and was a second thought throughout the entire book. The plotline with the lawyer, Erik, and the Russian mob or whoever they were was a little too extreme. Additionally, PLEASE consider removing the use of the word "r*tarded" and "faggot" in this book before final publication. This was really offensive and almost had me rounding the book rating down or even DNFing the more I thought about it. These words are demeaning and other words could have been substituted and had the same effect.

Overall though, I enjoyed this book and definitely look forward to reading more by Dave Barry. Thank you so much for the advanced copy!

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I requested this book because I grew up reading Dave Barry in the newspaper and he was always hilarious. He hasn't changed a bit. His writing is super funny and engaging and made it hard to put this book down until I finished it. I won't say that this book could only have taken place in Florida, but that did make it more believeable. Thank you for the laughs, Dave!

Crazy, unbelievable, and slightly unhinged…but then, it’s based in Florida so perhaps it IS believable.
I thoroughly enjoyed this hilarious, zany story. My only negative is that there are a lot of characters. A lot. Somehow, it still works and makes for a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Swamp Story.

I've heard of Dave Barry but have never read his columns or nonfiction before. I have read Carl Hiaasen and the premise of Swamp Story sounded like something he would have written so I was intrigued by the plot.

Taking place entirely in Florida, the land of cray-cray everything, the plot is ridiculous, almost hard to suspend disbelief for.

There are good guys and bad guys, regular people, gold, gangsters, reality wannabes, a phony monster, a moronic politician (okay, you can find those anywhere), and gators and pythons, too!

It's a story where many things are happening, a lot of moving parts, everyone has their own agenda, and eventually all the plot threads and characters intersect and intertwine.

I ended up liking some of the minor characters better than the main characters like Phil's daughter, and Jessie wasn't bad. She owned up to her mistakes and wanted to do right by her daughter.

I didn't buy the love story between her and Brad. I wished their relationship had developed gradually, but it was nice to see not all guys are douchebags.

The writing was good, but I felt the narrative dragged at some parts, where the crew is filming the phony monster, where they got together to talk about what they were going to do, etc. It felt repetitive and tedious at some points.

There is a happy ending for the good guys and a bad ending for the bad guys, just what I expected from Swamp Story.

If you enjoy wild antics and hilarious, bizarre stories with characters you expect to see in a television show, you'll enjoy Swamp Story.

Hilarious and heartfelt all at once, Dave Barry's classic "Florida Man" caper has some twists that will keep you on your toes. Perfect for readers of Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey.

Another classic Florida story by Dave Barry, who manages to capture the absurdity of life while convincing us to root for the antihero. Readers will get caught up in the plot, which has enough elements of truth making it realistic but at the same time unbelievable. The characters are quite relatable as well. I could not put this book down, much to the detriment of my other responsibilities.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the eARC!

I've loved Dave Barry's writing ever since I was in middle school and I'm happy to say Barry still has the ability to laugh out loud.

So trying not to spoil this gem of a book. There's a pregnancy. There's a pandemic. There's a man with the misfortune of going viral on the internet.

All of these things come together with Barry's signature style and it works beautifully!

Preposterous. Ludicrous. Over-the-top. What can I say? I loved it!

Dave Barry’s Swamp Land is a hilarious caper and I couldn’t put it down. He dedicated the book to his home state of Florida, “which has its flaws, but which is never, ever boring.”

Sane ain’t working for us anymore. It’s time to try crazy.
from Swamp Story by Dave Barry

Jesse fell for Slater’s body, got pregnant, had his baby. Covid hit and he figured the safest place to shelter was a cabin in the Florida Everglades–paid with her money. Now she is stuck there with him, looking for a way out. One day she finds a lost treasure that, if she can keep it, may be her ticket out.

Alcoholic loser Phil had a mishap while Dora the Explorer at a child’s birthday party. Caught on film, it went viral.

Meanwhile, the Bortle brothers have run their dad’s bait shop into the ground, supporting themselves through one brother selling weed. That brother is also a fan of Shark Tank. After seeing the video of Phil/Dora, he is inspired to make their shop a viral social media sensation–with a Blair Witch Project style film of the legendary melon head monster, a Michigan transplant that has followed I-75 south with the snowbirds, played by Phil. Everyone wants in on the game, the brothers, Phil, the guy recording the film, Slater whose role in the film is to take off his shirt–sure of quick money.

Of course, nothing goes as planed. Threats loom everywhere, from invasive boa constrictors to alligators, plus crime bosses, murderous felons, self-absorbed politicians, and even a greedy lawyer/ex-boyfriend.

This is zany comedy with a sting: Barry lampoons the lure of quick fame via TickTock and skewers greed and shallow political aspiration. Plus, there is redemption and happy endings for the good guys.

Thanks, Dave, and the state of Florida. I needed this.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

A laugh out loud tale that could only take place in Florida reminds me of why I missed Dave Barry. and why I am so glad he is back with a new novel.

This was a good read, not the best Dave Barry book I’ve read, but it was entertaining. If you are already a fan of his humor, you’ll like this book. The characters are funny and very Florida, if you will. The story is wild and fun. Overall, this was a good read. It didn’t completely captivate me, but it kept me going and I enjoyed it overall. Rounded to a 4 star from 3.5.

4.5 Stars

’This book is dedicated to the state of Florida,
which has its flaws, but which is never, ever boring.’

Set in southern Florida, written by Dave Barry, you have to know that this will undoubtedly be a story no one else could imagine and bring to life the way that he does.

As this story begins, Jess is living somewhere in the middle of the Everglades, with her infant daughter, Willa, and the baby’s father - who is basically useless as a father, or anything else, really. He’s much more interested in getting stoned with his buddies, and coming up with crazy ideas on how they can make money without spending too much energy doing it. They decide to create some buzz by filming their own movie clips of something they decide to call (depending on which one you ask) ’the glades man.’

Meanwhile, Jess has headed off after she’d yelled to Slater for help as a snake was getting closer, and she didn’t have that many options to choose from since she was holding Willa. Slater comes outside, and then yells to one of his buddies that he needs to get this snake on film, never mind that it’s closing in on the mother of his child and that it is massive in size, and headed right toward them - first he needs to get that snake on film. She’s panicking, and he’s telling her to calm down, and that this will make ‘good footage.’

When all is said and done, she leaves the next morning with Willa, still furious, determined to find a way out of this place, this life.

In her frustration with Slater & Company, Jess ends up wandering around, ultimately sitting to nurse Willa, she notices something glittering, gold. A gold bar, she realizes when she pulls it out of the ground, and seeing more below, she quickly covers it, and takes the one bar.

There’s more to this story, a Bait and Beer shop run by Ken and Brad, who haven’t had any customers in quite a while. Another duo, Stu and Phil, desperate for money who will do pretty much anything, including entertaining at children's birthday parties - where everything goes wrong, but also seems to end in a video that ends up going viral.

Somehow, Slater, Kark, Ken, Brad, Stu and Phil come together with a plan to make a video the ‘mythical’ Everglades Melon Monster, re-designing the giant round head from the birthday party to make this Melon-ish Monster and filming it then putting it out on TikTok. It goes viral, of course, and people begin to flock there to see for themselves.

This is ridiculous - in the best way - at times, funny at times, with a sprinkling of a potential love story, a bit of tension as Jess begins to realize how much more dangerous this has become, and a man planning to run for president is sent there to report on this Melon Monster, who ends up, inadvertently showing his true - and not so likable - character as the area is overflowing with people arriving to see it all for themselves.


Pub Date: 02 May 2023


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schuster

I love Florida fiction and:Dave Barry hits the mark yet again with this newest novel. If you are thinking "Huh? Florida fiction, what the heck is that?" then you are in for a treat. Florida fiction is more than just a story set in the Sunshine state, Florida fiction always seems to have the following elements:

At least one snake, alligator or other wild animal endogenous to the state (at least now but not necessarily originally)

Characters ingesting drugs then making terrible decisions

Characters not ingesting drugs and making terrible decisions

The Everglades

Sleazy politicians that get their comeuppance, usually in an embarrassing or humiliating manner

Several kooky, madcap storylines that ultimately intersect

A happy-ish ending

If you are a fan of the genre then you know and are probably already familiar with the author. If you have yet to experience FL fiction, it is definitely fun and it will bring a smile to your face (and check out authors Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey for more FL fiction).

thanks so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.
The cover caught my eye, then I read the description and I was hooked. This book was ridiculously hilarious. I laughed and chuckled many times. It was an easy read and even though I knew what was probably going to happen, I couldn't stop reading.

Good guys, bad guys, social media frenzied young adults, backwoods rednecks and swamp monsters, unrealistic but still absolutely delightful. The conversations that occur between some of the characters are hilarious. The constant reminders that they spelled the Melon Monster wrong was even a great touch. Dave Barry and I will not be strangers, I'll definitely be looking to him for some good, fun reading.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy, book will be released May 2, 2023 and you should add it to your TBR pile now!

After some colossal bad decisions, Jessie Braddock finds herself stuck in an isolated cabin in Florida's Everglades along with her infant daughter, narcissistic ex-boyfriend, and the sleazy man who is trying to turn the ex-boyfriend into a reality TV star. With little else to do, Jessie explores the Everglades. During one of her excursions, Jessie finds a cache of buried gold bars. Jessie believes that the treasure is her way out of the swamp, but it winds up causing her more problems than it solves. Jessie is not the only person trying to get their hands on the gold bars, and it's the greed of these dangerous men that put Jessie's and her daughter's life in danger. Meanwhile, Ken Bortle comes up with the brilliant idea to fake a video of a mysterious creature in the swamp to draw more business to the struggling Bortle Brothers Bait and Beer shop. The video goes viral, and soon the Everglades are swarming with people searching for the elusive "Everglades Melon Monster." Ken and his crew of evidence-faking misfits cross paths with Jessie and her treasure-seeking stalkers, and, in true Florida fashion, chaos ensues.



I am a sucker for ridiculous "Florida Man" stories and cryptids—even if the cryptid is faked to create a viral video across social media. SWAMP STORY combines my two passions in a hilarious story full of good guys, bad guys, and multiple Florida men. Dave Barry takes the reader on a whacky adventure that is so incredible that it's almost believable. Barry pokes fun at multiple societal issues including viral internet fame, the unreality of reality TV, and the overall greed of humans.



I strongly recommend SWAMP STORY for any fans of Carl Hiaasen or Tim Dorsey. This was my first time reading one of Dave Barry's novels, but it will not be the last.

With many laugh-out-loud moments, this was an entertaining read. Taken to the extreme of almost absurdness, the combination of the Florida stereotypes, social media hype, superficial influencers, dumb bad guys and shallow people kept me reading along and not noticing there is not much of a plot here. So come for the entertainment but don’t expect much of a story.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of Swamp Story in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

I am going to start by saying that this is NOT at all the type of novel that I gravitate toward, but, once again, the eye-catching cover grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go. After reading the synopsis, I realized that I might actually be interested so I was glad that I was lucky enough to snag an advance copy.

First – Florida. That should be enough to tell you that it’s about to get real crazy! This story follows Jesse & her infant daughter who live in a remote cabin in the Everglades with Jesse’s boyfriend who is just not that great. Jesse ends up finding a long-lost treasure and is trying to figure out how she can keep it because it would be life-changing for her and her daughter. However, there are some not-so-great guys also looking for the treasure and are now after Jesse. Meanwhile, a local bait shop creates a fake river monster to lure in tourists. It works and the is swarmed with people trying to get a look at the Everglades Melon Monster. As if that is not enough, let’s also throw in a presidential hopeful who has arrived in town to begin his campaign. All of this will bad men are chasing after Jesse. Chaos ensues!

If you want to laugh out loud, definitely pick this book up. PLEASE pick this book up. I would have never even considered it had it not been for the bright, eye-catching cover, but I am so glad I did!

This is my first Dave Berry read, but I can promise you that I will be picking up some of his other novels. His writing is sharp, witty & hilarious. This was such a fun & easy read. I am not sure if this is the best or worst thing about the book, but even though this is a work of fiction, I could absolutely see this whole story playing out down in good ole Florida.

Full 5 stars from me on this one. I HIGHLY recommend giving it a read.

It would be tempting to think Swamp Story is a parody if there wasn’t so much real-life evidence to the contrary. Caught-on-video clips will make that statement frighteningly clear, down to the guy who clings to a semi as it races down a highway. Joking aside, the plot and characters are wildly extravagant, a sort of Florida Man compilation set in the southernmost reaches of the Florida Everglades, a wild and wondrous landscape that makes the locals do weird things. With ripped and chiseled Slater and a ready audience lined up by the Swamp People of the Atchafalaya Basin, a shot at reality TV stardom isn’t such a reach. Connected through weed transactions, bait shop owner Ken and ersatz Glades Man Slater will envision a way to gain money and fame by making a video that goes viral. What follows is a dump truck load of outrageousness that only Barry could dream up. If nothing, this is a palate cleanser for those who need a break from weightier reads.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC.

I read this book mostly because it is set in the Everglades which is one of my favorite places. I do think the characters and plot were very true to Floridians and I enjoyed the atmosphere. I did find it a bit slow and dull at times and trying too hard with the humor. I did enjoy it though and would recommend.