I love Hiassen's kids books. I'm used to them being written for older elementary kids, but this one definitely skewed a little more towards middle school and early high school. I still really liked it though, especially how he melded real parts of Key West history with the story. Including the early days of Covid will date the book and may turn some people off of reading it. The story was well paced, with multiple levels of intrigue between the mysterious girl at the cemetery, smugglers, and what will happen with cruise ships returning.

I’ve read many of Hiaasen’s novels, including several of his adult books, but Hoot still remains my favorite after all these years.

Hiaasen's teen books are set in Florida with an environmental issue compounded by crime and mystery. This Is the story of Wrecker, a high school kid, living on Key West. One day he is innocently drawn into a smuggling operation as he attempts to help fellow boaters who have carelessly caused their boat to run aground on a sandbar. The head guy on the boat, Wrecker calls Silver Mustache, throws him a can filled with money for his assistance. Well, he really hasn’t done anything to help as Wrecker’s boat motor was too small to free theirs from the sand. Is this hush money as to what Wrecker witnessed? Mustache, is a rather menacing and powerfully persuasive fellow. Feeling bound by the beer can money of five hundred dollars, Wrecker feels he must help the man by watching a grave vault in the Key West Cemetery. Then he finds himself the driver for Mustache.’s fancy speedboat. Wrecker is a bright kid and soon figures out that Mustache is smuggling and what it is he’s smuggling. Wrecker must go along with the plan and appear cooperative until all the pieces fall into place for a sting.

Wrecker is a bit of a loner, but it’s ok by him. He does have a new friend Willi who he met in high school. He is content to spend his days boating and fishing. He seems to have a genuinely kind heart, as he helps an old guy by keeping a relative’s grave free of iguana and poultry poop. Well the old guy does pay him to do this, but still it’s a pretty gross job.

Wrecker's family is a bit unconventional. Mom remarried, and is addicted to getting facial surgeries. Dad abandoned his family to try and make it big as a singer in Nashville. Now dad has decided to re-enter Wrecker’s life. Groan… Suzanne is his step-sister who is wheelchair bound due to a drunk driver. She provides Wrecker a home, while being an activist for environmental causes. Wrecker supports his sister in these endeavours.

I truly enjoyed the characters and how they evolved but the story is quite slow. Much of the story is spent in the cemetery, which is apparently a tourist destination for visitors to Key West. He has set this latest book during the Covid 19 pandemic, with a plot centered on civil rights and environmental issues.

The characters and mystery of this book make it a good addition to the middle school collection especially for those who enjoy the work of Haissen, but I don’t see it flying off the shelf.

I wanted to like this one more than I did. The smuggler story already seemed dated to me, as there isn't a lot of relevance anymore. Although I think we can all reflect back and remember when it was very, very relevant. So this could just be a me thing. I did enjoy the environmental aspect, as well as Manuel Cabeza's story. I wish the book had focused on those two storylines more. I did enjoy the characters and the dialogue. These will seem very familiar to those that have read Hiaasen's other books. While, in my opinion, this wasn't his strongest offering, it was still an enjoyable read. I think that those that have read his previous works will enjoy this one, as well as those that enjoy humorous mysteries.

I've always loved Carl Hiaasen and this book was a great addition to his ever-growing list of wonderful novels.

Wrecker is definitely more than he seems. Key West, boats, smuggling and strange happenings in the cemetery are all part of Wrecker. Loved the bits of history and the story as Wrecker gets pulled into something that he never wanted and found something else that he never knew he needed along the way.

Weird to read a story with the pandemic being involved when it still feels so new but this will be a beloved story soon! Wrecker is a character you can’t help but root for and the pirate theme that is in the background brings this story to the next level! Another must read by Carl Hiassen!

This is good ya environmental awareness novel. There is not a lot of depth to the story but has a fun mystery. The characters steal the show.

There's a lot about this book that I found annoying, but overall an engaging mystery that the middle grade crowd is sure to love.

Hiaasen's teen books are unique in that they have an adult vibe. You could replace the teen characters with adult characters and not need to change much. In this story, Wrecker, a high school kid, living on Key West, is inadvertently drawn into a smuggling operation when he attempts to free a boat from a sandbar. The leader, who he calls Silver Mustache, throws him a can filled with money. Now Wrecker is financially trapped. Mustache, a rather menacing and power wielding fellow, first elicits Wrecker's help watching a grave vault in the Key West Cemetery and then as the driver for his fancy speedboat. It doesn't take long for Wrecker to figure out what Mustache is smuggling. Wrecker must go along with the plan without blowing his cover until all the pieces fall into place for a takedown.

I wouldn't say Hiaasen is the best plot writer but his character development is great. I love Wrecker and his new friend Willi (a girl from high school). Wrecker is a bit of a loner, but he's ok with it. He has plenty to occupy his time boating and fishing. He has a genuinely kind heart, helping one of the old-timers keep a grave free of iguana poop. Willi is a bit mysterious like she's hiding something, but finds Wrecker's cemetery break-ins and water excursions irresistible. Both characters have a wit that creates fun conversations, especially their attempts to hide a budding romance. Wrecker's family is a bit odd. Mom remarried, always getting new facial surgeries. Absent dad trying to make it as a singer in Nashville, but deciding to re-enter the picture. Wheelchair bound stepsister, providing Wrecker a home, while fighting for environmental causes in her spare time.

Great characters, but the plot is pretty basic. WAY too much time is spent in the cemetery. I've been to Key West and yes, the cemetery is amazing, but come on. Hiaasen obviously loves Key West. Especially obvious because he goes to great lengths to name every major street in Key West with a few famous gravestones and eateries thrown in. However, in my opinion, he fails to really capture the essence of this island community. This is what happens when authors get too attached to the place. Most annoying of all is that he muddles up the main Covid 19 pandemic plot with both a civil rights and environmental subplot. It's like he was trying to throw every social issue of 2021 into this book. I found neither of those subplots interesting.

But still...the mystery, the great characters, the carefree vibe, the sneaking around, the villain who gets his due...I'll give it credit...even go so far as to call it a page turner.

Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen is a hilarious and action-packed adventure set in the wilds of Florida. The story follows Valdez Jones VIII, aka Wrecker, a middle-school student who comes from a long line of shipwreck salvagers. Wrecker stumbles upon a stranded speedboat while out on his own boat, and the men on the boat offer him money to keep quiet. But Wrecker's curiosity gets the best of him, and he soon finds himself embroiled in a dangerous plot involving smugglers, grave robbers, and pooping iguanas.

The characters in Wrecker are a highlight of the novel. Wrecker himself is a witty and resourceful protagonist, and his friend, Jibby, a self-proclaimed genius with a penchant for inventing odd gadgets, provides plenty of comic relief. The villains are suitably sinister, with their shady dealings and willingness to resort to violence to get what they want.

Hiaasen's writing is fast-paced and engaging, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers on their toes. The Florida setting is vividly described, and readers will feel as if they are right in the middle of the action. The humor is also a standout element, with Hiaasen's trademark wit and sarcasm adding levity to even the most tense situations.

Overall, Wrecker is a highly entertaining read that will appeal to both young and old readers. It's a perfect book for anyone who loves a good adventure story with a healthy dose of humor.

Covid centered. Liberal propoganda. Read Hoot instead.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to preview this book.