Chaotic, colorful, and undeniably over-the-top, Fever Beach is a wild ride through Florida-style dysfunction. The characters are outrageous, the satire is sharp, and the political jabs come fast and furious. But while the absurdity can be fun, it occasionally overwhelms the story itself, making it hard to connect with the plot or care too deeply about the outcomes. Hiaasen fans will appreciate the trademark zaniness, but others might find it a bit too much. Entertaining in bursts, but not as memorable as it wants to be.

Carl Hiaasen has been writing about the absurdities of ‘Florida man’ since before the invention of the meme, and his latest work, FEVER BEACH, is no exception. This is stereotypical Hiassen expertly using wit and sarcasm, to explore the absurdities of life amongst the inhabitants of that reddest of states, Florida. Hiassen never holds back in revealing the bitterness, anger, and ignorance of his characters, while giving the reader a story that is at times hilarious and heartbreaking.

I have read several of Mr. Hiassen’s works and they never fail to entertain. Definitely recommended.

This book made me laugh out loud so many times... Who knew that the Proud Boys rejected people? When they do I guess they create their own hate group. And when one of the members works in a factory packaging sex toys they become the "Strokerz for Liberty!" This one should contain a MAGA trigger warning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC!

This was my first by Hiaasen and I am eagerly anticipating reading basically anything he writes from now on. I found myself chuckling to myself on way more than one occasion, the absurdity of the political climate was front and center in Fever Beach. Hysterical moments with complete dolts trying to get their twisted messages across and I was loving every minute of it. Highly recommend!

I have loved & enjoyed all of the Carl Hiaasen books I have read, and this one was no different. I love how he always manages to bring everyone's connections and story lines together. This book is just a little bit scary because it is so close to real issues right now. Enough that this could probably be listed as nonfiction and I wouldn't know the difference. I had a great time with this one, and some of the characters were really fun. Everyone who deserved it got what was coming to them, and some of it was hilarious.

Carl Hiaasen and political satire are one of my favorite combinations. In this book, he takes on the usual suspects of Florida, white supremacy, extortion, bribery and the general buffoonery that is politics today. The good guys are morally gray and the bad guys are over the top stupid. The story is so ridiculous that you will laugh out loud while secretly worrying that people like this actually exist. Another fun ride from Carl Hiaasen and I for one, would be happy to see Twilly and Viva return in another book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ecopy. My opinion is my own.

Welcome to Fever Beach, where the sun blazes, the politics are unhinged, and the characters are as volatile as a summer storm.

Dale Figgo is a half-baked crusader with the rare distinction of being kicked out of the Proud Boys—for being too dumb. His latest bad decision? Picking up a hitchhiker on a rainy afternoon while running an errand.

That errand sets off a chain reaction involving Viva Morales, a clever, resilient newcomer trying to rebuild her life post-divorce. She’s renting a room in Figgo’s apartment and working at the Mink Foundation—a philanthropic front with something far darker beneath the surface.

Circling them is Twilly Spree, a hotheaded environmentalist with too much cash and a gift for over-the-top revenge.

When dark money and twisted motives bring their worlds crashing together, Viva and Twilly become unlikely allies. Together, they uncover a tangle of corruption and conspiracy led by a plastic-surgery-loving billionaire couple and a clueless congressman with delusions of grandeur.

In his most outrageous and deliciously funny novel yet, Hiaasen delivers a gleefully chaotic portrait of contemporary madness.

I had to try to explain Carl Hiaasen to someone recently and the best I could come up was "Take the biggest dirtbags you can think of doing really dumb things, add in a couple of people who may be a little dirtbag-ish but underneath it is a heart of gold, and set the whole thing in Florida." And that is exactly what Hiaasen has given us here.

In Fever Beach, we first have the Strokers for Liberty, a white supremacist group lead by the incomparable Dale Figgo, who find themselves tapped by sleazy politician Clure Boyette to prevent another "election steal" in his district. Viva Morales is an accountant who works for one of Clure's bank rollers, and she knows something weird is going on, she just isn't sure exactly what it is. An accidental friendship with independently wealthy vigilante-about-town Twilly Spree leads Viva and Twilly deeper into the corruption as they try to gather enough evidence to foil the Congressman's plans.

There is nothing "normal" or "boring" about a Carl Hiaasen book, from Figgo and his skin graft to the homicidal kid working Boyette's construction site. If you want a wild ride through a Florida election season, you know where to go.

By the way, every time they referenced Figgo's nose, all I could think about was the judge from Nothing But Trouble (IYKYK).

Fans of Hiaasen will not be disappointed with his latest book featuring the dumbest group of neo Nazis that Florida has ever seen. I appreciate that all of his female characters are savvy and there were some truly laugh out loud moments. 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was wanting in this type of book. It had that tension that I was looking for and was invested in what was going on in this book. The characters were so well done in this story and worked well in this genre. I had enjoyed previous books from Carl Hiaasen and this was another great concept.

I always like Carl Hiaasen books, but this time the story felt all too possible, so I think that threw me.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen in exchange for an honest review.

In Hiaasen’s newest novel, we are reunited with long-time character Twilly Spree and his new flame Viva Morales. Morales, a new Florida resident, and recently poor from her ex-husband, rents a room in a shared apartment with Dale Figgo, a former Proud Boy who was kicked out of the group for defacing the wrong statue. Figgo, founder of the Strokerz for Liberty, a group of moronic neo-Nazis are trying their hand at fame through political manipulation. Morales lands a job for the Minks Foundation, a seemingly influential, philanthropic group, who she begins to suspect has a darker, seedier side. While Morales digs deeper into the foundation, Twilly infiltrates the Strokerz for Liberty by becoming a key member.

With his wild characters, on point political references, satire and humor, Hiaasen delivers another hit. Fever Beach is a laugh out loud funny, applicable in the current political climate page turner that leaves you wanting more. Hiaasen continues to be one of the most relevant authors of today tackling complex political and environmental issues through humor, story and unforgettable characters.

I haven't read anything by Carl Hiaasen before and I was not prepared for the language, the idiocy, and the politically unethicalness. It isn't my type of book and I didn't enjoy it. The point of it was lost on me. I thank NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC. If you like this type of book you may enjoy it the writing is quality, I am not interested in the subject.

Maybe this wasn't a good choice for my first Carl Hiaasen. Was there a plot? The characters are just cliches. And they have me ick vibes.

I don't think I had ever read a book by Hiaasen so took the opportunity to review this one when it was given. While he has done a great job creating unusual, quirky and dumber than dirt characters, I was soon overcome with all of the foul language and the sex references. I got tiresome of the ongoing political stuff too. Some of the dialogue was snappy and fun but so much of it was just foul language.

I decided there are so many gross people in real life with odd political agendas, I did not want to spend my time reading about fictional ones.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent reflection of the part of the book I read.

Another laugh-out-loud, yet twisted, look at bumbling white supremacists and Florida politics. A stand-alone title, Fever Beach nevertheless has all the now-classic hallmarks of a Hiaasen novel: set in Florida, populated by more than its fair share of Florida M(e)n, with hijinks and idiocy riding shotgun to a heartfelt satire/social commentary.

This funny, satirical novel is about a band of characters that people will recognize-Viva, who is trying to get back on her feet after a disastrous marriage, Twilly Spree, a man trying to live down his inheritance, Dale Figgo, a white supremacist wannabe and his mom, a crooked congressman all come together with Carl Hiassen's magic to make an unwilling community of people trying to make a difference. People who like books about current topics, especially skewed with Hiassen's magical sense of humor are going to love this one, which feels like it was ripped from the headlines or maybe inspired tomorrow's headlines. Super fun read.

When I saw Carl Hiaasen’s name pop up on NetGalley, I did a double take—an adult thriller?! As a middle school teacher, I immediately think of Hoot, which I have multiple copies of on my classroom shelf!

A quick scroll through his Goodreads profile reminded me that I am forever “a day late and a dollar short!” How have I not realized just how prolific Hiaasen is? Clearly, I have so many books to catch up on!

Fever Beach was my first adult novel by Hiaasen, and honestly, it was the perfect introduction. The characters were wild and memorable, the dialogue had me snorting and rolling my eyes (looking at you, Figgo), and the pace never dragged. It was sharp, fast-moving, and full of ridiculous antics in the best way.

A solid four-star read—and now I’ve added yet another author (and a stack of backlist titles) to my TBR!

Thank you NetGalley, Carl Hiaasen, and Knopf for the gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My mother in law recommended this to me, and it… was not what I expected.

The plot is simple enough. Dale has been rejected from the Proud Boys and other supremacist groups, so he’s decided to found his own, the Strokers for Liberty. His Latina roommate, Viva, doesn’t necessarily approve of his antics, but she believes him to be basically harmless. She quickly becomes embroiled in shady politics and, with the help of her new boytoy Twilly, begins systematically dismantling at least one crooked congressman. This is one hell of a ride with murder, hookers, puppy play, and many other aspects you wouldn’t think you’d find in such a politically charged book.

The characters are all from *very* different backgrounds. You have anything from Viva to Dale to a hired killer to the crooked congressman to the philanthropists who fund said congressman. It makes for a varied cast to say the least.

The writing is lighthearted and entertaining, even with heavier subject matter. It was very easy to read and follow, as long as you can keep up with multi POVs.

I enjoyed this, even if I wouldn’t have normally picked it up. A solid 4⭐️ read.

Art imitates life in “Fever Beach,” which follows a group of misfit rejects from mainstream white supremacist groups, oligarchs, corrupt politicians, and those who want them all to get their comeuppance. There are many laugh out loud moments and many moments that parallel the current US political landscape and had me fantasizing a real life Twilly Spree comes to the rescue.

The story takes place in Florida. It is set in the present but in the shadow of January 6. The villains are comically inept, the heroes many steps ahead of the action. In the final act, the villains self-destruct spectacularly, the heroes step back and let them, which makes it all the more delightful.

I recommend “Fever Beach” to readers with a sense of humor and dismay at the current political climate—it’s a hoot!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.