Bad Monkey question

I think it wasn't the Russian mob actually, just the Russian guy that skulked around in the T shirt shop, he was here illegally and I think he felt like he had to pay the %5,000 or be turned into immigration.

My favorites were 'Sick Puppy', 'Lucky You' and 'Strip Tease' (which was made into a not-as-good-as-the-book movie). My tween daughter has read all the youth-oriented novels and we bought the DVD of 'Hoot' (which Hiaasen appears in, along with Jimmy Buffet).

The Russian mobster who ran the t-shirt shop put up the money to get Yancy off his back. That's a guess. He also had the hots for the girl who worked there, a potential target of the one-armed villain.

This is one of my least favorite Hiaasen books. It lacked some of the mirth. It felt darker and more mean spirited than usual

Because they don't like their personnel being rubbed out?

I agree with you. I had the same question. Where did I miss the Russian connection. Would someone please clue me iin, or is this just some obscure thing Hiaasen brings in to confuse us? And as a reminder that the Russian is alive and well in Florida?

Shoot, I didn't realize I missed that connection until I read this thread. Now I may have to go back and reread part of the book! IMHO I liked some of his earlier works better than this one, but I did have several laugh out loud moments.

I somehow have a hard time picturing a one armed man riding a moped being able to shoot Phinney,then later clubbing Andrew and drag him to a canal, all while wearing a poncho. It's a very funny read none the less.

The whole thing was a tongue in cheek plot aside; probably not too important how "bad" the "Russian" was. He was using it as an edge with the not too bright girl.

Then the reward, also kept murky, but obviously this was laughably low level crime with mob pretensions.

Just a showoff(especially as far as the main character is concerned), or a ludicrous weak mob, a stubborn fake. Or someone employer above him is faking the same thing. The castoff humor keeps running jokes alive for the rich humor. Non important, sketchy, and fun and though Phinney is dead, still connected to his pitiful self-legend.

I agree with Terry. How does one ride a moped and shoot people with one arm? Riding a moped alone would be a challenge, but then shooting at the same time? I figured it was so obvious that it was supposed to be funny. The book was still very entertaining.

You just had to swallow the chopped off arm without too many questions. I didn't much care for the vague ending. Also, I wasn't paying very close attention to the Russian angle. I thought there was some sort of small Russian moblet that scraped together $5000 to keep out of trouble themselves.

I thought it was perhaps a way for the Russian to convince Madeline to marry him - some sort of an offering to show his "respects" to Phinney.

I miss the Governor; he was a great character and a regular in his earlier books.