Let me first start off by saying I am a huge Carl Hiaasen fan. I’ve read every novel he has written, and have enjoyed them all. I look forward to whenever he has a new book coming out. And that was the case with “Wrecker.” But this one did not connect for me. Can I say it was a bit of a wreck? There are too many plots weaving in and out. The tense jumps from present to past and back again. And being set in the time of COVID dates it from the get-go. To top it off, the whole COVID vax preaching is lame, and I wish it WAS true that everyone who got vaxed, wore a mask, stayed home, etc. would have been kept from getting the “rona,” (which is said in the book), in which case, my own mother would still be with us. The whole “get vaccinated” routine throughout the book was very tiresome. (I wonder if Mr. Hiaasen is one of those who drive around alone in their car with a mask on?)
The main plot line about the high schoolers forced into smuggling was fun enough (if not too believable), and the Wrecker character was easy to play along with, but the whole book felt way too adult for a young audience, which was the target. Oh well, here’s hoping Hiaasen gets back on the right track with his next adult novel, and keeps to the fun and funniness, and less on the preaching and proselytizing. Unfortunately, with all the wreckage, I cannot recommend this book for kids or adults.
Dale Ward 