The story starts with Joey Perrone being thrown overboard from a cruise chip by her husband Chaz. The almost-murdered wife of corrupt Charles "Chaz" Perrone, survives by clinging to a floating bale of marijuana and is rescued by Mick Stranahan, a burnt-by-love ex-cop. The description alone of how she deals with the attempted murder and then the fight to survive is hysterical if it wasn't so scary at the same time.
Chaz, an incompetent marine biologist, (he doesn't even know which direction the Gulf Stream flows in), has long been on the take from agribusiness tycoon Red Hammernut, who's been dumping fertilizer into the endangered Everglades. He thinks that Joey has discovered that he's been exchanging clean-water samples for the actual tainted water that is the result of Hammernut's environmental pollution. But while his wife suspects he is sleeping around she doesn't have a clue about the scam.
Joey recovers her strength, mental and physical, at the island home of her gallant rescuer Mike, who is the victim of six failed marriages. Instead of going to the police, however, she decides to play dead. She persuades Mike to help her mess with Chaz's mind while she figures out why he tried to kill her.
Great cast of charcters - Tool the hired goon of Red Hammernut w ho is brought in to watch Chaz. He was shot in the behind and still has the bullet lodged up his butt. So since he is in constant pain he raids hospice nursing homes for pain patches. During one of his late night raids he meets an old woman who gives it right back to him and suddenly reveals that Tool might have a heart of gold.
Hiaasen is not for the faint of heart as he likes his humor dark but still laugh out loud funny. It is a bit preachy on the devastation of the everglades but you can tell it is a passion of Hiaasen and you can't fault him with being passionate.