Bright Orange for the Shroud [Hardcover]

John D. MacDonald (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 1999

"McGee has become part of our national fabric."

SEATTLE POST INTELLIGENCER

Usually women came to take refuge aboard The Busted Flush. But this time a man stumbled on board, a walking zombie who fell into bed. Turned out poor Arthur Wilkinson was the latest victim of a fragile-looking blonde sexpot who used the blackest arts of love to lure unsuspecting suckers into a web of sordid schemes. Travis had thought he'd have a quiet summer. Instead he took on the most cunning, heartless, vicious con artists he'd ever met....


From the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

MacDonald, whose 21 Travis McGee novels represent arguably the best U.S. mystery series of the past 50 years, died in 1986, leaving behind a legion of fans. Sadly, Travis McGee seems lost amid today's hip, violent, and politically correct private eyes and series detectives, so much so that most of today's younger mystery readers may never experience this National Book Award-winning series. Yet audio producers seem committed to keeping the series alive for a new generation of readers and audiobook fans, as this example proves. Bright Orange for the Shroud tells of a dangerous confidence scheme that traps one of McGee's friends. Soon, McGee infiltrates the group and takes on its sexy operative, with explosive results. In A Deadly Shade of Gold, McGee comes into possession of an evil-looking, solid gold Aztec icon that leads to a perilous fortune. Reader Darren McGavin, who narrates the entire series for Random Audio, employs a world-weary, laid-back voice that is perfect for the enigmatic McGee. Recommended wherever good mysteries circulate. Random Audio offers the entire Travis McGee line in abridged format; libraries seeking unabridged versions should look to Books on TapeR.?Mark Annichiarico, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

From the Publisher

8 1-hour cassettes --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Random House Value Publishing (April 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517383802
• ISBN-13: 978-0517383803
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,047,007 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Travis McGee and the Nature of Time, September 28, 1997

By 

James Paris "Tarnmoor" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bright Orange for the Shroud (Mass Market Paperback)

I now believe that Travis McGee, like all great detectives, exists outside of time. How can a novel written over 30 years ago speak to us so directly without reference to its era?

In BRIGHT ORANGE FOR THE SHROUD, knight errant McGee rights wrongs committed by an impromptu consortium which exists to defraud and destroy its victim utterly. McGee flushes out the book's ultra-villain, Boo Waxwell, and does what he can to rectify the wrongs done to an innocent man. All, I might add, without reference to the Cold War, Carnaby Street, Hippies, or anything else which would have identified the book as a product of the Sizties.

MacDonald's villains are the seven deadly sins, with an occasional personification of evil from the swamps like rapist-murderer-extortionist Waxwell thrown in. A wonderful read which I highly recommend.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Quintessential McGee, April 27, 2000

By 

Michael Kramer (Ft Lauderdale) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bright Orange for the Shroud (Mass Market Paperback)

All the ingredients of a great McGee tale are present here, including the essential South Florida locale. It's hard to believe these stories were penned almost thirty years ago, and the rare "tells" that crop up are pretty funny. The typical is a wardrobe description replete with dacron sailcloth slacks, white denim jackets with wooden buttons, and the omnipresent pale yellow ascot. Of course, money matters are a giveaway. Like a wealthy murder victims toney "$30,000 home".

That said, few authors nail a modern detective yarn quite like John D. Read this book, or any other in the series, and you'll see what I mean.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another McGee Goodie, August 2, 2004

By 

Rocco Dormarunno (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bright Orange for the Shroud (Mass Market Paperback)

I picked up "Bright Orange for the Shroud" based on a recommendation from Amazon. But I didn't need such encouragement: I am a big fan of John D. MacDonald and, especially, the Travis McGee series. My favorite MacDonald book is "A Flash of Green", but I've always come back to the McGee series. This one, full of that shifty Florida culture, its tennis court bombshell, and gallons of flowing booze, is archetypal MacDonald. And, as I say in each review, I sure hope more people out there are reading MacDonald's works.