Bahamarama [Bargain Price] (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "The way it works at Baypoint Federal Country Club for Wayward Males, guys sometimes throw a going-away party for their buddies who are checking out,..." (more)
Key Phrases: Lord Downey, Miz Blitz, Harbour Island (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As Morris's hard-boiled, edgy debut novel opens, former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zachary Chasteen is being released after serving almost two years in a Florida penitentiary on trumped-up charges. Zack longs to be reunited with Barbara Pickering, his velvet-voiced lover, who is busy in the Bahamas shooting a spread for the magazine she owns. He gets ditched mid-journey by the limo driver she's sent ahead to fetch him and is suddenly on his own, penniless and without ID. Zack hitches a ride to his childhood home, but once there, he's ambushed by the violent lackeys of Victor Ortiz, the man who framed him years before. Zack manages a narrow escape, but is faced with even more trouble. Barbara's ex-fiancé, Brice, is found murdered, and she's been kidnapped with a hefty ransom on her head. Police inspector (and former football player) Lynfield Pederson and Zack put their heads together as Hurricane Curt barrels toward them. After the limo driver who originally deserted Zack is identified as a well-known deadly criminal and the probable source of all things bad, Zack gets a lucky break and speeds off to a bat-filled sea cave to confront his nemesis at the novel's bullet-ridden climax. An array of colorful locals gives the story some much-needed texture, while juicy plotting keeps this impressive page-turner simmering. Morris has produced an accomplished first novel with a priceless final scene.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The one-word title of journalist Morris' debut novel stands as a hint that something is going on here. Just about every other mystery novelist would feel compelled to name a book about murder in the Bahamas something anatomical and tendentious like Blood on the Sand. But Morris knows how to put some bounce in his writing: his narrator has a fresh, true voice and a lode of comic cynicism. Ex-Miami Dolphin Zack Chasteen (the narrator) invites readers along on a stutter-step saga that starts with his release from a Florida federal prison. Chasteen discovers that his girlfriend has been kidnapped from their rendezvous spot on Bar Harbor Island in the Bahamas and that her ex-boyfriend has been murdered. And things get worse, much worse, from there--with Chasteen serving both as target and as canny tour guide through the rough edges of the Bahamas. This is a series to watch. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• ISBN-10: 0312328893
• ASIN: B000FUTQ64
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,264,802 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bahamarama: More than a Mystery, February 13, 2005

By	T. Strecker "TWalter" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bahamarama (Hardcover)

So Bob Morris has written a book? What could it be? I have been reading his stuff for years. Could be a travelogue. He knows more about the world between Georgia and the Equator than just about anyone. Could be about the environment. He genuinely loves the real Florida, the one that existed before air conditioners, more than the Sierra Club could ever pretend to. Could be a love story; it is dedicated to his bride and sons, after all. Could be a mystery. He is a somewhat devious devil. Could be a comedy. He is one of the funniest people you will ever meet. Could be a collaboration with Julia Child, as I understand that when he appears at a book signing, he will make a batch of conch fritters for you. Whatever it might turn out to be, I expected it to be a great read. And so it is.

The setting begins in a Florida prison and follows the release of Zach Chasteen, a former Miami Dolphin, to the Bahamas, the real Bahamas, not Nassau.

The plot is a convoluted(gotta have convolutions to make a mystery) tale of money, drugs, various family issues, and some amazing coincidences.

The conflict is, or course, good versus evil, within the context of the plot, setting and characters.

The theme is loyalty. Zach struggles to be loyal to his love Barbara. Zach's business partner and confidante. Boggy, turns out to be steadfastly loyal to Zach, Zach's misconceptions notwithstanding.

The narrative is riveting. The setting and the action captivate the reader. Morris knows the place and the time and the people.

The outcome is a brilliant story, told by a writer who has mastered his craft. Trust me, it is worth the read. It compels one to complete the task without interruption.

I shall not presume to abstract the plot, as most reviewers persist in doing.

Let me simply answer the initial question I posed. Bahamarama is a comedy, and the punchline is 10-9=1. Read it to find out why. You will not regret the time spent.

And when the movie is made, we can have coffee and discuss whether it is "as good as the book." If so, it will be a movie worth watching.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Good Florida Mystery, December 7, 2004

By	H. F. Corbin "Foster Corbin" (ATLANTA, GA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Bahamarama (Hardcover)

It must be something about the Florida climate that spawns good mystery writers, Bob Morris being the latest. His first mystery opens with the protagonist's release from Federal Prison Camp/Baypoint, a home away from home for white collar types-- not exactly what we would expect for the makings of a sympathetic character. We soon learn, however, that Zack Chasteen was wrongly convicted and indeed is a most likeable mystery solver. He dresses well, eats and drinks even better and is in general a laid-back dude, even when he has to kill to protect himself. This very well-written novel has an intricate, byzantine plot. Things are not as they seem here. While I anticipated some of the events, Mr. Morris and Zack were usually miles ahead of me. I would call this novel "slick", and that is not a pejorative term. It goes down as easily as a fine piece of Key lime pie. Actually, I wish Mr. Morris had included recipes for all that wondrously exotic food he discusses.

A friend and fellow-reader thinks the writer may have been too hard on Lesbians. (I don't want to give away the plot.) I didn't think so. Perhaps Mr. Morris can give the religious right a hard time next time.

I look forward to reading Mr. Morris' next novel.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent start to a new series., October 31, 2005

By	B. Ramsey - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bahamarama (Hardcover)

This is not a "great" mystery novel, but it is a decent read if you have a minute. The story centers around Zack Chasteen, a recently released, wrongly acccused ex-football player/ex-con. A little of the action is hokey at times, a couple of the characters hard to believe and one side story that is omnipresent but handled in a rapid, throw it in there at the last minute, manner. But all-in-all the novel was a promising start to a new series. Though not a fan of most of the "Florida" mystery authors, Morris seems to be off to a decent start. Worth a look at least.