The History of the Mystery

In Fall of 2002 the Florida Humanities Council magazine Forum featured articles about the plethora of mystery stories set in the state. In the introductory piece State of Suspense Stuart McIver wrote that Florida has "an army of mystery writers who keep pouring out books about police, private and amateur detectives, crafty and creative murders, menacing and often seductive red herrings - and one particular character without whom these writers would lose their magic touch. That character is place . Strange, wonderful, weird, horrifying, disgusting, embarrassing, funny things happen in Florida."

McIver goes on to speak of the "glorious settings" such as beautiful sunsets, swamps with alligators, million dollar yachts, cities with ever increasing populations and the quiet beauty of Florida small towns. Mclver quotes Les Standiford, mystery writer and director of the creative writing program at Florida International University: "Place is as important as character and the story itself. In fact, place becomes a character in all its aspects, atmosphere, physical setting, time, weather."

John D. MacDonald is credited with creating the first investigator living a distinctive Florida life style in a Florida place . In 1964 he introduced Travis McGee who lives on his houseboat moored at Bahia Mar Marina in Fort Lauderdale. In this and following novels, McGee, a crusader for Florida's environment, takes on greedy developers and the politicians colluding with them. As Florida's population has continued to grow, the pressure on the land has increased, with environmental groups working to protect the wonderful variety of natural areas and creatures of the varied lands and waters.

Florida's human population is also varied, with immigrants coming from many states and many nations. Florida offers easy access along its long coasts; legal and illegal immigrants, business persons and drug smugglers enter Florida via the Atlantic, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. In the interior hundreds of miles of dense Everglades and flat lands of the south, and acres of pine forests in the north provide opportunity for the newcomers seeking dark locations that hide evil deeds. Als. newcomers may have different life styles so conflicts over different customs and land use issues may arise when immigrants clash with local populations in Florida communities.

Strange events connected with environmental and population issues occur in Florida, a situation that many mystery writers have found offers fertile ground for their tales. A characteristic of Florida mysteries has been the strong emphasis on place. Following is a list of writers who have followed John MacDonald and made Florida the place for mysteries. The novels are listed according to the main location of the story. The list provides a sample of the backgrounds and themes that have made Florida mysteries distinctive.

Miami is listed first because it and adjoining Miami Beach are the queen cities of Florida mysteries. Their old image often was of a row of elders, sitting on the porch of a once elegant hotel or waiting for a bus. The newer image is a style conscious place where world famous celebrities congregate in exclusive clubs. There is an element of danger, drugs and illegal immigrants are part of the scene. The television series Miami Vice contributed to the Miami image: the blue sea, the white buildings, bright sunny days, sunsets, and handsome detectives in rumpled white suits ferreting out villains. Miami today is internationally famous, a center of commerce. the gateway to Latin America. Mysteries set in Miami tend to be hard-boiled, with two elements: the outrageous and the humorous.

Barry,Dave Big Trouble 1999. Recognized as a comic mystery, this deals with the wayward ways of oddball people connected with a South Florida construction company and politics.

Bartlett,James Death from the Ladies Tee1992. This mystery features Pete Hacker, sportswriter-investigator providing comments about Miami, the Doral, the PGA tour, the Doral Open, nightlife in places like Coconut Grove - as he works to solve a mystery.

Born, James O. Walking Money 2004. Bill Tasker, dedicated state trooper with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, has been given the tough job of keeping track of a satchel containing $1.5 million dollars. Born's writing is known for slick factual accuracy and his creation of the Miami scene.

Buchanan, Edna. Cold Case Squad 2004, is one of a series featuring Britt Montero, blond, green-eyed Cuban American crime reporter for the Miami Herald who is involved in solving the crimes.

Dorsey, Tim . This author writes mysteries with titles such as Triggerfish Twist and Florida Roadkill . His stories live up to their way-out titles, with sleezy characters, manic drug dealers and beautiful babes. Cadillac Beach 2004 is full of action in South Florida.

Garcia-Aguillera, Carolina has a series featuring a young detective, Cuban-American P.I. Guadalupe Solano. Entertaining reading about a well-to-do Cuban family, as Lupe interacts with her father, her two sisters, one a nun and one a single mom, besides running her own detective business and solving crimes. A great deal of humor and lively action. Example, Bloody Waters " 1996.

Glassman, Steve Near Death Experiment , 2001. Someone is tampering with Florida's frozen orange juice industry. College Professor Rupert J."Bru" Bruton, PhD, and a librarian-girl Friday Melba T. Appleyard are the investigators. Fast action.

Grippando, James Beyond Suspicion , 2002. The legal background offers a great deal of information, there are some chilling scenes, the detective is Jack Swytek, industrious, intelligent Miami defense attorney.

Gruder, Michael 2003. Doing fieldwork in Nigeria, anthropologist Jane Does studies a native tribe known for voodoo. She becomes ill, once back in the U.S., she investigates crimes in a Miami area where she encounters shamanism and fast action.

Hiassen, Carl . This Miami Herald crime reporter is well known for his mysteries with the way-out characters and situations. He says that he is simply using material that is reported everyday in the papers. Example, Stormy Weather 1993, after Hurricane Andrew, features Skink, former governor and his "pest control" plan. Hiassen also writes of Fort Lauderdale, example, Strip Tease.

Levine, Paul Miami trial lawyer Jake Lasssiter finds weird happenings. In Speak for the Dead (1990) he encounters grave robbery and drugs as he searches for missing persons on steamy streets and in tropical swamps.

Parker, Barbara A former Miami Dade prosecutor, this author provides readers with authentic background in Florida legal matters. Suspicion of Innocence 1994, features Gil Connor, a Miami lawyer and Anthony Quintana, her sleek and handsome admirer.

Sussman, Susan Cruising for Murder 2005. Chicago actress Morgan Taylor fills in for another performer on a cruise ship out of Miami. She finds plenty of action besides her song and dance routines. Her experiences include events that occur when the ship stops at the island owned by the ship company.

Willeford, Charles Miami Blues, 1984. Hoke Mosely is the investigator in this dark mystery. In The Way We Die Now (1988) Hoke goes underground to investigate treatment of migrant workers in a more rural area of South Florida. Willeford has received recognition for continuing the Miami noir tradition.

Wyle,Dirk, Pharmacology is Murder ,1998. and Biotechnology is Murder,2000. Ben and Rebecca live the graduate student life, bike riding, romancing, and - solving mysteries. Full of information about a myriad of subjects from Santeria to a tropical forest in Miami.

The Keys These Caribbean islands have attracted action since the days of pirate ships carrying treasures roamed the seas. No place has more atmosphere than Key West , the southernmost tip of the United States. The influence of Papa Hemingway who once lived on the Key is still felt, with the Hemingway festival an annual event. The island has a culture of its own that mystery authors like John Leslie portray.

Barr, Nevada Flashback 2003. United States park ranger Ana Pigeon goes to tiny Garden Key, grim Civil War era prison where Dr. Samuel Mudd, Lincoln's assassin, spent 4 months after the Civil War. Flashbacks weave in the history.

Cody, Patrick A Fool's Death, sub-title Murder in Key West , 1993. Mason Collins investigates the death of his friend, Mesquite Charley, who was eaten by an alligator. Excellent description of the island and its flora and fauna.

Hall, James W. Former award winning poet turned mystery story writer, his detective Thorn knows the steamy side of the Keys, and the contrasts, the fancy housing and the trailer camps. Violence is in both places. Example, Gone Wild 1995.

Leslie, John, Blue Moon 1998. Gideon Lowry is 60, and only responds to friends who ask him to investigate crimes. A laid-back, overweight gumshoe, he has 3 ex-wives and plays piano in a lounge, part of Key West night life.

Murphy, Dallas Apparent Wind 1991. The humor and pro-environmental message give atmosphere to this comic nightmare about real-estate development. Con man Dennis Doom Lomis learns he owns a soggy, dilapidated town on a Florida key (fictional name. Tough guy detective Hunt is an ex-green beret.

Shames, Laurence Tropical Depression 1996. Corruption and the Miami Mafia are featured in this novel that depicts some New Yorkers who relocate to Key West, such as Murray Zemelman, the "bra king" who own Beauty Breast, a New Jersey factory.

Willeford, Charles. An acknowledged master, he is known for showing the underside of life in South Florida. His detective, Hoke Mosley, investigates murders on a South Florida migrant farm in Way We Die Now.

Palm Beach Palm Beach County is a very large area stretching west from the City which has a beautiful setting on the Atlantic Coast to the rural area around Lake Okeechobee. Mysteries set in Palm Beach reflect the atmosphere of the city of Palm Beach famed for its wealth. Not everything is elegant, though.

Hoag, Tami Dark Horse 2002. Elena Estes, trained as a law enforcement officer, is resting at a friend's horse farm in Palm Beach County. In Alibi Man, 2007, Elena gets involved in a murder case, in which Russian criminals, who had come into south Florida in the 1960s, are dangerous adversaries.

Leonard, Elmore This author is widely recognized for his books. Example, Maximum Bob, 1991. Bob Gibbs, a Florida good old boy, is a Palm Beach circuit judge, known for his maximum sentences. Leonard has written over 40 crime novels, 10 are set in Florida. Rum Punch (1993)contains action in the cities of Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Shores, all within the boundary of Palm Beach County.

T.J.MacGregor Blue Pearl 1994 features the husband and wife team of Quin St. James and Mike McCleary who deal with all levels of society within Palm Beach city and county. Interactions between the pair as they investigate are entertaining, their lives are dangerous.

Matteson, Stephanie Murder under the Palms 1992 is set in the city of Palm Beach. The descriptions are of the rich lifestyle - charming dwelling, excellent food, stylish clothes. The detective is an older woman, sophisticated, a newcomer to Florida who decides to purchase a home, then investigates a crime.

Sanders, Lawrence McNally's Puzzle 1996. One of a series that features playboy Archy McNally, investigator for the law firm headed by his father, who is successful, beautifully dressed and always well-behaved. Archy, single, still lives at home, in an apartment on the third floor of his parents' home. Enjoying the many pleasures of the Palm Beach city lifestyle, Archite takes on investigations that are sometimes dangerous. Note: after Sanders' death, writer Vincent Lardo has written recent Archy McNally mysteries.

Fort Lauderdale This South Florida city in Broward County, north from Miami on the Florida Turnpike, has a quieter atmosphere than its southern neighbor. Along Lauderdale's beautiful walk next to the Atlantic Ocean, people of all ages enjoy the view and stop for refresments in one of the attractive food and drink places. To the west the county edge is the Everglades, dense tropical growth area that is home to some of Florida's native Americans such as the Cherokees.

Fine, Donald I. In Summer's Reason (1994) a former Fort Lauderdale beat and motorcycle cop Cherokee Paul McDonald knows his way around the criminal community. He works with rookie Jesse Summer. Features are police action and local color.

Clewiston This small inland city is located on the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee, the huge fresh water body in the flat, sugar growing area of south Florida, close to what is known as Central Florida. Among the sparse population are Native Americans mixing with immigrants from Haiti and other Caribbean islands.

Watson, Sterling Deadly Sweet 1994 is a tense, ecological thriller that deals with the sugar industry and long time pollution. Set in a town that resembles the real Clewiston, the plot centers on bringing to justice the killers of Corey Darrow, young environmentalist.

Central Florida The I-4 corridor that crosses central Florida has attracted continuous population growth. To the east the Kennedy Space Center is on the Atlantic Coast. Inland is the Orlando vicinity which hosts Disney World. There still are rural areas, and small towns, but the population growth to the west has made the Gulf Coast cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg large cities.

Orchid Beach Woods, Stuart (1998) is a fictional small town on the Atlantic coast of Central Florida where newcomer 37 year-old Holly Baker takes up a new career as deputy police chief. She was motivated to move after losing a sexual harassment case against a superior officer, an event that led her to leave her army career. When the local police chief is murdered, Holly has to take over. Florida orchids are a theme.

Marco Island White, Randy Wayne Ten Tnousand Islands (2000). The story weaves Florida American History with contemporary actions. On the Gulf Side of Florida robberies occur on an island off the coast. Desecrating and looting ancient archaeological sites are actions destroying part of Florida's distinctive environment and taking away the cultural artifacts of the first residents of the area.

Orlando Lutz, John Tropical Heat Former Orlando policeman Carver goes from Disney World to the swamps of the Everglades in this novel.

Robinson, Kevin A Matter of Perspective 1993. Stick Foster, a detective in a wheelchair, solves a mystery set in the world of corporate law where his lawyer wife, also in a wheelchair works. Modern Orlando is described, along with references to what was there before the small inland city, known for its calm life style, orange trees, and small lakes grew into the center of a metropolitan area that attracts millions of visitors a year to Disney World and other manmade attractions. Another Foster mystery, Mall Rats 1992 depicts Stick finding a youth living in the mall.

Tampa Vogt, M. Diane Gasparilla Gold 2002. Gaspararilla days in Tampa, the restaurant world, local color, criminal law are part of this novel featuring Judge Wilhemina Carson.

St.Petersburg . Crash Course, 1997. Truman Kicklighter, retired reporter, finds life a little dull at the Fountain of Youth Residential Hotel in St. Petersburg. He loves a good mystery and with support from friends, takes on investigating a crime.

Sarasota The population of this city on the Gulf Coast is the home of many wealthy people. People visit to enjoy the beautiful beaches, admire the historic structures and patronize the excellent shops and restaurants.

Stuart Kaminksy is editor of Murder in the Sunshine State a collection of short Florida mystery stories by Florida writers. Kaminsky has written more than 50 novels. He has a series about Lew Foneska, a Florida process server, who moves from Chicago to Sarasota after the death of his wife. His works show a strong sense of place.

McBain,Ed Detective Matthew Hope is a lawyer who investigates crime in Calusa, Florida, a mythical city which closely resembles Sarasota. Each of the series featuring Hope has a fairy tale title, such as Goldilocks and Three Blind Mice.

Gulf Coast near Clearwater Ayers, E.C. Hour of the Manatee 1994. Tony Lovell, former Hippie, is a private detective who investigates crimes. He prefers to be comfortable in sandals, but can react fast to crime. Night of the Panther , 1997, has a climax in which all is revealed b the sleuth in the famous Belleview Biltmore Hotel, located south of Clearwater.

North Florida The uppermost area of Florida extends almost 600 miles from Jacksonville on the Atlantic to Pensacola on the Gulf coast. Tallahassee, the state capitol, is situated about midway between the east and west coast. The three cities are united by I-10. West of Tallahassee, I-10 intersects with I-75 which runs south from Georgia. The cities of North Florida are old, but the area has been the last section of the state to experience widespread growth. There are still large areas of open land, but today new subdivisions are part of the scene in much of North Florida. The changes have inspired mystery writers.

Gainesville Kerns, Kenneth , Reunion at University Avenue 2005. Former UF student Mike Adams returns to Gainesville, home of the University of Florida. Located off I-75, the city is in the middle of the peninsula. When former UF student Mike Adams returns to Gainesville, he sees new growth, but finds that the Circle, an organization of students at the University is still active. The Circle has a long history of involvement in state political affairs, some dubious. University people will be reminded of Blue Key, an organization still in existence at UF.

Gainesville and Rosewood Schumacher,Aileen Rosewood's Ashes , 2005. David Alvarez, a police detective, and Troy Travers, a woman who knows Rosewood and its tragic history, delve into the night of horror that destroyed Rosewood. The last part of the book reveals what part is fictional.

Gainesville and Steinhatchee Shriner, Larry Epilogue for Murder The book provides description of many areas in north Florida, with the center of action being Steinhatchee. The investigator visits a professor on the university campus in Gainesville and learns that drug traffic and toxic waste are North Florida problems.

Panama City Bartholomew, Nancy Drag Strip, 1999. Sierra Lavotini knows a lot about Panama City, which she says some people know as the Redneck Riviera. Sierra is an exotic dancer who has the quick wit and understanding that enable her to investigate a crime. The descriptions o fthe place and the people are entertaining.

Citrus (fictional town) Morris, Scott M. Waiting for April 2003. Ray Collins works to discover the truth about his father. Author Morris is a 5th generation Floridian who teaches English at the U. of Mississippi.

Other North Florida Areas Abrams, Marjorie Murder on the Prairie 2005, and Murder at Wakulla Springs 2006. These two mysteries are exciting stories that demonstrate environmentalism and place as themes in Florida mysteries. The beautiful settings, Paynes Prairie near Gainesville in Alachua County, and Wakulla Springs in the vicinity of Tallahasseem, are large, popular areas.

Atkins, Art The Oasis Project 2007. Slade Lockwood, a decorated veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department comes to the small town of Cedar Key on the Gulf coast of Florida. Lockwood becomes involved in investigating the deaths of local resident Shirley Waterbury's parents and brother. Were these deaths accidents? Author Atkins is a veteran police officer, currently at work in Gainesville, Florida, about 50 miles to the west of Cedar Key.

Evans, Mary Ann Artifacts 2003. In this informative, well-plotted mystery, Faye Longechamp, student in archaeology, is hanging on to her old, needing repair ancestral home, once a fine Gulf Coast Plantation house. She becomes involved in an illegal activity, selling artifacts she unearths in a nearby wildlife refuge.

Holland, Joyce Beyond Gulf Breeze 2000. Sally Malone finds out that she "is in the heart of military country" and that people dismiss the idea that the "military has devised huge cover-up operations." Finding the truth behind some abductions is dangerous.

Norman, Geoffrey Sweetwater Ranch 1991. Set in the Perdido River area that forms the boundary between Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, the mystery features Morgan Hunt who lives on the river with a faithful coon dog, and Jessie, a pretty Cajun lady. Investigator and tough guy Hunt is an ex-green beret.

Sibley, Celestine Straight as an Arrow 1992. Kate Mulcay leaves Atlanta to go by small plane and ferry to an island in the Gulf. She finds evil and mystery in this place where Gulf breezes go through long-legged houses on stilts above the land in event of hurricanes.

Wimberly, Daryl Strawman's Hammock 2001. African-American detective Barrett Bear Raines works in sparsely populated Lafayette County in the Big Bend region of North Florida. As he is FDLE (Florida Division of Law Enforcement), he is a state police official. Relationships between law enforcement personnel at different levels of government are part of modern mystery novel environments.