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An Alex Rutledge Mystery #6
Hawk Channel Chase
Tom Corcoran
324 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2009
29 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Tom Corcoran
71 books102 followersThere is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Tom Corcoran first moved to Florida in 1970. He has been a disc jockey, bartender, AAA travel counselor, U. S. Navy officer, screenwriter, freelance photographer, automotive magazine editor, computer graphic artist, and journalist.
Tom Corcoran first moved to Florida in 1970. He has been a disc jockey, bartender, AAA travel counselor, U. S. Navy officer, screenwriter, freelance photographer, automotive magazine editor, computer graphic artist, and journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 7, 2012
Finished late last night, couldn't put it down until I did.
I really like Corcoran's Key West stories. Part of it is I live just a few blocks from Alex Rutledge's fictional home, so I recognize just about every street, restaurant and landmark.
The story is confusing. I'm not sure I have it all figured out even at the end. Matter of fact, I'm not sure Corcoran actually explained it all. Many characters and multiple plot lines are woven together in non-stop action.
But that doesn't matter. There's no examination at the end of the book. Just a series of great rides, by boat, motorcycle and Cannondale, interesting characters, Corcoran's excellent sense of humor, and the flavor of a place I love.
Oh, and the most memorable quote has to do with a vibrator.
I really like Corcoran's Key West stories. Part of it is I live just a few blocks from Alex Rutledge's fictional home, so I recognize just about every street, restaurant and landmark.
The story is confusing. I'm not sure I have it all figured out even at the end. Matter of fact, I'm not sure Corcoran actually explained it all. Many characters and multiple plot lines are woven together in non-stop action.
But that doesn't matter. There's no examination at the end of the book. Just a series of great rides, by boat, motorcycle and Cannondale, interesting characters, Corcoran's excellent sense of humor, and the flavor of a place I love.
Oh, and the most memorable quote has to do with a vibrator.
May 25, 2011
I have grown to really love this series. At first, I sought out Corcoran to fill the John D. MacVoid. But he has his own very attractive voice. Hawk Channel Chase lacks some of the development of peripheral characters it would need to stand as strongly alone. But as someone who has followed the saga, it was the best, most evenly paced, of the series. If you're into Key West, vintage bikes, hot cars, photography, romance, and a good story, you'll get into this.
June 28, 2021
Alex Rutledge has the worse luck with women of any fictional character since the beginning of fiction. These women seem normal and then suddenly become the definition of flake. Alex is left with a Wait!? What?! expression on his face. That is the expression on my face when I am read this series. I rarely understand what is going on and frequently can't make sense of the dialogue. But I can make sense of the locations and wonderful memories of time spent in the Keys, Key West, the Afterdeck of Louie's Backyard and so much more.
May 5, 2015
Nobody writing today exhibits as strong a sense of place as Tom Corcoran. His long years of living in, and bicycling around, Key West have given him an impeccable grasp of how the island's many communities fit together and how they relate to the other Keys to the north. His powers of description are unmatched, too, in making a reader feel as if you're right there in Key West, poking into things with his detective, photographer Alex Rutledge.
I've been a fan of Corcoran's other books about Rutledge, going back to the first one, Bone Island Mambo. This one certainly started off strong, enmeshing Rutledge in a strange conspiracy in an effort to save his longtime friend Sam Wheeler from arrest or death.
But the ending was a bit of a disappointment, because the main action occurs off-stage, audible to Rutledge and his friends via a radio but that's it. That's a rare misstep for Corcoran, and one I hope will not hamper the outcome of future installments of this fine mystery series.
I've been a fan of Corcoran's other books about Rutledge, going back to the first one, Bone Island Mambo. This one certainly started off strong, enmeshing Rutledge in a strange conspiracy in an effort to save his longtime friend Sam Wheeler from arrest or death.
But the ending was a bit of a disappointment, because the main action occurs off-stage, audible to Rutledge and his friends via a radio but that's it. That's a rare misstep for Corcoran, and one I hope will not hamper the outcome of future installments of this fine mystery series.
January 3, 2013
The character of Alex Rutledge has grown on me. My living more than half the year in Florida and being a life long photographer makes him even more appealing. You can tell this Jimmy Buffet fan has spent many hours on the water and knows the Keys and habitat well, it shines through in his writing He also seems to know the locals and has an easy time describing them and their hangouts with humor and fondness. His characters and plots are believable and still interesting, no super heroes here. An easy read and perfect for a day at the beach.
May 22, 2018
great book loved all the navigation and intrigue
October 2, 2019
Pretty intricate for a sun and sand novel. I missed this one when it came out. Much heavier story.
April 3, 2024
Lots of Florida Keys sights and missing folks, fish boats, and cash
April 7, 2012
For pure Key West flavor, there might not be anyone writing it better today than Tom Corcoran. Plus he spins a pretty good murder mystery in the process. Back in the 70's and 80's, Corcoran hung out on the island with such Key West luminaries as Thomas McGuane, Hunter S. Thompson, and Jimmy Buffett, even helping the latter out writing a few of his songs: Cuban Crime of Passion and Fins to be specific. Don't believe me? Drag out your old Buffett CD's and take a gander at the liner notes. Told ya'. What this real life immersion in the creative heyday of Key West means is that the man's earned his bona fides and knows how to drop a reader into the sweaty, steamy, breezy soup of tropical life in that town.
With Hawk Channel Chase, we are blessed with the sixth adventure of photographer turned amateur sleuth, Alex Rutledge, who finds himself pulled into the investigation of a young woman's death at the request of a friend. Unlike such Florida writers such as Randy Wayne White and the late John D. MacDonald, we don't always get a slam-bang-save-the-world finish from Corcoran; he prefers to bring the activity of the novel to a simmering conclusion and meander off into the sunset. Nothing wrong with that. I always enjoy the change of pace from some of my other regular reads.
When it comes to Florida fictional heroes, Rutledge is not quite as reflective as Doc Ford (which might be a good thing) or as crusading as Travis McGee. Still, even with his laid-back persona, he manages to get himself knee deep in trouble pretty quickly, which is a good thing when it comes to the kind of fiction we like.
Now's the time when most reviewers would provide a succinct review of the Hawk Channel Chase plot, along with incisive commentary regarding its literary merit. To tell the truth, I waited too long to review the book and have sort of forgotten some of the finer points, but small details like that shall never stay my pen - or keyboard, as the case may be. However, I'm not so lame as to have forgotten the thing entirely. Nothing against Corcoran's skill. I read so many books that they sometimes blend, plus I sleep now and then.
But let's give it a shot. One of Rutledge's charter boat friends has gotten himself mixed up in a secretive group of doctors running illicit medical supplies to Cuba. Of course, the government's sort of interested in this nefarious activity, and though Alex would prefer to while away his down time between photography assignments playing girlfriend roulette, dusting the tops of his ceiling fans, and consuming his share of alcoholic beverages on the island, events conspire to pull him into the mix, or more appropriately, gumbo. Following the protagonist, we go up and down the Florida Keys, run around on the island, and then on the water, investigating a local college girl's death every step of the way. The supporting cast of characters might not be as finely developed as some of Florida's other bards, but that's a small quibble.
If you've got salt water in your blood and bits of Key West caught in your brain, this is darn good read. Actually it's a darn good read even if you've never left Minneapolis.
With Hawk Channel Chase, we are blessed with the sixth adventure of photographer turned amateur sleuth, Alex Rutledge, who finds himself pulled into the investigation of a young woman's death at the request of a friend. Unlike such Florida writers such as Randy Wayne White and the late John D. MacDonald, we don't always get a slam-bang-save-the-world finish from Corcoran; he prefers to bring the activity of the novel to a simmering conclusion and meander off into the sunset. Nothing wrong with that. I always enjoy the change of pace from some of my other regular reads.
When it comes to Florida fictional heroes, Rutledge is not quite as reflective as Doc Ford (which might be a good thing) or as crusading as Travis McGee. Still, even with his laid-back persona, he manages to get himself knee deep in trouble pretty quickly, which is a good thing when it comes to the kind of fiction we like.
Now's the time when most reviewers would provide a succinct review of the Hawk Channel Chase plot, along with incisive commentary regarding its literary merit. To tell the truth, I waited too long to review the book and have sort of forgotten some of the finer points, but small details like that shall never stay my pen - or keyboard, as the case may be. However, I'm not so lame as to have forgotten the thing entirely. Nothing against Corcoran's skill. I read so many books that they sometimes blend, plus I sleep now and then.
But let's give it a shot. One of Rutledge's charter boat friends has gotten himself mixed up in a secretive group of doctors running illicit medical supplies to Cuba. Of course, the government's sort of interested in this nefarious activity, and though Alex would prefer to while away his down time between photography assignments playing girlfriend roulette, dusting the tops of his ceiling fans, and consuming his share of alcoholic beverages on the island, events conspire to pull him into the mix, or more appropriately, gumbo. Following the protagonist, we go up and down the Florida Keys, run around on the island, and then on the water, investigating a local college girl's death every step of the way. The supporting cast of characters might not be as finely developed as some of Florida's other bards, but that's a small quibble.
If you've got salt water in your blood and bits of Key West caught in your brain, this is darn good read. Actually it's a darn good read even if you've never left Minneapolis.
September 16, 2010
Our book club book this month....I am shamed to admit I haven't read any in this series before, but I quickly slipped right into the story of this book. The mystery was fun and most of all, it was wonderful to read about real Key West places and have it bring back memories of the wonderful trips I make yearly with my AZ friends.
December 30, 2010
Corcoran has a great talent for writing about murder and mayhem but still making me want to pay a return visit to the Florida Keys. Hawk Channel Chase is another fun read, with Alex Corcoran up to his ears in intrigue, rum, and island ambience.
May 27, 2009
I've read the entire series and it's one of my favorites. I like the characters and the author captures the Key West vibe beautifully.
October 7, 2010
makes me want to get back to the Island....
June 12, 2010
A little more convoluted than normal but still great!
August 5, 2010
never a dull moment
July 16, 2012
I've really enjoyed the series. The characters, the setting and the story lines are all great!
August 10, 2012
A fun Key West romp
October 18, 2012
I love his stuff. I know just enough about the Keys and Key West to see what he's talking about in my head.
August 2, 2014
Fast paced, well written, lots of local color
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews