“RANDY WAYNE WHITE CAN WRITE. AND HIS DOC FORD CHARACTER MODELS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MAN. THE ENTIRE SERIES IS EXCELLENT.”
—Contra Costa Times
“Exciting…White captures the fear, frustration, and sorrow that settle in after a hurricane as well as the courage, friendship, and spirit that fuel the survivors’ will to keep going…Dark Light excels with boundless energy, a cohesive plot, and richly drawn characters…White’s aplomb with fascinating characters, unique setting, and revolving subplots make Dark Light one of his brightest novels.”
—South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“A compelling, readable tale by one of this country’s premiere crime novelists.”
—Booklist
“A tale that reaches back and forth in time, remarkable for the duplicity of its cast and the diversity of its twisting and turning.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“It’s film noir all the way. If a book can be written and read in black and white, this is it.”
—The Miami Herald
“Evocative writing that combines the sensibility of a traditional noir novel with the unearthly mood of a ghost story.”
—The Associated Press
“The novel peaks in a…burst of satisfying action.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A cataclysmic ending that seems ripped equally from the pages of history books and tomorrow’s newspaper.”
—The Raleigh News & Observer
“[Randy Wayne White] raises the bar of the action thriller.”
—The Miami Herald
PRAISE FOR
DEAD OF NIGHT
“Enthralling and suspenseful.”
—Rocky Mountain News
“Taut. Gripping. Fast-paced. Terrifying. A page-turner. Those words and more describe Dead of Night.”
—Omaha World-Herald
“White has never been afraid of taking chances when it comes to creating push-the-limits plots and loathsome bad guys. But he’s never gone as far on either score as he does in Dead of Night.”
—Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Frighteningly plausible…Dead of Night is everything you look for in a thriller and more…White’s ability to evoke the feel of South Florida is second to none.”
—The Miami Herald
“Plenty of action and danger…mov[ing] quickly to a violent climax.”
—The Tampa Tribune
“[A] horrific but shockingly realistic thriller plot.”
—Booklist
“Deliciously addictive and nail-bitingly suspenseful.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Edge-of-the-seat suspense…Dead of Night quickly kicks a terrifying plot into gear.”
—Tallahassee Democrat
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF
RANDY WAYNE WHITE
“White’s writing is as muscular as ever.”
—The Tampa Tribune
“Randy Wayne White and his Doc Ford join my list of must-reads. It is no small matter when I assert that White is getting pretty darn close to joining Carl Hiaasen and John D. MacDonald as writers synonymous with serious Florida issues and engaging characters.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Enough twists to satisfy any hard-boiled but intelligent detective fan.”
—The Dallas Morning News
“One of the hottest new writers on the scene.”
—Library Journal
“Packed with finely drawn characters, relevant social issues, superb plotting, and an effortless writing style…The best new writer since Carl Hiaasen.”
—The Denver Post
“White is the rightful heir to joining John D. MacDonald, Carl Hiaasen, James W. Hall, Geoffrey Norman…His precise prose is as fresh and pungent as a salty breeze.”
—The Tampa Tribune
“White’s Doc Ford series…can always be counted on for an entertaining mix of character interplay and straight-ahead action adventure.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“A series to be savored.”
—The San Diego Union-Tribune
TITLES BY RANDY WAYNE WHITE
Dark Light
Dead of Night
Tampa Burn
Everglades
Twelve Mile Limit
Shark River
Ten Thousand Islands
The Mangrove Coast
North of Havana
Captiva
The Man Who Invented Florida
The Heat Islands
Sanibel Flats
Nonfiction
Tarpon Fishing in Mexico and Florida
(An Introduction)
Last Flight Out
The Sharks of Lake Nicaragua
Batfishing in the Rainforest
DARK LIGHT
Randy Wayne White
FOR WENDY
AUTHOR’S NOTE
This book was begun shortly after the eye of a category 4 hurricane decimated the village where I live on the west coast of Florida. Captiva and Sanibel Island (where I was a fishing guide for many years) were also badly damaged—but not nearly as badly as portrayed in the national media. I am pleased to report that the islands are more beautiful than ever, and back to normal.
Even so, I spent most of the last year homeless, bouncing from place to place, sometimes country to country, trying to work while also juggling the details of rebuilding, and the relentless indifference of the insurance industry, and a few local bureaucrats. Happily, much good came from all the chaos, and I have many people to thank for their kindness and concern. Many dozens offered me help, even their homes. I will forever be in their debt.
Much of this book was written in public libraries, and I have become a great fan of library professionals as a result. I am especially grateful to the staff at Pine Island Public Library and also Sanibel Library. They were superb, and it was at the Sanibel Library where I found most of my information on the little-known hurricane of 1944. Many of the details in this novel, although used fictionally, are true, including Cuban fishermen who washed up on the beach, a man tragically set ablaze at his own moonshine still…and a beachside estate with its own family cemetery. The library staffs in Holmes Beach, Florida; Key West; Pioneer, Ohio; and Franklin, Tennessee, were also a great help.
Another favorite place to write was Doc Ford’s Sanibel Rum Bar and Grille. I want to thank my friends and associates Marty and Brenda Harrity, Mark and Heidi Marinello, Jean Baer, Greg Nelson, Raynauld Bentley, Marita, Brian, Maria, Liz, Jean, and Big Dan Howes. My pal Matt Asen’s Sanibel Grill at Timber’s Restaurant was another great place to work, as was the Tarpon Lodge on Pine Island.
Others who were generous beyond the expectations of friendship include Ms. Iris Tanner, Gary and Donna Terwilliger, Craig and Renee Johnson, George and Michelle Riggs, Kevin Lollar and Nadine, Moe Mollen, Dr. Amanda Evans, Tony Johnson, David Thompson, Jenny Franks, Bill Wundram, Stu Johnson, Gloria Osburn, Berry Rubel, Capt. Eric Osking, Tom and Sally Petcoff, Capt. Steve Stanley, Dr. Brian and Kristin Hummel, Capt. Craig Skaar, Bill Gutek and his Nokomis pals, the Wells family of Cabbage Key and Pineland, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Diana, Ginny Amsler, Allan W. Eckert, Jennifer Holloway, and Dr. Corey Malcolm.