Sick Puppy    by Carl Hiaasen Order:  USA  Can Grand Central, 2005 (1999) Hardcover, Paperback, Audio, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth A friend loaned me a book that somehow slid by me when it first came out - Carl Hiaasen's Sick Puppy. Everything else fell by the wayside while I indulged myself. Hiaasen is a master story teller with a bent for the outrageous and a love for the state of Florida in which he lives. He is outspoken about the damage being done by developers to Florida's ecology and about the legislators who allow it to happen. He climbs on his soapbox both in his novels and in his Miami Herald column. I, for one, agree with him. In Sick Puppy, Twilly Spree wages a one-man war against litterbugs. He rewards a man he saw throwing litter from his car with a dump truck full of garbage, unloaded into his high end convertible. Twilly has dedicated himself to saving Florida's wilderness from destruction. The man to whom he taught the above lesson turns out to be a lobbyist, who himself is dedicated to creating a resort and golf course on an almost pristine island. Thus starts a battle that is not to be missed. Hiaasen has again climbed on his soapbox to preach his beliefs, while at the same time writing an extremely entertaining story about dognappers, eco-terrorists, pseudo big-game hunters, and an ex-governor who has to be seen to be believed. Hiaasen's humor never leaves the page while he is describing the wanton destruction that is being inflicted on his state. It's not an easy task but one that he manages very well. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews