Skinny Dip

What makes it funny?

Joey responds to being pushed into the Atlantic as though her husband has taken marital dissatisfaction a little too far. That dry appraisal sets the tone for revenge built around his ignorance: every prank adds pressure to a man who thinks his victim cannot answer back.

The comedy at work

A failed murder gives Joey control of the information and Chaz an increasingly desperate role in her revenge farce. The ecological satire makes his professional fraud personal, too: this biologist cannot stand swamps, snakes or the other inhabitants of the landscape he is helping to poison.

Try this if…

For readers who enjoy a revenge caper with a sardonic heroine, inept villains and a clear target for its anger. The environmental corruption matters to the plot, while pranks and blackmail provide the pleasure of watching the culprit unravel.

Good to know

Mick Stranahan returns from Skin Tight, but Joey’s revenge story stands on its own. Expect attempted spousal murder, guns, drug and sexual references, and crude bodily humor. Stephen Hoye’s unabridged recording runs 13 hours 39 minutes; a shorter audio edition is also listed.