Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Welcome to our discussion on The Deep Blue Goodbye (Travis McGee #1), John D. MacDonald, which is part of our Spring/Summer Collection Group Reads. Your discussion leader is Lisa.
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Summary

Travis McGee, beach bum and 'salvage expert' (he'll retrieve what you've lost for 50 per cent), lives on a houseboat in Fort Lauderdale. Instead of taking retirement at sixty, he takes it in chunks as he goes along. If he likes you he'll help you, and he likes Cathy Kerr, who has been robbed of everything but her dignity...the first in the series establishes the fast-talking, wisecracking standard MacDonald maintained for over 20 years.

Hi everyone - whoops, I forgot we had two going this month! This series is near and dear to my heart, and I just reread this, the first installment, 2 weeks ago. Probably the 6th or 7th time I've read it. John D. is my fave. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

I am rereading it also

One of the all-time great underrated authors. this is a fantastic series that only gets better with each one.

I gave it 5*s when I read it, March 27, 2022!

So glad to hear that I’m among Travis and John D. fans!

Why are the chapter numbers in Spanish?

Karen wrote: "Why are the chapter numbers in Spanish?"

I sure don't know - it's the only one of them that does that. I found it fitting during my reread, as I was in Costa Rica with my family on vacation :)

I finished my reread and I did not remember the plot at all, just that he slept with the troubled ladies, in an attempt to "fix" them. I still got that impression, but was more accepting as they were willing copartners in that act.

I enjoyed the sailing information, and would have liked more details about living on the houseboat. I vacationed on one in 1965 and enjoyed it, but would never want to permanently live on one!

I like PI novels, and enjoyed his investigation into the way money was raised during the war. I was not as comfortable with the violence which was prevalent throughout the novel.

I am not sure I will read more of this series, but I do own many of them in very old paperback form. It is a quick read and just perfect for the summer.

The era in which these novels are written definitely express themselves in the language, themes, and gender relations in this series. But, considering that it was truly a different time, I feel that John D. MacDonald was way ahead of the curve in his narratives on environment, politics, sociology, and race and gender. Sometimes the language used makes me think, “yikes”, but I view those instances as a matter of using the language of the time. Almost like having different tools to work with.