This is book 3 of the "Travis McGee" series.

This note contains spoilers for the book.

The third Travis McGee book. This brings in two more of the bits of stage furniture I associate with the series—he's referred to his friend Meyer the economist, and he's given his profession as "salvage consultant". He's also working outside of Florida already.

I continue to be amazed at how writers screw up gun stuff. McGee isn't a gun nut, but in his business he certainly has to use them, and he owns several. He ought to be more knowledgable; that is, MacDonald ought to do his research more carefully. Mona Yeoman is shot dead standing next to McGee with a high-powered rifle, he thinks. Okay, but a few pages later, he's suggesting the Sheriff investigate people who own guns shooting the unusual and very powerful .44 magnum cartridge. But that's a pistol cartridge. (Yes, there are carbines chambered for .44 magnum. They're even somewhat useful. But nobody who knows anything would describe them as "high powered rifles".)

The description on Amazon, I think from the jacket copy, says McGee was on vacation in the Southwest. But he wasn't; he went there specifically to see her, and she paid for the ticket.