Tropic Hustle

 

The Tropic books have been a nice alternative to the more dense books I often find myself gravitating towards, such as Game of Thrones. Sometimes it is nice to sit down and read an enjoyable book that is quick to read and doesn't require a glossary or a map or a Wiki search of the characters. Tropic Hustle is the third book in the Tropic series, and while decent it has been my least favorite thus far. Luke Angel is the main character, a pilot who seems to always find himself wrapped up in a mystery. The first two books mention that his father is a criminal who is in jail, and that Luke does not have a relationship with his father because he believes his father is responsible for the death of his mother. The general plot of this book is that his father, Frank, gets out of jail and is retrieving a stash of diamonds that he had hidden prior to going to jail. Despite hating his father, Luke agrees to help because in exchange for his help, Frank agrees to give Luke his beloved seaplane the Tropic Angel. Not only does Luke love the plane, but he believes it will help revive his struggling piloting business.

The adventure follows Luke and Frank down to the Florida Keys, the location of Frank's shenanigans transporting drugs for the cartels back in the day. From ChatGTP:

Protagonist: Luke Angel, a former military pilot turned seaplane business owner, cherishes his laid-back Florida lifestyle, his dog, and flying GoodreadsTertulia.

Conflict: Luke’s prized antique flying boat hits a bureaucratic snag—its registration is entangled in legal troubles. To clear it up, he must reluctantly seek help from the one man he despises: his father, Frank Angel, an ex-con with a murky past and a reputation in the drug-flying world Goodreads.

Complication: Frank has just been released from prison—but he’s not alone. Criminal adversaries from his old illicit ventures are on his trail. The stakes skyrocket when it turns out the location of Frank’s hidden treasure is known only to Luke, the son he once abandoned GoodreadsTertulia.

The Tension: Caught between love for his dog and seaplane and hatred for his father, Luke must decide how much he’s willing to risk. He faces dangerous pursuit, familial betrayal, and the need to reconcile—or at least confront—the man he swore he’d never forgive GoodreadsTertulia.

The book itself was fine, but I didn't find the story to be quite as good in this book as it was in the first two. There wasn't much of a mystery in this one. While there were a couple of plot twists towards the end (a few people shot, etc.) the overall story pretty much played out like you'd expect. Additionally, it took a solid 80-100 pages for the story to really take off, which is kind of a slow pace when the entire book is only 300 some pages long. The first 3rd of the book is used to setup the plot, but not much actually happens and if you've read the prior two books you kind of already know the background.

Overall, this book was good and was a quick and enjoyable read. Not quite as good as Van Coops' first two books in the series, but good none the less. He's apparently working on the fourth book in this series, and I'll likely pick it up to read when it comes out.