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Whale Season Audiobook
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(3.05) - 295 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
One Christmas Eve, Whale Harbor is visited by a man who thinks he’s Jesus and claims to be looking for a game of poker. But, as usual, things are not quite what they seem. Having some version of the Lord in town for his birthday creates a strange effect on the locals: unlikely couples are breaking up and making up and making out; a luxury mobile home that belonged to an elderly couple from New Jersey (until they disappeared after a run-in with “the Lord”) is won by a down-on-his-luck gambler in an unbelievable hand of poker; the area’s most well-known and long-forgotten tourist attraction is rising up from a hole in the ground; and a gun no one has used in years is suddenly in hot demand. In the steamy climes of southern Florida, you take your miracles where you can get them—and if that means being led to salvation by a schizophrenic with a rap sheet, so be it. In the rollicking tradition of Carl Hiaasen’s Tourist Season, with the heart of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon, and peopled by the kind of colorful characters who would be quite at home in any Tom Robbins novel, N. M. Kelby’s Whale Season is a sharp and funny novel made up of equal parts comic adventure and serial-killer inspired mayhem.
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"Whale Season is a kalidescope of heart-warming craziness. A kind-hearted serial killer offers his new buddy the Hallmark card of death, honey bees swarm a comotose used RV salesman, a boy bonds with a hat wearing aligator and so, so much more. Nicole Kelby writes southern-fried Monty Python."
— Hannah (5 out of 5 stars)
Whale Season Listener Reviews
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" This was part of the "dirty Florida" genre...showing you what it's like in forgotten tourist towns filled with seedy locals. In this book, a serial killer comes to town masquerading as Jesus and changes the lives of various locals in strange ways. An entertaining, unexpected read. "
— Erin, 2/17/2014 -
" I absolutely loved this book. "
— Marion, 2/15/2014 -
" A great example of storytelling, combining a faded tourist trap in Florida with the fantastical dressed up in a sheet hitchhiking on the side of the road. "
— Becca, 2/15/2014 -
" This book was very much in the style of Carl Hiassan (with whom the author apparently consulted). Set in Florida and filled with a motley array of characters, it is a bit dark with a serial murder subplot, but is inventive and enjoyable, nonetheless. "
— Sharon, 2/13/2014 -
" This book still makes me laugh. I love the fact that on the cover it shows a picture of Jesus with the thumbs up recommending this book. This mystery has humor, romance, intrigue, murder, mystery and a kick butt surprise ending "
— Megs, 1/29/2014 -
" I guess you could put this in the Carl Hiaasen catagorie but it definitely suffers by comparison. "
— Mick, 1/26/2014 -
" I really liked this book,wonderful quirky characters n.m. kelby is a great writer "
— Sandy, 1/23/2014 -
" The characters were caricatures, the writing was frustrating and the plot just crossed too far over the line of believability without giving any explanation. It was a quick read, but Hiaasen -- though he gets repetitive -- is a much better choice if you're looking for quirky + crime + Florida, for the beach or otherwise. "
— Arielle, 1/17/2014 -
" This book made me laugh out loud, but also gasp and tremble as I tried to guess the fate of the residents of Whale Harbor. Kelby has a great sense of humanity and her writing is beautiful, honest, funny and wonderful. I can't wait to read more of her work. "
— Sara, 1/15/2014 -
" poorly written. not impressed. "
— Emily, 1/15/2014 -
" This was a book club selection and I tried, but I couldn't finish it. I didn't care for the writing and it was like the author was trying too hard to be like Carl Hiaasen or Dave Barry and paled in comparison. And I don't even like Hiaasen all that much (read one, you've read 'em all). "
— Amy, 1/2/2014 -
" I LOVED this book. One of the top two I've read this year. "
— Sarah, 12/13/2013 -
" Loved the humour. Reminded me some of Christopher Moore. Surprised how well she tied it all together. Now, we must wait for the movie! "
— Bonnie, 12/5/2013 -
" The offbeat nature of this compelled that fourth star for me..... A good read. Not moving, not memorable, but engaging. "
— Kit, 3/7/2013 -
" Quirky, unexpected read. "
— Shannon, 2/17/2013 -
" Loved this. It's the mark of good screwball comedy to me, even with all the darker elements: The situations may be wildly implausible, but the characters' reactions to their circumstances ring true. "
— Ron, 11/13/2012 -
" Pretty funny, and an all around good story. A nice quick read :) "
— Darrick, 9/28/2012 -
" small-town Florida. Notes what happens to a town where the expressway bypasses the town. Serial murderer named "Jesus" "
— Barbara, 8/21/2012 -
" Very off beat and random. Fast read and relatively entertaining though. "
— Jennifer, 5/13/2012 -
" 'Twas a fun quick read. Zipped through it. I just needed a break from the dark books I'd been reading before that. "
— Marci, 3/9/2012 -
" This was a good funny read. Written along the lines of a Tom Robbins novel. A good rainy day, flight or beach book. Something that can be finished in day or so. "
— Meg, 1/13/2012 -
" I absolutely LOVED this book! The characters were captivating, and Kelby's ability to be both funny and lyrical at the same time was nothing short of inspired. I'm definitely adding her to my list of "must-read" writers. "
— Jackie, 4/13/2011 -
" I couldn't bring myself to finish it. "
— Jenn, 3/21/2011 -
" This was a book club selection and I tried, but I couldn't finish it. I didn't care for the writing and it was like the author was trying too hard to be like Carl Hiaasen or Dave Barry and paled in comparison. And I don't even like Hiaasen all that much (read one, you've read 'em all). "
— Amy, 3/7/2011 -
" This was fun and quirky but not simpleminded. "
— Cindy, 11/3/2010 -
" Hilarious light read. Loved it. Easy and so funny. "
— Sherry, 9/26/2010 -
" I couldn't bring myself to finish it. "
— Jenn, 9/9/2010 -
" Christopher Moore-like. Strange, a little dark in places, but interesting & funny. "
— Reading, 5/19/2010 -
" A quirky novel reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen. Whan Jesus shows up on Christmas Eve in Whale Harbor, things start to happen. An unlikely serial killer is just the beginning. "
— F, 4/6/2010 -
" This book was very much in the style of Carl Hiassan (with whom the author apparently consulted). Set in Florida and filled with a motley array of characters, it is a bit dark with a serial murder subplot, but is inventive and enjoyable, nonetheless. <br/> "
— Alice, 1/11/2010 -
" Like a Carl Hiassen book but less cohesive and more scatterbrained. If it ain't broke, why fix it? "
— Wes, 9/14/2009 -
" Fun, entertaining, well written with some good twists. "
— Rachel, 7/31/2009 -
" Dark, funny book that was so quirky that I just couldn't put it down. "
— Victoria, 7/24/2009 -
" small-town Florida. Notes what happens to a town where the expressway bypasses the town. Serial murderer named "Jesus" "
— Barbara, 6/26/2009
About Marc Cashman
Marc Cashman, Earphones Award–winning narrator, was named one of the “Best Voices of the Year” by AudioFile magazine. His voice can be heard on radio, television, film, and video games. He also instructs voice actors through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques, in Los Angeles.