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Sanibel Flats (Doc Ford Mystery #1)

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 1,683 ratings · 151 reviews

Its cool gulf breezes lured him from a life of danger. Its dark undercurrents threatened to destroy him.

After ten years of living life on the edge, it was hard for Doc Ford to get that addiction to danger out of his system. But spending each day watching the sun melt into Dinkins Bay and the moon rise over the mangrove trees, cooking dinner for his beautiful neighbor, and

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Hardcover, 307 pages

Published March 28th 1990 by St. Martin's Press (first published 1990)

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Jan 16, 2009 Kathleen Hagen added it

Shelves: 2007-audio-books, 2007-mysteries

Sanibel Flats, by Randy Wayne White. B-plus
This is the first Doc Ford book. It takes place in Florida. Doc Ford has retired from his work as some kind of government agent. He has come back to live in his boyhood Florida haunts, on Sanibel Island. His boyhood friend calls him out of the blue and asks for his help in rescuing his son. Ford agrees to meet his friend, but when he arrives at their meeting place, he finds his friend’s body hanging with vultures all over it. He tries to convince the sh...more

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May 18, 2013 Cap'n Bobby rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Sanibel Flats" by Randy Wayne White I give 4 stars to. It's a good book, a very good representative of the crime genre, that is not without flaws. First, what I liked or loved about the book. White is very talented at creating a sense of place, Dinkins Bay, Doc Ford's stilt house on the water, the life of the marina. White beautifully captures life in a beach town/fishing village on the Gulf coast of FLA. If you love FLA, that's a reason in itself to read this yarn.

Second, White also creates in...more "Sanibel Flats" by Randy Wayne White I give 4 stars to. It's a good book, a very good representative of the crime genre, that is not without flaws. First, what I liked or loved about the book. White is very talented at creating a sense of place, Dinkins Bay, Doc Ford's stilt house on the water, the life of the marina. White beautifully captures life in a beach town/fishing village on the Gulf coast of FLA. If you love FLA, that's a reason in itself to read this yarn.

Second, White also creates interesting characters that the reader looks forward to meeting each time he or she picks up the book: Doc Ford, the protagonist, a marine biologist and former spook, who represents the logical, linear side of the mind. Tomlinson, the sidekick, hippie burnout who lives on a 42' Morgan sailboat anchored in Dinkins Bay, who represents the intuitive, emotional side of the mind. Ford and Tomlinson complete and offset one another. There are also a number of engaging characters who live or work at the marina: Jeff Nichols, fishing guide, who struggles with stuttering and who, therefore, is sometimes the target of bullies. The manager of the marina, who hails from New Zealand, is also an interesting and likeable fellow. The local detective, who Ford knows from high school, who grows to hate Ford more and more as the story unfolds. All likeable, all delightful. Juan Rivera, Central American guerrilla, baseball aficionado, quirky, goes down as one of my alltime favorite freedom fighters. Hope Doc remembered to mention him to the scout from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Third, the story was good, holding together most of the time. I looked forward to returning to the novel each day and discovering what would happen next.

However, there are flaws to the book, which prevent me from awarding 5 stars and almost made me assign 3 stars. First, White utterly fails to draw convincing female characters. The female characters inevitably seem to have sexual hangups and are there for male characters, especially Doc, to have sex with. White fails to create even one female character who is sexually healthy and emotionally and psychologically independent of men, especially Doc. It would be interesting to do a feminist reading of this book, focusing on the sexual fantasies of the author, how the author projects his fantasies onto a blank canvas, creating female personas who are flat, objectified, dependent, and incapable of their own individuality.

Second, there are also some flaws in the telling of the story. I found the scene in which the villain dies to be completely unbelievable and disappointing. Additionally, the novel ends with much summation of what happened in FLA while Doc and Tomlinson were in Central America, a technique that is a part of the mystery genre, a technique that I always find ineffective.

"Sanibel Flats" is a good to very good illustration of the crime genre that has certain flaws. It's strengths include a rich sense of place and engaging male characters. The weaknesses include the depiction of women and a couple of significant issues with story telling. I like the place and characters so much that I give a 3-star book 4 stars.

Cap'n Bobby(less)

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Oct 21, 2012 Kathryn Bain rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the second Randy Wayne White book I've read. Again, I feel he overdoes the history and biology lessons. Some people might like that, I don't.

It took until they got to the village before I really got interested in the book. I wanted to know if they got the kid out alive. That's why I gave it a 3 rating.

However, the women only showed up in this book to tell Doc Ford how attractive he was and to have sex with him. They were all very one dimentional. It seemed to be that way with the first...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Doreen Fritz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maybe it was the fact that I was in and around Sanibel Island when I started reading this that appealed to me. (Kind of like reading books set in Chicago -- it's fun to match places in the book to actual locations.) Maybe it was because my husband had dived into the series a week or two earlier and wouldn't stop raving. Maybe it was because the author had a book-signing the day after we arrived at Sanibel, so we met him and bought his newest book. But I was predisposed to enjoy this mystery. The...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Howard White rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

The first of the Doc Ford mystery novels, but not necessarily the best of the, roughly, 15 Ford titles currently in print. Great summer reading (or for that matter, fall, winter, and spring, too). the novels center on the eponymous Doc Ford, marine biologist living on Dinkin's Bay (a thinly disguised Tarpon Bay) on Sanibel Island, Florida. Ford, a retired CIA operative, and a group of supporting characters including, most notably, his friend Tomlinson, spiritualist/recreational drug user ala Car...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm embarrassed as a Parrot Head, Florida Keys lover and as someone who's read all the Travis McGee novels that it's taken me this long to start reading Randy Wayne White.

What the heck was I waiting for?

Doc Ford is a retired spook who has moved back home to Sanibel Island, Florida to start a business supplying schools with preserved sea creatures for dissection. Sounds like a decent life and Doc is enjoying until he gets a call from an old high school buddy who's son has been kidnapped by some b...more

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Apr 19, 2009 Colleen rated it 1 of 5 stars

What a disappointing all-around mess. Having recently spent a week on Sanibel Island and eaten many times at Randy Wayne White's restaurant, Doc Ford's, I was excited about reading this book. The story, first and foremost, was borrrrriiiing. I plodded through it, thinking, is this over yet? My next problem is that there wasn't much of a plot. It wasn't compelling and it didn't flow well at all. What little plot there was was also unbelievable. Doc Ford and his goofy sidekick, Tomlinson, can sing...more

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Jun 27, 2010 Dennis D. rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’ve had this book, or this series rather, on my list of things to read for so long, I don’t even remember who recommended it to me. It’s been on my list since before I even kept an actual list. My wife used to tease me about my Spreadsheet of Suggested Reading (no, it wasn’t really called that. I’m not that OCD), back in the days before GoodReads.

I was in the mood for a mystery/thriller, and wanted to check out something new. This book is the first in a series featuring author Randy Wayne Whit ...more I’ve had this book, or this series rather, on my list of things to read for so long, I don’t even remember who recommended it to me. It’s been on my list since before I even kept an actual list. My wife used to tease me about my Spreadsheet of Suggested Reading (no, it wasn’t really called that. I’m not that OCD), back in the days before GoodReads.

I was in the mood for a mystery/thriller, and wanted to check out something new. This book is the first in a series featuring author Randy Wayne White’s best known creation, Doc Ford. These recurring characters always have to have a gimmick, and Doc Ford’s gimmick is that he’s…wait for it… a marine biologist who also happens to be ex-NSA! I guess the action/adventure angle wouldn’t be as well-served if he were a marine biologist who also happened to be…a director of corporate development for General Motors! Not quite as intimidating, even though I’m sure there are directors of corporate development out there who are completely badass.

The plot in this one isn’t overly original. Ford gets a call from his old friend Rafe, who is in trouble. He’s mixed up with some bad people, he has something they want, and they’ve kidnapped his son to get it back. Before Ford can even meet with him, Rafe turns up dead. Rafe’s death appears to be a suicide, but Ford believes he was murdered (I seem to be running into the staged-suicide trope in a lot of books lately). There are a couple of twists at the end, but White doesn’t stray too far from the thriller playbook.

He does, however, manage a nice turn of the phrase or two. Here, Doc wonders why just seeing a photo of Rafe’s son triggers his protective streak:

What was in the faces of children, he wondered, that created the impression of innocence and keyed in some adults the urge to shield them from all harm? It was more than bone structure and the absence of facial lines. Perhaps the source of the emotion was some deep coding in the DNA, evolved during speciation to protect the young from marauding adults; a built-in check for the preservation of the species. Whatever it was, the boy’s photograph communicated that innocence: the slight, shy smile, and wide brown eyes staring out as if waiting for something; eyes that trusted and expected only good things. (p. 48)

And later, he makes this observation about human behavior:

Ford sat on the dock reading the newspaper. He rarely looked at a newspaper. He didn’t understand the nation’s habit of clubbing itself each morning with a list of tragedy and doom before trying to go cheerfully into the day. (p. 99)

Overall, I wasn’t blown away, but I also didn’t feel like I completely wasted my time. The writing was strong, and the character was endearing enough for a first time through, that I’d definitely come back for the follow-up. Yet another book that I'd give another half star to if I could.
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Mar 21, 2013 Col rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: w, 2013

Synopsis:

Its cool gulf breezes lured him from a life of danger. Its dark undercurrents threatened to destroy him.After ten years of living life on the edge, it was hard for Doc Ford to get that addiction to danger out of his system. But spending each day watching the sun melt into Dinkins Bay and the moon rise over the mangrove trees, cooking dinner for his beautiful neighbor, and dispensing advice to the locals over a cold beer lulled him into letting his guard down.Then Rafe Hollins appeared.H...more Synopsis:

Its cool gulf breezes lured him from a life of danger. Its dark undercurrents threatened to destroy him.After ten years of living life on the edge, it was hard for Doc Ford to get that addiction to danger out of his system. But spending each day watching the sun melt into Dinkins Bay and the moon rise over the mangrove trees, cooking dinner for his beautiful neighbor, and dispensing advice to the locals over a cold beer lulled him into letting his guard down.Then Rafe Hollins appeared.How could he refuse his old friend's request-even if it would put him back on the firing line? Even if it would change forever the life he'd built here on Sanibel Island?

Over the years I have enjoyed a fair few crime fiction books set in and around Florida. A couple of names spring to mind as being near the top of the list of my favourites – James W. Hall and Carl Hiaasen. Both of these I have followed fairly closely, maybe not reading every book as it came out, but acquiring them later, to add to the ever-increasing pile on Mount TBR.
Possibly, there could be another name to add to the list. I say possibly, because I’ve only just read the first title in a series that to date runs to 20 books. A friend tells me the wheels fall off at or around book 12, in her opinion, but I’ve enjoyed this one enough to want to hunt down the 2nd and I’ll stick with author White and Doc Ford for a while longer.
Ford is an ex-CIA agent now out of the business. He’s living his life at a slower pace, getting by using his skills as a marine biologist to supply samples to schools and colleges throughout the country. He’s formed some easy friendships with the locals without giving away too much of himself.
Cue mayhem; a call for help from his best childhood friend, Rafe Hollins rips apart his sedentary lifestyle. Hollins’ son has been kidnapped and he wants to enlist Doc’s help in recovering him, in exchange for the merchandise Hollins stole from them. When Doc goes to meet Rafe he finds a corpse swinging in the breeze instead. With his friend gone and his young son missing Ford starts looking into Hollins associates and past.
As the plot develops, Ford’s investigation uncovers corruption in Florida, smuggled artefacts and he suffers a trip back to the same Central American war-zone that was the scene of his previous retirement.
Fairly fast-paced, interesting and at times informative, I enjoyed reading Sanibel Flats. There’s a likeable cast of characters that White has assembled around the Doc that I’ll look forward to meeting again.

4 from 5
I bought my copy on Amazon UK.

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Jul 28, 2011 Richard Katz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am really enthusisatic about Sanibel Flats and am aleady well into my second Doc Ford adventure as I write this review. Why did no one tell me of Randy Wayne White before? A real combination of the great atmospheric writing of James Lee Burke, the high international adventure of Clive Cussler, and the humor of Carl Hiassen. What a combo! Doc White and his side kick Tomlinson are two of the most endearing fictional characters. Tomlinson, of course, evokes Hiassen's Skink, who is in a class by h...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Really wanted to like this book - #1 in yet another series. But cannot stand books that take me to some under-developed Central American Guerrilla force country loaded with all sorts of flora and fauna that needs to be over-explained. The main character is a former-something-or-other (never really explained) with all kinds of goverment connections to Central America and biology. The story premise of this was good and twisted, but all that extra explaining of sharks and fish and poisoness this an...more

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Jul 06, 2012 William Beck rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Book lovers of suspense and mystery.

Recommended to William by: I found it myself

John McDonald, an icon of Florida mystery novels, has nothing on author, Randy Wayne White. White's books are set on the West coast of Florida, my old stomping grounds, and combine suspense and mystery with intriguing twists. White's character, Doc Ford, is a a book hero with flaws, but can hold his own, and a guy you would like to get to know. White's writing improves as the series grows and and his knowledge of the "coast" adds a wonderful flavor to his work. I think you'll find another author...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Bruce rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Bruce by: Myself

Although I must admit this was not the 1st book I've read in this long series, it was a great read. The way Doc Ford is brought to life, and the circumstances of why, and how he ended up being where, and more importantly who he is, were what drew me in, and kept me coming back for me. I 1st read Ten Thousand Islands while in the Navy out to sea in 2001. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this author had created this wonderful world with these amazing characters, and had done so for quite s...more

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Jan 14, 2010 Elissajeanne boise rated it 4 of 5 stars

doc ford is my ideal man. i would want to be his woman did i not possess the certainty that i would end up dead or estranged. he's badder than bourne, sexier than dirk pitt, and as smart as pendergast. the dynamic between he and tomlinson grows richer and more bizarre with every book. these are men everyone would benefit from meeting. i know they're make believe but somewhere there exists persons after who these characters were modeled and i'd like to know them in a biblical sense. this series m...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Casey Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book in the airport as I was leaving Ft. Myers Florida years ago. Written by a 'local' it portrayed life on Sanibal Island and within Southern Florida and became a delightful find for me! I love the Doc Ford character and his various friends and this series has evolved into one of the most memorable in my recent memory.

Perhaps my enjoyment lies in the fact that I love marine science, or maybe I just loved reading about the Southern Florida locales that my extended family enjoys, fo...more

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Dec 10, 2009 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, mysteries

The first in a series about an ex-Navy SEAL who takes up marine biology and lives in an old fishing shack on Sanibel Island. I hope the rest of the books in this series hold up to this great beginning. Although there's lots of guy action, which you would expect in a mystery like this, Doc Ford and the other characters were far more developed and interesting than the usual maniquins set up mainly to land punches, steal treasure, and blow stuff up. I would strongly recommend this to our middle-age...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Diana Bogan added it · review of another edition

I thought I would leisurely read this book over the course of a few days, but once I got started I couldn't put the book down. It was an entertaining, fun ride and I look forward to checking out some other Doc Ford novels. It's not the most mind-blowing novel I've read, but the characters are memorable and Randy Wayne White's writing quickly sucks you into the story. And, like I mentioned before, I'm already wondering what Doc is up to these days. It's a great summer beach read, or to tuck into...more

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Sep 27, 2009 Phair rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

I happened across Doc Ford around the time Dick Francis announced his retirement from writing (c2000). Randy Wayne White seemed to have the "Dick Francis feel" to his books- the decent, stoically suffering hero and the way of presenting interesting information about various topics within a cracking good story. Can't now recall the first one I read but I immediately went back to #1 and caught up fast!

In 2005 I suggested Sanibel for a f2f mystery discussion group. It held up well as a re-read fo...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Kerri rated it 1 of 5 stars

This series was highly recommended to me by a friend (male). I was really excited to read it because it is about Sanibel Island, a place near and dear to my heart.

I did like that it talked about the real restaurants/roads/landmarks from the island in the book. And the story line was ok, but this author went way into detail about fishing and science and 'guy stuff' that made it really boring to me. I never really got into it and needless to say never read any more of the series.

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Aug 28, 2012 Dave Ward rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, john-d-macdonald, mysteries

Sanibel Flats (Doc Ford #1) by Randy Wayne White (St. Martin's Press 1990)(fiction - mystery) is Randy Wayne White's first novel about the marine biologist/undercover agent Marion "Doc" Ford, who lives in a stilt house in a marina on Dinkins Bay in Sanibel Island, Florida. The story finds Doc and his neighbor and sidekick Sigardthur Tomlinson in Central America seeking to recover the orphaned son of a friend from a gang of drug and artifact-smuggling. Can Doc get there in time? My rating: 6.5/10...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Kent rated it 3 of 5 stars

3 of 5 Stars

This was a good read especially from the aspect of the geography and biology, but I like that stuff. The crime was the core of this novel, however there were lots of side-shows going on; love interest(s), the previously mentioned science lessons and the beer drinking,which is all good. However I was compelled to have the "obligatory pint of beer" before I sat down to read, and it probably took a little longer to digest, so to speak, but it was a fun fun read.

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Nov 30, 2008 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: desert-island

This is the first of the Doc Ford novels. Doc is an easy hero to like -- he's ex-special ops of some sort, a tall good-looking guy working as a marine biologist on Sanibel Island in southwest Florida. He's smart, sexy, and very appealing, and has exciting adventures. Occasionally his past comes back to haunt him. I started reading this series after spending a summer vacation in Sanibel. It turned out to be the first of many trips there. I've read the entire series now.

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Mar 08, 2011 Mara Purl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Discovered Randy Wayne White (if you say his name fast, you sound like Mr. McGoo) on a recent trip to Florida. His descriptors are so original that he truly owns his location and makes it vibrate into reality. Excellent protagonist, perfectly irritating antagonist, scary plot. A lot of biological, scientific detail, too much for some, but again, he owns his subject. I listened to the excellent audio version and am signing up for the next in his series.

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Aug 04, 2009 Max rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book. First in the series I believe. I learned a lot about the politicking of S American, and some theories behind the brutality of the people.

I have returned the book without copying a quote which went something like this about the situation in S America and a lot of other countries:

Americans will view the brutal situation in S America in dis-belief and as if it were a dream. However, it is reality and the place where Americans live is really the dream.

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Sep 13, 2012 Lloyd added it

One of the better books of this series. Sanibel Flats has a depth that shows the time the author puts into the work that sadly visibly slips in some of the later titles of the Doc Ford series.
This, Shark River, Tampa Burn, the Man Who Sold Florida, all of the early stuff are great, and really show that White knows his subject and area.
Randy Wayne White had been a fishing guide along the Florida west coast and it shows!

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Jun 04, 2012 Annette added it Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: my-shelf

I love the Doc Ford character. I live in Ft. Myers and love reading about the establishments and places I know so well. Dinkins Bay in real life is Tarpon Bay Marina. Doc Fords stilted house and lab are fictional. However, the author is a part ownner in Doc Ford's restaurant and bar on Sanibel Island. You can obtain just about all of Randy's books there and just might run into him if you are lucky.

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Apr 14, 2013 Innes Ferguson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Must admit I didn't have particularly high expectations with this one. Bought it from a book stand in the author's restaurant on Sanibel Island over the recent March Break (Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille). Thought it would be, at best, passable pulp when, in fact, it was really quite entertaining. Very decent writing, great characters. I'm already hooked after one book.

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Nov 07, 2012 Diane Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

this is the 1st book in the Doc Ford series by this florida author. i really love this guys writing. i am ready to start book 2 tomorrow. it was nice to see how this character started and what some of his background is. i especially love his "sidekick" tomlinson. i found out this author has a seafood restaurant/bar in sanibel island called doc ford's. he also has a fishing team and his own line of hot sauce. chris and i are gonna take a ride to the restaurant one day and make a weekend out of it...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Cathy DuPont rated it 5 of 5 stars

Happened to pick this up at used book store and it's the best $2 I've ever spent. Loved, just loved the book. When I find a writer I love, I tend to read everything they've written and this happened with RWW. Read them all (Doc Ford) and follow him like a groupie. Have also read his six books under Striker and enjoyed them as well, although they're not as 'polished' as the Doc Ford series. Doc Ford and Tomlinson are quite a pair and balance each other in a good, unique and fun way. White's descr...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

RWW is one of my all time favorite authors. Sanibel Flats is his first Doc Ford novel and after reading this book, you will fall in love with Doc Ford and all the characters at the marina. Great writing, interesting subject matter! Being from S. Florida myself, maybe it appeals to me more than some others, but I really like this and all the Doc Ford books!

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About Randy Wayne White

aka Carl Ramm, Randy Striker

Randy Wayne White (born 1950) is an American writer of crime fiction and non-fiction adventure tales. He has written best-selling novels and has received awards for his fiction and a television documentary. He is best known for his series of crime novels featuring the retired NSA agent Doc Ford, a marine biologist living on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida. White has...more

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Sanibel Flats (Doc Ford Mystery #1)

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