FloridaWorld: A Novel

by Steve Welch

It’s 1993. Eric Walters was a Navy SEAL until he made some unconventional choices during Desert Storm. Now he’s “other than honorably” discharged and out of chances. With nothing left to lose, Eric navigates his trusty Pontiac Firebird along Florida’s old Highway 27 to chase his childhood dream of being a pro water-skier at the sunshine state’s original theme park, FloridaWorld.
Eric’s dream becomes a nightmare, though, when corpses start piling up in the trailer parks, convenience stores, and gator-filled waterways of scenic Bacopa County. He soon finds himself trapped in a tangled swamp of murder, lost gold, and unhinged theme park employees. It’s a race against time and Eric’s obsession with the troubled Deputy Paulina Campos might lead them both to the truth…or might get them killed.
With Shiner the Piss Monkey by his side, Eric must navigate the bizarre underbelly of this once-proud tourist attraction in search of answers, while the park’s violently eccentric founder, Irv Irving, demands one final water-ski show tribute before he joins the choir invisible.
Welcome, sunshine friends, to FloridaWorld.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2023

Reviews

[David Solove · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read and fictional behind-the-scenes look at a vintage Florida theme park. A good read for fans of Carl Hiaasen and Christopher Moore.