The Scarlet Ruse

A Travis McGee Novel, Book 14

By: John D. MacDonald

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Travis McGee is too busy with his houseboat to pay attention to the little old man with the missing postage stamps. Except these are no ordinary stamps. They are rare stamps. Four hundred thousand dollars worth of rare. And if McGee doesn't recognize their value, perhaps Mary Alice McDermit, a six-foot knockout who knows all the ways to a boat bum's heart, will. Only it's not McGee's heart that's in danger. Because a syndicate killer has put a contract on McGee. A killer who knows a thing or two about stamps...and even more about McGee.

©1973 John D. MacDonald Publishing, Inc. (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Top 5 of Travis McGee!

Easily one of John D Macdonald’s best. A
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Interesting wrinkle on stamp collecting

Travis always manages to find trouble despite his careful pondering of danger. He seems to find threats to his life coming from unexpected directions. And of course there are always the woman. Part of what makes the series fun is Macdonald’s ability to make the characters distinct and believable. The reader is privy to what is going on in his mind most of the time - but there are always a few twists held back. Meyer’s role as a counterpoint and thought provoker adds to the interest of the stories. The first person point of view adds excitement to the narrative.

a little convoluted but ultimately fulfilling end.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I like the small number of people in story...as it is easier to 'keep track of characters" when listening.

What other book might you compare The Scarlet Ruse to and why?

i can only compare to authors other books because his writing style is one of my favorites.
Continues to include some of same characters in other books, like old friends...

Which character – as performed by Robert Petkoff – was your favorite?

I do like his performance....but I must admit I still think of main character as performed by Darin Mc Gavin in many past books. Just part of my memories....

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not extreme but sort of shocked at extent of main characters injuries..

Any additional comments?

Love the name of his houseboat--"Busted Flush"--won it in a high stakes poker game..

Friends help move, great friends help move bodies!

Starts off slow, but builds to a VERY powerful climax. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about stamp collecting, but it was worth the trip. It starts off as sort of a "locked room mystery," but soon turns into thrill ride through organized crime and psychopathic killers. The end left me wondering how in the Hell Travis is going to survive seven more books! Not my favorite overall, but this one has a lot going for it.

A fun book

I first read most of John D McDonald's novels at first printing. This book was a fun read then. Today, I listened to the audio version and enjoyed it for some of the same reasons, but I found any references to cost, technology, and the relative values of the time most interesting. To say I was impressed with the plot/story line, writing today as much as I did in the 60's would be misleading. JOHN D. just doesn't match up to current mystery writers like Vince Flynn, Tom Clancy, or even Clive Cussler. However, this is still a fun read.