Where is Joe Merchant? That's what his sister, Trevor Kane, the hemorrhoid-ointment heiress, wants to know. For Desdemona, Merchant is the missing link in her ongoing communications with space aliens. Tabloid journalist Rudy Breno only cares that Merchant gets bigger headlines than Elvis. And for renegade seaplane pilot Frank Bama, the mystery of the presumed-dead-but-often-sighted rock star is turning his life upside down.
In his debut novel, Jimmy Buffett cooks up an irresistible gumbo of dreamers, wackos, pirates, and sharks, as he leads Trevor and Frank on a wild chase through the Caribbean Islands to a place where anything can happen . . . and everything does.

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Right up front, I'll admit to being a true Parrothead. Have all the albums/CD's, but never read the books.

Then, a kind friend heard I was under the weather and sent me her copy of WHERE IS JOE MERCHANT.

I've read a lot of what's been posted here, and I can agree with the people *including some professional reviewers* who say Buffett's style is a little sloppy.

However, what he lacks in style, he certainly makes up for in substance.

I loved the stories about: (1)Frank Bama -- bruised and battered pilot with a commitment phobia; (2) Trevor Kane - Frank's beautiful ex-girlfriend whose family tree is so full of nuts that her last name should be PECAN or WALNUT or ALMOND. Trevor's looking for her lost brother, the supposedly dead rock 'n roller Joe Merchant; (3) Colonel Cairo who's looking for his lost arm, a treasure trove and control of Joe Merchant's fortunes; (4) Desdemona, macaroon-maker extraordinaire, who has been receiving instructions from 'the generators' on how to build a space ship; and (5) more subplots than a Robert Altman movie.

There's plenty of blood, guts and action to keep even a Steven King fan interested. One of Frank's best buddies blows up a fleet of jet skis, and while it's funny on the page, it makes the reader think about man's impact on the pristine ocean.

With Desdemona, Buffett even throws in some new age cosmic jokes, with hilarious results.

There is a twist, however, and it caught me completely by surprise. I had to go back and re-read the passage several times before it sunk in.

If you're looking for the tight, compact style of Hemingway or if you're into stream of consciousness like Faulkner, this book is probably not for you.

However, if you want a good story peopled with lots of interesting characters who are flawed but wonderfully written, and if you've ever wanted to just chuck it all and live in the Keys, you will probably devour WHERE IS JOE MERCHANT as quickly as I did and you'll be wanting more Frank and Trevor stories.

Enjoy!

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

Josh's Review on "Where is Joe Merchant?"Apr 16, 2004
By Josh
In my opinion, the book "Where is Joe Merchant" is a very interesting story about a rock star disappearing and the search to find the truth. I feel that Jimmy Buffett did an excelent job of creating his characters and thouroughly explaining their thoughts and actions. In all, I feel that "Where is Joe Merchant" was very well written and put together. I rate it 5 stars.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:

Fun Plot & Wonderfully Bizarre CharactersFeb 08, 2004

I can honestly say that this book appealed to both the avid reader AND the avid Parrothead in me! This was interesting and entertaining, with a typically Jimmy Buffett exotic setting and some fascinating and bizarre characters. Characters such as Frank Bama, Trevor Kane, Blanton Meyercord (my personal favorite!), Rudy Breno, Charlie Fabian, Colonel Cairo and of course the amazing Desdemona all made this a hard-to-put-down story.

A special note for Parrotheads: Although this is a book for anyone who likes reading bizarre love & adventure stories, Parrotheads will especially appreciate the subtle (and even not-so-subtle) references to your favorite Buffett songs. Pay special attention to the names of the chapters! :->

Anyone who has always wondered about Desdemona while listening to "Fruitcakes" and "Desdemona's Building a Rocket ship" should definitely read this book - all the answers are here!

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

Slip on your "flip-flops" for this one!Aug 27, 1998
By jmclain001@sprintmail.com
Parrotheads rejoice! The mayor of Margaritaville has tickled the imagination with this offering. As a lifelong Jimmy Buffett fan, I was thrilled that Jimmy chose to put his talents to the rhelm of the modern novel. Was this book what I expected? Absolutely not! That is what makes it so good. With pen and laptop in hand, Buffett has boldly slapped his creative license on the nightstand and provided perhaps the tallest tale ever. The story opens as a normal day in Key West, but Jimmy's roller coaster is just getting started. Buffett takes us into his own "little world" with some extremely dynamic characters that I found quite intriguing. Inspired by the many adventures of his remarkable life, Jimmy creates Frank Bama, a seasoned seaplane pilot with a love for his dog, his plane, and a woman who has capivated his heart. Through his many exciting - and quite deadly - adventures through the mysical Caribbean islands, Frank makes a few good friends, and learns how to truly open his heart to Trevor, the love of his life. This book is loaded with detailed descriptions of life as a "flying boat" captain, as well as the cutthroat pirates that still sail the tropics today. Jimmy also provides insight into the inspiration of some of his most beloved songs, producing a wonderful marriage between his writing and his music. Jimmy freely injects a touch of tropical fantasy with the storyline, allowing the reader to truly be swept away. This is not a book to be read at the library, however. Slip on the flip-flops, and head to the beach for this read. And let your imagination run away with Frank Bama on a heart-pounding journey. Jimmy Buffett recently said, "...I sell escapism". You've done just that, Jim. After a half hour with this book, I had to pinch myself to remind myself where I was. Thanks for a great adventure. Overall, a terrific, fast-paced read that's tough to put down. So pack up your suntan oil and pick it up today!

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:

Fruitcakes in the CosmosMar 29, 2001
By Elderbear
What starts out as a "normal" novel about a lovelorn guy & his seaplane transmogrifies into a sci-/psi-fi yarn involving characters and experiences way beyond the ordinary! I found this transition pleasant & stimulating. Buffet knows how to drag the reader from the comfortably familiar (or the unexperienced-but-imaginable) into deeper waters, all the while providing enough support that the reader doesn't drown in weirdness.

Although the novel ventures into some wild & uncharted territories, one of the scenes regards an area with which I'm quite familiar. Desdemona makes love with an operator of the Arecibo Observatory under their magnificent radio-telescope (& radar) dish antenna (The movie Contact will give you some great visuals of this place if you need them). He nails the description of the site solidly. He's been there (and under the dish isn't part of the tour) or he's cribbing off somebody who has. I can only speculate that he knows the other off-the-beaten-path places as well.

5 stars for novelty, 5 stars for fun. If you want a novel that stays firmly grounded in middle-America, pass this one by, but if you have a sense of adventure, a hankering to pirate around the Carribean in an old sea plane, or just want to expand your mind a bit, relish the experience of reading this one!

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