Double Whammy

Double Whammy is a 1987 novel by Carl Hiaasen. The protagonist, a private investigator, is hired to expose a celebrity bass fisherman as a cheat and is drawn into a frame-up for murder. The book introduced the character of "Skink" (Clinton Tyree), who becomes a recurring character in Hiaasen's subsequent novels. Explanation of the Title The "Double Whammy" is a freshwater fishing lure, supposedly the favorite of the celebrity angler. It is described as 'the hottest lure on the pro bass circuit'. Plot Private investigator R.J. Decker is hired by sugar cane tycoon Dennis Gault to prove that Richard "Dickie" Lockhart, his rival in the professional bass fishing circuit, is a cheat. Decker, a disgraced newspaper photographer, looks up a former colleague, reporter Ott Pickney. Finding the local fishing guides too expensive, Decker takes Ott's advice and meets a reclusive hermit who calls himself "Skink". While teaching Decker about fishing, Skink mentions seeing Robert Clinch, a professional fisherman who recently died, out on Lake Jesup on the morning his death; much to Decker's intrigue, Skink claims that Clinch wasn't fishing. Attending Clinch's funeral, Decker meets Gault's sister Elaine ("Lanie") who confides to Decker that she and Clinch were lovers. She tells Decker that Gault hired Clinch to catch Lockhart first, believing Lockhart had Clinch murdered.