Repairman Jack's adventures don't skirt the fantastic — they hang ten on it, written in clear, transparent prose celebrating an utterly believable free man. What a pleasure it is to see such an interesting hero who acts on principle, takes responsibility, and makes justice happen.

In this novel, Jack flies to Florida to be with his father, now in a coma after an auto accident. Jack deals with post-9/11 airport security in his own inimitable way: smuggling a weapon aboard the plane and making humorous observations: “When did 'wand' become a verb?”

In Florida, Jack discovers that his dad was the target of a hit-and-run, and that other residents of his senior community, Gateways South, have died under strange circumstances. Gateways South impinges on the Everglades — or maybe it's the other way around.

A young woman named Semelee who lives in the swamp with her peculiar tribe senses that Jack has arrived, and the Otherness kicks into gear. Off we go for a wild ride. A neighbor of Jack's dad named Anya is a fascinatingly eccentric character, and involved in the plot up to her earlobes.

Jack's strategies in seeking answers and justice for his father, and in preventing further harm to him along with other characters Jack has formed a bond with — are deeply felt as well as profoundly libertarian. Jack's relationship with his dad, who has more in common with him than either of them realized, emerges into a respectful connection, one I find far more compelling than exquisitely nuanced emotional reminiscences or paeans to the 'faith of our fathers.' It's about doing the right thing.