One Fearful Yellow Eye by John D. MacDonald

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction hosted by Kerrie Smith at Mysteries in Pardise has reached the letter "O". The Travis McGee series remains a favourite of mine. John D. MacDonald created a memorable figure whose adventures continued over 20 books. It was one of the few long running series where I have every book. He is not getting as much attention at this time. I expect there will be a revival. One Fearful Yellow Eye features his personal code of life while solving the mystery.

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10. - 376.) One Fearful Yellow Eye by John D. MacDonald (1966) – Travis McGee is called to Chicago by Glory Geis because her late husband, Dr. Fortner Geis, has surreptiously disposed of $600,000 in assets. While McGee admired Dr. Geis the doctor had a flawed sexual history of a relationship with his housekeeper’s daughter while his wife was dying. A child was born to the housekeeper’s daughter. McGee books shift between finding where the money went and how to recover the money. This salvage operation was a mystery on finding the money. His sexual code is further refined as he avoids taking advantage of Glory, turns down a sexually charged farm housewife and declines to break down the walls around the icy Heidi Geis Trumbill. In the end he has a serious relationship but she does not want to be dependent on him. McGee loves relationships but not commitments. He wonders if he has lost the “one” but will not pursue the risks of a permanent relationship. As McGee stumbles to the solution there is a shocking twist that forever illustrates the danger of those closest to you turning upon you. The man with “one fearful yellow eye” has been left with but one eye at death. (Feb. 5/07)