"Q" is for The Quick Red Fox by John D. MacDonald

At Kerrie Smith's blog, Mysteries in Paradise, the Alphabet in Crime fiction has reached "Q". Every week there are lots of interesting posts on the letter of the week. Drop in on Kerrie's blog to check out the posts. This week I am going back to John MacDonald for one of the grimmer Travis McGee mysteries. The Quick Red Fox is a good book. It presents a dark side of McGee.

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11. - 266.)  The Quick Red Fox by John D. MacDonald (1964) –  McGee searches for compromising orgy photos of a Hollywood star, Lysa Dean. He is joined by Dean’s executive assistant, Dana Hollis. They search out the party participants ranging across America. It is a sordid investigation. McGee brutalizes a ski instructor to get information. Other extractions of information are less violent. Gradually they narrow down who had reason to have photos taken and who is susceptible to blackmail. McGee falls in love with Hollis but she breaks his heart breaking off at the end. There is a twist in the end but unlike many modern novels it is a single twist not twist after twist. Excellent. (Mar. 9/05)