The Scarlet Ruse

A Travis McGee Novel, Book 14

By: John D. MacDonald

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Travis McGee is too busy with his houseboat to pay attention to the little old man with the missing postage stamps. Except these are no ordinary stamps. They are rare stamps. Four hundred thousand dollars worth of rare. And if McGee doesn't recognize their value, perhaps Mary Alice McDermit, a six-foot knockout who knows all the ways to a boat bum's heart, will. Only it's not McGee's heart that's in danger. Because a syndicate killer has put a contract on McGee. A killer who knows a thing or two about stamps...and even more about McGee.

©1973 John D. MacDonald Publishing, Inc. (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Top 5 of Travis McGee!

Easily one of John D Macdonald’s best. A
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Interesting wrinkle on stamp collecting

Travis always manages to find trouble despite his careful pondering of danger. He seems to find threats to his life coming from unexpected directions. And of course there are always the woman. Part of what makes the series fun is Macdonald’s ability to make the characters distinct and believable. The reader is privy to what is going on in his mind most of the time - but there are always a few twists held back. Meyer’s role as a counterpoint and thought provoker adds to the interest of the stories. The first person point of view adds excitement to the narrative.

a little convoluted but ultimately fulfilling end.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I like the small number of people in story...as it is easier to 'keep track of characters" when listening.

What other book might you compare The Scarlet Ruse to and why?

i can only compare to authors other books because his writing style is one of my favorites.
Continues to include some of same characters in other books, like old friends...

Which character – as performed by Robert Petkoff – was your favorite?

I do like his performance....but I must admit I still think of main character as performed by Darin Mc Gavin in many past books. Just part of my memories....

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not extreme but sort of shocked at extent of main characters injuries..

Any additional comments?

Love the name of his houseboat--"Busted Flush"--won it in a high stakes poker game..

best of all

love the series and this one was a favorite, quaint and charming in a retro way

Friends help move, great friends help move bodies!

Starts off slow, but builds to a VERY powerful climax. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about stamp collecting, but it was worth the trip. It starts off as sort of a "locked room mystery," but soon turns into thrill ride through organized crime and psychopathic killers. The end left me wondering how in the Hell Travis is going to survive seven more books! Not my favorite overall, but this one has a lot going for it.

A fun book

I first read most of John D McDonald's novels at first printing. This book was a fun read then. Today, I listened to the audio version and enjoyed it for some of the same reasons, but I found any references to cost, technology, and the relative values of the time most interesting. To say I was impressed with the plot/story line, writing today as much as I did in the 60's would be misleading. JOHN D. just doesn't match up to current mystery writers like Vince Flynn, Tom Clancy, or even Clive Cussler. However, this is still a fun read.

forever entertaining

Would you consider the audio edition of The Scarlet Ruse to be better than the print version?

i would not know since i never read the print edition. what a wasted question.

What did you like best about this story?

the reader. as much as i love JDM - what a great job he did. pitch perfect.

Which scene was your favorite?

i liked the first scene (s) the best because they were ' fresh '. any story, how well written tends to get ' stale ' after a while. at the beginning of a story the characters are new. the plot is first being put together. the reader is just getting a feel for how the author writes.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

mr. macdonald does it again. more mystory. more suspense. more implied sex. more violence.
more terrific story telling.

Any additional comments?

yes. the first fiction book that i ever read. maybe 60 years ago. was a travis mcgee novel by john d. macdonald. and now at 74 for the first time i ' listened' to another travis mcgee novel !
what a wonderful way to ' bookend ' my life. of cause i am not finished with JDM as yet - any more then i am not finished with my life, as yet.

Great stories are timeless

My father read the Travis McGee stories when I was a kid, so I was delighted to rediscover them. While some things are dated, the tales hold up beautifully. It's my pleasure to read/listen to them.

John D - the best

The author’s fascinating plots, deeply insightful understanding of people and societies and believable protagonist makes John D top of the list of modern fiction writers.

One of my favorites

This story feels like your favorite, frayed sweatshirt that always makes you feel better when you put it on. Never has stamp collection taken one on such a fantastic and thrilling journey. Great writing, fantastic narration by Petkoff, and a great ending makes this one of my favorites.