Gator Aide

by Jessica Speart

STOMPING THROUGH THE SWAMP A failed New York actress, Rachel Porter figured that any new career would be an improvement--until she became a wildlife agent and found herself stuck in the steamy... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380792885
• ISBN13: 9780380792887
• Release Date: September 1997
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

What Do You Do With A Dead 'Gator?

Rachel Porter is a special agent for the US government. Big deal, you say. Been there, done that. However, Rachel is a special agent for the US Fish & Wildlife Service - not one of the typical literary government crime-busting agencies. This allows the author to approach the crime from a completely different direction, which was a nice change of pace.The characters were interesting. Rachel is a person who is used to running from her problems, and here she's forced to make a choice and decide whether or not to take a stand. Her boss, who initially seemed like a stereotypical boss from hell, has depth to his character. The detective in charge of the investigation is not one of the usual stalwart heroes - there are a lot of dark shadings to his character. The secondary characters all have their own charm.The story takes place in New Orleans and its surrounding swamplands. Rachel is called in when a dead alligator is found at the scene of a murder - a hooker has beeen ritualistically slashed to death. The story begins with that and then takes off into political corruption, murder, drug running, neo-Nazis, and the Mob. The descriptions of the people, politics and places are vivid and realistic.This is the first of the Rachel Porter series. I enjoyed this one so much, I bought the sequels.

A terrific new heroine!

I thoroughly enjoyed Rachel Porter and her escapades. The plot was engaging and Rachel's spunk delightful. The issue of animal protection and environmental destruction is a welcome addition in the mystery genre. Speart has a winner in Rachel, and I look forward to many more adventures!

Would make a good movie

I liked this book, it's something different, although I did groan a bit at Rachel's gung ho- ness. It's very believable that she would ask to work with someone she saw on t.v. and find him shall we say, less than perfect. The description of New Orleans politics was quite believable as we have a lot of good old boys in my state as well, but I sure hope we aren't that corrupt. I couldn't believe the description of the Cajun living conditions, with children running after cars on their road, I hope that was greatly exagerated. All in all though this was a good read with a likeable main character. I hope to read the next adventure.

Enjoyed the mystery, the local color, and the plot!

We both enjoyed the book. I think Speart has great potential, and look forward to more of Rachel's adventures. Being a former narcotics investigator, I had figured out how the gator died, and further into the book, Gunter became my prime suspect. But I never fully trusted any of the characters Rachel was dealing with, and basically saw her as being on her own. No paranoia on her part, but soundly based concern. The ending was a surprise. Loved it. My wife (yes, I am a man) says she would have liked Rachel's character expanded on and to have learned more about the workings of the US Wildlife and Fisheries people other than stalking duck poachers in steamy bayous. I was a little confused with some of the locations that Speart chose. Slidell, home of some of our family, is a bedroom community of professionals who commute to their air conditioned offices in downtown New Orleans more than it is a town of factories and creosote. The street car named Desire ran down Royal St (a street away from Chartres) in the French Quarter, not through the Garden District, which has always been the St. Charles line. Why did Rachel go to the police station downtown, when there is one on Chartres in the French Quarter and another down by Rampart St on the edge of the Quarter? She could have walked. And how did her magic VW Bug manage to cross the Huey Long Bridge and turn onto Interstate 90, thus materializing in South Dakota? That should be US Hwy 90, but through N.O. you take Interstate 10. Finally, as a transplanted Northerner (Canadian-[read foreigner]-not Yankee) I have to point out that some of us do love the hot and humid south, and do love the Big Easy. Ms. Speart is pretty much dead on with the N.O. and Louisiana political scene. Corrupt, corrupt, corrupt only begins to describe it. Otherwise, an enjoyable read. Keep up the good work. By the way, Ms Speart, move your jewelery. Your friend from Mississauga gave away your secret.

I liked Gator Ade by Jessica Speart

I direct the International Primate Protection League, its main emphasis is on wildlife crime investigations and seeking justice for beleaguered primates. Not enough people are aware of what an enormous business the wildlife trade is and how animals are shipped concealed in false petrol tanks of trucks, how orangutans were shipped in coffin-like crates labelled "Birds" and much, much more. Speart's book addresses local poaching of wildlife, including alligators to be converted into leather bags and fancy shoes. In an article in the defunct magazine Buzzworm Speart addressed the problems of wildlife law enforcement in detail so she is not someone who has visited the issue casually! I found Gator Ade an easy pleasant read and am looking forward to seeing Ms Speart's future books. We who work on wildlife trade issues have our own members as our primary audience. But we have to reach the world outside and show them how species are traded towards extinction by humans. Jessica Speart is doing a public service in bringing public attention to a tragic and neglected issue, just as James Hall did with "Gone Wild." Shirley McGreal, IPPL