The ten strangest novels set in Florida

Jeff Somers is the author of the Avery Cates series, The Ustari Cycle, Lifers, and Chum (among many other books) and numerous short stories.

At the B&N Reads blog he tagged ten of the strangest novels set in Florida, including:

Rum Punch, by Elmore Leonard

Leonard set a lot of his novels in Florida, but Rum Punch is one of the best. Serving as the inspiration for Tarantino’s film Jackie Brown, the book perfectly captures the tone and attitude of Florida’s criminal underground—and the odd mix of the prosaic, profane, and luxurious that can only be found in a state where half the population is retired and the other half is on vacation.

Read about another entry on the list.

Rum Punch is among the Telegraph's top ten Elmore Leonard film adaptations and Ben Mankiewicz's six favorite books.

--Marshal Zeringue