The Deep Blue Good-by

The Deep Blue Good-by is the first book in John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series. McGee is a memorable character — a private detective who lives on a Fort Lauderdale-docked houseboat, sleeps with a lot of women, and occasionally solves crimes for hire. McGee would become MacDonald’s most famous creation (appearing in 21 books from 1964-1984) and while his character is cliched and misogynistic, the books are usually tightly plotted with sharp prose. In The Deep Blue Good-by, McGee is hired by a local woman to find her missing inheritance.