Doc Ford
Created by Randy Wayne White

MARION "DOC" FORD is the protagonist of several novels by Fort Meyers fishing guide, Outside magazine columnist and former cheezoid potboiler author (under the names Randy Stryker and Carl Ramm) Randy Wayne White. Ford is a former government agent/triggerman who currently runs a marine biology supply business from a stilt house in Dinkins Bay, Sanibel, Florida. Though he yearns for the quiet, contemplative life of the scientist, his past, and the talents it armed him with, keeps popping up. Of current Florida crime fiction authors, White is probably second only to James Hall (see Thorn) in terms of literary quality. The Man Who Invented Florida, the third Ford book, is a fucking lyrical masterpiece. The fourth, Captiva, is one of the most hellishly violent South Florda novels ever written.

By the way, I am at a loss to explain the value of White's books on the collector's market. Sanibel Flats, now commanding prices well over $1000, was published in 1990. The first printing was small, which goes part of the way toward explaining its current value, but still, over a grand for an eight-year-old book? I dunno.

UNDER OATH

• "(Randy Wayne White is) the rightful heir to John D. MacDonald."
  (The Tampa Tribune-Times)

NOVELS

• Sanibel Flats (1990). Buy this book
• The Heat Islands (1991). Buy this book
• The Man Who Invented Florida (1993). Buy this book
• Captiva (1996). Buy this book
• North of Havana (1997). Buy this book
• The Mangrove Coast (1998). Buy this book
• Ten Thousand Islands (2000). Buy this book
• Shark River (2001) .Buy this book
• Twelve Mile Limit (2002). Buy this book
• Everglades (2003)...Buy this book
• Tampa Burn (2004). .. Buy this book
• Dead of Night (2005). .. Buy this book
• Dark Light (2006). .. Buy this book
• Hunter's Moon (2007)...Buy this book
• Black Widow (2008)...Buy this book
• Dead Silence (2009) ...Buy this book

RELATED LINKS

• RWWHITE.com: Greetings From Sanibel Island
  Randy Wayne White's own official website has an author biography, descriptions of the Doc Ford books along with White's comments (did you know that "The Man Who Invented Florida" was his favorite?), and reviews. Does the community of Dinkin's Bay really exist? White urges you to "Read the books and decide for yourselves..."

Contributed by Paul Bergin. Also, thanks to Bluefox808 for the heads-up.