Florida Noir - Mystery, Crime Fiction Writing from Sunshine State

Florida noir has deep roots, starting in the 1940s with hard-boiled detective fiction like John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee character. McGee was the man with the plan, the fictional detective unraveling a Florida mystery, tropical atmosphere that is unique to Florida as part of the backdrop influencing characters and their actions; the "Florida noir" appeal.

Florida fiction, along with non-fiction, even the medium of film usually draw on atmosphere, and with fiction, this affects plot as well. In Florida fiction, an example would be Travis McGee and his boat, the Florida waters, his actions throughout, and in the medium of film, Body Heat--the sticky, humid Florida weather, how it intensifies the heated passion between Kathleen Turner and William Hurt. Both examples are part of the Florida noir formula.

The novels that are most often associated with Florida noir, are crime or mystery novels. MacDonald is considered the "Grand-daddy" of the genre, with Carl Hiaasen being the prodigal son. Elmore Leonard is the master chef of the craft, and there are some strong contenders on the scene right now; Randy Wayne White being one. These are just some of the noted males on the scene.

This isn't just a boy's club. Edna Buchanan is a mystery writer based in Miami. A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist with the Miami Herald, she was one of the few woman police beat reporters in Miami at the time during the "Cocaine Cowboy" era; late 70's very early 80's, when Miami had the real life Tony Montana types running the city, and cocaine, drug lords and violence were the norm. This was Miami at its most dangerous, and was compared in similarity to the "wild west." Buchanan reported and witnessed first-hand what was going down, and this influenced her fiction as well. Florida is a wonderful place for these types of writers, for it is the ultimate paradox; one that exists, with dumb criminals and burnt-out characters intensified in the writer's mind and brought so brilliantly to the page as to provoke, horrify and enlighten one to the fact that paradise, as beautiful a place, is tainted.