The Deep Blue Good-by

The Deep Blue Good-by introduces us to private detective Travis McGee, John D. MacDonald's protagonist through 21 mystery novels spanning 20 years of publication. MacDonald died in 1986. This one is from 1964 and shows it. The women are young, needy, dysfunctional and weak, and they all want to go to bed with "Trav" and apparently any other man who slows down within reach.

from the publisher:

Travis McGee is a self-described beach bum who won his houseboat in a card game. He's also a knight errant who's wary of credit cards, retirement benefits, political parties, mortgages and television. He only works when his cash runs out and his rule is simple--he'll help you find whatever was taken from you, as long as he can keep half.

It's on this list of 100 favorite mysteries of the century, which is how I found it.