Biography of Carl Hiassen  
Florida native Carl Hiaasen is an award-winning investigative journalist and columnist for The Miami Herald since 1976, with an outstanding reputation for exposing local scandals. He is the author of mystery novels like “Trap Line”, “Powder Burn” and “Death in China”.  One of his novels, “Strip Tease” has been made into a major motion picture.

His half-dozen crime novels, all set in Miami and its environs, are savagely funny books, full of bizarre characters and twisted plots that strain credibility if you don't know South Florida and hence realize that Hiaasen is pretty much just drawing on his news experience.

One of Hiaasen's trademarks is death by weird causes. In his first novel, he starts this tradition right away with the murder of Miami Chamber of Commerce president B.D. "Sparky" Harper, who chokes to death after being forced to swallow a toy rubber alligator.

Hiaasen’s perspective, in all of his books, is decidedly pro-environmental, with all its unruliness and occasional gore.