The Green Ripper
by John D. MacDonald
Buy on AmazonThe Green Ripper (1979) is a mystery novel by John D. MacDonald, the 18th of 21 in the Travis McGee series. It won a 1980 U.S. National Book Award in the one-year category mystery.
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"McGee is a likeable, noble, sardonic houseboat-dwelling dilettante in all his books, but the horror he endures (and by necessity, causes) in this one was as powerful as any 'literary' novel I've read."
By the Book: John Hodgman · nytimes.com