Books
Recommended Reading
David Baldacci
The Fix
Grand Central Publishing
Amos Decker—whose wife and child were murdered in the first installment, Memory Man, which I still haven’t gotten around to yet—is one of Baldacci’s most complex and tortured characters. This is the third book in the series (the second, The Last Mile, is out in paperback and I highly recommend it) and finds our hero and his scatterbrain investigating a public assassination in front of the FBI building in Washington, D.C. Formulaic to be sure, but the formula still works. And Baldacci has mastered it.
– Chris Manson
China Mieville
October: The Story of the Russian Revolution
Verso
This is the 100th anniversary of the start of the Russian Revolution. Like World War I (also having its hundredth), it’s mainly been relegated to the classrooms and the movies. Mieville’s book is constructed as an introduction and not a detailed political analysis. To that end, he keeps the narrative fast moving and misses no opportunities to highlight dramatic scenes. The revolution toppled a 300-year imperial dynasty, yanked Russia out of a losing war with Germany, and catapulted it to superpower status in a few decades. It would have been hard avoiding the drama. Marx, Lenin and Trotsky deserve story credit.
– Bruce Collier
Karin Slaughter
The Kept Woman (Paperback)
William Morrow
Will Trent and his Georgia Bureau of Investigation cohorts return, along with Trent’s extremely high maintenance sorta-ex. A compulsive page-turner from start to finish, and another masterpiece from one of the rare storytellers that can strike the perfect balance between humor and sick making.
– Chris Manson

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In Memoriam: Harold Destin
By Charles Morgan III Harold Destin died last week. He had lived in Destin for 64 years. Harold’s father, Chubby Destin, ran the Shooting Star for many years. His mother...
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By the Numbers: 12Eleven
By Nikki Hedrick With an influx of regular gigs in the Destin area, 12Eleven have steadily made a name for themselves in the region. The average member age is only 22...
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Fun Facts About the Harbor Boat Parade
By Chris Manson This year’s event, happening Sunday, Dec. 15, on the Destin Harbor, is the 33rd annual boat parade sponsored by the Destin History & Fishing Museum. It starts at...
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G.I. Jade Tiki Bar & Bistro: Have a Round at Marker 21
By Bruce Collier G.I. Jade Tiki Bar & Bistro in Fort Walton Beach has been open just a few months. The restaurant sits on the harbor, at the Marker 21 Marina....
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Where to Spend Your Happy Hours
Baxter’s Bar & Grille 605 James Lee Road Fort Walton Beach 850-812-6868 When: 3-6 PM and 10 PM-Midnight daily. Closed Mondays (for now). Drink Specials: $3 wells, $2 drafts. Camille’s at Crystal...
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Adopt, Don’t Shop: Tigger
Lorraine Whetsone from PAWS in Fort Walton Beach writes: “Meet Tigger. This handsome Treeing Walker Coonhound mix has been at the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society since March. He needs to be home...
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