Bad Monkey

Miami’s Assistant Coroner Dr. Rosa Campesino is both Yancy’s love interest and his partner in the investigation of the Stripling case. As the daughter of Cuban immigrants, Rosa embodies the American dream, albeit with a unique twist. Her beauty, characterized by dark hair and striking eyes, complements her acerbic personality, which keeps Yancy on his toes and adds depth to their relationship.

Rosa often acts as Yancy’s voice of reason, grounding him when his impulsive tendencies lead him astray. However, she encourages his more outlandish ideas, creating a dynamic partnership in which both characters challenge and inspire each other. Their relationship is marked by a sense of adventure, not just in their professional lives but also in their intimate encounters (most memorably, on an autopsy table and during a hurricane).

Despite her adventurous spirit, Rosa’s perspective shifts after being kidnapped by Egg, leading her to reevaluate her desire for risk. This pivotal moment reflects their challenges in navigating their personal and professional lives amid the chaos of the Stripling case. Rosa’s character adds complexity to the narrative, illustrating the balance between love and danger in an unpredictable world.

The primary antagonist in Bad Monkey is 46-year-old Nick Stripling, whom the novel describes as dark-haired and heavyset. As the owner of Midwest Mobile Medical Systems, a company that operates as a front for Medicare fraud, Nick swindled more than $11 million from the Medicare system before the FBI launched an investigation into his activities.

Nick is a foil to Yancy. Ambition drives both characters, albeit through questionable means. While Yancy’s impulsiveness often leads him into precarious situations, Nick’s actions are calculated yet absurdly extreme. His decision to have an associate amputate his left arm as part of a scheme to fake his death exemplifies his desperation and willingness to go to any lengths to evade justice. This drastic action highlights his moral bankruptcy and obsession with self-preservation, showcasing how far he’ll go to avoid federal charges.

Moreover, Nick’s readiness to murder two accomplices, as well as his intent to kill Yancy to maintain his secret, further illustrates his ruthless nature. These actions deepen his character as a villain and amplify the stakes in Yancy’s investigation. As Yancy pursues Nick, the contrast between their methods and motivations becomes increasingly pronounced, reinforcing the novel’s concern with morality and justice.

Beyond his moral failures, Nick lacks personal accountability. When his plan ultimately collapses, he shifts the blame onto Eve instead of accepting his own culpability. This refusal to take responsibility culminates in Eve’s killing Nick in a moment of frustration, which serves as karmic retribution for his numerous transgressions.

A secondary antagonist in the novel, Nick’s wife, Eve Stripling, is his willing accomplice in the elaborate scheme to fake his death and secure insurance money. Although Eve doesn’t directly execute the insurance fraud, she benefits financially, motivated by greed and her loyalty to Nick. The novel describes her as a slightly heavy, auburn-haired woman in her thirties whose initial loyalty to Nick drives her to perform much of the necessary groundwork to have him declared dead. However, Eve struggles to outwardly display grief, finding it challenging to adhere to society’s expectations of mourning, which causes others to question her sincerity.

Eve is a morally complex character, reflecting the novel’s emphasis on moral ambiguity. Although she willingly engages in illegal activity, her eventual frustration with Nick’s selfishness and increasing instability leads her to question their partnership. This inner conflict comes to a head when she ultimately turns against Nick, resulting in his death. In this way, Eve’s character arc serves as a vehicle for exploring loyalty, self-interest, and karmic retribution. Her poor choice of speed after killing Nick causes her own death, finishing the circle of karma.

Eve’s character illustrates the consequences of prioritizing material gain over ethics and loyalty, making her a cautionary figure and a crucial part of the novel’s satirical approach to depicting moral corruption. Her complex motivations and ultimate decision to betray Nick add depth to her character, highlighting the unpredictable nature of alliances built on shared vice rather than shared values.

Another secondary protagonist in Bad Monkey, Neville Stafford embodies resilience and cultural identity in the face of corruption and exploitation. His character’s struggle parallels Yancy’s: Both men face wealthy, powerful adversaries intent on taking something from them. A 64-year-old native Bahamian fisherman, Neville has deep roots in his family’s land, which he views as a legacy and a critical part of his identity. This connection to the land makes him a foil to characters like Nick and Eve Stripling, whose greed and disregard for others lead to their downfall. Unlike the Striplings, who are motivated by financial gain, Neville’s desires are far more straightforward: He simply wants to live peacefully on his family’s land.

When Neville’s sister sells his land, the money he receives is inconsequential to him. The land represents his heritage, and his attachment to it underscores the exploitation of local communities by outsiders who lack respect for their culture and traditions. Neville’s clash with Charles Grunion, the wealthy developer attempting to force him off his land, highlights the struggle between preservation and commercial greed. Neville’s resilience and refusal to be intimidated make him a compelling counterpoint to characters who act out of selfishness and entitlement.

Neville’s struggle and ultimate resilience testify to the value of personal integrity over materialism. His character provides a moral compass within the novel and encapsulates the novel’s critique of societal trends prioritizing profit over people, heritage, and the environment. Neville’s actions celebrate preserving one’s roots and resisting the corrupting forces of greed and exploitation.

The epitome of a stereotypical trophy wife, Bonnie Witt marries a wealthy, much older retired dermatologist and embodies the clichés of beauty, boldness, and infidelity. Her character, however, is complicated by a hidden criminal past as “Plover Chase,” a wanted sex offender from Oklahoma. This dual identity provides insight into Bonnie’s deeper motivations: Her constant search for excitement and validation often leads her into questionable relationships and risky behavior.

Her relationship with Yancy begins as an affair but is rooted more in her need for attention than in genuine affection. When her husband turns to bizarre and detached interests like autoerotic asphyxiation, Bonnie seeks connection elsewhere, returning to her now adult lover from Oklahoma. Her fleeting attentions reflect her inability to commit to anything stable, yet her jealousy over Yancy’s new relationship with Rosa reveals a possessive side. In a final act of misplaced loyalty and a desire to win Yancy’s favor, Bonnie burns down the unsightly spec house that Yancy despises, attempting to rekindle their connection through an extreme gesture.

This impulsive, destructive act not only underscores Bonnie’s instability but also highlights her self-destructive tendencies and dependency on male validation. Her character serves as both a foil for Rosa and a warning, given that her chaotic pursuit of attention and thrill (which contrast with Yancy’s struggle for genuine fulfillment) make Bonnie a compelling, if tragic, figure.

A minor antagonist, Evan Shook takes actions that embody the unchecked development and environmental exploitation threatening Florida’s natural beauty. Unlike Yancy, who values his view and has a personal connection to the land, Evan sees the Keys merely as a business opportunity. He invests in building a speculative (spec) house, not for personal enjoyment or community benefit but for profit. He plans to return to Syracuse once he cashes in on his venture. This approach highlights a soulless, transactional view of the environment that conflicts with the novel’s underlying themes of ecological respect.

Evan’s immorality is evident in his real estate practices, which include bribing inspectors to bypass zoning laws, and in his personal life. He has an affair that he conceals from his wife, which further reveals his lack of integrity and selfishness. His presence in the novel critiques transient developers who, without any attachment to the communities they impact, exploit local landscapes and ecosystems. Through characters like Evan, the novel satirizes the significant issues of commercial greed and environmental degradation in Florida. Thus, Shook exemplifies the systemic threats to the state’s delicate ecosystems and unique beauty.

The Monroe County sheriff in Bad Monkey, Sonny Summers is an antagonist in that he prevents Yancy from reclaiming his detective badge. However, his relationship with Yancy is far from adversarial. Despite acting as an obstacle, Sonny has a kind of camaraderie with Yancy, making him a complex figure who straddles the line between friend and foe. Sonny exemplifies the novel’s critique of complacent authority figures who prioritize personal ambition over public duty. His primary qualifications for sheriff include simply not being in prison, and his primary focus in the role is to avoid making waves or drawing attention to local crime lest it deter tourists. Sonny’s lax approach to law enforcement, prioritizing appearances over action, reflects broader societal issues of ineffective leadership and corruption within institutions.

Sonny’s ambitions extend beyond his current position. He sees his role as a stepping stone to eventually becoming attorney general, and this desire shapes his reluctance to engage in meaningful investigations. For Sonny, cases are nuisances rather than matters of justice; he seeks to keep them quiet to protect the area’s reputation rather than uncover the truth. His ambition-driven approach illustrates how authority figures’ self-interest can lead to ethical compromises, resulting in a superficial, ineffectual system that favors appearances over accountability. By including characters like Sonny, the novel critiques the flawed priorities in law enforcement and the tourism-dependent Florida economy, where maintaining an image often takes precedence over addressing genuine issues.