The Reel Hot Summer

The summer's record-breaking heat in St. Lucie County, Florida, gets hotter when the Winthrop boys decide to open a porno movie theater in their old feed store. The Harley-riding evangelical minister, living just up the road with his naive wife and mischievous 3-year-old twins, objects and takes steps to stop it. But the Winthrops forge ahead, hiring carpenter Jed Hart, who has soon moved in with drug-smuggling Junior Winthrop's girlfriend. As the man on the ground, Jed faces off with local smut-smiters, county officials, state attorneys, and the Bible-thumping "Pint-Sized Preacher, the World's Shortest Evangelist." The story is set in 1980, when "Freaky Florida" was at its peak. Author Mary Dodge was a new resident at that time and a reporter for Scripps newspapers. The fictional story is inspired by real events the author covered, and gives a wonderful snapshot of life during the mounting invasion of retirees and families looking for low-cost homes in the sun.