Floaters Summary
Joseph Wambaugh

Floaters Overview

Joseph Wambaugh's novel Floaters is a murder mystery set in San Diego, California. When the America's Cup regatta comes to town, the residents quickly become embroiled in personal and national competition. Ambrose Lutterworth, Keeper of the Cup, is particularly afraid that the event will cause him to lose the sailing trophy. In order to retain the Cup and his title, he involves his masseuse, Blaze Duvall, in a scheme to wreck the competition's fastest yacht. When the plan goes awry, and bodies start appearing around town and in the local waters, the police department becomes involved. The more chaos that erupts, the more willing the characters become to get what they want via risky behaviors. The novel explores themes including fear, desire, and loneliness.