Benchley has enjoyed his greatest popular success with novels that feature beasts as the main antagonists, although he has ventured into other realms. For instance, he has written fanciful sea adventures such as The Island, (1979) and The Girl of the Sea of Cortez (1982) that feature human antagonists. In Q Clearance (1986; see separate entry) and Rummies (1989; see separate entry), he ventures into social comedy, focusing on politics in Q Clearance and alcoholism in Rummies.

Even though these novels have enjoyed modest success, it is for Jaws, Beast, and White Shark (1994; see separate entry), that Benchley is best known.

It was Jaws that propelled the former political speech writer to fame. The novel focuses on a great white shark that terrorizes an ocean-front community that caters to tourism. Although heroic characters battle both incredibly stupid civic leaders and the shark, the shark almost takes over the novel and...