The central theme of the novel is mystery, the mystery of a man who becomes obsessed with returning the Miami, Florida area to nature. The plot and the main characters are clear by halfway through the story; however, the author continues to add more sub-plots which take unexpected turns.
There are several characters who drive the mystery of the story, chiefly Brian Keyes, a newspaper reporter turned private eye. His adversary, Skip Wiley, is a man he once worked with and the two understand each other very thoroughly, creating a match of wits. The plot centers around the methods the two utilize to attain their goals.
The mystery, then, becomes not what the main plot is, but instead, how the characters will play their respective parts in the various subplots woven throughout the novel.
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