John D. MacDonald 
Slam the Big Door 

When Mike Rodenska, a former journalist and recent widower, visits his old friend Troy Jamison in Florida, he’s shocked at what he finds. For despite the parties, the shapely women, the devil-may-care air that surrounds Troy and his friends, Mike can see a life slowly coming apart. The only question is: why?Putting together the pieces of his friend’s life – and downfall – turns an ordinary visit into a mystery that Mike Rodenska is compelled to solve …