One Fearful Yellow Eye Explained

One Fearful Yellow Eye
Author:John D. MacDonald
Country:United States
Language:English
Series:Travis McGee
Genre:Mystery
Publisher:Fawcett Publications
Release Date:1966
Media Type:Print (paperback)
Preceded By:Darker than Amber
Followed By:Pale Gray for Guilt

One Fearful Yellow Eye (1966) is the eighth novel in the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald. The plot revolves around McGee's attempts to aid his longtime friend Glory Doyle in her quest to uncover the truth about her late husband and the blackmail which made over half a million dollars of his fortune disappear. It is largely set in Chicago, rather than the usual McGee haunt of Florida. When Fortner Geis dies, it becomes clear that his fortune was swindled out of him in his last months. McGee tracks down the money and eventually builds a romantic relationship with Fortner's daughter, Heidi Trumbill.

Themes

The title phrase, "One Fearful Yellow Eye" refers to the look of the eye of one of the characters after he has died. It is found on page 174 of the first edition. McGee's sidekick Meyer briefly appears in the book, but does not play a central role. McGee recovers $187,650 from Saul Gorba when he moves to a small town of Bureau, Illinois. He receives about 10% ($18,750) from one of the rightful heirs, Heidi Trumbill.

References