When Does "JAWS 2" (1978) Take Place?
"JAWS 2" is a horror novel written by Hank Searls [adapting an early unused script for "JAWS 2" (1978) by Dorothy Tristan with Howard Sackler and, therefore, the final product should be treated as an original work] that released April 19th, 1978. So when is "JAWS 2" set?
It takes place in the year:
We know this because almost a quarter into the book Police Chief Martin Brody says, "It's a federal charge, friend. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972." The real-world Marine Mammal Protection Act was signed into law on October 21st, 1972 AD and took effect on December 21st, 1972 AD. So it must be after 1972 AD.
1973 AD
We know this because almost a quarter into the book Police Chief Martin Brody says, "It's a federal charge, friend. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972." The real-world Marine Mammal Protection Act was signed into law on October 21st, 1972 AD and took effect on December 21st, 1972 AD. So it must be after 1972 AD.
Furthermore, according to the narrator, "Two years before, not far from here" the shark in the story "had been hit by a male not much smaller than she." and "In her left uterus squirmed three young. In her right lived five, three females and two males. The smallest"... "had survived in utero for almost two years". The longest any shark species takes to carry pups to term is 3 years. Fans presume this "male not much smaller than she" to be the shark from the previous book, "JAWS" (1974), which takes place in 1971 AD. So it would have to be before 1974 AD.
1971 + 3 = 1974.
Conclusively, the reader is told Brody "had the nightmarish feeling that he was back on the Orca two years before, with the Amity shark slinking nearby, ready to charge." The "Orca" is the name of the boat from, "JAWS" (1974), which concludes in July of 1971 AD. So it is currently July of 1973 AD.
7.1971 + 2 = 7.1973.
(HOWEVER, about one-fifth of the way into the story the narrator gives us a glimpse into Brody's thoughts: "He wondered what the attraction was at the wreck of the Orca. For four years amateurs had been picking over the carcass of Quint's old boat. What did they expect to find? Blood?", referring to the sunken ship from the climax of the first book. So it would have to be 1975 AD at the earliest.
7.1971 + 4 = 7.1975.
This would place the story in July of 1975 AD. This must be a production mistake.)
More specifically, very early in the narrative the narrator tells us, "Two years ago there would have been cars lining both sides of the street, even this early in June.", referring to the time just before what the locals call "The Trouble"– presumably the events of the previous book. Also, "Two years before, when The Trouble had hit, Mike and Sean had been as amphibious as frogs. The shark attacks"... seemingly making "The Trouble" clearly the events of "JAWS" (1974), again taking place in June to July of 1971 AD.
So the clause "even this early in June" tells us it is currently early June of 1973 AD at the novel's start.
