It's October, and the leaves are red and gold here on the mountain (a lot of them are already on the ground), frosty nights have arrived, and so has this year's Archer Mayor police procedural, THE CATCH. The book is Mayor's 19th in his Joe Gunther series, and it's a gem for those who enjoy the characters that have kept Gunther company over the long haul: Sammy Martens, Willy Kunkle, and the later team member, Lester Spinney.
Starting with a traffic stop of a speeder on Route 7, at the west side of Vermont, the team and particularly Joe himself find themselves lured toward the distant seacoast, the rugged, cold ocean waters off Maine. Tracking down means and opportunity for the multiplying crimes then scatters the team members. But to find the motive for the first murder is tougher than expected, and Mayor leads a good chase through clues and pursuits.
... he felt a true weariness with the nature of this call. Murders in Vermont were few, averaging perhaps seven or eight a year -- rare enough to make it standing protocol that he be called to the scene regardless of time or location. But the killing of a cop? That was virtually unheard of -- a once-in-a-decade event, at least so far.
As a result, Gunther knew that the entire state would be watching every detail of this one...
There's good news for Joe personally in THE CATCH, and enough sweet solutions to counter the darkness of New England's crime network. It's a good, swift read, and -- it's an autumn tradition. I wouldn't miss it.
No comments:
Post a Comment