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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewing: "Of All Sad Words", June 27, 2008
Blacklin County, Texas is a fairly, quiet place most of the time which is how Sheriff Dan Rhodes likes it. His idea of a citizens' Sheriff's Academy had seemed like a good idea at the time in that it would teach folks about the department and generate some good publicity. Now he is getting flack over it from some, most notably county judge Jack Parry. Parry is convinced that some who went through the academy recently are vigilantes. There is more to his complaint but it boils down to the universal idea of politics and micromanagement. Sheriff Dan Rhodes is finally saved from the county judge by a call about a trailer house explosion. The Crawford brothers, who have a bit of a reputation around the area, may have been inside when it blew. There had been accusations that the Crawford's were running a meth lab, something not uncommon these days in the East Texas woods. Rhodes never caught the Crawford's selling anything-not even Amway. And while one brother has survived the blast, another has not and it quickly becomes clear that it was a murder. A murder that in the minds of some was caused by politics. Murder, that in the eyes of some others was caused by alleged drug dealing. No matter the cause, Sheriff Dan Rhodes intends to find out and isn't gong to let small town politics over a variety of matters stand in his way. I'm ashamed to admit that this book, which was recommended to me by a friend, is my first Bill Crider novel. It puts me in the mind of the J. W. Jackson series penned by the late and missed Philip R. Craig. True, Sheriff Rhodes doesn't offer any recipes and is clearly not set anywhere near Martha's Vineyard. But, there is that same slow comfortable way of story telling that gradually spins the novel out while detailing the real world characters that live in the Dan Rhodes world. Instead of starting with an abrupt bang, this is the kind of book that slowly begins and allows the reader to get to know the people just a little bit before presenting the problem. The result is a 265 page read featuring a steady hero who knows his limitations. This is a character, as well as many of the minor characters, that have universal appeal on one hand and are clearly Texan on the other. Dogged in his pursuit of justice Sheriff Dan Rhodes follows a trail with grace under pressure and a reserved calmness most of the time. Along the way, he deals with a variety of events and people from all walks of life who may or may not have his best interests at heart. And he hooked a new reader. Kevin R. Tipple © 2008
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another great addition to this series, February 20, 2008
Of All Sad Words by Bill Crider is his newest book (#15 in this mystery series) featuring Sheriff Dan Rhodes. The title comes from a couplet that Sheriff Rhodes recalls from his school days-"Of all the sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest of are these: `it might have been'." The sheriff though thinks that the saddest might be "It seemed like a good idea at the time." This phrase is particularly relevant to the Citizen's Sheriff Academy. There are concerns that the academy is breeding vigilantes. The concerns become sharper when a trailer home blows up and a body is found, especially since the trailer belonged to brothers who members of the academy suspected of running a meth lab. The story moves briskly from that point, introducing the reader to a plethora of quirky small town characters, all of whom have their own idea of what Sheriff Rhodes should be doing. Thus while organizing the investigation into explosion and murder, the sheriff also deals with web sites, UFOs, possums-and a book signing for a new novel which details the life of a "handsome crime-busting sheriff," based very loosely on Dan Rhodes-not to mention the members of that Citizen's Sheriff Academy who all seem to have their own interest in the case. Bill Crider has produced a story that is an even mix of humor and action. There are characters from previous novels, but the book is quite readable without having read the previous Sheriff Dan Rhodes stories. I especially like the way that the people in the novel interact. Dan's relationship with his wife is a delight. This will be a series that I go back to find the earlier novels to learn more about these people. While the title is Of All Sad Words, I am not at all sad to have picked it up. Armchair Interviews says: Sheriff Dan Rhodes can be counted on to bring a good story.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Of Whisky, Murder, and UFOs, April 28, 2010
This book was my introduction to Sheriff Dan Rhodes of Blacklin County, TX, and, I must say, I wish it had occurred much sooner. In Sheriff Rhodes, Mr. Crider has created a near-perfect example of a rural sheriff. Not only does he have murders to solve, Sheriff Rhodes must deal with officious comissioners, lonely little old ladies, imaginary animals, and a citizen whose electricity has been stolen by UFOs. All in a day's work, though, and alongside the dry humor with which Rhodes deals with these details is a real mystery, and real danger. This was an excellent book, and I'll be looking for more in this series.
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