Burn Out [Hardcover]

Marcia Muller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2008

Traumatized by a recent life-or-death investigation, Sharon McCone flees to her ranch in California's high desert country to contemplate her future. Deep depression shadows her days and nights, and a chance encounter with a troubled, highly secretive Native American woman begins to haunt her dreams. Even though she is determined not to investigate anything during her stay--and perhaps not ever again--McCone is drawn into the plight of the young woman and her dysfunctional family. A murder and traces of violence at a deserted resort lead her across the desert and into Nevada, and finally to a remote and isolated ranch, where danger lies closer that she expects and where her future and life itself may hang in the balance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After the travails of The Ever-Running Man (2007), Sharon McCone retreats to her high desert ranch near Yosemite in MWA Grand Master Muller's fine 26th novel to feature the San Francisco PI. Depressed, bored and uncertain about her future in a dangerous business, McCone is unwittingly drawn into a local case—the murder of Hayley Perez, the estranged niece of ranch manager Ramon Perez, and the disappearance of Hayley's teenage sister, Amy, and their alcoholic mother, Miri. As she looks into the Perezes' relationships, McCone uncovers secrets that hint at more than simply family dysfunction. Two more murders and a suicide add to the confusion, which McCone can only untangle, with the help of her husband and her Shoshone birth relatives, by tracing the victims' complex past. By the upbeat ending, McCone has learned that with judicious use of both her investigative and executive skills she can reshape her life. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Sharon McCone, who narrowly escaped death on her last case (The Ever-Running Man, 2007), has retreated to the ranch she shares with her husband to wallow in a bit of self-pity and figure out what to do with the rest of her life. Should she leave her successful investigative agency, overwhelmed by the administrative side and tired of risking her life in the field? Although the traumatized detective is determined not to get involved in any new investigations while resting in the high desert, a case finds her when she encounters a young girl in a supermarket parking lot who appears to be a victim of abuse. Although concerned, McCone sticks to her resolution not to get involved. But after she learns that a recent murder victim may have ties to the abused girl, McCone can’t help herself. She begins investigating and discovers a very troubled Native American woman with an extremely dysfunctional family. Two more deaths have her combing a deserted resort, parts of Nevada, and an isolated ranch belonging to a mysterious millionaire. As McCone uncovers a web of murder, betrayal, and hidden identities, her depression lifts, and she reestablishes herself as the strong, capable woman her readers have embraced for decades. Muller’s series launched the modern hard-boiled female detective, and it has been setting a gold standard for the subgenre for more than 30 years. Fortunately, the end isn’t in sight quite yet. --Barbara Bibel

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1ST edition (October 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446581070
• ISBN-13: 978-0446581073
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.1 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #919,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MARCIA MULLER has written many novels and short stories. Her novel "Wolf in the Shadows" won the Anthony Boucher Award. The recipient of the Private Eye Writers of America's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award - their highest accolade - she lives in northern California with her husband, mystery writer Bill Pronzini.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Author definitely not burned out, October 27, 2008

By 

Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Burn Out (Hardcover)

Muller's latest book shows how far the author has come in her craft and highlights the uniqueness of this series. Few authors could pull off a novel where the heroine escapes to the country for some personal time out without subjecting the reader to introspective, sappy interludes. Even fewer can keep a heroine living on the edge after she's married. We don't get those long intimate scenes with Too Much Information.

So what do we get? Muller's pacing seems to be sharper than ever. Sharon McCone continues to grow as a person and detective. I liked the scenes where Sharon decides to make friends with the horse who seems to dislike her so much. I also liked the scenes where Sharon pilots airplanes (including a brief moment when she enjoys teasing a police officer who's flying as a passenger).

And of course we follow Sharon as she inevitably gets caught up in a mystery involving a range of characters from trailer dwellers to a wealthy East Coast magnate. Sharon combines her own peerless interviewing skills with a touch of "moccasin telegraph" and her nephew's special connection to the keyboard.

McCone defies female stereotypes without making a fuss about it. She's not afraid to call in "markers" with a politically connected client to get something she needs. When she briefly reconnects with her father, she reports family feelings without a touch of sentimentality. Sharon is one straight-up gal.

The plot was satisfying and the ending plausible. I suspect some readers will feel the solution was telegraphed but I say the author played fair and dropped hints. There's a tense scene where the suspense might seem too short and climax is, well, somewhat anti-climactic. If there's any flaw in the book, it's that penultimate chapter: plausible but not as hair-raising as a mystery reader might want.

In another episode, Sharon's nephew Mick turns up surprising facts about someone who has been in the public spotlight for quite awhile. These days, it's hard to believe a sharp journalist would not have been sniffing around many years earlier. Stories can be buried but with the Internet, it's harder.

So all in all, Burn Out was a deeply satisfying read. I'm writing this review in late October. If you're flying somewhere for the holidays, I'd save a few inches in a carry-on bag. But if you can hold off on picking up this book and reading all the way through, your willpower is a lot stronger than mine.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Muller has a winner, October 17, 2008

By 

Ann Allyn Slessman "Annie" (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burn Out (Hardcover)

BURN OUT
Marcia Muller
Grand Central Publishing
Hachette Book Group
$24.99 - Hardback
ISBN: 978-0-446-58107-3
309 pages
Reviewer: Annie Slessman

Sharon McCone, the main character of BURN OUT by Marcia Muller owns a private investigation service and has worked one to many cases. She is burned out and needs a break. She takes that break at a ranch she owns in California's high desert country.

Determined not to do another investigation, her resolve is softened when her ranch manager's niece is murdered and another niece is missing. McCone's friendship with her ranch manager and his wife draws her into a commitment to both find the murderer of his niece and to find the missing child. During her investigation, she also finds her drive to once again engage the work she is meant to do.

The storyline is a good one....the characterizations, vivid and believable. One feels an interactive quality while reading the story and the want to continually turn the page is ever present.

The character of Sharon McCone is not a new one. She first appeared in 1977 has lead to THE EVER-RUNNING MAN, Muller's 25th novel which was quoted in The Chicago Tribune as "one of the treasurers of the genre."

For the mystery readers out there, this one would be considered a must read. For those who just like a good story, well told, this is your book as well.

In addition to the Sharon McCone novels, Muller is the author of three novels set in the fictional Soledad County, a remote stretch of the northern California coast. The Washington Post has cited Muller's work, Cape Perdido as one of the best mysteries of 2005. Muller lives with her husband, mystery writer Bill Pronzini, in northern California.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Both the author and character continue to develop, December 3, 2008

By 

L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Burn Out (Hardcover)

First Sentence: I sat on the bluff's edge, facing southeast, where a newly risen full moon cast a shimmery path over the waters of Tufa Lake.

After the last couple cases, Sharon McCone is seriously questioning whether she wants to continue with her business and is taking a vacation at her husband Hy's ranch. She sees a young woman who appears to be in trouble but refuses Sharon's offer of help. When the woman later turns up murdered, Sharon can't help but get involved in the investigation for her killer.

Once before, with "Wolf in the Shadows," Muller made a pivotal advancement in both her writing and in the character of McCone. Muller's ability to have McCone grow and change has made her one of the best female PI characters being written. Even though Hy is rarely on the scene, even their relationship has developed through the series. In this book, it's nice to see McCone being introspective and questioning her future while being self-deprecating. At the same time, she stays true to her instincts.

The story is tightly plotted with lots of twists along the way, few of which I saw coming. Involving McCone's Indian heritage and the information on the "moccasin telegraph" added an extra layer to the story. As always, Muller provides a very strong sense of place and believable dialogue.

I'm always afraid I'll get tired of this series. To her credit, Ms. Muller's writing brings me back and keeps me involved with each new book.