Customer Reviews

The Catch: A Joe Gunther Novel (Joe Gunther Mysteries)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The Joe Gunther crime detective series continues to evolve in a new direction, yet still remains true to its Vermont small state, small town sensibilities. This well written crime procedural captures the different landscapes which mark all of the three upper New England states, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and how those landscapes shape the different cultures in each state. Glad too that Joe Gunther has a new woman in his life who promises to be an interesting addition as the series continues.

A very ambitious and hard-driving Vermont state trooper is murdered during a routine traffic stop. The whole thing seems to be caught on the cruiser's video. Vermont copdom mobilizes to catch the killer, including Joe Gunther's elite Vermont Bureau of Investigation. Everyone charges into the investigation; but Joe, no fool and averse to communal embarrassment, quietly has a couple of his people checking on what kind of a cop and person the victim was.

The trail leads to Maine where it seems to connect to the murder of a local drug leader, whose demise leads to equal and violent opportunity for would-be replacements. A multiagency task force is formed, and Joe's team tags along. Everyone on the task force is sympathetic about the trooper's death but inevitably the focus is more and more on the drug issues. Joe and his people keep on, following leads and making a few of their own. Joe's instincts and knowledge of people lead to some smart decisions and the case makes progress.

The writing is brisk and clear, the characters interesting, with no stereotypes in sight. Yet this is not absolutely top drawer Archer Mayor. There are a lot of loose ends, a couple of which seem to have been inserted for the sake of a subsequent book. In addition the solution to the cop killing seems to come totally from left field, maybe even from outside the ball park entirely. Still, the writing is good and the interaction among the characters interesting. It is a good read.

Recently Archer Mayor was a very informative guest on a Sunday night chat hosted at The Writer's Chatroom. Along with learning that his previous publisher had put the first twelve Joe Gunther series books out of print so Mr. Mayor had to form his own publishing company to get them back out on the market, I learned that that I hadn't read this one when it came out last year. A number of other readers were on hold for it at the local library, so it took awhile before finally arriving. As always, it was worth wait.

Deputy Sheriff Brian Sleuter pulls over a speeding car on an isolated stretch of Vermont road cognizant of the always present danger from such a stop. Despite taking the usual precautions and following procedure, within minutes, he is gunned down while sitting inside his patrol car. Called into investigate the murder and apprehend the person or persons responsible, Joe Gunther and the fellow members of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation have a solid lead. Thanks to the dash camera footage, they can see the moments prior to the officer's shocking death.

Over in Maine, Alan Brudey is the son of a Maine Lobsterman who has no desire to follow in dear old Dad's footsteps. Having just killed Mathew Mroz in a plan to take control of the local drug flow he has no intention of working the water chasing the dwindling supply of lobsters. He plans to work the people instead who need drugs and supply them and build a business in the time honored way of all small businessmen. The product is different, but the business process is the same and he has plans for exponential growth.

Before long both storylines merge as Joe Gunther's hunt for the killer and his accomplice take the team to Maine. In a story that constantly shifts back and forth between storylines, there is little time for character development and instead is all about the chase of the suspects. This deep in the series, one doesn't expect any character development and one doesn't get any. One does expect more complexity in terms of plot and character interaction in an Archer mayor novel and unfortunately that also is not contained here.

This is a straight up fast moving mystery where you know Joe Gunther and his group will catch the bad guys. The only question is how and where. The result, while certainly not his best ever in the series, is another strong one. While it dims in comparison to many of his other novels, it certainly is much better than a lot of books out there by other authors who get much more of the media attention.

Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2009

First Sentence: Deputy Sheriff Brian Sleuter was looking for a better country/western station when the Toyota flew by, spraying a few roadside pebbles against the front bumper of his cruiser.

Joe Gunther and the Vermont Bureau of Investigation have been called in to assist on a drug-related cop killing. Pharmaceutical drugs are being brought in from Canada to Maine. Steve, the ex-con brother of Gunther's girlfriend helps them with locations, players and confirms that some lobster boats are bringing in more than lobster. Steve had heard of the area's main player, now a murder victim himself.

It's up to the combined law enforcement team to find who has taken over the territory and stop them.

Mayor usually creates an excellent sense of place and, to be fair, some of that was apparent here. However, much of it felt as though it was map directions.

As for the plot, there are lots of twists and turns and lots of red herrings. But nothing really goes anywhere and threads were left hanging.

We are introduced to a whole lot of characters. But we are given very little character development on any of them. Personally, since many of them are drug dealers, that was okay, but even the major characters felt thin and as though the author assumed you knew their background. A climatic scene, however, that could have lead to significant development of two characters, seemed glossed over and almost incidental.

This is a true police procedural. I do like that there are multiple agencies working together. But I found myself very disappointed in this book.

From the book jacket I saw that the author has won kudos for previous books. Okay, but not for this one, IMHO. A story of police procedure set forth mostly in dialogue between indistinctly defined characters. After a whiz-bang opening the text plodded along and turned into a sure cure for insomnia. I'm sure this tale is how the police and the criminals act and speak in real life, but it is not what most readers of this genre are looking for; which is someone in the book to root for, the bad guys coming to a bad end, more action and less talk, and a resolution that is satisfying instead of merely a rabbit-out-of-a-hat ending. The two stars are because the procedures ring as accurate.

This crime story starts out well but turns into a muddle of barely believable situations, totally unbelievable plot wrenchings and an absolutely ridiculous conclusion. After enjoyably reading a number of Mayor's excellent Gunther stories this beast is an uneven mess at best.

Mystery, colorful characters and a candid view of Vermont is again served up in Mayor's THE CATCH. One of my favorite New England authors, the writer both entertains and educates in a straight forward style that makes for another excellent read.

This is my first Joe Gunther book and I will be reading more.I especially enjoyed the pacing of the book and the interweaving of different perspectives. This is the type of book in which I figured I knew just what was going on from page one, and then become increasingy surprised as I realize aong with Joe Gunther that's there's more going on than I first suspected. And I really like how the author slowly leads us to what I consider one of the most interesting confrontation scenes I've come across for a long time. Highly recommended and if you haven't met Joe Gunther yet, I sure encourage you to do so.

This Archer Mayor book does not take place in Vermont. It is in to Maine and then some to track down the drug runners and murderers. I enjoyed it but prefer the Vermont local.

The 13th novel in the Joe Gunther series begins with a bang. A sheriff's deputy stops a speeding car along a Vermont highway. The car is coming from Canada, presumably transporting illegal drugs. The routine stop turns into a major investigation when the cop is later found with a bullet hole in his head.

While looking for the cop killer, Joe and his team travel through three other states, and become involved in a joint Federal-local task force looking into the drug scene in Maine, where a kingpin and his bodyguard have been murdered. Changes are afoot and it is up to Joe and the Vermonters to tie it all together.

Written with the usual economy of words (in fact one of the Maine cops hardly mutters a word), the multi-state venue gives the author the opportunity to describe with affection his beloved New England landscape. Recommended.