Five Star First Edition Mystery - Dead Soldiers [Hardcover]

Bill Crider (Author)

Book Description

Series: Five Star First Edition Mystery | Publication Date: June 10, 2004

Anthony Award-winning Author and Shamus Award Nominee

Bill Crider, famous for the popular Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series, is back with a mystery novel combining his wry wit, a clever plot, and the usual hijinks - all set against the normally placid backdrop of academia. First, someone steals several valuable toy soldiers from the collection of the dean of a small liberal arts school. The dean asks Carl Burns, Chair of the English Department, to look into things. Then a college board member is killed, and one of the stolen soldiers is found at the scene. After another attempted murder, another soldier is found, making a clear link between the stolen toys and the shooting. Burns begins asking questions and finds himself involved with a varied cast of characters, all of whom appear to have some connection to both toy soldiers and the murder.

Bill Crider lives in Texas. (20040801)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Carl Burns just wants to be chair of the English Department at Hartley-Gorman College, a small liberal-arts school in Pecan City, Texas. But if you solve one crime in a small town, as Burns has done, folks think you can solve 'em all--as when some collectible lead soldiers disappear, and Carl is asked by his boss, the dean of the college and the owner of the collection, to help find the missing soldiers pilfered at a party at the dean's house. But before Carl can investigate the theft, a former teacher at the college is shot and a missing toy soldier is left at the scene--throwing Carl into an uneasy partnership with Boss Napier, Pecan City's police chief and Carl's rival for the affections of the school librarian. Crider, known for his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series, unerringly re-creates the claustrophobic atmosphere of a small-town university, leavening his tart plot with humor and a simmering sense of the absurd. Unerringly enjoyable. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Crider, best known for his Sheriff Dan Rhodes mysteries, unerringly re-creates the claustrophobic atmosphere of a small-town university, leavening his characteristically tart plot with humor and a simmering sense of the absurd. An unerringly enjoyable mystery."
--Booklist (July 2004) (Booklist )

"This is a wonderful series, made enjoyable by the folksy humor that is done just right...If you haven't met Carl Burns, do yourself a favor and read the series."
--Bill Crider (August 2004) (Bill Crider )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Five Star; 1 edition (June 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159414186X
• ISBN-13: 978-1594141867
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,021,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born and brought up in Mexia (that's pronounced Muh-HAY-uh by the natives), Texas, went to college at The University of Texas and North Texas State University, and taught high school and college classes for many years. In 1992 I retired as Chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College, in Alvin, Texas. I'm married to the lovely Judy, and we have two grown children, Angela, who's an attorney in San Francisco, and Allen, who's in the music business in Austin. Other than that, I'm a pretty boring guy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars solid amateur sleuth tale, July 15, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Star First Edition Mystery - Dead Soldiers (Hardcover)

In Pecan City, Texas, Hartley-Gorman College Dean Dr. Gwendolyn Partridge asks (in the form of a command) English Department Chair Dr. Carl Burns to investigate the stealing of some valuable toy soldiers along with their container. Carl, who has solved mysteries before, would prefer to say no, but does not dare effuse his superior.

Before Carl even receives a list of suspects from Dr. Partridge, Police Chief Boss Napier visits him to tell him to back off as the stolen soldiers are linked to a homicide. Someone killed former professor Matthew Hart leaving a toy soldier by the corpse. Partridge knows that Carl needs to stay as far away from the official inquiry as possible, but still gives him the list to begin his interrogation. As he searches for the stolen soldiers, Carl becomes entwined in a murder mystery that could cost him his life hopefully before he makes a fool of himself on the softball field in front of the librarian he likes.

DEAD SOLDIERS is an entertaining academic mystery that will hook readers from the moment Dr. P forces Carl to find her purloined soldiers. Though why Carl feels he had to follow up after the Boss man told him to back off is a mystery unto itself (he has tenure), the link between the miniature and the homicide is intriguing. The support cast is a delight, but Carl is the MVP of this solid amateur sleuth tale.

Harriet Klausner