Hardrock Stiff (Kurt Muller Mysteries) [Paperback]

Thomas Zigal (Author)

Book Description

Series: Kurt Muller Mysteries | Publication Date: April 2007

Ned Carr is a miner, an irascible old coot who has held on to acres of prime real estate in the middle of Aspen's ski slopes. Carr feuds with everyone, including the ski company and eco-warriors who want to shut down his mines. Sheriff Kurt Muller is the only person with a soft spot for Carr. Following up a suspicious call, Muller rushes to Carr's mine--in time to witness the shaft explosion that kills him. Drawn into a dangerous covert war between militant greens and corporate forces grappling for control of the New West, Muller uncovers a conspiracy that could destroy his most cherished loves--the two children under his protection and the snowcapped wilderness he calls home.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Thomas Zigal's second book about Aspen sheriff Kurt Muller (the first was Into Thin Air) is a strong, sad, exciting, and involving story. Muller's marriage has already fallen apart under the pressure of his career; now he's wondering if the strain on his six-year-old son Lennon is worth it. Another six-year-old boy--Lennon's friend Hunter Carr--is at the center of a story that begins when Hunter's grandfather, an old hardrock miner named Ned Carr, is blown up in his apparently worthless silver mine. A dedicated troublemaker, Ned has irritated everyone in the area, from the violent environmental activists called the Green Briars to an even more dangerous (and better funded) right-wing group known as the Free West Rebellion. A violent story, softened by fine moments of fatherhood. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Into Thin Air, Zigal's first book about Kurt Muller, was good; his second takes a quantum leap up to terrific. Muller is a complex, believable character, an ex-hippie who, 11 years ago, decided on a lark to run for sheriff of the Colorado county that includes Aspen. His marriage has already fallen apart; now he's wondering if the strain of the job on his six-year-old son, Lennon, is worth it. Another six-year-old boy?Lennon's friend Hunter Carr?is at the center of a story that begins when Hunter's grandfather, an old miner named Ned Carr, is blown up in his apparently worthless silver mine. A dedicated troublemaker, Ned has irritated everyone in the area, from the violent environmental activists called the Green Briars to an even more dangerous (and better funded) right-wing group known as the Free West Rebellion. But as gripping as the many action scenes are, what really lifts this novel to excellence is the way Zigal writes about fathers and children, the legacies the former leave the latter and the difficulties of negotiating between loyalty and independence. Throughout this strong, sad, constantly involving story, Zigal renders the deep bond between people and the land with a blend of complexity and conflict that enriches the genre.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 327 pages
• Publisher: Toby Press (April 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592641601
• ISBN-13: 978-1592641604
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,563,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thomas Zigal (1948) was born in Galveston, Texas, and grew up in nearby Texas City. He received a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.A. in Creative Writing from Stanford. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Kurt Muller mystery series set in Aspen, Colorado, and a thriller entitled The White League set in New Orleans. He has published short stories and book reviews in literary magazines and fiction anthologies for the past 30 years. Zigal lives in Austin, Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zigal gives us a fun 5-star read., June 30, 2008

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hardrock Stiff (Kurt Muller Mysteries) (Paperback)

Like most readers who find read an author and love his or her work, I go back and try to find other books that are in print. Thomas Zigal's new release, Pariah, was so enjoyable that it sent me to the stack at my local library. There I found Hardrock Stiff, the second in the Kurt Muller mystery series, also set is Aspen.

I'm happy to report that I enjoyed Hardrock Stiff about ninety-nine percent as much as I enjoyed Pariah. Hardrock Stiff didn't have the suggestion of a ghost, but that didn't deter from the story.

In this episode, Kurt has six weeks left on his R&R and must decide if he wants to return as the Pitkin County Sheriff. He really doesn't have much choice when after receiving a midnight phone call from one of the old miners in the area. Kurt drives out to the mine to follow up with Ned Carr, and arrives just in time for Ned to be blown to bits. Was it an accident? Or was it murder?

Ned's contemporaries think it was probably an accident, but Kurt knows better. After all, Ned wouldn't leave behind his six-year-old orphaned grandson, Hunter. And although he's not officially on the sheriff's force, Kurt begins to use all his police skills to investigate his friend's death.

The rest of the story is an action-packed read from beginning to end. So many people are trying to claim ownership's to Ned's mines that it gets a little confusing, but Zigal does a great job in sorting it all out and keeping you up to speed.

From Aspen to Colorado Springs to Las Vegas, Kurt's sole occupation is to find out who killed Ned Carr. And there are many suspects, including his childhood friend Katrina Pfiel. A tad bit of romance helps to spice up this quick, fun read.

Armchair Interviews says: Hardrock Stiff is definitely a must-have beach read for the Summer of `08.