Hardrock Stiff [Paperback]

Thomas Zigal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 1997

Ned Carr is a "hardrock stiff," a miner of the old school who for years has stubbornly held on to acres of prime real estate right in the middle of Aspen's most popular ski slope. Carr has a habit of feuding with everyone with whom he comes in contact--particularly the radical eco-warriers and their adversary, Skicorp, both of whom want to get their hands on Carr's land. Still Sheriff Kurt Muller (on sabbatical) has a soft spot for Carr. Following up a suspicious midnight phone call, Muller arrives the next morning at Carr's mine--just in time to witness the explosion that blows the old man to bits. Acting Sheriff Muffin Brown is convinced the explosion is an accident, but Muller's instincts tell him otherwise. Drawn into dangerous games of the militant "greenies" and the powerful corporate forces behind Skicorp Muller uncovers many a motive for murder. When Carr's mining associate is subsequently poisoned, his will disappears and with it any proof that Carr's young grandson is the heir to Carr's estate. Sheriff Kurt Muller once again finds his personal code of justice at odds with the limits of the law. Hardrock Stiff proves Thomas Zigal's talent for writing gritty, intricate suspense novels, and speaks to the issue at the heart of the contemporary American West: who owns the land?


From the Paperback edition.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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: 384 pages
• Publisher: Dell (September 8, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440613574
• ISBN-13: 978-0440613572
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,414,514 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.