Middle of Nowhere [Hardcover]

Ridley Pearson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 28, 2000

From the New York Times bestselling author of The First Victim, a new novel in which Lou Boldt, Daphne Matthews and Sergeant John LaMoia team up to try and save Seattle from sinking into total chaos

The "blue flu" has struck the Seattle Police Force and the majority of the officers are on an unofficial strike. Overworked and understaffed, Detective Lou Boldt is committed to remaining on the job no matter what. But when a string of robberies and the brutal near-murder of a female cop descend on the city, the pressure of being a nearly one-man operation threatens Boldt's psyche and his marriage. With the help of police psychologist Daphne Matthews and Sergeant John LaMoia, Boldt is able to make slow progress cracking the case and their work leads them to a Denver convict and his brother, a hardened criminal with a record. As things spin out of control, his worst fears are confirmed when he refuses to drop the investigation, and it's clear his life is in danger because of it. Boldt and Daphne come to realize that the robberies, assaults, and strike are somehow connected--and that his life is now in very real danger. Filled with the fast-paced, spiraling action that has made his previous novels "irresistible" (The Los Angeles Times Book Review) works of suspense that "grip the imagination" (People), this latest offering from "the best thriller writer alive" (Booklist) is certain to win Ridley Pearson an even more enthusiastic audience

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A brutal attack that leaves a young woman paralyzed is horrifying enough, but when it happens to one of Seattle police lieutenant Lou Boldt's own officers, and all the suspects wear the same uniform as the victim, it's much worse. The SPD has been struck by a not-very-mysterious case of the "blue flu," a labor dispute that's turned cop against cop. Frustrated by the work slowdown in the department, Boldt is working almost on his own, except for forensic psychologist Daphne Matthews and detective John LaMoia, familiar characters in Pearson's popular series (The Pied Piper, The First Victim). Despite not-so-veiled warnings from some of his colleagues, Lou is determined to unmask Maria Sanchez's attacker, even if it turns out to be a fellow cop. And if that's not enough, the piano-playing lieutenant with a devoted wife--and a lingering yen for his coworker Daphne--has to deal with a crime wave that's increasing every day as the blue flu fells more of the force.

Investigating a string of robberies, Lou and Daphne follow the evidence to a telemarketing operation in a Colorado prison and question an inmate who may have used inside information to set up the robberies for his brother in Seattle to carry out. When the inmate dies, his brother goes after Lou, who isn't sure who to blame when violence hits too close to home--the brother or the striking policemen. Middle of Nowhere isn't Pearson's best outing: the plot is thinner than usual and the pacing somewhat slower, although the detailed explanation of how to catch a criminal using new telecommunications technology is fascinating. Still, Lou Boldt is an always interesting character whose inner conflicts are well drawn and whose essential decency makes up for a lot. His understated romance with Daphne deepens in every new adventure; the real mystery is what's going to happen to the two of them. --Jane Adams

From Publishers Weekly

"Blue Flu" is running through the ranks of the Seattle Police Department, and life's not easy for the few cops who've chosen to buck the union and remain on the job. Among them is Lt. Lou Boldt, the relentless crime fighter and star of Pearson's outstanding series, whose loyalty to law and order tends to suck him into more than his share of life's complications. With 90% of the force calling in sick, Boldt has to shoulder an enormous caseload, yet a strange series of burglaries worries him the most. During one of the hits, a strikebreaking police officer was savagely attacked, her neck broken. When two other officers are mauled in similar fashion, and Boldt himself is badly beaten, a sickening prospect emerges: the cops who are on strike are retaliating against the cops still on the job. Yet it may not be that simple. Some of the crimes could be the handiwork of Bryce Abbot Flek, a crafty career criminal who has devised an ingenious method of coaxing people out of the homes he wants to burglarize. Along the way, Flek has also developed a searing hatred for Boldt, whom he holds responsible for the death of his brother, who was killed in prison shortly after a visit from the lieutenant. Pearson (The Pied Piper) never quite masters the intersection of these two disparate story lines, yet they eventually converge in a well-devised finale. This seventh Boldt thriller packs all of Pearson's usual wallop: it boasts simmering suspense, a plot with a level of detail that comes only from painstaking research, and dynamic chemistry between Boldt and his colleagues and family. Somewhat less effective is Pearson's latest stab at working current events into his books. His detailed explanation of how cell phones can be effective police tools fails to captivate and slows the story's otherwise torrid pace. 125,000 first printing; $300,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Mystery Guild selections; audio rights to Brilliance; 11-city author tour. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 375 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (June 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786865636
• ISBN-13: 978-0786865635
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,445,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ridley Pearson (www.ridleypearson.com), the first American to be awarded the Raymond Chandler/Fulbright Fellowship in Detective Fiction at Wadham College, Oxford University, is the bestselling author of over 35 novels including, Peter And the Starcatchers (co-written with Dave Barry), the young adult novel, The Kingdom Keepers, and two dozen crime novels including: Probable Cause, Beyond Recognition and Killer Weekend (July 2007). His novel The Diary Of Ellen Rimbauer, a prequel to a Stephen King miniseries, was a New York Times #1 bestseller, as was Peter and the Shadow Thieves (#1 for 6 weeks). Ridley adapted The Diary Of Ellen Rimbaurer for ABC Television; it aired in 2003.

Peter and the Starcatchers is to open as a stage play, off-Broadway in March 2011, under Disney Theatrical.

Ridley is a founding member of, and plays bass guitar in, the all-author rock band, The Rockbottom Remainders (www.rockbottomremainders.com), with Dave Barry, Stephen King, Scott Turow, Mitch Albom, Amy Tan and Greg Iles. The band has raised over 2.5 million dollars for charities over its 18 year history.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, June 19, 2000

By 

Nick G - See all my reviews

This review is from: Middle of Nowhere (Hardcover)

A case of the "blue flu" has struck the Seattle police force, causing a majority of the force to be on an unofficial strike, leaving Detective Lou Boldt to remain (forced actually)on the job.

With the near death of a female officer, and a string of house robberies, Boldt is pushed to the limit to find answers.

Boldt enlists the help of police psychologist Daphne Matthews, and Sergeant John LaMoia to aid in his investigation.

As Boldt struggles with three seemingly seperate situations, he begins to question if they are actually un-related. As things go out of control, resulting in more robberies and "warnings" to Boldt, he refuses to give up, putting his life on line to solve this case.

I will start off by saying...THIS IS AN EXCELLENT NOVEL. I am not going further into detail on the plot, all the fun is finding out the secrets as you go. "Middle Of Nowhere" is a fast-paced, well written novel that entertains as it shocks with new plot twists. Boldt is one of the most interesting and likable hero's in any current fiction series.

Ridley Pearson has written the novel that lives up to his reputation of being the "best thriller writer alive". After the disappointing "The First Victim", fans of the Boldt series get what they expect, a great book. If you are new to the series, start with this book and then go back and read the other Boldt novels, excluding "The First Victim" (not the best entry in the series).

"Middle Of Nowhere" is a great summer read...it's great read in any season.

A MUST read!

Nick Gonnella

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down!, June 28, 2000

By 

Barbara Hayes (Deerfield Beach, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Middle of Nowhere (Hardcover)

A fast paced thriller from page one, "Middle of Nowhere" doesn't let down for a minute. Ridley Pearson has done it again! Be prepared to loose some sleep until you finish.

With tensions high as a result of a "blue flu" epidemic in the Seattle Police Department how do you know who to trust? Fortunately, lieutenant Lou Boldt knows who his friends are.

With the help of psychologist, and now lieutenant, Daphne Matthews, a string of robberies and assaults are sorted out. Are they connected? Are they being misled? Can they sort it out before Boldt pays the ultimate price for persistence?

As always the story could have been taken from the newspaper as it is amazingly current. It has technical depth without becoming boring, carefully balanced with glimpses of Boldt's personal life, making the characters wonderfully human.

If you've read other books in the series you know nothing's ever easy between Boldt and Matthews. When you add the changes his wife, Liz, has gone through dealing with her illness it would be a wonder if Boldt didn't feel conflicted. Boldt is noble enough to always want to do the right thing, yet human enough to not always be sure just what that is.

If you haven't read the other's, don't worry... this one can stand alone.

I've anxiously awaited the release of this book and wanted to read it slowly so I could savor every word.Pearson, however, had other ideas for me! I couldn't put it down! Having already read all of Pearson's books I should have known as much.

I highly recommend "Middle of Nowhere" to anyone willing to give up a little sleep for a lot of excitement!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pearson's "Middle of No Where" Absolutely Arresting!, June 21, 2000

By 

Marce T. Hanson (Santee, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Middle of Nowhere (Hardcover)

Pearson transports readers into the inner sanctum of the Seattle Police Department to experience the conflict and drama the "blue flu" unleashes amongst the cops and citizens they protect and serve. Readers are thrust into the psychological and physical aspects of police work as Lt. Lou Boldt and police pyschologist Daphne Matthews attempt to make sense of the scant clues in their case involving brutal assaults on Seattle citizens and a few selected cops. Frustration and pressure envelope them as they struggle to filter out the fraudulent facts being thrown in their paths. They also try to keep the overabundance of sexual tension between them from re-igniting - and creating a threat to his marriage a second time.

Clues that seem obvious one moment, shift to being meaningless the next and little help is being offered by those in the position to do so. The closer Boldt gets to the truth, the more danger he finds himself facing, and those responsible for the string of robberies and brutal attacks plaguing the city have no qualms about permanently ending Boldt's investigating days. Not to be deterred, Boldt choses numerous paths to explore - none of them safe - none of them boring.

A number of writers manage to get an adequate feel for the inner workings of a cop's world, but Pearson hits the bullseye with such precise accuracy, it's tough to believe he's never walked a beat. If he ever decided to quite his day job, I'm willing to bet there's plenty of police departments that would like his name listed on their personnel roster.