Customer Reviews

Red Herring: A Joe Gunther Novel (Joe Gunther Mysteries)

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Don't even think of taking a peek to the back of Red Herring. You'll be cheating yourself if you don't read every page in order. Not only is this Archer Mayor at his best, this is absolutely the best of the hundreds of mystery novels I have read in recent years.

There is more than one shocking end to this story. The last page has a surprise unrelated to the events surrounding the crimes. It is, however, related to people Mayor fans know very well. Just after you learn the dramatic climax to the tale, Mayor lays this one on you.

First Sentence: Doreen Ferenc slipped her nightgown over her head and let it fall the length of her body and gently settle onto her shoulders.

Joe Gunther and the VBI (Vermont Bureau of Investigation) are dealing with three very unusual cases; an apparent rape and death, an apparent suicide and an apparent fatal car accident. Each death was a murder. There doesn't seem to be any connection between the three victims except for a drop of still-liquid blood left on or near each victim. With help from advanced scientific analysis, a link between the victims is found, but no one knew how personal the case would become.

A new Archer Mayor book always jumps toward the top of my to-be-read pile and always justifies it's having so done. In other words, Mayor writes really good books.

There are a couple things in particular that always impress me; his sense of place and his ability to convey the characters. Those may not seem as important to some as the plot, but to me, they are essential as they add richness and veracity to the story. Mayor's wonderful descriptions set the scene, such as in the first sentence of this book, and take you to the location of the story, "...missed in with the snow-covered tree branches overhead were broad swatches of bright green leaves--a beautiful and rare New England postcard." Characters aren't described so much by physical description, although some is provided, but by their characters..."Willy, also a combat vet, although carrying more baggage than most..."

The motive behind the plot of "Red Herring" is one I would never have guessed and it definitely kept me turning the pages. I was disappointed by a couple coincidences and some of the scientific information, while fascinating, did slow down the story a bit, but at no point did I consider skimming or stopping. I had to see where the story was going, how they were going to find the killer and learn the motive. The thing, for which I was not fully prepared, was the ending.

What can I tell you? This is Mayor's 21st Gunther book. As long as he keeps writing them, I'll keep reading and recommending them. May there be many more books to come.

RED HERRING (Pol Proc-Joe Gunther-Vermont-Cont)- G+
Mayor, Archer - 21st in series
Minotaur Books, ©2010, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780312381936

This is Archer Mayor's best book yet. His research into the cutting edge of scientific lab developments and their contribution in expanding the usefulness of crime scene evidence is fascinating. The personalities are well drawn and in wide variety. It is beautifully written, concise, powerful and often poetic. But what really stands out is the emotional impact. You can feel the peace, joy and meaning of people's successful daily lives and then the swift crushing impact of sudden loss which the crime of murder creates. It is a worthwhile read on many levels. I also think it is unforgettable.

The monsters among us evoke the most sophisticated levels of forensic techniques, science a powerful weapon in law enforcement, especially when three murders share only the commonality of a strategically placed drop of glistening blood at each crime scene. For Joe Gunther of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation, these staged murders are dissimilar but for the blood, the only hint of a connection somewhere in the warped mind of the killer. While Joe's former girlfriend runs for governor of the state, he is settling comfortably into a new relationship. The cache of the VBI allows Gunther and fellow officers access to cutting-edge forensics, but does little to alleviate the pain of the families of the victims. Part procedural, part recognition of the simple lives people fashion for themselves, Mayor deftly contrasts the grinding wheels of criminal investigation with the unpredictable behaviors of those who exists below the radar of detection.

The problem of boundaries is a given: the VBI must exercise caution, avoiding the resentment of other law enforcement agencies; and in this story, local politics add another layer to the conflict, Gunther's relationship to the potential governor-elect grist for a hungry media. No wonder investigative agencies guard their information carefully, journalists and media hacks trolling for dirt for that next big headline. In sync with his team, including the unusual pairing of the acerbic Willy Kunkle and Samantha Martens, Joe marvels at the progress of the investigation, driven to provide answers for grieving family members. In the end, billions of dollars in equipment and technicians yield the critical data for solving these bizarre murders, a sick and twisted mind author of the destruction of innocent lives. Sadly, the seed of destruction in the mind of a killer flourishes in the dark. Luan Gaines/2010.

"Red Herring" is a pretty good installment in the Joe Gunther series. The plot regarding a serial killer who seems impossible to catch works pretty well. The main characters' actions are consistent with their behavior in previous books. The Vermont setting is typically well drawn by Mayor. Overall, the usual elements that make an Archer Mayor mystery good are present, and I can recommend this book.

Several plot elements in "Red Herring" were of particular interest to me. First, Mayor allows the new woman in Joe Gunther's life and his former girlfriend of many years to meet. Readers of this series have to have been wondering how Gail is going to deal with Joe's new love. Second, there are also some interesting forensics to help solve the mystery this time. Third, the ending, including the final scene with Willy, is very unexpected and very dramatic, which is quite a good move on Mayor's part.

I have a couple of criticisms. I feel the amount of detail related to the forensic aspects of the case is too much at times. Also, I struggle again with Mayor's point-of-view shifts. This time he tells the story through his main characters along with brief sections in which the victims are featured. Then at the end he suddenly starts to include sections from the killer's point of view. This change just feels so inconsistent, and I notice it immediately. I actually find it pretty annoying when Mayor does this.

I love the characters in this series -- even Willy. The plot line was intriguing and kept my interest. Well worth your time and money!!

This author is another one of my favorites. I was glad to see that he brought back references to his mother and brother. Someday I hope to see Joe Gunther and his former sweetheart, Gayle, get back together again.

Everyone should read Archer Mayor. He is as good as Michael Connelly and no one knows about him. I have read all his books. If you like mystery/crime/thrillers, you will love Archer Mayor. You may want to move to Vermont after reading him. Except for all that winter they have there.

Jeffry Wilkinson

This long-running series featuring Joe Gunther and his team at the Vermont Bureau of Investigation has been consistently excellent. And this, the 21st entry, is of similar high quality with an inventive plot: Three murders are committed, seemingly with no connection, except for a single drop of blood. The victims are apparently unrelated and the evidence at each scene appears to be, at best, confusing, as if the crime scenes were deliberately arranged so that forensics would not be particularly useful in the investigation.

The Vermont forensics department, with limited resources and funds, is unable to process the few items of interest, but the suggestion that the Brookhaven National Laboratory on New York's Long Island might have the ability to find clues is followed, resulting in a series of possibilities that, with old-fashioned police work, lead to common threads.

Once again, the author's love of the Green State, its environment and people, provides a human touch to an otherwise macabre tale. Descriptions of the countryside are adept. And insights into antagonism between politicians, the public, the media and cops are vivid and insightful. Written with a deft touch, the novel is recommended.

If you want to kill a couple of evenings and the dog has already had its bath you might as well try this book. Essentially a fairly well written attempt to emulate the plot lines, characters and settings of John Sanford's " Prey" series. Head of a state wide criminal investigation agency? Check. Quirky subordinates? Check. Multiple current and former love interests? Check. Weird serial killers? Check.

Well written, gripping plot? Sorry, not so much.

All told, a light read with a number of glaring plot holes and a couple of "Das Ex Machina" moments to make it all work toward a suitable climax.