Rough Country (A Virgil Flowers Novel) [Kindle Edition]

John Sandford (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Near the start of bestseller Sandford's winning third thriller to feature Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (after Heat Lightning), Virgil gets a call while muskie fishing from his boss, Lucas Davenport (the hero of Sandford's long-running Prey series). Lucas orders Virgil to look into the shooting death of Erica McDill, an ad agency exec from Minneapolis and a big supporter of the Democratic Party, who was staying at the Eagle Nest Lodge in nearby Grand Rapids. A talk with lodge owner Margery Stanhope turns up unusual details: Margery's clientele is mostly lesbian; an all-female rock band is involved; guests who are so inclined can buy young men for an evening's pleasure; and financial reasons could explain the murder. It's a complicated case, but Virgil is up to the task, and, as always, he's funny, smart and tough when he needs to be—and catnip to the ladies. 500,000 first printing. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description

The murder of a successful advertising executive leads Detective Virgil Flowers to the unlikely scene of the crime: a peaceful and bucolic wooded resort. But one with as many suspects as it has secrets.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 618 KB
• Publisher: Berkley (September 29, 2009)
• Sold by: Penguin Publishing
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002DW937Y
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (139 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,952 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

John Sandford was born John Camp on February 23, 1944, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He attended the public schools in Cedar Rapids, graduating from Washington High School in 1962. He then spent four years at the University of Iowa, graduating with a bachelor's degree in American Studies in 1966. In 1966, he married Susan Lee Jones of Cedar Rapids, a fellow student at the University of Iowa. He was in the U.S. Army from 1966-68, worked as a reporter for the Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian from 1968-1970, and went back to the University of Iowa from 1970-1971, where he received a master's degree in journalism. He was a reporter for The Miami Herald from 1971-78, and then a reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer-Press from 1978-1990; in 1980, he was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize, and he won the Pulitzer in 1986 for a series of stories about a midwestern farm crisis. From 1990 to the present he has written thriller novels. He's also the author of two non-fiction books, one on plastic surgery and one on art. He is the principal financial backer of a major archaeological project in the Jordan Valley of Israel, with a website at www.rehov.org. In addition to archaeology, he is deeply interested in art (painting) and photography. He both hunts and fishes. He has two children, Roswell and Emily, and one grandson, Benjamin. His wife, Susan, died of metastasized breast cancer in May, 2007, and is greatly missed.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 127 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Virgil is a sexy beast, October 2, 2009

By 

Kathy Kaiser - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rough Country (A Virgil Flowers Novel) (Hardcover)

Okay, I admit it. I've got a crush on Virgil Flowers, John Sandford's great new detective. Flowers is reminiscent of Lucas Davenport during his younger, single years. Davenport is now older, married, and unfortunately boring. So, I've been thrilled that Sandford created a younger, hipper, sexier detective, one who thinks about God a few minutes every night before he goes to sleep but oozes sex appeal during the daylight hours. Whereas Davenport dealt with his depression and mental demons, Virgil has a brighter outlook on life. That's refreshing.

The plot is fast-paced and involving. While I've been reading John Sandford for almost 20 years, I was wholly taken by surprise at the end of the investigation. The final twist is interesting and unnerving. Totally didn't see that coming. But, it's Virgil Flowers with his quasi surfer look, obscure and sometimes old-school band t-shirts, cool demeanor, and quiet intelligence that really floats my boat. He's a great character. I'm already looking forward to the next book.

44 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rough Country Hits It!, October 3, 2009

By 

Kathy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rough Country (A Virgil Flowers Novel) (Hardcover)

I've got to say that Virgil really grows on you. The action and twists kept me guessing the entire time. I couldn't put it down. I've liked Virgil since Invisible Prey, (back then I wondered what kind of a name was Virgil Flowers for a hippy-type cop?) his laid-back manner and his aversion to guns. That's so funny for a cop in his position to not like guns the way he does. I've always liked the Prey novels and John Sandford's really done it up right again. Each Virgil Flower's offering keeps getting better. Although, I felt a little sorry for Virgil at the end of Rough Country. I won't elaborate for spoiler sake. But come on! Didn't he suffer enough in the line of duty? Isn't the hero supposed to get a little something in the end? It was an excellent read all the way around. If John will keep writing them, I'll keep reading them!

49 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Please, people, review the BOOK, not the price, October 4, 2009

By 

Barry S. Sharpnack (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rough Country (A Virgil Flowers Novel) (Hardcover)

I read this book, and I loved it just as much as the previous two Virgil Flowers books. He's an interesting detective, and I always like John Sandford's plots. This one was well thought out, and had a strong ending. What I expect from Sandford. Great as always.

But I am TIRED of reading reviews from people that do nothing but complain about the price. If you have a gripe about the price, contact Amazon customer service! Don't give the book a one-star review because you don't like the price. This is a place for BOOK REVIEWS. It is not a forum for launching a protest against Amazon's pricing policies.
These reviews complaining about the price are improper and unfair to the author, and also unfair to fans who may get the wrong impression of the book.

So please, don't be misled by the bad reviews. This is an excellent read. If you don't like the price, then wait for the paperback.