The Skeleton's Knee (Joe Gunther Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Archer Mayor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1993 | Series: Joe Gunther Mysteries (Book 4)

The fourth novel in a critically acclaimed series finds Vermont police officer Joe Gunther in Chicago's mean streets trying to solve the murder of a man killed by a bullet fired fifteen years before he died. 10,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Although its population hovers around a mere 13,000, Brattleboro, Vt., has a four-man, one-woman detective force any metropolis--and any reader--can look up to. In his fourth outing, after Scent of Evil , chief of detectives, Lt. Joe Gunther is confronted with "one very old, cold homicide" after an orthopedic patient in a local hospital dies from an aneurysm brought on by a bullet fired 20 years before. The man had given the hospital no information other than his name, Abraham Fuller, and when asked how he meant to pay, pulled out $5000 in banded bundles of old, worn bills. Gunther investigates the isolated cabin where Fuller had lived a hermit's life since the hippie days, and discovers a chart of odd symbols, an empty holster, some ancient bullets--and a bag containing $300,000. But it's the discovery of a skeleton in Fuller's carefully tended garden that sends Gunther to Chicago for the second half of the book. There's fine work here. The complicated plot, embracing past crimes and current ones, spins with revelation and surprise; the numerous characters are fully developed; and the villain, once revealed, is everything a villain should be.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Piecing together a murder victim's identity occupies much of Det. Joe Gunther's time after Vermont's chief medical examiner notifies him about a man who died from a year-old gunshot wound. Gunther's initial findings only compound the mystery: the victim lived like a hermit, squirreled away a fortune, and had ties to organized crime in Chicago. Mayor expends a lot of energy on detail relating both to location and police methodology, so his effort should please procedural fans and those who enjoy country-cop-in-the-big-city escapades.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 311 pages
• Publisher: Mysterious Pr; First Edition edition (December 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892964707
• ISBN-13: 978-0892964703
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,804,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Archer Mayor is the author of the highly acclaimed, Vermont-based series featuring detective Joe Gunther, which the Chicago Tribune describes as "the best police procedurals being written in America." He is also the 2004 winner of the New England Independent Booksellers Association Award for Best Fiction--the first time a writer of crime literature has been so honored.

Before turning his hand to fiction, Mayor wrote history books, the most notable of which concerned the lumber and oil business in Louisiana from the 1870s to the 1970s. This book was published by the University of Georgia Press back in 1988 and very well received; it has been republished as a trade paperback in 2009.

Mayor--who was brought up in the US, Canada and France--was variously employed as a scholarly editor, a researcher for TIME-LIFE Books, a political advance-man, a theater photographer, a newspaper writer/editor, a lab technician for Paris-Match Magazine in Paris, France, and a medical illustrator. In addition to writing novels and occasional articles, Mayor gives talks and workshops all around the country, including the Bread Loaf Young Writers conference in Middlebury, Vermont, and the Colby College seminar on forensic sciences in Waterville, Maine. In addition, Archer is a death investigator for Vermont's Chief Medical Examiner, a Deputy Sheriff for Windham County, VT, an investigator for the Windham County State's Attorney's office, the publisher of his own backlist, a travel writer for AAA, and he travels the Northeast giving speeches and conducting workshops. He also has 25 years experience as a volunteer firefighter/EMT.

Mayor's critically-acclaimed series of police novels features Lt. Joe Gunther of the Brattleboro, Vermont police department. The books, which have been appearing about once a year since 1988, have been published in five languages (if you count British,) and routinely gather high praise from such sources as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the New Yorker, and many others, often appearing on their "ten best" yearly lists.

Whereas many writers base their books on only interviews and scholarly research, Mayor's novels are based on actual experience in the field. The result adds a depth, detail and veracity to his characters and their tribulations that has led the New York Times to call him "the boss man on procedures".

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A master artist with words, May 24, 2001

By 

David A. Naess "howdydave" (Rochester, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Skeleton's Knee (Joe Gunther Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

All of Archer Mayor's books have a gripping story line. Although the stories are first class, the pictures drawn with words as the story unfolds are the best that I have ever encountered. The magnificent metaphors can create, in less than one sentence, images that may take other authors pages. Although each book is independent in and of itself, I enjoy reading the stories in sequence. There is a steady progression in character development and interpersonal relationships as we go from story to story.

If you are a mystery fan, I am sure that you will enjoy the entire series as much as I have. If you are a student taking a course in creative writing, I don't think that you will find a better word artist than Archer Mayor.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE SKELETON'S KNEE, October 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Skeleton's Knee (Joe Gunther Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I HAD NEVER READ THIS AUTHOR BEFORE. THIS BOOK IS NOT ONE TO BE PUT DOWN. THE STORY WAS CLEAR, THOUGH TWISTING, CHARACTERS VERY ALIVE. I HAVE READ MYSTERIES FOR 30 YEARS NOW AND DID NOT FIGURE THIS ONE OUT--I HAD TO READ THE ENDING!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars now on a search for more archer mayor books, April 14, 2001

By 

"tamifur" (Hardwick, Vermont United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Skeleton's Knee (Joe Gunther Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

just finished reading this book and i'm off to find more! this book has enough twists and turns to satisfy the most avid mystery reader. a definite recommend...and it's not because i'm a native vermonter.