Killer Summer (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bestseller Pearson makes the most of the theme of the lawman with a bunch of personal problems in his engaging third crime thriller to feature Walt Fleming, the likable sheriff of Sun Valley, Idaho (after Killer View). Walt's ex-wife is living with one of his deputies; Walt's teenage nephew, Kevin, is grappling with his father's suicide; and Walt's trying to raise twin daughters on his own. Meanwhile, a big wine convention has come to Sun Valley, and three bottles owned by Thomas Jefferson and given to John Adams are sure to bring big bucks at auction, unless a gang of super thieves, which has hit town with an elaborate scheme in which Kevin becomes unwittingly involved, steals the bottles first. But nothing is as it seems, and even the savviest readers will be fooled as Pearson drags poor Walt and friends through a series of clever twists and turns in this fast-paced nail-biter. Author tour. (June)
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From Booklist

Oenophiles may seem like a mellow lot, but there’s nothing laid-back about the criminals who’ve descended upon Sun Valley, Idaho, during the exclusive enclave’s annual wine auction. In Pearson’s third mystery featuring amicable Sheriff Walt Fleming (after Killer View, 2008), the lawman finds himself at the mercy of master thief Christopher Cantell, who is dead set on stealing three very pricey bottles of wine. (They were reportedly a gift from Thomas Jefferson to John Adams. But might the whole vintage tale be an elaborate hoax?) An explosion at the glitzy gala sparks a grim chain of events: a colossal roadblock, a stolen jet, and the suspected kidnapping of Walt’s beloved nephew, Kevin. Sheriff Fleming quickly comes to realize Cantell has more than wine on his mind. Now he must keep the peace among Sun Valley’s well-heeled as he frets over the fate of his own flesh and blood. Although his ending is a bit flat, seasoned thriller writer Pearson serves up steady suspense and a compelling setting in which members of society’s underbelly prey on those living above it all. --Allison Block

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (June 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399155724
• ISBN-13: 978-0399155727
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,127 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Walt sensed trouble. The pieces of the puzzle just didn't fit together...", June 30, 2009

By	K. M. "literary devotee" (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Sheriff Walt Fleming is back. He and his department are guarding two ballyhooed "John Adams" bottles of wine set to be auctioned off. He is also trying to shoehorn in some fishing with his dead brother's son, seventeen-year-old Kevin. But duty interrupts their river time when Walt's ever-vigilant eyes notice a wrecker towing a Taurus away from town, and he chases after it. In no time, Walt, Deputy Brandon, Fiona, Walt's father, and Kevin get involved in a tense imbroglio featuring a trio of criminals, a wealthy man's private jet, a teenage girl tantalizing Kevin for her own ends, a tough ranch caretaker, that presidential wine, various dangerous diversions, and a string of nail-biting struggles in rough country.

KILLER SUMMER is more a "head-on" (or straightforward) thriller than Ridley Pearson's last Fleming novel, KILLER VIEW; it doesn't conceal suspect identities for example, and it begins less tautly but still captivatingly. Arguably, it is slightly more predictable as a consequence. It differs too in that it also revolves strongly around the teenagers, Kevin and Summer Sumner -- hopeful of attracting younger readers perhaps, but sometimes, particularly in their dialog, conveying a commercial TV type of young people's relationship. However, like its predecessor, KILLER SUMMER presents some terrific wilderness suspense as characters battle the elements and each other for simple survival. The Sun Valley area, vibrantly described by Pearson, continues to deserve to be oonsidered a pivotal "character" in this series too.

Walt, a reliable, intelligent man, bears realistic insecurities and conflicts in his private life. He feels most in control as Sheriff of Blaine County, Idaho, than as son, uncle, or potential lover. His tentative "romance" with Fiona and his sometimes petty irritations endear him to the reader. At the same time, his professionalism and scouting and investigative skills make him an authoritative, capable protagonist. I look forward to his further adventures.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars HUGE disappointment, July 24, 2009

By	Paul Mallon - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am an unabashed big fan of R.P. and have read every one of his books so it was with great anticipation that I started to read "Killer Summer".
When I finally got it I couldn't wait to start it... after about 50 laborious pages I realized I couldn't wait for it to end-even contemplated not finishing it-which would have been a first for a RP book ( I even finished the dreadful ""Parallel Lines")-but stuck with it although scanning the last 100 pages not caring at all about the outcome since none of the characters were the least bit interesting...nor was there even a trace of a compelling story line.
There is even a "love that will last a lifetime" devolpment that had me shaking my head since the Romeo and Juliet in question had known each other about 5 minutes.

If you want to "kill a summer"(pun intended!)weekend:then go ahead and read it.

I realize he has contracts with his publisher to fulfill but I hope he will wait a bit until he can get an idea that will produce something of equal quality to a number of his earlier exceptionally good works: "Hardfall","The Angel Maker","No Witnesses","Beyond Recognition" and "The Pied Piper" among others.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely a killer Summer!, July 4, 2009

By	H. Grove "owling6683" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I'm a sucker for heist movies & books. I adored Ocean's 11, and Ridley Pearson's Killer Summer definitely takes a page from that book. (It even openly acknowledges this, as Walt takes to calling the unidentified mastermind of the heist "George Clooney," which is a nice touch.) The heist in this book is complex and satisfying, with plenty of twists and turns. Unfortunately I can't say much more than that without risking giving away something important!

I loved the characterizations in Killer Summer as well, and my only complaint there was that there were enough interesting characters that it felt as though some of them got short shrift. In particular, I would have loved to see more detail on "George Clooney" and his partner, Lorraine. Walt is surprisingly socially awkward for a main character, and I love it. He has trouble relating to his nephew Kevin, Fiona (a friend and co-worker he's developing feelings for), and his own dad, not to mention his soon-to-be-ex-wife, the deputy she's leaving him for, and more. He's a dogged and determined man, often confused and hurt by the people around him, yet who won't give up on anyone.

My other favorite characters were the teens, Summer & Kevin. It's rare to see teen characters in an adult novel that are handled this well. They aren't overly precious or annoying. They aren't perfect, too-smart, too-dumb, or transparent plot devices. They have their own personalities, make mistakes, try to do what they think is right or reasonable, and just generally succeed at being every bit as interesting and fun to follow along with as the adults. My only difficulty with them, in fact, was that I never did understand how Summer intended to pull off a particular part of her plan--again, I don't want to go into too much detail here.

I did run into one detail that jerked me out of the story a bit when a side character is referred to as having a "master's in science from MIT." I paused, blinked a couple of times, read that aloud to my husband (who graduated from MIT), and watched him (literally) facepalm. Hopefully this is an artifact of the fact that this is an uncorrected proof and will be fixed before publication.

Anyway, that's a niggly detail that I imagine most people wouldn't notice. This is a highly enjoyable book with plenty of characterization, small-town scenery, and complicated heist details to keep you satisfied!