Hard Ground

Woods Cop #8.5

by Joseph Heywood

Hard Ground is a treasure chest of stories for lovers of the outdoors, fans of smart crime fiction, and, of course, the legions of Joseph Heywood fans. Featuring the game-warden colleagues of Woods Cop star Grady Service, the tales in this collection follow the men and women patrolling Michigan’s wilds as they encounter everything from poachers determined to defend their kills with deadly resistance to drug pushers selling their wares at an Elvis Convention camping retreat. There are search-and-rescue operations, a rookie game warden's first day on the job, and much, much more. With Heywood’s trademark ability to capture the eccentric characters of the Upper Peninsula, his wonderful ear for dialogue, and his vivid descriptions of hunting, fishing, and outdoorsmanship, these twenty-plus stories will delight Heywood fans and entice any reader who loves stories about the great outdoors or law-and-order. As an added bonus, one story features Woods Cop protagonist Grady Service early in his career, while another story stars Heywood's new series protagonist Lute Bapcat.  

Map of Michigan and upper peninsula
The second day
Last on the list
Double-jointed trouble
Symbiosis
Laws of physics
Informant
Checkmate
Song in the woods
Airzilla
The dry spell
Henry VIII
Funnest man ever
The third partner (a lute bapcat story)
Black beyond black (a grady service story)
Cuffed to a truck, left to die
Guts young
Man in the woods; man on the road
Fences
Special powers
Humane disposal
Life in grays
Damn near russian
Last night as a secret squirrel
Sisyphus redux
A good little lie
Rampike
Dancing for the dead

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Mystery, Crime

218 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

See also Joe T. Heywood

Joseph Heywood is the son of a career USAF officer. His dad was from Rhinecliff, New York on the Hudson River in Dutchess County, and his mother is from Mize, Mississippi in Sullivan County. His mother’s maiden name was Hegwood and she had only to change one letter to convert to her married name.

He is a 1961 graduate of Rudyard High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (Chippewa County). Played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track.

1965 graduate of Michigan State University (BA-Journalism). Joseph played on the Michigan State Lacrosse Club for three years, crease attack, tri-captain in 1965. He was in the last class of mandatory ROTC for land grant universities and predictably chose the Air Force.

In 1965, he married Sandra V. Heywood (1943-2002) of East Lansing. Five children, one dog. Widower.

1965-1970, USAF Instructor Navigator, KC-135 tanker, honorably discharged as captain. Vietnam veteran. Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters.

Graduate studies, Western Michigan University, 1974-75, completed course work for MA in English Literature; no degree.

Joseph worked for The Upjohn Company [now Pfizer], 1970-2000, retiring as vice president for worldwide public relations.

He walks every day in all weather conditions, and have hunted and fished Michigan since 1958, mostly alone.

Joseph Heywood's Woods Cop mysteries are based on the lives of Upper Peninsula conservation officers, and for going on seven years has spent about one month a year on patrol with officers, in all kinds of weather, all times of day and under sundry conditions. He worked in all 15 Upper Peninsula Counties as well as in another 15-16 counties BTB (Below the Bridge).

In preparation for work with COs, he often hikes alone at night (flashlight for emergencies) using only ambient light. He has spent nights alone in jungles and on mountains. Has canoe-camped in Michigan, Missouri and Arkansas, over the years he has had one close encounter with a wolf (six feet away in tag alders on the Iron River), and with a cow elk and her calf (in Idaho). Too many close meetings with black bears to count, no injuries.

He loves to take photographs while walking, hiking and fishing, and use some of the pix for his paintings.

Joseph always carry a ruck with emergency equipment, compass, etc. even for short sorties on foot in the U.P. It’s too easy to get under cedars and old growth in an overcast and get hopelessly turned around. He does not use a GPS. "When it comes to lost in the woods there seem to be two categories of people: Them that have been and them that will be. Iron ore deposits can make compass navigation interesting…."

The Upper Peninsula is not just a setting and base for Joseph Heywood but serves as a character in many of his novels. "When I write, I try to take readers to places and events in the U.P. they might not have occasion to visit or experience on their own. For me, the U.P. is a natural jewel and I am always surprised by how little people from BTB know about it."

"The day we arrived in the U.P. to report to Kinross Air Force Base (later renamed Kincheloe, and since decommissioned) my mother cried as we drove up the several-mile two-lane to the front gate; looking at all the woods passing by, I had a feeling I was coming home."

Reviews

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This, not-so-big-book, is full of short stories, so each story is a very quick read.
They all feature a different Conservation Officier, or sometimes a Game Warden and each story tells something that sounds like an anecdote, or a peculiar day at work for these people. And they look so real, after the firsts few stories I had to remind myself, "ok, this is fiction ! it's not real stuff", but it easily could be !
Obviously I found some stories more interesting than others, but they all have their "little something".
Being a non native speaker I sometime struggled a bit with the colorfoul expressions, and I think I could not appreciate it as well as english speakers. Finally, I'm glad this book made me discover a part of the USA I probably would have never heard of otherwise, that's the nice thing with giveaways books, you discover new stuff !
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Yay ! Finally got it after two month, next book to read :-)
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Never received it ... too bad :(

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, Joseph Heywood has written several novels featuring Grady Service, a detective for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the Upper-Peninsula (the U.P.). I have read and enjoyed them all. This book is a little different for him. It still feature's Michigan "Woods Cops", but it is a collection of short stories each featuring a Michigan DNR officer. My favorite was "Airzilla" in which a former Vietnam War combat pilot known as Buck Rogers, and now a pilot for the DNR takes a conservation officer with him a night time reconnaissance flight over the Garden Peninsula. The plane is struck by bullets from perps firing an AK-47. Buck Rogers manages to "land" the plane in the top of a large tree as a message to the "Bean Counters" in Lansing who want to save money by doing away with the pilots. Any book of short stories is going to have a range in the quality of the stories. Heywood compiled a very enjoyable volume with 29 stories that did not disappoint.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Hard Ground" which I won from Goodreads Giveaways is a collection of short stories about the experiences of Conservation Officers dealing with poachers, drug pushers, irate and difficult citizens in the wilderness of Michigan. The tales are funny, heart-warming, gripping and tragic.

In tales like "Henry VIII" Joseph Heywood combines pathos and humour, while "Black Beyond Black" is tragic and disquieting. I did enjoy stories like "the Second Day" about a rookie's first day on the job, especially as he must have wondered if he was stupid passing up a professional basketball career to take on the mantle of a game warden and "Airzilla", about a young Conservation Officer who 's assignment to fly with veteran pilot as an airborne spotter only to end up running amok of some poachers and making an emergency landing atop a grove of trees. I found "Going Viral" heartwarming and amusing when the fourteen year old daughter of a game warden in Chippewa and Luce counties briefly sees her father as a hero after his rescue of a suicidal victim goes viral.

Joseph Heywood writes with candor and seems familiar with his subject matter as well as the expressive and colourful language of the local upper peninsula. This book is different from most crime fiction as it deals with the outdoors and the realism of offences Conservation Officers often have to deal with on the job. Although I think the material is directed at a specific reading audience, I intend in future to look for other books by this writer.

[Dave Weller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard Ground is a collection of stories about Michigan conservation officers in the Upper Peninsula (UP). I read the first eight books in Joseph Heywood's Woods Cop series. One of these stories features the Woods Cop main character, Grady Service, but the others are about other upper peninsula rogues. Some of the stories are humorous and some are poignant, but they all seem to depict the UP as a haven for backwards, not very smart, hicks. Heywood once again excels at writing in the Yooper dialect, and the word youse seems to be a prerequisite of being a Yooper. It was light reading, but I am now ready to move on.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few of the stories ae poignant, but most give freer rein to the author's sense of humor than is typical in his Grady Service mysteries. One of these involves a convention of Elvis impersonators. There is only one Grady Service story in the collection and one featuring Lute Bapcat from the author's historical series. The others are nor series-related, but all are about Michigan Conservation Officers in the U.P.

[Ace McGee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stories of the U.P. Conservation Officers. Mostly very short, five pages max. No character development, except when he wants to discuss horny female officers and officials.... then he devotes a couple of pages.
Very prolific writer, people love him, or so they tell me. Can’t see why.

Bicycle trip book. Attempt to read local authors while visiting area.

[Merna Malmberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I at first wasn't going to get this book at the library, because it wasn't really the next in the Wood Cop series...I'm glad the librarian talked me into it. What a fabulous read, short stories about game wardens, in different situations and different time periods!!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun collection of short stories that just hadn't found their way into any of Heywood's full length books. There is a lot of humor in here and some creepy stuff, too. An easy, fun read.

[Wynona R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read anything written by Joseph Heywood and have collected around 8 of his books. I like all of them and recommend anything he has written. Excellent plots and good character building.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awful! Couldn’t finish it. I really like the Grady Service series, but this collection of random stories was bad. So completely disappointed.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book about various situations that DNR officers run into. Especially good if you've spent much time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Not what I was expecting. I was not a fan of the authors writing style. I still will try the novels, but I'll pass on the short story collections.

[Lyle Appleyard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway contest.

I had mentioned in my previous post that I don't often read short stories. Then here I read two books of short stories in a row. Strange universe.

This collection of short stories are all set in the upper pennisula of Michigan and feature conservation officers. The stories ranged in length from three pages to 15 pages. The stories range from light hearteness to very serious themes. All the different things that a conservation officer could face. I am sure that some of the stories are close to the truth.

I felt the stories were well written. The characters, although eccentric in some cases, were well developed and believable. You could understand their point of view.

This book was over two hundred pages long. Who knew that there could be so many stories on the same theme? I should have spaced the stories out longer rather than trying to read them altogether. I should have read something else between stories because by the end I was growing tired of poachers.

The book wass good. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

[Nostalgia Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an impulse download from the library, even though I'd never read any of Heywood's other books before. However after reading this, I'll definitely be checking out his other books.

It was an enjoyable collection of short stories, each of them unique and different. I admire Heywood's ability to give a personality to a somewhat random character, and relay that personality in such a short story. I also admire the obscure names that he gives many of the characters... I would love to be a writer who didn't clutch her name dictionary in her hands like it was a flotation device.

In all, a very interestingly fun mix of stories as a diversion from some of my more normal readings.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This group of short stories by one of my favorite authors, is OK. Some of the stories don't hit home at all. The one about the infiltrating CO to a group of druggies was horrible. It may be true to life, but hard to read. "Going Viral" was amusing and seemed realistic to what I've run into at the hospital. "Rampike" was another sad but well written story. Good book to read if you like Joe Heywood.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. A collection of short stories that are quick to read. Sometimes that's what I need in a book. All the stories were completely enjoyable. I laughed, especially over the story "Guts Young." I giggled and then sighed sadly on reading the story "Henry VIII." I cried after reading the story "Song In The Woods." This is a book I'm seriously considering purchasing at some point, that's how much I enjoyed it.

[Mike Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by a friend who knows the author. I found it an interesting account of short tales of Conservation Officer experiences, laced with law enforcement and local upper peninsula jargon of which I was not familiar. Heywood knows his territory and writes well. I will put him on my short list to explore his more familiar genre of mystery work.

[Bill · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't see the reason for this book, the author should stick with the tales of Grady Service.

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was humour and true stories I really liked it.the stories of the job they do and the people they meet.

[Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

good collection of good short stories. easy read.
Reread it as it is a good collection of stories.

[John Bohnert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this collection of short stories about Conservation Officers in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

[Pamila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book that i won on goodreads. Some interesting characters and great stories.