What do you think?
Rate this book
Joe Gunther #23
Paradise City
Joe Gunther and his team at the Vermont Bureau of Investigation are alerted to a string of unrelated burglaries across Vermont. Someone, in addition to flatscreens, computers, and stereos, has also been stealing antiques and jewelry.
Meanwhile, in Boston, an elderly woman surprises some thieves in her Beacon Hill home and is viciously murdered. The Boston police find that not only is the loot similar to what's being stolen in Vermont, but it may have the same destination. Word is out that someone powerful is purchasing these particular kinds of items in the “Paradise City” of Northampton, Mass.
Gunther, the Boston Police, and the vengeful granddaughter of the murdered old lady convene on Northampton, eager to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the "responsible parties"—although each is motivated to mete out some very different penalties.
Meanwhile, in Boston, an elderly woman surprises some thieves in her Beacon Hill home and is viciously murdered. The Boston police find that not only is the loot similar to what's being stolen in Vermont, but it may have the same destination. Word is out that someone powerful is purchasing these particular kinds of items in the “Paradise City” of Northampton, Mass.
Gunther, the Boston Police, and the vengeful granddaughter of the murdered old lady convene on Northampton, eager to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the "responsible parties"—although each is motivated to mete out some very different penalties.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
82 people are currently reading
620 people want to read
About the author
Archer Mayor
43 books734 followersOver the years, Archer Mayor has been photographer, teacher, historian, scholarly editor, feature writer, travel writer, lab technician, political advance man, medical illustrator, newspaper writer, history researcher, publications consultant, constable, and EMT/firefighter. He is also half Argentine, speaks two languages, and has lived in several countries on two continents.
All of which makes makes him restless, curious, unemployable, or all three. Whatever he is, it’s clearly not cured, since he’s currently a novelist, a death investigator for Vermont’s medical examiner, and a police officer.
Archer has been producing the Joe Gunther novels since 1988, some of which have made the “ten best” or “most notable” lists of the Los Angeles and the New York Times. In 2004 Mayor received the New England Booksellers Association book award for fiction.
Intriguing plots, complex characters, and a vivid landscape are the foundation of Archer Mayor's award-winning New England thrillers.
All of which makes makes him restless, curious, unemployable, or all three. Whatever he is, it’s clearly not cured, since he’s currently a novelist, a death investigator for Vermont’s medical examiner, and a police officer.
Archer has been producing the Joe Gunther novels since 1988, some of which have made the “ten best” or “most notable” lists of the Los Angeles and the New York Times. In 2004 Mayor received the New England Booksellers Association book award for fiction.
Intriguing plots, complex characters, and a vivid landscape are the foundation of Archer Mayor's award-winning New England thrillers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
September 28, 2021
I'd really like to give this novel 4 1/2 stars - I don't love it, but I really, really like it. It starts with a murder in Boston's Beacon Hill, then jumps to a heist in Vermont (thus engaging Joe Gunther in the plot), and eventually settles as a tale of inter-agency cooperation between the police in Boston, Northampton, MA, and the Vermont Bureau of Investigation. Along the way, there are illegal aliens, glimpses into the Lifestyles of the Rich and Brainless, and an amateur detective whose sheer obstinacy leaves one open-mouthed at her stupidity. Yet - she's the one who bumps my rating from a solid police procedural that I like to a can't-put-this-down, really fabulous read. Classic Archer Mayor: well researched, smoothly written, intricate but well-thought-out plot, and - a minor detail, but not to an avid reader - grammatically flawless. I didn't think writers understood the conventions of writing anymore, but Mr. Mayor's books are always a pleasure to read for that alone.
January 20, 2014
When three losers break into a Boston home owned by a rich old widow, they're not interested in flat screen televisions, other electronics or the usual sorts of items that generally attract unsophisticated burglars. Rather, they're looking specifically for the old lady's jewelry, which would normally be difficult for mugs like these to dispose of. But these guys have a connection that can unload the jewelry to a shadowy buyer for top dollar. Things go sour, though, when the old lady interrupts the burglars and they attack her and leave her mortally wounded.
Meanwhile, up north in Vermont, other burglars target the vacant vacation home of a wealthy couple and attempt to cover their tracks by burning the place to the ground. Again, the target seems to be jewelry. Joe Gunther, the head of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation sees a pattern here, and before long he and his VBI associates have joined forces with the Boston PD and with authorities in Northampton, Massachusetts to investigate a growing number of such burglaries.
Northampton, known as Paradise City, seems to be the destination point for the stolen jewelry, and the cops aren't the only ones on the case. The murdered woman's granddaughter, convinced that the Boston police are not investigating the murder with sufficient enthusiasm, is also trying to solve the mystery.
The result is an engrossing tale that involves a lot of moving parts and some fairly clever antagonists. In the meantime, Joe Gunther is still working his way through the emotional crisis that devastated him a couple of books ago, while his subordinate, Willy Kunkle, is adjusting to marriage and family life--something that may not suit him at all. It all adds up to another very good entry in Archer Mayor's long-running Joe Gunther series.
Meanwhile, up north in Vermont, other burglars target the vacant vacation home of a wealthy couple and attempt to cover their tracks by burning the place to the ground. Again, the target seems to be jewelry. Joe Gunther, the head of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation sees a pattern here, and before long he and his VBI associates have joined forces with the Boston PD and with authorities in Northampton, Massachusetts to investigate a growing number of such burglaries.
Northampton, known as Paradise City, seems to be the destination point for the stolen jewelry, and the cops aren't the only ones on the case. The murdered woman's granddaughter, convinced that the Boston police are not investigating the murder with sufficient enthusiasm, is also trying to solve the mystery.
The result is an engrossing tale that involves a lot of moving parts and some fairly clever antagonists. In the meantime, Joe Gunther is still working his way through the emotional crisis that devastated him a couple of books ago, while his subordinate, Willy Kunkle, is adjusting to marriage and family life--something that may not suit him at all. It all adds up to another very good entry in Archer Mayor's long-running Joe Gunther series.
January 24, 2013
Archer Mayor is one of my favorite authors, for several reasons. First of all, I really enjoy his books. Having read all of the Joe Gunther series, I feel like I'm spending time with friends each time I pick up the latest addition to the series. Also, I had the pleasure of listening to Archer Mayor speak at the inaugural Newburyport Literary Festival some years back. He is as charming and interesting as his main character! One caveat - I don't know what number in the series this is, but I admit to being put off Joe and friends for a good while after I read "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree." Joe's beloved is the victim of rape, and I had a really hard time reading that book. Still, it is powerfully written, and heartfelt. And it is certainly a topic that we can't hide from.
March 3, 2013
PROTAGONIST: Lieut. Joe Gunther
SETTING: Northampton, Massachusetts
SERIES:#23 of 23
RATING: 4.25
The Vermont Bureau of Investigation is a statewide major crimes unit which only participates in solving crime when invited by local agencies. Usually, this means that the crime is one that the locals don’t have the resources or background to handle. The latest case referred to Lieutenant Joe Gunther and his team (Willy Kunkel, Samantha Martens and Lester Spinney) involves the robbery and torching of a castle-like residence in the hoity-toity Tucker Peak area. Oddly, the thieves haven’t taken the typical high-end electronics but instead focused on antique jewelry.
In the neighboring state of Massachusetts, a group of robbers have targeted an old lady in the Beacon Hill section of Boston, with a similar modus operandi. Unfortunately, Wilhelmina (“Billie”) Hawthorn interrupts the crew and receives a beating which puts her in a coma. Her granddaughter, Mina Carson, pushes the authorities to find the perpetrators, but the truth of the matter is that these kinds of cases tend to fall through the cracks.
The two investigations intersect, with evidence pointing toward a jewelry fencing scheme operating out of nearby Northampton, Massachusetts. Gunther and his team join their neighboring colleagues, with Mina Carson doing her own investigation against their wishes. In addition to the jewelry operation, there’s also an illegal immigration scam going on. Mayor excels at pulling all of the threads together in a complex plot that has its share of twists and turns, not the least of which involves a harrowing attack on Willy.
Archer Mayor is a superb writer, and as usual he does a fine job with the plot and setting. The picture he paints of Northampton makes it seem an intriguing place, and it was a good strategy to move the location from the usual Vermont setting. For me, the ongoing cast of characters is the best part of the series; and from book to book, we see each of them growing and changing. Willy and Sam are living together with their young daughter; Willy has always been a very difficult man and their relationship is undergoing a lot of strain. Joe Gunther has been on the job for a long time and seems to be facing some burn-out as a result. He’s a thoroughly decent man who is nonetheless lonely, especially after the murder of his most recent significant other. The only issue I had with the book is that some of the characterization of the villains was one-dimensional.
I love the fact that I can always count on Archer Mayor to write a solidly satisfying book. You’d think after 23 books, he might have run out of steam; but he continues to exhibit the master’s touch every time out.
SETTING: Northampton, Massachusetts
SERIES:#23 of 23
RATING: 4.25
The Vermont Bureau of Investigation is a statewide major crimes unit which only participates in solving crime when invited by local agencies. Usually, this means that the crime is one that the locals don’t have the resources or background to handle. The latest case referred to Lieutenant Joe Gunther and his team (Willy Kunkel, Samantha Martens and Lester Spinney) involves the robbery and torching of a castle-like residence in the hoity-toity Tucker Peak area. Oddly, the thieves haven’t taken the typical high-end electronics but instead focused on antique jewelry.
In the neighboring state of Massachusetts, a group of robbers have targeted an old lady in the Beacon Hill section of Boston, with a similar modus operandi. Unfortunately, Wilhelmina (“Billie”) Hawthorn interrupts the crew and receives a beating which puts her in a coma. Her granddaughter, Mina Carson, pushes the authorities to find the perpetrators, but the truth of the matter is that these kinds of cases tend to fall through the cracks.
The two investigations intersect, with evidence pointing toward a jewelry fencing scheme operating out of nearby Northampton, Massachusetts. Gunther and his team join their neighboring colleagues, with Mina Carson doing her own investigation against their wishes. In addition to the jewelry operation, there’s also an illegal immigration scam going on. Mayor excels at pulling all of the threads together in a complex plot that has its share of twists and turns, not the least of which involves a harrowing attack on Willy.
Archer Mayor is a superb writer, and as usual he does a fine job with the plot and setting. The picture he paints of Northampton makes it seem an intriguing place, and it was a good strategy to move the location from the usual Vermont setting. For me, the ongoing cast of characters is the best part of the series; and from book to book, we see each of them growing and changing. Willy and Sam are living together with their young daughter; Willy has always been a very difficult man and their relationship is undergoing a lot of strain. Joe Gunther has been on the job for a long time and seems to be facing some burn-out as a result. He’s a thoroughly decent man who is nonetheless lonely, especially after the murder of his most recent significant other. The only issue I had with the book is that some of the characterization of the villains was one-dimensional.
I love the fact that I can always count on Archer Mayor to write a solidly satisfying book. You’d think after 23 books, he might have run out of steam; but he continues to exhibit the master’s touch every time out.
August 20, 2012
I recieved this book as a first read and was very excited to start it. The begining is very well thought out and the characters are well defined and given a lot of background information. I liked the story line and plot, things moved very smoothly and kept things interesting. Though I thought the ending was very sudden and put together in a few pages when there could have been more depth and closer. Things tied together fast instead of taking the detail time that the rest of the book gave. There were just a few paragrahs given to end the story per character when the rest of the book there was lots of detail and and time given to the rest of the book. If the whole ending didnt last only three pages this book would have recieved a higher rating from me, cause I truly liked the story line and characters, just disappointed with the short fast ending.
November 2, 2012
First half of book is vintage Mayor -- fast pace, intriguing plot, great set-up. Second half not so much as suspects pop up randomly towards end of book and it has one of the most rushed, unfulfilling endings of any of Mayor's Joe Gunter novels.
Mayor moves out of Vermont in chi-chi Northampton, MA home of Smith College and the uber-enlightened Me Generation and its sucessor X, Y, Z generations schooled in all the usual ultra-liberal schtick.
However, crimes such as jewelry heists and the illegal smuggling and importation of workers can take place anywhere as Mayor has deftly shown in this mystery which takes on the tones of a thriller at times.
Mayor moves out of Vermont in chi-chi Northampton, MA home of Smith College and the uber-enlightened Me Generation and its sucessor X, Y, Z generations schooled in all the usual ultra-liberal schtick.
However, crimes such as jewelry heists and the illegal smuggling and importation of workers can take place anywhere as Mayor has deftly shown in this mystery which takes on the tones of a thriller at times.
October 8, 2017
Joe Gunther books are always a good read!
March 15, 2019
A burglary gone bad results in the death of an elderly widow. The police will prioritize the investigation somewhere above jaywalking but far from the level of importance desired by the old woman’s only remaining family— a rather determined granddaughter called Mina, who does a better job discovering a solid lead than does the overworked detective assigned to the case. And she’s just getting warmed up.
Meanwhile, a series of seemingly unconnected burglaries has been feeding a particular class of stolen goods to a mysterious fence in North Hampton, MA— affectionately known as Paradise City. In addition, there is an illegal alien (slave labor) ring of Asian women being forced to produce some unique jewelry up in those parts as well.
So, let me get this straight, you say; we’ve got a murder, a bunch of jewelry thefts, a human smuggling ring, and somehow these are all connected? Well, call Joe Gunther of the VBI (even though this ain’t Vermont) and his team of interesting characters, including the irascible Willie Kunkle who, by the way, is struggling with being a new father / husband.
Whew! Lots of moving parts in this excellent entry in the Joe Gunther series. It’s well worth the time to read, however and a very solid example of Archer Mayor’s literary skill. Enjoy.
Meanwhile, a series of seemingly unconnected burglaries has been feeding a particular class of stolen goods to a mysterious fence in North Hampton, MA— affectionately known as Paradise City. In addition, there is an illegal alien (slave labor) ring of Asian women being forced to produce some unique jewelry up in those parts as well.
So, let me get this straight, you say; we’ve got a murder, a bunch of jewelry thefts, a human smuggling ring, and somehow these are all connected? Well, call Joe Gunther of the VBI (even though this ain’t Vermont) and his team of interesting characters, including the irascible Willie Kunkle who, by the way, is struggling with being a new father / husband.
Whew! Lots of moving parts in this excellent entry in the Joe Gunther series. It’s well worth the time to read, however and a very solid example of Archer Mayor’s literary skill. Enjoy.
August 22, 2018
This was not the best book of the Joe Gunter series, but it was still pretty good. In it he and his crew end up going out of state following up on a series of robberies in which one old lady was murdered. There are several robberies in which normally had to fence items, jewelery and antiques are taken. Joe discovers they are being fenced accrossed the border in Massachusetts. That is why they end up out of Vermont.
August 30, 2013
Archer Mayor has long been a favourite of this reader.
Paradise City is the twenty third entry in Mayor's Joe Gunther series. Joe is a Lieutenant with the Vermont Bureau of Investigation.
Paradise City's opening scene lands us smack dab in the middle of a a robbery. A set of thieves who have targeted a wealthy older woman's home in Boston. But when the woman, Billie, confronts them, she is beaten and left for dead.And the only thing the thieves take is her antique jewellery.
Meanwhile, in Vermont, the State Police are happy to pass on the investigation of an unusual robbery and arson case to Joe and his team.
When Boston and Vermont compare notes, it looks like they might be after the same criminals. Word on the street is the goods are headed to the same fence. Billie's niece Mina is not satisfied with the way the inquiry is progressing and starts her own investigation. We are also privy to the viewpoint of someone inside the operation.
As always the crime is inventive, believable, the plotting tight, the dialogue rings true and the investigation is detailed. Archer Mayor himself is a death investigator for Vermont’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, a detective for the Windham County Sheriff’s Office, and also has 25 years experience as a volunteer firefighter/EMT. His books reflect that insider knowledge.
But what I enjoy most about this series are the recurring characters and their personal lives. Joe's life has had its up and downs lately, but he takes a backseat this time to Agent Willy Kunkle. Willy is a difficult man at the best of times, but he is finding things increasingly difficult. He's partnered up with Agent Samantha Martens both professionally and personally. The recent addition of a baby daughter to their lives has Willie more reckless and surly than normal. I've enjoyed following the personal lives of Gunther's characters over the years. When I open the latest book, it's like old familiar friends are waiting to tell me the latest news.
Now, this is the first time I've chosen to listen to one of Mayor's books. After having firmly established a mental image for the characters over time, I wondered how the narrator would interpret Mayor's work. William Dufris was the reader - and I needn't have worried. The voice for Joe is low pitched, even -paced, kind of gravelly with an almost folksy tone to it. He just sounds wise, and ready to handle whatever is thrown at him. But not all even paced - the angry Joe voice was quite impressive! Dufris provided believable voices for the female characters as well. His narration is expressive and captures the tone of the scenes and action. Not surprising though - Dufris is a multi award winning reader. When looking at an audio book, I will sometimes choose a book solely based on the reader. I'll be adding William Dufris to my list of preferred narrators.
Paradise City is the twenty third entry in Mayor's Joe Gunther series. Joe is a Lieutenant with the Vermont Bureau of Investigation.
Paradise City's opening scene lands us smack dab in the middle of a a robbery. A set of thieves who have targeted a wealthy older woman's home in Boston. But when the woman, Billie, confronts them, she is beaten and left for dead.And the only thing the thieves take is her antique jewellery.
Meanwhile, in Vermont, the State Police are happy to pass on the investigation of an unusual robbery and arson case to Joe and his team.
When Boston and Vermont compare notes, it looks like they might be after the same criminals. Word on the street is the goods are headed to the same fence. Billie's niece Mina is not satisfied with the way the inquiry is progressing and starts her own investigation. We are also privy to the viewpoint of someone inside the operation.
As always the crime is inventive, believable, the plotting tight, the dialogue rings true and the investigation is detailed. Archer Mayor himself is a death investigator for Vermont’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, a detective for the Windham County Sheriff’s Office, and also has 25 years experience as a volunteer firefighter/EMT. His books reflect that insider knowledge.
But what I enjoy most about this series are the recurring characters and their personal lives. Joe's life has had its up and downs lately, but he takes a backseat this time to Agent Willy Kunkle. Willy is a difficult man at the best of times, but he is finding things increasingly difficult. He's partnered up with Agent Samantha Martens both professionally and personally. The recent addition of a baby daughter to their lives has Willie more reckless and surly than normal. I've enjoyed following the personal lives of Gunther's characters over the years. When I open the latest book, it's like old familiar friends are waiting to tell me the latest news.
Now, this is the first time I've chosen to listen to one of Mayor's books. After having firmly established a mental image for the characters over time, I wondered how the narrator would interpret Mayor's work. William Dufris was the reader - and I needn't have worried. The voice for Joe is low pitched, even -paced, kind of gravelly with an almost folksy tone to it. He just sounds wise, and ready to handle whatever is thrown at him. But not all even paced - the angry Joe voice was quite impressive! Dufris provided believable voices for the female characters as well. His narration is expressive and captures the tone of the scenes and action. Not surprising though - Dufris is a multi award winning reader. When looking at an audio book, I will sometimes choose a book solely based on the reader. I'll be adding William Dufris to my list of preferred narrators.
November 1, 2025
The action is focused on a crime ring that is using human trafficking to remake stolen goods into new items for sale, spanning the width of Massachusetts and north into VT. Our main scene is Northampton, the Paradise City. Willie is able to overcome another tragic accident and also repair his relationship with Sam in a book that starts off slower than other Gunther adventures.
November 9, 2013
First Sentence: Mickey looked around for what felt like the hundredth time, so far from his comfort zone, he could barely stay put.
A wealthy, elderly woman in Boston interrupts a burglar. In addition to the usual electronics and other usual items, he also stole antique items and jewelry. When it doesn’t seem the Boston police are dedicated to finding the culprit, the woman’s niece is not about to give up. In Vermont, there has also been a series of similar burglaries except that arson is also involved. Once the cases are put together, the road seems to lead to a town in Vermont.
Mayor’s compelling opening immediately captures the reader’s interest and sympathy. It also ensures you are not about to stop reading.
The characters are very well introduced; both new ones unique to this story and those continuing characters that are part of the series. In short order, he provides their backstories and defines their relationships to one another. Although Joe is the lead character, and a very good one, there is considerable focus given to Willie Kinkle who works for Joe. Willie is something of an anti-hero. He lives by an unyielding code, is understood by Joe and is such a great character. He is by no means a “psychopathic sidekick,” but is much more complex than that. Mina, singular to this book, is a character I appreciated. She’s smart, determined and independent; sometimes too much so for her own good. Even so, she is a definite step above being too-stupid-to-live, which is very nice.
As for Joe, It is nice to see his long-standing relationship with Gail transition and progress, as relationships often do. It is the relationships—Joe and Gail, Willie and his wife Sammy—that humanize the story. However, readers new to the series need not be concerned as, again, Mayor provide all one needs to feel involved and connected to these characters.
Mayor loves writing multi-threaded plots, and he does it very well. Each provides a different prospective and helps build the suspense. You know something is coming but are not certain from where, or when it will erupt. Through Joe, he also provides an interesting observation on crime. “It still surprised Joe, even after so many interviews, how a seemingly brainless act of violence or destruction could be occasionally tied to a core belief, instead of just a thoughtless outburst.”
“Paradise City” was an enjoyable read with delightful twists and very good suspense.
PARADISE CITY (Pol Proc-Joe Gunther-Vermont-Contemp) – G+
Mayor, Archer – 23rd in series
Minotaur Books, 2012
A wealthy, elderly woman in Boston interrupts a burglar. In addition to the usual electronics and other usual items, he also stole antique items and jewelry. When it doesn’t seem the Boston police are dedicated to finding the culprit, the woman’s niece is not about to give up. In Vermont, there has also been a series of similar burglaries except that arson is also involved. Once the cases are put together, the road seems to lead to a town in Vermont.
Mayor’s compelling opening immediately captures the reader’s interest and sympathy. It also ensures you are not about to stop reading.
The characters are very well introduced; both new ones unique to this story and those continuing characters that are part of the series. In short order, he provides their backstories and defines their relationships to one another. Although Joe is the lead character, and a very good one, there is considerable focus given to Willie Kinkle who works for Joe. Willie is something of an anti-hero. He lives by an unyielding code, is understood by Joe and is such a great character. He is by no means a “psychopathic sidekick,” but is much more complex than that. Mina, singular to this book, is a character I appreciated. She’s smart, determined and independent; sometimes too much so for her own good. Even so, she is a definite step above being too-stupid-to-live, which is very nice.
As for Joe, It is nice to see his long-standing relationship with Gail transition and progress, as relationships often do. It is the relationships—Joe and Gail, Willie and his wife Sammy—that humanize the story. However, readers new to the series need not be concerned as, again, Mayor provide all one needs to feel involved and connected to these characters.
Mayor loves writing multi-threaded plots, and he does it very well. Each provides a different prospective and helps build the suspense. You know something is coming but are not certain from where, or when it will erupt. Through Joe, he also provides an interesting observation on crime. “It still surprised Joe, even after so many interviews, how a seemingly brainless act of violence or destruction could be occasionally tied to a core belief, instead of just a thoughtless outburst.”
“Paradise City” was an enjoyable read with delightful twists and very good suspense.
PARADISE CITY (Pol Proc-Joe Gunther-Vermont-Contemp) – G+
Mayor, Archer – 23rd in series
Minotaur Books, 2012
December 8, 2012
A burglary that sends the elderly homeowner in Boston and other burglaries in Vermont end up involving Joe Gunther and the VBI in a task force of Boston, Northampton and the VBI investigators. Items of jewelry and silver are being stolen, but electronics and other valuables are left behind and this is a puzzle to the police. Clues are slowly uncovered and the granddaughter of the injured homeowner in Boston takes it upon herself to do her own investigating she puts herself in harm’s way but she does provide some valuable clues to the investigation. Glad to see the VBI crew with Joe back in action again in this latest from Archer Mayor.
March 11, 2015
A fast-paced story which crosses state lines. Three seemingly random crimes, occurring in three different places, bring Joe Gunther and his VBI team south to Northampton to join forces with not just the Northampton police, but also with Det. Jimmy MacAuliffe from Boston homicide. The three crimes all seem to connect to an antique jeweler in Northampton. All of Mayor's characters are present, and as usual, Willy Kunkel's life is threatening to come apart. Mayor's ability to capture the essence of locality is also present. It's been a while since I'd read this series, and I enjoyed dipping back into it.
November 12, 2012
After reading two fairly strange books, I needed some comfort food. Joe Gunther to the rescue. I have real almost all of these novels and they are always well crafted and great fun to read. Something about crime in Vermont and the surrounding states that feels different somehow. Pot roast, hot chocolate, Joe Gunther; they all feel so good. Willy and Sammie are there as usual, with an interesting stlry and a couple of weirdos as always. Archer Mayor does another good job.
March 24, 2014
I liked this series when it started and then stopped reading it for some reason. This one is quite good. Willie gets himself in big trouble trying to be himself, much to Joe's chagrin.
May 7, 2023
First read 10/9/2020. Second read 5/7/2023. Same opinion. A good storyline and satisfactory ending. Evil is punished and good people live to fight another day. Just sad about the grandma.
October 9, 2022
I'm a total Joe Gunther fan from the first novel I read this year. I beg to differ with those below who felt Mayor spent too little time on the final pages. He did a great job throughout the story of familiarizing us with the major players and ended with a typical Joe Gunther philosophical note.
"Paradise City" is a misnomer like "City of Angels" (Los Angeles). In fact, you might be more reminded of San Francisco area than anywhere in New Hampshire? Quite the opposite of (mostly) bucolic Vermont.
All the pieces come together to form the big picture of a complicated inter-state investigation that begins with the typical druggies in a robbery of a wealthy 90-year old woman's home filled with her lifelong collection of valuable antiques. They only take the jewelry. Her only living relative is MINA, who is left devastated now with no living relatives and especially close to her grandmother -- and Mina is furious, determined to do her own investigation -- much to the chagrin of New Hampshire police and to the dismay of VBI's Joe in particular. Willie shares Joe's worries and he has plenty else to worry him.
Meanwhile, Li Anming, recently of China, is putting her skills to work as another slave worker in another run-down hidden factory re-making jewelry. The villains are exceptionally resourceful with acquiring all they require for labor and security. The organizer that has made rich people richer, including herself, is of course a psycho personality, greedy, manipulative, and no conscious and fiercely domineering. She is always one step ahead of the law.
We have one of the most intense scenes ever with both Joe and Willy. For the first time we see that "good old Joe" can indeed lose his temper.
(To me, Mina is least realistic character - showing no common sense. That irks me even though I know some people are like that.)
"Paradise City" is a misnomer like "City of Angels" (Los Angeles). In fact, you might be more reminded of San Francisco area than anywhere in New Hampshire? Quite the opposite of (mostly) bucolic Vermont.
All the pieces come together to form the big picture of a complicated inter-state investigation that begins with the typical druggies in a robbery of a wealthy 90-year old woman's home filled with her lifelong collection of valuable antiques. They only take the jewelry. Her only living relative is MINA, who is left devastated now with no living relatives and especially close to her grandmother -- and Mina is furious, determined to do her own investigation -- much to the chagrin of New Hampshire police and to the dismay of VBI's Joe in particular. Willie shares Joe's worries and he has plenty else to worry him.
Meanwhile, Li Anming, recently of China, is putting her skills to work as another slave worker in another run-down hidden factory re-making jewelry. The villains are exceptionally resourceful with acquiring all they require for labor and security. The organizer that has made rich people richer, including herself, is of course a psycho personality, greedy, manipulative, and no conscious and fiercely domineering. She is always one step ahead of the law.
We have one of the most intense scenes ever with both Joe and Willy. For the first time we see that "good old Joe" can indeed lose his temper.
(To me, Mina is least realistic character - showing no common sense. That irks me even though I know some people are like that.)
June 21, 2025
There are 33 books in the Joe Gunther series. I have now read 29 of them, mostly in order. I last read one a year ago - it was #31. This one is #23. I am missing ##s 18, 29, 32, and 33. These are better than the average crime/thriller and with one or two exceptions have gotten better over time. I like this one quite a bit, even though it seemed like it had a zillion new characters!
Joe doesn't make his appearance until we are well into this one. It starts in Boston with a B&E at the home of a well-off elderly Boston woman. She interrupts the robbery and is knocked unconscious. Her granddaughter Mia discovers the body and, after the Boston police slid the case to the backburner, starts investigating herself. Mia does a much better job than the police.
Meanwhile, Joe and crew -- Sammy, Willie, Travis -- are also working on a B&E of a rich non-resident of Vermont. They catch the perpetrators when they are in the middle of another B&E and one of the thieves sings like a canary. Both cases involve thefts of antique jewelry, among other things. Much of the other stuff is found in the possession of a fence by a third police department. All three point to the jewelry going to a fence in Northampton, MA. Joe knows the police chief there - an old timer like him.
A side story involves a Chinese woman who is paying off the cost of being smuggled to the West by reusing the antique jewelry to create new masterpieces.
Willie almost gets killed but that has the benefit of him and Sammie have a much needed discussion.
Joe doesn't make his appearance until we are well into this one. It starts in Boston with a B&E at the home of a well-off elderly Boston woman. She interrupts the robbery and is knocked unconscious. Her granddaughter Mia discovers the body and, after the Boston police slid the case to the backburner, starts investigating herself. Mia does a much better job than the police.
Meanwhile, Joe and crew -- Sammy, Willie, Travis -- are also working on a B&E of a rich non-resident of Vermont. They catch the perpetrators when they are in the middle of another B&E and one of the thieves sings like a canary. Both cases involve thefts of antique jewelry, among other things. Much of the other stuff is found in the possession of a fence by a third police department. All three point to the jewelry going to a fence in Northampton, MA. Joe knows the police chief there - an old timer like him.
A side story involves a Chinese woman who is paying off the cost of being smuggled to the West by reusing the antique jewelry to create new masterpieces.
Willie almost gets killed but that has the benefit of him and Sammie have a much needed discussion.
March 25, 2025
If you live in Vermont and don’t know the writer Archer Mayor, rectify this immediately. There is no such thing as the Vermont Bureau of Investigation (VBI), but detective Joe Gunther is as Vermont as it gets. How could I possibly resist a free copy of Mayor’s Paradise City (Minotaur Books, 2012, 306 pages), which is set in southern Vermont ski territory, Boston, and my town of Northampton, Massachusetts, whose nickname is the same as the book title? A torched McMansion in ski country owned by a rich out-of-stater, an old woman on Beacon Hill killed by thieves, a jewelry chop shop, arrogance, a family feud, a human smuggling operation, a depressed VBI agent, a meddlesome granddaughter, bad guys eliminated by worse thugs, a body left in Holyoke, and Governor Gail Zigman who was once Joe’s lover–who needs more? Plus, if you’ve lived in Northampton for more than a decade there are enough clues to keep you busy guessing who Mayor’s role models were. Likewise, if you know Vermont, there’s plenty to unravel. Gunther sees things others overlook, but can he crack his personal mysteries? ★★★★★ --Rob Weir
May 4, 2017
Another crime / mystery story featuring Vermont's own Joe Gunther. I like these stories, though I read them out of sequence. The actual detecting isn't all that detailed - mostly the police wander around from place to place and interview suspects and suddenly there's a solution, though sometimes with one of their number being seriously hurt. But what I like is that the author seems to pick a new location oftentimes, and introduce the reader to a place in New England we might never have been, in this case Northampton, Mass. So it's a good read - not much mystery, as we meet a few of criminals right at the start of the book. the interest in more in the location, and, in this book, the technical savvy of the criminal gang being pursued.
January 15, 2023
Paradise City is an interesting confluence of plots. The novel starts out in Boston with a burglary that ends in violence and meanders to undocumented (and enslaved) workers, and the jewelry fencing industry. The book includes an independent sleuth who gathers intel that law enforcement can't as well as Joe Gunther continuing to deal with the loss of a loved one. I admit that my favorite parts are those that include the adventures of the young woman trying to find the people who harmed her grandmother, though, as usual, Willy Kunkle is as dourly entertaining as usual.
October 11, 2017
Mayor's story is in some unfamiliar territory of western Massachusetts. It is implied that the Summit House might be in Northampton and that it is a run down dump. The Summit House is atop Mt. Holyoke across the Connecticut River in Hadley. Far from being a bit run down in years past, it was not when this book was written. Just a picky point...
The story drags a bit and wastes time dabbling in the jewelry trade. 3 1/2 stars.
The story drags a bit and wastes time dabbling in the jewelry trade. 3 1/2 stars.
August 3, 2018
i have heard of this author for many years but this was the first of his I have read. I enjoyed it and probably will like reading some of the other joe Gunther titles. Interesting plot lines and characters. I live not too far from many of the towns mentioned in the book, so that also made it enjoyable. My brother used to live in Newfane and used to work in Brattleboro so lots of places were familiar.
June 11, 2021
This is an interesting read because it forms an unlikely triangle between Boston, Northampton, and Brattleboro. House burglaries and missing jewels are the common thread that ties the three centers together. Mayor spends most of his time in Northampton citing its almost European charm in the center of western Massachusetts. His villains are well drawn and in most cases quite nefarious. A good read.
June 20, 2021
I was in a Beacon Hill home like the one in the book so I loved the story from the breaking and entering or entering. What a story and what detail. Antique and collectibles markets and customers are fun to visit and now they're sinister. I love Willy. I wouldn't want to live with or work with him, but I love reading about him. So much to enjoy in Archer Mayor books.
June 22, 2022
Great police procedural. Joe Gunther, VBI, (Vermont Bureau of Investigation consisting of 4 officers) not only solves a string of burglaries & arson in Vermont but works with local law enforcement in Northampton and Boston, MA to discover and eliminate an human trafficking ring and jewelry fencing operation centered in Northampton.
February 22, 2024
I have enjoyed this series book after book. Some are 5⭐️ some are 4⭐️ and maybe a 3.5 here and there. Overall this is a solid series (would I have made it to book 23 otherwise?). I love the endings. They are not drawn out, they are not cliffhangers but they do end with a statement.
I would like Gail to take a hike. Joe deserves someone devoted to him and it’s not her.
I would like Gail to take a hike. Joe deserves someone devoted to him and it’s not her.
June 19, 2025
The letter M in my year long mystery authour challenge. Mayor writes about a Vermont cop named Joe Gunter. This title came came out in 2012 and is one of a huge series that follows a number of police. I can see how readers could get invested in Joe, Willy and Sammie and read more.
As for the mystery, it was okay.
As for the mystery, it was okay.
July 28, 2025
A different kind of mystery than I usually read, but it was a nice change of pace. I got very invested in the dynamics among the VBI investigators; I could tell that they've developed a lot over the 22 books I skipped, but I also felt I was given the necessary background to understand them as characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews