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Joe Gunther #10
Occam's Razor
The body was positioned so that the train neatly obliterated its head and hands. Dressed in a homeless man's clothes with empty pockets, it might easily be passed-off as an unfortunate John Doe. And yet… Joe Gunther has a knack for knowing when things don't quite add up, and the math in this case is all kinds of wrong. Add a toxic waste dumping scheme, a stabbing, and a whole lot of state politics… if Occam's razor were applied to Gunther's caseload, how many incisions would it make?"The same attention to detail that leads Joe Gunther to the hidden connections of his diverse criminal cases also gives us close-up views of how things get done in other businesses—from a one-room machine shop and an old army-navy store to a giant lumber mill and even the state legislature. And if you should want to know what brutal things you can do with a ball-peen hammer, here's where you can find out." — Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times "Archer Mayor turns in another excellent police procedural" — Robert Wade, The San Diego Union-Tribune"Though Mayor makes his hero simplify matters on the way to an answer, he demands more of himself, keeping his narrative complex. While manipulating multiple storylines, Mayor portrays a minor metropolis where one sleuth makes strides through dingy neighborhoods and dirty politics to get to the truth." — Rosemary Herbert, The Boston Herald
443 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 1999
201 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
About the author
Archer Mayor
43 books728 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
September 11, 2021
The book starts with the question of why is a dead man positioned to have a train run over him. An interesting problem, but what makes this book a standout are the layers of complexity. The investigation proves difficult and time consuming. Successes alternate with failures. Meanwhile, there are personal problems that are important, but not intrusive. There are also politics: are the Vermont police departments going to get a major overhaul? Through it all Mr. Mayor retains a subtle touch: people are good and bad, but they are not all good or all bad.
November 4, 2014
After reading four books by Archer Mayor, he quickly became one of my five favorite authors. Along with Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Michael Connelly and David Baldacci, I didn’t simply read Mayor novels: Instead I dove into them headfirst. Aint nothin’ like sitting in your favorite chair and escaping reality with a good book.
The last Mayor novel I read, ‘The Catch,’ left me feeling a bit flat. I rated that book 4 stars when, in all honesty, I should’ve given it 3 stars. But I like Mayor’s writing style—especially scenes involving dialogue and questioning of witnesses—and truly do appreciate the characters that he brings to life. I feel a genuine connection to Joe along with Sammie and Willy.
I just concluded ‘Occam’s Razor’ and I hate to say this but I think Mr. Mayor has dropped out of my top 5.
The positives: The characters were real human breathing individuals that the author brings to life. You feel for them, you identify with them. You feel a deep seeded friendship both with and for Joe, Willie and Sammie.
Another plus is, as always, the conversations/dialogue are well-written and extremely realistic. With Archer Mayor, you don’t READ conversations: You HEAR them. And that’s a huge tip of my hat to his writing style.
However, like ‘The Catch,’ ‘Occam’s Razor’ just never pulled me in. I never felt I had a vested interest in the outcome. It started out interesting but just lost me along the way. Instead of reading this book for pleasure, it became more like homework. Most books I read I finish in 3-4 days. If it’s a really great novel, I can finish it in 2. If it’s a bit longer, 5 days. The first 4 Mayor novels I read, I didn’t want to put them down. I finished each of those in 3 days.
Occam’s Razor is only 339 pages. Yet, it took me 6 days to finish. I cant recall the last time it took me so many days to finish a novel. And it’s NEVER taken me 6 days to finish a novel with only 339 pages.
Mr Mayor always uses vivid descriptions and is a master of painting with words. His colorful phraseology makes me want to drive to Vermont and visit Brattleboro. However, in this novel--in my opinion—he overdid it. If Joe is driving across the state or into a town, I have no problem with one or two paragraphs describing the landscape, scenery or layout of the town. Even three paragraphs. But in many parts of this novel, the descriptions were over the top. 2-3-4 pages. I could almost visualize Mr. Mayor thumbing through a thesaurus. During these long drawn out sections, I felt like I was no longer reading a fiction novel but rather a Vermont travel guide.
Toward the end, the novel is winding down. The pressure is building to the finale. The big climax. Good stuff. Joe and Sammie go to a race track for stock cars to question someone. And sadly, Mr. Mayor slow down the building momentum by spending FIVE pages discussing the history of stock car racing in Vermont! Totally slowed down the building climax.
I also found an abundance of too many characters. I’m no idiot but for the first time in a Mayor novel, I found it hard to keep track of who was who.
Another thing that left me feeling flat was this read like 2 books in one. It was 50% mystery and 50% political. Many many pages are devoted to ‘politics’ and the race for governor as well as the inner workings of VT politics. If I was reading a non-fiction novel, ok. But I wanted to read a mystery, a suspense novel. Not a detailed account of a make-believe fictitious political campaign. I almost feel as if the author was torn between writing a “mystery” and a “political” book.
In all good faith, I have to rate this only 2 stars. And it hurts. I’ve LOVED Mr. Mayor’s novels and I do feel a literary kinship to Joe and his staff. Also to Mr. Mayor. But this novel left me flat and disinterested. The story itself was…meh. The climax was really no climax at all.
I will continue to read more of his books and I do hope they draw me in and he can return to my top 5. Sadly, The Catch and Occam’s Razor were more like required reading when I was in school.
The last Mayor novel I read, ‘The Catch,’ left me feeling a bit flat. I rated that book 4 stars when, in all honesty, I should’ve given it 3 stars. But I like Mayor’s writing style—especially scenes involving dialogue and questioning of witnesses—and truly do appreciate the characters that he brings to life. I feel a genuine connection to Joe along with Sammie and Willy.
I just concluded ‘Occam’s Razor’ and I hate to say this but I think Mr. Mayor has dropped out of my top 5.
The positives: The characters were real human breathing individuals that the author brings to life. You feel for them, you identify with them. You feel a deep seeded friendship both with and for Joe, Willie and Sammie.
Another plus is, as always, the conversations/dialogue are well-written and extremely realistic. With Archer Mayor, you don’t READ conversations: You HEAR them. And that’s a huge tip of my hat to his writing style.
However, like ‘The Catch,’ ‘Occam’s Razor’ just never pulled me in. I never felt I had a vested interest in the outcome. It started out interesting but just lost me along the way. Instead of reading this book for pleasure, it became more like homework. Most books I read I finish in 3-4 days. If it’s a really great novel, I can finish it in 2. If it’s a bit longer, 5 days. The first 4 Mayor novels I read, I didn’t want to put them down. I finished each of those in 3 days.
Occam’s Razor is only 339 pages. Yet, it took me 6 days to finish. I cant recall the last time it took me so many days to finish a novel. And it’s NEVER taken me 6 days to finish a novel with only 339 pages.
Mr Mayor always uses vivid descriptions and is a master of painting with words. His colorful phraseology makes me want to drive to Vermont and visit Brattleboro. However, in this novel--in my opinion—he overdid it. If Joe is driving across the state or into a town, I have no problem with one or two paragraphs describing the landscape, scenery or layout of the town. Even three paragraphs. But in many parts of this novel, the descriptions were over the top. 2-3-4 pages. I could almost visualize Mr. Mayor thumbing through a thesaurus. During these long drawn out sections, I felt like I was no longer reading a fiction novel but rather a Vermont travel guide.
Toward the end, the novel is winding down. The pressure is building to the finale. The big climax. Good stuff. Joe and Sammie go to a race track for stock cars to question someone. And sadly, Mr. Mayor slow down the building momentum by spending FIVE pages discussing the history of stock car racing in Vermont! Totally slowed down the building climax.
I also found an abundance of too many characters. I’m no idiot but for the first time in a Mayor novel, I found it hard to keep track of who was who.
Another thing that left me feeling flat was this read like 2 books in one. It was 50% mystery and 50% political. Many many pages are devoted to ‘politics’ and the race for governor as well as the inner workings of VT politics. If I was reading a non-fiction novel, ok. But I wanted to read a mystery, a suspense novel. Not a detailed account of a make-believe fictitious political campaign. I almost feel as if the author was torn between writing a “mystery” and a “political” book.
In all good faith, I have to rate this only 2 stars. And it hurts. I’ve LOVED Mr. Mayor’s novels and I do feel a literary kinship to Joe and his staff. Also to Mr. Mayor. But this novel left me flat and disinterested. The story itself was…meh. The climax was really no climax at all.
I will continue to read more of his books and I do hope they draw me in and he can return to my top 5. Sadly, The Catch and Occam’s Razor were more like required reading when I was in school.
August 1, 2016
Gunther makes you feel the frost of the Vermont winter such is the clarity and strength of his writing. He uses that talent to great effect in this installment of the Joe Gunther series. In addition to a well-plotted police procedural, he makes his characters and their interactions entirely believable. Highly recommended.
February 24, 2022
-Slow
-Either there were a lot of characters, I wasn’t interested enough to remember the names
-I couldn’t bring myself to really care about any of the characters or feel connected with them
(I might be being a little too harsh on this book. I haven’t had a very good reading year so far, and I don’t know if that’s reflective of the books I’m reading, or of my mood…so take this review with a grain of salt)🤷🏻♀️
-Either there were a lot of characters, I wasn’t interested enough to remember the names
-I couldn’t bring myself to really care about any of the characters or feel connected with them
(I might be being a little too harsh on this book. I haven’t had a very good reading year so far, and I don’t know if that’s reflective of the books I’m reading, or of my mood…so take this review with a grain of salt)🤷🏻♀️
May 1, 2015
SETTING: Brattleboro, Vermont
SERIES: #10
RATING: 4.25
WHY: When you pick up a book by Archer Mayor, you know you're going to have something to sink your teeth into. Occam's Razor doesn't disappoint. The plot is quite complicated, with 4 threads weaving through the narrative--the murder of man placed on railroad tracks, the killing of a hooker, the bureaucratic battle to change the nature of policing in Vermont and the changing relationship between Gail and Joe. Not to mention various sub-threads involving the secondary characters. A well done entry in the series.
SERIES: #10
RATING: 4.25
WHY: When you pick up a book by Archer Mayor, you know you're going to have something to sink your teeth into. Occam's Razor doesn't disappoint. The plot is quite complicated, with 4 threads weaving through the narrative--the murder of man placed on railroad tracks, the killing of a hooker, the bureaucratic battle to change the nature of policing in Vermont and the changing relationship between Gail and Joe. Not to mention various sub-threads involving the secondary characters. A well done entry in the series.
January 14, 2019
I enjoy reading Archer Mayor, he always makes the story come alive and I enjoy Joe Gunther and the characters. This is a book that kept me wondering. good book
October 5, 2016
I love Archer Mayor's books. His main character, Joe Gunther, is a police officer in Brattleboro, Vermont, so the setting is familiar and the characters enjoyable. With tight plots, interesting sub-plots, interesting characters, and a local area, his books are well worth reading.
March 16, 2018
I slogged my way through this one! I still really enjoy this series and there was a bit more emotional insight into Joe Gunther, his relationship with Gail, and his partners in "crime solving" so that kept me going. All in all I liked this mystery though it was a bit dry. Still a fan!
March 2, 2020
Like the series, it’s main character, and his team. Plots are always well thought out. No cliffhangers, or graphics (sex or language), this one isn’t my favorite but it’s worth reading. Well narrated as are the more exciting books in the series. Recommended.
January 24, 2019
I love all of Archer Mayors books, but I enjoy reading about Joe Gunther and his crew. This is a good book and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Reading all about the characters and how they all effected the crime and how there lives are going into the future
February 26, 2020
Another good Joe Gunther novel. This one deals with murder and political shenanigans. This book set the tone for a lot of future Gunther novels as it explores the relationships between Joe & Gail & between Sammi & Willy. This also features the future organization: the VBI, which Joe will join. Recommended.
March 17, 2021
This was a good mystery/police procedural, and I very much liked the main character as well as the narrator--since I listened to the audio version. The details regarding state politics became a bit longwinded, but in the end were probably necessary. Also, I learned a lot about Vermont! So a win/win overall.
Note: a fair amount of adult language, mainly from the bad guys.
Note: a fair amount of adult language, mainly from the bad guys.
June 18, 2023
Another strong police procedural from Vermont asJoe Gunther and his team chase down two murders with some political implications
July 10, 2018
Occam's Razor is the 10th book in the Joe Gunther mystery by Archer Mayor and the 2nd book in the series that I've read (I have only managed to find a few books in the series so far).
Gunther is a police lieutenant based out of Brattleboro, Vermont and head of the detective department. This story starts off with Gunther and his team called out in the middle of the night to attend to a body discovered on the train tracks. It appears like murder as the body was placed strategically on the tracks; with head and hands on the tracks so that the body couldn't easily be identified. As they investigate the case another murder is discovered; that of a prostitute who has been stabbed to death and also of her baby, who has died of exposure in the house.
Thus begins a meandering, at times, investigation of the murders, that might somehow be linked and might involve illegal HazMat disposal, political intrigue, etc. We get an excellent view of the government in Vermont, and of the state itself. The story delves into the lives of the investigators and we get to know more about them.
I like that the case doesn't get resolved in two or three days but that we get a long realistic investigation, as clues dry up and then others come to the forefront so the investigators can move in other directions. As well, there is an interesting look at a move by the government to update the whole policing structure of Vermont.
All in all, even though at times I got somewhat lost in the story, it was so very well written and described that I enjoyed it very much. Mayor is an intelligent writer who keeps the story moving and holds your interest. Most enjoyable and I look forward to continuing to explore Gunther's life and investigations. (4 stars)
Gunther is a police lieutenant based out of Brattleboro, Vermont and head of the detective department. This story starts off with Gunther and his team called out in the middle of the night to attend to a body discovered on the train tracks. It appears like murder as the body was placed strategically on the tracks; with head and hands on the tracks so that the body couldn't easily be identified. As they investigate the case another murder is discovered; that of a prostitute who has been stabbed to death and also of her baby, who has died of exposure in the house.
Thus begins a meandering, at times, investigation of the murders, that might somehow be linked and might involve illegal HazMat disposal, political intrigue, etc. We get an excellent view of the government in Vermont, and of the state itself. The story delves into the lives of the investigators and we get to know more about them.
I like that the case doesn't get resolved in two or three days but that we get a long realistic investigation, as clues dry up and then others come to the forefront so the investigators can move in other directions. As well, there is an interesting look at a move by the government to update the whole policing structure of Vermont.
All in all, even though at times I got somewhat lost in the story, it was so very well written and described that I enjoyed it very much. Mayor is an intelligent writer who keeps the story moving and holds your interest. Most enjoyable and I look forward to continuing to explore Gunther's life and investigations. (4 stars)
November 17, 2011
I quite liked this mid-series police procedural by a Vermont author - my first. The characters are people I'll be glad to revisit, and while it's brain-candy, there's enough meat to make it a more substantive read than some other popular authors.
I also appreciated the main character's acknowledgement that no matter how proud of themselves many Vermonters are for strictly being from Vermont, the state has some issues. One blurb: Thunder road is located in the hills above Barre, covering one hundred and sixty acres. It represents a Vermont never seen in the tourist brochures, and yet captures better than most the true essence of the state. It is an irony that Vermont is so well known for skiing the locals can't afford, maple sugar they have to sell, and photo-op cows that have all but disappeared. In fact, Vermont is a blue-collar state, only minimally agricultural, marked by marginal incomes, low education investment, small manufacturing, and heavy welfare rolls. Unemployment isn't too bad, but the kinds of jobs those numbers represent are not the stuff of careers. When Vermonters are asked what they do for a living, more often than not they answer, "Everything."
So true. I'll start at the beginning of this series, and I'll try to find the author at some signing somewhere. He's got a new installment published this fall, and apparently it's doing really well. I recommend this to all readers of this genre.
I also appreciated the main character's acknowledgement that no matter how proud of themselves many Vermonters are for strictly being from Vermont, the state has some issues. One blurb: Thunder road is located in the hills above Barre, covering one hundred and sixty acres. It represents a Vermont never seen in the tourist brochures, and yet captures better than most the true essence of the state. It is an irony that Vermont is so well known for skiing the locals can't afford, maple sugar they have to sell, and photo-op cows that have all but disappeared. In fact, Vermont is a blue-collar state, only minimally agricultural, marked by marginal incomes, low education investment, small manufacturing, and heavy welfare rolls. Unemployment isn't too bad, but the kinds of jobs those numbers represent are not the stuff of careers. When Vermonters are asked what they do for a living, more often than not they answer, "Everything."
So true. I'll start at the beginning of this series, and I'll try to find the author at some signing somewhere. He's got a new installment published this fall, and apparently it's doing really well. I recommend this to all readers of this genre.
October 12, 2012
Those who prefer the more slam-bam action-filled books, will probably not like this title. A side plot involves Vermont police politics as one senator wants to combine all the police agencies in the state under one umbrella, and Joe is asked to testify to its merits. This little side-show has only a peripheral connection to the investigation into the killing of a man whose body was laid on railroad tracks to obliterate hands and head, making identification much more difficult. One of the witnesses happened to be the new boyfriend of Sammy, Gunther's sergeant, another side-plot some readers might find extraneous. The peripheral details did not bother me as they add a note of verisimilitude to the story which is, after all, a police procedural.
The investigation itself soon involves illegal dumping of hazardous waste, drugs, and prostitution and another killing. (Mayor manages to get his digs in: "The truck Marshall Smith had introduced me to was a case in point. By making waste disposal such a complicated, expensive, strictly licensed enterprise, our vigilant environmentalists had inadvertently created a booming black market in illegal dumping." )
Some nice lines: "“That you?” Her voice took me back to my first viewing of The Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch of the West. She certainly seemed to have the same aversion to water."
The investigation itself soon involves illegal dumping of hazardous waste, drugs, and prostitution and another killing. (Mayor manages to get his digs in: "The truck Marshall Smith had introduced me to was a case in point. By making waste disposal such a complicated, expensive, strictly licensed enterprise, our vigilant environmentalists had inadvertently created a booming black market in illegal dumping." )
Some nice lines: "“That you?” Her voice took me back to my first viewing of The Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch of the West. She certainly seemed to have the same aversion to water."
April 20, 2023
My favorite of the series so far, though the one right before would be a close second (aside from the Cold War nonsense in that book). My favorite character has to be Willie. He’s crazy like Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, but hilariously awesome and is starting to mellow more. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Edit: I looked at a map of Vermont just now. Not only is there really a Brattleboro AND a West Brattleboro, they’re right across the river from New Hampshire, as described. I’ve never been to VT, so I wasn’t sure about this being an accurate city name. What cracks me up even more? Google Maps shows a Wal-Mart right where “Joe” describes. Where those in Brattleboro can see it, right across the river/state line...in New Hampshire. I’m impressed at the realistic geographic descriptions. My seeing the Wal-Mart on the map is by the mere whim of fate, as many of my accidental discoveries that tie to a relevant thread often turn out to be. I didn’t go looking, it found me. Sort of like how Joe finds murders.
First read 9/18/2020. Second read 4/20/2023. Loved it more the second time.
Edit: I looked at a map of Vermont just now. Not only is there really a Brattleboro AND a West Brattleboro, they’re right across the river from New Hampshire, as described. I’ve never been to VT, so I wasn’t sure about this being an accurate city name. What cracks me up even more? Google Maps shows a Wal-Mart right where “Joe” describes. Where those in Brattleboro can see it, right across the river/state line...in New Hampshire. I’m impressed at the realistic geographic descriptions. My seeing the Wal-Mart on the map is by the mere whim of fate, as many of my accidental discoveries that tie to a relevant thread often turn out to be. I didn’t go looking, it found me. Sort of like how Joe finds murders.
First read 9/18/2020. Second read 4/20/2023. Loved it more the second time.
September 28, 2015
This was my first foray into Archer Mayor's crime novels, after hearing about them and their local setting in Vermont on WNYC. I found myself impressed by the author's local knowledge and knowledge of police procedure. I could see some becoming frustrated in the delving into the details of police detective work, but with my own work experience I have no problem hoping inside the machine and seeing how it works while it's working. All in all this one was an immensely enjoyable story of whodunnit, with a smattering of local Vermont knowledge and some personal interest on the characters involved.
July 7, 2015
Glad I read this book.
Good plot, politics, drugs and toxic waste. Characters you'll love, some of them are sensitive and giving. Learned about Occam's Razor and State of Vermont. I always go to Google Earth and look at the photos. Will be reading more of his books.
Good plot, politics, drugs and toxic waste. Characters you'll love, some of them are sensitive and giving. Learned about Occam's Razor and State of Vermont. I always go to Google Earth and look at the photos. Will be reading more of his books.
February 17, 2018
Mayor’s Vermont, Joe Gunther procedural series is more than just enjoyable. The author has his act and his characters precisely created. You can even find a sense of feelings running parallel to the mystery. If you haven’t found Mayor yet, it is time to join me for the ride.
March 20, 2017
Mayor continues to develop and expand the characters and has now created a new organization that should expand the pool from which he can develop future stories - good move!!
July 11, 2017
Great!
November 2, 2017
Easy read
Not very exciting but easy to follow. Enjoyable but not so realistic. Main character is a likeable and smart man
Not very exciting but easy to follow. Enjoyable but not so realistic. Main character is a likeable and smart man
February 27, 2018
Another good mystery from Mayor; kept me guessing throughout. The series pivots at the end of the book with Joe moving to the VBI - Vermont bureau of Investigation.
September 19, 2018
Highly recommend this book and others in the series about Joe Gunther as police officer in Brattleboro, Vermont.
September 19, 2018
Highly recommend this book and others in the series about Joe Gunther as police officer in Brattleboro, Vermont.
November 29, 2018
Another Joe Gunther great must read.
April 22, 2019
This police procedural series is new to me. I'll start at the beginning and catch up, as this is the 10th in the series. Small-town Vermont is an excellent place for weird crimes.
October 3, 2019
Another good experience with Joe Gunther. Will have to take a break for a while but will be back when I've caught up with the other books on my shelf.
November 11, 2020
The first time I heard the phrase “Occam’s Razor,” I was a teenager. It was in the movie “Contact” with Jodi Foster and Matthew McConaughey, among others. And the phrase was used to convey a form of skepticism, or a philosophy towards acceptance. How it was defined there fit in well with the theme of the movie. I was intrigued with the title of this book and how it may integrate into Joe Gunther’s world....
This is the 10th book in the Joe Gunther series by Archer Mayor. I started reading these books quite a while ago starting in order. If you’re new to the series, Open Season is definitely the place to begin. It sets the stage, the characters, and starts out with a great adventure for Joe and his team. Logically it makes sense to start at 1 and climb incrementally. I will continue to read all of these in the order they were published. But, if someone is feeling whimsical or mischievous, I could almost recommend starting here and considering the first nine as back stories. Prequels to this epic; a history to dive into after the fact; to consider everything prior simply as “before.”
If ever this series were to become a television show, this should be where it begins. In the middle of the action, in the middle of adventure, stories already in progress with a gripping mystery that grows and evolves throughout the entire book. “Occam’s Razor” was, in my opinion, top notch detective work against a realistic Vermont in the thick of a crossroads.
There’s a believability woven into the story that adds both depth and comfort. The narration is honest and as the reader, I feel I’m right beside Joe through his day to day; big moments or small moments.
There’s a point in the book where Joe is visiting the capital of Vermont. And his commentary about the town and how its setup is probably my favorite passage. Comfort and depth I can picture and relate to. But there’s so much more here than mere descriptions of a Main Street. Here, we as the readers get to experience Vermont in all of its splendor, as it faces extreme growth possibilities. And amidst the political landscape of the times, a murderous plot in playing out.
So, when the title of the book finally makes an appearance in dialogue form, it’s the perfect fit; integrating naturally into all the goings on in the moment.
This is the 10th book in the Joe Gunther series by Archer Mayor. I started reading these books quite a while ago starting in order. If you’re new to the series, Open Season is definitely the place to begin. It sets the stage, the characters, and starts out with a great adventure for Joe and his team. Logically it makes sense to start at 1 and climb incrementally. I will continue to read all of these in the order they were published. But, if someone is feeling whimsical or mischievous, I could almost recommend starting here and considering the first nine as back stories. Prequels to this epic; a history to dive into after the fact; to consider everything prior simply as “before.”
If ever this series were to become a television show, this should be where it begins. In the middle of the action, in the middle of adventure, stories already in progress with a gripping mystery that grows and evolves throughout the entire book. “Occam’s Razor” was, in my opinion, top notch detective work against a realistic Vermont in the thick of a crossroads.
There’s a believability woven into the story that adds both depth and comfort. The narration is honest and as the reader, I feel I’m right beside Joe through his day to day; big moments or small moments.
There’s a point in the book where Joe is visiting the capital of Vermont. And his commentary about the town and how its setup is probably my favorite passage. Comfort and depth I can picture and relate to. But there’s so much more here than mere descriptions of a Main Street. Here, we as the readers get to experience Vermont in all of its splendor, as it faces extreme growth possibilities. And amidst the political landscape of the times, a murderous plot in playing out.
So, when the title of the book finally makes an appearance in dialogue form, it’s the perfect fit; integrating naturally into all the goings on in the moment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews