The Devil Went Down to Austin

Tres Navarre #4

by Rick Riordan

PI Tres Navarre is planning on a quiet summer of academic teaching in Austin, but his peace is broken by the murder of his brother Garrett's business partner, a tech start-up whizz kid whose death leaves Garrett as the leading suspect.

Something - or rather, someone - sinister is at work, as evil stalks the streets of Austin and leads Tres to hunt for secrets lurking at the bottom of a beautiful lake. But the killer won't go down without a fight.

Oozing with Texan mystery, The Devil Went Down to Austin is the fourth book in the multiple-award-winning suspense series by the internationally bestselling author of the Percy Jackson novels.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Audiobook, Detective, Mystery Thriller

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series. Great characters, snappy dialogue and cool crime.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book # 4 in the Tres Navarre mystery series starts when Tres learns that his brother, Garrett, has mortgaged the family ranch to fund a start-up software security company, and has missed the last four payments. When Tres goes to Austin to confront his brother he finds a financial and “with-friends-like-this-who-needs-enemies” mess. Things get worse when Garrett’s business partner, and perennial fuck-up Jim, is found dead. Add a ruthless business man, and a wealthy family intent on keeping family secrets buried and Tres has his work cut out for him in unraveling the disaster. As an added complication, Garrett’s attorney is Tres’s former love interest, Maia, who has flown in from San Francisco.

I like Tres as a character. He’s a PhD English professor, specializing in Middle English lit, a tai chi master, and a private investigator. He’s intense, has a sarcastic sense of humor, treats women well, does not suffer fools gladly, and loves his cat, Robert Johnson (who usually eats enchiladas). The books are full of Texas culture and locations that are familiar to natives. The plots are intricate with lots of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. This time around I didn’t ID the culprit until just a step ahead of the reveal. (Literally, a footstep is heard in that key scene and THAT’s when I realized who the culprit is.)

There are a couple of things that don’t quite make sense to me, but I can’t say more or I’d give away the plot.

I wish Riordan would go back to writing mysteries aimed at adults. He wrote this series before he started the Percy Jackson series (which really catapulted him to author famedom). I certainly understand why he continues to focus on that immensely popular (and lucrative) franchise, but I dread the day when I run out of Tres Navarre books (only 3 left in the series for me).

[itchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ocr errors:
p2: I was six /ears old.

p2: But I'd spilled a few cup full's onto the carpet.

p17: "His goddamn £xwife is telling us we should feel grteful about it."

p24: AII he has to do is jump on.

p39: Date: Sun II Jun 2000 16:59:07 0000

p97: A glowing pier stuck into the water and Yed about ten yards out, making two rows of wet slips for yachts.

p105: I made coffee, scrambled some eggs, and fried some corn tortilla strips for mi gas.

p114: "! didn't sort them."

p191: We didn't know the kind of terror she'd been suppressing until she hit de^> water--sixtyfive feet under--and panicked.

Plus a more than a handful of missing dashes (like above) and spaces which make for tricky reading.

cement:
p21: The VW safari van had been parked with its front wheel on the cement slab of Jimmy's future studio, slammed into the side of the kiln.

p198: My spine felt like it had been sunk into the cement with a pile driver.

p198: Someone else I might've hurt, throwing her facefirst toward the cement, but Maia turned the fall into an easy roll, took almost none of the impact, ended up facing me in a crouch.

p202: We were about a third of the way out from the east end, where the cement railing turned to riveted steel.

p204: He planted his elbows on the cement wall.

p253: He slammed into Geiger and the two went down hard on the cement.

p254: Armand staggered to his feet, leaving Deputy Geiger curling on the cement like a steppedon spider.

missing chapter:
Chapter 21 started on page 151 and Chapter 23 on page 160. There is no Chapter 22 in between. Hopefully this was just a labelling error--it didn't feel like a whole chapter was missing.

There's also a couple of Chapter 42s followed by Chapter 44.

The copy is shit. I believe the story is still unadulterated, though. Beggars can't be choosers.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A private investigator, Tres Navarre, attempts to exonerate his brother, Garrett, a fan of pottery-making, computers and Jimmy Buffet, from a murder charge. Lots of twists and turns. This was my first Rick Riordan book and although I believe this is the fifth in the series it was a good-enough stand alone story.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sarcastic filled romp down in Texas, with a good mystery thrown in. This one taking place in Austin, instead of his home turf of San Antonio. For me, it made a difference in the story as Riordan really gives the reader a grand tour of San Antonio, with his detail of the place. That being said, Tres Navarre is a great character, which ever town he ends up in, solving a case.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. This is my favorite Tres Navarre book so far. I really liked how the character Maia made a show again. I also liked how the book went into Tres' brother, Garrett's past. Tres is definitely growing as a character.

[Elar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This time author tried to give clues a little bit differently and it actually worked. There were some inconsistencies about technology. For example about not being able to make screenshots - you can take picture of computer screen with regular camera :D.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compared to the book prior to this one, The Devil Went Down to Austin feels like a disappointment and a step back. Some great ensemble work was thrown out the window and Maia Lee returned for the sole purpose it seemed of being Tres's girlfriend. However, I did like that Riordan started playing around with a different style of storytelling. After every couple of chapters there would be an email written by the killer that really ramped up the suspense and added a sense of urgency and a creep factor to what was going on. Although I did solve the first half of the mystery with ease there were a couple of surprises that I couldn't figure out. For a more complete review check out my blog, Rachael Reads!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can believe it, Tres is finally starting to iron out the wrinkles in his life. Naturally, as soon as that happens, his brother's life goes to hell. This is a very interesting story that touches a lot of psychological bases. Serial killer, phobias, manipulation, resentment, skeletons in the closet. This book really has it all. I was hooked as soon as I started reading. This is definitely the darkest Tres Navarre book so far. So many things change your perspective in this book, that it's hard to keep track of whose side you're on! Great read!

[Meredith Schmitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love his young adult books (Percy Jackson series, Kane Chronicles, Heroes of Olympus), so I thought his adult fiction would be worth checking out. Somehow, his writing just doesn't translate. Never felt that interested in the characters or the story.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually, I just fininshed it moments ago. I am such a fan of his Percy Jackson books I couldn't resist his mysteries. Much to like about this one and liked his first Texas mystery even more.

[Greta G. Hambsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining & Light.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook. This is the 4th installment of the Tres Navarre series. Riordan is most famous for his young adult fantasy fiction, but this is an adult mystery series. Jackson Navarre III (aka Tres) is a unique character. He is a tai chi master with a PhD in medieval studies. The son of sheriff out of San Antonio, Texas, Tres is all Texan. He is a private investigator between academic gigs. He gets in his fair share of trouble. Having lived in San Antonio I appreciate the rich descriptions of the area with nods to the unique culture. In this book Tres is in Austin for the summer to teach a medieval literature class at UT. His brother Garrett, who lost his legs in a train accident, lives in Austin and is a computer whiz. When Garrett is accused of killing his best friend and business partner, Tres can't help but get involved. The internet security program created by Garrett and the dead friend is at the center of the controversy. A hostile take over by a ruthless business man, Tres' former girlfriend and attorney, the dead man's ex-wife, and Garrett, provide Tres with plenty to juggle and figure out. It is a good book, but drags a little in the middle. A couple of twists at the end are satisfying.

[donna_ehm · Rating 1 out of 5]

While narrator Tom Stechschulte continues to turn in a great performance in this series, I found this book left me cold. I'm not a fan of the seemingly all-powerful villain type, i.e. one who delivers lines like With one phone call I can completely destroy your career. With two, I can destroy your life. This is the type of antagonist who can just get any bit of information he/she needs about anyone at all. You know the type.

I just don't find that interesting, I don't care what the backstory is. So Michael Pena rubbed me the wrong way from the off, and I think that carried over into the plot itself and my whole mindset towards the book. I do appreciate Riordan's shaking up the story structure to keep things fresh but again, I had zero interest in bad guy monologuing, which is what those sections amounted to.

I kept with it longer than I would have if I had been reading it because of Stechschulte's highly enjoyable narration but even then I found myself skipping sections or going ahead to the next chapter. When I found myself checking how much time I still had to go before I started listening, I knew it was time to give it up.

Basically: it's not you, Tres. It's me.

[Emesskay · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be honest, I did not finish this book, I could not finish this book. I read for pleasure, for escapism. I also like to read just before I go to bed. This book is just grim. The chapters of the mystery are interspersed with emails from the sociopath murderer detailing his abusive childhood, and everybody has some kind of deep personal trauma they are still dealing with, and people are getting murdered. I could feel myself stressing out when I was reading this, which means it is not meeting the goals of being an escapist, relaxing activity. And I couldn't read it at bedtime, because it would likely give me nightmares. So I put it in the giveaway pile. I am sure it is well written and all that, it was just too much for me, I like my mysteries with humor and a little less anxiety.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often this book went too far to hit you over the head trying to get you to think a certain person was the culprit. It was so much it was obvious it wasn’t him and that took a bit away from the enjoyment of trying to guess who it actually was. The last few chapters were a complete surprise that I definitely did not expect. The resolution was very well done with the exception of one storyline that I felt like was rushed too much and not given the proper amount of attention it deserved. All in all it’s a pretty good mind vacation that still requires you to think a bit. I recommend it to people who like PI books.

[Aidan Macadam · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far my favorite of the series, Rick Riordan takes a bit of a twist on his usual formula, adding in the point of view of the unknown killer. At several points of the book the killer adds his input in, in the form of emails sent to the protagonists of the story (Though notably not the main protag himself).

This was the first in the series I had picked up, without realizing it was a series at all. Originally I wasn't going to read it, but the intro hooked me immediately, and I just had to see where it went. I'm glad I did, Rick Riordan may be known for his children's/YA books, but these are just as good.

[Joe Robles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I know what the hype is about. Sure most people probably know Rick Riordan from Percy Jackson, but he started as a mystery writer, and a damned good one. Winner of the Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus awards, and from this book I can see why. As an Austinite it was fun to take a trip down memory lane and see how much Austin has changed. I was taking summer courses during the time the novel takes place. I am a background character in this novel. A great read with expertly done twists. Look forward to reading the whole series.

[Tim Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a mystery, I didn't hate it. It wasn't the best but it certainly isn't the worst thing I have ever read. I was able to identify the perp fairly early in the story, which is usually a strike against mysteries for me. Also, your red herring should not be beaten up 27 times before chapter 10. Nobody's going to believe he (or she) is a killer if they keep getting their ass kicked.

The twist at the end did catch me by surprise though I felt that it would have been more believable if it was a more loosely related character.

Otherwise, kind of a fun story.

[Missyjohnson1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tres takes a break from his PI work to teach a summer school class at UT and ends up investigating a murder that his brother is accused of committing. Maia is back in his life as well which works out nicely since they work together so smoothly when it comes time to kick some butt. Interesting premise as Garrett, Ruby and Jimmy are planning to IPO their new tech company when a shady investor sabotages the company to get it at a lower price. All kinds of fun mysterious action around Austin, and Lake Travis.

[Scott Bolick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best in the series thus far. I think this is the novel where the Tres Navarre series stops being a just another detective series and grows into a solid series in its own right. The stakes are more personal and all the characters feel more real. The return of Maia and the larger role for Garrett really bring Tres into the case in a more solid way. The core mystery is solid and while I figured out who the killer was pretty early in the novel there were still some twists that caught me by surprise. A delightful read for any mystery fan.

[Kathryne Baldwin · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading 42% of this book, I just simply put it down. I'm a huge fan of Rick Riordan and even have family living in Austin, so, based on the colorful language of the narrative and the setting alone, I thought this book was a shoo-in as one of my new favorites. Unfortunately, that just was not the case. I can't related to the characters and, honestly, I'm not even entirely sure what is going on. There's no mystery when there's no plot development. Bummer.

[Vishal Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the plot fascinating. However, Rick's detailed descriptions and long winded dialogues slowed down the action for me. I realise that a lot of readers actually enjoy this sort of evocative writing and verbal banter ... sorry doesn't really work that well for me! Couldn't bring myself to give out that teeny weeny fifth star!

[Andrew Winner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Picked it up at the library because my kids liked the Percy Jackson series. Uh, no. He should have stuck with YA. A dull detective book. The main character and his brother are not terribly engaging. The dialogue is pretty wooden. The whodunit part isn't inspiring at all. By the time I found out who, and why, I was in the "I don't care. I just want this to be over" mode. Save your time.

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting characters with a few gripping action scenes... a decent summer read and a worthy part of my 5-books-for-a-dollar pile at the yard sales last weekend. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I didn't jump into the series at book #4 - I felt like there was a lot of background I was missing.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 25th may 2024 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner and apparently this is the first from riordan...as i have no riordan shelf do now. tres navarre #4. all in all an entertaining story has you looking over there1..................when you realize ok wait now...lover over yonder. as they say down south.

[Nerissa Narciso · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is so intense. I like this better compared to the first three books of the series. I was confident that the killer is Lopez haha at almost 90% hahaha then turning out he isnt then realizing hes actually clara son, when tres find that hole on dwayne hayes bathroom. What a nice book! Now i can finally say that trying diff genre books is also good toooooooo hihihi

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tres Navarre lives again through a series of murders as he tries t save his brother from prison. The characters, bodies and psychological victims abound. And the suspects change throughout. This is the most convoluted tale with the intricacies provided by Riordan. This is a must-read thriller and top tier mind trip. Enjoy!

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn good book!

I liked everything about this book! I lived in Austin for ten of some of the best years of my life and this brings back lots of memories!
Love the storyline, love the local, love memories of the places it brings back! Loved the book!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I really enjoyed this book. I've read most of the young adult fiction by this author but it's my first adult novel by him. Tree is a very likable character. I love his sarcasm. I look forward to reading another Navarre mystery.