Proof Positive

Joe Gunther #25

by Archer Mayor

Ben Kendall was a troubled man. Coming back from Vietnam with PTSD and scars that no one else could see, he hid away from the world, filling his house with an ever-increasing amount of stuff, until finally, the piles collapsed and he was found dead, crushed beneath his own belongings. But what at first glance looks to be a tragic accidental death of a hoarder, may be something much more--and much deadlier. Ben's cousin, medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom, unsettled by the circumstances of his death, alerts Joe Gunther and his Vermont Bureau of Investigation team.
Ben, it seems, brought back something else from Vietnam than personal demons--he also brought back combat photos and negatives that someone else wants desperately to keep from the public eye. When Beverly's daughter Rachel made her cousin Ben--and his photos--the subject of her college art project, some of those photos appeared on the walls of a local art gallery. This in turn resulted in the appearance of a two man hit squad, searching for some other missing negatives. With Joe Gunther and his squad trailing behind the grisly research results of the hit team, and the deadly killers closing in on Rachel, Gunther has little time to find and protect Rachel before she ends up in the same grisly state as her cousin before her. Archer Mayor's "Proof Positive" is another enthralling installment in the Joe Gunther Series.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Procedural, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

Over 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.

Reviews

[James Thane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Gunther and his team of detectives from the Vermont Bureau of Investigation return for the twenty-fifth time in Proof Positive. The story opens with the death of a reclusive Vietnam war vet named Ben Kendall. Kendall, though actually an army photographer rather than a combat soldier, had nonetheless been wounded in the war and, after returning home, had largely kept to himself in his secluded rural home.

He had also become a hoarder, and every room in his house was filled with newspapers, magazines and other things that he had collected through the years. When he's found dead under a pile of debris that had collapsed on him, he appears to be the victim of a tragic household accident. But Kendall's cousin is the state Medical Examiner, Beverly Hillstrom and Beverly, in turn, is the current Main Squeeze of Joe Gunther, the head of the VBI.

Beverly performs the autopsy on her cousin and it leaves her feeling uneasy, though she can't point to anything definitely amiss. Joe agrees to look into the situation for her and when a second body is discovered deep among the piles of stuff that Kendall had crammed into the house, things definitely get more interesting.

The second body is that of a minor criminal and it now appears that buried in the mountains of stuff that Kendall had hoarded over the years may lie a secret that could be very damaging to a very powerful person. That person will stop at nothing to protect the secret and before long a whole list of people associated with Ben Kendall may be in very deep trouble.

This is a clever and entertaining plot; the cast of characters is now very well-developed and settling in with this book is like picking up with a group of old friends. This is one of the best regional mystery series that a reader might find and Archer Mayor has sustained a very high level of quality throughout the entire series. This book could be read as a stand-alone but be forewarned; it may well make you want to go back and read all of the previous twenty-four Joe Gunther books.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Sentence: It was the time of year when New England wobbles between fall and winter, as prone to Indian summer as to sudden, short-lived snow-storms.

Vietnam vet Ben Kendall suffered from PDST, became a recluse and a hoarder. Yet, there was one person he let into his world; a young photographer Rachel, daughter of medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom and Det. Joe Gunther’s lady love. Rachel has the misfortune to find Ben dead by an apparent accident. Once it’s found to be murder, Joe discovers, thought Rachel, that there are two men very determined to find photos Ben took in Vietnam…and they are willing to kill.

Mayor starts us off with a very good, engrossing, slightly creepy opening. However, it is clear, from the beginning, that Joe is a good guy, in the old-fashioned sense of that word. Major does a very good job of providing back stories for his characters that are concise; so as to neither bore fans of the series nor take one out of the story, yet they provide sufficient introduction to new readers.

Mayor’s sense of place is excellent; “But Joe was a dyed-in-the-wool new Englander, and had no problem with an environment that could reach out and kill him half of every year. He felt it added to the character of the region—and its inhabitants…” His writer’s voice is engaging… “Frank didn’t respond. Neil’s verbal patter was like background noise to him by now—not much different from distant freeway traffic, or the ticking of a small clock.”

“Proof Positive” is a very good read with escalating suspense, surprise plot twists and a satisfying ending.

PROOF POSITIVE (Pol Proc-Joe Gunther-Vermont- Contemp) – VG+
Mayor, Archer – 25th in series
Minotaur Books, 2014

[Kevintipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Kendall was known to be a hoarder. The piles of debris outside his home tended to indicate that. Anyone who looked inside would know it as well, but he allowed very few access. Once he finally made it home from Vietnam he had wanted to be left alone all these years. For the most part he had been. That meant he also did not get the help he needed to deal with the trauma of war and what he saw and experienced there as a combat photographer.

Medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom did as much for Ben as he would allow over the years. With the recent discovery by a burglar of Ben’s decomposing body in his home, Beverly isn’t really sure what happened to her first cousin. The Vermont State Police are handling the case. Having taken a look at the autopsy there are things that have her curious. Unfortunately, she does not have somebody like VBI agent Joe Gunther working for the state police. The good thing is she does have an increasing connection with Joe and he is willing to make a phone call. Another good thing is the fact that the lead investigator for the Virginia State Police, Owen Baern, is very open to Joe taking a look. That includes going out to the house and working their way into where Ben was found.

It does not take long before Joe and Owen realize this is not a simple case of a hoarder being crushed to death by his own stuff. Somebody else, besides the burglar who reported the body, was in the house at the time of the death or shortly before. Hoarders are always rumored to have high value treasures buried in their homes. Whether somebody else was going after rumors of wealth and killed Ben several weeks ago or somebody was specifically searching for materials connected to the exhibition of photographs Ben took during the Vietnam War is open to debate. Not only is it important to figure that out to bring Ben’s killer to justice, considering the fact that Beverly’s daughter, Rachel, was involved in getting the photographs displayed as part of a well-publicized art exhibit, she could be in danger if the photographs and other things she has been working with are the target of the killer or killers.

With a series that began in Open Season the latest in Joe Gunther series showcases the continuing evolution of the characters themselves as well as in their relationship to each other and society as a whole. This is a series that should definitely be read in order. It is not a static series where folks don’t age and change. Instead, it is one where those involved continue to change-- sometimes in large ways -- as folks in the real world do as events and situations occur. That life like aspect coupled with a solidly good mystery make Proof Positive: A Joe Gunther Novel” as well as the many other books in the series excellent reads.

Proof Positive: A Joe Gunther Novel
Archer Mayor
http://www.archermayor.com
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com
September 2014
ISBN#978-1-250-02639-2
Hardback (also available in audio and e-book formats)
303 Pages
$25.99


Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Joe Gunther series and this is a good one. Hit men from out of state, Willy at his best, a good story. Sharp ending. A hoarder. Moves around the state, even ventures into NH and down to Philly.

Oh, and speaking of Philly, the small chapter of their visit to Philly includes some great scenes and food. Including: Philly Cheese Steaks and large soft Pretzels with mustard (both a must) and then some scrapple and a wonderful mention of Tastykakes (one of my favorite PA snacks). That was a sharp little diversion and much appreciated.

Even the bad guys have some fun and smarts.

An easy read, two days and done. Very good.

[Karen Billingsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

HATED THE ENDING!

[David Freas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll admit up front I’m a big fan of Archer Mayor’s Joe Gunther novels. I haven’t read a truly bad one yet, although a few haven’t measured up to the others.

This one is on the cusp of greatness. It was one of the most engaging stories I’ve read in this series and would have rated 4 stars but for two shortcomings.

1/It’s one of those ‘bigger than life’ novels with an antagonist who is so wealthy and powerful, he can do whatever he wants and so smart, no one can touch him. I always find books like that to be a little hard to buy into.

2/ The ending was a bit of a letdown. While there is a conclusion here, there is no resolution. Mayor didn’t tell the reader how Joe and his team nailed the bad guys, just left us to believe they did. That smacks of taking the easy way out (Mayor didn’t have to come up with a realistic way to take down the bad guys) and shortchanging the reader by leaving him hanging. He did something similar in Three Can Keep A Secret, the prior book in the series, as well. I hope this isn’t going to be his modus operandi from now on.

So the best I can give this book is three stars.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Archer Mayor continues his excellent run of great books with his latest. I have followed Joe Gunther from the very beginning, and have enjoyed every adventure. This time, when I turned the last page, I said out loud, "What? You're leaving me there?????" My husband laughed at me, after all I was talking to a book!!
This book is great on so many levels....Joe's personal life, the particular case involved with all its' twists and turns...and I still want to know, Mr. Mayor....are you really leaving me off there???

[Carol Stanley-Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECEIVED FREE THROUGH GOODREADS FIRST READS.

From a hoarder who is a Viet Nam vet with PTSD, to a Senator who is as crooked as the yellow brick road! And Joe Gunther with his 'posse' must untangle the murdering mess.

Loved this first dip into Mr. Mayors pool of mystery!!

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I know I read these books out of sequence. I get them at book sales and such. This was one, a signed copy at a library sale. Who can resist? But the time sequence of Joe Gunther's personal life doesn't seem to matter all that much. Well, not to me, anyway. He has a new girl friend in this book. That may have happened previously, no matter. Anyway, the new girlfriend alerts Joe to a potentially suspicious death in his neighborhood. (Joe is still in Brattleboro, even though he has state-wide responsibility now). Turns out a hoarder was apparently killed by his hoard falling on him. Or was he? well, obviously not, or there would be no story. But what was in the hoard that was so interesting? A trail that leads through a chunk of Vermont, Philadelphia and then Washington DC up to the person who incited the crimes. Yes, it's fast moving, it reads easily, it has lots of wry glimpses of Vermont, all the usual ingredients. Nicely done

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with Joe Gunther, special agent in the Vermont Bureau of Investigation and I had high hopes for this novel. He's a likeable enough character and has the requisite team working alongside with whom to quip, gripe, and explore both the mystery de jour and personal lives as needed.
A four star beginning that quickly deteriorated due to an all too easy to guess identity of the bad guy and attendant plot line, followed by a very weak and unsatisfying ending-- one that felt artificially abrupt.
Perhaps other entries in the Joe Gunther series are better, but this one just managed rather than excelled in the genre of regional mysteries.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is at the far edge of my tolerance for violence. The descriptions of how hired killers tortured and killed people was probably necessary to build suspense but I had to put the book down quite often. That made keeping up with the cast of characters and the plot difficult. This is book 25 in the series (of course it is) so I imagine the author has a following. Even so the folksy cops and the brutal killers didn’t ring true for me. I mean probably realistic but not true in the sense of well written crime fiction; more Lee Child’s less Reginald Hill. No finesse at all.

Also the end made me roll my eyes.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I had read one other in this series that was merely okay. I did not look it up to be sure. The audio library in my area runs only about 10% with finding a book that you will even be able to finish let alone give 5 stars to. Very surprised how good this was and I did not want to stop listening. Of course, there are no more in this series on Audio. I keep telling myself to just forget ever going on there again since it really irritates me how bad the books usually are to borrow. I will see how my public library does in this series and definitely read more.

[Michael crage · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a good solid 4 1/2 star until it do not end. I hate when books just infer an end and don't really tell about it and that is what this one did. I did enjoy it up to that time.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently discovered Archer Mayor and his Joe Gunther mysteries. Now I'm bingeing on everything I can find at the local library. Joe heads up a small team of three detectives in a regional office of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation, where they investigate homicides and other major cases. His approach is methodical and steady, following the evidence as it arises and where it leads. Set in Vermont, I like the setting and pace of the novels. No over the top conspiracies or violence.

[Malcolm Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to the series. Such an easy read, always enjoyable. Continues to capture the spirit of Vermont.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eccentric old hoarder is found dead under a pile of junk in his rabbit warren house and his death is written off as an accident. The medical examiner, Beverly Hillstrom, who happens to be a cousin of the victim and, also, Joe Gunter's latest lady friend, is not completely happy with that verdict and approaches Joe to ask him, as a favor, to poke around a bit.

It begins to look like some very ruthless bad guys are desperate to find something that his hidden in Ben Kendell's mountains of junk and are willing to kidnap, torture and murder people to get what they want.

Maggee, was very happy to see Joe in a solid relationship with Beverly, and we both would like to let Mr. Mayor know that we will be very, very, annoyed if she kills her off like he did the last love interest.

This book will stand as a delegate book representing the whole Joe Gunther series in the Bump Memorial Library.

37. MemoryWalk: MemoryWalk: at the Arena Grocery in Fort St. John (still there?)... F.E. Spicer, Maggee's paternal grandfather and one-time mayor of the town, is standing in front of the store. He is standing sideways in front of red and white Coca Cola sign with a black licorice cigar held between his teeth. “Steady, Mr. Mayor. Don't move.” Twang! And an arrow strikes the cigar out of the mayor's teeth and pins it to the sign. F.E. Spicer, looking a bit pale, turns to face the bowman who is walking toward him. The bowman says, “Well, I think you will conceded that what you have just seen is PROOF POSITIVE, the I am, indeed, the Peace Country's best archer, Mr. Mayor.”

[Gloria Feit · Rating 3 out of 5]

A typical Joe Gunther novel has him and his team slogging along attempting to put a picture together to solve whatever crime they’re investigating. In this novel, the Vermont Bureau of Investigation team Joe heads is involved in looking deeply into the death of a semi-recluse, Ben Kendall, who served as a photographer in Vietnam. Joe is asked to look into the death, which does not appear to be suspicious, by his girlfriend, Beverly Hillstrom, the state’s medical examiner, who is a cousin to the dead man, who was a hoarder very much like the storied Collyer brothers who gained fame many decades earlier in New York City.

Almost as soon as Joe starts looking into the situation, Ben’s ex-wife is murdered in Philadelphia, where Ben originally came from. From that point, a full investigation proceeds, complicated by additional deaths and kidnappings and the fact that Beverly’s daughter is cataloguing and photographing Ben’s photos and junk and might be the next victim. The problem is that no one knows what Ben may have brought back from Vietnam or what the instigator of all the crimes is looking for.

Like the previous novels in the series, the police procedural descriptions are straightforward and logical, and the characters play their accustomed roles, especially Joe’s colleague, Willy. One quibble: The conclusion strikes a manufactured false note affecting the usual high quality of a novel in this series. ‘Tis a pity, because the Joe Gunther novels are as good a series as there is today.

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Proof Positive" is a fine piece of writing about the work of the Vermont-based detective Joe Gunther and his cohorts. Pretty tightly written. I get the idea (I can't recall offhand the other "Gunther" book in the series I've read)that the hero's a pretty nice fellow, while being a competent and creative law enforcement officer and suited to his environment. Maybe looking at the photo of the author scrunched into his pose with his little doggie (a poodle?) helps. This story is not bloated with pages of self-aggrandizing, foul-mouthed, descriptions of the protagonist's sad and twisted life's experiences, and for a change I enjoyed, too, the restraint Archer Mayor demonstrates in sharing sex and intimacy scenes just to explain that his characters are sometimes appealing human beings. Thumbs up. But, hey, now, did the butler have anything to do with this?

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Archer Mayor continues to write suspenseful and enjoyable books about Vermont. In this case, a senator sends hit men into Vermont to kill a recluse who is a hoarder. The dead man, Ben Kendall, served as a photographer in Viet Nam, and is a relative of Joe Gunther's current girlfriend, Beverly Hillstrom, the medical examiner of Vermont. Beverly's daughter, Rachel, has been doing a video documentary of Kendall and has convinced the art museum of the University of Vermont to exhibit some of Ben's photographs of Viet Nam and some of hers of Ben's house. Soon, Rachel is in danger;Joe has his work cut out to catch the hit men and to find the person who hired them, as well as why the person wants Rachel and others killed.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally love the work of Archer Mayor, Vermont mystery writer. This book, while well written, descended into horrific torture and violence. There is enough of this in real life - I don't need to read fictional accounts. My theory is that as good writers run out of story lines they turn to violence to sell books. I had hoped Mayor was above that, but apparently not. I made it partway through the book and then stopped. Think I'll go back and read one of his first books over again....

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get past page 37. Just didn't feel like the Joe Gunther I had come to respect. I am no prude, but in 37 pages, he has groped his girlfriend and gone to bed with her. Not why I am (was) reading this series.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abrupt ending? Um...yes.

First read 10/14/2020. Second read 5/9/2023. Abrupt ending indeed. But I get it now. And proof as in photo proof…so punny with this title. I enjoyed this one and I really hope they nail that bad guy to the wall. Or bury him under the jail!

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

His weakest, by far.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published 2014 as #25 in series (I read Mayor in any order I get them because this year I read my first novel featuring Joe Gunther and became an avid reader of this series.). I like the writing style about Joe’s personality traits and his (fictional) Vermont Investigation Bureau (VBI). The investigative procedures are more realistic than most FBI and police stories. Joe’s team is the best of the best from each law enforcement organization and has more statewide resources; an ideal being born and growing all the time. All the characters come to life with very different personalities, all interesting. Most of the characters are in every book but it’s no problem to read each as a standalone. You might just get hooked like many mystery/thriller/crime solver-lovers have.
(On a personal note, I don’t believe we realize how much time and effort is required to investigate a murder investigation until someone we think we know well is accused when we're sure they are innocent. Especially with a very convoluted, horrifying murder case with no provable suspects for a long time. It makes one more sensitive to such situations, both real and fictional.

This is a long, drawn-out investigation with no hard evidence and only determination to resolve. It can only happen with luck sometimes.

BEN KENDALL is the focus of this tragic investigation. When he returned home from View Nam, he was a very damaged man who isolated himself and became a hoarder, both inside and outside his house. The opening chapter is a kind of horror tour that outdoes scenes on the TV shows about hoarders.

The Vermont medical examiner, BEVERLY HILLSTROM is Ben’s cousin and she’s suspicious. Her daughter RACHEL made her cousin Ben’s photo collection and junk designs her school project, so now she feels guilty that her school art project was the cause of his death. Dr. Hillstrom is prominent in this novel; we learn what has made her the way she is. She is Joe’s romantic partner. Joe suggests to Rachel that she photograph the disassembling of Ben’s estate. As Joe hoped, Rachel is familiar with details that help with clues. As the structure is taken apart, they all get a surprised and the plot continues to thicken.

Joe and his VBI team try to protect her when the killers come after Rachel to kill her too, as they have others who didn’t or couldn’t help them find the war photos that could incriminate them after Viet Nam finally ended. Driving this murderous concern is a senator running for reelection. He was in charge when the Army used Ben’s skills as photographer and he thought he killed him in Viet Nam.

There are cold, cruel people that need to be eliminated, as a few are, and more that at least need sent to prison for life which we like assume they will be.

This is the first novel I’ve read that ends with a cliffhanger. Not hard to interpret the outcome, but still.

[Holly Gravel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe and Beverly Hillstrom have been a couple since the last book!

A wealthy Senator had been in Vietnam with the other dead men. They watched him rape then kill a woman, and another woman and child. Hoarder Ben has photos, since he was a photographer with the Signal Corps back in the day, and they're found at the end in this trash stash. The Senator had shot him in the head, but he ran and lived, plus killed a war writer at the same time, paying off others there for life to keep quiet. In the end, the Senator's butler will provide all the details needed to prosecute him! An abrupt ending, but easy to understand.


Ben Kendall was a troubled man. Coming back from Vietnam with PTSD and scars that no one else could see, he hid away from the world, filling his house with an ever-increasing amount of stuff, until finally, the piles collapsed and he was found dead, crushed beneath his own belongings. But what at first glance looks to be a tragic accidental death of a hoarder, may be something much more--and much deadlier. Ben's cousin, medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom, unsettled by the circumstances of his death, alerts Joe Gunther and his Vermont Bureau of Investigation team.
Ben, it seems, brought back something else from Vietnam than personal demons--he also brought back combat photos and negatives that someone else wants desperately to keep from the public eye. When Beverly's daughter Rachel made her cousin Ben--and his photos--the subject of her college art project, some of those photos appeared on the walls of a local art gallery. This in turn resulted in the appearance of a two man hit squad, searching for some other missing negatives. With Joe Gunther and his squad trailing behind the grisly research results of the hit team, and the deadly killers closing in on Rachel, Gunther has little time to find and protect Rachel before she ends up in the same grisly state as her cousin before her. Archer Mayor's "Proof Positive" is another enthralling ins

[Erth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Archer Mayor has yet to disappoint me! Quite a record, I'd say. While the characters are the same throughout, Mayor has them change as time goes by - everyone ages, work and personal situations change, even the VBI unit was not in existence at the beginning of the series. The main players, Gunther himself, Sammie, Willie Kunkle, Lester are all well fleshed out, and "visiting" them again is a treat. As in earlier works, the mystery is complex and different from the others put forward. This one is tied to events during Viet Nam and pictures that were taken by a photographer that surfaced more than 40 years after the fact. The photographer, the first to be killed, is a cousin to the Vermont medical examiner and Gunther's romantic partner. That death unleashes a rash of killings orchestrated by someone who has much to lose from these photos going public. The suspense is low-key, just like Gunther himself, by nevertheless, riveting. The ending is a bit of irony and satisfying. The Vermont setting is very realistic as are the people created by Mayor. I look forward to his next offering.

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publisher Description
Ben Kendall was a troubled man. Coming back from Vietnam with PTSD and scars that no one else could see, he hid away from the world, filling his house with an ever-increasing amount of stuff, until finally, the piles collapsed and he was found dead, crushed beneath his own belongings. But what at first glance looks to be a tragic accidental death of a hoarder, may be something much more and much deadlier. Ben’s cousin, medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom, unsettled by the circumstances of his death, alerts Joe Gunther and his Vermont Bureau of Investigation team.

MY THOUGHTS
Proof Positive is one of the best in this series with a fast pace, great storyline, my favorite characters, and the sights and sounds of Vermont and surrounding areas. The ending is ambiguous, more or less up to the reader. I prefer to have everything nailed down, though it didn't distress me enough to subtract stars.

[Ibrahim Alshutwi · Rating 3 out of 5]

عند آرتشر مير اشكالية كبيرة في نهايات كتبه، وهي إنه مايعطيك خاتمة، ينهي القضية وينتهي الكتاب مباشرة والحقيقة هذا شيء مزعج جدا، وأنا أشوف إن موضوع الخاتمة سواء في الكتب أو الأفلام -أي الخاتمة بعد انتهاء الحبكة الرئيسية، ما أقصد طريقة إنها الحبكة- تعتبر من أهم الأشياء في القصة فيها تتجمع المشاعر المتراكمة من كامل الحكاية وتنوخذ منك في هذي الدقائق أو الصفحات الأخيرة... تحاملت هالعذروب فيه في أربع وعشرين كتاب، لكنه وصلني لحدي في هالكتاب، مب منطقي ينهي القضية اللي تلاحق فيها عضو بمجلس الشيوخ الأمريكي بانك اكتشفت إن الخادم الشخصي له يعرف الأحداث فممكن يشهد عليه، ماشفنا تأثيره على عضو المجلس ما قبض عليه .. فجأة أنهى الكتاب شيء يقهر

[B.R. Stateham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course I find an interesting series and begin right in the middle of the series. That's the way we roll in these neck of the woods, Little Red Riding Hood.

But putting that aside, I liked the book. Joe Gunther is a laid back investigator for the Vermont Bureau of Investigation and he's just pretty damn good. An investigator with empathy. You don't find that very much in the genre. The novel is a step-by-step sequence of investigative escalation which makes perfect sense and easy to follow.

I guess I'll have to read more of Archer Mayor's Joe Gunther.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Archer Mayor’s style and the Joe Gunther series. I haven’t read them in sequence. But I pick up with the characters and move along with them in their development. This one was particularly interesting as what was on the surface,the death of a Vietnam vet and hoarder takes us metaphorically through the layers of his life and ultimately back to Vietnam which has equal numbers of layers, tunnels, foxholes, beauty and destruction. I like the twists and turns of the multi-dimensional characters.