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Bad Country
Winner of the Tony Hillerman Prize, winner of the Spur Award for Best Western Contemporary Novel, and a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, a debut mystery set in the Southwest starring a former rodeo cowboy turned private investigator, told in a transfixingly original style.
Rodeo Grace Garnet lives with his old dog in a remote corner of Arizona known to locals as El Hoyo. He doesn't get many visitors in The Hole, but a body found near his home has drawn police attention to his front door. The victim is not one of the many undocumented immigrants who risk their lives to cross the border in Rodeo's harsh and deadly "backyard," but a member of a major Southwestern Indian tribe, whose death is part of a mysterious rompecabeza-a classic crime puzzler-that includes multiple murders, cold-blooded betrayals, and low-down scheming, with Rodeo caught in the middle.
Retired from the rodeo circuit and scraping by on piecework as a bounty hunter, warrant server, and divorce snoop, Rodeo doesn't have much choice but to say yes when offered an unusual case. An elderly Indian woman from his own Reservation has hired him to help discover who murdered her grandson, but she seems strangely uninterested in the results. Her attitude seems heartless, but as Rodeo pursues interrelated cases, he learns that the old woman's indifference is nothing compared to true hatred, and aligned against a variety of creative and cruel foes, the hard-pressed PI is about to discover just how far hate can go.
CB McKenzie's Bad Country is a noir novel that is as deep and twisty as a desert arroyo. With confident, accomplished prose, McKenzie captures the rough-and-tumble outer reaches of the Southwest in a transfixingly original style that transcends the traditional crime novel.
Rodeo Grace Garnet lives with his old dog in a remote corner of Arizona known to locals as El Hoyo. He doesn't get many visitors in The Hole, but a body found near his home has drawn police attention to his front door. The victim is not one of the many undocumented immigrants who risk their lives to cross the border in Rodeo's harsh and deadly "backyard," but a member of a major Southwestern Indian tribe, whose death is part of a mysterious rompecabeza-a classic crime puzzler-that includes multiple murders, cold-blooded betrayals, and low-down scheming, with Rodeo caught in the middle.
Retired from the rodeo circuit and scraping by on piecework as a bounty hunter, warrant server, and divorce snoop, Rodeo doesn't have much choice but to say yes when offered an unusual case. An elderly Indian woman from his own Reservation has hired him to help discover who murdered her grandson, but she seems strangely uninterested in the results. Her attitude seems heartless, but as Rodeo pursues interrelated cases, he learns that the old woman's indifference is nothing compared to true hatred, and aligned against a variety of creative and cruel foes, the hard-pressed PI is about to discover just how far hate can go.
CB McKenzie's Bad Country is a noir novel that is as deep and twisty as a desert arroyo. With confident, accomplished prose, McKenzie captures the rough-and-tumble outer reaches of the Southwest in a transfixingly original style that transcends the traditional crime novel.
292 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2014
148 people are currently reading
2609 people want to read
About the author
C.B. McKenzie
3 books80 followersBorn in Texas, CB McKenzie has been a lifeguard, an haute couture model, carpenter, housepainter, waiter, farm hand, teacher and factory worker in a wide variety of locales around the world including Arkansas, Vermont, Hamburg, Miami, Milan, Tokyo and Tucson. He earned both an MFA and a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona and was full-time faculty at Pima Community College. Though he currently teaches at City University of New York, he still keeps his pick-ups in Tucson and Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 243 reviews
June 6, 2015
Rodeo Grace Garnet is a former rodeo star turned private investigator.
His luck is not so hot.
On returning from a vacation with the "whites" he discovers a dead body on his property. It's one of many bodies turning up near his home. He then gets pushed into a case of a murdered boy named Samuel Rocha. Samuel was supposedly gunned down in a drive-by shooting. His mean Grandma hires Rodeo to find out who killed the boy.
Rodeo as the main character in a book makes the reader feel like the man can't find the answers to any questions. He is unassuming and the pacing of his tale is slow and methodical. Rodeo surprises you though once you begin to listen to him. He has that ability to find things out that a "louder" investigator does not.
The story weaves in the murders of local Indians with the murder of this young boy, and it's an interesting ride.
You feel that desert sun beating down on you in this book. I hate the sun and I still was entranced.
Fans of noir should eat up this book, I will say one problem I had with it was their are no quotations used during speaking parts of the book. It throws you at first but then the story sweeps you up so I'll forgive the author that.
I see this book being compared to Tony Hillerman books. I've tried to read Hillerman several times and just never found my groove with him. I liked this one better. (sorry Hillerman fans)
His luck is not so hot.
On returning from a vacation with the "whites" he discovers a dead body on his property. It's one of many bodies turning up near his home. He then gets pushed into a case of a murdered boy named Samuel Rocha. Samuel was supposedly gunned down in a drive-by shooting. His mean Grandma hires Rodeo to find out who killed the boy.
Rodeo as the main character in a book makes the reader feel like the man can't find the answers to any questions. He is unassuming and the pacing of his tale is slow and methodical. Rodeo surprises you though once you begin to listen to him. He has that ability to find things out that a "louder" investigator does not.
The story weaves in the murders of local Indians with the murder of this young boy, and it's an interesting ride.
You feel that desert sun beating down on you in this book. I hate the sun and I still was entranced.
Fans of noir should eat up this book, I will say one problem I had with it was their are no quotations used during speaking parts of the book. It throws you at first but then the story sweeps you up so I'll forgive the author that.
I see this book being compared to Tony Hillerman books. I've tried to read Hillerman several times and just never found my groove with him. I liked this one better. (sorry Hillerman fans)
October 31, 2015
There have been many words used to describe a book...raw..riveting..dark..
Captivating..relentless..intriguing..memorable..unforgettable..driven..
Unique..phenomenal..unputdownable..gripping..compelling..,but few books I have ever read could be described by all of these words.
I freaking loved this book,probably one of the best books I have read in a long time. The characters are so well written,they felt authentic. They stayed with me long after the last page was turned.
Rodeo Garnet is a man of few words,but by far one of the best protagonists I have ever read. Once I was immersed in this book I resented being interrupted.
If you enjoy good fiction,read this book.
A big thank you to my friend "Shelby-wants flying monkeys",I was stalking her shelves and discovered this gem.
Captivating..relentless..intriguing..memorable..unforgettable..driven..
Unique..phenomenal..unputdownable..gripping..compelling..,but few books I have ever read could be described by all of these words.
I freaking loved this book,probably one of the best books I have read in a long time. The characters are so well written,they felt authentic. They stayed with me long after the last page was turned.
Rodeo Garnet is a man of few words,but by far one of the best protagonists I have ever read. Once I was immersed in this book I resented being interrupted.
If you enjoy good fiction,read this book.
A big thank you to my friend "Shelby-wants flying monkeys",I was stalking her shelves and discovered this gem.
November 17, 2016
I almost gave up on this private detective story set in AZ but as it picked up the plot got better and better. Many different people were pulled together as suspects in multiple deaths that in fact might or might not be a serial killer. Not anywhere close as good as the Walt Longmire series but still an interesting take on the blending of Hispanic and Indian people living on the MX AZ boarder.
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November 8, 2014A quick book-jacket review of BAD COUNTRY might read something like "a page-turner that re-sets Country Noir in the dusty off-roads of the Arizona that tourists don't see" or "Raymond Chandler meets James Crumley in the bad parts of present-day Tucson," and while those are fairly accurate teasers, this debut crime novel is also a whole lot more. BAD COUNTRY introduces us to Rodeo Grace Garnet, a former rodeo rider turned PI, though one who has a lot more problems than he has clients--and here's hoping this is the first book in a series. If you're a reader who likes mysteries, there's a superb and intricately crafted one tangled up in the center of BAD COUNTRY; indeed, one structured in a way reminiscent of Chandler, and populated by a mix of strange and difficult characters. I'm a big fan of top-shelf crime fiction, but have no interest in the mystery--it's good language and writing that attract me, and here the comparisons to Chandler and Crumley are also warranted. Where author C.B. McKenzie shines is in creating atmosphere, painting memorable characters, observing social interactons, and writing fantastic dialogue. I found BAD COUNTRY an un-put-downable page-turner that also struck me every few pages as a beautifully written novel--highly "literary" without being too much so for the crime fiction section of the bookshop. BAD COUNTRY is gathering notice: it won the Tony Hillerman Prize, and is listed as one of the "Amazon Editors Favorite Books of the Year." It is much, much better than any first novel has a right to be, and I'm really looking forward to reading more from McKenzie.
November 11, 2014
BAD COUNTRY delivers a plot-driven genre-mashing mystery that I could not put down. Set in Tucson’s Sonoran Desert, the prose performs its spare and beautiful landscape. Yet as rugged as BAD COUNTRY’S “good” and “bad” guys are, there are laugh out loud moments. As a former Tucsonan, CB McKenzie nails Barrio Historico, the reservation fringe, local watering holes, and neighborhood characters. I simply LOVED this book.
November 20, 2014
I do not usually read masculine 'cowboy' crime mysteries, but this one drew me in and held me throughout. The plot was thick and interesting, but especially compelling was the stark yet descriptive writing, for example: "Stay away from the Sirenas of this world and get you a plain woman who thinks a hot dog and popcorn at Walmart's is a dinner date." Or: "Rodeo walked out of the store, resettled in his truck, peeled back the wrapper from the burrito and fed his good dog a bad breakfast."
February 6, 2017
A friend of mine discovered this book on the book list from the California Books for the Blind. She thought I might enjoy the book and she was correct, I did. This book won the Spur Award for 2015 Best Contemporary Western Novel. It also won the Tony Hillerman Prize for 2015. The book was also a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
The book is set in the Tuscan, Arizona area with trips to Bixby, Arizona. Much of the story is set on the San Carlos Indian Reservation. Our protagonist is a former rodeo cowboy who has become a private investigator, bail bonds and bounty hunter, named Rodeo Grace Garnet. Garnet lives with his old dog in a remote corner of an area that was a failed residential development. Garnet is a Yaqui Indian and grew up on the Reservation. A member of a major southwestern Indian Tribe is found dead near Garnet’s home. When he called finding the body into the local Sheriff’s office, they were out on another dead body call. Both were killed by shotgun blasts, then the Sheriff is killed the same way. Garnet has been hired by an elderly woman from the Reservation who wants to know why her grandson was killed in a drive-by. The story proceeds as a classic crime puzzle that includes multiple murder-betrayal plots.
The book is well written and the plot twist and turns. There is action and suspense, sort of in the flavor of a Tony Hillerman story. The author is either well versed in the problems of the Indian Reservations or has done extensive research on the subject. McKenzie also provides beautiful scenic descriptions. It is an interesting first novel.
Mark Bramhall did an excellent job narrating the book. He was great in performing the various accents. Bramhall is an actor and award winning audiobook narrator.
The book is set in the Tuscan, Arizona area with trips to Bixby, Arizona. Much of the story is set on the San Carlos Indian Reservation. Our protagonist is a former rodeo cowboy who has become a private investigator, bail bonds and bounty hunter, named Rodeo Grace Garnet. Garnet lives with his old dog in a remote corner of an area that was a failed residential development. Garnet is a Yaqui Indian and grew up on the Reservation. A member of a major southwestern Indian Tribe is found dead near Garnet’s home. When he called finding the body into the local Sheriff’s office, they were out on another dead body call. Both were killed by shotgun blasts, then the Sheriff is killed the same way. Garnet has been hired by an elderly woman from the Reservation who wants to know why her grandson was killed in a drive-by. The story proceeds as a classic crime puzzle that includes multiple murder-betrayal plots.
The book is well written and the plot twist and turns. There is action and suspense, sort of in the flavor of a Tony Hillerman story. The author is either well versed in the problems of the Indian Reservations or has done extensive research on the subject. McKenzie also provides beautiful scenic descriptions. It is an interesting first novel.
Mark Bramhall did an excellent job narrating the book. He was great in performing the various accents. Bramhall is an actor and award winning audiobook narrator.
February 7, 2015
CB McKensie's "Bad Country" is a private investigation detective story set in the bleak Southwest about murder and revenge. This is an unapologetic look at a rural and inhospitable slice of America and the lawmen, criminals, hustlers, murderers, killers, families and lovers, who live there. Rodeo, who has family in the area, knows many of the people, including the sheriff and his lusty daughter, who used to be Rodeo's lover before he left her. Its a poor area, full of an eye for an eye justice. This is the American West left off the movie screen. The DOTA's (denizens of Tuscon Arizona) are a motley and colorful lot. There is a political race brewing and a rash of murders. The pacing is unhurried, as CB McKenzie peels away the layers of the society to reveal an area and people. There are honorable men and killers and sometimes the line between each is very small.
Rodeo Garnet, who used to be a rodeo rider, is now a private detective. He returns from vacation to find a dead Indian on his property. Apparently there have been a rash of such killings. One of the other dead men, a young Indian boy was found shot under a bridge.
Rodeo, who barely has two nickels to his name, is asked by the boy's grandmother, a bitter old woman, to investigate his death. But, the boy's lover, a nasty and trained sniper also wants Rodeo to find the killer and persuasively threatens Rodeo by slicing his dog's neck with a knife to tell him who killed the young man.
There are dark currents in this story. A political race is going on, but the brother in law of the candidate is found murdered. A serial killer may be operating in the area. The boy's 6 year old sister, a young beauty, was ran over 6 months before in an unsolved hit and run accident. Two families have been torn asunder from the murders.
Rodeo must wade into this maelstrom and follow the clues as to how the death of the young man and his sister, the political race, the serial killings and the DOTA's are tied together.
In the end, there will be justice and revenge.
Its a convincingly dark mystery.
The kind of book that stays with you.
Rodeo Garnet, who used to be a rodeo rider, is now a private detective. He returns from vacation to find a dead Indian on his property. Apparently there have been a rash of such killings. One of the other dead men, a young Indian boy was found shot under a bridge.
Rodeo, who barely has two nickels to his name, is asked by the boy's grandmother, a bitter old woman, to investigate his death. But, the boy's lover, a nasty and trained sniper also wants Rodeo to find the killer and persuasively threatens Rodeo by slicing his dog's neck with a knife to tell him who killed the young man.
There are dark currents in this story. A political race is going on, but the brother in law of the candidate is found murdered. A serial killer may be operating in the area. The boy's 6 year old sister, a young beauty, was ran over 6 months before in an unsolved hit and run accident. Two families have been torn asunder from the murders.
Rodeo must wade into this maelstrom and follow the clues as to how the death of the young man and his sister, the political race, the serial killings and the DOTA's are tied together.
In the end, there will be justice and revenge.
Its a convincingly dark mystery.
The kind of book that stays with you.
March 12, 2016
I liked the narration of this audiobook--the reader had a great voice and he brought the characters to life. I'd probably give the book itself 3-3 1/2 stars but the narration kicked it up to a 4.
November 23, 2015
Oh was this a TOUGH ONE to get through. I really struggled with so many things about this book! Let me start by saying that I got through the first 20 pages and thought "wow, this may be a book I actually will not finish!" But then I hated the idea of quitting so I would push through another 20 pages. This went on for most of the book, but I did finish! I struggled with the fact that there were no chapters in this book. I struggled with the lack of punctuation (dialogue was included as regular sentence structure with nothing to indicate it was actual spoken word). I struggled with the ethnic references and dialect which were unfamiliar to me. I struggled with the various characters and had to try and figure out who was who at different times in the story. There are so many amazing books out there to read and I just hate when I feel like I am working to read a book rather than reading it for pleasure.
January 8, 2015
Bad Country gives readers a real feel for how life is lived in the forgotten places of the desert far away from cities. Rodeo lives so far out that the area is called El Hoyo-- The Hole. Out here, it's important that you have friends you can trust and rely on. At first it seems as though where his friends are concerned, Rodeo is all take and no give, but the further into the story you go, you understand why these few are Rodeo's friends.
This book doesn't follow the rules-- just like Rodeo. There are no quotation marks, and a lot of this book is dialogue. There are no chapter headings. Instead there are breaks between scenes. Some Spanish is spoken, and it's not always translated. You know what? It doesn't matter one little bit. I had absolutely no problem knowing which character was speaking, and the breaks between scenes instead of formal chapter headings made perfect sense. As for the Spanish, what words I didn't immediately recognize were easily decipherable just by reading the next line or two.
There's a popular rule in writing: Show. Don't tell. I've seen few writers follow that rule as closely as C.B. McKenzie. None of Rodeo's friends are going to tell you a thing about him. It's up to you to form your own opinion as Rodeo goes out into the desert around his property to leave water for the illegal immigrants traveling through this inhospitable land. It's up to you to see how he treats his old dog. It's up to you to watch him become more concerned about the death of a young boy than anyone in the boy's own family. As Rodeo investigates, he never takes the word of someone else about anything-- he goes to that person, speaks with him, observes his behavior, and forms his own opinion.
This adherence to "Show. Don't tell." is like a breath of fresh air. It provides a depth of clarity and characterization that is difficult to describe but a joy to experience. All I know is that I was sucked into this story, and I didn't want it to end. I want more Rodeo Grace Garnet.
This book doesn't follow the rules-- just like Rodeo. There are no quotation marks, and a lot of this book is dialogue. There are no chapter headings. Instead there are breaks between scenes. Some Spanish is spoken, and it's not always translated. You know what? It doesn't matter one little bit. I had absolutely no problem knowing which character was speaking, and the breaks between scenes instead of formal chapter headings made perfect sense. As for the Spanish, what words I didn't immediately recognize were easily decipherable just by reading the next line or two.
There's a popular rule in writing: Show. Don't tell. I've seen few writers follow that rule as closely as C.B. McKenzie. None of Rodeo's friends are going to tell you a thing about him. It's up to you to form your own opinion as Rodeo goes out into the desert around his property to leave water for the illegal immigrants traveling through this inhospitable land. It's up to you to see how he treats his old dog. It's up to you to watch him become more concerned about the death of a young boy than anyone in the boy's own family. As Rodeo investigates, he never takes the word of someone else about anything-- he goes to that person, speaks with him, observes his behavior, and forms his own opinion.
This adherence to "Show. Don't tell." is like a breath of fresh air. It provides a depth of clarity and characterization that is difficult to describe but a joy to experience. All I know is that I was sucked into this story, and I didn't want it to end. I want more Rodeo Grace Garnet.
February 23, 2016
Complex story with interesting characters. The narrative was difficult for me as it was full of tedious descriptions. It set the stage, but the stage was often set with the first sentence. The dialogue was padded with useless slang such as "Hey buddy", "What, buddy", "I don't know buddy", "Hi chief", "What do you mean chief?", "I don't know chief." There was good character development. I feel like I came to understand the main character. Interesting book, but it was not as captivating as I expected.
February 4, 2016
Really enjoyed this as an Audio Book. Rodeo is a great character and the cast of assorted good and mainly bad people make for a compelling read. Hoping there will be sequels!
November 18, 2014
What an incredible read! It is beautifully written. I am a massive fan of Tony Hillerman's work and CB McKenzie is a very deserving winner of the Tony Hillerman Prize. Bad Country is set in southernmost Arizona in Indian country. While different than Hillerman's Navajo country setting, McKenzie brings the desolate area around Tucson to life.
I cannot praise this book enough. At first I had a few problems with the punctuation style but once I got reading I found the novel flowed and was distinct because of the lack of quotation marks. It made the book rougher. And this is a rough novel. This is not a novel for people who are turned off by swearing. It is a novel for people who want an excellent read. That it encompasses a world that is much grittier than most of us are used to (I hope), is what sets it apart and above many others.
The story and the characters are compelling and original. And I felt like I was right there the entire time. The characters were all flawed people who were realistically represented. The main character, Rodeo Grace Garnet, isa rough guy who loves his dog and is heroic in so many different ways. The story kept getting better with each page I turned. I love how it all flowed together in the end. Perfect ending! Just loved it!
You need to read this amazing book! I highly highly recommend it. All books should be this gripping and captivating. I cannot wait for CB McKenzie's next book!
I cannot praise this book enough. At first I had a few problems with the punctuation style but once I got reading I found the novel flowed and was distinct because of the lack of quotation marks. It made the book rougher. And this is a rough novel. This is not a novel for people who are turned off by swearing. It is a novel for people who want an excellent read. That it encompasses a world that is much grittier than most of us are used to (I hope), is what sets it apart and above many others.
The story and the characters are compelling and original. And I felt like I was right there the entire time. The characters were all flawed people who were realistically represented. The main character, Rodeo Grace Garnet, isa rough guy who loves his dog and is heroic in so many different ways. The story kept getting better with each page I turned. I love how it all flowed together in the end. Perfect ending! Just loved it!
You need to read this amazing book! I highly highly recommend it. All books should be this gripping and captivating. I cannot wait for CB McKenzie's next book!
January 31, 2016
This book was nominated for an Edgar and a Shamus award for best first novel and is a worthy nominee. The protagonist is Rodeo Grace Garnet, part Indian, former rodeo star turned private investigator in very rural Arizona near Tucson. Rodeo is poor, barely scratching to get by, yet he takes food and water up into the hills to a cave to store for the Mexicans trying to cross the border into the U.S. through one of the most rugged and dangerous routes. He also has an old dog as a companion. Rodeo becomes involved in multiple investigations that start to have some connections. Indians are being killed in the county and rumor is there is a serial killer on the loose. A young man is killed in what appears to be a drive-by shooting. There is political scandal and shenanigans. The story is very compelling and the setting a character itself. The book has no chapters nor quotations to mark dialogue. It fits with the story somehow, though at times the lack of quotations was a bit confusing to me. This book is different--in a good way. Recommended.
April 3, 2015
The real mystery is how this book was nominated for an Edgar award. It is a marginal crafted book with an ending that is confusing at best. All the characters are so inter-related that it requires a suspension of disbelief so extreme as to be undoable. The best character is so haunting that the final twist is at least unfulfilling as opposed to haunting.
All in all, well below the hype.
All in all, well below the hype.
October 16, 2018
I loved this book despite it's flaws. I loved the characters in this book and am disappointed that this book isn't part of a series. The story is a crime/mystery and this is the part that fell a little short. There were a few too many coincidences and leaps of logic so it was a little far-fetched at times. Despite those issues, the characters felt real and the dialogue was natural. I listened to the audio of this book and I think it is one of the best readings that I have listened to. I sure hope Mr. McKenzie revisits this character at some point.
February 20, 2018
This modern western crime novel is a classic Whodunnit that deserves a 4 star rating solely based on the dialogs.
McKenzie managed to craft a murder mystery novel that evolves almost uniquely on the dialogues and conversations. He nailed the modern western genre spot on and excels at making the readers feel like they are witnessing the story developping right by Rodeo's side, under the baking Tucson's sun.
Fans of the Longmire series will particularily appreciate the work of McKenzie.
McKenzie managed to craft a murder mystery novel that evolves almost uniquely on the dialogues and conversations. He nailed the modern western genre spot on and excels at making the readers feel like they are witnessing the story developping right by Rodeo's side, under the baking Tucson's sun.
Fans of the Longmire series will particularily appreciate the work of McKenzie.
October 31, 2021
It to me was a slow moving book. I listened to the audio version of the book. The narrator was very good. It was an ok book just not that exciting. I had difficulty finishing this book. I actually had to check it out 2 extra times in order to finish it. And I don’t normally do that.
July 22, 2024
A decent audiobook stumbled upon for both my husband and I to listen to together. There were a few moments where the descriptions dragged on longer than necessary, but overall an interesting enough crime mystery.
June 21, 2017
The main character was smarter than me. I love not being able to guess what's gonna happen next.
January 4, 2021
Eh it was alright. Fun distraction.
May 9, 2018
Loved it! Was Funny and Based in my home town!
September 20, 2015
While I enjoy the puzzles contained in mysteries, those puzzles mean little to me if they do not involve memorable characters. (In other words, who cares about the whodunit if there aren't substantive "who"s to latch upon?) A well-described setting that feels fully inhabited is also a plus.
Puzzle. Characters. Setting. Bad Country has them all.
Indians are being killed in the desert of Arizona's border country. At the beginning of the story, one body is lying on the approach to the casita of Rodeo Grace Garnet, a former rodeo star (himself half-Indian) who now works, when he can get any, as a PI.
Who is the man? Why was he killed? Something to do with immigration? Drugs? Is his death related to the others? Is there a serial killer on the loose?
Rodeo is hired for a seemingly unrelated other case (the convention of mysteries is that there is always a "seemingly unrelated" case that we know, of course, will be tied in at the end), and in the course of his investigation meets a roster of rough-edged characters, each distinctive. It is indeed a "bad country"--not only because of its harsh terrain and climate, but because it breeds such hard people. Rodeo moves among them all with admirable cool. He knows how to handle an arsenal of weapons, but he leave food and water for border-crossers negotiating their way through the desert and he reads his Bible every night.
The plot is intricate, the writing good.
I understand this is C.B. McKenzie's first novel. I, for one, look forward to seeing more of Rodeo.
Puzzle. Characters. Setting. Bad Country has them all.
Indians are being killed in the desert of Arizona's border country. At the beginning of the story, one body is lying on the approach to the casita of Rodeo Grace Garnet, a former rodeo star (himself half-Indian) who now works, when he can get any, as a PI.
Who is the man? Why was he killed? Something to do with immigration? Drugs? Is his death related to the others? Is there a serial killer on the loose?
Rodeo is hired for a seemingly unrelated other case (the convention of mysteries is that there is always a "seemingly unrelated" case that we know, of course, will be tied in at the end), and in the course of his investigation meets a roster of rough-edged characters, each distinctive. It is indeed a "bad country"--not only because of its harsh terrain and climate, but because it breeds such hard people. Rodeo moves among them all with admirable cool. He knows how to handle an arsenal of weapons, but he leave food and water for border-crossers negotiating their way through the desert and he reads his Bible every night.
The plot is intricate, the writing good.
I understand this is C.B. McKenzie's first novel. I, for one, look forward to seeing more of Rodeo.
January 25, 2015
This book has a well thought out story line with more than a few motives, which makes it fun. The main character, PI- Rodeo Garnet, keeps the reader's interest through his work, which keeps him entwined in all kinds of situations. For the story, I'd give four stars. What detracted from this book was that it was written amateurishly (I'm being kind, actually). There were no quotation marks! Am I missing something? This was ridiculous. One line was describing an event, and the next line someone was talking without quotes. How is this possible? I was lost most of the time trying to figure out what was happening. Also, you can still write a great book in the voice of a certain demographic, in this case, the southwest, without butchering the English language. I had to re-read many lines because they were run-on sentences, missing commas. Where was the editor in this book? It was a huge distraction for me. Along those lines, not having chapters, took away from the pleasure of reading this book. Lastly, most every character in the book is either gay, lesbian or bisexual and the insertion (pardon the pun) of people's sexual escapades became overused and 'butt buddy' was not necessary as a repetitive reference. If this book was written better, I'd recommend the story, but in the condition it is presented, I'm disappointed.
July 13, 2016
If I could take half a star off for the utter lack of quote marks, which makes for the need for close reading, I would give the book a 4.5 stars. Full five because the author pulled me totally into the bleak landscape and bleaker lives of the various Indians and undocumented aliens populating the environs of Tucson, and slowly but surely gained my buy-in for the main character, Rodeo Grace Garnet.
There is something very James Lee Burke about this author, although Rodeo is far less inclined toward violence or long soliloquies, he has an appreciation for small things in life that make a difference - a loyal dog, a kind veterinarian, the beauty available in a harsh landscape, well, beauty and kindness found in the least likely places.
Rodeo is also smart and non-confrontational. When he needs to tackle someone straight on, he does it with self-discipline and self-control, delivering bad news without drama.
I read this book as a prelude to a second book by this author which I really wanted to read, and thought this was a prelude to it. I'm not sorry I read this book, except that I was terribly disappointed that the next book was not about Rodeo Grace Garnet, Yaqui Indian, private investigator, denizen of Tucson, Arizona.
There is something very James Lee Burke about this author, although Rodeo is far less inclined toward violence or long soliloquies, he has an appreciation for small things in life that make a difference - a loyal dog, a kind veterinarian, the beauty available in a harsh landscape, well, beauty and kindness found in the least likely places.
Rodeo is also smart and non-confrontational. When he needs to tackle someone straight on, he does it with self-discipline and self-control, delivering bad news without drama.
I read this book as a prelude to a second book by this author which I really wanted to read, and thought this was a prelude to it. I'm not sorry I read this book, except that I was terribly disappointed that the next book was not about Rodeo Grace Garnet, Yaqui Indian, private investigator, denizen of Tucson, Arizona.
February 4, 2015
While Bad Country is not the genre that I typically read, I really enjoyed the book. It's a quick read with a minimalist style that is surprisingly evocative. Tuscon and the surrounding desert become characters themselves in this story. The poetic and spare writing style reminded me of Heller's The Dog Stars and McCarthy's The Road. There are many threads in the story and it is impressive how they get tied together in a way that is not predictable. The main character, Rodeo, and his dog are quietly endearing.
I know several readers have complained about the challenge of reading the narrative without quotation marks. While it takes a little getting used to, pretty quickly you adapt to it and come to appreciate the lack of the quotations supports sparseness of the story's style. I was sad when it was finished so quickly. I could definitely envision it being made into movie.
I only recently finished the book but have already leant my copy to a friend and bought another copy as a gift. Definitely worth a read. Lately I've had trouble sticking with and finishing books, but not with this one.
I know several readers have complained about the challenge of reading the narrative without quotation marks. While it takes a little getting used to, pretty quickly you adapt to it and come to appreciate the lack of the quotations supports sparseness of the story's style. I was sad when it was finished so quickly. I could definitely envision it being made into movie.
I only recently finished the book but have already leant my copy to a friend and bought another copy as a gift. Definitely worth a read. Lately I've had trouble sticking with and finishing books, but not with this one.
February 13, 2016
This is a dark, complex but engaging murder mystery set in and around Tucson, Arizona. The main character is a former rodeo cowboy turned private investigator named Rodeo Grace Garnet. Rodeo is a Yaqui Indian with a checkered past of his own who gets involved in trying to solve the murders of a number of men of different Native American Tribes. The characters he encounters during his efforts to solve the crimes are all interesting in their own rights including both friends and antagonists. Throughout the whole ordeal, Rodeo is accompanied by his 15 year-old dog.
At times the story moved slowly but significant events seemed to happen when I least expected them to. The uniqueness of the characters and the story as it unfolded held my interest throughout.
I like stories set in areas I have been. During my career, I had traveled to Tucson and the border area on many occasions. While the area had many attractions, I always sensed there was a "seedy underbelly" hidden from view. This novel incorporates many aspects of street life, modern Indian and Hispanic culture, and undocumented aliens.
At times the story moved slowly but significant events seemed to happen when I least expected them to. The uniqueness of the characters and the story as it unfolded held my interest throughout.
I like stories set in areas I have been. During my career, I had traveled to Tucson and the border area on many occasions. While the area had many attractions, I always sensed there was a "seedy underbelly" hidden from view. This novel incorporates many aspects of street life, modern Indian and Hispanic culture, and undocumented aliens.
June 23, 2016
I disliked this book for all the reasons that others who disliked it have detailed. There is a big difference between trying to write like James Lee Burke or Cormac McCarthy, and being those two authors, to name but two.
This book hit all of the requirements to be a critics darling.
1. Author has a gritty blue collar background.
2. Author got an MFA
3. Author is overly descriptive regarding people, places, things that don't require that much detail. ( do I really need to know the name of every concert ticket the deceased has in his room.
4. Use words to demonstrate how vast your vocabulary is thanks to your MFA.
5. Add in one or more foreign languages ( Spanish, American Indian ) for no additional benefit to the reader.
6. Be creative. In this case, don't use quotation marks ever, but still have lots of dialogue exchanges. Oh and don't have chapters.
This book is beyond pretentious to the point of being laughable, the story never goes anywhere the dog is either bionic or the fittest dog on the planet, and the main character is neither interesting nor someone the reader can empathize with.
Overall this book was for me a complete waste of time.
This book hit all of the requirements to be a critics darling.
1. Author has a gritty blue collar background.
2. Author got an MFA
3. Author is overly descriptive regarding people, places, things that don't require that much detail. ( do I really need to know the name of every concert ticket the deceased has in his room.
4. Use words to demonstrate how vast your vocabulary is thanks to your MFA.
5. Add in one or more foreign languages ( Spanish, American Indian ) for no additional benefit to the reader.
6. Be creative. In this case, don't use quotation marks ever, but still have lots of dialogue exchanges. Oh and don't have chapters.
This book is beyond pretentious to the point of being laughable, the story never goes anywhere the dog is either bionic or the fittest dog on the planet, and the main character is neither interesting nor someone the reader can empathize with.
Overall this book was for me a complete waste of time.
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