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Virgil Flowers #8
Deadline
The thrilling new novel in the #1 New York Times–bestselling series.
In Southeast Minnesota, down on the Mississippi, a school board meeting is coming to an end. The board chairman announces that the rest of the meeting will be closed, due to personnel issues. “Issues” is correct. The proposal up for a vote before them is whether to authorize the killing of a local reporter. The vote is four to one in favor.
Meanwhile, not far away, Virgil Flowers is helping out a friend by looking into a dognapping, which seems to be turning into something much bigger and uglier—a team of dognappers supplying medical labs—when he gets a call from Lucas Davenport. A murdered body has been found—and the victim is a local reporter. . . .
In Southeast Minnesota, down on the Mississippi, a school board meeting is coming to an end. The board chairman announces that the rest of the meeting will be closed, due to personnel issues. “Issues” is correct. The proposal up for a vote before them is whether to authorize the killing of a local reporter. The vote is four to one in favor.
Meanwhile, not far away, Virgil Flowers is helping out a friend by looking into a dognapping, which seems to be turning into something much bigger and uglier—a team of dognappers supplying medical labs—when he gets a call from Lucas Davenport. A murdered body has been found—and the victim is a local reporter. . . .
400 pages, ebook
First published October 1, 2014
3030 people are currently reading
4854 people want to read
About the author
John Sandford
235 books9,696 followersJohn Sandford is the pen name of John Roswell Camp, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author known for his gripping thrillers and popular crime series. After earning degrees in history, literature, and journalism from the University of Iowa, Camp began his writing career as a reporter, first at The Miami Herald and later at The Saint Paul Pioneer Press, where he earned critical acclaim for in-depth series on Native American communities and American farm life. His work won him the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1986.
In 1989, Camp transitioned into fiction, publishing two novels: The Fool's Run under his real name and Rules of Prey under the pseudonym John Sandford. The latter launched the long-running “Prey” series, starring Lucas Davenport, a sharp, fearless investigator navigating politically sensitive crimes across Minnesota and beyond. The series grew to include spin-offs and crossovers, notably featuring characters like Virgil Flowers, a laid-back BCA agent with a sharp wit, and Letty Davenport, Lucas's equally determined daughter, who stars in her own series starting in 2022.
Sandford’s books have consistently appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, with over two dozen debuting at number one. Known for his dynamic storytelling, fast pacing, and keen attention to detail, Sandford combines his journalistic roots with a gift for character-driven narratives. He remains an avid reader and outdoorsman, and continues to write compelling fiction that resonates with readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers grounded in realism and driven by memorable protagonists.
In 1989, Camp transitioned into fiction, publishing two novels: The Fool's Run under his real name and Rules of Prey under the pseudonym John Sandford. The latter launched the long-running “Prey” series, starring Lucas Davenport, a sharp, fearless investigator navigating politically sensitive crimes across Minnesota and beyond. The series grew to include spin-offs and crossovers, notably featuring characters like Virgil Flowers, a laid-back BCA agent with a sharp wit, and Letty Davenport, Lucas's equally determined daughter, who stars in her own series starting in 2022.
Sandford’s books have consistently appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, with over two dozen debuting at number one. Known for his dynamic storytelling, fast pacing, and keen attention to detail, Sandford combines his journalistic roots with a gift for character-driven narratives. He remains an avid reader and outdoorsman, and continues to write compelling fiction that resonates with readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers grounded in realism and driven by memorable protagonists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,630 reviews
November 9, 2017
Anybody who ever served on a school board and had to listen to people complain about the curriculum or the budget or what the cafeteria served could probably relate to this book in which a small town board votes to start murdering people. That’s one way to keep parents from whining about their kid’s grade point average….
Minnesota state cop Virgil Flowers has come to a rural community at the request of his old fishing buddy Johnson Johnson to look into someone who has been stealing dogs to sell to research labs. As he tries to track down the missing pooches a local newspaper reporter is murdered, and Virgil finds clues that it’s linked to a massive embezzlement scheme by the local school board. Virgil’s investigation riles the board and soon more bodies are dropping as they attempt to cover up their scam.
This is a prime example of what Sandford does well. He cooks up an interesting criminal scheme, lets us see what the bad guys are up too, introduces one of his main characters, and then the game begins. While the stakes are deadly serious there’s also plenty of humor along the way with cop thugs Shrake and Jenkins making an appearance to back Virgil up and give him a lot of grief in the process.
As a longtime fan of the Lucas Davenport series I continue to appreciate the way that Sandford contrasts Virgil as being the more laid back and the softer of the two who is more concerned with right and wrong. Yet Virgil also has a sly way of flouting the rules that infuriates many which is why he is generally referred to as ‘that fuckin’ Flowers’, and he’s more than capable of pulling some sneaky moves to get things rolling his way.
The school board scheme is a great hook to hang a story like this on, and Sandford does a nice job of laying out how a small town criminal conspiracy like that would work as well as the carnage that could happen once things start going sideways. The subplot with the missing dogs is also a good one with Virgil having to try and keep angry owners from going vigilante.
The more books Sandford puts out, the more impressed I am at his ability to deliver entertaining thrillers that keep the elements fans like while still providing enough fresh ideas to prevent them from becoming formulaic and stale.
Also posted at Kemper's Book Blog.
Minnesota state cop Virgil Flowers has come to a rural community at the request of his old fishing buddy Johnson Johnson to look into someone who has been stealing dogs to sell to research labs. As he tries to track down the missing pooches a local newspaper reporter is murdered, and Virgil finds clues that it’s linked to a massive embezzlement scheme by the local school board. Virgil’s investigation riles the board and soon more bodies are dropping as they attempt to cover up their scam.
This is a prime example of what Sandford does well. He cooks up an interesting criminal scheme, lets us see what the bad guys are up too, introduces one of his main characters, and then the game begins. While the stakes are deadly serious there’s also plenty of humor along the way with cop thugs Shrake and Jenkins making an appearance to back Virgil up and give him a lot of grief in the process.
As a longtime fan of the Lucas Davenport series I continue to appreciate the way that Sandford contrasts Virgil as being the more laid back and the softer of the two who is more concerned with right and wrong. Yet Virgil also has a sly way of flouting the rules that infuriates many which is why he is generally referred to as ‘that fuckin’ Flowers’, and he’s more than capable of pulling some sneaky moves to get things rolling his way.
The school board scheme is a great hook to hang a story like this on, and Sandford does a nice job of laying out how a small town criminal conspiracy like that would work as well as the carnage that could happen once things start going sideways. The subplot with the missing dogs is also a good one with Virgil having to try and keep angry owners from going vigilante.
The more books Sandford puts out, the more impressed I am at his ability to deliver entertaining thrillers that keep the elements fans like while still providing enough fresh ideas to prevent them from becoming formulaic and stale.
Also posted at Kemper's Book Blog.
December 8, 2020
You don’t need to have read any of Sandford’s
Prey
series, featuring Minnesota cop Lucas Davenport, to enjoy these offshoot books, but it does help to get a full picture of Virgil Flowers if you have. He can come across as lazy (he’d rather fish than do just about anything else) but on the other hand he’s pretty relentless when he gets his teeth into a case. He’s also likely to have left his gun in his truck just when he needs it most. But most of all, Virgil is a collaborator – he's inclined to use his gut feel to test whether he trusts someone and if they pass the test then they’re likely to become part of the team. In many cases these people are not law enforcement officers – in fact, far from it, often they are just random people he meets whilst he’s investigating cases. They trust him and he trusts them. They like him and start to share information and then actively participate in helping to solve the case. All in all, it’s a different, subtler approach to that taken by his boss, Davenport.
In this episode, Virgil’s downtime is interrupted by a friend who is seeking his help to track down some kidnapped dogs. Virgil works in the outlying areas of the state but this is the sort of Hillbilly problem that really shouldn’t be taking up his time. But it’s his friend. However, it isn’t long before the search for the murderer of a reporter - shot and left in a ditch – is taking up more of Virgil’s time. He soon finds out that the reporter was about to break a big story concerning a crooked school board.
Sandford tends to allow you to see both sides of the coin: whist you watch the cops chasing the crooks you’re also on the inside with the crooks as they attempt to wriggle and evade detection and capture. It makes for a fascinating and often amusing double view. As the net starts to close the efforts to avoid arrest become ever more desperate. Its very well done and hugely entertaining.
I’m a huge fan of John Sandford’s books. He’s managed to differentiate the Davenport and Virgil series sufficiently, so that you can appreciate the synergies but enjoy the individuality of the two men. I’m probably always going to be a Davenport man, but Flowers is beginning to breathe quite heavily down his neck.
In this episode, Virgil’s downtime is interrupted by a friend who is seeking his help to track down some kidnapped dogs. Virgil works in the outlying areas of the state but this is the sort of Hillbilly problem that really shouldn’t be taking up his time. But it’s his friend. However, it isn’t long before the search for the murderer of a reporter - shot and left in a ditch – is taking up more of Virgil’s time. He soon finds out that the reporter was about to break a big story concerning a crooked school board.
Sandford tends to allow you to see both sides of the coin: whist you watch the cops chasing the crooks you’re also on the inside with the crooks as they attempt to wriggle and evade detection and capture. It makes for a fascinating and often amusing double view. As the net starts to close the efforts to avoid arrest become ever more desperate. Its very well done and hugely entertaining.
I’m a huge fan of John Sandford’s books. He’s managed to differentiate the Davenport and Virgil series sufficiently, so that you can appreciate the synergies but enjoy the individuality of the two men. I’m probably always going to be a Davenport man, but Flowers is beginning to breathe quite heavily down his neck.
August 21, 2021
This is another hugely entertaining entry in John Sandford's series featuring Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Virgil most often deals with crimes committed in the state's rural areas and usually arrives towing his boat behind his truck, just in case time allows for a little fishing.
The book opens when Vigil is awakened in the middle of the night by a frantic call from his friend, Johnson Johnnson. (Johnson's father named his sons after outboard motors, and Evinrude was already taken.) Someone is kidnapping valuable dogs in Johnson's hometown of Trippton in Buchanan County, and the townspeople are in an uproar. So Johnson convinces Virgil to come take a look into the matter.
Just as Virgil arrives, the Buchanan County Consolidated School Board finishes it's public business for the evening and goes into executive session to discuss a personnel matter. Once the school security officer ensures that the building is clear, the Board commences its discussion which centers on the question of whether or not they should kill a reporter who's been poking his nose into matters that the Board would rather not be made public. After a minimal amount of discussion, the members vote unanimously to instruct the school security officer to shoot the reporter while he's out for his nightly run. Meeting adjourned.
When the reporter's body is discovered, Virgil suddenly has a second investigation to conduct. The rest of the book details Virgil's efforts to solve the crimes and time is of the essence as more animals are dognapped and more bodies pile up. The plot moves swiftly and, as always, Sandford has created a great cast of characters. At times the book is laugh-out-loud funny and, as a person who has attended way more than his fair share of school board meetings, I loved watching Virgil pit his skills against the members of the Buchanan County School Board.
The action builds to a great climax and this book is sure to appeal to the fans of "That F****n' Flowers and to anyone who enjoys a crime story that is very well told. I can hardly wait for the next one.
The book opens when Vigil is awakened in the middle of the night by a frantic call from his friend, Johnson Johnnson. (Johnson's father named his sons after outboard motors, and Evinrude was already taken.) Someone is kidnapping valuable dogs in Johnson's hometown of Trippton in Buchanan County, and the townspeople are in an uproar. So Johnson convinces Virgil to come take a look into the matter.
Just as Virgil arrives, the Buchanan County Consolidated School Board finishes it's public business for the evening and goes into executive session to discuss a personnel matter. Once the school security officer ensures that the building is clear, the Board commences its discussion which centers on the question of whether or not they should kill a reporter who's been poking his nose into matters that the Board would rather not be made public. After a minimal amount of discussion, the members vote unanimously to instruct the school security officer to shoot the reporter while he's out for his nightly run. Meeting adjourned.
When the reporter's body is discovered, Virgil suddenly has a second investigation to conduct. The rest of the book details Virgil's efforts to solve the crimes and time is of the essence as more animals are dognapped and more bodies pile up. The plot moves swiftly and, as always, Sandford has created a great cast of characters. At times the book is laugh-out-loud funny and, as a person who has attended way more than his fair share of school board meetings, I loved watching Virgil pit his skills against the members of the Buchanan County School Board.
The action builds to a great climax and this book is sure to appeal to the fans of "That F****n' Flowers and to anyone who enjoys a crime story that is very well told. I can hardly wait for the next one.
November 25, 2014
If you like detective stories with quirky characters, flights of humor, and a focus on the travails and suspense of solving a case where you already know who the perpetrators are, this could be a book for you. Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is so wholesome and lovable, I just want to spend time with him. He loves fishing above all activities and makes a fetish of wearing t-shirts with odd band names on them. Unlike most detective heroes these days, he is not an alcoholic or twisted by a dark past. Like Peter Falk his best skill is in drawing suspects out in conversation. His routine fault is forgetting to take his gun with him.
In this story (8th in the series) he comes to a remote rural small town to help an old friend (Johnson Johnson—named after the boat motor company; is brother is Mercury) who now owns a lumber mill. There is a problem of pervasive dognapping. To these country folk it’s like having family members abducted. When it turns out that many of these pets are slated for sale to medical laboratories, Virgil has his hands full trying to stop a vigilante massacre of various suspects. The kind of bumper stickers tese guys brandish include “Heavily arms …and easily pissed” and “Point and click—means you are out of ammo.” Just as their tracking along waterways and woods starts to home in on where the dogs are being held, Virgil identifies some remote facilities as a meth lab. This higher priority crime gets him sidetracked into helping the DEA commandos with planning a raid.
Life starts getting especially complicated for him when he gets a call from his boss Lucas Davenport asking him to check out a nearby murder of a reporter, who was shot in the back. The story he gets from various town people is that this fellow was a speed addict. Meanwhile, the reader knows he was working on a big case of embezzlement by the entire county school board. This is no spoiler, as the book jacket notes that the school board in private session to discuss “personnel issues” has come to a vote on a motion to kill a local reporter: “There were no votes against.”
Thus, you get the picture that the story here is not after the meaning of particular crimes and the sociology of psychopathic killers. It’s about how Virgil works by enlisting various colorful characters to help figure things out, dodging all the snares and traps set by equally colorful criminals, and finally bringing them to sweet justice. The chaos that results here, and in others in the series, reminds me a bit of Donald Westlake sometimes. There is a wonderful night chase sequence at one point involving boats and golf carts and a grand finale of violent anti-vivisectionist women against the dognappers. This one really hit the spot. I have to forgive Sandford again for letting the body count get so high before Virgil solves the case
In this story (8th in the series) he comes to a remote rural small town to help an old friend (Johnson Johnson—named after the boat motor company; is brother is Mercury) who now owns a lumber mill. There is a problem of pervasive dognapping. To these country folk it’s like having family members abducted. When it turns out that many of these pets are slated for sale to medical laboratories, Virgil has his hands full trying to stop a vigilante massacre of various suspects. The kind of bumper stickers tese guys brandish include “Heavily arms …and easily pissed” and “Point and click—means you are out of ammo.” Just as their tracking along waterways and woods starts to home in on where the dogs are being held, Virgil identifies some remote facilities as a meth lab. This higher priority crime gets him sidetracked into helping the DEA commandos with planning a raid.
Life starts getting especially complicated for him when he gets a call from his boss Lucas Davenport asking him to check out a nearby murder of a reporter, who was shot in the back. The story he gets from various town people is that this fellow was a speed addict. Meanwhile, the reader knows he was working on a big case of embezzlement by the entire county school board. This is no spoiler, as the book jacket notes that the school board in private session to discuss “personnel issues” has come to a vote on a motion to kill a local reporter: “There were no votes against.”
Thus, you get the picture that the story here is not after the meaning of particular crimes and the sociology of psychopathic killers. It’s about how Virgil works by enlisting various colorful characters to help figure things out, dodging all the snares and traps set by equally colorful criminals, and finally bringing them to sweet justice. The chaos that results here, and in others in the series, reminds me a bit of Donald Westlake sometimes. There is a wonderful night chase sequence at one point involving boats and golf carts and a grand finale of violent anti-vivisectionist women against the dognappers. This one really hit the spot. I have to forgive Sandford again for letting the body count get so high before Virgil solves the case
May 17, 2015
Don't think Sandford's ever made me snuffle up before...
"Virgil walked around to the driver’s side, tagged by the yellow dog. Virgil looked at the dog, and the dog looked at Virgil. The dog had golden eyes, and it looked past Virgil into the empty passenger side of the truck. Virgil said, “All right,” and waved his hand, and the dog hopped up onto the driver’s seat, then crossed to the passenger seat and sat down. Virgil said to the dog, “With my lifestyle, I can’t have a dog.” The dog nodded, and looked out through the windshield, ready to roll...
...And to the dog, “Really. I can’t. I’ll give you a lift back to Trippton.” The dog nodded again and smiled a dog smile. Virgil said, “Really.”
"Virgil walked around to the driver’s side, tagged by the yellow dog. Virgil looked at the dog, and the dog looked at Virgil. The dog had golden eyes, and it looked past Virgil into the empty passenger side of the truck. Virgil said, “All right,” and waved his hand, and the dog hopped up onto the driver’s seat, then crossed to the passenger seat and sat down. Virgil said to the dog, “With my lifestyle, I can’t have a dog.” The dog nodded, and looked out through the windshield, ready to roll...
...And to the dog, “Really. I can’t. I’ll give you a lift back to Trippton.” The dog nodded again and smiled a dog smile. Virgil said, “Really.”
November 18, 2024
Two cases at once!
Virgil Flowers is asked by his good friend Johnson Johnson to help track down a dognapping ring. Several dogs have been kidnapped to be sold for lab research, and Virgil can't say no to helping the dogs.
Meanwhile, a local reporter is murdered in Buchanan County, and all clues point to members of the school board. Virgil will have to uncover the motive and the killers before they can dispose of him too!
I love how John Sandford keeps Virgil juggling multiple cases at once. It keeps the action moving, giving neither Virgil nor the readers any downtime.
The best part, of course, is Honus!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Virgil Flowers is asked by his good friend Johnson Johnson to help track down a dognapping ring. Several dogs have been kidnapped to be sold for lab research, and Virgil can't say no to helping the dogs.
Meanwhile, a local reporter is murdered in Buchanan County, and all clues point to members of the school board. Virgil will have to uncover the motive and the killers before they can dispose of him too!
I love how John Sandford keeps Virgil juggling multiple cases at once. It keeps the action moving, giving neither Virgil nor the readers any downtime.
The best part, of course, is Honus!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March 14, 2020
This is the 8th volume in John Sanford’s mystery series featuring Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
A phone call at 3am, rousts Virgil from his sleep. It is his boss from the Prey series, Lucas Davenport summoning him to a major crime scene? No it is Johnson Johnson, Virgil’s long time friend with a heartfelt plea to come to Tippleton ASAP. Someone is stealing DOGS!
Reluctantly, Virgil agreed to help Johnson Johnson (yes that is his name). This begins a mystery with dog stealing and proceeds to corruption, meth labs, embezzlement, conspiracy and of course murder. While the dog stealing had ruled a significant portion of the small town, the other crimes were silently being committed with much less upheaval. We learn that the local school board is in a discussion as to how to proceed with significant school finance problems. Does it concern school repairs, text books, or now hiring? No the issue before the board meeting in executive session is: do we accept the motion to murder a local reporter who is nosing into local school finances? The vote was unanimous. Looks like Virgil is about to have a lot more investigating ahead.
There are not a lot of surprises as for the most part, the bad guys and girls are pretty much known from the beginning. The suspense is will the evidence be found in time to make arrests before more losses occur,
This is a quick read with little tension but with the odd ball characters, wisecracks and humorous situations, you won’t want to miss it.
A phone call at 3am, rousts Virgil from his sleep. It is his boss from the Prey series, Lucas Davenport summoning him to a major crime scene? No it is Johnson Johnson, Virgil’s long time friend with a heartfelt plea to come to Tippleton ASAP. Someone is stealing DOGS!
Reluctantly, Virgil agreed to help Johnson Johnson (yes that is his name). This begins a mystery with dog stealing and proceeds to corruption, meth labs, embezzlement, conspiracy and of course murder. While the dog stealing had ruled a significant portion of the small town, the other crimes were silently being committed with much less upheaval. We learn that the local school board is in a discussion as to how to proceed with significant school finance problems. Does it concern school repairs, text books, or now hiring? No the issue before the board meeting in executive session is: do we accept the motion to murder a local reporter who is nosing into local school finances? The vote was unanimous. Looks like Virgil is about to have a lot more investigating ahead.
There are not a lot of surprises as for the most part, the bad guys and girls are pretty much known from the beginning. The suspense is will the evidence be found in time to make arrests before more losses occur,
This is a quick read with little tension but with the odd ball characters, wisecracks and humorous situations, you won’t want to miss it.
October 10, 2014
Unless I miss my guess, there may be some griping about this installment in the Virgil Flowers saga, from a portion of it's fans, but I loved it for the same reasons some will probably complain.
Those who read the Flowers series (and the Davenport/Prey series) are used to a certain kind of bad guy and a certain kind of case and to put it succinctly, this ain't it. There's no serial killer. There's no mass murderer. There's no international intrigue. And what there is...well, it doesn't sound especially exciting. Flowers actually starts by investigating a dog-napping for his good friend Johnson Johnson. While he's doing that he accidentally hooks into a case of corruption on the local school board.
That's it, folks.
Then again...it's not that simple. This Flowers book is certainly a departure, but in my not-so-humble opinion, it's a good one. This book has a Justified/Fargo feel to it that's always been a thread of this series, but in this book it's really brought out to the forefront. And while the corruption case itself might not be very interesting, the murders that start happening to cover it up, committed by rednecks with guns, make it fun.
My only complaint is a minor one. Typically, I applaud Sandford for his breakneck pacing. This book lacks that. It's a slow roll to the bottom of a gently sloped hill instead of the more typical barrel over the waterfall, but it's worth pointing out that the pace he chose suited the countrified story well. So, while I kept waiting for the pickup in pace, it's probably for the best that it never came.
If the whole series was like this, it might be an issue, but I, for one, applaud Sandford for mixing it up a bit and not being afraid to give his heroes lesser cases from time to time. I most definitely recommend it--and the whole series.
And for those of you who are fans of the series...you will fall off your chair laughing, at the end, when you hear the name of the dog. That's all, I'm saying though.
Read it.
Those who read the Flowers series (and the Davenport/Prey series) are used to a certain kind of bad guy and a certain kind of case and to put it succinctly, this ain't it. There's no serial killer. There's no mass murderer. There's no international intrigue. And what there is...well, it doesn't sound especially exciting. Flowers actually starts by investigating a dog-napping for his good friend Johnson Johnson. While he's doing that he accidentally hooks into a case of corruption on the local school board.
That's it, folks.
Then again...it's not that simple. This Flowers book is certainly a departure, but in my not-so-humble opinion, it's a good one. This book has a Justified/Fargo feel to it that's always been a thread of this series, but in this book it's really brought out to the forefront. And while the corruption case itself might not be very interesting, the murders that start happening to cover it up, committed by rednecks with guns, make it fun.
My only complaint is a minor one. Typically, I applaud Sandford for his breakneck pacing. This book lacks that. It's a slow roll to the bottom of a gently sloped hill instead of the more typical barrel over the waterfall, but it's worth pointing out that the pace he chose suited the countrified story well. So, while I kept waiting for the pickup in pace, it's probably for the best that it never came.
If the whole series was like this, it might be an issue, but I, for one, applaud Sandford for mixing it up a bit and not being afraid to give his heroes lesser cases from time to time. I most definitely recommend it--and the whole series.
And for those of you who are fans of the series...you will fall off your chair laughing, at the end, when you hear the name of the dog. That's all, I'm saying though.
Read it.
October 12, 2014
I love Virgil Flowers and this book takes him right into the area of Minnesota where he shines. He's a good old boy, from his cowboy boots to his vintage band t-shirts. When a good friend tells him some dogs are being stolen, why shouldn't he hitch his boat to his truck and check things out? Of course there are much more serious things afoot in this little town-- meth cooking and the cooking of the books by the local school board. Virgil is up to his eyebrows in trouble as fast as you can say "What the f--?" I just couldn't put this book down and of course I was worried about the dogs from page one. Don't fret, they come out all right in a hilarious conclusion that will make you smile when you finally put the book away. This is why I have Sandford on my auto-buy list. Must admit Virgil has leaped over Lucas Davenport as my fave character. Thanks, author, for making my weekend fly by.
May 24, 2015
If you enjoy John Sandford, you will love Deadline! My favorite Virgil Flowers story so far.
October 15, 2015
Warning: This review contains adult language although I’ve heard it from ten-year-olds. Well maybe not in Latin.
Audiobook. Eric Conger and Sandford are perfectly matched, especially when Conger is reading the Virgil Flowers series. He has just the right articulation and sardonic quality to his narration that truly adds to the enjoyment of a fun series. I really enjoy them.
Virgil, a Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent, is asked by a friend, Johnson Johnson, -- Johnson’s father was enamored of outboard motor manufacturers and his brother was named Mercury Johnson -- to investigate who has been stealing dogs in the area. During the course of that investigation he discovers a meth lab, and a local man is murdered. The main investigation focuses on the members of a local school board (no spoiler here, the reader is fully apprised of the conspiracy from the start) that has been ripping off the district and splitting the proceeds among themselves, the superintendent and the security guy.) I found it stretching credibility a bit to accept such a successful conspiracy among so many people and that what is portrayed as a very small community has such a huge district budget, but the story does work and in any case the details are irrelevant.
I do have a small gripe with regard to how most writers regard town size. I live two miles east of a small town. The population is 1,800 people. (One PT cop.) I used to live near a smaller town
with a population of 176. Those are small towns. The school district ( where I now live) covers a very large area encompassing several other small towns and has a budget of about $6 million. The closest large town, about 17 miles away, has a population of about 28,000 and the school district’s budget is about $40 million, similar to the one in this story. The interaction of the characters in this story is much closer to a town of 1,800 than one of 28,000. But a small town with the characteristics Sandford describes would never, imho, have a budget approaching $40 million permitting embezzlement on the scale he describes. But I suppose writers who live in cities assume a small town is something around 100,000. That’s a big city. Then again, you can read about the Queen of embezzlers, Rita Crundwell, who stole $57 million over several decades from Dixon, Illinois, population 16,000. (In classic understatement one of the city commissioners said of her financial stewardship as comptroller, "she looks after every tax dollar as if it were her own." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Cr...)
This has to be the best Virgil Flowers story yet. Some very funny scenes and conversation, often in the midst of serious situations. I loved the boat chase across the Mississippi near the end using two very slow fishing boats followed by a golf cart chase ending in a sand trap. And the Attorney General’s representative who, when discussing extradition from the Cheeseheads said he would need to look up the Latin legal phrase for “Fuck Off.” (My high school Latin is very rusty, but, I believe it’s Futete. Don’t even ask what “Te futueo et caballum tuum” means. The Internet is amazing.)
Virgil’s new girlfriend, Frankie, does some farming and Virgil (Sandford under his real name, John Camp, wrote a book about farm life in southwestern Minnesota), when given the choice between following a hay wagon and throwing bales around or having his testicles dropped in a bear trap, has to take a while to “think about it.” I know exactly why the delay, having had to throw about a thousand bales a day into a barn daily for several summers. It’s dreadful.
If you haven’t tried the Virgil Flowers series, I highly recommend them. Start with the first although they stand alone quite well. Much better than the Davenport series, which are also enjoyable.
Audiobook. Eric Conger and Sandford are perfectly matched, especially when Conger is reading the Virgil Flowers series. He has just the right articulation and sardonic quality to his narration that truly adds to the enjoyment of a fun series. I really enjoy them.
Virgil, a Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent, is asked by a friend, Johnson Johnson, -- Johnson’s father was enamored of outboard motor manufacturers and his brother was named Mercury Johnson -- to investigate who has been stealing dogs in the area. During the course of that investigation he discovers a meth lab, and a local man is murdered. The main investigation focuses on the members of a local school board (no spoiler here, the reader is fully apprised of the conspiracy from the start) that has been ripping off the district and splitting the proceeds among themselves, the superintendent and the security guy.) I found it stretching credibility a bit to accept such a successful conspiracy among so many people and that what is portrayed as a very small community has such a huge district budget, but the story does work and in any case the details are irrelevant.
I do have a small gripe with regard to how most writers regard town size. I live two miles east of a small town. The population is 1,800 people. (One PT cop.) I used to live near a smaller town
with a population of 176. Those are small towns. The school district ( where I now live) covers a very large area encompassing several other small towns and has a budget of about $6 million. The closest large town, about 17 miles away, has a population of about 28,000 and the school district’s budget is about $40 million, similar to the one in this story. The interaction of the characters in this story is much closer to a town of 1,800 than one of 28,000. But a small town with the characteristics Sandford describes would never, imho, have a budget approaching $40 million permitting embezzlement on the scale he describes. But I suppose writers who live in cities assume a small town is something around 100,000. That’s a big city. Then again, you can read about the Queen of embezzlers, Rita Crundwell, who stole $57 million over several decades from Dixon, Illinois, population 16,000. (In classic understatement one of the city commissioners said of her financial stewardship as comptroller, "she looks after every tax dollar as if it were her own." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Cr...)
This has to be the best Virgil Flowers story yet. Some very funny scenes and conversation, often in the midst of serious situations. I loved the boat chase across the Mississippi near the end using two very slow fishing boats followed by a golf cart chase ending in a sand trap. And the Attorney General’s representative who, when discussing extradition from the Cheeseheads said he would need to look up the Latin legal phrase for “Fuck Off.” (My high school Latin is very rusty, but, I believe it’s Futete. Don’t even ask what “Te futueo et caballum tuum” means. The Internet is amazing.)
Virgil’s new girlfriend, Frankie, does some farming and Virgil (Sandford under his real name, John Camp, wrote a book about farm life in southwestern Minnesota), when given the choice between following a hay wagon and throwing bales around or having his testicles dropped in a bear trap, has to take a while to “think about it.” I know exactly why the delay, having had to throw about a thousand bales a day into a barn daily for several summers. It’s dreadful.
If you haven’t tried the Virgil Flowers series, I highly recommend them. Start with the first although they stand alone quite well. Much better than the Davenport series, which are also enjoyable.
June 1, 2022
I love Virgil Flowers novels. They are just entertaining, sometimes funny, with a lot of police work thrown in. And now we have that Fucking Fido to go along with that Fucking Flowers. Ha ha ha! I won’t stop reading these novels, that’s for sure.
October 14, 2014
Not long ago, I was challenged to come up with a Top 10 list of all-time favorite book "heroes." Sandford's Virgil Flowers came in at No. 7 (though my ranking for 7 through 4 are pretty much interchangeable depending on how much I enjoyed the most recent book). Nothing in this one changed my mind - that fu**in' Flowers is still a hoot and this, the eighth in the series, is another winner.
What makes me love him so much? I'm not totally sure, except to say that unlike his boss, the richer-than-God Lucas Davenport (the main character in another Sandford series), ol' Virgil still has a hint (okay, more than a hint) of maverick in him. Then too, there are the wisecracks (although not always coming from Virgil), to-wit:
"It's darker in there than a black cat's ass in a coal mine."
"Coyotes don't eat dachshunds."
"It's a fu**in' Chihuahua. It's practically a fu**in' hamster."
And if that isn't enough, what's not to love about a guy whose favorite brewski is Leinenkugel?
As you might suspect, this one has gone to the dogs. There is, it seems, a whole lot of dognapping going on; at the request of a friend, Virgil starts a mostly unofficial investigation of the apparent theft of dogs from local owners in rural southeast Minnesota. Most likely, the theory is, the kidnappers are rounding up the canines to sell to medical labs for research purposes.
Then comes a call from boss Davenport; a local newspaper reporter has been found murdered, and this investigation is an official assignment. So, for the most part the other investigation goes to the dogs while Virgil follows clues to track down the killer and finds himself in the middle of a hugely lucrative embezzlement scheme involving, of all things, members of a local school district's board of education.
There aren't a lot of surprises here, nor are there meant to be; for the most part, the bad guys and gals are known pretty much from the git-go. The fun comes in the where, when and how of nailing down the evidence so arrests can be made (with not a few more dead bodies turning up along the way).
I won't say this is the best-ever entry in this series, but it's still a hoot and, IMHO, well worth the relatively short time it takes to read.
What makes me love him so much? I'm not totally sure, except to say that unlike his boss, the richer-than-God Lucas Davenport (the main character in another Sandford series), ol' Virgil still has a hint (okay, more than a hint) of maverick in him. Then too, there are the wisecracks (although not always coming from Virgil), to-wit:
"It's darker in there than a black cat's ass in a coal mine."
"Coyotes don't eat dachshunds."
"It's a fu**in' Chihuahua. It's practically a fu**in' hamster."
And if that isn't enough, what's not to love about a guy whose favorite brewski is Leinenkugel?
As you might suspect, this one has gone to the dogs. There is, it seems, a whole lot of dognapping going on; at the request of a friend, Virgil starts a mostly unofficial investigation of the apparent theft of dogs from local owners in rural southeast Minnesota. Most likely, the theory is, the kidnappers are rounding up the canines to sell to medical labs for research purposes.
Then comes a call from boss Davenport; a local newspaper reporter has been found murdered, and this investigation is an official assignment. So, for the most part the other investigation goes to the dogs while Virgil follows clues to track down the killer and finds himself in the middle of a hugely lucrative embezzlement scheme involving, of all things, members of a local school district's board of education.
There aren't a lot of surprises here, nor are there meant to be; for the most part, the bad guys and gals are known pretty much from the git-go. The fun comes in the where, when and how of nailing down the evidence so arrests can be made (with not a few more dead bodies turning up along the way).
I won't say this is the best-ever entry in this series, but it's still a hoot and, IMHO, well worth the relatively short time it takes to read.
January 25, 2016
Virgil Flowers is asked by his buddy Johnson Johnson to help local dog owners catch someone stealing their dogs. Virgil quickly becomes embroiled in breaking up a meth manufacturing operation hidden in the hills and a series of murders related to covering up massive fraud and misappropriation by the local school board. Virgil's friendliness, homey style and determination are his strong points, but his process of sharing his developing theories with non-police personnel seems unlawful and dangerous. I liked some of the pick-up bumper stickers at the local bar in Minnesota: "Got Hollowpoints?" and "Point and click means you are out of ammo."
November 16, 2014
About ten years ago, our famous author complemented his long-running and highly violent “Prey” series with the introduction of a new set featuring Virgil Flowers, a “country-boy” type of crime solver that rarely even totes a gun. This was a great idea, in our opinion, as the “Prey” protagonist, independently wealthy Lucas Davenport, who ages contemporaneously with each book, is getting a tad long in the tooth, and often acts as little better than a coordinating executive. While the just prior Flowers tale, “Storm Front”, was widely panned as inconsistent and barely entertaining, we also learned (from the author himself) that ghost writers helped with that novel. So the good news is the helpers were either unceremoniously dumped for “Deadline” or they got incredibly better in short order, as this eighth entry in the set reverts to good form.
Flowers starts out by helping with what appears to be a dognapping ring – but the next thing you know is that a couple of murders switch his priorities into solving a school board embezzlement scenario. We readers get to know all the villains in advance, but of course Virgil plods along until he has just about everything figured out and all the culprits identified. He only needs a few more pieces of solid proof to collapse the whole thing. Obviously he succeeds; but our only gripe is that the pace got a little sluggish – slash about 50 pages of his hunt and chase and that would be just right. Oh – and did the story go to the dogs?
Much better.
Flowers starts out by helping with what appears to be a dognapping ring – but the next thing you know is that a couple of murders switch his priorities into solving a school board embezzlement scenario. We readers get to know all the villains in advance, but of course Virgil plods along until he has just about everything figured out and all the culprits identified. He only needs a few more pieces of solid proof to collapse the whole thing. Obviously he succeeds; but our only gripe is that the pace got a little sluggish – slash about 50 pages of his hunt and chase and that would be just right. Oh – and did the story go to the dogs?
Much better.
![Profile Image for Terence M [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1712357414i%2F6658001._UY200_CR4%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 28, 2019
I am bored to tears with this book! Normally I like "Virgil Flowers" books (I have listened to #1 to #7 to date), which is why I have persevered this long, but even with only two hours to go, I am bored and I don't care what happens. I have a host of new books to listen to and that's just what I am going to do!"
May 8, 2021
After being a big fan of John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport “Prey” series, I am now plowing my way through his second series focusing on the ever-popular, Virgil Flowers. I have just put the finishing touches on his eighth book – “Deadline” – and the following is my personal review.
As I have mentioned previously, Virgil Flowers is the anti-Davenport of law enforcement, in his late thirties, tall, lean, and long haired. He’s been married and divorced three times, but still loves and adores the ladies. He’s an outdoorsman, photographer, and writer in his spare time. Most importantly, his preferred dress style is jeans and indie rock-and-roll band t-shirts. Virgil also works as an investigator for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, being recruited by Lucas Davenport and reporting directly to him and doing his best to try and drive Lucas crazy.
“Deadline” starts off with D. Wayne Sharf, professional dognapper and meth lab cook on the prowl, stealing Winkey Butterfield’s two best farm dogs right out of their kennel with the intent of selling them for medical testing. However, what Sharf doesn’t realize is that Butterfield’s good friends with Flower’s best friend, Johnson Johnson (yes, he has the same first and last name), who calls his investigator buddy into town to help solve the dognapping problem and get away from his new girlfriend, Frankie, and her kids.
When Flowers arrives in Buchanan County in Southeast Minnesota, he thinks this is a simple case that he can solve in a week or less, while trying to keep a bunch of angry locals from taking the law into their own hands. But before he can get his hands on the culprits, bigger problems take over.
The Buchanan Consolidated County Sc0hool Board is holding their monthly meeting when the chairman closes the public portion of the meeting and the Board goes into a private session to deal with what is considered personal issues. Those issues include a proposal on whether to authorize the killing of a local reporter. The vote passes.
Before he knows it, Virgil has double duty with tracking down the dognapper hidden away in the country hills and the discovery of Clancy Conley, a troubled local reporter, who was found dead in a ditch near his cabin. Conley was shot in the back, which brings Virgil in to investigate since he’s already nearby. However, the group behind the murder plot are serious about protecting their interests because there’s a million or more of them. Even if it means eliminating Flowers himself to keep their secrets safe…
It’s interesting to me that several of the last books in this series, and this one included, do not have diabolical murderers and serial killers that challenge our detective in ways that push him to his furthest limits. None of them are as strong as most of the villains in Sandford’s Lucas Davenport series. The first couple of Virgil Flowers novels had strong protagonists and I enjoyed them. Then the villains evolved into quirky small- town characters that were off their rockers. At first, I thought having a n unusual bad guy or girl was okay, but then I started thinking there were too many of them.
Now, I am changing my mind as I find myself growing comfortable with this series being different. The uniqueness and quirkiness of the small-town country villains is what makes Virgil Flowers fresh, different, and captivating. I am going to stop complaining and openly embrace the craziness of Virgil’s world. It’s weird and unusual, but it works. As a matter of fact, it works very well. There are different types and styles in this genre, including “cozy” mysteries, often set in small-towns with cute and country folk. For me, Virgil Flowers has now created its own version that I lovingly have dubbed “trailer park trash” mysteries. I mean that as no insult whatsoever and with only the utmost respect. Those who enjoy Virgil Flowers will know what I am referring to.
Having devoured eight books in the series now, I am thoroughly enjoying Sandford’s fast-paced storytelling with plenty of action, nicely delivered sarcastic humor, and uniquely quirky characters. I openly admit to being a fan of Frankie “Ma” Nobles, an independent single parent with several kids, and Virgil’s current love interest. Not only is she beautiful, she can sand up to Virgil and hold her own with him in a way that outshines the women before her. Instead of Virgil being the romantic conquer, she successfully turns the tables on him in a funny and excellent ways. She (along with the newly introduced dog Fido) is growing on me in an impressive and memorable manner.
Overall, Sandford delivers another interesting and escapist read that delivers action, fun, humor, and a big dose of our anti-hero, Virgil (middle name excluded) Flowers. Another 3.5 out of five stars and that’s more than enough to keep me moving forward to Virgil’s next adventure…
As I have mentioned previously, Virgil Flowers is the anti-Davenport of law enforcement, in his late thirties, tall, lean, and long haired. He’s been married and divorced three times, but still loves and adores the ladies. He’s an outdoorsman, photographer, and writer in his spare time. Most importantly, his preferred dress style is jeans and indie rock-and-roll band t-shirts. Virgil also works as an investigator for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, being recruited by Lucas Davenport and reporting directly to him and doing his best to try and drive Lucas crazy.
“Deadline” starts off with D. Wayne Sharf, professional dognapper and meth lab cook on the prowl, stealing Winkey Butterfield’s two best farm dogs right out of their kennel with the intent of selling them for medical testing. However, what Sharf doesn’t realize is that Butterfield’s good friends with Flower’s best friend, Johnson Johnson (yes, he has the same first and last name), who calls his investigator buddy into town to help solve the dognapping problem and get away from his new girlfriend, Frankie, and her kids.
When Flowers arrives in Buchanan County in Southeast Minnesota, he thinks this is a simple case that he can solve in a week or less, while trying to keep a bunch of angry locals from taking the law into their own hands. But before he can get his hands on the culprits, bigger problems take over.
The Buchanan Consolidated County Sc0hool Board is holding their monthly meeting when the chairman closes the public portion of the meeting and the Board goes into a private session to deal with what is considered personal issues. Those issues include a proposal on whether to authorize the killing of a local reporter. The vote passes.
Before he knows it, Virgil has double duty with tracking down the dognapper hidden away in the country hills and the discovery of Clancy Conley, a troubled local reporter, who was found dead in a ditch near his cabin. Conley was shot in the back, which brings Virgil in to investigate since he’s already nearby. However, the group behind the murder plot are serious about protecting their interests because there’s a million or more of them. Even if it means eliminating Flowers himself to keep their secrets safe…
It’s interesting to me that several of the last books in this series, and this one included, do not have diabolical murderers and serial killers that challenge our detective in ways that push him to his furthest limits. None of them are as strong as most of the villains in Sandford’s Lucas Davenport series. The first couple of Virgil Flowers novels had strong protagonists and I enjoyed them. Then the villains evolved into quirky small- town characters that were off their rockers. At first, I thought having a n unusual bad guy or girl was okay, but then I started thinking there were too many of them.
Now, I am changing my mind as I find myself growing comfortable with this series being different. The uniqueness and quirkiness of the small-town country villains is what makes Virgil Flowers fresh, different, and captivating. I am going to stop complaining and openly embrace the craziness of Virgil’s world. It’s weird and unusual, but it works. As a matter of fact, it works very well. There are different types and styles in this genre, including “cozy” mysteries, often set in small-towns with cute and country folk. For me, Virgil Flowers has now created its own version that I lovingly have dubbed “trailer park trash” mysteries. I mean that as no insult whatsoever and with only the utmost respect. Those who enjoy Virgil Flowers will know what I am referring to.
Having devoured eight books in the series now, I am thoroughly enjoying Sandford’s fast-paced storytelling with plenty of action, nicely delivered sarcastic humor, and uniquely quirky characters. I openly admit to being a fan of Frankie “Ma” Nobles, an independent single parent with several kids, and Virgil’s current love interest. Not only is she beautiful, she can sand up to Virgil and hold her own with him in a way that outshines the women before her. Instead of Virgil being the romantic conquer, she successfully turns the tables on him in a funny and excellent ways. She (along with the newly introduced dog Fido) is growing on me in an impressive and memorable manner.
Overall, Sandford delivers another interesting and escapist read that delivers action, fun, humor, and a big dose of our anti-hero, Virgil (middle name excluded) Flowers. Another 3.5 out of five stars and that’s more than enough to keep me moving forward to Virgil’s next adventure…
October 17, 2014
Unlike other authors of long running crime fiction series, John Sanford just keeps getting better and "Deadline" is the perfect example. Virgil Flowers is at his very best here investigating "dogknappers" and the apparent murder of a small Minnesota town's investigative reporter. Turns out the murder victim was investigating embezzlement by the upstanding citizens of the local school board. Of course Virgil would rather be fishing but backed up by his old friend Johnson Johnson, finds the time to pursue both investigations while becoming a target himself.
"Deadline" is exceptionally entertaining crime fiction that also made me laugh hard. Think witty characters drawn like a rural Minnesota version of Carl Hiaassen's Floridians. Country boys demonstrating a keen sense of humor while pursuing bad guys in slow moving boats and golf carts is priceless and these days, I need all the humor I can get! Very highly recommended........Ed
"Deadline" is exceptionally entertaining crime fiction that also made me laugh hard. Think witty characters drawn like a rural Minnesota version of Carl Hiaassen's Floridians. Country boys demonstrating a keen sense of humor while pursuing bad guys in slow moving boats and golf carts is priceless and these days, I need all the humor I can get! Very highly recommended........Ed
October 23, 2014
John Sandford mysteries seem to be getting better and better. Each new book flows smoother than the last. They are funnier, better-written and just generally more enjoyable to read. They are the product of a writer at the top of his game who is enjoying and succeeding at his craft. Deadline, the new Virgil Flowers novel continues this trend.
It seemed at the beginning of his writing career (notably in his Prey series), Sandford would camouflage the shortcomings in his stories by slathering on a thick coating of cringe inducing gore and torture scenes. I am not squeamish, call me sick, but I actually like violence in the stories I read, but a lot of the content in his earlier novels were just so over the top. It was not unlike the new Grilled-Stuffed-Mega-Taco-Dito offered by your local Taco Shack. Look, you do not have to add ham and Swiss chard and cram it into a ancient grain taco pocket that will then be dipped in several processed cheese substitutes and deep-fried in truffle oil. Mexican food is fine without all that over the top extra stuff. Tacos rock. Just do a conventional taco and do it well and you will have a winner. Sandford just needed to do this with his work too—write your mystery story well, garnish it with great characters, and the result will be awesome. It seems he is now doing this.
What Sandford has always done well was create fantastic leading characters. Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers were interesting and realistic. They were funny and engaging and had terrific interactions with their fellow police officers and the civilians they encountered while working a case. They kept me coming back to the next book. This has not changed with Deadline.
In the new novel, Virgil Flowers is called to help an old friend whose community is having their dogs stolen. It seems there is a team of miscreants stealing the canines to sell them for medical experiments. Meanwhile, nearby, bodies begin to turn up—a runaway school board is ordering executions to violently silence anyone attempting to expose their fraud. The novel is just about as rollicking and fun as this all sounds. Flowers is an engaging cop, quick with an observation or a one-liner. The townsfolk are smart and sassy. It is one heck of an entertaining ride.
The narrative takes a back seat to the characters and their witty quips and rejoinders. Nobody is taking anything too seriously (at least until the bullets really start flying and some of the regulars end up with extra orifices) and the mystery never really gets in the way of the characters. There is excitement, laughter, and a surprisingly tender moment at the conclusion with Virgil and an enigmatic yellow dog bounding in a life-changing way. I suppose this could be called a beach read or if it was a movie a summer blockbuster. I would call it a excellent and gratifying way to spend a few days.
I highly recommend this book!
It seemed at the beginning of his writing career (notably in his Prey series), Sandford would camouflage the shortcomings in his stories by slathering on a thick coating of cringe inducing gore and torture scenes. I am not squeamish, call me sick, but I actually like violence in the stories I read, but a lot of the content in his earlier novels were just so over the top. It was not unlike the new Grilled-Stuffed-Mega-Taco-Dito offered by your local Taco Shack. Look, you do not have to add ham and Swiss chard and cram it into a ancient grain taco pocket that will then be dipped in several processed cheese substitutes and deep-fried in truffle oil. Mexican food is fine without all that over the top extra stuff. Tacos rock. Just do a conventional taco and do it well and you will have a winner. Sandford just needed to do this with his work too—write your mystery story well, garnish it with great characters, and the result will be awesome. It seems he is now doing this.
What Sandford has always done well was create fantastic leading characters. Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers were interesting and realistic. They were funny and engaging and had terrific interactions with their fellow police officers and the civilians they encountered while working a case. They kept me coming back to the next book. This has not changed with Deadline.
In the new novel, Virgil Flowers is called to help an old friend whose community is having their dogs stolen. It seems there is a team of miscreants stealing the canines to sell them for medical experiments. Meanwhile, nearby, bodies begin to turn up—a runaway school board is ordering executions to violently silence anyone attempting to expose their fraud. The novel is just about as rollicking and fun as this all sounds. Flowers is an engaging cop, quick with an observation or a one-liner. The townsfolk are smart and sassy. It is one heck of an entertaining ride.
The narrative takes a back seat to the characters and their witty quips and rejoinders. Nobody is taking anything too seriously (at least until the bullets really start flying and some of the regulars end up with extra orifices) and the mystery never really gets in the way of the characters. There is excitement, laughter, and a surprisingly tender moment at the conclusion with Virgil and an enigmatic yellow dog bounding in a life-changing way. I suppose this could be called a beach read or if it was a movie a summer blockbuster. I would call it a excellent and gratifying way to spend a few days.
I highly recommend this book!
January 3, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.
There is nothing better than a new Virgil Flowers mystery. This one has Flowers investigating a dognapping ring, when he is asked by Lucas Davenport (of the “Prey” novels) to look into the murder of a reporter. As Virgil gets deeper into the case, local school board members start dying. It turns out that certain board members had planned the reporter’s death–but are they now killing each other?
The plot in this installment is not complicated, but it’s full of that great Sandford wry humor that has become the hallmark of the Flowers series. There is a down-home, redneck quality to this one that I thought was funnier than most. Virgil’s friend Johnson Johnson (his father named all his sons after outboard motors, and Mercury, Johnson’s brother, got the better end of THAT deal) calls him to help figure out where all the town’s dogs are going. We encounter a cast of characters and situations that personify what would happen if Deliverance was mixed with the business world: gun nuts, meth heads, embezzlement, backstabbing, and politics. Even though we know who the bad guys are right from the start, the book will hold your interest as the plot advances.
Flowers is helped out by Johnson, of course, who is by far the most colorful of the characters. He’s willing to shoot his gun off at the slightest provocation, and so is young Muddy, a not-quite-teenager who pops up out of the background to give Virgil some hints on where those missing dogs may be. The dognapping side plot is a lighthearted addition to the murder investigation, and gives Sandford a chance to show off those quirky Minnesota rednecks. Some great conversation is had between Virgil and Johnson:
Virgil went carefully back to his truck, climbed inside, and found Johnson with a high capacity Para-Ordnance .45 in his lap.
“Jesus, Johnson, what were you gonna do with that?”
“I saw somebody at the window,” Johnson said. “If they shot you, I was gonna hose the place down.”
Virgil thought about that for a moment, then said, “All right.” He looked up at the porch. Zorn had gone back inside, but Virgil could see him hovering behind the screen. “That’s a bad man, right there,” Virgil said. “Doesn’t even bother to trim his nose hair.”
“That is a bad man,” Johnson said.
The writing from chapter 28 onwards is one of the funniest and well written scenes I’ve ever read. There is a mob, dogs running loose, crazed female anti vivisectionists (called Auntie Vivians), gunshots, wrecked trucks, and plenty of other action. Sandford has raised his own bar with DEADLINE and gotten better, hard as that is to believe. Virgil Flowers is one of my favorite fictional characters, and it feels as though Sandford had a rollicking great time with this one. It’s a great stand alone book, and possibly the best one so far. I hope there are many more in store.
There is nothing better than a new Virgil Flowers mystery. This one has Flowers investigating a dognapping ring, when he is asked by Lucas Davenport (of the “Prey” novels) to look into the murder of a reporter. As Virgil gets deeper into the case, local school board members start dying. It turns out that certain board members had planned the reporter’s death–but are they now killing each other?
The plot in this installment is not complicated, but it’s full of that great Sandford wry humor that has become the hallmark of the Flowers series. There is a down-home, redneck quality to this one that I thought was funnier than most. Virgil’s friend Johnson Johnson (his father named all his sons after outboard motors, and Mercury, Johnson’s brother, got the better end of THAT deal) calls him to help figure out where all the town’s dogs are going. We encounter a cast of characters and situations that personify what would happen if Deliverance was mixed with the business world: gun nuts, meth heads, embezzlement, backstabbing, and politics. Even though we know who the bad guys are right from the start, the book will hold your interest as the plot advances.
Flowers is helped out by Johnson, of course, who is by far the most colorful of the characters. He’s willing to shoot his gun off at the slightest provocation, and so is young Muddy, a not-quite-teenager who pops up out of the background to give Virgil some hints on where those missing dogs may be. The dognapping side plot is a lighthearted addition to the murder investigation, and gives Sandford a chance to show off those quirky Minnesota rednecks. Some great conversation is had between Virgil and Johnson:
Virgil went carefully back to his truck, climbed inside, and found Johnson with a high capacity Para-Ordnance .45 in his lap.
“Jesus, Johnson, what were you gonna do with that?”
“I saw somebody at the window,” Johnson said. “If they shot you, I was gonna hose the place down.”
Virgil thought about that for a moment, then said, “All right.” He looked up at the porch. Zorn had gone back inside, but Virgil could see him hovering behind the screen. “That’s a bad man, right there,” Virgil said. “Doesn’t even bother to trim his nose hair.”
“That is a bad man,” Johnson said.
The writing from chapter 28 onwards is one of the funniest and well written scenes I’ve ever read. There is a mob, dogs running loose, crazed female anti vivisectionists (called Auntie Vivians), gunshots, wrecked trucks, and plenty of other action. Sandford has raised his own bar with DEADLINE and gotten better, hard as that is to believe. Virgil Flowers is one of my favorite fictional characters, and it feels as though Sandford had a rollicking great time with this one. It’s a great stand alone book, and possibly the best one so far. I hope there are many more in store.
October 10, 2014
I love Virgil Flowers. He's funny, he's smart, he digs music, and he's always forgetting his gun. This adventure held new challenges for old Virgie and watching him handle them was as delightful as always. Sandford has such a wonderful way of winding the story up - building the mysteries one on top of the other, throwing all the balls in the air, one after the other.
In this book, Virgil is called on by his old friend, Johnson Johnson, to help solve some dognapping dilemmas in the area. Once Virgil arrives on the scene, though, local corruption, drugs, and murder take over the focus. It's a glimpse into modern small town life that is probably specific to this area of Minnesota, but resonates if you've ever spent time in a small town anywhere... there's an underbelly there, if you know where to look. As usual, Flowers figures out where to look, where to claim allies, and how to throw the place into a frenzy.
As gripping a page-turner as the plot turned out to be, I also found myself laughing out loud, as is my wont with Sandford, chuckling at the humor these characters bring out time and again.
All in all, this is a great read and a fantastic addition to the Flowers world. Sandford remains one of my favorite authors; I consistently wait for the new stuff and devour it as soon as possible, but somehow it's always worth it.
In this book, Virgil is called on by his old friend, Johnson Johnson, to help solve some dognapping dilemmas in the area. Once Virgil arrives on the scene, though, local corruption, drugs, and murder take over the focus. It's a glimpse into modern small town life that is probably specific to this area of Minnesota, but resonates if you've ever spent time in a small town anywhere... there's an underbelly there, if you know where to look. As usual, Flowers figures out where to look, where to claim allies, and how to throw the place into a frenzy.
As gripping a page-turner as the plot turned out to be, I also found myself laughing out loud, as is my wont with Sandford, chuckling at the humor these characters bring out time and again.
All in all, this is a great read and a fantastic addition to the Flowers world. Sandford remains one of my favorite authors; I consistently wait for the new stuff and devour it as soon as possible, but somehow it's always worth it.
February 17, 2016
That F#!@ing Flowers is once more bumbling and shining his way into the hearts and minds of his fellow fictitious characters and readers.
Deadline, which is book #8 in this series, starts with Virgil arguably screwing off. While other members of his agency are investigating a mass murder, Field of Prey - Lucas Davenport #24, Virgil enjoys a little fishing under the guise of dismantling an organized canine theft ring. The investigation goes to the dogs, yet is maintained throughout as a separate story line as rural owners consider the crime closer to kidnapping than a simple poaching of their pooches.
The major story line begins to take shape when a local journalist is shot and killed outside his residence. Brought in by the local police, Virgil stumbles upon a conspiracy that results in more bodies than cord word outside a hunting lodge. As the investigation heats up, Virgil is wounded, yet still finds the strength and desire to COPulate (pun intended) with his newest girlfriend, who could possibly turn into wife #3, or is it #4.
As you might imagine, this novel, like most Virgil Flowers novels, is a carefree and enjoyable read. I always hesitate to provide too much or any particulars about the story, but suffice it to say, Virgil gets his men, women, children, and dogs.
On a more detailed scale, this book earns a 3.8.
Deadline, which is book #8 in this series, starts with Virgil arguably screwing off. While other members of his agency are investigating a mass murder, Field of Prey - Lucas Davenport #24, Virgil enjoys a little fishing under the guise of dismantling an organized canine theft ring. The investigation goes to the dogs, yet is maintained throughout as a separate story line as rural owners consider the crime closer to kidnapping than a simple poaching of their pooches.
The major story line begins to take shape when a local journalist is shot and killed outside his residence. Brought in by the local police, Virgil stumbles upon a conspiracy that results in more bodies than cord word outside a hunting lodge. As the investigation heats up, Virgil is wounded, yet still finds the strength and desire to COPulate (pun intended) with his newest girlfriend, who could possibly turn into wife #3, or is it #4.
As you might imagine, this novel, like most Virgil Flowers novels, is a carefree and enjoyable read. I always hesitate to provide too much or any particulars about the story, but suffice it to say, Virgil gets his men, women, children, and dogs.
On a more detailed scale, this book earns a 3.8.
November 8, 2014
Loved this very well written novel! 10 of 10 stars
August 21, 2016
"You got a very strange job, Virgil"
Virgil Flowers gets a phone call at 3AM from his friend Johnson Johnson. He needs Virgil's help. Someone has been dognapping local dogs. This is serious business in rural Minnesota which is where Virgil works for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Although this is not his usual area of expertise he agrees to check into it. These dogs are like family Johnson tells him. It isn't long before he gets sidetracked because he finds evidence of a meth lab in the remote hills. If that was not enough he soon gets called to the scene of a murder. The victim ... a local reporter. The local school board has been embezzling money on a grand scale and the reporter has uncovered it and is ready to expose their crimes. A special closed session is held after a regular board meeting to discuss "personnel issues". The board votes to have the reporter killed. Virgil has his hands full. The dog owners are ready to form a posse and go after the dognappers which could jeopardize the operation to shut down and apprehend the meth lab operators. The net is closing in around the school board. They begin to panic and soon there are other murders and arson all in an attempt to cover up their crimes.
Virgil Flowers was first introduced in the "Prey" series as one of Lucas Davenport's investigators. I am glad to see the author has created a series with Virgil as the main character. He still works for Davenport and several of the characters from the "Prey" series make appearances including Shrake and Jenkins. There is often a touch of humorous situations and dialog to lighten things up. Virgil is a good ol' boy. He wears his hair long. Waylon Jennings long. His uniform is usually a t-shirt for some obscure rock band, jeans, and cowboy boots. If he wants to appear more professional or formal he wears a jacket. He is always leaving his gun locked in the gun locker in his truck ... especially when it would be helpful to have it on his person. He is very fond of his boat and usually tows it behind his truck just in case there is an opportunity to get in some fishing. Overall he is just a nice guy. This is often evident as he works on a case and deals with people. Particularly victims of crimes but sometimes even the criminals themselves. This becomes even more evident as the dognapping case wraps up and one of the dogs adopts Virgil. After all he is a good ol' boy.
Virgil Flowers gets a phone call at 3AM from his friend Johnson Johnson. He needs Virgil's help. Someone has been dognapping local dogs. This is serious business in rural Minnesota which is where Virgil works for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Although this is not his usual area of expertise he agrees to check into it. These dogs are like family Johnson tells him. It isn't long before he gets sidetracked because he finds evidence of a meth lab in the remote hills. If that was not enough he soon gets called to the scene of a murder. The victim ... a local reporter. The local school board has been embezzling money on a grand scale and the reporter has uncovered it and is ready to expose their crimes. A special closed session is held after a regular board meeting to discuss "personnel issues". The board votes to have the reporter killed. Virgil has his hands full. The dog owners are ready to form a posse and go after the dognappers which could jeopardize the operation to shut down and apprehend the meth lab operators. The net is closing in around the school board. They begin to panic and soon there are other murders and arson all in an attempt to cover up their crimes.
Virgil Flowers was first introduced in the "Prey" series as one of Lucas Davenport's investigators. I am glad to see the author has created a series with Virgil as the main character. He still works for Davenport and several of the characters from the "Prey" series make appearances including Shrake and Jenkins. There is often a touch of humorous situations and dialog to lighten things up. Virgil is a good ol' boy. He wears his hair long. Waylon Jennings long. His uniform is usually a t-shirt for some obscure rock band, jeans, and cowboy boots. If he wants to appear more professional or formal he wears a jacket. He is always leaving his gun locked in the gun locker in his truck ... especially when it would be helpful to have it on his person. He is very fond of his boat and usually tows it behind his truck just in case there is an opportunity to get in some fishing. Overall he is just a nice guy. This is often evident as he works on a case and deals with people. Particularly victims of crimes but sometimes even the criminals themselves. This becomes even more evident as the dognapping case wraps up and one of the dogs adopts Virgil. After all he is a good ol' boy.
October 26, 2014
I've read Sandford from the first of the Lucas books and have to admit that I now prefer his Virgil stories. While Lucas has pretty much settled down with a wife and kids (whom we seldom hear about), and an administration job, Virgil is still more of an independent character who ends up in small towns where he eventually figures out what's happening and who all the players are in his own totally non-linear way.
This book has all the aspects fans have come to expect: oddball characters, interwoven plot lines, and some laugh out loud moments. And what would a Virgil book be without his band T-shirts and a moment thinking about God before sleep?
This one has so many threads: stolen dogs (don't worry, dog lovers, none die!), meth cookers, a deadly school board, and some odd, but likeable locals whom he brings in to help. There is, of course, the expected catching of the bad guys excitement ending, which may be both the most exciting (in a really odd way) while funny finale I've read in a Virgil story.
This book has all the aspects fans have come to expect: oddball characters, interwoven plot lines, and some laugh out loud moments. And what would a Virgil book be without his band T-shirts and a moment thinking about God before sleep?
This one has so many threads: stolen dogs (don't worry, dog lovers, none die!), meth cookers, a deadly school board, and some odd, but likeable locals whom he brings in to help. There is, of course, the expected catching of the bad guys excitement ending, which may be both the most exciting (in a really odd way) while funny finale I've read in a Virgil story.
October 24, 2014
Another hit from John Sandford.
I've come to enjoy the Virgil Flowers novels more than the Davenport stories because of the humor Sandford writes into the Flowers character. This entry into the Flowers series is no different. From dog thieves to meth cookers to the inept but lethal school board. Each group is chased down by Flowers in his own laid back manner.
And even though it's a series, a first time reader will not feel lost. There are recurring characters but they all have minor roles in this book.
I've come to enjoy the Virgil Flowers novels more than the Davenport stories because of the humor Sandford writes into the Flowers character. This entry into the Flowers series is no different. From dog thieves to meth cookers to the inept but lethal school board. Each group is chased down by Flowers in his own laid back manner.
And even though it's a series, a first time reader will not feel lost. There are recurring characters but they all have minor roles in this book.
November 7, 2014
I wonder who wrote this one?
September 23, 2018
Read this after Field of Prey! This is the first time there are significant spoilers between the two series. It really works well for the interaction of Lucas & Virgil.
Take a fairly straight forward investigation, add Virgil Flowers, & watch the complications rise. It's a very simple & effective recipe that Sandford uses well & it's a lot of fun as he earns his moniker "That Fuckin' Flowers". Everyone calls him that from his boss to the bad guys & even his friends. They do so with good reason. Life is never simple around him & yet he's an easy going guy who generally conducts his investigations by chatting with everyone in a friendly fashion. He seems to take them all into his confidence & that often sets the bad guys running.
What starts out as a simple case of dognapping (a favor for his friend, Johnson Johnson who has brothers named Evinrude & Mercury) quickly ramps up into a murder conspiracy & more. What's more, it was done very well so required no suspension of disbelief & it quickly became a twisty, exciting chase.
One of the things that has bothered me about both series is the lack of dogs. I'm a small town country guy & we've always had a few. Some have been trained for various duties, others just strays that find a place, but I've never had a house without at least one or two. Sandford's characters don't have any or there is just one chained out in the yard. It's great that he finally got around to adding them to his book & he portrayed the people well.
Again, the characters were great. This one has some really great bad guys. Some were interestingly corrupted. Another was a kid similar to Letty in a lot of ways. He was a bit much at times, but enjoyable, a nice light touch to fairly horrific situations.
Well narrated & a super addition to the series. On to the next Prey book, Gathering Prey.
Take a fairly straight forward investigation, add Virgil Flowers, & watch the complications rise. It's a very simple & effective recipe that Sandford uses well & it's a lot of fun as he earns his moniker "That Fuckin' Flowers". Everyone calls him that from his boss to the bad guys & even his friends. They do so with good reason. Life is never simple around him & yet he's an easy going guy who generally conducts his investigations by chatting with everyone in a friendly fashion. He seems to take them all into his confidence & that often sets the bad guys running.
What starts out as a simple case of dognapping (a favor for his friend, Johnson Johnson who has brothers named Evinrude & Mercury) quickly ramps up into a murder conspiracy & more. What's more, it was done very well so required no suspension of disbelief & it quickly became a twisty, exciting chase.
One of the things that has bothered me about both series is the lack of dogs. I'm a small town country guy & we've always had a few. Some have been trained for various duties, others just strays that find a place, but I've never had a house without at least one or two. Sandford's characters don't have any or there is just one chained out in the yard. It's great that he finally got around to adding them to his book & he portrayed the people well.
Again, the characters were great. This one has some really great bad guys. Some were interestingly corrupted. Another was a kid similar to Letty in a lot of ways. He was a bit much at times, but enjoyable, a nice light touch to fairly horrific situations.
Well narrated & a super addition to the series. On to the next Prey book, Gathering Prey.
January 2, 2020
Virgil Flowers is awakened by the ringing of his cell phone in the middle of the night; it’s his friend Johnson Johnson. He is calling about dognappings from his area, and not just any dogs, expensive thoroughbreds. His friends and neighbors are up in arms, they want action! Although Flowers agrees to meet with the victims about the thefts of their pets, he never imagines that a small town will be so crime ridden.
In the midst of his investigation, Flowers stumbles on a large meth operation and a dead body, the question is are they somehow tied together or is there more going on in this town then meets the eye?
It appears that the dogs are being stolen to supply medical labs with specimens for testing. The meth production lab is turned over to the appropriate federal agency and the dead body leads to a twisted mystery involving the local school board.
But Virgil’s tumbling from one case to another has put a huge neon target on his own back; the question becomes, can he solve these cases before he is taken out?
I chose an audio book this time and found that the quaint humor is much more substantial listening to the books then reading the books. I totally enjoyed this listening experience!
In the midst of his investigation, Flowers stumbles on a large meth operation and a dead body, the question is are they somehow tied together or is there more going on in this town then meets the eye?
It appears that the dogs are being stolen to supply medical labs with specimens for testing. The meth production lab is turned over to the appropriate federal agency and the dead body leads to a twisted mystery involving the local school board.
But Virgil’s tumbling from one case to another has put a huge neon target on his own back; the question becomes, can he solve these cases before he is taken out?
I chose an audio book this time and found that the quaint humor is much more substantial listening to the books then reading the books. I totally enjoyed this listening experience!
June 2, 2018
Another fun read about one of my favorite characters, Virgil Flowers, and his redneck friends - or more accurately, his redneck criminal cases.
This one starts out with a lovely character, D. Wayne Sharf, who among his other endeavors, is out stealing dogs - and he's no dog lover. He doesn't seem to be an animal lover. In fact, he doesn't seem to love anyone other than himself. The story intersects one of his other hobbies, cooking meth, but that's more of a side story. In fact, both of these crimes are side stories to the main crime, which is the local school board (all of them) stealing money from the school. Unfortunately, these people are a bit over the top about avoiding capture, and that's where the story gets interesting. Some nosy local newspaper reporter/drunk/druggie has started asking too many questions, and the board calls a private meeting after the public one.
The dognapping case is a strange one. People sometimes hear dogs barking in the early morning up in the hills, then it stops and there's no sign of dogs when they investigate, just an empty caged area. Also, no sign of people moving the dogs. While investigating, they discover the evidence of meth cooking, which adds some danger to the dog napping case. If they come upon meth cookers, there's no telling what might happen. but none of this is as dangerous as a bunch of school board members.
There were a few new interesting characters in the story that I wish we'd see more of. The first one was introduced while Virgil was poking around in the hills looking for dog nappers, named Muddy Ruff. He was a young kid with a .22 rifle, about 12 years old, and knew a lot about the area's topography and people. And he was a good shot with his rifle. He was Virgil's guide for sneaking around, which he excelled at. He also seemed to be part dog, as he could sniff things out like one.
The other interesting character was an old woman who happened to have the school budget that Virgil wanted checked out from the library. Virgil found out about her from someone at the library:
“Janice is a little nuts, so go easy with her.”
“How nuts? Does she carry a gun?”
“No, no gun. A gun isn’t nuts, that’s just Monday in Trippton. Anyway, Janice thinks the school spends too much money on math, science, and sports, and not enough on the arts.”
“That’s outrageous,” Virgil said.
“Like I said, take it easy with her.”
So, he went to see her, an old lady with a cane. She was a little reluctant to let him in, but after a bit, came back and invited him in.
“You found somebody to vouch for me?”
“The sheriff. He said you looked like a hippie who’s lost the faith, or a cowboy who’s lost his horse. That fits.”
“Remind me to shoot the sheriff,” Virgil said, as he stepped inside.
She knew it was from an Eric Clapton song, and Bob Marley before that.
I took a liking to her after Virgil asked her if she was alright, and this exchange took place:
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not. I cracked my hip a few months ago and it hasn’t quite healed,” she said.
“Sorry to hear that,” Virgil said, as she limped toward the kitchen. “How’d you do it?”
“I was skateboarding on the levee and lost my edges,” she said.
“You were skateboarding?”
She turned and looked at him and shook her head in exasperation: “No, you dummy, I fell. On the ice. On the sidewalk. Like old people do.”
Virgil: “Oh.”
She shook her head again. “Jesus wept.”
She was a great help with interpreting the budget figures, too. Fortunately, he didn't even need to coerce her, as she seemed happy to help. Not like one of his other possible witnesses who was actually involved, where he needed to threaten him a bit, like with this exchange:
Virgil said, “I’ll give you the number, Buster, but this coupon has an expiration date. If you talk to me five minutes too late, you’re going to the joint. The pen. The big house. The Minnesota Correctional Facility at Stillwater. You get up there, a nice-looking guy like you . . . Well, you know that old country saying, ‘Butter my butt and call me a biscuit’? Well, they’ll be buttering your butt, but not because they think you’re a biscuit.”
All in all, a fun read. Except maybe for the dog cruelty.
This one starts out with a lovely character, D. Wayne Sharf, who among his other endeavors, is out stealing dogs - and he's no dog lover. He doesn't seem to be an animal lover. In fact, he doesn't seem to love anyone other than himself. The story intersects one of his other hobbies, cooking meth, but that's more of a side story. In fact, both of these crimes are side stories to the main crime, which is the local school board (all of them) stealing money from the school. Unfortunately, these people are a bit over the top about avoiding capture, and that's where the story gets interesting. Some nosy local newspaper reporter/drunk/druggie has started asking too many questions, and the board calls a private meeting after the public one.
The dognapping case is a strange one. People sometimes hear dogs barking in the early morning up in the hills, then it stops and there's no sign of dogs when they investigate, just an empty caged area. Also, no sign of people moving the dogs. While investigating, they discover the evidence of meth cooking, which adds some danger to the dog napping case. If they come upon meth cookers, there's no telling what might happen. but none of this is as dangerous as a bunch of school board members.
There were a few new interesting characters in the story that I wish we'd see more of. The first one was introduced while Virgil was poking around in the hills looking for dog nappers, named Muddy Ruff. He was a young kid with a .22 rifle, about 12 years old, and knew a lot about the area's topography and people. And he was a good shot with his rifle. He was Virgil's guide for sneaking around, which he excelled at. He also seemed to be part dog, as he could sniff things out like one.
The other interesting character was an old woman who happened to have the school budget that Virgil wanted checked out from the library. Virgil found out about her from someone at the library:
“Janice is a little nuts, so go easy with her.”
“How nuts? Does she carry a gun?”
“No, no gun. A gun isn’t nuts, that’s just Monday in Trippton. Anyway, Janice thinks the school spends too much money on math, science, and sports, and not enough on the arts.”
“That’s outrageous,” Virgil said.
“Like I said, take it easy with her.”
So, he went to see her, an old lady with a cane. She was a little reluctant to let him in, but after a bit, came back and invited him in.
“You found somebody to vouch for me?”
“The sheriff. He said you looked like a hippie who’s lost the faith, or a cowboy who’s lost his horse. That fits.”
“Remind me to shoot the sheriff,” Virgil said, as he stepped inside.
She knew it was from an Eric Clapton song, and Bob Marley before that.
I took a liking to her after Virgil asked her if she was alright, and this exchange took place:
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not. I cracked my hip a few months ago and it hasn’t quite healed,” she said.
“Sorry to hear that,” Virgil said, as she limped toward the kitchen. “How’d you do it?”
“I was skateboarding on the levee and lost my edges,” she said.
“You were skateboarding?”
She turned and looked at him and shook her head in exasperation: “No, you dummy, I fell. On the ice. On the sidewalk. Like old people do.”
Virgil: “Oh.”
She shook her head again. “Jesus wept.”
She was a great help with interpreting the budget figures, too. Fortunately, he didn't even need to coerce her, as she seemed happy to help. Not like one of his other possible witnesses who was actually involved, where he needed to threaten him a bit, like with this exchange:
Virgil said, “I’ll give you the number, Buster, but this coupon has an expiration date. If you talk to me five minutes too late, you’re going to the joint. The pen. The big house. The Minnesota Correctional Facility at Stillwater. You get up there, a nice-looking guy like you . . . Well, you know that old country saying, ‘Butter my butt and call me a biscuit’? Well, they’ll be buttering your butt, but not because they think you’re a biscuit.”
All in all, a fun read. Except maybe for the dog cruelty.
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