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Carl Burns #1
One Dead Dean: A Carl Burns Mystery, Book 1
"I can just imagine the questions in history," Fox said. "Who was our first of it, maybe the second one's too hard. But you get the idea!"
"Yeah," Burns said. "I get the idea."
Hartley Gorman College, in Pecan City, Texas, is hardly a bastion of serious scholarship. The little Baptist school is more interested in shielding its students from the evil influence of The World, The Flesh, and The Devil than in turning out future Nobelists. But its staff, by and large, is worthy of a more demanding institution; they are victims of a glutted market in PhD's and they do the best they can. So it is they who are most upset at Dean Elmore's 'secret plan' to award credit hours for 'undirected study' by 'independent scholars' - in plain words, to turn the school into a diploma mill.
Which may be why Dean Elmore, shortly after unveiling his plan, is found bludgeoned to death at his desk. It is certainly why, at his funeral, there is not a wet eye in the house.
Or so observes Carl Burns, Hartley Gorman professor of English literature, through whose eyes we see both the crime and the larger picture of this wacky denominational Texas school.
Those listeners familiar with Bill Crider's books about Sheriff Dan Rhodes of Blacklin County, Texas, knows how wryly witty this author can be; here the humor is revved up a few notches, and the resulting account of Elmore's murder, Sheriff 'Boss' Napier's investigation, Bums's well-meant meddling, and the people and doings at Hartley Gorman are the exactly-right mix of realism and wackiness to make the book a delight as well as a suspenseful mystery.
"Yeah," Burns said. "I get the idea."
Hartley Gorman College, in Pecan City, Texas, is hardly a bastion of serious scholarship. The little Baptist school is more interested in shielding its students from the evil influence of The World, The Flesh, and The Devil than in turning out future Nobelists. But its staff, by and large, is worthy of a more demanding institution; they are victims of a glutted market in PhD's and they do the best they can. So it is they who are most upset at Dean Elmore's 'secret plan' to award credit hours for 'undirected study' by 'independent scholars' - in plain words, to turn the school into a diploma mill.
Which may be why Dean Elmore, shortly after unveiling his plan, is found bludgeoned to death at his desk. It is certainly why, at his funeral, there is not a wet eye in the house.
Or so observes Carl Burns, Hartley Gorman professor of English literature, through whose eyes we see both the crime and the larger picture of this wacky denominational Texas school.
Those listeners familiar with Bill Crider's books about Sheriff Dan Rhodes of Blacklin County, Texas, knows how wryly witty this author can be; here the humor is revved up a few notches, and the resulting account of Elmore's murder, Sheriff 'Boss' Napier's investigation, Bums's well-meant meddling, and the people and doings at Hartley Gorman are the exactly-right mix of realism and wackiness to make the book a delight as well as a suspenseful mystery.
Audible Audio
First published August 1, 1988
8 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Bill Crider
240 books235 followersTaught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Tex., and went on to become the chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Tex.; prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children's books, not to mention short stories, articles, reviews, and blog posts; perhaps best known for his Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 25, 2020
Another good mystery by Bill Crider.
Hartley Gorman College is in Pecan City, Texas. English Professor Carl Banks likes his job, but he's not crazy about the Dean. Neither is anyone on the staff.
When the Dean turns up dead, Burns finds himself smack center in the case.
A fun read, as usual.
Hartley Gorman College is in Pecan City, Texas. English Professor Carl Banks likes his job, but he's not crazy about the Dean. Neither is anyone on the staff.
When the Dean turns up dead, Burns finds himself smack center in the case.
A fun read, as usual.
October 19, 2012
This aw as pretty cool little mystery. One of the things I generally dislike in mystery novels, particularly the series novels, is the formula. In most, it's a sort of ping pong or tennis pattern - the PI goes from one witness to the next, and then repeats, each time learning something the witness forgot to say the first time and usually getting in trouble or beaten up along the way.
Refreshingly - in One Dead Dean, Bill Crider managed to only have his professor detective act, for the most part, when something new actually "happened". If he went back to someone he'd spoken with before, it was usually because a new twist or turn had changed the playing field.
It's not action packed - it's a cozy little mystery with memorable characters, a good solid plot, and just enough words to reach from the front cover to the back without becoming ponderous. There are two more books in this series, and will be checking them both out.
Refreshingly - in One Dead Dean, Bill Crider managed to only have his professor detective act, for the most part, when something new actually "happened". If he went back to someone he'd spoken with before, it was usually because a new twist or turn had changed the playing field.
It's not action packed - it's a cozy little mystery with memorable characters, a good solid plot, and just enough words to reach from the front cover to the back without becoming ponderous. There are two more books in this series, and will be checking them both out.
August 24, 2020
Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette.
I could not stop thinking about this old song while listening to this book. If all the references to smoking were removed, this audiobook would probably be an hour shorter. And really that would be okay. I love the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series by this author and have read many of them. To be fair, this is a pretty early effort and most authors improve over time. I enjoyed it enough to finish it but that is the best I can say.
As to the voice actor, he was okay. My biggest gripe is that in Texas, we do not say pee-can for pecan and if you did that here, we would laugh you out of the state. It is and always will be puh-cahn. A pee can is something else entirely.
Thanks to Audioboom for this free audiobook.
I could not stop thinking about this old song while listening to this book. If all the references to smoking were removed, this audiobook would probably be an hour shorter. And really that would be okay. I love the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series by this author and have read many of them. To be fair, this is a pretty early effort and most authors improve over time. I enjoyed it enough to finish it but that is the best I can say.
As to the voice actor, he was okay. My biggest gripe is that in Texas, we do not say pee-can for pecan and if you did that here, we would laugh you out of the state. It is and always will be puh-cahn. A pee can is something else entirely.
Thanks to Audioboom for this free audiobook.
January 15, 2022
Carl Burns is a faculty member of the English department at a small Baptist College in Texas. It’s a quiet and mostly satisfying life and one that Carl enjoys. But, when a contentious Dean is murdered, Carl finds himself involved in the investigation, making life a lot more interesting.
The late Bill Crider was also a teacher at a community college in Texas. With his firsthand knowledge of academic politics and armed with his trademark sense of humor, One Dead Dean is a gentle and delightful read. Filled with a variety of characters, subtle humor, and a good mystery, this is a book that is quite entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.
The late Bill Crider was also a teacher at a community college in Texas. With his firsthand knowledge of academic politics and armed with his trademark sense of humor, One Dead Dean is a gentle and delightful read. Filled with a variety of characters, subtle humor, and a good mystery, this is a book that is quite entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.
July 2, 2020
Another enjoyable story by the author. We go to a Hartley college in Texas, the staff doesn’t care much for the Dean, and he has been murdered. Carl is an English professor finds himself, in the enter of it. Is light hearted, the plot flowed, and always good ones by the author. The narration was good, Lear voice added to this. Given audio for my voluntary review.
December 19, 2021
I've heard of Bill Crider, but had never read him. So this was my introduction. Wish I had started earlier. Great characters, great story, great pacing. Could hardly put it down. Will definitely be picking up more books from Bill Crider. #OneDeadDean #NetGalley
October 28, 2012
An earlier series from Bill Crider. This is set in a small "denominational" college in Texas, where a much-hated dean is murdered. Fun story. Dr Carl Burns is head of English and he's a compulsive list-maker ("Ten Best Faulkner books" or "Things I hate most"). And a snoop. This was the audio release and the reader did an average job. He most irritatingly mispronounced the word "pecan." A "pee-can" is a receptacle for an emergency when plumbing is unavailable. A "p-cahn" is the nut of the "p-cahn" tree, best eaten by picking them up under the tree and cracking them right there. The college is located in Pecan City, Texas, which gave the reader more than a few opportunities to massacre the name. Of course, I am spoiled by Crider's Sheriff Dan Rhodes books, which are read by top-of-the-line George Guidall. Guidall would have made a better job of this book.
February 26, 2014
#1 of the Carl Burns. `This 1988 cozy featuring Carl Burns, head of the English Department at a small denominational college in rural Texas, follows the first three mysteries featuring Sheriff Dan Rhodes of Crider's long running series. The current novel starts off extremely slowly; you don't really start to find anything about Burns' background until 3/4 of the way through this 200 pager. This appears to be deliberate and the character and the story build together. Halfway through this initial offering, I was somewhat bored, but by the end I found the book satisfying and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series. Recommended - worth sticking with.
Carl Burns series - Shortly after unveiling an unpopular plan to turn Hartley Gorman College, a small Baptist college in Texas, into a diploma mill, Dean Elmore is found bludgeoned to death at his desk.
Carl Burns series - Shortly after unveiling an unpopular plan to turn Hartley Gorman College, a small Baptist college in Texas, into a diploma mill, Dean Elmore is found bludgeoned to death at his desk.
March 7, 2016
I'd totally forgotten what a wonderful snarkfest Bill Crider's writing is! And the laid-back performance by Dean Sluyter is the perfect showcase for this form of humor. I will admit to being thankful that Sluyter did not give the performance in Southern or Texan drawl, as I often find the speech somewhat incomprehensible to my ears.
The basic tale is retro to the late 1980s on the campus of a denominational college. Carl Burns is the normally non-descript professor who discovers the body of a very unpopular dean and then gets entangled in further misadventures. A fun read whether you went to college or not. No gratuitous foul language, explicit violence, or sex.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
The basic tale is retro to the late 1980s on the campus of a denominational college. Carl Burns is the normally non-descript professor who discovers the body of a very unpopular dean and then gets entangled in further misadventures. A fun read whether you went to college or not. No gratuitous foul language, explicit violence, or sex.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
May 9, 2016
"Couldn't get past dull story line & nasal narrator"
Would you try another book from Bill Crider and/or Dean Sluyter?
Reviews showed me that this book picked up a bit towards the edn, but I had to put it down after about an hour as I found the story trite, overdone, and just couldn't tolerate the narrator's nasal voice.
I don't think I'll read another book by either.
What do you think your next listen will be?
I was hoping that this book would be more sinister than it was. I'll go back to serious mystery novels.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Dean Sluyter?
Perhaps could have been more interesting with a female lead and female narrator.
Any additional comments?
I received this audio book in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobookblast.
Would you try another book from Bill Crider and/or Dean Sluyter?
Reviews showed me that this book picked up a bit towards the edn, but I had to put it down after about an hour as I found the story trite, overdone, and just couldn't tolerate the narrator's nasal voice.
I don't think I'll read another book by either.
What do you think your next listen will be?
I was hoping that this book would be more sinister than it was. I'll go back to serious mystery novels.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Dean Sluyter?
Perhaps could have been more interesting with a female lead and female narrator.
Any additional comments?
I received this audio book in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobookblast.
January 31, 2014
Harley Gorman College is a small denomenational institution in a little Texas town, and Dean Elmore rules there, with the willing consent of the college president. Carl Burns, head of the small English department, is one of the many faculty members who dislike what Elmore is doing to the college. But Burns is the only one who finds Elmore's dead body. He can't determine whether the local police regard him as a suspect, but whether or not they do, he feels impelled to find out who killed Elmore.
May 28, 2015
Disclosure: I received a free audible copy of this from Audiobookblast.com for an unbiased review.
This was a decent mystery, but not terribly exciting and a bit dated (written in the late 1980s). The story moved somewhat slowly and the main character did some fairly stupid things, tho he is overall likeable. I didn't like the accents the narrator chose for a lot of the voices. The story is set in Texas but it didn't sound like Texas to me. The book would have benefited from a better narrator or else being eye-read.
This was a decent mystery, but not terribly exciting and a bit dated (written in the late 1980s). The story moved somewhat slowly and the main character did some fairly stupid things, tho he is overall likeable. I didn't like the accents the narrator chose for a lot of the voices. The story is set in Texas but it didn't sound like Texas to me. The book would have benefited from a better narrator or else being eye-read.
May 2, 2015
Figured it out too soon
March 12, 2015
A quick read, but with a satisfying twist.
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August 12, 2020
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews