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Woods Cop #5
Strike Dog: A Woods Cop Mystery
The newest Joseph Heywood mystery novel set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula finds Grady Service out to avenge the murder of his girlfriend and his son. Conservation officers in several states are being gruesomely slaughtered and Service, alone and devastated, navigates the mind of a serial killer before he becomes the next victim. Hunting the hunter through Wisconsin and Missouri, this is Heywood's most suspenseful and psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Thomas Perry, James Lee Burke or Nevada Barr. The fifth book in the series, STRIKE DOG is the perfect introduction to Heywood's fiction for outdoorsmen and animal lovers as well.Joseph Heywood is the author of several novels, and lives in Portage, Michigan.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2007
51 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Heywood
50 books188 followersSee also Joe T. Heywood
Joseph Heywood is the son of a career USAF officer. His dad was from Rhinecliff, New York on the Hudson River in Dutchess County, and his mother is from Mize, Mississippi in Sullivan County. His mother’s maiden name was Hegwood and she had only to change one letter to convert to her married name.
He is a 1961 graduate of Rudyard High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (Chippewa County). Played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track.
1965 graduate of Michigan State University (BA-Journalism). Joseph played on the Michigan State Lacrosse Club for three years, crease attack, tri-captain in 1965. He was in the last class of mandatory ROTC for land grant universities and predictably chose the Air Force.
In 1965, he married Sandra V. Heywood (1943-2002) of East Lansing. Five children, one dog. Widower.
1965-1970, USAF Instructor Navigator, KC-135 tanker, honorably discharged as captain. Vietnam veteran. Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Graduate studies, Western Michigan University, 1974-75, completed course work for MA in English Literature; no degree.
Joseph worked for The Upjohn Company [now Pfizer], 1970-2000, retiring as vice president for worldwide public relations.
He walks every day in all weather conditions, and have hunted and fished Michigan since 1958, mostly alone.
Joseph Heywood's Woods Cop mysteries are based on the lives of Upper Peninsula conservation officers, and for going on seven years has spent about one month a year on patrol with officers, in all kinds of weather, all times of day and under sundry conditions. He worked in all 15 Upper Peninsula Counties as well as in another 15-16 counties BTB (Below the Bridge).
In preparation for work with COs, he often hikes alone at night (flashlight for emergencies) using only ambient light. He has spent nights alone in jungles and on mountains. Has canoe-camped in Michigan, Missouri and Arkansas, over the years he has had one close encounter with a wolf (six feet away in tag alders on the Iron River), and with a cow elk and her calf (in Idaho). Too many close meetings with black bears to count, no injuries.
He loves to take photographs while walking, hiking and fishing, and use some of the pix for his paintings.
Joseph always carry a ruck with emergency equipment, compass, etc. even for short sorties on foot in the U.P. It’s too easy to get under cedars and old growth in an overcast and get hopelessly turned around. He does not use a GPS. "When it comes to lost in the woods there seem to be two categories of people: Them that have been and them that will be. Iron ore deposits can make compass navigation interesting…."
The Upper Peninsula is not just a setting and base for Joseph Heywood but serves as a character in many of his novels. "When I write, I try to take readers to places and events in the U.P. they might not have occasion to visit or experience on their own. For me, the U.P. is a natural jewel and I am always surprised by how little people from BTB know about it."
"The day we arrived in the U.P. to report to Kinross Air Force Base (later renamed Kincheloe, and since decommissioned) my mother cried as we drove up the several-mile two-lane to the front gate; looking at all the woods passing by, I had a feeling I was coming home."
Joseph Heywood is the son of a career USAF officer. His dad was from Rhinecliff, New York on the Hudson River in Dutchess County, and his mother is from Mize, Mississippi in Sullivan County. His mother’s maiden name was Hegwood and she had only to change one letter to convert to her married name.
He is a 1961 graduate of Rudyard High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (Chippewa County). Played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track.
1965 graduate of Michigan State University (BA-Journalism). Joseph played on the Michigan State Lacrosse Club for three years, crease attack, tri-captain in 1965. He was in the last class of mandatory ROTC for land grant universities and predictably chose the Air Force.
In 1965, he married Sandra V. Heywood (1943-2002) of East Lansing. Five children, one dog. Widower.
1965-1970, USAF Instructor Navigator, KC-135 tanker, honorably discharged as captain. Vietnam veteran. Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Graduate studies, Western Michigan University, 1974-75, completed course work for MA in English Literature; no degree.
Joseph worked for The Upjohn Company [now Pfizer], 1970-2000, retiring as vice president for worldwide public relations.
He walks every day in all weather conditions, and have hunted and fished Michigan since 1958, mostly alone.
Joseph Heywood's Woods Cop mysteries are based on the lives of Upper Peninsula conservation officers, and for going on seven years has spent about one month a year on patrol with officers, in all kinds of weather, all times of day and under sundry conditions. He worked in all 15 Upper Peninsula Counties as well as in another 15-16 counties BTB (Below the Bridge).
In preparation for work with COs, he often hikes alone at night (flashlight for emergencies) using only ambient light. He has spent nights alone in jungles and on mountains. Has canoe-camped in Michigan, Missouri and Arkansas, over the years he has had one close encounter with a wolf (six feet away in tag alders on the Iron River), and with a cow elk and her calf (in Idaho). Too many close meetings with black bears to count, no injuries.
He loves to take photographs while walking, hiking and fishing, and use some of the pix for his paintings.
Joseph always carry a ruck with emergency equipment, compass, etc. even for short sorties on foot in the U.P. It’s too easy to get under cedars and old growth in an overcast and get hopelessly turned around. He does not use a GPS. "When it comes to lost in the woods there seem to be two categories of people: Them that have been and them that will be. Iron ore deposits can make compass navigation interesting…."
The Upper Peninsula is not just a setting and base for Joseph Heywood but serves as a character in many of his novels. "When I write, I try to take readers to places and events in the U.P. they might not have occasion to visit or experience on their own. For me, the U.P. is a natural jewel and I am always surprised by how little people from BTB know about it."
"The day we arrived in the U.P. to report to Kinross Air Force Base (later renamed Kincheloe, and since decommissioned) my mother cried as we drove up the several-mile two-lane to the front gate; looking at all the woods passing by, I had a feeling I was coming home."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 26, 2019
I have enjoyed all of the Wood Cop mysteries in this series by Joseph Heywood. Two of my favorite kinds of reading are incorporated in these books—layered complex mysteries, and wilderness settings. The central character in this series is Grady Service, a former Marine and Vietnam Veteran, now a detective in the Department of Natural Resources for the state of Michigan. Grady has spent most of his life working or exploring the Upper Peninsula, where he grew up and still lives and works.
This author displays a great talent in giving detailed descriptions of the landscape, of the most remote and backwoods areas, as well as the highways and byways that traverse the U.P. He also creates characters who seem very real, and shows their inner thoughts, feelings, and dilemmas.
In this particular novel, Grady is called upon to help investigate a serial murderer, one who is targeting conservation or natural resources officers around the U.S., one in each state; this comes at a time when Grady is in the midst of great loss and tragedy in his own life, and soon his own losses seem to possibly be linked to these murders.
As stated above, I have always enjoyed these mysteries, and the setting in the U.P. But I was especially thrilled when Grady's investigation led him away from Michigan, and brought him to the southern Missouri Ozarks; part of the setting was in areas that are very familiar to me, as Grady was spending time in the Irish Wilderness and at Greer Springs, both places where I have hiked, and on the Eleven Point River, where I have canoed.
And the descriptions in these books, as well as a few others, inspired me to take a trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and see the beauty that I had read about in these books for myself. And I loved it!
Reading this book fulfills challenge #4, to read a book by an author with initials the same as mine—J.H., in the group A Book for All Seasons.
This author displays a great talent in giving detailed descriptions of the landscape, of the most remote and backwoods areas, as well as the highways and byways that traverse the U.P. He also creates characters who seem very real, and shows their inner thoughts, feelings, and dilemmas.
In this particular novel, Grady is called upon to help investigate a serial murderer, one who is targeting conservation or natural resources officers around the U.S., one in each state; this comes at a time when Grady is in the midst of great loss and tragedy in his own life, and soon his own losses seem to possibly be linked to these murders.
As stated above, I have always enjoyed these mysteries, and the setting in the U.P. But I was especially thrilled when Grady's investigation led him away from Michigan, and brought him to the southern Missouri Ozarks; part of the setting was in areas that are very familiar to me, as Grady was spending time in the Irish Wilderness and at Greer Springs, both places where I have hiked, and on the Eleven Point River, where I have canoed.
And the descriptions in these books, as well as a few others, inspired me to take a trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and see the beauty that I had read about in these books for myself. And I loved it!
Reading this book fulfills challenge #4, to read a book by an author with initials the same as mine—J.H., in the group A Book for All Seasons.
April 22, 2019
Maridly and Walter are dead. Is that a spoiler? Then if so . . . I first saw that as a blurb about this book even as I was reading Running Dark, the book previous to this. I was bothered by it. I don't like spoilers. No, I wasn't just bothered, I was pissed.
But there it is, on the very first page of this novel so it isn't much of a spoiler. I still didn't like that I had seen that blurb before I started this book.
I have given this story 4 stars but reluctantly. Conservation Officer Grady Service's actions and thoughts regarding the loss of his lover and his son in a tragic accident (?) are quite melodramatic and some of the least believable words that I've read from Mr. Heywood. That theme is carried throughout the book until the very end wherever that loss is brought up but you will need to READ THE BOOK to see how that plays out.
There is a man, or men, or maybe women also, killing conservation officers, game wardens or agents, however they are called in their home states. It doesn't matter, they are just as dead no matter the title of the office they held. And there's a list. Guess who's on the list? Oh, but READ THE BOOK to find that out. No more spoilers from me.
Of course Grady is involved as is the FBI, Missouri Game Agents, even a CO from Indiana and several COs from Grady's Michigan DNR, some we know and some we meet for the first time. (Will we see Dina again? I wonder.)
Outside of the melodrama mentioned above this is as good of a tale that Mr. Heywood has shared with us. We meet new people, reacquaint ourselves with former characters and deal with life, death and new life.
I love the feeling of being in the woods with Grady Service as he hikes or camps. I can see the trees, feel the wind, see how the light of the sun shakes as it's filtered through leaves blown by that wind. I can see the trout in the stream treading water waiting until insects begin to rise so they can eat.
If you like mystery, action, the great outdoors, slogging through mud without getting your feet dirty as you use your imagination to wade a stream bed, then you surely are a fan of Joe Heywood and CO Grady Service. And if you are a fan of any of that and you haven't read any of the Woods Cop series, let me suggest that you correct that error; the sooner the better.
But there it is, on the very first page of this novel so it isn't much of a spoiler. I still didn't like that I had seen that blurb before I started this book.
I have given this story 4 stars but reluctantly. Conservation Officer Grady Service's actions and thoughts regarding the loss of his lover and his son in a tragic accident (?) are quite melodramatic and some of the least believable words that I've read from Mr. Heywood. That theme is carried throughout the book until the very end wherever that loss is brought up but you will need to READ THE BOOK to see how that plays out.
There is a man, or men, or maybe women also, killing conservation officers, game wardens or agents, however they are called in their home states. It doesn't matter, they are just as dead no matter the title of the office they held. And there's a list. Guess who's on the list? Oh, but READ THE BOOK to find that out. No more spoilers from me.
Of course Grady is involved as is the FBI, Missouri Game Agents, even a CO from Indiana and several COs from Grady's Michigan DNR, some we know and some we meet for the first time. (Will we see Dina again? I wonder.)
Outside of the melodrama mentioned above this is as good of a tale that Mr. Heywood has shared with us. We meet new people, reacquaint ourselves with former characters and deal with life, death and new life.
I love the feeling of being in the woods with Grady Service as he hikes or camps. I can see the trees, feel the wind, see how the light of the sun shakes as it's filtered through leaves blown by that wind. I can see the trout in the stream treading water waiting until insects begin to rise so they can eat.
If you like mystery, action, the great outdoors, slogging through mud without getting your feet dirty as you use your imagination to wade a stream bed, then you surely are a fan of Joe Heywood and CO Grady Service. And if you are a fan of any of that and you haven't read any of the Woods Cop series, let me suggest that you correct that error; the sooner the better.
November 26, 2025
Finished because I’m loyal to Grady Service. And I bet we share a common disappointment in how this story developed and how it ended!
May 15, 2020
Fascinating investigation of serial killers' project to murder a game warden in each of the 50 states. There is a lot about fly fishing in it.
April 1, 2011
Fifth in the Woods Cop Mystery series, Strike Dog is another engrossing murder mystery by Michigan author, Joseph Heywood. Heywood, in fact, lives in the very same town that I do, and spends a great deal of time himself in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, as I do, so that was my initial hook into reading his novels. Once I became acquainted with sharp-minded and equally sharp-tongued conservation officer (CO) Grady Service, however, I was hooked for reasons of good reading.
Strike Dog is probably my favorite in the series thus far. When Heywood writes love stories, as he does here and there throughout the series, I tend to lose interest—his female characters lean toward “hot and tough” female stereotype, a bit too over the top—but when his sensual encounters stay in the background, as they do here, I enjoy the action and the skillful writing.
The storyline of this book is built upon what first appears to be an accident, but soon becomes clearly a murder of Service’s love, Maridly Nantz (hot and tough female CO) and his son, Walter. It appears the two veered off the road and hit a tree, but Service knows better. Nantz was an expert pilot, he keeps saying to anyone who will listen, meaning that she knew how to respond under stress and in whatever circumstance.
What ensues is an investigation that at first seems independent of the car accident, but eventually ties into it. Service is pulled into working with the FBI to solve a series of gruesome murders of conservation officers in and outside of Michigan. It gives Heywood a chance to shine at what he writes best—rich descriptions of the northern wilderness with a bevy of colorful characters and a buildup of suspense as clues slowly come together toward a conclusion.
Grady Service is a woods cop that the reader will enjoy learning about and following on his treks through the woods. I’ve enjoyed watching him take on more and more character throughout the series—a tough guy with a keen mind, a sharp wit, and a deep sense of integrity. The characters that show up in this and previous books, such as the eccentric villain Limpy Allerdyce, are also a treat.
In fact, it’s a treat just to see what character name Heywood will come up with next—one more unusual than the other. Fiannula, Rud Hud, Tatie Monica, Treebone, Shamekia Cilyopus-Woofswshecom just to start on the roster. One senses the author having a bit of fun, with the occasional jab at a real-life politician (Dubya in this book) at their expense. Dialogue sparkles, dialect adds sense of place, and the action takes few breaks.
“Service drove back to the encampment near the crime scene, hoping Shamekia would come up with some answers. Had the feds missed something? This was more than possible, he knew; the Bureau was the same outfit that knew some jerkwads from the Middle East were taking flight lessons with more interest in takeoffs than in landings, and did nothing about it. Shit happened in bureaucracyland; investigators blinded themselves with their own assumptions, and it didn’t hurt to question everything, even with an agency with more assets than God.”
By now, I’m in for the long haul, ever on the lookout for the next in the series, less for the reveal of the solved criminal case as the journey of getting there, U.P. style.
Strike Dog is probably my favorite in the series thus far. When Heywood writes love stories, as he does here and there throughout the series, I tend to lose interest—his female characters lean toward “hot and tough” female stereotype, a bit too over the top—but when his sensual encounters stay in the background, as they do here, I enjoy the action and the skillful writing.
The storyline of this book is built upon what first appears to be an accident, but soon becomes clearly a murder of Service’s love, Maridly Nantz (hot and tough female CO) and his son, Walter. It appears the two veered off the road and hit a tree, but Service knows better. Nantz was an expert pilot, he keeps saying to anyone who will listen, meaning that she knew how to respond under stress and in whatever circumstance.
What ensues is an investigation that at first seems independent of the car accident, but eventually ties into it. Service is pulled into working with the FBI to solve a series of gruesome murders of conservation officers in and outside of Michigan. It gives Heywood a chance to shine at what he writes best—rich descriptions of the northern wilderness with a bevy of colorful characters and a buildup of suspense as clues slowly come together toward a conclusion.
Grady Service is a woods cop that the reader will enjoy learning about and following on his treks through the woods. I’ve enjoyed watching him take on more and more character throughout the series—a tough guy with a keen mind, a sharp wit, and a deep sense of integrity. The characters that show up in this and previous books, such as the eccentric villain Limpy Allerdyce, are also a treat.
In fact, it’s a treat just to see what character name Heywood will come up with next—one more unusual than the other. Fiannula, Rud Hud, Tatie Monica, Treebone, Shamekia Cilyopus-Woofswshecom just to start on the roster. One senses the author having a bit of fun, with the occasional jab at a real-life politician (Dubya in this book) at their expense. Dialogue sparkles, dialect adds sense of place, and the action takes few breaks.
“Service drove back to the encampment near the crime scene, hoping Shamekia would come up with some answers. Had the feds missed something? This was more than possible, he knew; the Bureau was the same outfit that knew some jerkwads from the Middle East were taking flight lessons with more interest in takeoffs than in landings, and did nothing about it. Shit happened in bureaucracyland; investigators blinded themselves with their own assumptions, and it didn’t hurt to question everything, even with an agency with more assets than God.”
By now, I’m in for the long haul, ever on the lookout for the next in the series, less for the reveal of the solved criminal case as the journey of getting there, U.P. style.
July 7, 2021
I almost gave up on this after the first 50 pages. Not only has Grady Service lost the love of his life and his newfound son in a suspicious accident, but he has been summoned by the FBI to help track a serial killer who is targeting game wardens across the US. I am not a fan of the serial killer genre, especially a perpetrator who uses incredibly horrific methods to kill the victim.
Nevertheless, I persevered, and I have to say that the scenes in rural Arkansas were pretty interesting. In the end, it's the woodsmanship that fascinates me, not the suspense. In this case, trout fishing and fly-tying are central to the plot. Joseph Heywood is an excellent and thoughtful writer:
"It seemed to Service that being a detective was more about patience and stamina than enything else. He seemed to spend all of this time trying to find somebody who knew somebody, who had heard something about somebody, and sometimes persistence paid off. It could also be a waste of time, but he knew that every lead not followed could be the one that would have paid off. As an old hockey player, he knew the essence of that game was to keep your feet moving, finish your checks, push the puck up to the guy in a better position, take every shot chance you got, and always, always follow the puck until there was a whistle. Being a detective was similar."
One sidelight: This book was written in 2007, but you can see the beginnings of the Libertarian Trump base starting to coalesce even though Michigan and the Upper Peninsula at that point were still in the Democratic camp.
Neverthele
Nevertheless, I persevered, and I have to say that the scenes in rural Arkansas were pretty interesting. In the end, it's the woodsmanship that fascinates me, not the suspense. In this case, trout fishing and fly-tying are central to the plot. Joseph Heywood is an excellent and thoughtful writer:
"It seemed to Service that being a detective was more about patience and stamina than enything else. He seemed to spend all of this time trying to find somebody who knew somebody, who had heard something about somebody, and sometimes persistence paid off. It could also be a waste of time, but he knew that every lead not followed could be the one that would have paid off. As an old hockey player, he knew the essence of that game was to keep your feet moving, finish your checks, push the puck up to the guy in a better position, take every shot chance you got, and always, always follow the puck until there was a whistle. Being a detective was similar."
One sidelight: This book was written in 2007, but you can see the beginnings of the Libertarian Trump base starting to coalesce even though Michigan and the Upper Peninsula at that point were still in the Democratic camp.
Neverthele
March 4, 2022
Strike Dog was number five in the Woods Cop Mysteries series, and I blasted through this installment faster than the last couple. I rated it a four rather than a five, because I felt it failed to wrap up loose ends toward the end. The reader is shocked and disappointed to learn in the very first chapter that Maridly and Walter, Grady Service's partner and son, have died in an automobile accident on a paved backroad in the UP. Maridly and Walter were two of my favorite characters, so this is devastating news to accept right off the bat. The early chapters deal with Grady's grieving and thoughts of revenge, before he is summoned to join a FBI team led by Special Agent Tatie Monica. Monica is, to say the least, an enigma and becomes a central character to the main storyline of the book. The FBI has detected a trend of serial killings of game wardens across the U.S., and Monica is the team leader. Michigan is one of the last states without a murder, and Grady Service appears to be a likely target. I will stop there for fear of giving away key information. Heywood did a nice job of letting the reader in on Grady's thoughts in this one, and the pages raced by at a rapid clip. The death of Maridly and Walter left a huge gap in Grady's private life, and I hope that Heywood fills that void in future volumes. I loved how Heywood incorporated fly fishing knowledge into the tracking and plot, and the side trip to Arizona to interview Perez was a nice detour. Perhaps I missed something in my reading, but I felt like some clues were never resolved before the book ended. Bravo, on a nice work, and I will jump into number six on my next alphabetical round trip.
December 30, 2019
This book felt significantly different than it's four predecessors, Joseph Heywood is expanding his scope out of the UP in a big way. The FBI also is a large feature of this book, though not in a positive light. Grady is dealing with tragedy in the beginning of this book and not dealing with it well.
While I didn't mind too much the initial tragedy, if that is where the author wanted to go. However, initially Grady's response was quite irritating. It wasn't the intensity as much as the waste of a number of pages and his anger toward his friends. I understood it, but didn't want to read about it. I would have like it handled as Service telling about it a couple weeks after it happened.
Most of the book was engaging and hard to put down. The ending was not my favorite, but okay. Heywood seem to trade a more satisfying conclusion in this book for what might be collateral in the ongoing Limpy saga in future books. Some of the plot seemed convoluted, but I generally enjoy Heywood's writing so I didn't mind so much. Overall a fine read if the outdoors is your thing.
While I didn't mind too much the initial tragedy, if that is where the author wanted to go. However, initially Grady's response was quite irritating. It wasn't the intensity as much as the waste of a number of pages and his anger toward his friends. I understood it, but didn't want to read about it. I would have like it handled as Service telling about it a couple weeks after it happened.
Most of the book was engaging and hard to put down. The ending was not my favorite, but okay. Heywood seem to trade a more satisfying conclusion in this book for what might be collateral in the ongoing Limpy saga in future books. Some of the plot seemed convoluted, but I generally enjoy Heywood's writing so I didn't mind so much. Overall a fine read if the outdoors is your thing.
May 10, 2022
Heywood tried another techn ique.-adventageously. It helps the story move forward faster. (he didnt need this- his rate was great as is). Each chapter s only 102 pages long but full of action, as he chases an antihero who pays dirty. HIs comrades are not the greatest and he is full of sorrow about the murder of the love of s life. keeps you going
synopsisA serial killer is knocking off America’s best conservation officers—and Service learns he is next on the list. The FBI brings him on the case, but Service is also out for blood. The killer has murdered his girlfriend, Maridly Nantz, and his son, Walter. Service must navigate the terrain of his own grief as well as the killer’s twisted mind. The fifth book in the Woods Cop Mystery series.
synopsisA serial killer is knocking off America’s best conservation officers—and Service learns he is next on the list. The FBI brings him on the case, but Service is also out for blood. The killer has murdered his girlfriend, Maridly Nantz, and his son, Walter. Service must navigate the terrain of his own grief as well as the killer’s twisted mind. The fifth book in the Woods Cop Mystery series.
November 23, 2017
Best book in the series so far! I know I said the same thing about the last one (tho gave it 4 stars -- guess I kinda knew somehow that the best was yet to come. ;-) This was a fantastic book, a real page turner. Lots more going on, in lots of different places. Loved it. Read it in like a day and a half. Great story and great new characters. Some of the things that happened (no spoilers, but if you read it you know what I'm talking about) were sad and I wished they hadn't happened, but the story as a whole was hit out of the park!
February 28, 2022
A great read with twists and turns as Conservation Officer Grady Service gets caught up in a case involving a serial murderer targeting conservation officers. He is seconded to an FBI team that is eager to bring the killings to an end, but lacks the bush sense that is second nature to Service.
Joseph Heywood has ridden with Michigan COs collecting experiences and material for his novels for many years and his descriptions of the outdoors, of the lives and attitudes of COs bring his stories to life.
Joseph Heywood has ridden with Michigan COs collecting experiences and material for his novels for many years and his descriptions of the outdoors, of the lives and attitudes of COs bring his stories to life.
July 31, 2018
I love reading more stories about Grady Service, and his life..How he dealt to the death of his girlfriend Nantz and son Walter. When it comes to the Conservation wardens, all losing their lives through Blood Eagle and with Grady working with other officials of the FBI to find out who was responsible.
Can't wait to start reading "Death Roe"
Can't wait to start reading "Death Roe"
August 24, 2021
When Grady Service’s girlfriend and son are killed he refuses to believe it was an accident. I put off reading this book because it sounded too sad however once I started I couldn’t put it down. Service followed a faint trial from Michigan to Missouri to Arizona and back. Along the way he meets interesting people and finds faint clues that finally? Lead to a serial killer.
January 5, 2023
Grady Service out to avenge the murder of his girlfriend and his son. Conservation officers in several states are being gruesomely slaughtered and Service, alone and devastated, navigates the mind of a serial killer before he becomes the next victim. Hunting the hunter through Wisconsin and Missouri,
October 19, 2018
Entertaining series. Find his naming characters interesting first time but irritating in subsequent books (Lived in Battle Creek and its a total exaggeration and caricature). Good enough stories that I overlook this but totally unnecessary to be this over the top with the naming and dialect.
December 24, 2017
This is the fifth book in a series of the Woods Cop Mystery stories by Joseph Heywood. I enjoyed this one very much. Looking forward to reading #6!
March 6, 2019
What a story. Learned a few new things .
June 21, 2022
It lost a star for the opening. Was not ready for that.
January 26, 2025
Loved the book. Help comes from the unexpected.
July 8, 2012
The beginning of this book completely turned me off, and I honestly never finished reading it. Nor will I buy any of the subsequent books in the series (which I had been looking forward to, before I started "Strike Dog"). I was so angry at the author, I had no desire to invest anymore time on this book or the series.
When I read the first book in the series, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I thought the protagonist's "lone wolf" ascetic life-style was little too much to swallow. Also, although I lived in Michigan's U.P. for several years, I wasn't sure how I felt about the author's frequent use of strange names and quirky characters. A calculated exaggeration of "yooper-dom" or just too much? With the second and third books, though, as the protagonist (Grady Service) established new relationships, he became less one-dimensional, more likeable, and more "real". I found the fourth book (which was mostly a flashback to Grady's early career as a "woods cop"), a little less enjoyable-- because it returned more to the first book's "lone wolf" persona.
With one stunning event in "Strike Dog", the author manages to effectively negate a lot of Grady's character evolution by severing several of his key relationships. At that point, I was unwilling to invest any more time to find out if I could come to like or care about the story-line again.
It was like the author decided that continuing to advance the plot for several of his characters would be just too much trouble, so.... what to do? Just get rid of them! I thought it was lazy and, as a reader, I felt betrayed by it!
When I read the first book in the series, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I thought the protagonist's "lone wolf" ascetic life-style was little too much to swallow. Also, although I lived in Michigan's U.P. for several years, I wasn't sure how I felt about the author's frequent use of strange names and quirky characters. A calculated exaggeration of "yooper-dom" or just too much? With the second and third books, though, as the protagonist (Grady Service) established new relationships, he became less one-dimensional, more likeable, and more "real". I found the fourth book (which was mostly a flashback to Grady's early career as a "woods cop"), a little less enjoyable-- because it returned more to the first book's "lone wolf" persona.
With one stunning event in "Strike Dog", the author manages to effectively negate a lot of Grady's character evolution by severing several of his key relationships. At that point, I was unwilling to invest any more time to find out if I could come to like or care about the story-line again.
It was like the author decided that continuing to advance the plot for several of his characters would be just too much trouble, so.... what to do? Just get rid of them! I thought it was lazy and, as a reader, I felt betrayed by it!
October 7, 2012
#5 in the Woods Cop series. This entry moves along at break-neck speed and it is only after finishing it that you have a chance to reflect and realize that there were plot holes and implausible circumstances. But no matter, it is fiction and provides a heck of a thrilling ride to the conclusion that might have been more foreseeable if the book hadn't been gobbled up in one sitting.
Woods Cop series - Grady Service is certain that the deaths of his girlfriend and son, though ruled accidental by the state police, were homicide. Before he can move to avenge them, he is attached to an FBI task force, headed by the enigmatic Tatie Monica, charged with finding a most unusual serial killer. The killer has been targeting conservation officers across the fifty states and has been doing so since 1970. Now the only state left to hit is Michigan and there is evidence that Grady is to be the target.
Woods Cop series - Grady Service is certain that the deaths of his girlfriend and son, though ruled accidental by the state police, were homicide. Before he can move to avenge them, he is attached to an FBI task force, headed by the enigmatic Tatie Monica, charged with finding a most unusual serial killer. The killer has been targeting conservation officers across the fifty states and has been doing so since 1970. Now the only state left to hit is Michigan and there is evidence that Grady is to be the target.
August 5, 2016
If the reader enjoys all the current culture interest about serial killers, they might rate this book four stars. Personally, I have a tough time 'enjoying' stories like this. In contrast, I don't think there is an author from whom I learn more about the outdoors, animal behavior, and, with this story, trout fishing.
The story opens with the sudden death of Service's partner, Maridly Nantz and his son, Walter, with whom he only recently connected. ( That put me off right away.) From that point, Conservation Officer Grady Service is drawn inexorably into a nationwide search for a serial killer targeting CO's in the fifty states, and now potentially targeting Service.
As I said, focus on the better parts of the job of Conservation Officer, and perhaps you will enjoy the book at least as much as I did.
The story opens with the sudden death of Service's partner, Maridly Nantz and his son, Walter, with whom he only recently connected. ( That put me off right away.) From that point, Conservation Officer Grady Service is drawn inexorably into a nationwide search for a serial killer targeting CO's in the fifty states, and now potentially targeting Service.
As I said, focus on the better parts of the job of Conservation Officer, and perhaps you will enjoy the book at least as much as I did.
January 25, 2015
Can't remember the last time I read a book in two days. This is a real page-turner. It helps to have read the first 4 in the series in order to better understand Grady Service, but Heywood has really hit his stride by the time he gets to this one. He hooks you early in this one by killing off 3 major characters from previous books so that the reader is just as anxious for revenge (justice?) as Grady is. It reads much like a Nevada Barr story. My only problem with it is that I knew early on who the killer was and I'm surprised that Grady didn't even seem to suspect that person until it was all over. It's not like the reader was given clues that Grady didn't have.
October 19, 2010
As usual Joe Heywood creates characters and plots twists faster than I can keep up with. I find myself going back to refresh my memory when a character pops up who hasn't been mentioned prominently or recently. Some are only mentioned briefly and others become old friends. At least for me, Heywood can create an imaginable character with only a brief description. He leaves few clues regarding the eventual culprit. But the story is entertaining enough to keep one satisfied along the way to the conclusion.
June 8, 2013
This was at least a 4* book, maybe even a 4.5* right up until the last few chapters. I was pretty sure I knew WHO the "bad guy" must be from pretty early on, but I certainly would have liked for WHY to have become a bit clearer. Ok, a crazy serial killer, but usually they have a reason even if it might seem bizarre to us. We really got next to nothing here. Maybe there will be more in the next book in the series, but I felt quite let-down after being so fascinated up until then. I guess I'll try the next one to see, but it will have to be more satisfying than this to continue from there.
August 6, 2021
Reread. Grady Service is a great character: tough, smart, flawed. Conservation officers are being murdered in a most heinous way. The FBI is on it, sort of, and they call on Service for help (and to get him out of harm's way). Despite the FBI's unwillingness to read in Service, and the slipshod way they are handling the case, Service manages to pick up the scent of what's happening. Heywood has a gift for describing the wild. He has a special gift for backwoods characters who talk stupid but have minds like steel traps and plenty of integrity.
March 26, 2009
"The newest Joseph Heywood mystery novel set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula finds Grady Service out to avenge the murder of his girlfriend and his son. Conservation officers in several states are being gruesomely slaughtered and Service, alone and devastated, navigates the mind of a serial killer before he becomes the next victim."
I liked this book even though I knew the killer very early on. You'll enjoy this book if you like: woods, conservation, conservation officers, murder mysteries.
I liked this book even though I knew the killer very early on. You'll enjoy this book if you like: woods, conservation, conservation officers, murder mysteries.
October 27, 2010
I love these Woods Cop books! Grady Service, a UP DNR Conservation Officer/Detective, who loves the forests and nature of the UP, fly fishing, hunting.....and since they always take place UP here, there are familiar places and situations and Yoopers to discover in a good story. Service kind of reminds me of Jack Reacher in Lee Child's books. Good mystery, quirky characters and lots of our beloved UP!
February 2, 2012
Another Heywood Grady Service novel. I luv em!!!, I like the northwoods in the UP, the shift to the lower peninsula to places I know. Grady is a real hero, not a perfect hero, just real. Sometimes he gets into things way different than I would. This time he's suffering a very major personal loss. You can really feel for him. But he has a different set of personal tools to deal with it. Good expansion of my experience in life.
July 3, 2013
Once it got going, the book was great. What I love most about Heywood's books, this one in particular, is the way that he develops his character, no matter how minor they may be. This one took Service out of the U.P. and across the country on an interesting ride as he searched for the killer of DNR officers. Solid read that also speaks to the human condition (of sorts) without being preachy. I love, too, how the characters "take care of their own." Interesting read.
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