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POISON IN PICKENSBURG
"If Carl Hiaasen and Janet Evanovich had a desert-dwelling love child, it would be Brian Dawson."
A poisoned politician. A Viking with a grudge. A detective who just wants a nap.
In the sun-scorched town of Pickensburg, Arizona, the heat makes people do crazy things. But murdering the Mayor with a poisoned letter? That's a new local record.
[READ FOR FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED]
Brian Dawson used to be a great detective. Now, he's just a guy with a "Vacancy" sign, a loyal Golden Retriever who thinks he owns the motel, and a very strong desire to be left alone. But when his young desk clerk is framed for the Mayor's murder, Brian has to put down his book and pick up his wits.
The suspect list is a desert fever
The Norse Bodybuilder with a battle-axe fashion sense.The Emotional Psychic who is far too accurate for Brian's comfort.The "Hush Money" Florist who handles more secrets than seeds.The Mayor's Wife - Partner in business, partner in life, and now partner in crime? She knows where the deeds are buried.And because Pickensburg loves complications, Brian's soon-to-be ex-wife Nina blows into town. Defense attorney, third divorce still unsigned, shows up with a custody battle plan for the Golden Retriever and a habit of objecting at murder scenes.
As the bodies pile up and the sun beats down, Brian realizes he's not just hunting a killer. He's navigating a twisted web of small-town greed, old flames, and very deadly secrets.
Perfect for fans of biting wit, quirky characters, and hilarious mysteries. 859 five-star readers can't be wrong.
"Carl Hiaasen in the Desert" - Amazon Reader
[READ FOR FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED]
A poisoned politician. A Viking with a grudge. A detective who just wants a nap.
In the sun-scorched town of Pickensburg, Arizona, the heat makes people do crazy things. But murdering the Mayor with a poisoned letter? That's a new local record.
[READ FOR FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED]
Brian Dawson used to be a great detective. Now, he's just a guy with a "Vacancy" sign, a loyal Golden Retriever who thinks he owns the motel, and a very strong desire to be left alone. But when his young desk clerk is framed for the Mayor's murder, Brian has to put down his book and pick up his wits.
The suspect list is a desert fever
The Norse Bodybuilder with a battle-axe fashion sense.The Emotional Psychic who is far too accurate for Brian's comfort.The "Hush Money" Florist who handles more secrets than seeds.The Mayor's Wife - Partner in business, partner in life, and now partner in crime? She knows where the deeds are buried.And because Pickensburg loves complications, Brian's soon-to-be ex-wife Nina blows into town. Defense attorney, third divorce still unsigned, shows up with a custody battle plan for the Golden Retriever and a habit of objecting at murder scenes.
As the bodies pile up and the sun beats down, Brian realizes he's not just hunting a killer. He's navigating a twisted web of small-town greed, old flames, and very deadly secrets.
Perfect for fans of biting wit, quirky characters, and hilarious mysteries. 859 five-star readers can't be wrong.
"Carl Hiaasen in the Desert" - Amazon Reader
[READ FOR FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED]
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 30, 2026
Nice story
I live in Arizona, and I've lived in a small town much like Pickensburg, which is what drew me to the book. I was struggling for something to read, because I ALWAYS have something to read. How else could I go to sleep each night? Anyway, I really liked the last book I read, so it was hard to find a follow up. This was a good palate cleanser, I guess you could say. The writing was good, or good enough, and the story was light with no huge emotional truths to ponder. Just a good ole whodunnit with the puzzle pieces revealed one by one and put together at the end. There was a love story playing in the background, and I wanted them to get divorced, not reconcile. I didn't like the female character in her first scene in the book. I guess she was developed to become more likable as the story unfolded. She took a bullet for her man, supposedly redeeming herself. I remain stubborn, refusing to give in. Ok, begrudgingly giving in. But, but...she will betray for her life's work again! I know it. Well, if she was a real person she would.
Yep. I know it.
Colorful fun characters. Small desert towns in Arizona are actually full of them. The author forgot to add a crazy artist to the mix. They are a staple in small AZ towns. The book had the feel of being a series, so maybe in the next story an artist will feature. ???
I live in Arizona, and I've lived in a small town much like Pickensburg, which is what drew me to the book. I was struggling for something to read, because I ALWAYS have something to read. How else could I go to sleep each night? Anyway, I really liked the last book I read, so it was hard to find a follow up. This was a good palate cleanser, I guess you could say. The writing was good, or good enough, and the story was light with no huge emotional truths to ponder. Just a good ole whodunnit with the puzzle pieces revealed one by one and put together at the end. There was a love story playing in the background, and I wanted them to get divorced, not reconcile. I didn't like the female character in her first scene in the book. I guess she was developed to become more likable as the story unfolded. She took a bullet for her man, supposedly redeeming herself. I remain stubborn, refusing to give in. Ok, begrudgingly giving in. But, but...she will betray for her life's work again! I know it. Well, if she was a real person she would.
Yep. I know it.
Colorful fun characters. Small desert towns in Arizona are actually full of them. The author forgot to add a crazy artist to the mix. They are a staple in small AZ towns. The book had the feel of being a series, so maybe in the next story an artist will feature. ???
May 30, 2026
This book had promise in the beginning. But it seemed to lose its way quickly. The idea of a cast of quirky characters was what I was looking for but the author just didn't take them far enough. So they didn't become quirky they just became odd. The potential was there but just never realized.
As for the main character himself, I started off really liking him and his motivation, but it seemed that the author lost his way with the initial motivation and by about a quarter of the way through the book, I no longer liked the main character anymore. And that became one of the biggest issues in the book for me. I didn't particularly like anybody. And so because of that, this was a difficult read for me I kept drifting in and out putting the book down, finding other things to do. Lastly, the main character was a former law-enforcement agent. But it became quite obvious that the author knew nothing about law-enforcement agents in the way he had the main character treat the "case". In the beginning, he's pegged as a retired bad ass law-enforcement agent. But by the end, he's basically a Keystone cop.
So there was potential, but this ended up being a real miss for me.
As for the main character himself, I started off really liking him and his motivation, but it seemed that the author lost his way with the initial motivation and by about a quarter of the way through the book, I no longer liked the main character anymore. And that became one of the biggest issues in the book for me. I didn't particularly like anybody. And so because of that, this was a difficult read for me I kept drifting in and out putting the book down, finding other things to do. Lastly, the main character was a former law-enforcement agent. But it became quite obvious that the author knew nothing about law-enforcement agents in the way he had the main character treat the "case". In the beginning, he's pegged as a retired bad ass law-enforcement agent. But by the end, he's basically a Keystone cop.
So there was potential, but this ended up being a real miss for me.
August 14, 2026
I guess this is what you’d call a popcorn mystery, but unfortunately it wasn’t really my style. Pickensburg has all the gossip and small town drama you’d expect, but I mostly found myself bored.
Ryan is a former detective who was shot, and his wife, a defense attorney, defended the man who shot him and got him acquitted. She doesn’t understand why Ryan sees that as a problem since, to her, it was just doing her job. Needless to say, Ryan wants a divorce. Now he’s running a rundown hotel in Pickensburg, where he gets pulled into the town’s gossip, personalities, and eventually a murder mystery.
There’s the mayor, who is also a realtor and sleeps his way through prospective buyers, and Ursula, the Valkyrie of Strength who runs the local gym. Add in the rest of Pickensburg’s colorful cast and their various absurd issues, and you get the picture.
I think that was my biggest problem with the book. The characters felt more like exaggerated stereotypes than people I actually cared about. There was plenty of small town gossip and absurdity, but I never became invested in anyone or particularly interested in solving the mystery.
⭐️⭐️½ 2.5 stars
Ryan is a former detective who was shot, and his wife, a defense attorney, defended the man who shot him and got him acquitted. She doesn’t understand why Ryan sees that as a problem since, to her, it was just doing her job. Needless to say, Ryan wants a divorce. Now he’s running a rundown hotel in Pickensburg, where he gets pulled into the town’s gossip, personalities, and eventually a murder mystery.
There’s the mayor, who is also a realtor and sleeps his way through prospective buyers, and Ursula, the Valkyrie of Strength who runs the local gym. Add in the rest of Pickensburg’s colorful cast and their various absurd issues, and you get the picture.
I think that was my biggest problem with the book. The characters felt more like exaggerated stereotypes than people I actually cared about. There was plenty of small town gossip and absurdity, but I never became invested in anyone or particularly interested in solving the mystery.
⭐️⭐️½ 2.5 stars
July 19, 2026
I liked the Arizona setting, and the way the heat is described as unbearable. I saw the cover art when clicking around on Amazon, and after reading about the cast of characters in the description, I decided to purchase this.
The florist character and the woman who is the Norse bodybuilder cracked me up with their obsessive behaviors. Brian, the main character, was alright, it felt like his wife is a very attractive woman who is hard to get away from....he was trying to divorce her for the 3rd time!
The part-time mayor who is also a real estate agent, sounded like a full-time sex-addict, he really got around....but with this being a cozy mystery there really isn't any sexual activity described.
I liked the hotel clerks that Brian hired to run the front desk, since he's kinda computer illiterate.
Watch out for those travelling corn-hole competitors! This was a great book. Thank you Ron Peer for the entertaining story.
The florist character and the woman who is the Norse bodybuilder cracked me up with their obsessive behaviors. Brian, the main character, was alright, it felt like his wife is a very attractive woman who is hard to get away from....he was trying to divorce her for the 3rd time!
The part-time mayor who is also a real estate agent, sounded like a full-time sex-addict, he really got around....but with this being a cozy mystery there really isn't any sexual activity described.
I liked the hotel clerks that Brian hired to run the front desk, since he's kinda computer illiterate.
Watch out for those travelling corn-hole competitors! This was a great book. Thank you Ron Peer for the entertaining story.
June 12, 2026
Southwest Heat is Hard to Beat
The Mayor of Pickensburg is about to die. And then he does! Oh, we have it all figured out, don't we. All that's left is to figure out who.
Heh. Hitch your britches, gumshoes. What you know ain't necessarily so.
Fun characters await, and there might or might not be some twists, and maybe some more fun characters. Perhaps even some pickled red guesses.
And don't forget the corn hole.
The Mayor of Pickensburg is about to die. And then he does! Oh, we have it all figured out, don't we. All that's left is to figure out who.
Heh. Hitch your britches, gumshoes. What you know ain't necessarily so.
Fun characters await, and there might or might not be some twists, and maybe some more fun characters. Perhaps even some pickled red guesses.
And don't forget the corn hole.
July 25, 2026
Quirky and fun
I Really enjoyed This noirish southwestern comedy/thriller. A little sex, sexual tension, eccentric characters who are very endearing.
The main character Brian, An ex-cop who then becomes a cop again Is immediately likable. In the end it's a feel good Detective novel with a satisfying ending. I hope the author Is going to have a prolific career because I would love to read more from him.
I Really enjoyed This noirish southwestern comedy/thriller. A little sex, sexual tension, eccentric characters who are very endearing.
The main character Brian, An ex-cop who then becomes a cop again Is immediately likable. In the end it's a feel good Detective novel with a satisfying ending. I hope the author Is going to have a prolific career because I would love to read more from him.
August 4, 2026
Boringly Redundant
How many times does the reader need to be reminded that it’s hot in Arizona? 50, 60, 100? How many times does the ex-detective need to not forgive his wife for successfully defending the man who shot him? 20 or 30? The only reason I finished this book was a curiosity of how lame the scenario would be how the hero solved the murders and how he dramatically finally forgave her. Spoiler: He did. It was lame. And, it was a hot, sweltering day in AZ.
How many times does the reader need to be reminded that it’s hot in Arizona? 50, 60, 100? How many times does the ex-detective need to not forgive his wife for successfully defending the man who shot him? 20 or 30? The only reason I finished this book was a curiosity of how lame the scenario would be how the hero solved the murders and how he dramatically finally forgave her. Spoiler: He did. It was lame. And, it was a hot, sweltering day in AZ.
February 20, 2026
Full of quirky characters
I didn’t know that I have ever enjoyed a book so much. This town is full of hilarious people. From the psychic to the body builder to the sheriff to Ira. It describes this part of Arizona perfectly, especially the unrelenting heat. Prepare to laugh and be surprised.
I didn’t know that I have ever enjoyed a book so much. This town is full of hilarious people. From the psychic to the body builder to the sheriff to Ira. It describes this part of Arizona perfectly, especially the unrelenting heat. Prepare to laugh and be surprised.
March 1, 2026
Loved this book!
Very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Chose to read it because its set in Arizona where I live but it has so much more than that to recommend it. likeable, sympathetic lead character, interesting supporting characters, unique setting and best of all I loved the plot. Looking forward to another book in what I hope will be a series!
Very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Chose to read it because its set in Arizona where I live but it has so much more than that to recommend it. likeable, sympathetic lead character, interesting supporting characters, unique setting and best of all I loved the plot. Looking forward to another book in what I hope will be a series!
May 11, 2026
Poison in Pickensburg
I hope there will be a series. Ideally enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and varied. I also liked that Brian gave us all the information and we could decide if the character was the guilty party. I was sad to see there was no second book but will be watching for one..
I hope there will be a series. Ideally enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and varied. I also liked that Brian gave us all the information and we could decide if the character was the guilty party. I was sad to see there was no second book but will be watching for one..
October 10, 2026
Rattlesnake Eggs
Comic mystery, played fairly. I don't know how the series will continue but its played fair and is solvable. If there's a weak part, its the romance. While it is a fantastic idea, the resolution is "Hallmark movie" and might have worked better drawn out, leaving an unresolved conflict for a series.
Comic mystery, played fairly. I don't know how the series will continue but its played fair and is solvable. If there's a weak part, its the romance. While it is a fantastic idea, the resolution is "Hallmark movie" and might have worked better drawn out, leaving an unresolved conflict for a series.
March 5, 2026
fun read
Good story, excellent characters, and a well crafted creation of the setting in which the story plays out. I can usually sus out the bad guys , but this had me guessing to the end.
Good story, excellent characters, and a well crafted creation of the setting in which the story plays out. I can usually sus out the bad guys , but this had me guessing to the end.
April 22, 2026
Fun murder/mystery novel
Quick, easy, enjoyable and simple read. Lots of fun and interesting characters whom each have a great background to support the storyline. Love the playfulness.
Quick, easy, enjoyable and simple read. Lots of fun and interesting characters whom each have a great background to support the storyline. Love the playfulness.
May 1, 2026
Loved It!
A Mystery worth reading. Loved it. Easy read but also intriguing. Kept me interested throughout the story. The characters are relatable. Can’t wait, but I have too, for another one.
A Mystery worth reading. Loved it. Easy read but also intriguing. Kept me interested throughout the story. The characters are relatable. Can’t wait, but I have too, for another one.
May 1, 2026
This was awesome! Series please!
Characters, interesting. Plot moved logically. No false notes. Selfishly need another one, Mr. Peer. (I dislike the required word length of a review.)
Characters, interesting. Plot moved logically. No false notes. Selfishly need another one, Mr. Peer. (I dislike the required word length of a review.)
May 27, 2026
interesting would make a great screenplay
You can tell the author is used to writing screenplays not novels. It is good but needs more work. It reads like a screenplay not a novel and I like books better than movies
You can tell the author is used to writing screenplays not novels. It is good but needs more work. It reads like a screenplay not a novel and I like books better than movies
June 6, 2026
Pickensburg , I like it!
I enjoyed this novel very much and wish to read more on the cases of Deputy Dawson and his cohorts. I lived in AZ for many years and enjoy fiction set in the desert.
I enjoyed this novel very much and wish to read more on the cases of Deputy Dawson and his cohorts. I lived in AZ for many years and enjoy fiction set in the desert.
June 7, 2026
very entertaining and reminiscent of tales from Florida
This is kind of the opposite of the hard driving, hard-bitten detective novels. This has a certain amount of tongue in cheek, understated humor. Obviously there’s an underline romantic story as well. I stayed up to finish it.
This is kind of the opposite of the hard driving, hard-bitten detective novels. This has a certain amount of tongue in cheek, understated humor. Obviously there’s an underline romantic story as well. I stayed up to finish it.
June 25, 2026
This was a really good read. It was well plotted with enough action to keep the story moving. The characters are well drawn, and the mystery will keep you guessing. The descriptions of the Arizona summers were enough to make me turn up the air conditioner, too.
June 26, 2026
Good story to relax reading...quirky characters set in a small Arizona town where not a lot of crime takes place. Then a murder and a former Phoenix detective gets dragged into the investigation, and it turns out he's not too reluctant. Loved the story and hope for more with this main character...
June 28, 2026
Living in Arizona I read all books I can find with Arizona as the location. Especially when they are accurate in detail. This was a fun read, I loved the location as well. I look forward to the next in the series and hope it is out soon.
June 30, 2026
Whitty who done it!
Liked everything about this read. Interesting characters, town, plot, and a fun read. Couldn't put it down. My new favorite author! Can't wait for the sequel... (Well done Mr. Peer! Thankyou)
Liked everything about this read. Interesting characters, town, plot, and a fun read. Couldn't put it down. My new favorite author! Can't wait for the sequel... (Well done Mr. Peer! Thankyou)
July 15, 2026
I absolutely loved this book! The author created an incredibly unique and quirky cast of characters and I can’t wait for more books on this series. I stayed up late on a work night to finish it because it was so enjoyable.
August 2, 2026
Throughly enjoyed it
A good mystery who-done-it with good characters. Some humor and some shocks. Well written! I would read another book by this author. Thank you for putting it on Kindle Unlimited.
A good mystery who-done-it with good characters. Some humor and some shocks. Well written! I would read another book by this author. Thank you for putting it on Kindle Unlimited.
August 11, 2026
I enjoyed the Cozy Mystery
This book was captivating. I like that there were not too many characters to keep track of. I will look for other book you havre written. I’m glad Kindle Unlimited suggested I would enjoy this book.
Robert E
This book was captivating. I like that there were not too many characters to keep track of. I will look for other book you havre written. I’m glad Kindle Unlimited suggested I would enjoy this book.
Robert E
October 5, 2026
Loved it
Wow good story and lots of twists and turns in this who duniit kept my interest with numerous plots and
New culprits thart were possible perps bonus says thanks and good morning this October 2026..
Wow good story and lots of twists and turns in this who duniit kept my interest with numerous plots and
New culprits thart were possible perps bonus says thanks and good morning this October 2026..
March 3, 2026
Just plain fun
The adventure is exciting. The characters are believable. The book is funny. The resolution is satisfying. I'd love to see it made into a movie.
The adventure is exciting. The characters are believable. The book is funny. The resolution is satisfying. I'd love to see it made into a movie.
March 14, 2026
interesting
Could not put it down. Finished it in a day and a half. It keeps you guessing right up to the end
Could not put it down. Finished it in a day and a half. It keeps you guessing right up to the end
May 9, 2026
Awesome Book!
I loved Poison in Pickensburg! I was guessing until the end, who was it? Great book, Ron Peer! I want to read more books by this author.
I loved Poison in Pickensburg! I was guessing until the end, who was it? Great book, Ron Peer! I want to read more books by this author.
May 19, 2026
Fun book
A nice, fun read. As an a
Arizonian, I really enjoyed the characters. Hope the author publishes future books of tis genre.
A nice, fun read. As an a
Arizonian, I really enjoyed the characters. Hope the author publishes future books of tis genre.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews