Point Taken

Blanco County Mysteries #10

by Ben Rehder

Sean Hudson thought nothing of hopping a fence to dig illegally for Native American arrowheads, spear points, and other artifacts. Did his thieving, trespassing ways get him killed? How else to explain the small pickaxe that was found sunk deep into his skull? Blanco County game warden John Marlin has dealt with these kinds of looters before, so it’s no surprise when the sheriff asks him to assist with the investigation. Marlin quickly learns that this case—like the soil at a dig site—has many layers.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Humor

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2016

About the author

Ben Rehder wanted to become a writer ever since he was dropped on his head as a toddler. As he grew into a young adult and the vertigo gradually dissipated, his passion for literature grew. Ben longed to craft the type of soul-stirring prose that would touch people’s lives and help them explore new emotional horizons. But he went to work at an ad agency instead.

Throughout his rewarding and fruitful career in the ad business, Ben has been known to write such imaginative and compelling phrases as “Act now!,” “Limited-time offer,” and “Compatible with today’s rapidly changing network environment.”

However, there eventually came a time when, as unbelievable as it sounds, writing brochures and spec sheets simply wasn’t enough to satisfy Ben’s creative urges. Ben knew: It was time to write a novel.

“But what kind of novel?” Ben asked himself, drawing stares from passersby.

A mystery? A thriller? A work of suspense? Ben had read hundreds of books in these genres and loved them all. But nothing had sparked his creative juices enough to try it himself.

Fate played a hand one day when Ben’s father-in-law tossed him a copy of a Carl Hiaasen novel. And then it hit him. It literally hit him, right in the forehead. When the swelling went down and Ben had a chance to read the book, he discovered a type of fiction he had never experienced before—the comic crime novel! He loved the wacky characters, the zany plots, the interesting writing that threw a good deal of humor into the mix.

So Ben set out to write his own novel. After many grueling minutes in front of a computer, Ben was proud to present Buck Fever. Like many best-selling classics, Buck Fever has lots and lots of verbs, prepositions, adjectives, and the occasional gerund. It was even nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel!

Next came Bone Dry, Flat Crazy, Guilt Trip, Gun Shy, and Holy Moly. Best of all, Ben is now releasing the earlier novels in ebook format at the low low price of just $2.99. What a deal!

Reviews

[Stephen Boiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wild time in Blanco County.

[Tulay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mystery.

Couple of Texans are funny, guns hanging at the back of their trucks. Or guns in their arms opening their doors to anybody dares to ignore the "No Trespassing" signs. Digging for arrow heads to sell, and door to door salesman. For me not much mystery.

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have been reading this series for awhile, you may have come to the conclusion that the Main Characters aren't the main characters. The main characters are the "characters", Red and Billy Don. This certainly seem to be the case here. The collector of ancient Indian arrow heads is murdered and the investigation begins. Main plot. Meanwhile, there is a door to door meat salesman, whose meat is tainted. Sub plot. When an 80 yr old woman, who is friends with Red and Billy Don, gets sick from it, They decide to find him and get her money back, at the very minimum. Well, you probably already know that Red and Billy Don do not do things at the minimum. They also don't do things without a substantial amount of humor! Some how or another these two plots are connected and you might be surprised to find out how. Another thoroughly entertaining Blanco County mystery.

[Doug Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

When young artifact hunter Sean Hudson is found dead with a wiggle pick lodged in the side of his head, Blanco County game warden John Marlin gets another opportunity to work on an investigation with Chief Deputy Lauren Gilchrist. At around the same time a traveling meat salesman arrives in the area, upsetting people with his quick temper, high pressure sales tactics, and defective merchandise.

Is there any connection between the murder and the crooked salesman? The authorities are assisted in their inquiries by some valuable tips from none other than Red O'Brien and Billy Don Craddock, who have time for their own investigation after coming into some money. Like other books in this series, this mystery includes plenty of chaos, excitement, and humor.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format: audiobook
Narrator: Johnny Peppers

An incredibly amusing and enjoyable tale with lots of twists and turns to keep you engaged.
If you’ve listened to or read any books in this series then you’ll be familiar with the regular characters particularly Red and Billy Don who aren’t really good guys but not really the bad guys either, somehow they always end up in the thick of it deliberately or not, their antics and banter gives endless humour that all in makes this a highly enjoyable story.

[KennyO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another gem from Ben Rehder. News flash!: This episode keeps Marlin’s libido in check. The plot’s a good one and the story flows along smoothly. I learned a little in here about arrowhead and artifact hunting. For readers of other books in the Blanco County series, Billy Don and Red, the DUMB luck duo, contribute what they can to solving the mystery with intentions as honest as they’re capable of. As always, I’m looking forward to reading my next Blanco County volume.

[Grandma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

Good story although a little convoluted. Could have been edited a little closer; using the wrong character's name in a crucial moment threw me for a second. Billy Don is really beginning to grow up on us!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook review: Johnny Peppers performs another great narration. He brings the characters to life with voices.

Book was entertaining and suspenseful. It has comedy and drama and was well rounded.

[Claire Barfell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who murdered Sean Hudson? He was digging for up Indian artifacts on land that did not belong to him. Then there is a man trespassing and knocking on doors trying to sell meat. Once again, a very interesting and fast paced mystery. O f course, Red and Billy Don are also included.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It really is incredible how so many things can be tied up to one main case. A murder leads to so much trouble on top of the obvious and watching it all unfold is so entertaining. This book is my favorite one so far in this series.

[Jon Koebrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Point Taken is my least favorite in the series thus far reading them I order. Nonetheless, the book still has good moments with Red and Billy Don as the minor country bumpkin characters and good action scenes.

[Barry D Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors best book yet!

Some of the authors books have a few too many characters, which can become confusing, as other readers have previously posted, but not this one.Red and Billy Don are some serious hillbillies, but they sure are entertaining!

[Leigh Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd rather watch a television series based on the Blanco County mysteries than JRL's "Hap & Leonard" series.

Ben Rehder is an underappreciated literary rockstar. Pick up anything he writes.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book in the series. Enjoy the Texas location and characters. Thanks to author, and recommend consideration.

[Dasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Texas-based intrigue and the hunt for bad guys. Nice character interaction.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual thing, but I liked it well enough. Like the local color, I don't get out that way much, I know Burnet County better from riding.

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book

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[Lorlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usual hijinks.

[Wpayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Always enjoy the John Marlin stories and really get a kick out of Red and Billy Don. They sure make the story for me.

[Kim A. Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

These stories just get better and better each time. They’re interesting, well written, funny and even heartbreaking sometimes. I will continue to read these

[Missyjohnson1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the quick escape that Ben Rehder's books give me. Being familiar with Blanco County it is easy for me to visualize the area and the characters seem real. I am usually smiling through the entire book. Billy Don and Red are two of my favorites for sure. They often give me laugh out loud moments. This book had me laughing all the way to the end, including the last sentence. Thanks to Mr. Rehder for my little holiday with Marlin and the folks in Blanco.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story, great writing. I love it when multiple stories intertwine, but you never know when those stories will come together. It's very satisfying to watch those stories unfold together. Read the whole book in one day. Couldn't put it down.

[Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another fantastic Blanco County book. Every book in this series is a solid 10
Great recurrent characters and always great plots!
Can't wait for the next one.
These would make a great TV series. A comedic version of Justified!

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to the earlier, all character in, style

Back to having red, Billy Don, Phil, The Sheriff, and all the other characters in full. Fun and thrilling. Ready for more.

[JoLana Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series!!