The Wheat Field

Pliny Pennington #1

by Steve Thayer

The New York Times bestselling author Steve Thayer introduces Deputy P.A. Pennington of the Kickapoo Falls, Wisconsin, Sheriff’s Department, in a gripping novel of sex, politics, and betrayal—where the lust for power leads a war-wounded young man through the explosive secrets of a small town in the presidential election year of 1960. Michael and Maggie Butler are found naked and dead in a Wisconsin wheat field, murdered by two vicious shotgun blasts. But no one gets murdered in Kickapoo Falls, a peaceful, picturesque vacation retreat on the edge of the Wisconsin Dells, home of the politically powerful Kickapoo Gunn Club. Deputy Pennington is convinced the answer lies back in the wheat field. But the town’s ruling elite closes ranks and turns on him as he zeroes in on the truth. What appears to be a husband-wife murder-suicide soon opens doors into a deadly conspiracy set for election night.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Horror, Crime, Suspense

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

STEVE THAYER is the New York Times best-selling author of Saint Mudd, Silent Snow, and The Wheat Field. He lives in Edina, Minnesota.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5⭐️
The book cover may be unassuming but wow, the pages hold a crazy story that I wasn’t expecting at all! Full of conspiracies, political motivations, sexcapades, murder, explicit films, etc!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are hardly ever any murders in Kickapoo Falls, Wisconsin - bucolic vacation retreat in the Wisconsin Dells, and home of the politically powerful Kickapoo Gunn Club. In 1960 however, the naked bodies of a married couple - Michael and Maggie Butler - are found in a wheat field; viciously shot to death. It falls to Deputy P. A. Pennington, the trusted number-two man in the Kickapoo Falls Sheriff's Department, to find the killer.

Pliny had been in love with Maggie Butler ever since childhood, admiring her from afar for years, and watching as she eventually married another man. However, he has a hard time holding on to his fantasy of her, as he begins to discover what she was mixed up with in reality.

The oddness of the murder scene - both bodies are found within a perfect circle of crushed wheat, with absolutely no footprints or tire tracks to be found at the scene - combined with the fact that the couple's clothes are missing, and Maggie is wearing only her wedding ring but not her class ring as well; strikes Pliny as incredibly strange. The only clues that he has to work with are a Lucky Strike cigarette butt found lying near the bodies and three perfect holes in the flattened wheat.

The motive appears to Pliny to be sexual in nature; a belief which is corroborated when Trooper Russ Hoffmeyer, one of the investigators at the scene, admits to taking part in a menage a trois with Michael and Maggie Butler in the past. Their entire sexual encounter had been filmed and, according to Trooper Hoffmeyer, that film was now missing.

Pliny finds that the closer he gets to the truth, the tighter that the town's ruling elite closes ranks against him. Almost as if following some shadowy master plan, the sheriff, his one-time mentor, begins to turn against him and Pliny becomes the main murder suspect; in danger of being arrested for the double homicide. He is convinced that the answer lies hidden in the wheat field, and in a missing reel of movie film - that will ultimately shut the door on a murder investigation, but immediately open another one onto a deadly election night conspiracy.

I really enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, the plot was thoroughly intriguing and moved along very quickly. I avidly wanted to learn the murderer's identity, and was enmeshed in the the story until I finally understood their motive. I give this book a definite A+!

[Terry Bourbon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This one was great. I was totally sucked in, and did not see the ending coming. The book gets high marks for that alone !

The book opens with a prologue, and Deputy Pennington is an old man, retired and writing his memoir. Then flash to the fall of 1960, and the Wheat field murders. So it unfolds. Throw in some violence and sex, and you get a very modern murder plot set in 1060. What I did not expect was the folding in of the Presidential election. This book takes place in Wisconsin. I did not expect to hear about a young soon to be President visiting Wisconsin to talk to school children. I did not expect to hear about then Vice President Nixon addressing a group of rich and powerful men in the same rural city. I did not expect the politics of the day to work into the plot, but around half way through the novel these facts emerge, and begin to lay the groundwork for a subplot.

I highly recommend this one to mystery lovers, history buffs, and fans of political thrillers. Enjoy !

[Wren Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. I dont usually read murder-mystery books, but the idea that Pliny was in love with a ghost, interested me. Reading about life in Kickapoo Falls, WI., in the 1960s, with the political climate, [ Nixon-Kennedy election} and the beauty of the Wisconsin Dells, was interesting and enjoyable. Adding interest to the book was the fact that Pliny Pennington was an Army Ranger in WWII and a expert sniper. I couldn't put the book down.

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Library book I took because it was by a Wisconsin author. Double murder mystery. A naked man and woman found murdered in the middle of a wheatfield. It was a pretty good mystery with a few twists at the end. The setting was close to WI Dells so that made it interesting. I just didn't like the topic it dealt with. Sex, voyeurism & porn.

[Randy Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty entertaining book, but risqué story line. I thought the characters were good, but towards the end be it was a little hard to follow and far fetched. I liked the short chapters and this was a quick read. I would give the author another shot.

[Donnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this a 3 rating. I found the plot interesting to start with--I liked the wheat field circle and the exploration of the reason for the perfect circle. I was disappointed with the ending when suddenly there was an unnecessary link [in my mind] to an assassination plot.

[Lawanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for the sex scenes-shy reader. Audiobook performed by Tom Stechschulte

[Nancy Van vorst-toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Steve Thayer doesn’t disappoint!
This book grabbed me on page 1 and didn’t let go until the
Last page

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like this guy's style and he is a Minnesota writer to boot!!

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's only a 3 star cause I read it in October and it fits the spooky vibe

[Phil Batt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars pretty good thriller and the twist at the end was good. Easy read!

[Judy Barnicle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked reading about my local area and some of the lore that I did not know. A bit racy in parts but a good read.

[Romaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were lots of reasons why I enjoyed reading The Wheat Field. Let me tell you.

First, the author's prose is gentle as a melodious journey. Seriously, a page-turner. The characters are broken, imperfect beings brought about by situations that made for an intriguing, guileful storyline. Each chapter ends meticulously, matching the suspense's build-up so when the final reveal was uncloaked, it didn't let down.

Lots of stories try to maintain this excitement, this hunger that motivates a reader to finish a book. They try to reduce being poetic and descriptive, be more ergonomical with figures, be very sensitive in introducing technical jargons and be exquisitely surprising with reveals. I think, Steve Thayer was successful in the descriptive part. It was not as intense as Tolkien's but for me, it reached a trance-like inducement as with a Charles Frazier story. Although I kinda felt like a voyeur reading disturbed, compromising activities, I am pleased that it wasn't as obscene as ld've hoped it to be.

Thayer also captivated me with his characters. My favorites were Brock and Lila Carlson, even if they weren't mainly involved with the story. Their love story was tragic; on the other hand, it was the epitome of love, in this story. Ironic that Detective Pliny, whose lifelong obsession turned out to be disillusioned, unconsciously or mayhap secretively admired the two. Detective Pliny was your noble protagonist. His inner strength radiated and his fears limited but balanced his persona. A war vet, went back to US disabled, an expert gunsman, noteworthy ancestors, single, who would be better? Alas, his life was a sad one.

Another reason why I like the novel was because of its portrayal of the corruptive human nature. The setting was the '60s and as the story told, every one was promising something new. And yet most of everything was tainted with evil - from violence, treachery, promiscuity, conspiracy. How a small town as Kickapoo Falls could dabble into a complex tale of seduction was sickening. It made me think that Pennington having a chat with JFK was probably a breath of fresh air and of freedom from immorality. It was also exciting how law enforcement could turn Sicilian to those who were able.

Finally, detective stories are fascinating.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thayer's purpose in writing this book, The Wheat Field, is to let the readers know that when we are facing a unsolved puzzle or a trouble, we need to think, look for clues, and relate all the clues together. He wants us to learn how to think, observe,and to be persistent. After you found all the clues you need, you will always get the answer to the mystery. Although you might have some trouble when you are looking for them, you can't quit. This book is well written, the quick, clipped narrative style was very effective in conveying the narrator's character.
The book was captivating. There were a lot of twists, turns and back-stories to keep you guessing about who was involved.For example, when the main character start thinking about the missing ring, he listed all the possibilities. " Possibility number 1: Maggie hadn't been wearing her class ring when murdered; Possibility number 2: Our killer didn't appreciate the difference between a valuable diamond and a worthless stone. Some kind of simpleton? a child? a drunk?" ( Thayer 34). The author also provided the reader several questions that could help us while reading. On page 178, the author asked " Who was sleeping with who in Kickapoo Falls? ". These questions helped the reader to refresh all the clues mentioned before.
The greatest strength of the book is the quick narrative style. Once you started reading, it's impossible to stop somewhere in the story. The weakness of the book in my own opinion, is the sex theme in the book. I don't think it is closely related to the story. I would recommend this book to my friends, because the murder mysteries are very interesting.

[Christie (The Ludic Reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Wheat Field, as it turns out, is one of those lightweight page turners. I am particularly conscious of this because I’ve just finished reading Cook’s Instruments of Night, a book that has all the bells and whistles of literary fiction.

The Wheat Field is the tale of small-town Wisconsin, 1960. The naked bodies of married couple Mike and Maggie Butler are found in a crop circle and it’s up to Deputy Pennington to discover just what happened. Just what happened turns out to be a sordid tale of sex, politics and guns.

Deputy Pennington has been in love with Maggie his whole life, so solving the mystery surrounding her death is personal to him. Leaving no stone unturned, however, turns out to be dangerous in Kickapoo Falls and Pennington often finds his own life in danger.

The book is straightforward in every way.

"Labor Day came and went. The kids went back to school. The tourists went back home. The valley returned to what passed as normal. The September days stayed sunny and warm. But the nights cooled. And so did my investigation."

Thayer doesn’t make much of an attempt to examine the interior lives of his characters, not even our (anti)hero, Pennington. Still, it doesn’t matter. The book races along to its conclusion – a pleasant enough journey if you’ve got a few hours to kill.

[D.F. Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The protagonist, our deputy Sheriff, reminds me of the saying, "if you have two shirts, you'll always have one that is relatively clean." His saving grace is idealism, the hope and belief in institutions of society, such as marriage, and a sense of justice. His failures are many, and the reader finds these things out over a series of reminiscences interspersed with the main narrative. At the end of the day, he is the cleaner shirt in a pack of dirty laundry. Set against a background of natural beauty and historical mystery, the story is apparently simply told. Yet the motives and actions are complex: many things are withheld as assumed knowledge that all the locals have, but the reader cannot ascertain. Our hero is both an insider and an outsider at the same time, cut off from the inner circle of influence that drives the town, yet with a local's knowledge of the people and their character. A complex web of deceit driven by sex, money, ennui, and politics motivates the action. The scope is both local and national, in the context of the presidential election of 1960.

I enjoyed this and will seek out other books by Thayer.

[Adam Haan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The people of South Central Wisconsin in 1960 did not believe in lawfulness, or, for that mater, the proper usage of verbs. “How the roads up that way, Sheriff?” shouts Deputy Pliny Pennington, as he exchanges gunfire with his boss and mentor. The Wheat Field by Steve Thayer is an enjoyable book. Although it starts out a little bit slow, the second part of the book is spooky and gripping. Pennington, the main character, comes off as more than a little bit strange. But that’s common, I think, in a main character of a crime series. Historical events, such as WWI, WWII and the election of JFK are woven into this story. Most of the action takes place in the Wisconsin Dells area, but there is also an adventure on a boat bound for Nantucket. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. Thayer is another great Twin Cities author. Perhaps I'll run into him at the Edina Wendy’s sometime. If so, I’ll ask him, “how the sandwiches today, Steve?”

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although murder mysteries are not at the top of my preferred reading, this one I really liked. The quick, clipped narrative style was very effective in conveying the narrator’s character. Within the story of the compelling murder mystery, it delved into the psychological aspects of the characters and, again dealt with one of my favorite themes – secrets. There were lots of twists and turns and back-stories to keep you guessing about who was involved in what. Thayer is extremely skillful in weaving together all the elements of the story. It was definitely a good read!

[Preciosa Promita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't believe how far anyone can go for power and money! I have never read anything like this before. It's pretty sexually explicit and seemed like it's got nothing to do with literature. I liked it because I learned a lot about human nature from this book. I didn't like the character Maggie Butler at all! gosh! She's one evil sex maniac! Deputy Sheriff Pliny Pennington was pathetic! If it was me I'd have killed Maggie with my own hands!

[Barbara ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a surprise in that it had a very sexual theme that seemed irrelevant at times and just plain gratuitous. The mystery was interesting and there were a few surprises there as well. A well written story but just not what I was expecting from Thayer. I've read his books before and don't remember them being blatantly sexual.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being from Minnesota myself, I love to read local authors. I liked this book very much expect for a long part of the book could'nt figure out why the people in Kickapoo were suspecting Pennington of the murder because of an obsession/infatuation he had with Maggie in HS. Then, after reading I realized that it was Fats who was planting that idea in people's minds.

[Eric Juneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best thing I read in two months. It's got some plot elements that are sensational -- 1950's pornography, threesomes, presidential assassinations, small town conspiracies -- but it's well-written and quite thrilling. It's not quite a mystery, not quite a thriller. But the story is good, and that's good enough for me. I only wish he did fantasy. :)

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, although the old man was a crazy ass dude when he was younger. But I would still trust the guy with my life. There is just something really sexy about a sniper. I also was totally surprised by the ending, it caught me completely off guard. I was like "What the crap?". All in all really good book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really digging Steve Thayer. His writing is excellent, he puts twists in his stories that are unexpected, and he writes these lovely flawed characters that are very real and believeable. He also adds a lot of local flair to his writing. He also does a great job of writing very evocative erotic scenes. Very good book.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this audio book on my commute to and from work. It was a good murder mystery and I enjoyed the setting, but the sexual content was a little too much. Well done to Mr. Thayer in his ability to describe the surrondings and what the main character was truly feeling, but I wish this R-Rated novel had been scaled down a little bit to be more of a PG-13 story.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#1 in the Pliny Pennington series.

Pliny Pennington series - Retired lawman Pliny Pennington recounts the events surrounding the double shotgun murder of a nude couple in a crop circle in Kickapoo Falls, WI during the presidential campaign of 1960. An attempted assassination of JFK may be involved.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it and each of his books that I've read since. He is a Minnesota author and I lived in Northern Iowa for a very long time and went to Minneapolis/ ST Paul all the time so I recognize places he writes about and that makes it even more enjoyable.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Thayer's The Wheatfield is a great book so far. I have not finished it yet. I've been reading it for a while now. I haven't had the time to read it everyday and that often, but where I left off is very thrilling and cannot wait to read the rest !!

[Lisa H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I still can't figure out what this book was trying to be - murder mystery, psychological study, political thriller, "erotic" thriller... Whatever Thayer was trying to do with it, I don't think it succeeded at any of it. A very odd book.