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John Tall Wolf #5

Big Medicine

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Jean Morrissey, the new President of the United States wants John Tall Wolf to join her Cabinet and become the next Secretary of the Interior. John wants nothing to do with that job. Further complicating matters, Marlene Flower Moon, John’s nemesis, has disappeared, and John can’t help but wonder what devilry she might be plotting. On top of that, John’s great-grandfather, Alan White River, the mastermind of the Super Chief theft, has been released from prison early, his behavior to be supervised for two years by John. Happily, though, White River brings someone with him who has a problem for John to solve. Dr. Yvette Lisle, a medical researcher and a member of the Omaha Indian tribe, just might have solved the problem of overcoming drug-resistant bacteria, only her laptop computer with all her data on it has been stolen from her laboratory. That’s the bad news. The good news is finding the computer gives John a perfect excuse for stalling the President. Except … finding the computer might be a lot more dangerous than John thinks, and the President gives him just three days to crack the case before she turns it over to the FBI.

295 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 3, 2017

282 people are currently reading
43 people want to read

About the author

Joseph Flynn

70 books198 followers
Joseph Flynn has been published both traditionally — Signet Books, Bantam Books and Variance Publishing — and through his own imprint, Stray Dog Press, Inc. Both major media reviews and reader reviews have praised his work. Booklist said, “Flynn is an excellent storyteller.” The Chicago Tribune said, “Flynn [is] a master of high-octane plotting.” The most repeated reader comment is: Write faster, we want more.

http://www.committingfiction.blogspot...

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5 stars
359 (59%)
4 stars
186 (30%)
3 stars
47 (7%)
2 stars
11 (1%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Tulay.
1,202 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2018
Dissatisfied.

Was determined to read this one, but again very disappointed. Found a cure for MRSA, but the computer is stolen, all the data was on it. Harry Potter style sci-fi story.
Profile Image for Matt.
4,860 reviews13.1k followers
May 26, 2024
Joseph Flynn continues impressing with the John Tall Wolf series. An essential part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Tall Wolf finds himself working another case, brought to him by his elderly great-grandfather. While trying to find a stolen computer with sensitive information, Tall Wolf must also consider the Cabinet post he has been offered by the new president. All this sits on his mind as he ponders where his former boss, Marlene Flower Moon has gone and whether she is up to mischief. Flynn impresses once more with this novel!

Jean Morrissey has been elected as the new President of the United States. She has her eye on John Tall Wolf to serve as Secretary of the Interior, but he has no interest in the position. Tall Wolf is busy worrying about Marlene Flower Moon, his former boss and nemesis, who has gone missing. She is known to always be plotting something, usually to trip him up, so the concern is real.

If that were not enough, Tall Wolf’s great-grandfather, Alan White River, has been released from prison, a mere two years into his sentence. White River brings Dr. Yvette Lisle, a medical researcher and a member of the Omaha Indian tribe, to see Tall Wolf with a major issue. She has been hard at work solving the problem of overcoming drug-resistant bacteria. All her research, stored on a computer, has been stolen from her lab and the security footage shows a few children there during the heist.

Working the case, John should be able to stall his decision due the president, but this will be a dangerous mission. Working with the FBI and other alphabet agencies, John Tall Wolf makes some inroads, while learning a little more about more tribes in the central part of the country. Joseph Flynn educates and entertains in equal measure in this highly adventurous fifth novel of the series.

Joseph Flynn’s writing has kept me quite entertained as I devour all his series of late. He creates a great story for the reader, tying in not only the other novels in the collection, but cross-referencing his most popular series, the Jim McGill political thrillers. The narrative develops with ease and is soon clipping along, creating a great story and adventure for the reader. As I mentioned in past reviews, characters pop up throughout the book and prove recognisable by Flynn fans who are used to some of his other series work. Flynn shifts to his long chapters format with vignettes within each, a technique used in the McGill collection with some success. This permits many storylines to develop simultaneously and keeps the reader attentive to all the action. There is so much to take from this series and I cannot get through books fast enough. Flynn has made an addict out of me.

Plot development is an area Joseph Flynn uses to his advantage. This series possesses all the elements required, with twists and surprises at every turn. With multiple plot lines in this novel, the action and surprises are plentiful. I cannot wait to see what’s coming next and how John Tall Wolf will tackle them. Flynn is a master and his writing is so easy to digest, I cannot help but reach for the next book in the series.

Kudos, Mr. Flynn, for never letting things wane.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for Karen Wrobel.
498 reviews7 followers
April 28, 2022
Entertaining addition to the series. Totally out there with some of the mystical aspects, but like mac & cheese in book form just the same.
2,524 reviews42 followers
December 4, 2017
First off let me say – if you have not read any books by Joseph Flynn then you are missing out on some great books by a great author! Now on to “Big Medicine”, the newest title in the John Tall Wolf series. I would advise you to begin with the first book “Tall Man in Ray-Bans”, however, you could start with this book as you are given enough back story that you won’t be lost. John Tall Wolf is the current Director, Office of Justice Services for the BIA. He is currently investigating a stolen laptop that could have significant ramifications for the government as well as the medical community. John has a way of investigating that involves action and sometimes devious methods. John is married to Rebecca Bramley, a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Rebecca is now employed as an investigator for McGill Investigations International and is pursuing a case involving a fraudulent document. Mr. Flynn weaves both of these cases, and the characters involved in each, as he tells his story. I have read all of Mr. Flynn’s books and am always eager to read the next book. If you have not, I would strongly advise you to read the “Jim McGill” series and the “Ron Ketchum” series. I first read the “President’s Henchman”, intrigued by a book about the first female president…and I was hooked (and have reread it several times, so good). Vibrant characters, seamless writing and an excellent mystery! I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest and objective review. (by paytonpuppy).
Profile Image for Lenora Good.
Author 16 books27 followers
May 5, 2020
We have our second female President, and she wants John Tall Wolf in her cabinet, a position he doesn't want, but when your President asks...

And Marlene has disappeared. She turned in her resignation when President Morrissey took office and hasn't been seen since. Where is Coyote? What is she up to?

As if those weren't enough to give Tall Wolf a migraine, his Great Grandfather, Alan White River known the world over for stealing the Super Chief has been released from prison after serving two years and is now living with Tall Wolf in DC. Rebecca, Tall Wolf's wife is living and working in Los Angeles area. And Tall Wolf must find a stolen lap top computer that contains information that can be used for tremendous good or tremendous evil, and he has 3 days in which to do so.

Oh, yes, and Bodaway, Tall Wolf's cousin who tried to kill him and had an up close and personal encounter with Coyote that he lives to regret, returns. Others who, for whatever reasons, have such up close and personal encounters with Coyote do not live to tell about it.

The fun thing about these books is the characters. And they are fun. I laugh out loud often. I'd truly like to have coffee with most of them. Well, not the antagonists, maybe, but the protagonists. We see another side of Coyote here. It's different. But it's Marlene. And it just might surprise you.

Oh, and there's another mistake. And, no, I'm not telling. Read the book. It's a fun read, even if you find the mistrake. Honest. Trust me.
Profile Image for Joyce.
1,801 reviews18 followers
November 21, 2017
I received an ARC of this novel from the Author basically to proof read and let him know if I found any typos and grammatical or punctuation errors, however by the time I read approximately four pages I was so involved in the story and characters I wouldn’t have noticed any but the grossest errors possible. I did not see any of those.

John Tall Wolf is the head cop for the BIA. He is also a proud Native American, married to a former RCMP Officer who is also a Native American (remember, the continent is America) and part of a robust extended family. Among his friends are the President and her husband. The list of characters in the book is large and while reading about each individual group the reader finds himself waiting until all come face to face and wonders what kind of explosion that will cause. I was not disappointed.

This was definitely a five star read, full of action, some mysticism, wit and wonder. Thanks to the Author and Book Funnel for the ARC for an honest review.
489 reviews6 followers
March 3, 2018
Big Medicine (a John Talk Wolf Novel #5)

John is back, his enemies as well. Only this time, it's his own relatives that are determined to end his time in earth. What isn't clear to those who want to disrupt his life is just how powerful his adoptive parents, and Coyote are going to be in protecting John and his family, especially his grandfather, White River, whose freedom from prison after the Big Chief train high-ranking is given by the President with the stipulations that he be under John's supervised probation. The underlining plot is research by a lab, also run by native American personnel that discovers microbes that could be responded and used to wipe out selected races. You'll have to read the story yourself to figure out how it all comes together, but then you will have a few ideas what John Talk Wolf will be doing next.
413 reviews6 followers
May 27, 2021
Big Medicine

The fifth book in The Tall Wolf series was very interesting, it had a potential Pandemic Crisis, Native American Culture and Folklore. Tall Wolf has been given custody of his Great Grandfather, who has given him a new assignment. The assignment involves finding a Laptop ( owned by A Native American Scientist) who is working on a Unique Biotechnology that in the wrong hands could destroy the world. A second storyline involves Tall Wolf s wife Protecting her new partner from an abusive relationship. The dialogue is awesome and the Author understands and more importantly respects The Native American Culture.
228 reviews20 followers
May 25, 2020
Great Read

This is a work of art. The multiple cases were intriguing—one for Rebecca in LA and one for John in DC. I loved the way he kept trying to get out of being the secretary of the Interior. Soon he and Rebecca are going to have to decide where they both will live. Both stories had twists and turns with almost non-stop action as I have come to expect from Flynn. I love following all the threads until they catch the bad guys. Coyote was in this one again but it didn’t bother me as much. Maybe I’ve gotten used to him.
959 reviews3 followers
November 25, 2022
I Couldn't Put It Down

It had been a while since I read book four in this series, so all the previous events weren't crystal clear in my mind. It didn't matter. Flynn dif a great job of summarizing Tall Wolf's life up to this point. If you start with this book, you'll miss some great story telling, but you won't get lost. The plotting is first rate, the characters are relatable and, for the most part likable, but the settings are definitely secondary. All in all, a great read and I won't wait so long before picking up episode six.
35 reviews
December 9, 2017
I am amazed by the great writing of Mr Flynn. A truly great novel. I'm impressed more and more with his ability. I'm not sure which series I like better, Jim McGill or John Tall Wolf. I do enjoy the both a lot. I'm part of the author's read and review team, but I bought a lot of his Jim McGill series. His work just gets better and better. Get this one you won't be disappointed in it. I truly, highly recommend it to everyone.
Profile Image for Black Butterfly.
2,630 reviews39 followers
September 30, 2018
I HAVE TO SAY THIS WAS MY LEAST FAVORITE IN THE TALL WOLF SERIES, THE STORY JUMPED AROUND TO MUCH, IT WASN’T TERRIBLE BUT NOT AS SMOOTH AS THE OTHERS. I’VE READ ABOUT A DOZEN BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR AND THIS WAS THE FIRST ONE I REALLY DIDN’T CARE FOR VERY MUCH. THIS ONE WAS IN MY LIKE CATEGORY ALL THE REST WERE OH I LOVED IT CATEGORY. I REALLY LOVE HIS STYLE OF WRITING AND I’LL STILL BE GETTING HIS NEW BOOK KING OF MIRTH. . . CAN’T WAIT. ;D
168 reviews2 followers
November 25, 2019
Another excellent read from Joseph Flynn

Joe Flynn never lets me down. I have read all of the Jim McGill series and enjoyed every one. John Tall Wolf is a Federal agent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) where he investigates crimes where Native Americans might be involved. I’ve learned a lot about tribes and their history while being taken on a ride through the U.S. and sometimes Canada. Each investigation is exciting with twists and turns that keep you turning pages.
Profile Image for John-Paul.
11 reviews6 followers
December 4, 2017
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest and objective review. This is my first time to read (and review) a book by this author, and I really enjoyed it a lot. The plot was different than anything that I have read before. It kept me interested from beginning to end. It was so well written that I will be reading more books by this author.
139 reviews
March 26, 2018
And good.

John is recovering well and will soon be back doing what he does best. Looking forward to his next adventure with his testing female friend. There will be more tension at times in the next installment. The author does a good job of keeping the interest of his readers focused on the events of the day.
Profile Image for Nancy.
1,316 reviews
April 7, 2018
Entertaining, but Preposterous

I keep reading these stories because they ARE entertaining. However, the mystical aspects are getting a bit worn around the edges. Having a shape-shifter as Secretary of the Interior is a little much. Although, given who is currently in that office, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Profile Image for Martha Brown.
232 reviews7 followers
March 31, 2019
Wonderful read

Flynn sends out one home run after another with the John Tall Wolf series. I think this character is a bit like Flynn himself. Quieter. Less unassuming. Respectful and responsible. Knows when to take charge and yet when to step back. Whomever he is like, Tall Wolf is a winner. You will enjoy this book immensely so read read read!
Profile Image for Susan Cook.
359 reviews
June 27, 2020
Excellent!

Really enjoy the John Tall Wolf stories and this one had a second plot going, involving his bride Rebecca, a former Canadian Mountie turned P.I. and her first case in Los Angeles. Coyote, AKA Marlene Flower Moon again makes an appearance as does Alan White River, John’s great grandfather.
Profile Image for Bob Steiner.
7 reviews
November 15, 2022
I love this series

John Tall Wolf’s world is full of surprises and I am having a hit of sadness knowing I only have one book left to enjoy. Flynn has some fantastic characters in these stories. The plots are fresh and the writing smart and crisp. Totally worth your time reading the entire series.
Profile Image for Robert.
1,342 reviews3 followers
November 26, 2017
Detective story full of Native American characters in positions of influence and power in the US government. The mystery is more complex than the Hillerman books, though the cultural aspects are more magical realism than Hillerman's. Fun read.
Profile Image for Kenn Goslin.
810 reviews7 followers
December 23, 2017
Some people will do anything...!!!

Wow! Like going home..the locations around Omaha are well known to me and to have all this as a pivotal part of the story is very exciting! Loved this story and hope the cliff hanger leads to another sequel!
158 reviews1 follower
December 25, 2017
Another great John Tall Wolf story

I have really enjoyed the stories featuring John Tall Wolf the most of all those Mr. Flynn has created.He is one fascinating character, with Coyote being the most engaging. I hope the author plans to provide many more
41 reviews1 follower
January 29, 2020
Can’t Keep a Good Man Down

Wow but this is an excellent read! Having John Tall Wolf’s great grandfather, Mr. White River, come and live with him was a wonderful idea because Mr. White River is a very interesting person.
164 reviews
September 6, 2020
Love Love These Books

I so enjoy a book that has twists and turns. I’m reading along and the story has quickly metamorphosis into another story. So if you want to read a great book with love, laughter, mystery and terrific characters this is the book/series I highly recommend.
25 reviews
December 1, 2020
The 6th in the series

Enjoyed reading Big Medicine for the usual reasons: interesting theme, some humor and not excessively long which is one of my favorite things about Flynn’s novels. Too many works seem to go
on Infinitely,as if authors do not seem to now how to end their work.
183 reviews3 followers
March 15, 2024
You really need to read these books in order to appreciate them. The evolution of all characters in each book is superb. Each book is better than the one before, and incredibly enteraining. This is not generally my genre, but I am hooked. Thanks Joseph Flynn.
496 reviews5 followers
May 1, 2024
Excellent

The stories just keep getting more and more interesting and better and better. I had a hard time putting this book down. The intrinsic knowledge Tall Wolf displays is just incredible.
626 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2018
Not as much supernatural powers going on in this book but all of the Indians seem to have them. Enjoyable short read.
Profile Image for Carol J. Hertkorn.
41 reviews1 follower
July 7, 2018
So happy that another John Tall Wolf story. Interesting characters and story line as well as Native American history.
Waiting for more James McGill stories. Love how the two story lines intertwine.
8 reviews
January 11, 2018
Best ever

If you had ended any other way, would have been really mad. Love the series, write faster. Thank you very much
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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