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Two Shots
When state game warden Tony Leach responds to an emergency call about a hunter who has been shot and killed at a deer camp in the woods of northern Minnesota, there’s no way he can be prepared for the twisted web into which he’s been thrust. Five years removed from a stint with the Minneapolis Police Department, Tony Leach is a game warden for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Content to spend his days in the woods and on the water enforcing fishing and hunting laws, he thought he’d left violent crime behind when he left the city. But a single call from dispatch two days before the deer-hunting season opens changes that. Now, he’s pushed into working a case he really shouldn’t be involved with, and digging for the truth in the death of a noted political operative that some high-powered people would prefer remain buried in the northern Minnesota woods. As Leach pursues those responsible, he finds people and things aren’t exactly what they seem. And as the investigation goes on and the web unravels, it becomes increasingly clear the only way for it to end is with a killer’s – or his – demise.
325 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2012
About the author
Joe Albert
5 books15 followersJoe Albert is the author of the Tony Leach series of novels, including TWO SHOTS, THE RIVER, and OUT OF THE DARK. The books take place in northern Minnesota and feature Leach, a game warden for the state Department of Natural Resources.
An award-winning journalist, Joe was an outdoor writer for more than a decade before going to work in law enforcement communications. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and lives in Alexandria, Minn., with his wife and two children.
An award-winning journalist, Joe was an outdoor writer for more than a decade before going to work in law enforcement communications. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and lives in Alexandria, Minn., with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 2, 2012
Joe Albert has a style that reminds me a little of John Sandford, and that’s a good thing. I love John Sandford.
But I have to say that I had a little trouble getting into Two Shots. I found a few mistakes here and there—mostly missing words or typos—but nothing so distracting as to make me put the book down. My bigger problem was getting into the main character. The character was written well but he just didn’t click with me.
Several times I felt as if the author went off on a tangent, especially about hunting or fishing, when I saw no compelling reason to go there. I have no doubt that Joe knows a great deal about hunting and fishing, and the back woods of Minnesota, but that’s not something I need to learn about in a mystery.
To summarize, I found Two Shots a good read. Joe knows how to tell a story, and he writes well. His prose is good and his descriptions are good. He knows how to build suspense. If you’re a hunter or fisherman and enjoy the outdoors, you’ll probably like this a lot. Albert puts you right on the scene with his descriptions.
Overall I think Joe’s a good writer and I believe his next book is going to be even stronger than this one. I intend to pick it up and give it a shot myself.
I rated this book 3.8 stars, which I rounded up to 4.
Specific ratings:
Overall Quality (Typos/mistakes)—3.5
Storytelling—4.5
Plot—3.5
Character Development—3.5
Dialogue—4
Overall rating—4
But I have to say that I had a little trouble getting into Two Shots. I found a few mistakes here and there—mostly missing words or typos—but nothing so distracting as to make me put the book down. My bigger problem was getting into the main character. The character was written well but he just didn’t click with me.
Several times I felt as if the author went off on a tangent, especially about hunting or fishing, when I saw no compelling reason to go there. I have no doubt that Joe knows a great deal about hunting and fishing, and the back woods of Minnesota, but that’s not something I need to learn about in a mystery.
To summarize, I found Two Shots a good read. Joe knows how to tell a story, and he writes well. His prose is good and his descriptions are good. He knows how to build suspense. If you’re a hunter or fisherman and enjoy the outdoors, you’ll probably like this a lot. Albert puts you right on the scene with his descriptions.
Overall I think Joe’s a good writer and I believe his next book is going to be even stronger than this one. I intend to pick it up and give it a shot myself.
I rated this book 3.8 stars, which I rounded up to 4.
Specific ratings:
Overall Quality (Typos/mistakes)—3.5
Storytelling—4.5
Plot—3.5
Character Development—3.5
Dialogue—4
Overall rating—4
November 11, 2012
I love outdoor mysteries. This is a good deer camp one. A bit of C.J. Box flavor.
First paragraphs
"CHAPTER 1 The cigarette burned bright red and crackled softly as the killer sucked down a deep drag. The smoke filled his lungs and he held it as long as he could. It curled like a staircase to the star-studded sky when he released it from his nose. A smoker since the first time he swiped a Winston from his old man as a teenager, nothing calmed his nerves like a heater. He’d never given much thought to quitting. And lately, he hadn’t been thinking far enough into the future to ponder lung cancer or emphysema or any of that. This could change things, though. The killer wedged himself as close to the tall maple as possible. When last the leaves hung on its branches, they were brilliant reds and deep oranges. The forest looked like someone put a match to it. Now, he sat amongst the leaves, dead and lifeless on the ground. A poorly placed knot dug into his back. If he needed to be completely still, he may have found another tree. But his present location afforded him what he needed most: Clear sight lines and an easy escape. He wiped a bead of sweat from his face with his forearm, pulled down a black knit cap to cover his ears and forehead, and slid his coat sleeves over black leather gloves that extended just beyond his wrist. Steam rose from his mouth and nose as he breathed in and out, though the temperature – he thought, anyway – was still somewhere in the 40s. Still, it was time to wait. May as well be comfortable. Had the men in the cabin 40 yards away stared directly at the woods, they may have seen the cigarette’s hot tip puncture the night’s darkness like a firefly. As it were, they were inside, finishing their meal."
Albert, Joe (2012-05-15). Two Shots (Kindle Locations 16-32). . Kindle Edition.
First paragraphs
"CHAPTER 1 The cigarette burned bright red and crackled softly as the killer sucked down a deep drag. The smoke filled his lungs and he held it as long as he could. It curled like a staircase to the star-studded sky when he released it from his nose. A smoker since the first time he swiped a Winston from his old man as a teenager, nothing calmed his nerves like a heater. He’d never given much thought to quitting. And lately, he hadn’t been thinking far enough into the future to ponder lung cancer or emphysema or any of that. This could change things, though. The killer wedged himself as close to the tall maple as possible. When last the leaves hung on its branches, they were brilliant reds and deep oranges. The forest looked like someone put a match to it. Now, he sat amongst the leaves, dead and lifeless on the ground. A poorly placed knot dug into his back. If he needed to be completely still, he may have found another tree. But his present location afforded him what he needed most: Clear sight lines and an easy escape. He wiped a bead of sweat from his face with his forearm, pulled down a black knit cap to cover his ears and forehead, and slid his coat sleeves over black leather gloves that extended just beyond his wrist. Steam rose from his mouth and nose as he breathed in and out, though the temperature – he thought, anyway – was still somewhere in the 40s. Still, it was time to wait. May as well be comfortable. Had the men in the cabin 40 yards away stared directly at the woods, they may have seen the cigarette’s hot tip puncture the night’s darkness like a firefly. As it were, they were inside, finishing their meal."
Albert, Joe (2012-05-15). Two Shots (Kindle Locations 16-32). . Kindle Edition.
June 14, 2012
No more books by this author! O stink!
I loved this! Love it!
I appreciate no explicit sex scenes.
As a favor, Conservation Officer Leach is asked to look into the death of a man who was with a group of his friends before deer-hunting season officially began. For no apparent reason, Jennings (not Waylon) was shot in the back while sitting around a campfire. This turns out to be more and more complicated as evidence comes to light and facts are established.
Leach is not portrayed as a macho hunk whom women swoon over but as a real man with real issues that will have the reader upset with him at times and wondering just what he's doing. Leach makes mistakes in his relationships and in his boss' eyes. He's not the best looking or the best at what he does. He listens to Waylon Jennings and other sappy cowboy music. His life consists mostly of eating, drinking, and working. He's not a man whom you'd wish in your life and that's what sets Joe Albert's "Two Shots" apart.
Probably not a page-turner but definitely not prosaic in any sense of the word.
I loved this! Love it!
I appreciate no explicit sex scenes.
As a favor, Conservation Officer Leach is asked to look into the death of a man who was with a group of his friends before deer-hunting season officially began. For no apparent reason, Jennings (not Waylon) was shot in the back while sitting around a campfire. This turns out to be more and more complicated as evidence comes to light and facts are established.
Leach is not portrayed as a macho hunk whom women swoon over but as a real man with real issues that will have the reader upset with him at times and wondering just what he's doing. Leach makes mistakes in his relationships and in his boss' eyes. He's not the best looking or the best at what he does. He listens to Waylon Jennings and other sappy cowboy music. His life consists mostly of eating, drinking, and working. He's not a man whom you'd wish in your life and that's what sets Joe Albert's "Two Shots" apart.
Probably not a page-turner but definitely not prosaic in any sense of the word.
July 23, 2012
I genuinely enjoyed this and much of it made me think of early Sanford. The protagonist is a Game Warden who is brought into a murder case because the rural Sheriff's Office is involved with a child's rape and murder. Leach, the GW, has a somewhat adversarial relationship with the Sheriff's Office. He is a loner, tough and looking for more. He is also a thinker. There is lots of procedural work in it. All in all it is a well put together thriller.
November 27, 2012
Two Shots by Joe Albert isn’t my usual genre — a thriller involving the search for who killed one of a group of hunters with, of course, two shots. But it was free on Kindle, and the reviews looked good, so I picked it up. I enjoyed it. It was fast-paced (mostly; it dragged a bit in spots), and I didn’t guess the resolutions at the end until they happened. It read well, made me feel I really was in the midst of a remote Minnesota winter, and was a good who-dunnit. Recommended.
October 28, 2012
Politics gets nasty, starting at deer camp near a small town Minnesota town. The local wildlife conservation officer gets pulled into the case. You expect that when you hear a hunter gets shot at deer camp but nothing is what you think it will be. GOOD BOOK! Now what else has Joe Albert written. He is sort of like Block...addictive.
July 11, 2013
One of the few books I've read recently that kept me up until four in the morning reading. I really hope this is the start of a series because I'd be the first in line to get each new book! I got real comfortable with the characters and it felt like I was meeting again with old friends each time I started reading. Loved it!
January 14, 2014
Great book!
Being from Bemidji myself this book just kept my interest! Murder mysteries are always great to read! easy to follow book with many different people, all and all I really liked this one!
Being from Bemidji myself this book just kept my interest! Murder mysteries are always great to read! easy to follow book with many different people, all and all I really liked this one!
January 7, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. There was no pressure to buy the next book in the series which was great.
It had lovely short chapters which meant that I was not having to stay awake just to get to the end of the chapter.
It had lovely short chapters which meant that I was not having to stay awake just to get to the end of the chapter.
July 1, 2012
A book that I could really relate to. Suspenseful and a book that was hard to put down. Just an enjoyable book - love the outdoors and police work, so this book had me in it.
July 18, 2012
I liked it, especially since it was set in MN. Minimal language and no explicit sex. Just a good fun summer read.
August 6, 2012
VERY GOOD READ
October 18, 2012
This book would probably being more suited to a male audience , but being married to an avid hunter I really enjoyed it .
December 31, 2012
Enjoyed the book. Would have given it a 5 but there were a few errors in the writing that should have been caught during a proof that distracted from the reading in several places.
January 20, 2013
Game Warden on the loose. Good crime story.
December 23, 2013
nice read....character is a bit of an asshole tho.
September 27, 2020
Gripping
It took me a bit to get into this but the mystery is intriguing. It kept me guessing every step of the way and until the end I wasn't sure who committed what crimes. Tony is fun and flawed. Sarah is easy to fall in love with even as you want to just shake your head at her decisions. I loved hoe it jumped between characters giving us different looks into the murders.
It took me a bit to get into this but the mystery is intriguing. It kept me guessing every step of the way and until the end I wasn't sure who committed what crimes. Tony is fun and flawed. Sarah is easy to fall in love with even as you want to just shake your head at her decisions. I loved hoe it jumped between characters giving us different looks into the murders.
March 9, 2018
Maybe
Maybe worth your time if you are bored. The characters are hard to like. Especially the hero..there are far too many grammatical errors to my liking. Sorry, I didn't care for this.
Maybe worth your time if you are bored. The characters are hard to like. Especially the hero..there are far too many grammatical errors to my liking. Sorry, I didn't care for this.
June 8, 2021
Two Shots
Interesting and entertaining storyline about a mysterious shooting of a man deeply involved in politics and the escalating violence as an attempt is made to cover up the crime.
Interesting and entertaining storyline about a mysterious shooting of a man deeply involved in politics and the escalating violence as an attempt is made to cover up the crime.
July 3, 2017
An entertaining book 1st of series, second one I have read. A Minnesota game warden.
February 25, 2018
Not bad
Not a bad read. Pace was nice and was worth the time it took too finish. Needed a little more in the development of the players
Not a bad read. Pace was nice and was worth the time it took too finish. Needed a little more in the development of the players
November 15, 2024
Interesting book with good characters and fast moving action. Entertaining all the way through.
January 20, 2015
When people disagree with politicians, usually they only shoot words at them. Unfortunately for long-time political figure, Bob Jennings, the shooting was more literal this time. During his annual trek to deer hunt, Bob Jennings is shot & killed by an unseen assailant.
Witnesses abound as he was standing among friends in his hunting attire when it happened. No one saw anything except Bob falling. Few clues & no motive create quickly amount to a cold case for the Sheriff’s Department. Simultaneously, they’re called into deal with a child’s murder so they reach out to Conservation Officer Tony Leach to help.
Working in nature in a small town doesn’t provide much excitement except for an occasional hunting violation so Tony agrees. Some think he’s in over his head but he does have prior police experience. As Tony gets more involved things become more dangerous. It’s obvious that Bob Jennings had some very powerful enemies & they don’t want this case solved. Can Leach close the case?
‘Two Shots’ is the first book in the Tony Leach series. Although it may be a bit of a stretch that the conservation department was contacted to help with a homicide, Tony’s past helps it make sense. He’s a bit of an enigma who has a bit of a drinking problem, bad luck with women, & rubs people the wrong way- a lot.
It’s a good read without too much of an investment. It is definitely lengthy & a little scattered at times, but I found it enjoyable nonetheless. I give it a 4 star rating.
Witnesses abound as he was standing among friends in his hunting attire when it happened. No one saw anything except Bob falling. Few clues & no motive create quickly amount to a cold case for the Sheriff’s Department. Simultaneously, they’re called into deal with a child’s murder so they reach out to Conservation Officer Tony Leach to help.
Working in nature in a small town doesn’t provide much excitement except for an occasional hunting violation so Tony agrees. Some think he’s in over his head but he does have prior police experience. As Tony gets more involved things become more dangerous. It’s obvious that Bob Jennings had some very powerful enemies & they don’t want this case solved. Can Leach close the case?
‘Two Shots’ is the first book in the Tony Leach series. Although it may be a bit of a stretch that the conservation department was contacted to help with a homicide, Tony’s past helps it make sense. He’s a bit of an enigma who has a bit of a drinking problem, bad luck with women, & rubs people the wrong way- a lot.
It’s a good read without too much of an investment. It is definitely lengthy & a little scattered at times, but I found it enjoyable nonetheless. I give it a 4 star rating.
August 17, 2014
This was a pretty good mystery thriller overall, and the premise appealed to me because of the strong outdoor theme, but I found it a little hard to really get into at times.
I think my main problem was trying to connect with Tony Leach, the conservation officer. He was quite a flawed character--prone to drinking, insensitive and a bit of a jerk around women, adversarial sometimes in his dealings with other people and his boss. While this might have made him seem more of a real man with real issues instead of an impossibly perfect, macho hunk, it also made me dislike him rather strongly at times. I especially thought his relationship with Sarah was cringe-worthy.
There were no detailed, graphic sex scenes, which was a plus for me, and the dangerous, dramatic climax at the end was unexpected and quite well done. There was some foul language in the book, which is not something I really enjoy reading, but, again, its inclusion lent a realistic feel to the story because real men do have a tendency to use colourful language at times! :)
I think my main problem was trying to connect with Tony Leach, the conservation officer. He was quite a flawed character--prone to drinking, insensitive and a bit of a jerk around women, adversarial sometimes in his dealings with other people and his boss. While this might have made him seem more of a real man with real issues instead of an impossibly perfect, macho hunk, it also made me dislike him rather strongly at times. I especially thought his relationship with Sarah was cringe-worthy.
There were no detailed, graphic sex scenes, which was a plus for me, and the dangerous, dramatic climax at the end was unexpected and quite well done. There was some foul language in the book, which is not something I really enjoy reading, but, again, its inclusion lent a realistic feel to the story because real men do have a tendency to use colourful language at times! :)
March 26, 2016
"A Fascinating Crime Story"
This is a good crime mystery, the first novel I've read by Joe Albert. Tony Leach has been with the Minneapolis Police Department for five years. He is now a game warden for the state Department of Natural Resources. He's just responded to an emergency call to report to a deer camp ... a hunter has been found shot and killed. He had hoped to enjoy his new job spending time in the forest enforcing hunting and fishing laws. But now he's trapped in a political web and there's no way out until he identifies the killer. I liked this story, but there were some grammar errors, and a little too much description which wasn't needed. It slowed me down a bit, but the ending is mind boggling.
This is a good crime mystery, the first novel I've read by Joe Albert. Tony Leach has been with the Minneapolis Police Department for five years. He is now a game warden for the state Department of Natural Resources. He's just responded to an emergency call to report to a deer camp ... a hunter has been found shot and killed. He had hoped to enjoy his new job spending time in the forest enforcing hunting and fishing laws. But now he's trapped in a political web and there's no way out until he identifies the killer. I liked this story, but there were some grammar errors, and a little too much description which wasn't needed. It slowed me down a bit, but the ending is mind boggling.
January 11, 2013
This book started out pretty good, and allowed a character not normally involved in who-done-its for a refreshing slant on the world of a conservation officer. The plot seemed to lag midway, however, and the "hero" was disappointingly flawed; never redeeming himself to any extent.
Another irritation seemed to be an early overuse of terms such as "killer" and "the man," to describe suspects which the author wished to remain anonymous until later in the storyline. It just seemed to be a juvenile way to introduce characters. Although fairly predictable, it was a pretty good read and I generally enjoyed it.
Another irritation seemed to be an early overuse of terms such as "killer" and "the man," to describe suspects which the author wished to remain anonymous until later in the storyline. It just seemed to be a juvenile way to introduce characters. Although fairly predictable, it was a pretty good read and I generally enjoyed it.
October 19, 2012
The plot concept on this book was really pretty good but the further I went into the novel, the less it lived up to initial expectations.
Had this book gone through the old style publishing ritual, using an experienced editor, I'm sure many of the shortfalls would have been overcome.
I hope Mr. Albert asks for and receives some professional critiques of his work and then writes a follow up novel with the Leach character.
Had this book gone through the old style publishing ritual, using an experienced editor, I'm sure many of the shortfalls would have been overcome.
I hope Mr. Albert asks for and receives some professional critiques of his work and then writes a follow up novel with the Leach character.
May 4, 2015
Easy read
Albert leads readers on an easily read mystery through the wilds of Minnesota. Game Warden Leach finds himself entangled in a murder investigation of a human victim rather than his usual four-legged variety. The plot and characters were a little too predictable. The interaction between characters was somewhat stilted and plot seemed to be driven more by emotions than the action.
Albert leads readers on an easily read mystery through the wilds of Minnesota. Game Warden Leach finds himself entangled in a murder investigation of a human victim rather than his usual four-legged variety. The plot and characters were a little too predictable. The interaction between characters was somewhat stilted and plot seemed to be driven more by emotions than the action.
August 9, 2015
This book started out with a bang and went downhill from there. Started with murder and slowing went into what felt like to me a battle between trying to decide if Tony Leach the main character had a drinking problem or just a screwed up[ social life. Towards the end of the book it finally focused on the murder again.
March 31, 2016
Great book!
This was the first book I have read by Joe Albert. I really enjoyed it. It is so cool to get to read authors that I would normally not be aware of. Kindle unlimited gives me that opportunity. This is an author who writes well and tells a great story. Loved Tony Leach.
This was the first book I have read by Joe Albert. I really enjoyed it. It is so cool to get to read authors that I would normally not be aware of. Kindle unlimited gives me that opportunity. This is an author who writes well and tells a great story. Loved Tony Leach.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews