The Center Cannot Hold

Ray Elkins Mystery #10

by Aaron Stander

As winter comes to Sheriff Ray Elkins’s northern Michigan county, he must solve a series of perplexing crimes, including the murder of a woman whose roots reach back to a mysterious commune…

In the depths of winter, Cedar County is on occasion literally frozen in place. Roads are impassable; the area schools are closed for days at a time. And the bad guys and gals, they’re hunkered down like everyone else until the weather breaks. But this winter isn’t the usual. There’s arson and murder. The iniquities of some particularly unsavory ancestors are being visited upon the current generation.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Amazon

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2018

About the author

Aaron Stander spent most of his adult years in the Detroit area, where he taught English and trained writing teachers. In 2000 he and his wife left college teaching positions and moved permanently to their cottage near Traverse City. Aaron is the author ten mysteries set in northwest lower Michigan. He is also the author of numerous articles, stories, poems, and reviews, and the host of Michigan Writers on the Air on Interlochen Public Radio. When not writing or thinking about writing, Aaron spends a lot of time kayaking along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

Reviews

[Cookie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy reading the Ray Elkins mysteries by Aaron Stander. You catch the flavor of northern Michigan and its people, in a way that makes me feel comfortable and like I am home in some way. Well, not with the murders. To be honest, I really only know one person in Michigan who was murdered, and that was in a more urban part of the state.
Anyway, I like the way Ray and his assistant Sue work together to keep the peace in their county, and believe most of the crime they run into is pretty much what you would actually find in their neck of the woods, with a few more murders, of course, to keep us interested.

[Jeff Wildrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although we’ll written, this book was a big disappointment due to the ending. Without giving anything away, in the end the mystery is not solved because of any of the detective work we follow throughout the book. In essence, the criminal is caught in the act due to the criminal's own actions. I suppose this is sometimes the way that police investigations go, but it makes for a frustrating climax after investing many hours in a fictional story.

[Crystal Toller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 10th in the Ray Elkins series. As always a great book by a great author. A young woman who is the mother of a toddler is murdered. Before she is killed someone torches the former sheriff's house. How it is all connected makes a fascinating story. Good writing, good character development and good editing. Another winner by the author. I had read all his other books and have been waiting for this one. Went to fantastic fiction website to see if he had a new one out and when I saw he did I had to go to Amazon to get it and read it. Started it one day and finished it the next. Really highly recommend this book and the series.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this series but this one fell a little flat for me. There were so many separate, seemingly unrelated events going on that were supposed to all tie together in the end. Things didn't come together until the last few pages, however, and the ending just felt rushed to me.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a vacant building suddenly goes up in flames Ray Ellkins Cedar County Sheriff is called in to investigate. He’ll be working alongside his partner Detective Sergeant Sue Lawrence.

At the scene Ray meets Tom Butler, township fire chief who shares his findings that it could be arson.

Turns out the house belonged to Ray’s predecessor, Orville Hentzler. The following day they get a report that Sheriff Hentlzer’s grave has been vandalized

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, there's better stuff to read. And the "who dunnit" solved was baffling to say the least...

[Michelle Adamo #EmptyNestReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Center Cannot Hold is book #10 in the Ray Elkins Thriller series. Ray Elkins is the Sheriff of Cedar County, Michigan, located in the northwestern portion of the lower peninsula.

It is the dead of winter, generally a quiet time in northern Michigan when even the criminals stay indoors. However, things are busier than usual for the Sheriff when first an arson, then a graveyard vandalism and then a murder come to light. What they are trying to understand is a motive. The burnt down cabin and the grave site belonged to a long dead former sheriff, Orville Hentzler. It seems that “Someone is targeting a deadman” but, why now? The murder victim is a 40 something single mother, very pretty and well-liked. What could anyone possibly have against her?

Meanwhile, Elkins’ personal life is becoming complicated as girlfriend, Hanna, continues to struggle with her decision to accept a fellowship in California. Elkins is not voicing an opinion believing that Hanna must make the decision for herself. She wishes that he would voice an opinion and indicate how he feels about her, the job, their relationship… If she goes, will Elkins agree to go with her?

Elkins is a great protagonist. He and his assistant deputy, Sue Lawrence, are well developed characters with just the right amount of loyalty to the job, humor and interpersonal interactions. These books are fun, quick reads. I read this one in a day. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ NOTE: This is the 2nd book in the series that I have read, unfortunately, the first was book #11 (Destination Wedding) which resulted in my knowing how book 10 would end - bad idea and totally my fault. If you read the 2 that I have read and reviewed, do so in order.

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[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder and arson heat up an otherwise cold winter Up North setting in "The Center Cannot Hold." Stander's 10th book in the Ray Elkins series is more layered and nuanced than its predecessors and has the thoughtful protagonist sheriff wondering whether he and his team are up against more than the usual human sins of lust, pride, greed, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. The eighth sin, drug addiction, has wormed its way into the small Northern Michigan community that Ray polices and it's his toughest adversary yet. Topical and thought-provoking, this may be my favorite book of the series.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is always fun to read. I grew up in Michigan and the description of the scenery, the mention of familiar cities and the dialog gave it a Midwest feel. The speech of the people reminds me of my youth. Another finely woven tale. Well plotted and just enough police procedural stuff to make it realistic and believable.

[William S. Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books may have some plot holes and lack of transition, but they are really addictive. Ray and Sue are two of the most likeable characters in fiction, and I can't seem to quit reading the series.

[GW · Rating 3 out of 5]

ehhh

This book didn't make a lot of sense. I liked the main characters but it wasn't exactly anchored in reality.

[Nicola Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up on this. Far too much boring detail for me

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, this series just keeps getting better and better! The sense of place, northwest lower Michigan does not seem hospitable in the winter, the setting of this Ray Elkins thriller, bitter cold, snow and ice almost every day. But the inhabitants inexplicably seem completely tied to the place. Seemingly random murders and fires appear to Sheriff Elkins to be somehow connected to a hippie commune from 40 years ago. We see enough of the "bad guys" to know vengeance is the motivation. Ray's predecessor was the evil Sheriff Orville Hentzler who, along with his deputy henchmen, terrorized the county back in the day. Ray slowly pieces together the puzzle while racing against the threat of new murders and arson-caused fires. I read this book largely on the edge of my seat, having no idea who was behind the carnage until the very end. Thank heavens there's another installment waiting for me to read in kindle unlimited!

[Renda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better Wrap up

Finally, in this 10th book the crimes were wrapped up better at the end. I had to go back and reread one of the early interviews to finish putting it all together. This was a well-written book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The multiple interviews of the suspects yielded more information each time they were interviewed. I imagine that's pretty true to real crime solving.
The editing has improved. There were still a few odd words randomly inserted in the dialog that those characters probably wouldn't ever have used..."Mox Nix", really? Who says that?
Something I have appreciated throughout all of the books in this series is the handling of the subjects of PTSD, burnout, and depression.

[Tweety · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hanna AGAIN!!!

I gave it a 3 because of Hanna. Enjoyed the book up to the end.Was great till she popped in again . They do not belong together . She's selfish centered only thinks of what she wants. I know he'll marry her but SORRY is the word.
Sue is a better match and I think loved him for what he is, not what she can mAke him into. Gonna break Simon's heart too.
If he's gonna let her manipulate him like that maybe he isn't the kind of man I thought he was, and deserves what he gets.
Enjoyed the rest of the book.
Not decided it I want to read the last one or not. 👎😡 I'm a bit teed off right now😈
Tweety 🐦🐦

[Jane Binkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished reading this and I was pleased to discover there were no typos or mistakes in sentence structure, and the use of verbs were in correct order. Having majored in English and writing I am constantly disgusted when I read messy books that could have been so much better with proper editing. Aside from this pet peeve I have to say I was very impressed by the writers gathering of material about police work and how they put so much into their work on cases. Law enforcement and detective work is so detailed today and amazing how they must gather information to solve the crime. This story has a very good plot and I enjoyed it enough to recommend it highly.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a little slower than other books I've read recently but this is a wonderful change and certainly not boring. I really like Ray and Sue and enjoyed the easy interaction of the characters throughout the story. I also was shocked to see this was book 10, where have I been? I will be looking up some earlier books because this one was so enjoyable. I hated to see the story end! Glad there are 9 more to read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each new installment of Ray Elkins becomes has more action, more intrigue and more questions regarding his relationships with both Hanna and Sue. This was also the craziest of the stories so far. But again, certain elements (from the real world) helped me imagine it so much more clearly than when I typically read. I appreciate that. I'm hoping this isn't the end of the line for this series, especially after Sue whispered something in Hannah's ear just before they got on the plane. To me, that's a sneaky cliffhanger!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly simple story that moves quickly from one event to the next. I was debating whether my review should be ranked a 3.5 or 4. There were no wonderful descriptive passages to enjoy. However, the writing was brisk and most of the characters were realistic.

This is book 10 in the series. It is the first one that I have read. No, I will not read any more books in this series. I am just not curious enough about the main characters. Sue was my favorite character. Ray was a bit elusive. The book worked fine as a standalone. It is a quick, enjoyable read.

[Scott Kalas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thumbs up

I’ve been reading so many books of late they are all starting to blend. I was thinking three but decided since I’m stuff on books it was more tasty than I’m fussy so giving it a four. Pretty much consistent with previous Ray Elkins books. Clean, good plot, some action are not a big mystery but the primary one carries through pretty much until the end. My biggest mystery was where was Ray heading and will he be back.

[Terrev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this might be the last book but it appears he’s released Destination Wedding this year. I thought this was well written, characters and setting were richly developed. All the clues to the resolution were there - in fact a couple of times I thought I knew who the arsonist was but the underlying motivation driving the criminal events was a bit far fetched. Glad to see Ray Elkins fly off into the sunset with Hanna. Looking forward to the next read.

[mary arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a Ray Elkins fan from the first book. The recurring characters now seem as real as neighbors. The small community is close so when there is a need, they pull together. Someone seems to be making a statement through arson and murder. The cold North intensifies the plot as it can be an adversary as well as the flesh and blood ones. This author doesn’t “churn out books”, he writes ones that will be valued by another generation as well.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent enough

Nice little north country mystery. Having grown up in the upper Midwest (different state though) I recognized some of the character types and a certain mindset, especially an attitude towards “hippies“ of a certain time period. Everything leading up to the end was pretty well done, but I felt the ending, while meant to be a shocker, was kind of anticlimactic, without much explanation, especially of one character. Four stars for the rest of the story.

[Ginger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Center cannot hold

Enjoyable read. Not as good as some in the series. The ending was somewhat jarring. But that’s in keeping with the villain of the story. I need enjoyed every Ray Elkins thriller. The characters are well developed. Setting is very good. I’m hoping the series doesn’t end.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each winter they can get snowed in. Schools are closed for days. Most winters have been the same but not this one murders are happening and no-one knows who is behind it all. Can the killer be stopped? See if they can

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really hope this truly isn't the end for Ray Elkins although from the looks of the last chapter he won't be getting back up from this latest injury.
Glad he's finally found someone perfect for him in Hannah but still completely devastated by the ending. Where are they going? Will they be back?
And what shall become of Sue?

I've got too many questions and want another book

[pamela marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, immersive read

This book will stay with me for some time. The main characters, Ray and Sue, are fully three dimensional. Their friendship is a huge part of the book. I would recommend this to anyone. Once started, difficult to put down. Thanks to Aaron Stander for such a wonderful series.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The house of the former sheriff, Orville Hentzler, is torched, and his gravestone monument pulled down. A single woman with a toddler daughter is murdered. A couple of snowmobiles are stolen from an old ski resort building that is later shot up with holes. What is going on and why? Sheriff Ray Elkins and his Sargeant, Sue Lawrence are investigating.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not My Kind of Good Read

I had a very hard time following this book. It was the equivalent of watching a movie that was halfway over. I seemed to have missed the most important parts of the movie and was thrust into the center of tons of different stories happening all at the same time. Very confusing.

[Elizabeth W. Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michigan Murder at its northern Michigan Best

Winter murders in vacationland seem to be more than half of Rays job. He captures the color of locals vs summer people vs renters and short timers. What a great life.