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Whippoorwill Hollow #3
The Judas Murders
On a cold February morning in 1967, Sheriff Coleman Grundy finds Betty Lou Mundy dead in her front yard and her husband on the porch with the gun that killed her. It looks like a classic case of revenge on a cheating wife. Until the next murder. And the next. As Cole desperately searches for leads, he’s forced to come to grips with his own wife’s unsolved murder three years earlier, and in the process, he unearths long-buried secrets that change his life forever.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2019
1170 people are currently reading
855 people want to read
About the author
Ken Oder
11 books135 followersKen Oder grew up in White Hall, Virginia, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He received undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia and moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1975 to join the law firm of Latham & Watkins. He practiced law there until 1993, when he left the firm to become an executive at Safeway, Inc. He retired from Safeway in 2003. He and his wife, Cindy, have three children and two grandchildren, and live in California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
March 17, 2019
Mr. Oder is indeed a gifted storyteller. I have thoroughly enjoyed his Whippoorwill Hollow series, The Closing and Old Wounds of the Heart, and was so looking forward to this new book as he never disappoints. I love the characters which are so very deftly drawn and human. The story is full of action and suspense with a surprise (to me) ending. I highly recommend.
December 31, 2019
On a cold February morning in 1967, Sheriff Coleman Grundy finds Betty Lou Mundy dead in her front yard and her husband on the porch with the gun that killed her. It looks like a classic case of revenge on cheating wife.
Until the next murder. And the next. As Cole desparately searches for leads, he is forced to come to grips with his own wife's unsolved murder three years earlier, and in the process, he unearths long- buried secrets that change his life forever.
This is the third book in this series. Not surprised I didn't get the right one, however the series was quite intriguing. Recommend. Going to look into the other books in the series.
Sad, compeling, frightening. Thee are only three words of many one could use to describe this very interesting book. Ken has created a story that will grab you from the first page. It is one of those books that is hard to put down. You won't want to miss out on this winner. Highly recommend.
Have a Happy New Year!
Until the next murder. And the next. As Cole desparately searches for leads, he is forced to come to grips with his own wife's unsolved murder three years earlier, and in the process, he unearths long- buried secrets that change his life forever.
This is the third book in this series. Not surprised I didn't get the right one, however the series was quite intriguing. Recommend. Going to look into the other books in the series.
Sad, compeling, frightening. Thee are only three words of many one could use to describe this very interesting book. Ken has created a story that will grab you from the first page. It is one of those books that is hard to put down. You won't want to miss out on this winner. Highly recommend.
Have a Happy New Year!
April 20, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
In 1967 Southern Virginia, a woman is found shot to death. It seems like her husband did it, but other people are being murdered here and there as well. The old sheriff tries to figure things out, despite lower back pain.
Meandering, with some anachronisms, but strives toward being literary.
In 1967 Southern Virginia, a woman is found shot to death. It seems like her husband did it, but other people are being murdered here and there as well. The old sheriff tries to figure things out, despite lower back pain.
Meandering, with some anachronisms, but strives toward being literary.
February 28, 2019
The Judas Murders captures the poignancy of humanity brilliantly. The main character, Sherriff Cole, sympathetically endures infirmity and loss, which brings a quality of authenticity to his struggle to overcome the past and survive the rage it has wrought. The story opens with him examining the aftermath of an unexplained murder. Cole finds himself in a battle to prevent the horrific fallout which threatens to follow. The action, the grief, the mystery gripped me from the very beginning. I was compelled to follow Cole as he worked to unravel the intricate web of deceptions and betrayals. The closer Cole gets to discovering the perpetrator of the murders, the close we get to why they are committed. Along the way, we are introduced to multiple engaging characters who are compelling in their own right. The language of the rural south is captured beautifully, and wry humor adds balance to the pain and suffering. The Judas Murders embodies the best of what thrillers have to offer, and if you are a fan of the genre, this is a must read.
March 7, 2019
Ken Oder is a master storyteller whose stories just get better and better. I thoroughly enjoyed The Judas Murders. Oder’s characters are wonderfully complex, 3-dimensional and lovingly flawed. Somewhere along the line, they ceased to be fictional characters for me. Likewise, the plot was exciting and full of twists that I didn’t see coming. I was truly enamored to the very last page. Highly recommended.
December 29, 2019
One of my favorite reads of 2019. Whippoorwill Hollow is such a peaceful, beautiful place for murder to strike not once but multiple times. The bodies add up, but the sheriff is not able to come up with links between all the victims even as the reader is rooting him on. I really appreciate the subtle nuances in the character descriptions that lead us forward. The action builds to a satisfactory ending. Like all great books, I was sad that it ended though I continued to think about it.
July 28, 2019
Ken Oder is a mature writer. His characters are comparable to Camilla Lackberg in being fully developed. He is nostalgic for yester year. His three books are a gift to an older reader for this reason. Yet he has fully researched all details and his dialogue demonstrates true love for humanity, so I believe adults of all ages will enjoy a very deep and realistic read. Ken, I hope you give us much more to read!
I sent a copy of "The Closing" to my inmate pal on a long sentence who "isn't into reading too much drama," as I hope he enjoys the refined writing. I enjoyed reading all three of Ken's books. I don't send Amazon treats to anyone without reading first and finding to be of highest calibre. I'll see what he reports back. Books are very appreciated by inmates, as well as keeping healthy contact with the outside world. Remember that at some point in the not-too distant future when they are released, you can contribute to their comfort and success back into society. Soft covers only in most places, to be safe.
Ken's explanation of the process and people contributing to his finished product is very encouraging to future writers. Ken, you take the cake!
I sent a copy of "The Closing" to my inmate pal on a long sentence who "isn't into reading too much drama," as I hope he enjoys the refined writing. I enjoyed reading all three of Ken's books. I don't send Amazon treats to anyone without reading first and finding to be of highest calibre. I'll see what he reports back. Books are very appreciated by inmates, as well as keeping healthy contact with the outside world. Remember that at some point in the not-too distant future when they are released, you can contribute to their comfort and success back into society. Soft covers only in most places, to be safe.
Ken's explanation of the process and people contributing to his finished product is very encouraging to future writers. Ken, you take the cake!
February 4, 2019
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy supplied at no charge by the author/publisher.
Small town America, where, if like here in Australia, everyone knows everyone & their business. Sherriff Cole Grundy is called to the site of the murder of Betty Lou Munday where her husband is sitting on the porch with the murder weapon. It all appears to be an open/shut case but then things become a little bit murky when another murder occurs. Sherriff Cole, who is facing his own demons with the loss 3 years ago off his wife, must question his friends & wonder who is causing all this mayhem in his district. With many twist & turns & red herrings, eventually all is revealed. A good read which kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I certainly recommend this for those who like this genre.
Small town America, where, if like here in Australia, everyone knows everyone & their business. Sherriff Cole Grundy is called to the site of the murder of Betty Lou Munday where her husband is sitting on the porch with the murder weapon. It all appears to be an open/shut case but then things become a little bit murky when another murder occurs. Sherriff Cole, who is facing his own demons with the loss 3 years ago off his wife, must question his friends & wonder who is causing all this mayhem in his district. With many twist & turns & red herrings, eventually all is revealed. A good read which kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I certainly recommend this for those who like this genre.
January 14, 2019
Intense from the first page. Captivating action and details bring the mystery to life with each page. I received a complimentary copy of the story. No review was required.
January 8, 2020
Very good work by Ken Oder. Well presented murder story. This will hook you in to finish from the start.
July 29, 2020
A REALISTIC MORALITY NOVELIST
This book contained no heroes or outsized protagonists. It is a story of normal human beings coping with life challenges and attempting to meet those correctly. Various character traits Drive the plot of this excellent mystery. Read it. You will enjoy it and may learn something. I did.
This book contained no heroes or outsized protagonists. It is a story of normal human beings coping with life challenges and attempting to meet those correctly. Various character traits Drive the plot of this excellent mystery. Read it. You will enjoy it and may learn something. I did.
February 15, 2019
Ken has a gift for capturing atmospheric 1960s West Virginia. I'm a sucker for his stories, and I enjoyed this one immensely. Sins of the past, revenge, secrets long buried, a diabolically clever murderer. It's all in there. Looking forward to the next one!
January 26, 2020
Good suspense....horrible language.
Read
July 18, 2019This is the first book by this author that I have listened to but I really enjoyed it and will be giving the rest of his books a go. It is a little misleading as it is in the Morden detective category but the book is set in 1967, you wouldn't actually know this if they didn't keep giving you the date at the beginning of each chapter, well maybe you would miss the use of mobile phones. What I am trying to say is even though it was set in the past the story wasn't slow or long winded, infact the body count kept rising like you would expect with a modern day mystery and a very cleverly woven plot, that I didn't see coming.
Sheriff Coleman thinks he has a very open and shut case when he is called out to find the body of Betty Lou. Everything points to her husband as the killer, especially when he turns a gun on himself. However evidence keeps turning up that convinces the Sheriff that more is going on than he first thought and as he looks deeper into the murder more bodies start turning up some not even thought to be murders and with someone taking shots at his deputies he and his team have no choice but to take a closer look even if it means digging up old secrets of betrayal, lies and hurt.
The narrator had a very deep voice that wasn't very good for doing female voices as I couldn't tell them apart but by the end of the story I had got use it.
Sheriff Coleman thinks he has a very open and shut case when he is called out to find the body of Betty Lou. Everything points to her husband as the killer, especially when he turns a gun on himself. However evidence keeps turning up that convinces the Sheriff that more is going on than he first thought and as he looks deeper into the murder more bodies start turning up some not even thought to be murders and with someone taking shots at his deputies he and his team have no choice but to take a closer look even if it means digging up old secrets of betrayal, lies and hurt.
The narrator had a very deep voice that wasn't very good for doing female voices as I couldn't tell them apart but by the end of the story I had got use it.
June 4, 2021
Brings back memories for me
I was a newly married girl of 19 when this novel was fashioned. I remember the prejudice and the earthy character of some of these individuals who I lived around and knew personally as a child and young adult. Because of these ancient memories, the story came to life for me. Child molestation was so common but concealed under status, family protection, and false appearances. Children were in many ways more vulnerable and unprotected from paedophiles than today because they were not believed if they told their story, and Social Services were basically an unknown entity to the average family.
If you want a walk back in time with a story truly giving you a view of the evil that can be found in the human heart, read this book.
For you who just might wonder, I am married to that same man that I married at 19 and on June 11 we will celebrate 55 years of marriage. God has been good to us!!!
I was a newly married girl of 19 when this novel was fashioned. I remember the prejudice and the earthy character of some of these individuals who I lived around and knew personally as a child and young adult. Because of these ancient memories, the story came to life for me. Child molestation was so common but concealed under status, family protection, and false appearances. Children were in many ways more vulnerable and unprotected from paedophiles than today because they were not believed if they told their story, and Social Services were basically an unknown entity to the average family.
If you want a walk back in time with a story truly giving you a view of the evil that can be found in the human heart, read this book.
For you who just might wonder, I am married to that same man that I married at 19 and on June 11 we will celebrate 55 years of marriage. God has been good to us!!!
July 21, 2021
Best served cold
So they say about revenge. A killer had thirty years to let his hatred chill. One contract brought him near the point when he could serve that dish
One murder after another has the sheriff’s department searching for evidence. With the sheriff getting old, having problems with his back, and sinking into grief, neither he nor his deputies seem able to find any indication of the identity of the killer.
The Judas Murders is an excellent mystery. Characters are well described with considerable understanding of the human psyche. It’s editing is remarkable. It was hard to put down and held my attention all the way through. I simply cans find anything bad to say about it.
So they say about revenge. A killer had thirty years to let his hatred chill. One contract brought him near the point when he could serve that dish
One murder after another has the sheriff’s department searching for evidence. With the sheriff getting old, having problems with his back, and sinking into grief, neither he nor his deputies seem able to find any indication of the identity of the killer.
The Judas Murders is an excellent mystery. Characters are well described with considerable understanding of the human psyche. It’s editing is remarkable. It was hard to put down and held my attention all the way through. I simply cans find anything bad to say about it.
July 26, 2019
I received a free copy of this book but my review is entirely voluntary. I had not read anything by Ken Oder but now I will definitely look for his other books. From the time the victim's body is discovered in her front yard to the resolution of a decades old crime that had only recently come to light, The Judas Murders is a twisty mystery that changes course every time the reader thinks they have the solution figured out. The characters are very deep and well developed. Mr. Oder's writing style puts the reader in the middle of the action with wonderful description without being too wordy. I highly recommend The Judas Murders to mystery readers and look forward to reading the next book.
December 10, 2019
The Judas Murders (Whippoorwill Hollow, #3) by Ken Oder.
Got this free from amazon.com. This is the first book I have read by this author and the story had me engaged from the first chapter. Ken Oder is a great story teller and this book kept my attention right till the last page. There are realistic portrayals of flawed human beings trying to make the best of their circumstances, events that happened in the past and the consequences that ripple into the present. A great stand alone story, I did not feel at a disadvantage because I had not read the 2 previous books in this series. I really liked this book. 4 stars.
Got this free from amazon.com. This is the first book I have read by this author and the story had me engaged from the first chapter. Ken Oder is a great story teller and this book kept my attention right till the last page. There are realistic portrayals of flawed human beings trying to make the best of their circumstances, events that happened in the past and the consequences that ripple into the present. A great stand alone story, I did not feel at a disadvantage because I had not read the 2 previous books in this series. I really liked this book. 4 stars.
July 8, 2019
Pain, terror, sadness, disgust...
And yet I just gritted my teeth and read on. The protagonist and his whole crime fighting posse just reel you in despite the muck this tale is buried in. The villains are obvious, no guess work there and are as disgusting as they can be. Henceforth my objection to the course of action Cole chose with the biggest scumbag of all in the end. Far as I'm concerned he got off light. It's slightly long winded and could easily have been shorter and still held interest. This is my first read from this author and I'm looking forward to another. 👍
And yet I just gritted my teeth and read on. The protagonist and his whole crime fighting posse just reel you in despite the muck this tale is buried in. The villains are obvious, no guess work there and are as disgusting as they can be. Henceforth my objection to the course of action Cole chose with the biggest scumbag of all in the end. Far as I'm concerned he got off light. It's slightly long winded and could easily have been shorter and still held interest. This is my first read from this author and I'm looking forward to another. 👍
August 1, 2019
I was gifted this book with the understanding that I would leave an honest review.
This is the first book well only book in this series that I have read. That said maybe if I had read book 1 and 2 I would not have felt so lost. So many characters in current and past I was having a hard time keeping up. I also could not get a grasp of the main characters and therefor couldn't relate to them. Joe Geoffrey is the narrator for this audiobook and he does a good job. Again this is my opinion and you should give the book a try.
This is the first book well only book in this series that I have read. That said maybe if I had read book 1 and 2 I would not have felt so lost. So many characters in current and past I was having a hard time keeping up. I also could not get a grasp of the main characters and therefor couldn't relate to them. Joe Geoffrey is the narrator for this audiobook and he does a good job. Again this is my opinion and you should give the book a try.
February 9, 2020
Long ways to healing
Compelling story. Well written, slow paved but their main characters and their personal dramas camebalive. They are bone and flesh, their emotions are raw, their conflicts and internal pain are real. One murder unleashed a series of apparently unrelated murders or attempted murders that confused the investigation. Little by little the truth is exposed and the guilty received their deserved ending, but someone passed judgement and punishment. Is he deserving of a second chance of healing his wounds?
Compelling story. Well written, slow paved but their main characters and their personal dramas camebalive. They are bone and flesh, their emotions are raw, their conflicts and internal pain are real. One murder unleashed a series of apparently unrelated murders or attempted murders that confused the investigation. Little by little the truth is exposed and the guilty received their deserved ending, but someone passed judgement and punishment. Is he deserving of a second chance of healing his wounds?
May 28, 2021
A "Top Shelf" novel...
Best novel I have read in a very long time. Saying the other novels I have read were not good, just that this one had more substance to it. It was so descriptive that I could absolutely picture every nuance that took place. Every person that was in the novel changed, develop their personalities, and became different people as the storyline rushed to the Finish. Cole was amazing and how he handled everything kept me enthralled to the very end. Highly recommend this novel to anybody!!!
Best novel I have read in a very long time. Saying the other novels I have read were not good, just that this one had more substance to it. It was so descriptive that I could absolutely picture every nuance that took place. Every person that was in the novel changed, develop their personalities, and became different people as the storyline rushed to the Finish. Cole was amazing and how he handled everything kept me enthralled to the very end. Highly recommend this novel to anybody!!!
February 13, 2020
5*+++++++++stars REALLY
I WAS ONLY AT 8% AND ALREADY I’M LIKE WTF? I LOVE WHEN A BOOK GRABS YOU RIGHT AWAY. HOLY CRAP THE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ARE BAT SHIT CRAZY. I WOULD HAVE FINISHED THIS BOOK YESTERDAY BUT MY EYES SAID NO NOT TONIGHT, I DID TRY BECAUSE THIS WAS VERY GOOD. GREAT STORY LINE AND BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS WHO I COULD CONNECT TOO. I LOVED THE WAY IT WAS DEVELOPED AND THE WRITING STYLE. WOW! THIS WAS SO GOOD. ;D
I WAS ONLY AT 8% AND ALREADY I’M LIKE WTF? I LOVE WHEN A BOOK GRABS YOU RIGHT AWAY. HOLY CRAP THE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ARE BAT SHIT CRAZY. I WOULD HAVE FINISHED THIS BOOK YESTERDAY BUT MY EYES SAID NO NOT TONIGHT, I DID TRY BECAUSE THIS WAS VERY GOOD. GREAT STORY LINE AND BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS WHO I COULD CONNECT TOO. I LOVED THE WAY IT WAS DEVELOPED AND THE WRITING STYLE. WOW! THIS WAS SO GOOD. ;D
May 31, 2021
A very good read.
Mr Oder is a fine writer. I had not read his work before this one, so now I'll have to learn about him and his writing. I plan to read more of his work and I highly recommend this book. Sheriff Cole is complicated and smart. All of the characters in this book had surprising stories and The Judas Murders is an intriguing mystery and I'm always pleased to find a new author to follow. I think you will also enjoy it, if you like tricky mysteries.
Mr Oder is a fine writer. I had not read his work before this one, so now I'll have to learn about him and his writing. I plan to read more of his work and I highly recommend this book. Sheriff Cole is complicated and smart. All of the characters in this book had surprising stories and The Judas Murders is an intriguing mystery and I'm always pleased to find a new author to follow. I think you will also enjoy it, if you like tricky mysteries.
June 4, 2021
What I liked: The book had an old-fashioned, pulpy feel.
My issue was that the writing was flat as the book relies heavily on telling and spoon-feeding the reader information. Consequently, the characters never felt alive. After the first quarter, I started getting bored with the story, and I never really became interested again.
Note: I'm not sure the ending makes any sense. Why would there still be a bullet available for ballistics comparisons several decades later?
My issue was that the writing was flat as the book relies heavily on telling and spoon-feeding the reader information. Consequently, the characters never felt alive. After the first quarter, I started getting bored with the story, and I never really became interested again.
Note: I'm not sure the ending makes any sense. Why would there still be a bullet available for ballistics comparisons several decades later?
June 11, 2021
The Judas Murders by Ken Oder
This is the first book of this author that I read. The story is cast over 50 years back in the past (1960s). It was fairly interesting as an investigative story of murder crimes committed a few years back as well as being committed in 1966-67. The flow of the story could have been more streamlined. There are some loose ends and disconnects that are not resolved. The ending was a bit surprising.
This is the first book of this author that I read. The story is cast over 50 years back in the past (1960s). It was fairly interesting as an investigative story of murder crimes committed a few years back as well as being committed in 1966-67. The flow of the story could have been more streamlined. There are some loose ends and disconnects that are not resolved. The ending was a bit surprising.
June 22, 2021
Enjoyable, quick read
The story starts off quickly and the pace remains quick. As a city-born guy, I always had a notion of rural life as quiet and boring. And that nobody could possibly keep many secrets. This story disproved those notions. The were a few times when I wished for no more surprises or twists. Happily the author provided them anyway. This was the first work I'd read by this author, but surely won't be the last.
The story starts off quickly and the pace remains quick. As a city-born guy, I always had a notion of rural life as quiet and boring. And that nobody could possibly keep many secrets. This story disproved those notions. The were a few times when I wished for no more surprises or twists. Happily the author provided them anyway. This was the first work I'd read by this author, but surely won't be the last.
September 16, 2021
The Judas Murders
I have mixed emotions regarding this book. In the past I have really enjoyed this author and I was looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, it didn't do name much for me. There were too many characters to keep track of and the author sometimes referred to them by first name and sometimes by last names. Then there were false names and name changes. It made it difficult to know who was who in the story. I give it a mild recommendation.
I have mixed emotions regarding this book. In the past I have really enjoyed this author and I was looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, it didn't do name much for me. There were too many characters to keep track of and the author sometimes referred to them by first name and sometimes by last names. Then there were false names and name changes. It made it difficult to know who was who in the story. I give it a mild recommendation.
December 4, 2021
The first book in this series grabbed me and i immediately purchased the next three books in the “series”. I’m just now adjusting to the fact that the setting is the main character so each book will have different characters and different story lines centered around a familiar area and culture. I’m beginning to warm up to the actual premise after I had decided that I had a new “character” to follow through his challenges. Oder has done a good job of mixing what my literature professors called lit, with a penny novella and surprisingly I like it.
May 20, 2022
I was lucky enough to receive The Judas Murders from Ken Oder. It's the story about some of the people in a small town and the horrible things they went through in their lives. It was going back and forth between these folks. You wonder how it's going to turn out but in the end everything comes together and the innocent prevail thanks to 1 heart broken individual
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good page turner.
Thanks again Mr. Oder
Cheers
Lynn🇨🇦
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good page turner.
Thanks again Mr. Oder
Cheers
Lynn🇨🇦
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews