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David Mapstone Mystery #5
Cactus Heart
In this prequel to the popular David Mapstone mysteries, author Jon Talton takes us back to 1999, when everything dot-com was making money, the Y2K bug was the greatest danger facing the world, and the good times seemed as if they would never end.
It was a time before David and Lindsey were together, before Mike Peralta was sherriff, and before David had rid himself of the sexy and mysterious Gretchen.
In Phoenix, its the sweet season and Christmas and the new millennium are only weeks away. But history professor David Mapstone, just hired by the Sheriffs Office, still finds trouble, chasing a robber into an abandoned warehouse and discovering a gruesome crime from six decades ago.
Mapstone begins an investigation into a Depression-era kidnapping that transfixed Arizona and the the disappearance of a cattle barons grandsons, their bodies never found. And although the kidnapper was caught and executed, Mapstone uncovers evidence that justice was far from done. But this is no history lesson. The cattle barons heirs now run a Fortune 500 company and wield far more clout than a former-professor-turned-deputy. Then one of the heirs turns up dead....
It was a time before David and Lindsey were together, before Mike Peralta was sherriff, and before David had rid himself of the sexy and mysterious Gretchen.
In Phoenix, its the sweet season and Christmas and the new millennium are only weeks away. But history professor David Mapstone, just hired by the Sheriffs Office, still finds trouble, chasing a robber into an abandoned warehouse and discovering a gruesome crime from six decades ago.
Mapstone begins an investigation into a Depression-era kidnapping that transfixed Arizona and the the disappearance of a cattle barons grandsons, their bodies never found. And although the kidnapper was caught and executed, Mapstone uncovers evidence that justice was far from done. But this is no history lesson. The cattle barons heirs now run a Fortune 500 company and wield far more clout than a former-professor-turned-deputy. Then one of the heirs turns up dead....
227 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Jon Talton
26 books95 followersJon Talton is the author of the David Mapstone novels, which follow the adventures of a historian-turned-deputy, working the mean streets of the urban West.
Jon's first novel, "Concrete Desert," was hailed by Kirkus as "an impressive debut." The Washington Post said it "is more intelligent and rewarding than most contemporary mysteries." The series has continued with "Camelback Falls," "Dry Heat," "Arizona Dreams" and "Cactus Heart." "Dry Heat" received Arizona Highways magazine's best fiction award in 2005.
Jon's first novel, "Concrete Desert," was hailed by Kirkus as "an impressive debut." The Washington Post said it "is more intelligent and rewarding than most contemporary mysteries." The series has continued with "Camelback Falls," "Dry Heat," "Arizona Dreams" and "Cactus Heart." "Dry Heat" received Arizona Highways magazine's best fiction award in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 8, 2019
A better than average Mapstone.
October 14, 2012
$4.99 *** Phoenix, 1999. History professor David Mapstone, working on cold cases for Maricopa County Sheriff's Dept., investigates the disappearance of a cattle baron's sons sixty years earlier. Lots of fun Phoenix and Arizona history, good plot, interesting characters, but way too much gratuitous sex reduces the narrator/protagonist to kind of a lech.
November 10, 2025
Second reading of this book - I read it first about 10 years ago perhaps? Just as good this time around. I have enjoyed all of the books written by Jon Talton.
September 25, 2013
What puts this into the four star category is the great details the author adds about the history of Phoenix and some of its buildings. They're seamlessly integrated into the story and since that's where I live now I find it fascinating. The main character has a doctorate in history and has been hired by the deputy sheriff to solve cold cases.
This is the second in the series and is better than the first. I'll definitely continue with this series.
This is the second in the series and is better than the first. I'll definitely continue with this series.
October 29, 2012
This author used to be a reporter (and may still be for all I know) for our paper---the Arizona Republic. So all his novels take place in Phoenix and the surrounding area. What fun to read a good story with an on-going character.....and have it all take place in an area that you know where they are talking about most of the time! Very enjoyable.
January 18, 2019
I do wish I liked this book, this series, more than I do. The Phoenix history is extensive and fascinating and for that alone I’ll likely read another...after a break. David Mapstone is a deputy with the Maricopa County sheriff’s office working cold cases as a researcher. However, a hijack attempt that Mapstone and his companions foil leads to the discovery of two juvenile skeletons walled up in the basement of an abandoned building. His job becomes figuring out this “cold case.” In doing so, he and the author limn a fascinating story of Phoenix, new and old.
Unfortunately, both Mapstone and his superior, Deputy Sheriff Mike Peralta are depicted as two of the macho-est, baddest dudes, so masculine as to be caricatures of men. Repellant, they are. And Mapstone is also apparently a total babe magnet, and every female he comes in contact with during the course of the novel positively itches with desire to jump into his shorts, even an 80 year old lady, and more than a couple do. All that action is detailed at great length, and in excruciatingly deep detail, ugh! If I want softcore porn, I’ll read that, it’s better left out of regular fiction. And of course, some of these ladies have agendas of their own that diminish their attractiveness. In fact, the most attractive character in the whole book turns out to be Bobby Hamid, a Persian immigrant who is considered to be “a scumbag,” “a towel-head,” and other politically incorrect terms, and theoretically a member of Phoenix organized crime, but who bails both Peralta and Mapstone out of sticky situations repeatedly and for his efforts receives only the backs of their hands. Oddly, I’d kind of like to see good ol’ Bobby in another of these books...
Unfortunately, both Mapstone and his superior, Deputy Sheriff Mike Peralta are depicted as two of the macho-est, baddest dudes, so masculine as to be caricatures of men. Repellant, they are. And Mapstone is also apparently a total babe magnet, and every female he comes in contact with during the course of the novel positively itches with desire to jump into his shorts, even an 80 year old lady, and more than a couple do. All that action is detailed at great length, and in excruciatingly deep detail, ugh! If I want softcore porn, I’ll read that, it’s better left out of regular fiction. And of course, some of these ladies have agendas of their own that diminish their attractiveness. In fact, the most attractive character in the whole book turns out to be Bobby Hamid, a Persian immigrant who is considered to be “a scumbag,” “a towel-head,” and other politically incorrect terms, and theoretically a member of Phoenix organized crime, but who bails both Peralta and Mapstone out of sticky situations repeatedly and for his efforts receives only the backs of their hands. Oddly, I’d kind of like to see good ol’ Bobby in another of these books...
October 7, 2022
3 of 3 on loan from neighbor Elia….loved the books, will probably see what becomes of this hero ….set in Phoenix, a historian who serves the Sherriff works to solve historic unsolved cases, along with current events that get him in trouble, but not too much.
Like the characters and story telling of the history of Phoenix and Arizona.
Fun
Like the characters and story telling of the history of Phoenix and Arizona.
Fun
July 5, 2022
The book looks back to the beginning of David Mapstone's career as the Phoenix Police Department"s solver of historic crimes. Like others in the series, he uncovers bodies and history from a crime committed decades earlier and tracks it forward. Good page turner.
December 30, 2025
Cactus Heart deserves at least one more star
It was good from beginning to end. I wouldn't change a thing!
I don't know how I've missed Jon Talton in all these years of mystery reading. I highly recommend giving him a try!
It was good from beginning to end. I wouldn't change a thing!
I don't know how I've missed Jon Talton in all these years of mystery reading. I highly recommend giving him a try!
August 4, 2018
An engaging story. Great summertime read.
November 15, 2018
Good book.
April 15, 2019
A little difficult to keep the generations separate , but the Yarnell history was interesting to say the least.
November 5, 2024
Good story/plot but too much gratuitous, cheesy sex that adds nothing to the book.
September 6, 2026
Another terrific Mapstone that is as much about Phoenix as it is about the long ago disappearance of the twin boys.
August 26, 2016
This is the fifth book in Jon Talton's David Mapstone series, and the fourth that I have read.
Mapstone is a historian who was denied tenure at the university where he taught. He returns to his hometown of Phoenix and his old job as a deputy in the Maricopa Sheriff's Department. He uses his historian skills to solve cold cases, some dating back 60 years or more.
This was a solid procedural, well-plotted and nicely paced. The desert setting is used imaginatively and the West past (early - mid-20th c.) is evocatively recalled.
My only complaint with this series is the now almost universal procedural device of Robert Parker-esque "tough guy" language that at times seems cringingly phony. For example, his wife, a fellow detective, calls him "History Shamus." No one talks like that -- in smart-aleck, smirky comments and retorts - but the reader can't seem to avoid it in procedurals these days.
Mapstone is a historian who was denied tenure at the university where he taught. He returns to his hometown of Phoenix and his old job as a deputy in the Maricopa Sheriff's Department. He uses his historian skills to solve cold cases, some dating back 60 years or more.
This was a solid procedural, well-plotted and nicely paced. The desert setting is used imaginatively and the West past (early - mid-20th c.) is evocatively recalled.
My only complaint with this series is the now almost universal procedural device of Robert Parker-esque "tough guy" language that at times seems cringingly phony. For example, his wife, a fellow detective, calls him "History Shamus." No one talks like that -- in smart-aleck, smirky comments and retorts - but the reader can't seem to avoid it in procedurals these days.
August 4, 2016
The Best One Yet
Cactus Heart is an epic work of full literature quality. Deputy Mapstone, PhD. Takes us into an adventure worthy of Arthur Conan Doyle, and seals the deal with an ending worthy of Albert Camus. The Shakespearean tragedy of murdered twin sons is complicated in a will intended to protecting secrets, but is discovered by more deeper secrets. This book will stay with you. Read after thanksgiving for maximum effect
Cactus Heart is an epic work of full literature quality. Deputy Mapstone, PhD. Takes us into an adventure worthy of Arthur Conan Doyle, and seals the deal with an ending worthy of Albert Camus. The Shakespearean tragedy of murdered twin sons is complicated in a will intended to protecting secrets, but is discovered by more deeper secrets. This book will stay with you. Read after thanksgiving for maximum effect
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October 4, 2016It is confusing that it is advertised as a prequel. I met the author last week. He said although the 1st 4 in the series can be read in any order, this is the 2nd one he wrote and the 4th one that was published. It does continue the series that started with "Concrete Desert." It is even better than the 1st. Even though I'm not from the area he manages to add quite a bit of history of Phoenix in his stories.
January 23, 2017
Pretty fast read, the author is the financial columnist for the Seattle Times and writes mysteries on the side. David Mapstone is a quasi-sheriff's officer as well as an ex-history professor and works the cold cases for his old friend and partner. In this episode, the skeletons of the missing twin sons of an old Arizona founder are found in the basement behind a crumbling brick wall. The assumed captor was put to death some years ago, but did he really do it, is the case really closed?
March 7, 2014
The best of the Mapstone series! This is a prequel which takes place in November thru December, 1999. Mapstone 'falls into' a 60 year old mystery. Talton's style and the character attitude of David Mapstone are reminiscent of Ross MacDonald and Lew Archer, with Phoenix being the target of dismay here.
June 1, 2014
Another winner by Jon Talton. This one still has the believable characters, the history and evolution of Phoenix and a good plot. It was also a bit more sexually graphic than the others in this series, which I don't care for much, but the rest is up to Mr Talton's usual standards.
May 28, 2008
Another Mapstone mystery - well done
May 23, 2010
Lots of sex mingled with history of Phoenix.
January 28, 2011
I love the David Mapstone mysteries!
March 4, 2015
Listed as Book 0 a prequel on Amazon and Book 5 on Goodreads.
September 1, 2015
really liked the plot, but didn't care much for the sex
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews