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Carl Burns #4
Dead Soldiers
An Anthony and Shamus Award-nominated Author The author of the acclaimed Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series is back with a new mystery novel set against the normally placid backdrop of academia. First, someone steals several valuable toy soldiers from the collection of the dean of a small liberal arts college. Then a college board member is shot and killed, and one of the stolen soldiers is found at the scene. Available only in Mystery 4.
250 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2004
About the author
Bill Crider
244 books236 followersTaught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Tex., and went on to become the chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Tex.; prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children's books, not to mention short stories, articles, reviews, and blog posts; perhaps best known for his Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 29, 2015
Professor Carl Burns knows that a call from the dean is never good news. It usually signals trouble of some sort. Dean Partridge has proven to be no exception to the rule though in this case it was not her who called. Instead, it was her secretary who informed Professor Burns that the dean wanted to see him immediately. Either way, a summons from the dean is ominous.
Burns can’t figure out what he did this time to get himself summoned, but it wouldn’t have had to be his doing at Hartley Gorman College in South Texas. It could have been somebody in his English department who ran afoul of one rule or another. It could be because a student filed a complaint over something. Burns knows full well that he isn’t Dean Partridge’s favorite person by a long shot, but what has gone on in recent years wasn’t really Burn’s fault. He just got dragged into a murder investigation or two and a few other things. Professor Burns has a bit of a reputation at the college and beyond as many of the residents of the small town of Pecan City know he has helped local law enforcement. Most of the stuff happened long before Dean Partridge got there though there was that incident with her goat.
Once he gets to her office, Burns quickly realizes that it his crime solving reputation that she had in mind when Dean Gwendolyn Partridge sent for him. She collects toy soldiers. Her collection of miniature military figures is worth a lot of money. Somebody took six figures during a recent party she had at her house. While Burns does not like or trust her goat, he probably is not the responsible party. The culprit is a two footed human that was at a party that Burns had not been asked to attend.
The party was to celebrate the honor students at the college. In addition to the honor students, also in attendance were important people such as local civic leaders and/or donors. News of the theft, if it was made known to the public by local media, would bring unfavorable publicity to the college. Nobody wants that to happen again as there has been more than enough of unfavorable publicity.
Dean Partridge wants Burns, because of his track record of solving previous mysteries, to very discreetly poke around and find out who took her soldiers. Beyond the problem of the suspect list being about 100 names is the problem that even the local police chief, Boss Napier, is on the list. A suspect that is a rival for a certain librarian’s affection. Chief Napier isn’t pleased that the dean dragged him into the situation regarding her toy soldiers. Especially since of them has just been found by the body of Mathew Hart who used to work at HGC. Hart used to be a professor years ago and was pretty much universally despised by students and staff.
Napier wants Burns to stay out of the way which suits Burns fine. But, the murder of Mathew Hart stirs up the campus. Even though Burns tries to stay out of things, gradually one thing leads to another and before long he is being shot at and worse. He even has to play in a softball game against the students. After all, the game must go on because if it does not the terrorists have won.
Fourth in the Carl Burns Mystery Series, Dead Soldiers is another very satisfying read. Originally published by Five Star Books in 2004 and now again available via the e-book format from Crossroads Press, the tale does not follow the current fad of dropping a body in the first three paragraphs. Instead, author Bill Crider sets the table with some background before Burns learns of the first body. Like the other books this series, the world of academia takes center stage as the author follows the classic dictum of “write what you know” while putting a very enjoyable spin on things.
Dead Soldiers is the final installment of the very good Carl Burns mystery series. While it would be best to read in order starting with One Dead Dean, then moving on to Dying Voices, and then to … A Dangerous Thing, one could safely read this mystery first as events in earlier books are only briefly alluded to in the read. Along with the core mystery, humor and other touches by author Bill Crider make this mystery as well as the entire series well worth your time.
Dead Soldiers: The Carl Burns Mystery Series
Bill Crider
http://www.billcrider.com
Five Star Books
http://www.gale.cengage.com
June 2004
ISBN# 1-59414-186-X
Hardback
250 Pages
$25.95
Material was picked up to read and review by way of the good folks of the Plano Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2015
Burns can’t figure out what he did this time to get himself summoned, but it wouldn’t have had to be his doing at Hartley Gorman College in South Texas. It could have been somebody in his English department who ran afoul of one rule or another. It could be because a student filed a complaint over something. Burns knows full well that he isn’t Dean Partridge’s favorite person by a long shot, but what has gone on in recent years wasn’t really Burn’s fault. He just got dragged into a murder investigation or two and a few other things. Professor Burns has a bit of a reputation at the college and beyond as many of the residents of the small town of Pecan City know he has helped local law enforcement. Most of the stuff happened long before Dean Partridge got there though there was that incident with her goat.
Once he gets to her office, Burns quickly realizes that it his crime solving reputation that she had in mind when Dean Gwendolyn Partridge sent for him. She collects toy soldiers. Her collection of miniature military figures is worth a lot of money. Somebody took six figures during a recent party she had at her house. While Burns does not like or trust her goat, he probably is not the responsible party. The culprit is a two footed human that was at a party that Burns had not been asked to attend.
The party was to celebrate the honor students at the college. In addition to the honor students, also in attendance were important people such as local civic leaders and/or donors. News of the theft, if it was made known to the public by local media, would bring unfavorable publicity to the college. Nobody wants that to happen again as there has been more than enough of unfavorable publicity.
Dean Partridge wants Burns, because of his track record of solving previous mysteries, to very discreetly poke around and find out who took her soldiers. Beyond the problem of the suspect list being about 100 names is the problem that even the local police chief, Boss Napier, is on the list. A suspect that is a rival for a certain librarian’s affection. Chief Napier isn’t pleased that the dean dragged him into the situation regarding her toy soldiers. Especially since of them has just been found by the body of Mathew Hart who used to work at HGC. Hart used to be a professor years ago and was pretty much universally despised by students and staff.
Napier wants Burns to stay out of the way which suits Burns fine. But, the murder of Mathew Hart stirs up the campus. Even though Burns tries to stay out of things, gradually one thing leads to another and before long he is being shot at and worse. He even has to play in a softball game against the students. After all, the game must go on because if it does not the terrorists have won.
Fourth in the Carl Burns Mystery Series, Dead Soldiers is another very satisfying read. Originally published by Five Star Books in 2004 and now again available via the e-book format from Crossroads Press, the tale does not follow the current fad of dropping a body in the first three paragraphs. Instead, author Bill Crider sets the table with some background before Burns learns of the first body. Like the other books this series, the world of academia takes center stage as the author follows the classic dictum of “write what you know” while putting a very enjoyable spin on things.
Dead Soldiers is the final installment of the very good Carl Burns mystery series. While it would be best to read in order starting with One Dead Dean, then moving on to Dying Voices, and then to … A Dangerous Thing, one could safely read this mystery first as events in earlier books are only briefly alluded to in the read. Along with the core mystery, humor and other touches by author Bill Crider make this mystery as well as the entire series well worth your time.
Dead Soldiers: The Carl Burns Mystery Series
Bill Crider
http://www.billcrider.com
Five Star Books
http://www.gale.cengage.com
June 2004
ISBN# 1-59414-186-X
Hardback
250 Pages
$25.95
Material was picked up to read and review by way of the good folks of the Plano Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2015
June 30, 2014
#3 in the Carl Burns series. This 2004 series entry is the latest to date (2014) so perhaps it the final entry in the series - but it appears 10 years after the preceding entry, A Dangerous Thing (1994).
There is still no backstory for our protagonist, he appears fully grown, with a PHD in English, at a rural Texas denominational college.
Integrated with the mystery are preparations for a faculty-student softball game - Burns feels ill qualified but obligated to participate in some very humorous segments. Above average for the series.
Carl Burns series - First, someone steals several valuable toy soldiers from the collection of the dean of a small liberal arts school. The dean asks Carl Burns, Chair of the English Department, to look into things. Then a college board member is killed, and one of the stolen soldiers is found at the scene. After another attempted murder, another soldier is found, making a clear link between the stolen toys and the shooting. Burns begins asking questions and finds himself involved with a varied cast of characters, all of whom appear to have some connection to both toy soldiers and the murder.
There is still no backstory for our protagonist, he appears fully grown, with a PHD in English, at a rural Texas denominational college.
Integrated with the mystery are preparations for a faculty-student softball game - Burns feels ill qualified but obligated to participate in some very humorous segments. Above average for the series.
Carl Burns series - First, someone steals several valuable toy soldiers from the collection of the dean of a small liberal arts school. The dean asks Carl Burns, Chair of the English Department, to look into things. Then a college board member is killed, and one of the stolen soldiers is found at the scene. After another attempted murder, another soldier is found, making a clear link between the stolen toys and the shooting. Burns begins asking questions and finds himself involved with a varied cast of characters, all of whom appear to have some connection to both toy soldiers and the murder.
October 8, 2013
Not too bad at all. Read it one sitting but it was perfect for filling the time. Kept me interested but started just a little slow. That never stops me but is the bane of so many people I know. Kind of big print which was nice cause I seem to squint a lot.
December 30, 2020
I love Bill Crider and his passing away still makes me sad.
This is the 4th (and final) in the Proffesor Carl Banks series.
Banks is the Chair of The English Dept at a small college in Pecan City Texas.
He's known for sticking his nose in and solving crimes, much to the anger of Sheriff Boss Napier and the college Dean.
But in this case, they ASK for his help, on trying to figure out who stole some collectable toy soldiers from the Dean's collection.
Things turn deadly quickly.
I love the characters and the setting.
A fun read. I wish there was more of Carl Banks.
This is the 4th (and final) in the Proffesor Carl Banks series.
Banks is the Chair of The English Dept at a small college in Pecan City Texas.
He's known for sticking his nose in and solving crimes, much to the anger of Sheriff Boss Napier and the college Dean.
But in this case, they ASK for his help, on trying to figure out who stole some collectable toy soldiers from the Dean's collection.
Things turn deadly quickly.
I love the characters and the setting.
A fun read. I wish there was more of Carl Banks.
July 20, 2021
Man, why am I just now learning of Bill Crider? This was a fantastic book from start to finish. Buttery smooth story that was consistent, hilarious, suspenseful, and perfectly written. I wasn't even halfway through before I started looking for more of his books online. This is one of those stories where you can easily imagine each character and feel like they're a real person who you've previously met.
Read
August 4, 2026I enjoyed this book, it had a lot of humor in it. The main character Dr. Burns an English teacher is quite witty and the police chief is not an easy guy to be around. I thought it was quite humorous for a murder mystery and it works. A good quick read.
November 7, 2015
I recently discovered Crider and am enjoying his Dan Rhodes series. This is the last of an earlier series about a professor and Crider seems to have felt the limitation of his environs. But it's a great character who has a lot of Rhodes attitude. Fun and fun to read.
August 25, 2016
It has been a long time since I read one of Crider's Carl Burns mysteries, and I was pleased to find this one at my local library. As usual, it is witty, and has a pretty good mystery. The book is a good mix of small private college characters, and small town character. A very enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews