Dead Weight

Bill Gastner Mystery #8

by Steven F. Havill

Small-town sheriff Bill Gastner faces a crisis when an anonymous letter accuses one of his trusted deputies of corruption, a crisis complicated further by the death of one half of a troubled couple that looks increasingly like murder. Reprint.

Genres: Mystery, Westerns, Fiction, Procedural, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Steven F. Havill is an American author of mysteries and westerns.

Havill lives in Raton, New Mexico, with his wife Kathleen. He has written two series of police procedurals set in the fictional Posadas County, New Mexico; along with other works.

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I still lived in the southwest, I would eat green chili burritos every day, just like Sheriff Bill Gastner does in this mystery series! I love that the author skillfully blends the culture, and the landscape into all these stories. Set in southern New Mexico, the author makes use of that locale to develop a strong sense of place, as he also crafts such interesting mysteries for Sheriff Gastner and his officers. In this one, a man is found crushed to death by a backhoe, and it may be an accident, or a murder. This is the 8th book in this series, and I will be looking forward to #9 and beyond.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series for its southern New Mexico setting, its well-crafted mysteries, and its ensemble cast. (Character-driven readers, take note!) There's something about mystery series involving small-town sheriffs in the western United States that seems to highlight how these people become a family, and Havill certainly knows how to use this to strengthen his story.

In Dead Weight, there's also one-book wonder Carla Champlin, the landlady from hell. Whenever she makes an appearance, I was equal parts amused and appalled-- and I did like how her storyline ended.

If there was an off note in this book, it was the fact that Havill spent a bit too long on trying to explain how someone could kill himself with a backhoe. I don't mind some technical stuff in order to solve a mystery, but when my eyes started to roll, I knew that part of the story had gone a bit overboard.

Even if I do know more about backhoe-as-murder-weapon than I want, I still enjoyed this book. Any visit with Bill Gastner and his law enforcement family is to be looked forward to and savored. And I do!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheriff Bill Gastner is about to retire and Undersheriff Robert Torrez has filed for election as an independent, much to the displeasure of both political parties. When a man with a long history of involvement in domestic disputes is found crushed while working on a backhoe, it appears to be a tragic accident. But Gastner and Torres open an investigation including a thorough reconstruction and meticulous forensic work. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy well-written procedurals.

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I mentioned on the other books, I do enjoy the characters but this one again dragged on a little too much and I was able to put the book down many times. Let’s see what happens on the next one.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel fortunate that these Sheriff Bill Gastner audio books by Steven Havill are available as free mp3 downloads from my local library. This is the 8th in the series, and it still entertains me to hear the unusual plots that the author has come up with. These have been the most unique mysteries I have read in a long time. They are not "cozy" cozy mysteries, because there are some gruesome murders and really messed up people. I like Sheriff Bill. He's a good man, and a hard worker, but I can't help but worry about his health because of his love of green chili burritos which he eats almost daily, his advancing age (almost 70 in this book) and his not getting enough sleep. But, there are 10 more books to go in this series, so I suppose he gets along in spite of that.

His former partner in the Posados sheriff's department, Estelle, has moved to Minnesota with her family, but there are hints that they may return to New Mexico.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read a preview of a Posadas County book and decided I needed to read it. I did not know until after I started the book that it was #23 in the series. By the time I finished #23, I knew I'd have to read them all. I started at #1.
Steven F Havill is now one of my favorite authors. His writing is so good that the reader loses time...and ultimately sleep...trying to keep up with the Posadas County Sheriff's team of wonderfully executed characters. You can see the small towns, small the dust, feel the character's exhaustion as they work hard to keep their towns safe. Their frustration when unable to solve a clue comes through in Mr Havill's writing. The back story flows smoothly. Each book is like visiting an old friend who has a great new story to tell. These books would make an excellent television series as long as no one thinkers with the stories.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#8 in the Posadas County mysteries. A novel of rural New Mexico, Posadas County, featuring Sheriff Bill Gastner. Bill is overweight and aging but experience and common sense count for a lot. There isn't an installment in this series that is not a pleasure to read.

Posadas County mystery - Sheriff Bill Gastner is facing an anonymous letter-writer who accuses a deputy of shaking down illegal immigrants. Then Joe Sisson is found crushed to death by an oversized tire on which he was working. When the bruises on his body don't match the tire treads, it looks as if Gastner has a homicide on his hands.

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

They figured the backhoe crushed Jim Sisson. It looked like a nasty accident. But it only looked that way, and not for long. Working with pictures of the accident, Bill Gastner concludes someone murdered Sisson. His wife, with whom he had experienced three major domestic disputes on the day of his death, isn’t much of a suspect. Whoever killed the guy had to know something about how to run a backhoe.

Sisson’s murder isn’t the only thing Gastner focuses on. Anonymous letters accuse one of his deputies of hitting up Mexican nationals at the border before letting them cross. The guy insists he didn’t do that, and Gastner believes him. He must figure out where the anonymous letters came from. Copies went to several members of the county commission, and one went to the local newspaper editor. It’s possible that someone is playing politics with an upcoming sheriff election, but Gastner can’t initially figure out who that is.

The case grows more complex when Gastner learns that Sisson’s 15-year-old daughter, Jennifer, is pregnant. He wonders whether there’s a connection between her pregnancy and her dad’s murder.

I’ve enjoyed this series, and this is a solid addition to it. There are so many areas where I can relate closely to Gastner—his insomnia, his age, his penchant for packing on pounds, his arthritis, I could go on for pages. He’s one of the understated good guys, and that’s one of the things that draws me to the series.

[M. O'Gannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Weight – A sheriff Bill Gastner Mystery – Published 2000 - **** - Gastner has been promoted to Sheriff after the accidental death of the elected sheriff. Elections are coming soon and Gastner has no intention of running himself. All three candidates figure in the action. But it is easy to see Gastner prefers his current under-sheriff, Bob Torrez. A local tradesman is crushed to death while repairing a tire on a backhoe. Is it accident or murder? Plus is deputy, Tom Pasquale, is the target of what appears to be a smear campaign done for political motives. The investigation continues as Gastner and company go through police procedural and civilian appeasement. Havill’s writing to me is similar to Tony Hillerman, common, down to earth, practical, small town, south-west rural setting. So, I naturally enjoy both author’s books.

[Kit Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A False Report

Someone is killed by a tractor wheel, someone's pregnant, and there is an angry landlord. Who knew so much could go on in a little town so at once. Only in Pasadas. A good read and worth the cost of admission!

[Steve Rooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Many Storylines

Dead Weight did not flow as well as earlier books in the series. There were too many storylines that were left unresolved. However, the biggest weakness was there was no foil to Gastner. He needed Estelle as his deputy to bounce off theories about the case.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Havill's characters are a hoot - ie. I can relate to them!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. I didn't start with the first one but that's okay, it isn't necessary.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A consistently great writer!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

May 2019 #8 in series. Once I read them all, I'll probably get the books on tape for the car. Very enjoyable reading! It was good on our NYC trip.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series!

[Robin Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters but the ending was boring and very anti-climatic. Too bad.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in this series have become like old friends, will hate to see this series end. This story did have a couple side stories that did made me wonder why but they were interesting.

[Nancy Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Bill Gastner.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

You could almost call this series a “cozy mystery”- bc the regular police characters feel like family- but there are some violent, bloody murders and crazy, conniving people.

[Ellen Dark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading about Sheriff Bill Gastner and his department.

[Ann Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Steven Havill

I keep repeating myself after i finish each book in Steven Havill's series. I love these books!
The stories are charming, exciting so interesting.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just one story! So many stories!

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have somehow managed to overlook Steven F. Havill. I was bemoaning the fact that it would be months before the second of three Michael McGarrity novels of the backstory of the Kerney family reaches the stands, and my book seller informed me that I could pass the time with Steven Havill, another New Mexican writer who uses our part of the land of enchantment as background for his modern westerns. They are, however, hard to find. It is very enjoyable to lose yourself in a story seated in your backyard. Bill Gastner reminds me of any number of elderly New Mexican men. Unlike most of those of my acquaintance, he will occasionally admit, if only to himself, that it's a good thing people recognize his brainpower, as his other powers are waining. And his brainpower is admirable. A good read.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I absolutely love the Bill Gastner series. I have read a few unsatisfying novels lately and Dead Weight was a real joy.

Gastner is the nearly 70-year-old insomniac sheriff of a small town in New Mexico. He consumes great quantities of coffee and very spicy Mexican food (even for breakfast!) while he juggles a homicide investigation, a mysterious accusation against one of his officers and a landlord/renter dispute. Small town politics and good police work don't necessarily go hand-in-hand, but Gastner makes it work anyway...

Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh how I enjoy listening to Rusty Nelson read the Posadas County series! Just hearing his spot-on delivery of the different characters' voices makes this series that much more enjoyable than just reading Havill on the page. This book has great depictions of small-town, realistic policing scenarios and relationships sprinkled in with the main murder plot. Lots of comic relief here, too. It's worth reading the whole book for the standoff scene between Sheriff Gastner and the elderly former "post-mistress" Carla, who has locked herself in her RV and parked it in the judge's driveway as a protest.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

book #8 of the Posadas County (NM) Mystery Series; elderly county sheriff in remote NM runs into gossips and murderers all at the same time with the story of all being solved in one fell swoop, which was a bit unrealistic in that way but the stories were engaging without being nail biters; via KY Unbound; read during Seoul vacation via my Kindle; 4 out of 5 stars; finished Feb. 21, 2016/#13

[Matthew Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

it kept me thinking to the end. the end is very supprising . would have never guessed

[Gypsy Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fictional American Southwest setting featuring Sheriff Gastner and company.