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Lucian Wing #3
Herren der Lage
A fast-paced, sharply observed novel of rural suspense.
Sheriff Lucian Wing goes to the aid of a pair of young runaways, Duncan and Pamela, who have fled to his backwoods county jurisdiction in Vermont. The girl’s powerful stepfather New York has set a smoothly menacing lawyer and well-armed thugs on their trail.
At the same time Wing must deal with his wayward wife’s chronic infidelity; the snobbery of Pamela’s cosmopolitan mother; the dubious assistance of a demented World War Two enthusiast – and even the climactic, chaotic onset of a prodigious specimen of the local wildlife.
Amidst it all, can Wing bring Duncan and Pamela to safety?
Praise for Castle Freeman’s novels:
‘A small miracle – sharp, sly, moving and full of heart.’ Nick Cave
‘Part comic romp and part nail-biting thriller … Castle Freeman writes with both wit and a deep understanding of the human psyche, and he does not cheat us out of a dramatic climax.’ Guardian
‘Shares many small-town, big-crime themes with Cormac McCarthy… it is impossible not to appreciate this.’ The Times
‘Wonderful… every paragraph a gem. Freeman – like Cormac McCarthy, like Annie Proulx – shows us the awkward realness of lives, and does it with humour, with wry perception, with great style.’ R. J. Ellory
‘Extremely funny… streamlined storytelling, dead-on dialogue and lyrical descriptions of the bleak, woodsy landscape. This is a meticulous New England miniature, with not a word wasted.’ Oprah Magazine
‘A fast, memorable read gooey with atmosphere … a gem that sparkles with sly insight and cuts like a knife.’ Boston Globe
‘Freeman has a flawless ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for quirky detail … Superb.’ People Magazine
‘A brilliant book – laconic, spare, stylish and exciting.’ Al Alvarez
‘A small masterpiece of black comedy and suspense … If all novels were this good, Americans would read more.’ Kirkus Reviews
Sheriff Lucian Wing goes to the aid of a pair of young runaways, Duncan and Pamela, who have fled to his backwoods county jurisdiction in Vermont. The girl’s powerful stepfather New York has set a smoothly menacing lawyer and well-armed thugs on their trail.
At the same time Wing must deal with his wayward wife’s chronic infidelity; the snobbery of Pamela’s cosmopolitan mother; the dubious assistance of a demented World War Two enthusiast – and even the climactic, chaotic onset of a prodigious specimen of the local wildlife.
Amidst it all, can Wing bring Duncan and Pamela to safety?
Praise for Castle Freeman’s novels:
‘A small miracle – sharp, sly, moving and full of heart.’ Nick Cave
‘Part comic romp and part nail-biting thriller … Castle Freeman writes with both wit and a deep understanding of the human psyche, and he does not cheat us out of a dramatic climax.’ Guardian
‘Shares many small-town, big-crime themes with Cormac McCarthy… it is impossible not to appreciate this.’ The Times
‘Wonderful… every paragraph a gem. Freeman – like Cormac McCarthy, like Annie Proulx – shows us the awkward realness of lives, and does it with humour, with wry perception, with great style.’ R. J. Ellory
‘Extremely funny… streamlined storytelling, dead-on dialogue and lyrical descriptions of the bleak, woodsy landscape. This is a meticulous New England miniature, with not a word wasted.’ Oprah Magazine
‘A fast, memorable read gooey with atmosphere … a gem that sparkles with sly insight and cuts like a knife.’ Boston Globe
‘Freeman has a flawless ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for quirky detail … Superb.’ People Magazine
‘A brilliant book – laconic, spare, stylish and exciting.’ Al Alvarez
‘A small masterpiece of black comedy and suspense … If all novels were this good, Americans would read more.’ Kirkus Reviews
182 pages, Hardcover
Published July 26, 2021
3 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Castle Freeman Jr.
15 books43 followersCastle Freeman Jr. is an American novelist and writer who lives in Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 16, 2020
Children of the Valley is the third book in the Sheriff Lucian Wing series.
Children of the Valley is a fast paced mystery set in rural Vermont. In this third installment we follow Sheriff Lucian as he sets of to find and protect two runnaways that have fled into his backwoods jurisdiction.
As I previously stated, Children of the Valley is the third book in this series but could easily be read alone. Personally I read this book first and was able to be fully involved with the story and its characters. I do think reading in order would have the benefits of seeing the full character and setting development however the story is written in such a way that its not necessary to do so.
Children of the Valley is over all a quick and enjoyable read. There is no slow burn or deep dark mystery to solve. It's straightforward and the action is fast and right in your face. I really enjoyed Lucians quirky character and look forward to seeing more from this character. Children of the valley did a wonderful job blending thrills with humor and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
If you are a lover of crime/mystery/ suspense but are looking for a somewhat more light-hearted read then I highly recommend you give this series a look!
Special thanks to Random Things for having me on this book tour. I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Children of the Valley is a fast paced mystery set in rural Vermont. In this third installment we follow Sheriff Lucian as he sets of to find and protect two runnaways that have fled into his backwoods jurisdiction.
As I previously stated, Children of the Valley is the third book in this series but could easily be read alone. Personally I read this book first and was able to be fully involved with the story and its characters. I do think reading in order would have the benefits of seeing the full character and setting development however the story is written in such a way that its not necessary to do so.
Children of the Valley is over all a quick and enjoyable read. There is no slow burn or deep dark mystery to solve. It's straightforward and the action is fast and right in your face. I really enjoyed Lucians quirky character and look forward to seeing more from this character. Children of the valley did a wonderful job blending thrills with humor and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
If you are a lover of crime/mystery/ suspense but are looking for a somewhat more light-hearted read then I highly recommend you give this series a look!
Special thanks to Random Things for having me on this book tour. I received this book in exchange for an honest review
December 7, 2020
Children of the Valley is the third instalment in the Sheriff Lucian Wing series, set in rural Vermont. Having been called to the scene of a disturbance where a man named Rhumba is holed up keeping his wife and four kids inside and apparently brandishing a gun, Lucian talks to him to try and diffuse the situation, which works like a charm. Returning to his office at the sheriff's department recently relocated from the county courthouse to the old District 4 school in South Cardiff, he is greeted by a man in his fifties dressed in a sharp pin-stripe suit. The patronising Carl Armentrout is a Special Assistant, aka lawyer on retainer, at Lord Enterprises in New York and has been sent to visit Lucian by his employer, Rex Lord, whose 17-year-old stepdaughter, Pamela, has been missing for four days. Having been attending St Bartholomew's boarding school near Boston, Massachusetts, she had agreed to spend her summer vacation with her father, but when his driver had gone to collect her she was nowhere to be found and no one has heard hide nor hair of her since. Through sources, her father believes her to be in the Vermont area and that she may have run off with protector, football player Duncan March due to a troubled relationship with Rex.
Lucian drives out to South Devon to speak to retired lawyer Addison Jessup, who is familiar with both Duncan and Rex Lord's estranged wife, and Pamela's mother, Carlotta Campbell. Pammy was the product of Carlotta and State Department Diplomat Roger DeMorgan's marriage. It appears that Rex Lord is a ruthless criminal but with so much wealth and power, he is seemingly allowed to act with impunity. Can they find the girl and work out why she disappeared before Rex has his underworld connections put pressure on Lucian? This is a compulsive and addictive thriller filled with action and intense drama. I loved the refreshing storyline and the way it is written pulls you into the story and refuses to let you go from the very beginning. I adored the snarky humour throughout and the well-drawn cast of characters, most of whom are highly unlikeable, are engaging. Lucian and his colleagues are hard done by local cops who are forthright and no-nonsense. It's a richly woven tale, which is more complex and convoluted than it initially appears, and the pressure to find the girl, due to those who are on Lucian's back, adds an extra element of tension. A thoroughly enjoyable read and one I highly recommend.
Lucian drives out to South Devon to speak to retired lawyer Addison Jessup, who is familiar with both Duncan and Rex Lord's estranged wife, and Pamela's mother, Carlotta Campbell. Pammy was the product of Carlotta and State Department Diplomat Roger DeMorgan's marriage. It appears that Rex Lord is a ruthless criminal but with so much wealth and power, he is seemingly allowed to act with impunity. Can they find the girl and work out why she disappeared before Rex has his underworld connections put pressure on Lucian? This is a compulsive and addictive thriller filled with action and intense drama. I loved the refreshing storyline and the way it is written pulls you into the story and refuses to let you go from the very beginning. I adored the snarky humour throughout and the well-drawn cast of characters, most of whom are highly unlikeable, are engaging. Lucian and his colleagues are hard done by local cops who are forthright and no-nonsense. It's a richly woven tale, which is more complex and convoluted than it initially appears, and the pressure to find the girl, due to those who are on Lucian's back, adds an extra element of tension. A thoroughly enjoyable read and one I highly recommend.
December 29, 2020
This third book in the Lucian Wing series is as good as its predecessors, which is high praise. It can easily be read as a stand-alone book, but I’d recommend reading All That I Have and Old Number Five first in order fully to appreciate the characters – and also because they’re terrific.
This time, Lucian is made aware of a couple of young runaways in his area who are being sought by some very serious people who work for the girl’s mega-rich father. As ever, Lucian goes about his “sheriffing” in a dogged, pragmatic and honourable way as some quite heavy (and some rather comic) events unfold. It’s a good, gripping tale in which things happen quite slowly but in a very involving way.
As always, it is Lucian’s narrative voice which makes this special. There are some echoes of Cormac McCarthy in the solid, laconic style which paints such a vivid picture of the country and the characters in it – although it is also very funny in places. This is just one of Lucian’s meditative gems to give a flavour:
“In my line of work, you can’t usually make a bad thing good, or even mucch better than it was; but sometimes you can make a bad thing go be bad someplace else for a while. If you can get that, I say, take it.”
(I would say, by the way, that there are a couple of major personal issues which arose in the last book which are simply not referred to here: Deputy Olivia Gilfeather isn’t even referred to, and nor is the somewhat vital matter of Lucian’s immediate ancestry. I found that a pity, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all.)
I have loved all of these books and am delighted to have discovered them. They are all a joy to read and I can recommend Children Of The Valley very warmly.
This time, Lucian is made aware of a couple of young runaways in his area who are being sought by some very serious people who work for the girl’s mega-rich father. As ever, Lucian goes about his “sheriffing” in a dogged, pragmatic and honourable way as some quite heavy (and some rather comic) events unfold. It’s a good, gripping tale in which things happen quite slowly but in a very involving way.
As always, it is Lucian’s narrative voice which makes this special. There are some echoes of Cormac McCarthy in the solid, laconic style which paints such a vivid picture of the country and the characters in it – although it is also very funny in places. This is just one of Lucian’s meditative gems to give a flavour:
“In my line of work, you can’t usually make a bad thing good, or even mucch better than it was; but sometimes you can make a bad thing go be bad someplace else for a while. If you can get that, I say, take it.”
(I would say, by the way, that there are a couple of major personal issues which arose in the last book which are simply not referred to here: Deputy Olivia Gilfeather isn’t even referred to, and nor is the somewhat vital matter of Lucian’s immediate ancestry. I found that a pity, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all.)
I have loved all of these books and am delighted to have discovered them. They are all a joy to read and I can recommend Children Of The Valley very warmly.
March 15, 2025
Och menno, das war jetzt leider das letzte Castle Freeman Buch, das es in meiner Bibliothek gibt. Was nun? Ich will mehr!
December 17, 2020
Unsurprisingly as a fan of American crime fiction, most notably those books set in small backwoods communities, Castle Freeman is a firm favourite of mine. Having read both the previous books in the Sheriff Lucian Wing series, All That I Have and Old Number Five, I am delighted to share my thoughts on the latest addition to the series, Children Of The Valley…
I think the joy of these books is the fact, that although the plotlines are relatively slight, Freeman is a master of characterisation. Sheriff Wing embodies all the cynicism and dry wit that has been the stock of hardboiled crime fiction from the year dot. Be it in his interactions with the local ne’er-do-wells, his feisty wife Clementine, his pillar of the local community father-in-law, or the assorted branches of law enforcement that provide law and order across the county and state, Wing is an absolute tonic. The book is suffused with caustic asides and peppered with snappy retorts, as Wing encounters a few individuals during this case that get his dander up, stupidly belittling his position as the main law enforcer in the town, but finding to their cost that this cookie is a whole lot smarter than they think. To underestimate Sheriff Wing is a dangerous path to take.
That’s not to say that his aptness for flippancy decreases his standing or professional pride in any way and as he says himself, “ In my line of work you can’t usually make a bad thing good, or even much better than it was; but sometimes you can make a bad thing go be bad someplace else for a while. If you can get that, I say take it.” He possesses an innate skill for communicating with people, getting others on side and endeavouring to achieve if not the best outcome, something that is a mere hair breadth’s away from it, with the least collateral damage as he can. He does garner some modicum of respect from his peers both ungrudgingly and grudgingly, and is a safe pair of hands in a crisis, being particularly adept at ‘de-escalating’ dangerous situations in his own unique style.
Freeman’s control of pace and plot is always sublime, as he writes within a compressed page count, but this book along with his previous demonstrates once again the sparse and taut prose that is such a part of his writing style, with the book racing towards the final showdown. Equally, the landscape of Wing’s small backwoods jurisdiction is vividly rendered, and serves as a good counterpoint to the intrusion of a big city slime-ball, endearing us even more to Wing’s stomping ground with its strange and colourful inhabitants. If you love characters like those in Elmore Leonard’s Raylan series or in the superb Nobody Move by Denis Johnson, I think Children Of The Valley will more than fit the bill.
In fact why not read the whole Lucian Wing series? Recommended.
I think the joy of these books is the fact, that although the plotlines are relatively slight, Freeman is a master of characterisation. Sheriff Wing embodies all the cynicism and dry wit that has been the stock of hardboiled crime fiction from the year dot. Be it in his interactions with the local ne’er-do-wells, his feisty wife Clementine, his pillar of the local community father-in-law, or the assorted branches of law enforcement that provide law and order across the county and state, Wing is an absolute tonic. The book is suffused with caustic asides and peppered with snappy retorts, as Wing encounters a few individuals during this case that get his dander up, stupidly belittling his position as the main law enforcer in the town, but finding to their cost that this cookie is a whole lot smarter than they think. To underestimate Sheriff Wing is a dangerous path to take.
That’s not to say that his aptness for flippancy decreases his standing or professional pride in any way and as he says himself, “ In my line of work you can’t usually make a bad thing good, or even much better than it was; but sometimes you can make a bad thing go be bad someplace else for a while. If you can get that, I say take it.” He possesses an innate skill for communicating with people, getting others on side and endeavouring to achieve if not the best outcome, something that is a mere hair breadth’s away from it, with the least collateral damage as he can. He does garner some modicum of respect from his peers both ungrudgingly and grudgingly, and is a safe pair of hands in a crisis, being particularly adept at ‘de-escalating’ dangerous situations in his own unique style.
Freeman’s control of pace and plot is always sublime, as he writes within a compressed page count, but this book along with his previous demonstrates once again the sparse and taut prose that is such a part of his writing style, with the book racing towards the final showdown. Equally, the landscape of Wing’s small backwoods jurisdiction is vividly rendered, and serves as a good counterpoint to the intrusion of a big city slime-ball, endearing us even more to Wing’s stomping ground with its strange and colourful inhabitants. If you love characters like those in Elmore Leonard’s Raylan series or in the superb Nobody Move by Denis Johnson, I think Children Of The Valley will more than fit the bill.
In fact why not read the whole Lucian Wing series? Recommended.
September 12, 2021
„Herren der Lage“, ist der dritte Band der Reihe, in der Castle Freeman seine Leser wieder nach Cardiff mitnimmt, ein Kaff im hintersten Winkel von Vermont. Und was man nun wirklich nicht von dem Autor behaupten kann, ist, dass er geschwätzig wäre und uns mit ellenlangen, nichtssagenden Beschreibungen langweilen würde. Im Gegenteil. Das eint ihn mit Sheriff Lucian Wing, der sich um dort um Recht und Ordnung kümmert. Unterstützt wird von seinem eher einfach gestrickten Deputy und, eher weniger gewollt, von Wingate, seinem Vorgänger im Amt, den das Rentnerdabei langweilt. Er ist zwar mittlerweile etwas tüttelig, hat es aber immer noch drauf.
Die Bewohner bleiben unter sich, denn es verirrt sich kaum jemand nach Cardiff, und wenn doch, dann stört das die Ruhe beträchtlich. Wie an dem Tag, als dieser arrogante Typ auftaucht und von Lucian verlangt, nach zwei Teenagern zu suchen, die sich in den umliegenden Wäldern verstecken. Er findet die beiden, behält das aber für sich. Die richtige Entscheidung, das wird ihm klar, als bewaffnete Schläger auftauchen und das Versteck der jungen Leute dem Erdboden gleichmachen…
Freeman beschreibt dieses Katz-und-Maus Spiel so lakonisch, dass es eine Freude ist. Jedes Wort sitzt, da gibt es kein überflüssiges Drumherumgerede. Und obwohl er alles auf das Wesentliche reduziert, hat man zu keinem Zeitpunkt das Gefühl, unzureichend informiert zu werden. Ganz im Gegenteil, man freut sich an Lucians unaufgeregtem Umgang mit diesen Unsympathen, die meinen, ihm Befehle erteilen zu können. Amüsiert sich köstlich über die wortkargen Unterhaltungen der Dörfler, bei denen jede ihrer von trockenem Humor geprägten Bemerkungen ins Schwarze trifft.
190 Seiten schnörkellose Prosa, gut strukturiert, mit einer überschaubaren und dennoch nie langweilenden Story sowie liebenswerten Hauptfiguren. Lest es. Genießt es!
Die Bewohner bleiben unter sich, denn es verirrt sich kaum jemand nach Cardiff, und wenn doch, dann stört das die Ruhe beträchtlich. Wie an dem Tag, als dieser arrogante Typ auftaucht und von Lucian verlangt, nach zwei Teenagern zu suchen, die sich in den umliegenden Wäldern verstecken. Er findet die beiden, behält das aber für sich. Die richtige Entscheidung, das wird ihm klar, als bewaffnete Schläger auftauchen und das Versteck der jungen Leute dem Erdboden gleichmachen…
Freeman beschreibt dieses Katz-und-Maus Spiel so lakonisch, dass es eine Freude ist. Jedes Wort sitzt, da gibt es kein überflüssiges Drumherumgerede. Und obwohl er alles auf das Wesentliche reduziert, hat man zu keinem Zeitpunkt das Gefühl, unzureichend informiert zu werden. Ganz im Gegenteil, man freut sich an Lucians unaufgeregtem Umgang mit diesen Unsympathen, die meinen, ihm Befehle erteilen zu können. Amüsiert sich köstlich über die wortkargen Unterhaltungen der Dörfler, bei denen jede ihrer von trockenem Humor geprägten Bemerkungen ins Schwarze trifft.
190 Seiten schnörkellose Prosa, gut strukturiert, mit einer überschaubaren und dennoch nie langweilenden Story sowie liebenswerten Hauptfiguren. Lest es. Genießt es!
December 30, 2020
Children of the Valley by Castle Freeman is third in the Lucian Wing series. Another entertaining read with a touch humor, mystery, suspense and a unique cast of characters. At the heart of it is the down to earth sheriff, Lucian Wing. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
June 10, 2021
An enjoyable tale of a Sheriff who puts his all into maintaining the law and order in his corner of the world. And all the ways how turmoil continues to thrive. The little things and big happenings that he has to tend to and put out all the fires. All the characters, including Big John, were adorable!
January 2, 2021
Children Of The Valley by Castle Freeman is the third book in the Sheriff Lucian Wing series, set in rural Vermont. Having been called to the scene of a disturbance where a man named Rhumba is holed up keeping his wife and four kids inside and apparently brandishing a gun, Lucian decides to attempt to talk him down and it works. He gets back to his office to be greeted by Carl Armentrout a Special Assistant, aka lawyer on retainer, at Lord Enterprises in New York and has been sent to visit Lucian by Rex Lord,his employer, whose 17-year-old stepdaughter, Pamela, has been missing for four days. Having been attending St Bartholomew's boarding school near Boston, Massachusetts, she was to spend her summer vacation with him, but when his driver had gone to collect her she was nowhere to be found and has not been seen since. She is believed to be in the Vermont area, due to a fraught relationship with Rex and with a football player called Duncan Marsh. Lucian discovers that Rex Lord is a ruthless criminal and has so much wealth and power he can do as he likes and when he likes. Is Lucian able to find Pamela before Rex brings the full weight of his power crashing down on him?
A thriller that is an addictive read from the start. The intensity of the drama hooks you in immediately with enough dry humour to give you a little snigger now and again. Mainly the characters aren't ones you take too, but they are entertaining. Lucian and his team are the down to earth and say it as they see it type in comparison to the other characters. A refreshing plot and storyline which has been expertly crafted to be an unassuming story, until you sit and read it. The amount of tension just from the pressure of Lucian knowing there could be any outcome from his failure to find Pamela alone, is edge of your seat stuff! A story you will not put down unless you really have to!
Another author I now need to add to my every growing book list!
Thank you to Random Things Tours and the publisher for my copy of the book to write this review.
A thriller that is an addictive read from the start. The intensity of the drama hooks you in immediately with enough dry humour to give you a little snigger now and again. Mainly the characters aren't ones you take too, but they are entertaining. Lucian and his team are the down to earth and say it as they see it type in comparison to the other characters. A refreshing plot and storyline which has been expertly crafted to be an unassuming story, until you sit and read it. The amount of tension just from the pressure of Lucian knowing there could be any outcome from his failure to find Pamela alone, is edge of your seat stuff! A story you will not put down unless you really have to!
Another author I now need to add to my every growing book list!
Thank you to Random Things Tours and the publisher for my copy of the book to write this review.
December 23, 2020
This is the third in the Lucian Wing series and can absolutely be read as a standalone novel, although I would recommend reading the others just for the read.
Lucian is sheriff in a backwoods rural community. The sort of place that tends to be filled to the brim with the kind of people others find odd, eccentric and and downright peculiar. He balances cross agency ambitions with the very special brand of loyalty rural life brings with it, and with a fiery relationship courtesy of his wife.
Lucian finds his feathers ruffled when a bigwig rocks up asking him to find a missing teenager for a rich client - her stepfather. Sounds simple enough, but all isn't what it seems to be when the sheriff takes a closer look and the bigwigs idea of 'finding' doesn't gel with his.
Can I just say that Big John deserves his own series, perhaps following his life as a hardened criminal with the talents of a particularly determined, elusive and ruthless Houdini. Between Big J and Wingate this cosy rural crime moves into its own comedy niche.
It's an unusual blend of Fargoism meets rural and cosy crime with an often acerbic dialogue and wit. I laughed out loud quite a few times. It just has these moments of unexpected hilarity. One of Freeman's strengths is his ability to give the characters depth with minimal world and character building.
I enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to pick up another book by or recommend Freeman.
*I received a courtesy copy*
Lucian is sheriff in a backwoods rural community. The sort of place that tends to be filled to the brim with the kind of people others find odd, eccentric and and downright peculiar. He balances cross agency ambitions with the very special brand of loyalty rural life brings with it, and with a fiery relationship courtesy of his wife.
Lucian finds his feathers ruffled when a bigwig rocks up asking him to find a missing teenager for a rich client - her stepfather. Sounds simple enough, but all isn't what it seems to be when the sheriff takes a closer look and the bigwigs idea of 'finding' doesn't gel with his.
Can I just say that Big John deserves his own series, perhaps following his life as a hardened criminal with the talents of a particularly determined, elusive and ruthless Houdini. Between Big J and Wingate this cosy rural crime moves into its own comedy niche.
It's an unusual blend of Fargoism meets rural and cosy crime with an often acerbic dialogue and wit. I laughed out loud quite a few times. It just has these moments of unexpected hilarity. One of Freeman's strengths is his ability to give the characters depth with minimal world and character building.
I enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to pick up another book by or recommend Freeman.
*I received a courtesy copy*
December 25, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Farrago Books for a review copy of Children of the Valley, the third novel to feature Sheriff Lucian Wing, set in rural Vermont.
Lucian is approached by Carl Armentrout, fixer to New York millionaire Rex Lord who is looking for his runaway teenage stepdaughter, Pamela deMorgan. Lucian doesn’t like Armentrout’s strong arm tactics and likes even less the muscle he brought with him and wonders about their motives.
I enjoyed Children of the Valley which is the first novel in the series that I have read. The plot is fairly straightforward, protect Pamela and sort out the bad guys, but Lucian cannot control the vagaries of rural life, like a rampaging Big John and several eccentric locals. It’s interesting and even laugh out loud funny in parts. There is, however, one slight catch to the novel for me. I know nothing about rural life and even less about Vermont so I thought some of the characters seemed caricaturish. It may well be that I’m wrong but I have no points of reference.
On the other hand I like Lucian Wing and I thought that his depiction of life as a rural sheriff, chronically underfunded, ignored or looked down on by the state police and relegated to policing minor crime, rang true. I haven’t quite worked out his relationship with his wife which seems decidedly volatile so I’ll have to read the other novels in the series.
Children of the Valley is an entertaining and undemanding read, ideal for a spot of escapism.
Lucian is approached by Carl Armentrout, fixer to New York millionaire Rex Lord who is looking for his runaway teenage stepdaughter, Pamela deMorgan. Lucian doesn’t like Armentrout’s strong arm tactics and likes even less the muscle he brought with him and wonders about their motives.
I enjoyed Children of the Valley which is the first novel in the series that I have read. The plot is fairly straightforward, protect Pamela and sort out the bad guys, but Lucian cannot control the vagaries of rural life, like a rampaging Big John and several eccentric locals. It’s interesting and even laugh out loud funny in parts. There is, however, one slight catch to the novel for me. I know nothing about rural life and even less about Vermont so I thought some of the characters seemed caricaturish. It may well be that I’m wrong but I have no points of reference.
On the other hand I like Lucian Wing and I thought that his depiction of life as a rural sheriff, chronically underfunded, ignored or looked down on by the state police and relegated to policing minor crime, rang true. I haven’t quite worked out his relationship with his wife which seems decidedly volatile so I’ll have to read the other novels in the series.
Children of the Valley is an entertaining and undemanding read, ideal for a spot of escapism.
September 8, 2021
++ Ein "Hinterwäldler mit Sheriffstern" sorgt für Ordnung im Tal [Buch 3 -Lucian Wing]
Castle Freeman ist eine Neuentdeckung für mich und durch seinen sehr speziellen Schreibstil hat er mich sofort begeistert können.
Es gibt schon 2 Bücher mit Sheriff Wing, aber so wie es scheint, bauen die nicht aufeinander auf. Man kann sie also unabhängig voneinander lesen.
Sheriff Wing und sein kleines Nest Cardiff ( Vermont) stehen im Mittelpunkt der Handlung und die beschauliche Ruhe wird gestört, als ein nobler Anwalt auftaucht und nach der Stieftochter seines Auftraggebers sucht. Sheriff Wing stöbert das Mädchen und ihren Freund schnell auf, aber damit fängt eine Hetzjagd an, bei der viel geschossen wird.
Es ist faszinierend wie der Autor die Szenen mit wenigen Worten sehr lebendig beschreibt. Sheriff Wing fragt sich z.B. an einer Stelle, wie viele Stunden seiner Dienstzeit er wohl an Heckklappen eines Pickups lehnt.
Wer Freude an hartgesottenen und raubeinigen Einzelgängern hat, die alle erdenklichen Klischees bedienen, wird Freude mit diesem Buch haben.
Mir hat es hervorragend gefallen und ich werde mir zeitnah die anderen Werke des Autors besorgen.
Castle Freeman ist eine Neuentdeckung für mich und durch seinen sehr speziellen Schreibstil hat er mich sofort begeistert können.
Es gibt schon 2 Bücher mit Sheriff Wing, aber so wie es scheint, bauen die nicht aufeinander auf. Man kann sie also unabhängig voneinander lesen.
Sheriff Wing und sein kleines Nest Cardiff ( Vermont) stehen im Mittelpunkt der Handlung und die beschauliche Ruhe wird gestört, als ein nobler Anwalt auftaucht und nach der Stieftochter seines Auftraggebers sucht. Sheriff Wing stöbert das Mädchen und ihren Freund schnell auf, aber damit fängt eine Hetzjagd an, bei der viel geschossen wird.
Es ist faszinierend wie der Autor die Szenen mit wenigen Worten sehr lebendig beschreibt. Sheriff Wing fragt sich z.B. an einer Stelle, wie viele Stunden seiner Dienstzeit er wohl an Heckklappen eines Pickups lehnt.
Wer Freude an hartgesottenen und raubeinigen Einzelgängern hat, die alle erdenklichen Klischees bedienen, wird Freude mit diesem Buch haben.
Mir hat es hervorragend gefallen und ich werde mir zeitnah die anderen Werke des Autors besorgen.
October 24, 2021
I really love all other books by Castle Freeman, but this one was near to a disappointment. Freeman mostly recycles things from the brilliant „All that I have“ and even more from „Old Number Five“, and you learn nothing new about Lucian Wing in this third book. What is even more disturbing: Very important events and characters from the previous books seem to have never existed here:
Lucians mother and her relationship to his stepfather Addison? Gone without explanation. His wife Clemmie beeing his half sister? Forgotten. Deputy Guildfeather, who at the end of the previous book says she‘ll stay in the valley and on the job she likes? Never mentioned again. Lucian having killed an innocent man in the previous book? No more thoughts about it.
That all beeing strange enough, but on top, the climax of this story is ridiculous. Just in the right moment a wild boar tears the house in the woods to pieces. Yeah, sure.
I‘m sorry to say, but this book is far from Freemans best. Which in my opinion is clearly „The Devil in the Valley“ - one of my all time favorites.
Lucians mother and her relationship to his stepfather Addison? Gone without explanation. His wife Clemmie beeing his half sister? Forgotten. Deputy Guildfeather, who at the end of the previous book says she‘ll stay in the valley and on the job she likes? Never mentioned again. Lucian having killed an innocent man in the previous book? No more thoughts about it.
That all beeing strange enough, but on top, the climax of this story is ridiculous. Just in the right moment a wild boar tears the house in the woods to pieces. Yeah, sure.
I‘m sorry to say, but this book is far from Freemans best. Which in my opinion is clearly „The Devil in the Valley“ - one of my all time favorites.
December 12, 2020
Children of the Valley is the third book in this series featuring Lucian Wing, sheriff of a backwoods county in Vermont.
A lawyer of one of New York's wealthy and powerful, visits Lucian to explain that the man's stepdaughter has gone missing and is suspected to be in the area. Heavy hints of a pay-off if Lucian lets the lawyer know first. Also, when Lucian doesn't respond as expected, hints that his own men will be looking.
Lucian is kind of comforting, he is backwoods country and plays on the stereotype, but he's no dummy. There a couple of times I found myself re-reading a passage for the humor and his laidback outlook.
As Lucian finds the runaways and begins trying to keep them safe, the novel alternates suspense/quirky characters/ and humor. I may have to go back and pick up the first book. :)
NetGalley/Farrago
Police Procedural/Humor. Dec. 10, 2020.
A lawyer of one of New York's wealthy and powerful, visits Lucian to explain that the man's stepdaughter has gone missing and is suspected to be in the area. Heavy hints of a pay-off if Lucian lets the lawyer know first. Also, when Lucian doesn't respond as expected, hints that his own men will be looking.
Lucian is kind of comforting, he is backwoods country and plays on the stereotype, but he's no dummy. There a couple of times I found myself re-reading a passage for the humor and his laidback outlook.
As Lucian finds the runaways and begins trying to keep them safe, the novel alternates suspense/quirky characters/ and humor. I may have to go back and pick up the first book. :)
NetGalley/Farrago
Police Procedural/Humor. Dec. 10, 2020.
December 23, 2020
Castle Freeman's Children of the Valley is about a local Vermont sheriff, Lucian Wing. When his quiet little town becomes home to two runaways he had to choose between doing his job and turning over the children or assist them in starting hidden. This book was a fast entertaining read. Even though it left me with a couple of questions. What was the children's motive for running away, why did the guys shoot at the children if they wanted to return them home, and lastly was the step father the bad guy or the lawyer? There are more but it would give away the book! I enjoyed the plot and Freeman’s writing style, I just felt like there was a lot left out that would have helped the reader understand the book better. Overall, I give it a 3.5 out of 5 starts! An entertaining story but be ready to be upset with all the open endings! It is a series so maybe they will be answered next time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2020
"Children of the Valley" is the third book in the "Lucian Wing" series. I haven't read the first two books, but I don't think that mattered too much in the grander scheme of things. This is a really entertaining story that entices you to read "just one more chapter". The characters are solid and interesting. I found the writing quite blunt, which was refreshing and not a negative after the first few pages had adapted my mind!
This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion. My thanks to @RandomTTours
This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion. My thanks to @RandomTTours
April 4, 2024
I have been a Castle Freeman fan ever since I read Go With Me many years ago. This is is the 3rd Lucian Wing story and it has the same genuine charm and attraction as the first two, full of interesting characters and small town dilemmas. I sincerely hope that this is not the last that we will hear of Lucian and Clemmie, Wingate and Addison, and the rest.
By the way, I don't read German, as much as I'd like to. For some inexplicable reason, Good Reads won't allow me to select and save the English version of the book, entitled Children of the Valley.
By the way, I don't read German, as much as I'd like to. For some inexplicable reason, Good Reads won't allow me to select and save the English version of the book, entitled Children of the Valley.
August 2, 2021
In einem Rutsch!
Kein Problem bei diesem Buch.
Es ist klasse! :D
Kein Problem bei diesem Buch.
Es ist klasse! :D
February 22, 2022
A competent and light tale of misdemeanor in rural America, told at a brisk pace with funny dialogue. Entertaining, but somewhat lacking in depth.
August 14, 2024
Ein interessantes Buch. Der Schreibstil hat mir sehr gut gefallen: kurz und knapp ohne viele Ausschweifungen. Dadurch erhielt das Buch auch eine Geschwindigkeit.
January 8, 2021
See my review at Reading World
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