Killer Summer

Walt Fleming #3

by Ridley Pearson

Sun Valley sheriff Walt Fleming returns in this high-intensity thriller from "New York Times"- bestselling author Ridley Pearson.
Sun Valley, Idaho-playground of the wealthy and politically connected-is home to an annual wine auction that attracts high rollers from across the country, and Blaine County Sheriff Walt Fleming is the one who must ensure it goes off without a hitch. The world's most elite wine connoisseurs have descended on Sun Valley to taste and bid on the world's best wines, including three bottles claimed to have been a gift from Thomas Jefferson to John Adams. With sky-high prices all but guaranteed for these historic items, it's no wonder a group of thieves is out to steal them. Walt is responsible for all aspects of the glitzy event, from security of the dignitaries to the physical safety of the auction site to the transportation and safeguard of the wines themselves.
Walt is enjoying a rare afternoon of freedom, fly-fishing with his nephew, Kevin, when a passing truck catches his eye- his suspicions throwing him headlong into the discovery of a complicated plan to steal the rare wine. When a bomb detonates just as the auction revs up, the investigation explodes as well, pulling Walt in a dozen different directions. It seems Walt is caught in the middle of a heist of epic proportions-and not the heist he had prepared for-all orchestrated by the ingenious mind of Christopher Cantell, a man who appears to have covered everything, including the way Walt's own sheriff's office will react.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Adult

367 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2009

About the author

Ridley Pearson is the author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestseller Killer Weekend; the Lou Boldt crime series; and many books for young readers, including the award-winning children's novels Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, which he cowrote with Dave Barry. Pearson lives with his wife and two daughters, dividing their time between Missouri and Idaho.

Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as Wendell McCall.

Reviews

[Dlora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good thriller, action story set in Idaho in the Sun Valley area. Sheriff Walt Fleming is a very likable, smart man who runs his department well but isn't so skillful with his personal relationships. He's actually off fishing with his nephew Kevin, who's a little on the rebellious side since his dad committed suicide, when Walt's police intuition kicks in. He leaves Kevin behind and investigates an odd tow truck driving through on an unlikely road, which leads to foiling a skillfully planned heist of two bottles of very expensive wine, headed by courier to a wine auction in his small town of Hailey. Walt is an impressive detective and makes good headway tracking down the thieves while attempting to keep them from making another stab at getting the priceless, years-old wine. Dividing his attention, he is also trying to keep his nephew from getting in hot water with the law. Tensions escalate as the bad guys (think Ocean's Eleven type planning) always seem one step ahead. Their plan is more complicated than it first appeared and the pressure increases for the sheriff as the chase adds a personal element to the professional case. Killer Summer is book 3 in this series and I want to read the first two because I enjoyed this one so much.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading a Ridley Pearson novel is a bit like eating cotton candy. You know you're not going to get something substantive or nourishing, but there is something wickedly nice and fluffy about it. Pearson's latest novel is an easy read and good for quick entertainment. The suspenseful elements are not all that suspenseful and he relies too much on the ubiquitous "chase in the woods" drama to propel the novel to its predictable conclusion. That said, it was a fun read for the mid-week blues. I didn't necessarily feel "satisfied" after reading it, but then again, I did not really expect to. For that reason, it warrants three stars.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Ridley Pearson's books. However his Walt Flemming series just isn't what I'd call an enjoyable series to follow. Have you ever been started into a book and then continually go looking to see what the total number of pages in the book are ? Every sitting I kept thinking I must be further along than what page number I seem to be trickling along at. Pearson's, "Killer Summer", was just one of those books I had to keep looking to see how many pages were left to read. About 50 pages into this book, the book's total of 455 pages seemed daunting. "Killer Summer", is the third book of this series. The first two books were okay but nothing to get me too excited about working my way through the series. Walt is still moping about his wife Gail shacking up with his deputy Brendan. Walt still doesn't get much time with his young daughters. Problem nephew Kevin remains the thorn in Walt's side while trying to keep him out of trouble. With a high roller wine auction set to arrive in Sun Valley, Walt has his hands full with thieves, con men, and the rich who don't see the law applying to themselves. When Walt sniffs out a heist about to go down involving priceless wine bottles nephew Kevin manages to create havoc hurting Walt's sting operation. That wine robbery job morphs into a much bigger scam involving Hollywood hot shot producer Teddy Sumner and his daughter Summer, 16. Before long Summer and Kevin are flying away in a stolen lear jet. As the stolen jet must land as it catches on fire the crew of three bad guys need to keep Summer and Kevin as hostages. With a plot that mopes along at a snail's pace this one seems to drag on forever. With long boring passages that do very little to advance the plot, "Killer Summer", has some dull and not very interesting characters to help Walt on his mission. Fiona the local photographer who works in conjunction with the local sheriff's department who should be a more primary character gets squeezed too much throughout. Fiona makes it pretty clear she's got a crush on Walt, but he can't see the forest through the trees. He's just oblivious as he can possibly can be. This yarn badly needed a spark to happen between Walt and Fiona. Yarn didn't need a confrontation with soon to be ex-wife Gail. I spent a huge chunk of time getting through this "thriller'. Pearson's Walt Flemming series is not his most exciting work to be sure. (I have fourth book in Walt series on my nightstand too !). "Killer Summer", gets two stars out of a possible five stars. It's far too long, and gets lost within itself one too many times. I'd say read this one only if you're planning to read all four Walt series books. Fourth book has got to be much better ! (I hope).

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this mostly in two sittings on a lazy Saturday - a good vaca/day off type read that is part heist caper, part rich people mountain hideaway story with some smattering of family drama surrounding parents either passing away or leaving. I didn't realize it was part of a 'series' till after I finished, and there's definitely no real reason you'd have to read the ones prior other than to have a little setup on the characters history. If into cold snowy weather cops and robbers stories (how's that for a niche) with some creative twists and turns, worth a read on a beach or by the fire.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast and easy!

[Lauren Scheibal · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mistake number one: don’t ever expect a woman to do what you think she’s going to do. Mistake number two: don’t ever tell her what to do because that’s a surefire way of making sure she doesn’t.”

[Barbara ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great bait and switch novel. The author starts out "here" and with classic misdirection ends up "here". The surprise ending is absolutely nowhere near where the book starts. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. I don't want to give anything away so no plot info. Ridley Pearson always delivers great stuff and this is no exception.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine adventure novel. The author's pacing is very uneven because it is uncertain at times whether he is seeking to write a great heist story, a whodunit, or a survival thriller. This pacing causes the reader some mental whiplash as the author bobs and weaves between the genre, never quite getting the mix quite right.

All three of the interwoven genres are written well. In other words, when the author moves into survival thriller mode (in which someone seeks to survive against impossible odds) that mode is very well written and very, very exciting. When the author is in whodunit mode, and the sheriff is seeking to put pieces of the mystery together-- that is also well written. The problem is in the switchovers between the two styles, just not so smooth. It is almost as if he had two ideas for two novels and tried to mold them together.

There are some very clever ideas in this one. The method of the initial heist is so clever and well-though out. Sadly, the lead villain's cleverness seems to fade away to a simple heist, a simple plan that takes little imagination.

I've read several Pearson, though this is the first of this series. I don't like the backstory of the deputy and the sheriff's soon-to-be ex-wife... I found that to be convoluted and stupid. I don't really care about the trauma between the sheriff and his father. Normally, I would consider this in depth characterization, but in this case it just sort of got in the way of the action, which by this point, Pearson was whipping to a fever pitch and throwing cold towels on it with the Father stuff.

[Tiffani Is Reading Obsessively · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first ever Ridley Pearson novel. Why would one start in the middle of the series? Well it was first and foremost an accident. Secondly, peer pressure. I grabbed the book for my dad, he read it then decided we were going to start ourselves a cute little book club. So here I am. Reviewing from the middle of a series.
   First I'll mention, it is completely possible to read this book and not even know it is part of a series. While I can see there is some previous storyline for the characters that would have made an enjoyable read it certainly wasn't necessary to enjoy this book.
  I liked his writing style right off, dry sarcasm. Yes please. When it comes to communication between his characters he says very much while using very few words. I'm a fan.
  There is an Oceans 11 vibe here that I like, fast paced and entertaining. I will say there were some holes, a certain woman seems to get off the hook pretty easily, spoiler there was a death on the hands of these criminals and yet when summing up the book it's somehow never mentioned...
  

[Peggy Haufle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be a slow starter because so many characters need to be introduced. There seemed to be numerous problems that needed to be solved. The action became much more interesting and the plots seemed to intertwine. One storyline seems incomplete to me. Walt, the sheriff in Sun Valley, is a complicated man mainly because of family issues and when doing his job, his family is always on his mind. There is a wine auction, rich people, Lear jets, parasailing, white water rafting, kidnapping, fire, zip lines and even rock climbing. Most of the action took place in the last half of the book. I might try another in this book series. I enjoy Ridley Pearson's writing he has done for children.

[Jan Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was The best of the series so far. I enjoyed reading about Walt, they local sherif in Sun Valley, who faces many challenges - both personal and professional. Walt’s nephew, Kevin, who has lost his father in a mysterious shooting, plays a bigger part in this story. Kevin is working at a local resort and gets involved with the daughter of one of the guests. This is against the rules but his teenage harmonies get in the way. This adds to the story and the intrigue. It involves a stolen jet with two teenagers on it.

There is a wine auction with a bottle of wine that supposedly Thomas Jefferson gave to John Adams. This bottle is the central part of the auction which adds many twists and turns.

I enjoyed this book and read it he next in the series.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the title is a stretch, this is a good story. Sheriff Walt Fleming investigates a thwarted attempt to steal valuable and historic bottles of wine, but soon finds there is much more going on. The wine auction has attracted the rich, famous and wanna-bes to Sun Valley Idaho and some of them seem to have ulterior motives for being there.
Complicating it all are a couple of teenagers, one of whom happens to be the sheriff's nephew. Set In a beautiful place, with interesting characters, this story has more twists and turns than a snake with a belly ache.

[Joe Romaella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walt Fleming #3 has Walt being assigned to safeguard 3 bottles of aged wine, up for auction in this story. Plot twists abound, another detailed plot touching heavily on parenting, teenagers, and they trouble the can cause parents. I thought a story about a highbrow wine auction would be boring.. but things are not always what they seem..as Mr. Pearson throws some nice curves in this story.
Smart Bad guys always have a back up plan, & Walt has his hands full with family issues as well as co-workers, and some unusal crimes that pop up in an area filled with the rich & powerful.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

There must be something about Rocky Mountain area county sheriffs named Walt...enjoyed another of THIS Walt's mysteries...While not Walt Longmire, this Walt Fleming tale is a decent whodunnit with a few twists to keep us as interested in the story as we are Pearson's richly drawn characters...Walt & his department are faced with threatened rare bottle of wine that are set for auction amongst the Sun Valley jet set...good read!!!

[M. Sprouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining novel and, to me, the best of the first three Ridley Pearson's, Walt Fleming series. A little welcome misdirection that starts out as a heist book and ends with our protagonist heading into a rescue mission. I'm not so sure about the character known as John. He was very likable, but his appearance and expertise seemed a bit too convenient. Overall, not deep, just a fast, light read to help finish the summer.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - This jumped out at me while browsing the shelves at the library. It's book 3 of the Walt Fleming series, but of course, the first one I've read. It probably would have made more sense to me to already know the backstory of the characters, but the author does tell you enough without rehashing prior books. The fact that this takes place in Idaho, and Salmon (where my father grew up) was specifically mentioned, earned it the extra half star.
Book 126 of 2020.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to have to read the other stories in the series that precede this story. Some of the best action sequences I can remember ... They are complex but clearly described and propulsive. The characters are interesting. Fascinating portrait of the Sun Valley area, which combines rugged, wild beauty with sophistication brought to the area by all the wealthy jet setters who have bought up ranches and built rustic mansions ...

[Mhd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished it but it took a lot of skipping ahead and skimming. The characters were interesting and the plot had enough going for it that I wanted to see how/if it all came together. On the other hand, there is too much personal conflict rather than mystery & action, for example, moody teens in 2 families--one would have been too many. I'll give Walt another try, but there better be more mystery and less family turmoil. Also, Walt, get over it, become observant, and move on.

[Amy Rupert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sun Valley, Idaho - a local sheriff, Walt Fleming and his nephew, Kevin, stumble across the beginning of what seems to be a heist of rare wine that was due to be auctioned at a big local event. The matermind of the supposed heist has other things in mind as well. Can Walt figure this out before Kevin comes to any harm?

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story starts off with an elaborate robbery attempt of some old wine bottles in wealthy Ketchum Idaho, only to reveal that that part was a ruse and the actual crime was insurance fraud involving a Lear jet. Meanwhile a teenage pairing and an old man at a remote lodge become unwittingly involved. It just didn’t come together for me.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

After buying this book in the local thrift store. I looked to see the reviews were mixed. I hoped that was just people not giving the book a chance. I hated the short chapters, the clunky way the story bounced between characters.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok story of Sheriff who tracks down a plot to steal a 17 million dollar jet, that gets foiled by the jet owner's young daughter and the Sheriffs' nephew when they happen to be on the plane when it gets stolen.

[Paige Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series. I started with the second and now I am on the fourth. I won't go back and read the first in the series because I hate knowing what is coming, but I don't think I need to anyway.

[Селина Йонкова · Rating 2 out of 5]

това е книга за развлечение.
разбира се, от нея също може да се извлекат “поуки”, в случая, най- важната е, не си прави планове, колкото и лесни да ти се виждат за изпълнение, когато около себе си имаш тийн. 😊

[Jann Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not his usual high standard, but pretty darned close. I read all but the first 100 pages in a day but put it down because it was getting waaaaay too intense and it was close to bedtime. Finished the next day. Nice twist he put into the end.

[Alison Pashos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick read, but just as exciting and full of action and mystery as the previous book. Kept me turning pages and was a good read.

[Dianna Florea · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok, not a page-turner. The story is about a heist that is going to happen and you are not sure what, who, or where that is going to take place. This is probably more of a guy book.

[Laurie Mcclary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story started out strong and intriguing, however toward the end it dragged. I knew how it would end and so just wanted it to end.

[Sandie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great till the ending

[Jerry King · Rating 4 out of 5]

2009