Evil at the Root

Sheriff Dan Rhodes #5

by Bill Crider

While investigating the theft of a set of false teeth from Lloyd Bobbit, a resident of the Sunny Dale Nursing Home, Sheriff Dan Rhodes finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation after Bobbit turns up dead

Genres: Mystery, Humor, Fiction

214 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Taught 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.

Reviews

[Karl]

In every one of the last 5 books the main character Sheriff Dan Rhodes gets the crap beat out of him by some of his antagonists. In this book he gets beat up (pretty good) 3 times. Once with a tree branch that knocks him out and causes a concussion, another time bad enough to put him into the hospital, unconscious, the day prior to his wedding.

I believe that younger (fictional) guys like Mike Hammer or Philip Marlowe could take these beatings regularly, but i'ts hard to believe Dan Rhodes can. and still function.

Nonetheless this is a good addition to the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series which begins with missing false teeth at the old folks home that leads to a sixty year old unsolved murder, a half naked seventeen year old girl mooning folks on the highway and a lawsuit brought against the sheriff and his deputies for a million dollars.

There is just enough tongue in cheek humor to keep you laughing and good writing to keep you reading this installment of the series the first published by Crider's new publisher St. Martin's Press.

[Lynn]

Evil At the Root is the fifth book in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. Sheriff Rhodes has a wedding coming up shortly but he has not done much planning. He is called to a disturbance at the Sunny Dale Nursing home and is met on front steps by an elderly man who claims someone stole his false teeth. He is very irate. Later a murder occurs at Sunny Dale and Sheriff Dan Rhodes investigates.

This series is light, entertaining and comical. It has been a few years since I read book four but was surprised how much I remembered about the characters and Sheriff Dan Rhodes. I would say that his deputy Ruth has the most common sense of all the characters in the book-even over Sheriff Dan Rhodes.

The location is a small town in Texas. They do not have computers and modern technology to help solve the crimes. Sheriff Rhodes does it the old fashioned way. He talks to people and develops a gut instinct. He likes his RC Cola in bottles, old movies and makes sandwiches for meals. This book involved murders, a disappearance from many years ago, a lawsuit and finally a wedding. This series is good when you want to relax and enjoy a light comical mystery read.

[Lucy]

book 5 of series set in Texas. A former jail prisoner is suing the county, the sheriff and others about the sub-standard jail. A nursing home resident is missing his teeth and wants them found. ("Ah ain't got no teef!") Then he turns up dead in his bed, murdered, and another resident is missing. Somehow an incident from both men’s past is connected to the present. As always eccentric characters and actions. A fast read.

[Caroline]

I am really enjoying the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. They are easy reads with funny and interesting characters and the humor is very comfortable. Since I "discovered" this series only recently, I'm going back to read earlier books in the series from my local library. Thank goodness they have most all of them!

[Dave]

I am reading this series a little out of order....
But that is not taking away from the enjoyment of it....
I am savoring each book, knowing that when I've read them all, that's it, due to Mr. Crider's passing away.
Sheriff Dan Rhodes is getting ready for his upcoming wedding, when he's called out to a test home over some stolen dentures.
That simple crime leads to murder and that murder leads to a unsolved case over 60 years old.....
Great characters as always.
And a good mix of humour with the mystery.

[Abbey]

BOTTOM LINE: #5 Sheriff Dan Rhodes, Blacklin County, Texas, cosy police procedural. Stolen false teeth, a sixty-year-old crime, two dead bodies, and “a little bit of gas money” figure in a tightly knit, gently humorous procedural that examines the difficulties of aging. And Dan and Ivy’s wedding is coming closer, adding to his confusion and absent-mindedness. Another very comfortable, solidly plotted, beautifully characterized tale of life in a small town.

Almost, but not quite, sweet. Dan does get himself beaten up or otherwise damaged at least twice in each story, and that’s beginning to wear thin; except for that one caveat, this was a wonderful visit with a nice guy and his friends, solving a tasty puzzle just in time for a visit to a judge.

Dan is far too low-key to be considered an Energizer Bunny type, but he does get run over, beat up, shot at, and generally mangled ‘way too much. I know it’s supposed to be funny, but it’s getting boring and a bit unbeleiveable now.

[Shelley H. Musgrave]

Another good story

When I ordered this book from Amazon, I was hankering to read another Bill Crider book. The story takes place in a small Texas town with everyday happenings and people just like where I grew up. As usual, common sense and persistence lead to solving the crime--- no heavy theatrics or fancy weaponry. In short, another good story.

[Chowhound88 (a.k.a. Ralph)]

I enjoyed this book and I can not wait to start the next one. :)

[Richard]

Sheriff Dan Rhodes is asked to investigate the theft of teeth form a resident of the nursing home in town. Shortly after his investigation begins, the resident is found dead having been suffocated in a plastic bag.

Rhodes' marriage to Ivy is scheduled to occur soon and he hopes the murder investigation won't interfere. Hack & Lawton, the 2 deputies at the jail continue to tease the Sheriff as well as help him.

[Nolan]

Bumbling Sheriff Dan Rhodes is at it again in #5 book of the series. Gets into fights with criminals, ends up in the hospital twice. Loses his gun twice and still survives to find out who the killers are. But still, I am enjoying this series.

[Lynn]

I've read 5 of these very close together and am really enjoying them. I DO wish he'd learn to take back-up with him though!

[Monica Willyard Moen]

These are comical, fast-paced mysteries that are a lot of fun to read. In this book, sheriff Rhodes is getting ready for his wedding when someone starts stealing false teeth at a nursing home.

[Marie Moss]

this is a great series You won't be disappointed if you read it

[Kristy G]

This one got really twisty. I had no idea who dun’ it. The little wedding scene was cute at the end.

[Ed]

#5 in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. Above average entry.

Dan Rhodes series - A nursing home resident is found suffocated, a plastic bag tied over his head; the prime suspect, a fellow resident with whom the victim had quarreled, disappears. The victim's daughter harries the sheriff to find the missing man and close the case. Rhodes learns that both old men were involved in a murder 61 years earlier, but soon another fatality sends Rhodes looking for a recent motive. He must cope with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit over conditions at the county jail, preparations for his marriage, the aches of middle age and his fiancee's distress over his hazardous profession.

[Vicki Gooding]

Each book gets better. Easy to read mysteries, with a western theme. Competent sheriff, funny spots in the right places, lots of action, and characters that are easy to love. Fortunately because I've read previous books in this series this book continued to incorporate past events with memories that only someone with prior knowledge can get full meaning of. Just leaves me hungry for more. Solid five star.

[Jeff Dickison]

This is the first Dan Rhodes book that I have read and I enjoyed it very much. I will have to pick up the earlier entries in the series. In this one Sheriff Dan must solve two recent murders, a 60-year old cold case murder, a theft of a man's teeth, and prepare for his upcoming nuptials with Ivy. All of this is told with good humor and a good cast of characters. Recommended.

[Evonne Edgington]

good book, quick read, humorous

[Melissa]

I didn't like this one as much as the first ones. It was still interesting, but just okay.

[Rhea Folland]

Interesting read! starting to get into this Series..