Today is release day for Bill Crider’s latest mystery, Survivors Will Be Shot Again. Normally
I would not do this sort of thing. But, these are not normal times. Bill Crider
is dealing with cancer and can’t do the
normal promotional stuff. As anyone who has followed this blog knows, I have
been a big fan of his for years. So, I am re-running today my review from June
and encouraging you, if you have not already done so, go pick up his latest book, Survivors Will Be Shot Again: A Dan Rhodes
Mystery. While you are at it pick up some of his other books too. You will
not regret it as every book Bill Crider writes is a mighty good read. Period.
A routine stop at the local Pak-A-Sak
convenience store interferes with a rare afternoon off for Sheriff Dan Rhodes
because he has to stop an armed robbery. With Rayford Loomis in custody and
transported by Buddy off to jail, Sheriff Rhodes will follow behind to take the
weapon to the evidence room and do the paperwork. Stopping for a Dr Pepper had
put him at the wrong place at the wrong time. Then again it could also be seen
as being at the right place at the right time as the clerk, Chris Ferris, is
seriously fed up with being robbed and things could have gone way worse for
everyone.
Chris Ferris isn’t the only one
frustrated with crime. Billy Bacon has
his home down in the south eastern part of Blacklin County and had stuff stolen
before. Apparently it has happened again which is why he called for the
sheriff. This time stuff was taken while Billy Bacon was doing his duties as
loan officer at the Clearview First Bank. He was at work in town so the thief
or thieves struck while his sick wife was at home. He’s sure Able Terrell and
his bunch in the nearby compound did it. He is sure they are the ones behind
all the crime problems in the area going back months though there is no real evidence
that is true.
Able Terrell and the others that
live at his compound to keep it to themselves and don’t welcome contact. While
they have been involved in a few things over the years, their reputation is far
worse among the locals than what they have actually done. Sheriff Rhodes isn’t
about to jump to the conclusion so easily offered by a clearly nervous Billy
Bacon. Something far more than the latest theft is going on at Bacon’s home.
It doesn’t take long for Rhodes to
figure out what Billy is nervous about as there is a body in the new barn.
Dressed in camo, Melvin Hunt is dead and has been for several hours at least by
the smell and look of things. While Rhodes isn’t sure Billy killed him, it does
not help that Billy has tried to hide not only the fact he knew he had a dead
man in his barn, but a couple of other things.
The death of Melvin Hunt is just one
of several mysteries at work in the Survivors Will Be Shot Again: A Dan Rhodes Mystery
by Bill Crider. Billed as the 23rd in the series and scheduled to be
released in early August, author Bill Crider delivers once again a solidly good
book. Filled with all the regulars,
occasional laugh out loud humor, and plenty of mystery, readers are once again
treated to Blacklin County in East Texas where criminal type things happen on a
semi regular basis.
Many questions are asked, evasive
answers are often given, and Rhodes does his best to solve the case. It takes
some time because folks tend to lie first and tell the truth way later, but the
journey is highly enjoyable and provides several twists that experience mystery
readers most likely won’t see coming. While it is always best to read a series
in order, one can safely start with Survivors Will Be Shot Again as an
introduction to characters that will soon feel like family. Make sure to keep
an eye on Seepy Benton.
Survivors Will Be Shot Again: A Dan Rhodes Mystery
Bill Crider
Minotaur Books (Macmillan Publishers)
August 2016
ISBN# 978-1250078520
Hardback
(eBook format available)
272
Pages
$25.99
ARC supplied by the author in
exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016
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