Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Bloody Genius: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford

Mystery readers know John Sandford as the creator of the memorable Prey series with Lucas Davenport, a Minneapolis police detective, in the lead role in 31 books. Sandford is the pseudonym of John Roswell Camp, an American author and journalist. Camp won the Pulitzer Prize in journalism in 1986, and was one of four finalists for the prize in 1980. He also won the Distinguished Writing Award of the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1985. In addition to his long-running Davenport series, he created a spin-off with one of Davenport’s subordinates named Virgil Flowers, an often-married smart aleck in the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Davenport and Flowers join forces in Sandford’s latest, Ocean Prey (Putnam, 2021).

The twelfth book with Flowers as the primary detective is Bloody Genius (Putnam, 2019). When a well-known doctor and researcher is found bludgeoned to death in his library study carrel at the University of Minnesota, the Minneapolis police turned out in full force. After two weeks and no arrests, the victim’s wealthy sister called the governor, who believed his elevation to the governorship from district attorney was due in part to Flowers’ work in Deadline (Putnam, 2014), possibly my favorite of the series, and the governor pulled strings to have Flowers assigned to the case.

The first hurdle for Flowers to overcome was the hostility of the Minneapolis police, who deeply resented his presence, then he sorted through the public feud the late doctor had had with the chair of another department at the University. At one meeting, violence between the supporters of the two had broken out and everyone present had to be evaluated as possible suspects. The discovery of a small supply of cocaine in a secret compartment of the doctor’s home office took the investigation in a completely different direction. One lead after another appeared in a lengthy investigation full of surprises. That Flowers’ long-time girlfriend was expecting the birth of their twins any day made him extremely anxious to wrap the case up so he could go home.

Intricately plotted with more suspects than I remember in other books in the series. Indirect jabs at the U.S. health care system are woven in, as medical malpractice suits are discussed and the cost of providing home hospice care comes up a couple of times. Flowers is the most likable of Sandford’s many characters and he continues to deliver equal parts of charm and competence in this book. Starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal.

 

  

·         Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons; First Edition (October 1, 2019)

·         Language: English

·         Hardcover: 384 pages

·         ISBN-10: 0525536612

·         ISBN-13: 978-0525536611

  

Aubrey Hamilton ©2021 

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.

Review: Ocean Prey: A Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford

It is five months after it happened when Lucas Davenport is finally brought into a case. The FBI got nowhere, as did the DEA and just about every other law enforcement agency, and a certain U.S. Senator has been made aware of Lucas's special skill set. He solves cases. Especially ones those other folks have failed to solve.

 

The murder of three Coast Guardsman is one of those things. The three tried to intercept drug runners just off the coast of Pompano Beach, Florida. They were quickly killed while doing their duty. The suspects fled and escaped. DEA, FBI, The Coast Guard, and others have spun their investigative wheels and gotten nowhere. U.S. Senator Christopher Colles of Florida wants him to work the case. Lucas's wife, Weather, knows he has to go, but wants him back in time for Thanksgiving week as there are a number of family things planned.

 

With his marching orders on the job and at home, Davenport assembles a team and heads to Florida. While the FBI task force leader, Dale Weaver, is receptive to the help, some folks on his task force are not. Before long that attitude begins to change as Davenport and the team begins to make progress in an increasingly violent case. A case that will involve a lot of Virgil Flowers as an undercover deep-sea diver and others.

 

As some reviews have noted, technical details regarding underwater diving and such are a major plot point of this book. While that annoyed some folks, the diving stuff here reminded me of books by Clive Cussler and others. It also is worth noting that this reviewer always planned to learn how to scuba dive as he has had a strong interest, but a lack of competent swimming ability as well as health issues in recent years pretty much sunk that idea.

 

Ocean Prey is billed as A Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel and it is though this reads to be a somewhat muted version of Flowers. Action is the driving force here as it has been for quite a number of novels as these familiar characters have long since been fleshed out as far as they will be. Still, even when you think you know what is coming, author John Sandford, throws a couple of explosive events one never say coming.

 

The long tradition of very enjoyable reads continues with Ocean Prey.

 

  

Ocean Prey: A Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org/

G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Random House)

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/618179/ocean-prey-by-john-sandford/

April 2021

ISBN # 978-0-593-08702-2

Print (Audio, eBook, and Large Print Paperback formats available)

432 Pages 

 

 

My reading copy came by way of Lesa Holstine who also reviewed the book here. Big time thank you to Lesa. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2021

Review: Bloody Genius: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford

It took a few days for the body of Dr. Quill to be found behind the locked door of a personal study carrel at the University Library. A subsequent two week investigation by the local police went nowhere. It was clear that he was murdered and that had been accomplished by two massive blows to his head with a heavy object of some sort. Who did it and why, the location of the murder weapon which might have been his very expensive computer, and a host of other questions have yet to be answered. Dr. Bathelemy Quill came from serious money and had connections despite his arrogance and other issues. His surviving sister has serious money and powerful connections so it is no problem at all for her to call the Minnesota Governor and express her dissatisfaction. Before long the request rolls downhill to land squarely on one BCA agent named Virgil Flowers.

Virgil Flowers is less than thrilled to be sent to the University of Minnesota to investigate the murder, but Minneapolis Homicide is not getting anywhere. As it is Thursday the Governor would like the whole deal wrapped up by the end of the weekend and has made that thought clear all down the chain of command. The Governor may be a weasel or worse as Flowers sees him, but he can’t be ignored either. The only good thing is he won’t have to go out of state or to the far corners of Minnesota as he has in the past. This time Flowers will be relatively close in case the very pregnant Frankie needs him or an issue happens out at their farm. He is going to have to go home, explain all and pack and get some sleep, and then go see Sergeant Margaret Trane of Minneapolis Homicide.

By noon the next day, he is Minneapolis City Hall meeting with Sergeant Trane and reviewing the case. Trane is justifiably enraged by the media coverage that has become increasingly negative towards her and the Department as well as being second guessed by the family and Governor to the point that Flowers is present to work the case. She is also more than a little frustrated and annoyed with herself and her own failure to solve the case.

It becomes clear to Flowers that the fact the case isn’t solved is not because of a lack of effort by Trane. The issue is a lack of clues and leads. The few leads they do have do not seem to have any merit at all and are next to worthless. The evidence found to this point is very limited and seems to have no merit. Despite all the hard work by Trane and support stuff, there does not seem to be anything to really go on, let alone a pattern or order to things, or a connection to the murder. The only idea Flowers has initially is to go to talk to everyone Trane has interviewed so that he can get a feel for them. He also needs to go walk the crime scene in the library.

Before long Flowers is doing his thing of talking to people and, metaphorically speaking, kicking over rocks. His doing so starts sending things into motion. Eever so gradually, sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly, progress begins to be made on this case and several other situations that may or may not be connected.

Regardless of which series it is, author John Sandford can always be counted on for complex reads with many moving pieces. Sometimes readers know from the get go who the bad guy or guys are. Other times, as in this case, readers don’t. One also knows that in his books, there will be plenty of adult language and fast moving actions, references to at least one latest book by a major author, and plenty of the everyday minutiae in the main series character’s life. All these elements and more make Bloody Genius: A Vergil Flowers Novel well worth reading. While it could be read by readers new to the series, there are several references to books in earlier in the series that could impact readers well as multiple references to running jokes that have been in place since the start.

For another take on the book, please read this September 2019 review by Lesa Holstine.

Bloody Genius: A Virgil Flowers Novel   

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org/author.html

Random House Large Print

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/large-print-format-books/

October 2019

ISBN# 978-1-9848-8285-1

Large Print Paperback (also available in audio, digital, and hardback formats)

480 Pages 

My reading copy came from the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2019

Review: Holy Ghost: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford

The plan was simple and should have saved Wheatfield, Minnesota.  A town of 700 people, Wheatfield was suffering the slow death that many small towns all across America are facing every day. That was until the floating image of the Virgin Mary appeared at a local church. Unlike many such apparitions, this one was recorded by numerous cellphones and shared on social media giving it immediate legitimacy. The tourist industry boomed as word spread and locals cashed in on the bonanza.

Until the shootings started.

The faithful are still coming, but that will change if the shootings continue. And the shooter just might kill somebody. Late spring in Minnesota and Virgil has the case down in Wheatfield, an hour away from his home in Mankato, Minnesota. Virgil knows the sniper is probably some sort of nut case and has had a long history of dealing with nut cases in his career as an agent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

While everyone in town knows Virgil is a cop investigating the sniper case, the sniper is undeterred. Throw in a murder, which may or may not be separate from the sniper shootings, and things just get interesting in a hurry.

Holy Ghost: A Virgil Flowers Novel is a fairly straightforward action novel. The book is mainly about the hunt for the sniper with a couple of interesting minor plot threads thrown in for fun. Like all series, it would have been a good idea to read the earlier books in this series to get all the inside jokes. However, if you have not read the others, Holy Ghost: A Virgil Flowers Novel is a pretty good one to start with if you are new to the series about “that fuc*ing Flowers.”

Holy Ghost: A Virgil Flowers Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

Thorndike Press (Gale/Cengage)

http://www.gale.com/thorndike

October 2018

ISBN # 978-1-4328-5520-8

LARGE PRINT Hardback (also available in regular print hardback, audio, and digital formats)

513 Pages

$27.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Dallas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2018

My Review At Plano Reads: Escape Clause by John Sandford

My Review At Plano Reads: Escape Clause by John Sandford

Review: Escape Clause: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford

It is late summer in Minnesota and just shortly after the events in Extreme Prey. Virgil well knows what went on with his old boss Lucas Davenport, so he isn’t surprised when those in charge of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are very concerned about the Minnesota State Fair that starts in the next few days. After any major event and the situation in Iowa certainly qualified, there are Law Enforcement worries about copycats. However, Virgil isn’t going to work the fair.

Instead, he will be working the theft of two prized Amur Tigers from the Minnesota zoo. The zoo is located in Apple Valley on the south side of Minneapolis and St. Paul. It is the state zoo and that makes it a BCA problem. So too will the media spectacle once they find out the big cats were tranquilized in their outdoor enclosure and stolen in the night.

Because of the black market that deals in such things, it is most likely the tigers were taken to be turned into medicines. On the endangered species list because they are rare in the wild, medicines from them are highly value in China. Time is of the essence to find the tigers while they are still alive.

At the same time, Virgil has a personal situation. Things have been going well with Frankie and are moving into a serious direction. But, Virgil did not know Frankie has a baby sister. After she and her boyfriend suddenly show up, he can see why. Sparkle is back for a little while as she works on her dissertation on undocumented seasonal migrant workers. Those involved don’t want to be investigated at all.

Then the murders began.

The two storylines take twists and turns as Virgil deals with one crisis after another. Fortunately, he has backup and more than one person is a bad shot or things could be much worse.

The latest in the Virgil Flower series by John Sandford, Escape Clause, is another solidly good read. As has happened before in this series, readers know from the start who the bad guys are though not all of the motivations in their actions. That becomes clear as the point of view shifts from them to Virgil and back again.

While not the best read in the series, the book is a good read well worth your time. 

Escape Clause: A Virgil Flowers Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

Random House Large Print

http://www.randomhouse/largeprint

October 2016

ISBN# 978-1-5247-0872-6

LARGE PRINT (also available in hardback, eBook, and audio formats)

500 Pages

$29.00

Material supplied the good folks of the Plano Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2017

Mental Health Day

Despite having a ton of things around here to do including doing something about replacing the printer that decided to go belly-up yesterday, I said to heck with it today and sat outside reading. I'm a bit sunburned, especially in my face, but it was well worth it. For a few hours, I forgot about things as I was lost in the latest read from John Sandford by way of the Plano Public Library System.

It is a good one.

This is also the first book I have read in recent weeks that I can't talk to Mom about. My Mom, as was my Dad, was a huge fan of Mr. Sanford's work. While Dad still preferred the Lucas Davenport series before he passed a few years ago, Mom increasingly preferred and very much enjoyed the  Virgil Flowers series.

Review: "Deadline: A Virgil Flowers Novel" by John Sandford

It begins with missing dogs. The latest victim was Windy Butterfield who had two black labs stolen right out of his kennel. Butterfield knew a guy who knew Virgil and was willing to call him at three in the morning. By the next day Virgil Flowers is on the road to Trippton, Minnesota to see what is what.

Lucas Davenport has more than enough on his plate with the Black Hole Case (see Field Of Prey) so Virgil’s allowed even more freedom to poke around. That means he is still in the area when things that would get a higher priority investigation wise begin to happen.  Like a murder. Like an arson. As other events take precedence the theft of dozens and dozens of dogs of all types becomes a secondary storyline while Virgil works a case where folks are being killed and more.

The eighth book in the Virgil Flowers series that began with Dark of the Moon is another good one. As usual, the language can be a bit much for some readers and there is plenty of sexual innuendo as Virgil works cases in multiple storylines. Readers are cautioned that if Field Of Prey  has not been read it -should be read before this book as there are numerous direct references to it and several of them are detailed enough to be considered spoilers.

Beyond that, if you have read this series before you know what you are getting into and Deadline: A Virgil Flowers Novel is another good one. While it does not break new ground in the character, it does deliver exactly what one would expect from this very enjoyable series. If not familiar, make sure you read the earlier ones starting with Dark of the Moon so that you get the often dark humor at work in this series.

Deadline: A Virgil Flowers Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group USA)

http://www.penguin.com

ISBN# 978-0-399-16237-4

Hardback (also available in e-book and audio formats)

401 Pages

$27.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Review: "Storm Front: A Virgil Flowers Novel" by John Sandford

Virgil Flowers is on a case about fake antique lumber when his boss Lucas Davenport calls him with another assignment. An Israeli investigator is on the way and needs to talk to a professor who lives in the area. In addition to being a professor the man, Elijah Jones, is also a Lutheran minister. The investigator wants to talk to the professor who apparently stole an important artifact from a dig in Israel and smuggled it back home.

The investigator, Yael Aronov, isn’t telling Virgil everything she knows and Virgil knows it. He also quickly figures out that far more is going on than what he has been told or what Lucas led him to believe. It isn’t the first time Virgil has had to work two cases at the same time and he does it again here with both the lumber situation and the missing artifact.

At least the lumber does not involve Mossad, Hezbollah, and even worse---Texans.

Co-written with his partner, Michele Cook, the latest novel in this series from John Sandford is what one expects in a book featuring Virgil Flowers. His investigative actions are sometimes unorthodox; he will have a vigorous sexual fling with at least one character as well as the occasional fantasy about at least one other female, and the will be plenty of action and use of occasionally graphic language. Storm Front: A Virgil Flowers Novel is a fast, fun read that is not meant to be taken seriously or break new ground in terms of character development. The multiple storylines featuring fraud and deceit at home and abroad gradually weave together to a satisfactory and rather surprising conclusion. It’s another good, if not spectacular, read in the series which can be read as a stand alone or as part of the overall series.

Storm Front: A Virgil Flowers Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group, USA)

http://www.penguingroup.com

October 8, 2013

ISBN# 978-0-399-15930-5

Hardback (also available in e-book and audio book)

384 Pages

$27.95

I received an ARC of this title due to my participation in the “LibraryThing Early Reviewers” group for my use in an objective review. As such, my above review appeared there first last Saturday before appearing here on the blog.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

Review: "Mad River: A Vigil Flowers Novel" by John Sandford

Mad River: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sanford is the latest in an increasingly enjoyable series. When you see the subtitle A Virgil Flowers Novel you know exactly what you are getting in the read--- a profane loner type cop who will be unorthodox in solving the case while also making the time to check out the available ladies. The job will get done, political and probably law enforcement big shots will be annoyed, and the body count will be fairly high.

Continuing the tradition in recent books of this series as well as the Lucas Davenport series, author John Sanford identifies the bad guys from page one. In this case it is two guys and a bad woman. They go by the names of Jimmy Sharp, Tom McCall, and Becky Welsh. They are on a killing spree because Jimmy likes to kill, makes Becky hot for him, and Tom just is along for the ride and whatever else he can get.

Virgil Flowers just got back home to Mankato, Minnesota after being in the Grand Bahamas chasing bone fish and women. It is after midnight and Virgil has been drinking, but Lucas Davenport needs him to sober up quick and hit the road. Lucas wants him to go investigate the death of a husband and wife named Welsh in Shinder, Minnesota. Whether or not it relates to the double murder that happened over in nearby Bigham a couple of days earlier, Lucas doesn’t know. But, having four murders in that small of an area is mighty strange and he wants Flowers on it.

Considering Virgil grew up in Marshall, about thirty miles away from Bigham, he pretty much knows the area and the people.  He also knows that there is going to be at least one obstacle to overcome while working with local law enforcement. Shinder sits in Bare County which is run by Sheriff Lewis Duke. Other local sheriffs call him the “Duke of Hazard” because of his actions which remind many of a certain media hungry Sheriff in Arizona.

As the group continues to kill and begins to internally self-destruct, Virgil Flowers and others work to stop them. A task made much harder by politics, a lack of clues, and increasing media attention. Still, a man does have to take a break at times for food, sleep, and the company of a beautiful woman.

Mad River: A Virgil Flowers Novel  is another solidly good one in the series. Flowers is a fairly predictable character and that streak continues here. No new character revelations are present and one are expected in this series. The group dynamic of Jimmy, Becky and Tom is what one would expect as is the self-destructive aspects of things. What powers the read along is the action, fast pace, and whirlwind nature of events as things disintegrate in many different ways.

Mad River: A Virgil Flowers Novel  

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group)

http://penguin.com

October 2012

ISBN # 978-0-399-15770-7

Hardback

400 Pages

$27.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012