Scent of Evil

This the third episode in the Joe Gunther series finds the Detective Lieutenant and the rest of the Brattleboro Police Department spending an abusively hot August week looking for a killer. The search begins when a body is found in a landfill area where a street is being buttressed. When the body is identified, it turns out to be a man who is much more than he would seem to have been if you took him at face value. But someone is playing puppetmaster with Joe and he's not even aware of it until he finds a "bug" in his new office. Whoever is doing it is two or three steps ahead of Joe and the BPD, not to mention the local States Attorney's Office. The Police Chief Tony Brandt, is getting heat from the Board of Selectmen and the local media because the case has more leaks than a pasta colander. After tracking down what seems to be half the town of Brattleboro, two more murders, and eliminating two suspects who have lots of circumstantial evidence showing up, the man they were looking for was right in front of them all the time. Trying to guess ahead of Mayor as to whodunit makes this both an interesting and compelling read.

The Joe Gunther mysteries - despite their age - are a new discovery for me, and I'm glad I found them (although I only have this one and Borderline). This mystery was well-written, taut, suspenseful and kept me guessing. I just couldn't put it down. Joe Gunther is a complex character and I hope I can find the rest of these books. Give these a try - you won't regret it!

Charlie Jardine is found buried in a shallow grave, right in the middle of Brattleboro. It comes to light that Jardine, a young stockbroker had a penchant for drugs and sex and he was even carrying on an affair with one of the Brattleboro cop's wives. However, as Gunther gets more deeply into the case he's frustrated by the killer seemingly being able to out-think him no matter what move he makes. Did the Brattleboro cop kill Jardine in a fit of jealousy? If he did, who killed the Brattleboro cop?Good, convoluted plot. Mayor once again delivers with a well thought out mystery that leaves you guessing right until the end. This mystery has plenty of sub-plots and red herrings and I doubt you'll guess the killer's identity before Mr. Mayor wants you to. All in all another good entry into the Gunther series and I recommend it.

All of Archer Mayor's books have a gripping story line. Although the stories are first class, the pictures drawn with words as the story unfolds are the best that I have ever encountered. The magnificent metaphors can create, in less than one sentence, images that may take other authors pages. Although each book is independent in and of itself, I enjoy reading the stories in sequence. There is a steady progression in character development and interpersonal relationships as we go from story to story. If you are a mystery fan, I am sure that you will enjoy the entire series as much as I have. If you are a student taking a course in creative writing, I don't think that you will find a better word artist than Archer Mayor.

Archer Mayor is one of America's best kept secrets. His Joe Gunther series receives top reviews from publications across the nation and Scent of Evil maintains the fast-paced, high quality reputation we've come to expect from Mayor's mysteries.