Too Late to Die

"Too Late To Die" is the first novel in the long-running Sheriff Rhodes mystery series by the delightful Bill Crider (if you haven't visited his must-read Pop Culture blog - then what are you waiting for?). The Dan Rhodes series is like potato chips - once you have one you can't stop. They don't write mysteries like "Too Late To Die" anymore. This one was published back in 1989 when there was such a thing as the Soviet Union and Milli Vanilli was the "it" pop rock group. "Too Late To Die" is a character driven mystery that takes place in rural Texas. It's filled with interesting people - quirky, flawed, and always fascinating. Sheriff Dan Rhodes, a middle-aged widower, is up for re-election in Blacklin County, Texas. And just in time for the campaign comes the murder of a young wife - who appears to have been mighty popular with a lot of men other than her husband. As Dan investigates, the roll of suspects starts to get rather large: a cranky storeowner, a homeless half-wit, a religious zealot, and his rival candidate for sheriff. The mystery unfolds in rural Texas style - languidly until it gets fast and furious. But really the mystery (which has a satisfying array of twists and turns) is just an excuse to explore the eccentric nature of the characters. It's these interactions, dialogue, and portraits that bring Blacklin County to life and make "Too Late To Die" so fun to read. Enjoy murder, mayhem and mystery? Then why not go to the Dark Party Review for more?

Have read four of this series. Consistently good stories. Can see why this book was awarded the Anthony Award for best first time mystery. This as well as the others we have read are riveting. They are so down to earth without the redundant use of extra words. Fast moving and exciting. They get right to the point in a way that you can just see. It feels so real to life. Sheriff Rhodes is much like all of us with his mental perusals and foibles. My husband and I love this series.

Peaceful rural life is shattered in Blacklin County, Texas, when Jeanne Clinton is found murdered in her home. Turns out the talkative woman was the late-night confidant of several men in the community, who happened by the house while her husband worked the night shift. Sheriff Dan Rhodes' investigation grows ever more intense when an informant is killed right before his eyes. Rhodes has enough to worry about, what with this being an election year and all. One of his deputies might even be guilty of assaulting citizens at random; and the other candidate for sheriff might have stopped by Jeanne Clinton's house once or twice himself. Widower Rhodes also begins a friendship with widow Ivy Daniels, whom he meets on the election trail. How will it all turn out? Crider gives us a good foundation for this police procedural mystery series, with enough unique homespun characters in the community to keep readers guessing. The cemetery scene in this book is not to be missed.