Vapor Trail

It's July in Stillwater, Minnesota. It's hotter than hot and about to get hotter as the town moves into record breaking temperatures. After a known pedophile was killed last year, the murder was quickly shoved under the rug because no one was too concerned. Unfortunately, the recent murder of a priest, believed to be a pedophile, suggests the murders will continue. The murder of a priest isn't something people are soon to forget about. The media has sensationalized the killer by naming him "the Saint" because of the St. Nicholas medallion (patron saint of children) left behind at all the scenes. The police force doesn't have the time or resources to handle the case so retired cop Phil Broker is brought back because of his involvement in the original search for the killer and to help take care of one of the suspects; fellow officer Harry Cantrell is an alcoholic with a quick and sometimes volatile temper. He and Phil used to be partners and best friends until a falling out split them apart. Phil's side mission is to make sure Harry gets into rehab. Harry also has a well publicized hate-on for pedophiles. The other suspect is lawyer Gloria Russell who lost a case that put a pedophile back on the street. I enjoyed reading Vapor Trail which is the sequel to the hit police thriller Absolute Zero but you don't have to have read it to enjoy this novel's plot and characters. The characters were true to life and the plot was suspenseful. There wasn't a lot of jargon to distract from the storyline or flow of reading. The ending was great. I thought things were going one way and they ended up going the other, for the betterment of the story. I recommend reading Vapor Trail and I would also like to read more from this author.

This is a very straightforward, compelling mystery/police novel. The characters are well developed and the story moves along at a quick pace. There is not a lot of superfluous exposition in Mr. Logan's novels. He writes about characters and plot and his stories are interesting and easy to read.

Chuck Logan is one of those rare talents that just keep getting better as they go, even though they started off with a bang. You can read any of his first novels, and get the same feeling that he's been there, lived it, and has inherited the story-teller's gene needed to make it real for the reader. Great, believable characters, incisive writing, a very much appreciated brevity of language, and intelligent plots grace all of his books. I read an earlier review that panned "VAPOR TRAIL" based on a lack of descriptive prose about Stillwater, Minnesota. Time to read some nonfiction, pal. I read Chuck Logan and John Sanford for gripping suspense, action, humor, and, HELLOOOOO, entertainment, not for a lesson in geography.Well, "Vapor Trail" has it all, in spades, ( as they say), and I enjoyed it tremendously! One thing more....Logan is on my very short list of authors that I'll buy without bothering to read the blurb on the back page. He writes it, I'll enjoy it. Buy "Vapor Trail" without reservations. You won't be disappointed.

Broker's back and now instead of freezing to death, he's fiery hot in "Vapor Trail." You don't think of Minnesota having such tremendous heat waves, but like their winters, this one is excessive. The villain in this one is called "The Saint." He or she disposed of a known pedophile who got off on technicalities, taking justice into his or her hands. Now a year or so later, the Saint returns wiping out a priest who had been accused of fondling a teenage girl. She (we now know it's a she?) has a list of people she plans to dispose of, and thus the journey begins.Throw in the cop who used to be Broker's friend, who is now an alcoholic and renegade, and who could possibly be the Saint; the ambitious attorney Gloria Russell, who has a picture of the young victim in her office; and Broker's ex-girlfriend, Janey, and you've got a potboiler going.Logan agains masters his skill of believable characters, a strong feel for his surroundings and a great twist at the end. The identity of the Saint...ah, well, you just have to read it...great reading.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Last year in Stillwater, Minnesota, elementary school teacher Ronald Dolman was put on trial for molesting six-year-old Tommy Horrigan but despite the overwhelming evidence against him, the jury voted to acquit him. Somebody took the law into their own hands and murdered Ronald, an action the media and the public approved of wholeheartedly calling him or her "The Saint". A year later "The Saint" kills a priest in the confession booth because he was supposedly molesting little boys.Sheriff John Eisenhower deputizes private investigator Phil Broker (see ABSOLUTE ZERO) so that he can legally question Harry Cantrell who he suspects of knowing the identity of the Saint. After Phil gets the information from Harry, he is supposed to escort the policeman to a detox facility. Harry doesn't intend to make life easy for Broker who he holds responsible for the death of his wife and the Saint is not making it easy for the police. She has gone from vigilante to serial killer: methodical, organized and deadly.Author Chuck Logan has written an exciting police procedural thriller starring a protagonist whom tries to work on the right side of the law even when it cost him his friendship with Harry. The plot is full of red herrings, misdirection and unexpected twists and turns making VAPOR TRAIL an exciting roller coasters ride of suspense. The author ensures that the reader will read his next book by telling the audience where the hero's daughter can be found.Harriet Klausner