Bitter Recoil

First Line: I stopped at the top of the saddleback and looked down through the pines.

It's not often that Posadas County Undersheriff Bill Gastner takes a vacation, but he figures he's got one coming now. (Probably has something to do with his age and the quadruple bypass surgery he recently survived.) Gastner loads up his truck and heads for the mountains of northern New Mexico to visit his former detective, Estelle Reyes, who's upholding the law in San Estevan County.

Parked in a campground, Gastner's sleep is interrupted by sirens, and he suddenly finds himself reunited with Reyes and her new husband over the body of a young pregnant woman. At first she's thought to be a hit-and-run victim, but the autopsy reveals the truth: this young show more woman had been thrown from a moving vehicle after a rape attempt. Gastner tries his best to stay on vacation and off the case, but when four more deaths occur, there's no time for a vacation for this recuperating lawman.

Steven Havill has a deceptively smooth and easy style that had me hooked before I knew what was happening. His main character, Bill Gastner, is self-deprecating, funny, and absolutely relentless when it comes to hunting down the bad guys. Due to his age and that bypass surgery, he's also a very vulnerable character, which makes him a rare bird in the crime fiction world.

The other characters hold their own against him-- especially Estelle-- but it's Bill's show in the beautiful mountains of New Mexico. And those mountains remind me: Havill really pushed two of my buttons with this book. Mine shafts and forest fires are going to get my attention every time, and Bitter Recoil was no exception. Havill writes a lean, spare mystery filled with wonderful characters, a strong sense of place, and plenty of action.

This is a mystery series that my husband and I both enjoy, and it's not necessary to read the first book in the series to be able to follow what's going on in this second one. If you've caught up with Sheriff Walt Longmire and Joe Pickett of Wyoming, I suggest you head southwest to New Mexico and make Bill Gastner's acquaintance. He'll make sure you feel welcome! show less

Bill Gastner, Under Sheriff of Posadas County heads north to visit his previous deputy/detective Estelle Reyes-Guzman and her husband. On his arrival the action starts with a young woman on the roadside an apparent hit and run. At least until Estelle begins investigating. The action heats up … but you’ll need to follow along.

A fast-paced read where the action never stops. I initially read out of order (ROO) a few books and got hooked. I am going back and reading from the beginning in order.

Bill's visit to Estelle changes into a bus-man's holiday as he joins her in investigating the rape and murder of a young woman. Bodies pile up quickly when someone hunts down and kills the woman's assailants. Bill and Estelle are wounded and another deputy killed as they track down the killers. The presence of a small child and a prairie fire complicate things before Bill becomes a temporary spelunker to flush out the killer. Fast paced and a good read.

I *like* this series. The stories a small, by that I mean they don't cover a lot of time or space. The people are people I would like to spend time with (well, at least the recurring ones, the bad guys I could do without). I'll be getting the next book in the series soon.

I ran across this series by Steven Havill a while back as a Books in Motion audiobook (now available through Audible) read by Rusty Nelson. They are straight police procedurals set in New Mexico. Nelson reads them with a marvelous gravely voice that is perfect for the character and setting. Havill has also written a series with the Undersheriff's deputy Estelle as the main character. They are all very entertaining and I plan on reading (listening) to the entire series. I highly recommend them.

Sheriff Bill Gastner goes on vacation but ends up helping investigate several murders beginning with the death of a young pregnant apparent hit-and-run.