Borderlines

Brattleboro, VT, police Lt. Joe Gunther, has traveled north to Vermont's Northeast Kingdom to assist the State's Attorney with an embezzlement case. Joe had spent many happy summers in this area when he was growing up so it is a good excuse to visit with some old friends as well. The small town of Gannet has undergone major changes since Joe was last there. Much of the original town is going to ruin while a lot of the houses and farmland have been purchased by the Natural Order, a group of devoted followers of nature and their charismatic leader. There has been dissension between the townspeople and the cult but by and large they leave well enough alone. Joe is drawn into the turmoil when a housefire kills 5 members of the Order and it show more is suspected that a desperate father, who has come looking for his daughter in the cult, intentionally torched the house. When the father himself is murdered several days later Joe is devastated to learn that a long-time friend of his may be the chief suspect in all of the murders. Although he is worried about his friend, Joe follows every lead no matter where it might take him.

I really enjoy this series and Mayor's writing is just so well done. Joe is a great character, heroic but flawed, and you just have to root for him to catch that bad guy, which of course he does. I've only read 2 of the series so far but am really looking forward to more. show less

Joe is loaned out to a state agency with a problem in a town he has close ties to, but before he can deal with the petty problem originally assigned, trouble breaks out between a sect that has taken over half the town, and the residents, when parents come to 'rescue' their daughter from the sect. Murder, friendship, memories that get tarnished, some brilliant tracking in the woods, and the thoughts and troubles of a man in the middle of his life - great stuff.

Loved the story seemed a bot long but this is the author's second book. I really think that Mayor is one of the best writers out there today. Looking forward to reading the third book in the series.

Loved the story seemed a bot long but this is the author's second book. I really think that Mayor is one of the best writers out there today. Looking forward to reading the third book in the series.

Interesting characters and story with a complex and sort of a "cowboy up" ending.

Loved the story seemed a bot long but this is the author's second book. I really think that Mayor is one of the best writers out there today. Looking forward to reading the third book in the series.

Loved the story seemed a bot long but this is the author's second book. I really think that Mayor is one of the best writers out there today. Looking forward to reading the third book in the series.