Dark of the Moon
Virgil Flowers 1
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
The very first Virgil Flowers novel by internationally bestselling author John Sandford!
In the small town of Bluestem, Minnesota, where everybody knows everybody, a house way up on a ridge explodes into flames. Its owner, a man named Judd, is trapped inside and dies. But Judd's death wasn't a tragic accident... someone set his house on fire.
Lots of people hated Judd, Flowers discovers. In fact, you'd probably have to look hard to find a person who had actually liked the man.
But the thing is, Judd's death isn't the first in this small town in recent weeks. Three weeks earlier there'd been another murder — two, in fact — a doctor and his wife. The doctor was found propped up in his backyard, both eyes shot out. Before this, there hadn't been a murder in Bluestem in years — and now, suddenly, three? Flowers knows two things: this wasn't a coincidence, and this had to be personal.
But just how personal is something even he doesn't realize, and may not find out until too late. Because the next victim... may be himself.
* * * Praise for John Sandford and the Virgil Flowers novels * * *
‘Along the way to the satisfying ending, Virgil displays the rough humor and rough justice that make him such an appealing character’ Publishers Weekly on Deep Freeze
‘A knowing portrait of small-town life layered into a very well plotted mystery. Virgil understands that, in small towns, no one ever outgrows high school... One of the very best novels in a superior series’Booklist (starred review) on Deep Freeze
‘Add a gripping storyline, a generous helping of exquisitely conceived characters and laugh-out-loud humor that produce explosive guffaws, not muted chuckles, and you’re in for the usual late-night, don’t-even-think-of-stopping treat when Flowers hits town’ Richmond Times-Dispatch on Deep Freeze
‘An outstanding novel’ Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Escape Clause
‘Perfect entertainment’ Kirkus Reviews on Escape Clause
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Virgil Flowers, introduced in bestseller Sandford's Prey series (Invisible Prey, etc.), gets a chance to shine in his own vehicle and does so brightly. The thrice-divorced, affable member of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), who reports to Prey series hero Lucas Davenport, operates pretty much on his own as he tackles a murder wave that hits the little town of Bluestem. At the center of the story is old Bill Judd, hated by many who blame him for the Jerusalem artichoke scheme that made him rich and others poor. Other motives abound as do suspects including a religious/survivalist cult headed by a felon or some of the many who participated in the long ago orgies Judd orchestrated. Flowers likes to stir things up and see what happens, and plenty does as the killings continue. Sandford keeps the reader guessing and the pages turning while Flowers displays the kind of cool and folksy charm that might force Davenport to share the spotlight more often. 500,000 first printing.