Rough Country (Virgil Flowers Series #3) - ARC

I've just finished reading "Rough Country" the 3rd book in his Virgil Flowers series by John Sandford.

Synopsis

John Sandford's "truly captivating" (Richmond Times-Dispatch) new hero goes north to solve a puzzling murder-and finds that the country is very rough indeed.

Publishers Weekly

Near the start of bestseller Sandford's winning third thriller to feature Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (after Heat Lightning), Virgil gets a call while muskie fishing from his boss, Lucas Davenport (the hero of Sandford's long-running Prey series). Lucas orders Virgil to look into the shooting death of Erica McDill, an ad agency exec from Minneapolis and a big supporter of the Democratic Party, who was staying at the Eagle Nest Lodge in nearby Grand Rapids. A talk with lodge owner Margery Stanhope turns up unusual details: Margery's clientele is mostly lesbian; an all-female rock band is involved; guests who are so inclined can buy young men for an evening's pleasure; and financial reasons could explain the murder. It's a complicated case, but Virgil is up to the task, and, as always, he's funny, smart and tough when he needs to be—and catnip to the ladies. 

Biography

John Sandford began his career as a journalist using his real name, John Camp. He won a Pulitzer for feature writing before turning to mystery-suspense novels, simultaneously releasing two “first” novels under two different names in 1989.

My Review:

Storyline: I thought it was a pretty good storyline! The main killer you didn't know until near the end and there are many suspects to consider.  There were some that were lying to Virgil or not mentioning some stuff that were crucial to the case.

Characters: Most of the characters were well written especially Virgil,

Romance:  Most of the romances were of the bi or lesbian variety, not that I have anything against it as long as it's not in my face!  Virgil always has a women wherever he goes.  LOL!

Killer: The killer didn't really know who it was at first there are many suspects and why they were killing certain victims.

Glad to see some characters from Sandford's Lucas Davenport series (Lucas, Weather, Shrake, Jenkins).  Too bad didn't see Del!

5/5

Thanks so much Lydia Hirt from G.P. Putnam's Sons/Riverhead for sending me an ARC to review!

New ARC Review Book Arrived: ROUGH COUNTRY (Virgil Flowers Series Bk. 2) by John Sandford

Product Details

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (September 29, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399155988
ISBN-13: 978-0399155987

Rough Country (Virgil Flowers) (Hardcover)

Product Description

It's a joy to announce that John Sandford is still doing everything right," wrote the Cleveland Plain Dealer about the second adventure of Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers. "Virgil acts like the best series protagonists-becoming someone we just enjoy spending time with."

Virgil's always been known for having a somewhat active, er, social life, but he's probably not going to be getting too many opportunities for that during his new case. While competing in a fishing tournament in a remote area of northern Minnesota, he gets a call from Lucas Davenport to investigate a murder at a nearby resort, where a woman has been shot while kayaking. The resort is for women only, a place to relax, get fit, recover from plastic surgery, commune with nature, and while it didn't start out to be a place mostly for those with Sapphic inclinations, that's pretty much what it is today.

Which makes things all the more complicated for Virgil, because as he begins investigating, he finds a web of connections between the people at the resort, the victim, and some local women, notably a talented country singer. The more he digs, the more he discovers the arrows of suspicion that point in many directions, encompassing a multitude of motivations: jealousy, blackmail, greed, anger, fear. Then he finds that this is not the first murder, that there was a second, seemingly unrelated one, the year before. And that there's about to be a third, definitely related one, any time now. And as for the fourth . . . well, Virgil better hope he can catch the killer before that happens. Because it could be his own.

Rich with the brilliant plotting and compulsively readable prose that are his hallmarks, Rough Country is another immensely satisfying tale by one of our very best suspense writers.

About the Author

John Sandford is also the author of nineteen Prey novels and eight other books.

Thanks Lydia Hirt from G.P. Putnam's Sons/Riverhead for send this ARC for review.