Helpful Score: 2
Excellent book. Read it in a 24-hour period. Couldn't put it down! Constant movement and suspense. Good, good, good book!
Richard G. (rgray-numbersense) -
Helpful Score: 1
Superb and shocking at the same time. A very thought-provoking story with some great dialog and characters. One of the best Sanford novels ever, and that is saying alot for such a talented writer. Not for the faint of heart or easily disgusted, though.
Helpful Score: 1
Good book, lot of action.
Excellent,,loved it!!!
We John Sanford readers always loved the Lucas Davenport "Prey" novels but this series with Virgil Flowers has been great so far. I'm looking forward to the next one.
Not one of my favorite Sandford books. I have a hard time being entertained by child abuse, even if fictional.
I really enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. I was always waiting for what was going to happen next. A little predictable, but a great book nonetheless.
Another definite must read for Sandford fans. Virgil Flowers and his techniques are different than his boss Davenport but just like his boss he always gets his man, and usually some of the women too along the way!
Very different than other books, but interesting story.
In "Bad Blood" Virgil Flowers is brought in to investigate a strange murder at a rural Minnesota grain elevator. A farmer had pulled in with his truck of grain. The young man working at the elevator retrieves his baseball bat and sneaks up behind the farmer. He clobbers the unsuspecting man then tries to make his death look like an accident, but this killing was clearly premeditated. Flowers is called in to this area where murders rarely occur by the new sheriff, an attractive woman named Lee Coakley. There's clearly a spark struck between them from the start.
But no time for romance yet. Crimes must be investigated. Within the first 40 pages there are 4 deaths, the farmer, then the young man who supposedly killed the farmer, then the cop who was guarding the young man in jail. Flowers is puzzling over these sudden deaths when he hears about a 4th death; an unsolved murder of a young woman that took place down south of the town, just across the Iowa state line, a year ago. That killing looked like a sex crime. Virgil is intrigued.
He discovers a key link between these 4 deaths: every one of the dead belonged to a mysterious religious cult. Flowers digs deeper and begins to suspect that this "religion" conceals a vast and enduring front for widespread child abuse. No spoilers here; I'll leave the joys of Virgil's sleuthing and his budding relationship with the sheriff for readers to savor for themselves.
Sandford performs a bit of literary derring-do here. He has his wise cracking, fun loving Virgil trying to solve a case that might involve a most horrific network of pedophiles. Child abuse is not funny. Virgil is. The combo actually works. Virgil lightens it up just enough to make all the dark parts not quite as sickening. Sandford does a splendid job on this one.
This reviewer's favorite moments occur when Virgil is always prepared to argue scripture with any cult member who tries to fling the words of the Bible Virgil's way. Virgil is the son of a Lutheran minister. He knows his scripture inside and out. He has realized that these sicko religious nuts have taken selected passages from scripture to try to justify and validate their perverted faith. "T is a thing of beauty indeed.
But no time for romance yet. Crimes must be investigated. Within the first 40 pages there are 4 deaths, the farmer, then the young man who supposedly killed the farmer, then the cop who was guarding the young man in jail. Flowers is puzzling over these sudden deaths when he hears about a 4th death; an unsolved murder of a young woman that took place down south of the town, just across the Iowa state line, a year ago. That killing looked like a sex crime. Virgil is intrigued.
He discovers a key link between these 4 deaths: every one of the dead belonged to a mysterious religious cult. Flowers digs deeper and begins to suspect that this "religion" conceals a vast and enduring front for widespread child abuse. No spoilers here; I'll leave the joys of Virgil's sleuthing and his budding relationship with the sheriff for readers to savor for themselves.
Sandford performs a bit of literary derring-do here. He has his wise cracking, fun loving Virgil trying to solve a case that might involve a most horrific network of pedophiles. Child abuse is not funny. Virgil is. The combo actually works. Virgil lightens it up just enough to make all the dark parts not quite as sickening. Sandford does a splendid job on this one.
This reviewer's favorite moments occur when Virgil is always prepared to argue scripture with any cult member who tries to fling the words of the Bible Virgil's way. Virgil is the son of a Lutheran minister. He knows his scripture inside and out. He has realized that these sicko religious nuts have taken selected passages from scripture to try to justify and validate their perverted faith. "T is a thing of beauty indeed.
Good story with lots of momentum as is typical of John Sandford. Love the Virgil Flowers character. Warning that it is disturbing with content dealing with child abuse.
Another great series, that F** Flowers!!!
I thought this was his best "Virgil Flowers" story so far! Kept my interest......quick easy read!
Suspenseful - good book.
very good
Quick read that is a real page turner. Subject is pretty disgusting and hard to believe, but it does keep your attention.
Good enjoyable read. Sanford does it again!
A Virgil Flowers book. Seemed written a bit below my reading level (young adults book maybe?) but I still enjoyed it: twists and turns, religious cults, much to try to figure out. A good, quick read for anyone below a college degree IMHO of course. I gave it a good rating because of the mysteries presented.
Another very good Virgil Flowers story where he is called in to help in the investigation of a murder that was made to look like an accident. Little does anyone know how this leads to a sick and depraved religious "cult." A great read.
Another great book in the Virgil Flowers series!
Love it!
