Circles in the Snow by Patrick F. McManus

First Line: Blight County Sheriff Bo Tully stood on snowshoes atop a knoll overlooking the Blight River.

Sheriff Bo Tully of Blight County, Idaho, is seriously contemplating retirement, but he doesn't have the time to do more than gallop the idea through his mind from time to time. Someone is killing bald eagles, a widely disliked rancher has been killed-- by bow and arrow no less-- and there are perfectly round circles appearing in the snow.

Tully has a long list of suspects in the rancher's murder, several of whom lived right on the ranch with the dead man. This time putting together all the pieces of the puzzle might mean a trip to Mexico for his cantankerous father and his second-in-command. Will Bo be able to solve the crimes (and will Mexico ever be the same)?

I always know I can depend on Patrick McManus for a well-crafted mystery with a fine cast of characters and plenty of humor, and Circles in the Snow is no exception. McManus has a gift for dialogue, and his humor always stems from his characters and the situations they find themselves in; there's no clever word play or comedic set-ups.

The baffling part of the death of rancher Morgan Fester isn't who done it, but how it was done, and I often find that type of mystery more fun to solve. From the author's splendid descriptions of eagles roosting in trees to his theme of intelligence (or lack thereof) and on to the solution to the circles in the snow, McManus's latest Bo Tully mystery is just plain fun to read. I sincerely hope the sheriff doesn't  retire any time soon!
    

Circles in the Snow by Patrick F. McManus

eISBN: 9781629142838
Skyhorse Publishing © 2014
eBook, 240 pages

Police Procedural/Humorous Mystery, #6 Sheriff Bo Tully mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Purchased from Amazon. 


 

The Tamarack Murders by Patrick F. McManus

First Line: Blight County Idaho Sheriff Bo Tully scanned the ridge above him.

Sheriff Bo Tully and his deputy are up in the mountains tracking a bank robber when they witness a man being shot and killed from long range. Tully quickly calls for "Lurch," his trusty one-man crime scene investigator, but now he has to figure out if this death is tied in with the bank robbery... and what's up with those two elk hunters who don't seem to know beans about hunting elk? A local named Gridley Shanks seems to have a lot of connections-- not only to various doings in and outside of town-- but with the bank robbery and the murdered man. Has he got something to do with this business?

Once again, it's up to Tully and his Blight Way of investigating crime to put all these bits and pieces together to figure out who needs to go to jail.

If you're the type of mystery reader who sometimes prefers your murders to be served up with a smile-- and if you're caught up with all of Craig Johnson's Longmire books-- let me recommend Patrick McManus's Sheriff Bo Tully series. They don't necessarily have to be read in order, but some of the characters and events might be a bit clearer to you if you do.

Sheriff Bo Tully is a man who always has an eye for the ladies, and for the most part the ladies of Blight County have just as much fun as Bo does. But Bo is really a crime-solving natural who uses his in-depth knowledge of the area and its inhabitants to close his cases. His investigations often delve into the history of the area a little as well, which brings a bit of the Old West into the story.

As in other books in the series, Bo tends to be a couple of steps ahead of readers and the other characters in The Tamarack Murders, something that usually annoys me in other mysteries, but it doesn't here. Bo is one savvy sheriff, and it quickly becomes apparent that his attempts to remain those two steps ahead are mostly to prevent any harm from coming to his team. 

Down-home humor plays an important part in the book, and a little old lady named Vera steals the show from Bo. Her scenes alone are well worth reading the book.

If you like mysteries that are light, fun, and quirky from first page to last, I think it's time you introduced yourself to Bo. But be warned: if you're female, this here sheriff is a dyed-in-the-wool lady's man.
  

The Tamarack Murders by Patrick F. McManus

eISBN: 9781620876343

Skyhorse Publishing © 2013

eBook, 208 pages

Police Procedural/Humorous Mystery, #5 Sheriff Bo Tully mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon. 


 

The Huckleberry Murders by Patrick F. McManus

First Line: Blight County, Idaho, sheriff Bo Tully drove slowly up the long gravel driveway leading to the ranch house.

[As I've said elsewhere, I've been doing so much reading that I have a stack of book reviews piled so high that I can't see over it. The only thing for me to do is to go into "Cathy's Quickies Mode": whip up some shorter reviews that will-- hopefully-- still let you know how I feel about the book. Here goes!]

Sheriff Bo Tully is convinced that retiree Orville Poulson has been murdered by his ranch caretaker. Supposedly Orville's off somewhere fishing around Spokane, but Bo doesn't buy it. Now if he could just prove his hunch. Before he can, three young men are shot execution-style, their bodies left in a huckleberry patch up on a mountain. When a female FBI agent shows up to take over the case, Bo finds himself busier than a one-armed paperhanger with the hives.

I enjoy McManus's Bo Tully mysteries. Even though they're played more for laughs than police procedure, I'd still like to get Tully together with my other two Stetson-wearing sheriffs, Walt Longmire and Bill Gastner. Tully is so busy in this one, that it appears that he's ignoring a woman who insists that her ex-husband has been murdered. Notice how I say "appears."

McManus's humor is reminiscent of Mark Twain, and I loved how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together in this one. I recommend this entire series to anyone with a fondness for light-hearted mysteries featuring a good old-fashioned lawman who believes in using cunning and guile to solve crimes. Good stuff!

The Huckleberry Murders by Patrick F. McManus

ISBN: 9781439190845

Simon and Schuster © 2010

Hardcover, 272 pages

Police Procedural/Humorous, #4 Sheriff Bo Tully mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Book Outlet. 

The Double-Jack Murders by Patrick F. McManus

First Line: Idaho's Blight County sheriff, Bo Tully, scanned the ridge above his log house with binoculars.

Just because he's had a death threat is no reason to call off the Fourth Annual Sheriff Bo Tully Empty the Freezer Day that always takes place on his property. All the other local politicians have been beside themselves for four years now over missing out on a free vote-gathering extravaganza that doesn't cost Bo a dime. (Although he does draw the line at eating any mystery meats the voters bring in.)

But the death threat is a serious one, and Bo decides to head for tall timber in an attempt to get the would-be assassin away from his constituents and into a trap of the wily sheriff's choosing. When Agatha and Bernice, two old ladies at the remote Quail Creek Ranch, ask Bo to take on a 75-year-old cold case, he knows this fits the bill.

Whenever I'm in the mood for good characters, good stories, and good laughs, I head on over to Blight County, Idaho, and cozy up to Sheriff Bo Tully. Bo Tully, the sheriff who makes pets of spiders that take up housekeeping in his office window. Bo Tully, the sheriff who now shares accommodations with Clarence, the dog with a criminal past. (Clarence was arrested several times for hiding under cars and biting people on the ankles.)

If you're a Craig Johnson fan who's reading this review and starting to have stars in your eyes, I'd advise you to proceed with caution. Yes, McManus's books do have a lot in common with Johnson's Walt Longmire series, but McManus's series is much lighter and played more for the laughs. The two series compliment each other nicely, but come election time, I'm voting for Longmire, if you see what I'm saying.

The story line for this third book in the series is right out of the pages of the Old West. Back in 1927, a gold miner tells his family that he and his young partner have hit the mother lode. The two men return to the location of the mine, but they never come home again. It's up to Bo to piece together clues in this cold case and dodge bullets from an escaped prisoner. Bo knows the territory, and he knows the people. He's got a distinct advantage-- although it's certainly rugged terrain in which to locate a hidden mine.

Watching Bo solve a mystery is one very fun way to spend an afternoon, and I would recommend this series to anyone who likes humorous mysteries set in the West.

The Double-Jack Murders by Patrick F. McManus

ISBN: 9781439131367

Simon and Schuster © 2010

Hardcover, 240 pages

Humorous Mystery, #3 Sheriff Bo Tully mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Bookcloseouts.

Revenge, a Travis Mays Novel by Mark Young

Title: Revenge, a Travis Mays Novel
Author: Mark Young
ISBN: 9780983266310
Publisher: Mark Young, 2011
Paperback, 362 pages
Genre: Thriller, #1 Travis Mays
Rating: C+
Source: the author

First Line: Raindrops splattered the windshield as Travis Mays raised his binoculars.

When an investigation goes horribly wrong, Travis Mays walks away from a highly successful law enforcement career and builds a new life. Now a professor of criminology at a university in Washington state, he likes to spend time in the cabin he built in the mountains of Idaho. Travis is even learning the fine art of kayaking from river guide Jessie White Eagle of the Nez Perce tribe. But when Jessie's brother goes missing and Travis is asked to help with the investigation, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a killer bent on revenge.

Many of you may take a look at my rating and think that I didn't care for the book. You would be wrong. I did. Although the book really doesn't have anything new in terms of plot, writing or characterization, it did hold my interest throughout. How? Because author Mark Young has given us multiple perpetrators with multiple objectives. I had my mind set on one bad guy, but the more pages I turned, the more I thought, "Now, wait a second...." Once my curiosity was fully engaged, I was hooked.

His stern struck a submerged rock, jamming the bow forward, burying him in a shallow grave of water. He fought to right himself, but the current corkscrewed him into its depths and he lost his balance. Roaring sheets of water buried him, pounding his head with icy fists. For what seemed like an eternity he remained trapped beneath the surface as near-freezing currents burned his skin.

A strong feature of the book is its setting in the mountains of Idaho, white water kayaking on its rivers, and the Nez Perce heritage of two secondary characters-- but I did feel that if the kayaking and Nez Perce heritage had been beefed up and had become more integral parts of the story, the book would have been even stronger.

Travis has a canine companion named Sam, which leads me to something that's almost becoming a pet peeve. Having had many canine companions of my own, I am attuned to how animals react to the people around me. When an animal in the book I'm reading reacts strangely to a new character, I immediately know that character is a bad guy. This undoubtedly isn't true for people who don't live with pets and aren't familiar with their ways, but it is to me and takes away some of the enjoyment of reading the book for me. On the other hand, Sam isn't portrayed as Super Dog, and that I do like.

When all is said and done, there is a lot to like about Revenge, and I'm looking forward to more stories about Travis Mays.

Revenge at Amazon.

Avalanche by Patrick F. McManus

Title: Avalanche
Author: Patrick F. McManus
ISBN: 9781416532774
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2008
Paperback, 304 pages
Genre: Humorous, Police Procedural, #2 Sheriff Bo Tully mystery
Rating: A+
Source: Purchased from Bookcloseouts.

First Line: He stood at the window studiously watching the large fluffy snowflakes fill up his mother's backyard.

With all the snow that's fallen in Blight County, Idaho, Sheriff Bo Tully is glad that business is rather slow and he's got time to visit his mother to eat pie and listen to the latest gossip. Seems like the only trouble spot on Bo's horizon is that Clarence is back and sitting in one of Bo's jail cells.

Who's Clarence? A scruffy little dog that likes to hide under cars and dart out to bite people in the ankles. Bo wants the dog to "disappear" but none of his deputies seem to be getting the message.

In the meantime, Mike Wilson, the owner of the pricey West Branch Lodge, has gone missing, and Bo agrees to go up there with a tracker and his father, Pap Tully, to look for the man. They're just about at the Lodge when an avalanche almost wipes out Bo's Explorer (as well as Bo and Pap). They are going to be stuck at the West Branch Lodge for the foreseeable future until the roads are cleared.

Being cooped up with his father and a motley assortment of guests (including a group of college students on break with nothing but extreme sports-- and extreme beer drinking-- in mind) does Bo no good at all. Everyone is looking like a suspect to him, but he's got to make sense of it all before the roads are cleared and all the guests leave.

I loved this book, from the convoluted trail to the killer to the location to the smorgasbord of marvelously drawn characters. Even Clarence the dog was a wonderful bit of characterization.

I think one of the reasons why I have been enjoying this series so much is that it's bringing back fun memories of Grampa and his hunting, coffee-drinking, poker-playing buddies at the Legion Hall. Those guys could spin yarns, and I could sit there and lap up every single word. Bo, his father, and the other characters in Avalanche are following this fine tradition, but the book isn't so "manly" that females who haven't gone hunting or who haven't played poker at the Legion Hall won't be interested. There are some interesting female characters in the books, along with a bit of romance here and there.

Granted, the man stuff and the humor figure more prominently. When Bo learns that he and his men will be staying at the very expensive West Branch Lodge while they search for the missing owner, I laughed at Bo's reaction:

"Oh, the county will pick up the tab. Several of the county commissioners haven't dropped dead at the sight of my expense account, and I'm trying to finish them off."

If you're in the mood to laugh and be entertained while you read well-plotted mysteries, I hope you'll think about trying one of Patrick McManus's Sheriff Bo Tully mysteries.

Buy from Amazon.

Buy from The Book Depository.

Buy from an Indie Bookseller. 



 

The Blight Way by Patrick F. McManus

Title: The Blight Way
Author: Patrick F. McManus
ISBN: 978-0-7432-8048-8, Simon & Schuster, 2007
Genre: Police Procedural, #1 Bo Tully mystery
Rating: B+

First Line: After happily noting that the mud puddles of the parking lot had frozen over during the night, Blight County Sheriff Bo Tully momentarily regretted having established the departmental policy that neither he nor any of his deputies could use obscenities while on duty.

Bo Tully is Sheriff of Blight County, Idaho. The Atkins Diet has slimmed him down and revved up his libido-- very few of the ladies escape his discerning eye. Bo had wanted to ask his grade-school sweetheart out on a date, but he'd already promised to celebrate his father's 75th birthday. Trouble is, Bo's not quite sure what kind of celebration he wants to have for his cranky old dad. A phone call from the local clan of ex-cons provides the solution: "We got a dead body draped over one of our pasture fences."

Now in most circumstances, taking your dear old dad out to view a dead body draped over a barbed wire fence for his birthday would be a bit strange, but Tullys have been sheriffs of Blight County for over a century, so this is right down the old man's alley. When two more corpses turn up, Bo and "Pap" have a genuine mystery on their hands.

It doesn't take long to figure out that Sheriff Bo Tully isn't the hayseed that he appears to be on the surface. He's smart, sneaky and relentless-- and not overly concerned about details like search warrants or suspect rights. This book is filled with the sort of quirky characters I love, a Gordian knot of motives, and plenty of humor:

"You make this firestarter yourself?" he asked the old man.

"Yeah. You want the recipe?"

"Maybe, but I'll wait until after my mustache and eyebrows grow back."

If you're not sold on Sheriff Tully yet, here are two more Bo Facts:

• He has a spider named Wallace who lives behind his office filing cabinet.
• He thinks library cards are an excellent form of identification.

If you're in the mood for a fast-paced book with a good plot, fantastic characters and plenty of humor, pick up one of Patrick McManus' Bo Tully mysteries. You'll be all set for a good time.

[Source: Paperback Swap.]