What's a Joe Gunther novel without Joe Guther? It's a bore. In Trace author Archer Mayer kicks up a reason to get Gunther out of town, thus making Trace a less-exciting novel. It's really a collection of lukewarm shot stories so that we can see the sub-characters in Gunther's office work on their own..
I decided to venture forth and read Trace, but ultimately gave up. Without Joe Gunther, the novel is a bore.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

(3 1/2). Archer Mayor is a must read author for me. I consider the Joe Gunther series to be on a level just below the wonderful Harry Bosch series of Michael Connelly. This is a slightly different entry, as Joe is mostly MIA for this one and his crew at VBI is running the show. We have 3 storylines going at once, all with different levels of intensity and interest. Sammie, Lester and Willie keep things rolling and make it a very enjoyable ride.

I don't know if Archer Mayor has ever faltered with his Joe Gunther series. 28 is a long run to keep hitting it out of the park. Familiarity does not breed contempt, only fondness.
Joe Gunther is mostly out of the picture in this book, he has to take his mother to a specialized facility in Missouri to help recover from a scary case of Lyme disease that has affected her brain.
Instead his three investigators for the Vermont Bureau of Investigations(VBI) end up on separate cases that start small but end having major concerns down the lane.
Sammy Martens lands a case involving the daughter of Joe's long-time girlfriend, Dr. Beverly Hillstrom, (no pressure there). Les Spinney is lucky enough to be contacted concerning the case of a dead hero state trooper. And well, Willy Kunkle takes three bloodied teeth found on an Amtrak track and ends up becoming the bête noire of Homeland Security. No surprise there. Maybe Joe Gunther is better off in the wilds of Missouri.
Mayor writes a tight story. I was equally engaged in the progress of each crime, not to mention the rehab of Joe's mother. Every crime seems different, but almost all crimes end as being one of the three main motives, money, sex, or revenge; these are no different as Mayor so deftly demonstrates. This is what makes a great crime story to me, an elaborate story still ending up as basic despite how these do blow up.
From the junked out river banks, to New England's rust belt cities waiting to be reinvented to the lush forests and mountains, Mayor is lavish in his description of this lesser known area of New England.
Gunther and his VBI team have gown over the years. They have changed and become more mature and more effective over the years. From by- the -book Spinney to maverick Kunkle to in -the -middle Martens we have seen the changes and influences they have had on one another over the years.
This book was a pleasure to read as is the rest of the series. Not a problem if you are starting with this or are an old fan, Mayor will catch you up on the characters.

Archer Mayer books are my "comfort reading". I can count on a good plot, excellent characters and very good style. This installment doesn't disappoint. The book strays from the usual in that Joe is not the main focus (but still very much in the story). Sammy, Willy and Lester each follow separate cases and we learn more about each as a character. I enjoyed it very much.