Dieses Buch ist ganz großes Kino. Sehr authentisch, was Umgebung, Charaktere und Geschichte angeht. Freunde aus Vermont schwören ebenfalls darauf. Sehr schöner klarer Schreibstil, unaufregend mitreißend mit Spannung bis zu den letzten Seiten. Bravo!

First Sentence: Joe entered the autopsy room unnoticed, stepped to one side of the broad door, and leaned against the wall to watch.

The body of a young woman is discovered and a confession quickly obtained, but it doesn't take much to determine the confession is false. However, the man who confessed once worked at a large local warehousing company experiencing serious acts of vandalism, the latest of which resulted in a death. Is there a connection? Willie Kunkle, a key member of Joe Gunther's team on the Vermont Bureau of Investigation, is hospitalized as there is a suspicious possible outbreak of Ebola. Are all these events linked? That's up to Joe and the VBI to find out.

It is hard for many to image witnessing a real autopsy. The opening achieves several things beyond taking one through the procedure; one is introduced to Joe, learns about his department and his past, and demonstrates Joe's humanity—"This was always an autopsy's watershed moment for Joe, making the divide between seeing a fellow human as someone's recently lost companion or child and simply discovering—piece by piece—what had one made it function." One also meets Beverly, the pathologist and Joe's lover. This is nicely done both for new readers, and as a reminder for those who have followed the series. However, it also provides initial information on the victim and the crime.

Although Joe is the protagonist, his team is an ensemble about whom series readers have come to care, and that's certainly true of Willie and Sammy. Each character is fully developed and plays a vital role. That this extends beyond Joe's team to their families creates a sense of reality, including talking about murder in front of the fridge as do Lester and his wife Sue. It is through his style that Mayor makes the reader feel invested in, and even part of, the team. What is especially nice is that the characters change and evolve over time.

One of the many things to be appreciated about Mayor is that he provides explanations, such as what is a Spellman entry, as he goes along. Even better that is the explanations never slow down the pace of the story. Something about policing which one rarely considers, is well stated—"Joe found himself in the dreariest corner of human behavior in which his job so routinely deposited him, surrounded by the loss, waste, and malice of others."

It's nice to have a police procedural where the police actually follow procedure. No cutting corners, no bending the law, no working without notice in other jurisdictions. It is a credit to Mayor's character of Joe that one really starts to believe there are people such as him in law enforcement. If only they were much more visible.

As connections are made and a threat is issued, tension increases. Again, it's the details where Mayor shines; the explanations of what happened and what will happen. The plot is really well done, with enough twists and surprises to keep one thoroughly engaged. There is an excellent ending and an explanation which sums things up perfectly.

"Bury the Lead" is a very good police procedural with an ensemble cast of characters, a delightfully complicated crime. This is another well-done installment in a terrific series.

BURY THE LEAD (PolProc-Joe Gunther-Vermont-Contemp) – VG
Mayor, Archer – 29th in series
Minotaur Books – Sept 2018

“Bury the Lead” by Archer Mayor is book twenty-nine in the Joe Gunther series, and the series is as compelling as ever. A new reader can enjoy this book because while the characters are the same, Mayor provides quick background comments within the context of the storyline to fill in anything from the previous books that a new reader might need.

Right from the start Mayor sets out to create mystery. In a note he admits that things are not what they seem, and implores readers to stay the course. “Appearances can be deceiving. My lead may indeed be buried, for good reason.” That suggests a complicated and intriguing mystery within a mystery.
The story opens as Joe Gunther of the V.B.I. enters the autopsy room; a young woman had been found dead through “unknown misadventure.” Her clothes are wrong for a mountainous hiking trail in the dark of night, and she was pregnant. The team tracks down a suspect, who, to everyone’s surprise, confesses. This is just too easy, and things just do not fit. The question remains, who really killed her?
Different crimes and several story lines run simultaneously, just as one would expect to find in real life. One conspicuous problem is finding the motive behind detailed, complex, but unrelated crimes that are inexplicably tied together. “We’re talking Shakespearean tragedy here. Love– hate, privilege run amok, zero impulse control.” Things are hidden, but little by little, clues come to the surface, and eventually a very different picture comes into focus. As Joe comments, “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”
Joe Gunther and all the familiar characters are here, working together. There is a small town feel to dialogue. Everyone is friends, everyone knows each other, and as they catch up with each other, readers catch up as well. They get first jobs; they get new jobs. We get to know them, and discern how they feel about jobs, life, crime, and each other.
Mayor develops a sense of place so accurate that when the team goes somewhere in Vermont, readers can follow along on Goggle maps. When the story takes someone down route 30, readers can go along. When Joe visits the Department of Transportation truck depot between Brattleboro and Putney on Route 5, there it is on Google Maps, the semicircle of truck-sized sheds and the Connecticut River.

Mayor constructs a story around people who are compelling, captivating, and charismatic. Joe simply loves what he does. Any of characters could change the world for the better, or have a lasting impact upon society’s behavior. They do good work, have a positive influence, and are of use to people in need. There is always a laugh or two along the way, even in dire circumstances.
I received a copy of “Bury the Lead” from Archer Mayor, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley. I loved this book as I have loved every book in the series. Mayor does not just drop familiar characters into a formula plot. Each character grows, changes, and develops in every book, just as if they were living right down the street. Get out your Google maps and visit Vermont along with Joe and the crew.

BURY THE LEAD by Archer Mayor is a gripping mystery novel. I had never read any of Mayor's novels before but I will be on the hunt to read more from this great author.

Love this series.

The body of a young woman is found at a popular ski resort. A fire is set at a warehouse. You'd think these aren't connected but then you haven't read this series! The title comes from Joe's girlfriend's daughter lands her dream job as a photographer to a local newspaper. Because of her relationships to the members of the VBI, she gains access to crime scenes which is instrumental in solving this case.

What I really loved about this book is Willie and his growing addiction to Opiates. Other authors would have dragged this on but what I loved was Willie realized his problem, realized what it could cost him and acted. The characters in this book are what makes it such a strong series that has lasted many years. We see the growth and change that happens in their lives. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next one.

When a body is discovered near a popular ski trail, Joe Gunther and his team at the Vermont Bureau of Investigation quickly locate a prime suspect, Mick Durocher. Durocher confesses almost too quickly, with only partial details which cause many on the team to doubt him, yet they aren't sure since the facts do lead to him.

At the same time, a business is targeted with vandalism and Mick Durocher, the confessed murderer, was once employed by the company.

So as these two cases possibly tie together, there is yet one other concern. Willy Kunkle, a member of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation, undergoes surgery at a hospital that has a suspicious and perhaps timely outbreak of Ebola.

This is Archer Mayor's 29th Joe Gunther novel.

What Concerned Me: While this is a very good novel, my favorites are the ones that start a little faster. This one took a bit to draw me in.

What I Loved Most: Though this is the first book I've read by Archer Mayor, the characters are introduced in such a way that I didn't feel lost. As with any series, if you want the most out of it it's probably better to start at the beginning, but I was comfortable with quickly learning who was who.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Archer Mayor for allowing me to give my honest review of this ARC.

Joe Gunther and his team, once again become embroiled in a mysterious murder and weave their way to a dysfunctional family secret ending in murder. The cast of regulars are all involved in one aspect or another. Having read this series from the beginning. I know I can always expect a great mystery as well as finding out what's happening in the lives of some of my favorite characters. Another great installment!

When the body of a young woman is found near a trail at a popular ski mountain, the case falls to Joe Gunther and his team at the Vermont Bureau of Investigation (VBI). They quickly have a suspect, Mick Durocher, and a confession, but not everyone on the team is convinced. Despite Mick’s ready admission, investigators quickly sense there might be more going on than is immediately apparent.

Bury the Lead by Archer Mayor’s 29th Joe Gunther novel. I am familiar with this authors work and I can say that Trace would be my favorite one of all. The VBI think they have the suspect they have been looking for. But do they? A confession, sure but does that actually mean guilt? There are some who believe that Mick Durocher, is not guilty of murder. However, while reading you get the idea that it might be him. To many coincidences. But the ending is not what you would expect and the story comes together perfectly in the end. Mayor has a great ability to tell stories and ones that could be true. I love the way he uses characters that you will actually like throughout and throws in a few bad asses along the way. I was actually enthralled in this book from the first page until the last one. This is a must read for Joe Gunther fans.

Thank you netgalley as well as the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review



5+++ ⭐️ out of 5

Not my style. Moves too slowly and I don’t have a grasp of the plot for quite awhile. I wasn’t drawn in

Lots of good things in this book, but I would of liked more back story on the person who was responsible in the end. I enjoyed Joe Gunther's character working on solving the case and all his co-workers and cronies, but I would of enjoyed getting to know the killer a little bit better too. It was fun to learn about Vermont, while reading along. Good solid police procedural.

This is certainly one of the finest police procedural series around and this is the best episode yet. Obviously, I enjoyed the the book and I have loved the way his characters, including Joe Gunther, have evolved.

Major has a subtle way of foreshadowing which allows the reader to become part of the team. Since the main characters move from book to book, they are well developed.

By the end of the book, all the loose ends tie together and present perfect closure. A real jewel for those of us who like this genre.

Joe Gunther and the Vermont Bureau of Investigation have a catastrophe on their hands – murder, arson and an outbreak of Ebola. Their murder suspect confesses, but Joe isn’t buying it, something more sinister is obviously at work as businesses are vandalized and a member of the VBI undergoes emergency surgery just as an oubreak of ebola comes to light. Definitely not your average day in Vermont. So what’s going on and who’s to blame? The cause, and the culprit may be closer than Joe could ever suspect