Shattered Dreams is book 3 by Frank Hayes.

Very well written and quite enjoyable. I found myself right alongside the story. Fascinating read. The scenes were believable as were the characters.

Job well done!

Frank Hayes has written the kind of book that readers love! A good back story with well developed characters who find themselves thrown into a series of events that test their strengths and expose their weaknesses for everyone to see. It's like watching your favorite program on television.
Set in a western environment similar to Longmire or Posados County, our sheriff juggles his work and family life while still managing to keep events from overwhelming his department. The story is so easy to read, you will not believe you've reached the end. This author has done an excellent job of making me want to read the rest of his books.

My first time reading this author and I found this book to be everything that it was advertised to be. The Sheriff Virgil Dalton is at times a simple man and also a complex man. He is trying to deal with the different personalities in the office while also dealing with a daughter he has just found out about and is now going off to college and also a crime that seems simple at first but turns into a more complex case when the body found in the burnt trailer does not belong to its owner. This leads him to looking for him and then finding that the mans business partner had died a year ago in a car accident on a road that he had driven on for years in all types of weather. He continues to have more questions than answers and he seems to be getting nowhere. The author continues to add real life to the story as a domestic dispute turn’s tragic for one of his deputies and though it was sad most law enforcement will tell you that domestic calls are the ones that they would rather avoid just for that reason. Never knowing if someone has a gun and it just happens to go off. The rest of the story is just as good and I found all of the characters to be in line with the story. A very good book.

My first book by Frank Hayes, Really enjoyed the characters in this third (?) of the Sheriff Virgil Dalton series. Well paced, good plotting, Overall great!

This book is a really good small town police story, more like a modern day Western. I like the characterisation and the descriptions of the desert landscape. The third book in the Virgil Dalton series opens when he gets a call to a burned out trailer and discovers a body inside. His hunt for the killer uncovers a much bigger conspiracy than he bargained for. A well written book with an excellent story line which will appeal to readers. My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC. Reviews on Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.

I was hoping for something in the line of Craig Johnson's book, but Shattered Dreams and it's protagonist Sheriff Virgil Dalton didn't fulfill that hope. On the other hand, the reviews in Goodreads at this point are all 5 stars, so I'd suggest that it just wasn't a good fit for me.

Shattered Dreams annoyed me with the constant references of how good a character was (because once wasn't enough for me to understand) and with dialogue that turned into philosophical musings rather than conversation (because everyone I know talks like that). Thankfully, Glen's term of "virtue signaling" is perfect.

Obviously, the series is loved by many readers, but not every book fits every reader, and I'll stick with Craig Johnson and Longmire for my western mysteries.

NetGalley/Beyond the Page Publishing
Crime/Western. March 22, 2019. Print length: 297 pages.

Shattered dreams is masterfully plotted with outstanding descriptive prose. The mystery begins when Sheriff Virgil Dalton is called to the scene of a burned-out trailer in a remote part of the county. A body is found inside, presumably the body of the homeowner, a local accountant. Who would want to harm this docile man? Who was he really? What kind of secret dealing was he into? When the medical examiner’s report eventually comes back it indicates the body actually belonged to a young Native American from the nearby reservation. To find the murderer Virgil must uncover the whereabouts of the homeowner and a reason why the young Native American man was sitting inside the trailer when it went up in flames. We connect with the characters, we gasp and tears are nearly brought to our eyes as the twists and turns unravel. Five stars.

Wow, I just loved it. I am a sucker for small town police stories and this is one of them. For fans of Craig Johnson, Steven F. Havill, Ace Atkins or Donald Harstad you will love this. Sadly there is only 3 books available so far but I hope there will be many more in the near future. I love the description of the landscape and community where Virgil Dalton lives and work. The storyline is masterful. I must thank #Netgalley and #BeyondThePagePublishing for giving me the opportunity to read #Shattered Dreams by #FrankHayes

5 stars

When Sheriff Virgil Dalton responds to a call of smoke rising from the desert, he discovers a burnt-out trailer. Worse news, a body is found inside. The fire is obviously arson and has some evidence of being a meth lab. The victim's father, who is a kindly man, says his son was not into that kind of thing. His son Everett was a helping individual who appears to be a nice as his father.

When the pathologist discovers that it was not the man's son in the trailer. Virgil wonders where he is. He visits the sand & gravel plant where the son was a contract worker. Something fishy is going on.

When he learns of another death that was put down as an accident, Virgil's suspicion grows, especially after meeting the man's wife and the fact that the man was Everett's business partner.

Everett's father is badly beaten in his barn. Virgil must find Everett.

Virgil uncovers a conspiracy that reaches across the nation. In an unrelated case, tragedy strikes the small sheriff's office. The team pulls together through compassion and humor.

This is an excellent read. It is strikingly well written and plotted. There are enough sub-plots included to really give the reader the flavor of a small-town police department. The characters are interesting and colorful. I really like the way they all got along well and pulled together during times of stress. I appreciated the way Mr. Hayes blended philosophical musings within the story. I cannot say enough good things about this book. I immediately went to Amazon to put the author's other two books on my TBR list.

I want to thank NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review.

A wonderful contemporary western in the style of Longmire (by Craig Johnson) and Sheriff Bill Gastner (by Steven Havill). Sheriff Virgil Dalton is a small-town sheriff who always strives to do the best. He has a unique way to handle the day to day small town events, including a suspected bank robbery. When a man is found murdered in a burnt-out mobile home, his troubles are only beginning. As he investigates the murder, he discovers how much the surrounding desert has changed, partly due to the reopening of the sand and gravel complex. Virgil realizes that he and his officers can no longer offer the protection that is needed due to the increased growth. When death again invades their own small world, he and his officers will need to protect each other. I have read and enjoyed all of the Sheriff Virgil Dalton mysteries and recommend that you begin with the first book, “Death at the Black Bull”. You could begin with this book, but would miss the many facets of both the story and continuing characters. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)