Review: Killer Summer

Sharp-eyed, emotionally blinkered sheriff Walt Fleming spots a traffic anomaly while he’s supposed to be enjoying a fishing encounter with his fatherless teenage nephew Kevin, and, in the blink of an eye, the chase is on.

Fleming is almost as awkward with his nephew Kevin as he is with fly fishing, but he will get a chance to work on that in the course of a thriller that encompasses most of far-flung Blaine County, Idaho, Fleming’s jurisdiction. Famed playground of the elite’s elite, Blaine County also encompasses some of the most remote, beautiful and perilous territory in the country.

The traffic anomaly is a tow truck headed away from town into the sticks. But what gets Fleming out of his waders is the man inside the towed car. Not only strictly illegal, but dangerous too. Particularly for this particular highjacked driver who’s dead by the time Fleming catches the tow truck, gassed by something that nearly overcomes Kevin too.

The two perps vanish into the countryside on stashed ATVs, but without the prize they were seeking – a briefcase the dead man had handcuffed to his car’s seat frame. Inside the briefcase – three bottles of wine.

Sun Valley Resort’s annual wine auction always attracts some cutthroat bidding, but not usually outright theft, to say nothing of murder. But this year’s auction features a rare vintage indeed – three bottles of wine given by connoisseur Thomas Jefferson to John Adams. Or so it’s claimed. There’s a young graduate student troublemaker who begs to differ.

There’s also the financially troubled tycoon dragging his spoiled, rebellious teenage daughter to the wine-auction weekend. She homes in on a young employee at the resort – Kevin – to manipulate into helping her escape.

And there’s the thief – Christopher Cantell, a cool, brilliant enigma who’s planned everything down to the last detail.

Pearson cycles among the plot elements, giving his characters free reign to engage with the reader, while he inserts a kink here and a twist there until the plot begins to spin out of control and each character has to scramble to stay one step ahead of everybody else.

The plot is expertly paced and the scenery is breathtaking. In this third outing Fleming continues to struggle with his domestic situation (his volatile ex-wife lives with his deputy), parenting his two daughters, and moving at a snail’s pace into a new romance, while nephew Kevin is proving to be a resourceful, thoughtful young man. A satisfying, entertaining thriller.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Lynn Harnett

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.

Book Review: Killer Summer

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.