Sunday, June 26, 2016

Ray's Reviews: Joseph Heywood's Buckular Dystrophy


 “Buckular Dystrophy” by Joseph Heywood (Lyons Press, $26.95) is the tenth book in his popular Woods Cop series starring veteran Michigan game warden Grady Service.

        Set almost exclusively in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the entertaining book is more of a series of vignettes loosely tied together by assorted plot threads.

        It showcases hard-working Service with an unlikely partner, his crafty archrival Limpy Allerdyce, who’s out of jail now and says he’s reformed.

        Taking place mostly in a two-month time period before and during 2009 Michigan deer hunting season, Heywood’s novel focuses on the craziness that occurs each year at this time in the UP.

        It’s a large wilderness area with numerous hunting camps, few big bucks, eager poachers, strange interlopers, clever hunters and an unusual assortment of peculiar characters.

        Service and Allerdyce get involved in many bizarre cases, tracking down clues in the best police procedural manner.

        They find hunters without licenses, illegal profiteers, deer heads without tags, weird relationships, impressive mounts, illegal blinds and much, much more.

        Heywood is, however, an acquired taste that may not be easy for all mystery readers to enjoy. The dialogue is challenging at times as the author utilizes dialect to the extreme, twisting verbiage in a manner that makes it difficult for the serious speed reader.

        It certainly may be realistic - and the way that many Yoopers talk, but it doesn’t make it any easier for the unfamiliar reader.

         Those expecting clear closure to the assorted criminal incidents will also have to be very patient – until the last page-and-a-half of the book - where the author provides an accounting of the cases and the results.

        Service gets considerable assistance from other conservation officers, associates, judges and diligent federal law enforcement professionals.

        Dark humor and detailed realism abound; there’s still room for more Service and/or Allerdyce encounters.
        It’s best to follow the intriguing adventures of Grady Service by reading the “Woods Cop” series in order, following the conservation officer’s growth through triumph and tragedy.

        Dedicated Heywood fans may also enjoy two other books that feature similar characters in excellent recent short story collections: “Hard Ground” and “More Hard Ground.”

        The 1965 MSU graduate’s website is: josephheywood.com, although ironically there’s only minimal mention of his latest book.

        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed crime
novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987.


Find this book and other great titles
at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 
book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop
307 East Grand River Avenue
East Lansing, Michigan
517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on June 26, 2016.

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Sunday, June 12, 2016

Ray's Reviews: Zigzag by Bill Pronzini


        “Zigzag”, by award-winning veteran author Bill Pronzini (Forge Books, $24.95) is the latest in his popular series starring a main character known only “The Nameless Detective.”


        This isn’t your usual hard-boiled detective novel, instead it’s an intriguing collection of two novellas and two short stories.

        “Zigzag” is a 120-page novella that starts out as a simple accident investigation.

        It soon escalates into much more, especially when the semi-retired private investigator discovers a pair of dead bodies and a dead dog outside of an isolated cabin.

        He does the smart thing and calls the cops, but finds that his challenges are just beginning. He decides to look into the case a bit more, helping out the wife of one of the victims.

        Pronzini, who’s received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, has a great reputation for deftly creating unexpected plot twists – and this convoluted tale is no exception.

        “Grapplin”, which originally appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, focuses on a murder and a missing persons case – dating back to 1963 in New Orleans.

        The Nameless Detective, as usual, asks many questions, uncovering useful information before getting satisfying results.

        “Nightscape”, which also appeared in Ellery Queen’s, starts off with an odd incident at a 24 Hour Diner. The main character and his partner are trying to track down a deadbeat dad who owes more than $30,000 in child support to his ex for their two kids.

        Things get a little wild and there’s a brief flurry of violence as a fight ensues - from a different source.

        The Nameless Detective offers insights: “Funny business, detective work. Crazy business sometimes. Mostly it’s a lot of dull routine, with small triumphs and as much frustration as satisfaction. But once in a great while, something happens that not only makes it all worthwhile but defies the laws of probability.”

        Pronzini makes it all believable, with strong characters, creative storytelling and a great understanding of human emotions and behavior.

        “Revenant” is an exceptionally bizarre case, where the hero again gets involved in a peculiar life-or-death situation.

        The author has written over 40 books in the Nameless Detective series over the last four decades; it’s fun to watch the characters grow, priorities shift and lifestyle changes occur.




        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed crime
novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987.



Find this book and other great titles
at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 
book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop
307 East Grand River Avenue
East Lansing, Michigan
517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on June 12, 2016.

Read More...