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Sheriff Dan Rhodes #9
Death by Accident
Two men die mysteriously in a quiet Texas town--one explodes, and the other is found naked and face down in a remote swimming pool--and Sheriff Rhodes has to link the two before rumors take hold and panic reigns.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Bill Crider
243 books236 followersTaught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Tex., and went on to become the chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Tex.; prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children's books, not to mention short stories, articles, reviews, and blog posts; perhaps best known for his Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 30, 2015
ZAP, Splash, POP... and just like that three miscreant Texans are dead at the beginning of this installment of the adventures of Sheriff Dan Rhodes.
As Bill Crider proceeds to reduce the population of his small town, the first death concerns a man walking down a highway, late at night, with a can full gas when he is struck by a car, the gas ignites, and there is an explosion, and the man ceases to exist. Next we have a man swimming late at night who drowns after the branch of a tree falls on his fragile head. Last but not least is the man sitting in his car drinking a bottle of whiskey, has the yearnings for a smoke, lights one up and catches himself on fire from the whiskey he has spilled all over himself.
Three seemingly accidental deaths in three weeks. Rhodes has never encountered this many accidental deaths so close together in such a short period of time. So he begins to investigate. During his inquiries he acquires a new dog, an old car, and gets shot, all while two separate historical groups are trying to steal an old historical cabin and move it elsewhere.
An action packed slice of Rhodes's normally quiet and humorous filled life in a small town.
As Bill Crider proceeds to reduce the population of his small town, the first death concerns a man walking down a highway, late at night, with a can full gas when he is struck by a car, the gas ignites, and there is an explosion, and the man ceases to exist. Next we have a man swimming late at night who drowns after the branch of a tree falls on his fragile head. Last but not least is the man sitting in his car drinking a bottle of whiskey, has the yearnings for a smoke, lights one up and catches himself on fire from the whiskey he has spilled all over himself.
Three seemingly accidental deaths in three weeks. Rhodes has never encountered this many accidental deaths so close together in such a short period of time. So he begins to investigate. During his inquiries he acquires a new dog, an old car, and gets shot, all while two separate historical groups are trying to steal an old historical cabin and move it elsewhere.
An action packed slice of Rhodes's normally quiet and humorous filled life in a small town.
July 15, 2020
This is an enjoyable series filled with small town characters. Rhodes is kind of a Texas 'Columbo' who talks to suspects and finally figures out who did what. In this one three murders are made to look like accidents, but Rhodes realizes there are too many accidents and begins to investigate. Recommended.
July 25, 2009
Three bizarre accidental deaths is about three too many for Blacklin County, sheriff Dan Rhodes decides. It's true that all three men spent time at the low-life County Line tavern, but surely there must be something else linking the three. Was it the enmity of a local evangelical preacher, or the fact that they all worked with automobiles? Rhodes puts his life on the line, not once but several times, to find out the truth.
April 2, 2018
Sheriff Rhoades works mostly by intuition and hunches. He talks to people and watches their reactions....and sometimes things just fall into place. Always some quirky situations and characters and always an easy read - a mystery series to enjoy without having to do much heavy thinking.
August 1, 2015
Another excellent mystery by Bill Crider.
August 8, 2012
#9 in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. I find it amusing that in a tiny Texas town, too small to support two hardware stores, there are two fiercely competitive Historical Societies.
Dan Rhodes faces two suspicious "accidental" deaths within two weeks, not to mention a squabble between two local historical societies that threatens to get nasty (and violent) at any moment. This is a gentle mystery more concerned with character and story than gunplay and tough-guy cliches.
Dan Rhodes faces two suspicious "accidental" deaths within two weeks, not to mention a squabble between two local historical societies that threatens to get nasty (and violent) at any moment. This is a gentle mystery more concerned with character and story than gunplay and tough-guy cliches.
August 25, 2015
A pleasant read but I found i difficult to keep all the various characters... and I do mean characters... straight. Perhaps it would have been easier had I read more of the previous eight books in the series.
December 23, 2015
When I started this Bill Crider series, I enjoyed Sheriff Rhodes as a well rounded character, but then the books just had him as a grumpy old person, not really enjoying life or his job. This book got the character back on tract and I enjoyed it.
March 17, 2014
Another Sherrif Dan Rhoades mystery. Easy, fast read.
January 22, 2016
Dan Rhodes mystery series. Godo read. Texas
July 20, 2016
Very good book! I had no idea who the killer was!!!
January 24, 2019
Well written mystery. Interesting characters and setting. Thoroughly enjoyable!
May 12, 2025
“Death by Accident” sees Sheriff Dan Rhodes investigating three deaths in a few days.
All seem accidental, but he quickly realises that someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make it seem that way.
Also on his cards are the theft of several emus from a speculative farmer, one of several in the area, and a row between two local historical societies concerning the address of a small historic home.
Along the way Dan picks up the car of his boyhood dream and a dog!
As with the series in general the case is finally solved when all the pieces come together for Dan (he's always right) and the suspect either attacks Dan or confesses, sometimes both in quick succession.
I must admit to being heartily sick of the running joke that is Hank and Lawton concerning their reluctance to just spit information out rather than conducting a quiz each and every time. Gimme the job for a day and they'd be history.
Another easy read in a series that is cosy and (mostly) predictable.
3 Stars.
All seem accidental, but he quickly realises that someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make it seem that way.
Also on his cards are the theft of several emus from a speculative farmer, one of several in the area, and a row between two local historical societies concerning the address of a small historic home.
Along the way Dan picks up the car of his boyhood dream and a dog!
As with the series in general the case is finally solved when all the pieces come together for Dan (he's always right) and the suspect either attacks Dan or confesses, sometimes both in quick succession.
I must admit to being heartily sick of the running joke that is Hank and Lawton concerning their reluctance to just spit information out rather than conducting a quiz each and every time. Gimme the job for a day and they'd be history.
Another easy read in a series that is cosy and (mostly) predictable.
3 Stars.
September 24, 2024
Deserves 3.5 stars. Easy to read and enjoyable story about a down-to earth sheriff in a small Texas town.
Two seemingly accidental deaths of men in town occur in 2 weeks. Both of them took place under strange circumstances: a man floating in the old swimming pool at the edge of town and a man who blew up while carrying a can of gasoline across a field.
Sheriff Dan Rhodes is convinced the deaths were not accidental and that they were somehow linked. His investigation involves several colorful characters in town.
Two seemingly accidental deaths of men in town occur in 2 weeks. Both of them took place under strange circumstances: a man floating in the old swimming pool at the edge of town and a man who blew up while carrying a can of gasoline across a field.
Sheriff Dan Rhodes is convinced the deaths were not accidental and that they were somehow linked. His investigation involves several colorful characters in town.
April 10, 2022
Catching up on Sheriff Rhodes with some of the earlier books. Still think the two old codgers working in the sheriff's office/jail are over played - too much comic relief when not needed - and basically just filler to add pages to the book. The random characters come and go. This keeps the stories moving with some supporters being needed regularly like the doc and the coroner while others fill as events are developed where they fit.
July 25, 2022
“Two men die mysteriously in a quiet Texas town one explodes, and the other is found naked and face down in a remote swimming pool and Sheriff Rhodes has to link the two before rumors take hold and panic reigns.” The book is written in an entertaining, sly comical manner ---a fun read!
November 20, 2024
Largely forgettable; read the publisher's synopsis, and you've basically read the book. I downloaded this in the summer of 2013, so it's good to at least get it off the hard drive and be done with it.
May 2, 2023
I couldn't stand the names of the characters who may have been the murderers, and it certainly was a most unimaginative book title.
March 26, 2025
Fun quick read. While this is part of a series, it stands alone. I really enjoyed the banter between Hack and Lawson.
July 17, 2025
Nice addition to the Sheriff Rhodes series!
December 28, 2014
Rhodes Again
Dan Rhodes, the most likeable sheriff in Texas, is back for another adventure. Blacklin County is a sparsely populated county and its citizens are not particularly accident prone, so why are the fatal accidents mounting up? Sheriff Rhodes is not convinced they are accidents and it appears that someone does not appreciate the sheriff's probing into the causes of the deaths. Rhodes is both puzzled and in peril as he doggedly investigates what is going on in Blacklin County. As always, a visit to the county is a pleasant way to spend time.
Dan Rhodes, the most likeable sheriff in Texas, is back for another adventure. Blacklin County is a sparsely populated county and its citizens are not particularly accident prone, so why are the fatal accidents mounting up? Sheriff Rhodes is not convinced they are accidents and it appears that someone does not appreciate the sheriff's probing into the causes of the deaths. Rhodes is both puzzled and in peril as he doggedly investigates what is going on in Blacklin County. As always, a visit to the county is a pleasant way to spend time.
April 5, 2012
I really like this mystery series set in rural Texas.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews