What do you think?
Rate this book
Joe Bain #1-3
The Joe Bain Mysteries
"Bucolic San Rodrigo County, nestled in California's Coast Range, is home to communities of truck farms, fruit orchards, and sleepy gas stations. The passing of old sheriff Cucchinello has left county law enforcement in the hands of officer Joe Bain, single father of a teenage daughter.
The responsibilities of the acting sheriff are suddenly complicated—in a dangerous way—when residents of Fox Valley and Pleasant Grove begin to die under violent and unlikely circumstances. Acting Sheriff Bain is caught between the political necessities of an upcoming election, and the urgent need to solve grisly crimes committed against ordinary folk of Rodrigo County.
Published together in the Joe Bain omnibus are The Fox Valley Murders and The Pleasant Grove Murders, hard-to-find examples of Jack Vance's masterful detective fiction from the '60s. Vance brings rural California from a half-century ago to vivid life, and introduces a variety of intricate characters with all the detail readers expect from his fantasy and science fiction works.
These two books, with an accompanying outline for a third entry in the Joe Bain series, The Genesee Slough Murders, demonstrate Vance's ability to transport his readers into a seamlessly-crafted locale, teeming with believable characters who grab your interest from the first page."
The responsibilities of the acting sheriff are suddenly complicated—in a dangerous way—when residents of Fox Valley and Pleasant Grove begin to die under violent and unlikely circumstances. Acting Sheriff Bain is caught between the political necessities of an upcoming election, and the urgent need to solve grisly crimes committed against ordinary folk of Rodrigo County.
Published together in the Joe Bain omnibus are The Fox Valley Murders and The Pleasant Grove Murders, hard-to-find examples of Jack Vance's masterful detective fiction from the '60s. Vance brings rural California from a half-century ago to vivid life, and introduces a variety of intricate characters with all the detail readers expect from his fantasy and science fiction works.
These two books, with an accompanying outline for a third entry in the Joe Bain series, The Genesee Slough Murders, demonstrate Vance's ability to transport his readers into a seamlessly-crafted locale, teeming with believable characters who grab your interest from the first page."
ebook
First published January 1, 2013
14 people want to read
About the author
Jack Vance
779 books1,590 followersAka John Holbrook Vance, Peter Held, John Holbrook, Ellery Queen, John van See, Alan Wade.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 30, 2024
Here are reviews of each of the three Joe Bain novels included:
Fox Valley Murders, The-novel (Joe Bain #1)
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
The Fox Valley Murders is a mystery novel that was written in 1964 and published in 1966 under the name John Holbrook Vance. This is the real name of the famous writer Jack Vance. It is available in a very nice Spatterlight paperback and as a Subterranean Press hardcover titled Desperate Days: Selected Mysteries Volume Two. (Along with The Pleasant Grove Murders and The Dark Ocean.)
The Fox Valley Murders introduces the character, Joe Bain, the acting sheriff in the fictional county of San Rodrigo "a few hours drive south east of San Francisco." Here almost everybody knows each other, nothing is secret for very long and a person's history is readily recalled. Joe, for example, was not the most well behaved teenager when he grew up in the area so many people are surprised that he has become the acting sheriff.
Joe is the acting sheriff because the elected one died a few days ago. While he would never have run against the incumbent sheriff, Joe now decides to run for the position. In the upcoming election he will be opposed by a former San Francisco attorney, Lee Gervase, who is young, progressive, energetic, determined, slick, and very ambitious and wants to bring major changes to the county including replacing the historic courthouse with a new modern building. Joe loves the old courthouse and does not advocate growth or modernization. Instead he represents "honest, efficient law enforcement without fear of favoritism." The local newspaper, the Chamber of Commerce and several well to do citizens want more economic growth and change so they strongly support the opposing candidate Gervase. The local newspaper reporter, Griselda, will not even write anything positive about Joe in the paper because he supports Gervase. Griselda, along with Bain’s daughter and mother, appear again as characters in the second and final Joe Bain mystery, The Pleasant Grove Murders.
Many of the residents vividly recall the murder of a thirteen year old local girl that happened sixteen years ago. A local man, Ausley Wyett, was convicted and sent to prison. News has been released that Wyett has just been paroled from San Quentin after having served sixteen years. Even though Wyett claims he was falsely convicted, many people in town are unhappy or even outraged that he is returning to the area.
Locals become even more upset when Wyett arrives home and immediately sends letters to five local men who testified against him at his trial. Although the five identical letters are not threatening, they do mention how "dreadful" prison was and ask each recipient, "How do you plan to make this up to me?" When one of these men die in what appears to be an accident, Wyett is suspected of possibly being involved with his death. When a second of the five former witnesses subsequently dies in an unusual accident, local citizens become even more alarmed. They pressure Joe, as acting sheriff, to do something.
Joe, in the meantime, has been busy investigating why somebody put water in Bus Hacker's gas tank forcing him to walk to the post office to pick up some important mail. Then a local house burns down in what looks like arson and a large group of local boys get into a fight with another group of boys who live in a strict religious commune called Nazareth. In addition, the office manager at the police station, Mrs. Rostvolt, is resistant to Joe's new leadership, listens in on his phone conversations, tries to make decisions that the sheriff should be making and appears to be taking bribes from a local restaurant that supplies meals for the prisoners. He even finds out that she has been taking kick backs from the sponsors of local cockfights. Everyone knows, after all, that the previous sheriff encouraged these sort of things by accepting money and favors from others.
Vance creates a fascinating, old fashioned portrait of a small rural community with its down to earth, homespun characters. (He provided an even more detailed portrait of such people in his subsequent Joe Bain book, The Pleasant Grove Murders.) The novel is full of quaint interactions such as when Joe is offered a beer while on duty. He eventually agrees to have a drink after his friends in the bar joke with him that, "You might get the church vote by staying sober, but you lose the confidence of the drunks." The narrative and characters are down to earth and often humorous and there is an intricate plot along with vivid descriptions of an atmospheric time and place.
As Joe investigates the murders he also does his best not to lose too many votes by upsetting citizens. His opponent offered to let Joe maintain his job if he did not run for sheriff but Joe decided to run anyhow. If he loses the election Gervase has indicated he would fire Joe. So won’t just lose a promotion if he is not elected sheriff. He will also become unemployed.
This is the third time I have carefully read this novel and, as with many Vance writings, I found that I liked it even better after rereading it. The plot is improbable and the conclusion seems rushed, but the characters are interesting and Vance's charm is there. I’ve read this novel three times so far. I had initially rated it a 3 "liked it" after the first reading but am now rating it a Goodread's 4 which means "really liked it." The Fox Valley Murders is recommended to Jack Vance fans, mystery readers and those who appreciate skillful writing, with humor, an intriguing plot and a picturesque, rural, folksy, small town setting in a bygone era.
Vance-Pleasant Grove Murders, The
The Pleasant Grove Murders is a 184 page mystery novel that was written in 1965 and first published in 1967 by John Holbrook Vance. This is the real name of the famous and remarkably talented science fiction/fantasy writer, Jack Vance. The book is available in a very nice Spatterlight Press paperback and in hardover under the title of Desperate Days: Selected Mysteries Volume Two by Subterranean Press. Desperate Days also includes two other Vance mystery novels The Fox Valley Murders and The Deadly isles.
The setting is in a fictitious setting "a few hours drive south east of San Francisco," named Pleasant Grove in San Rodrigo County. There is an emphasis on creating the atmosphere of a small, rural town with odd or unusual characters who know everything about each other. And, of course, there is a murder and investigation by our honest, down home, local sheriff, Joe Bain.
Bain's wife deserted him and their daughter, Miranda, fifteen years ago to run off with a cowboy guitar player. He lives in a small, rather run down house with his daughter and mother who both encourage him to move to a better neighborhood. Although he is not a brilliant detective or an idealized or heroic character, Joe is competent, honest and persistent at his job. He is not above having a beer or two with people while he is on duty and even develops a romantic interest in a woman he meets during an investigation. At one point he comes out on the bottom in a scuffle with a young man who is bothering his daughter. Joe also frequently worries about being re-elected even though his salary is pitifully low. When he performs a good dead, such as helping a woman with a flat tire, he is not above thinking that he might have earned an extra vote or two in the next election by doing so. Joe is a very down to earth and sympathetic character so when things go wrong or when he is hounded by a critical news reporter, Howard Griselda, we naturally root for Joe. And Joe can use all the rooting he can get because he seems over his head in a murder investigation that appears to be growing increasingly out of control. Joe even begins to wonder if he isn't the "meathead" that Griselda suggests he is.
Our story actually begins seven years previously when two rich kids object to a tree house a poor kid, Bill Whipple, made on their extensive, forested property. This early incident with the tree house introduces some of the characters and later ties back into the storyline. Seven years later a mail delivery person (Ken) is found bludgeoned to death by a hammer in a well to do Pleasant Grove neighborhood. None of the mail was stolen or tampered with but a Life magazine with the address label removed was mysteriously placed under Ken's head after he was killed. Also, he was found in his parked mail truck but the truck apparently had not been parked there until the morning after the death. So it appears that the mail truck was stored somewhere else overnight. It also seems likely that the killer dressed in Ken's postal clothes and delivered some of the mail so that nobody would know which house he last visited when he was murdered. Of course all the neighborhood near the incident of the murder are highly suspect but no motive can be determined and evidence does not point to anybody in particular. One of the main questions is whether Ken was killed for personal reasons or because of the mail he was delivering.
While investigating the murder with help from his deputies, the postal service and local citizens, Joe has other events to deal with. A Swiss farm hand who climbs up a silo and begins shooting at people with a .22 rifle. A woman complains that she was pelted clods of dirt by unseen persons while she worked in her garden. A tool shed is reported to have been broken into and the owner brings in photos of the broken hinges as evidence. A resident complains in a memorandum to Joe that his neighbor has trays of water in her yard that are a breeding grounds for mosquitoes. It turns out that this is a local woman, Luna, who claims to be on a mission from the alien planet of Arthemisia. She has large trays of water in her yard so she can communicate with her thought rays with those on her home planet. Joe finds her attractive. Joe also finds attractive an old roadhouse bar and motel that is for sale and tries to purchase it without the owner knowing who the buyer is. And there the local newspaper owner and reporter, Howard Griselda, who tries to make Joe appear to be incompetent. Griselda gave Joe a hard time in The Fox River Murders novel and seems now to be even more vengeful and biased with his questions and news articles. But Joe is not above using unseemly tactics himself to defend himself from the invective reporter. Joe is also fond of beer, Scotch and pinot noir.
Vance's humor is generously distributed throughout this mystery, and we see some of his gift for creating interesting dialog, for vividly describing details of times, people and places and for fleshing out eccentric characters. Overall the narration is good if not as dazzling as Vance could be. And, although the plot is rather straightforward, it is not very predictable and the story is quite appealing and has its charm. The time and setting are fascinating and small town class distinctions are a crucial theme. For the general reader and those who like Vance's writing style, this novel is highly recommended and should provide an easy and enjoyable reading. If this novel appeals to you be sure to check out Vance's earlier The Fox River Murders and his unfinished but still interesting The Genesee Slough Murders. It is enjoyable to compare the three novels and helpful to reread them. This is the third time I have read The Pleasant Grove Murders and I’ve liked it even better upon rereading so am changing my initial rating of a 3 "Liked it" to a 4 "really liked it."
"The Genesee Slough Murders" was written in 1966 and is a 25 page long outline for another mystery novel involving Joe Bain, a likeable, competent sheriff in a rural county in northern California. It was first published in 2012 by Subterranean Press in the book called Desperate Days: Selected Mysteries, Volume Two. Although this has been referred to as "an outline for a novel," it is much more than just an outline. It is more of a Joe Bain mystery novelette with some of the chapters left as summaries. It appears that Vance was going to expand the story into a full novel or at least a novella. Despite its brevity, the story has a beginning, middle and end, although the resolution and ending seem rushed. But it has some interesting characters, a colorful setting, some Vancian humor, and a snappy dialog with enough intrigue to engage us in the story. Joe Bain is the clever but down to earth sheriff in the fictitious northern California county of San Rodrigo that has a long levee running through it and seems very similar to San Joaquin or Sacramento counties which are listed as being nearby. Bain and his seventeen year old daughter, Miranda, live together in a small house in a rural setting near the levee. Another character we have seen in other Joe Bain novels is the news reporter, Howard Griselda, who is self serving and frequently a pain in the ass to Joe Bain, whose job activities he frequently criticizes despite Bain's stellar performance. Bain initially investigates a local home burglary which he cleverly and efficiently solves. Next he is involved with keeping the peace at a protest rally on the levee where hippies in trees urinate down in protest while other demonstrators on the ground attempt to block a bulldozer from knocking over the trees. The roots of the trees are endangering the levee, but public opinion is divided between those who want to protect the trees and those (especially the farmers and local newspaper) who want to protect the levee. Joe is encouraged from both sides to make arrests and can't seem to please either side. Soon after the protest he receives a report of a car crash in the slough with a woman and baby in it both dead. Two days later three people are shot and killed in their homes in separate but probably related incidents. Joe investigates an irascible old man who lives on a houseboat and has been shooting at water skiers with a gun with the same caliber as the murder weapon. One of the men killed had a previous run in with one of the hippies, named Dakota Slim, so Joe also visits him and is "oinked" at by one of the other hippies. Joe is warned about this hippie when he is told, "Don't fool with him," says Dakota Slim. "He's trained in yoga." The Genesee Slough Murders had the potential of being one of Vance's better novels, perhaps even one of his finest. I did like and was fascinated by the story even though it is only partially completed. But it will probably appeal mostly to Vance fans rather then the general public or mystery readers. I rated it a 3 "liked it" out of 5 when applying Goodread's standards.
Fox Valley Murders, The-novel (Joe Bain #1)
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
The Fox Valley Murders is a mystery novel that was written in 1964 and published in 1966 under the name John Holbrook Vance. This is the real name of the famous writer Jack Vance. It is available in a very nice Spatterlight paperback and as a Subterranean Press hardcover titled Desperate Days: Selected Mysteries Volume Two. (Along with The Pleasant Grove Murders and The Dark Ocean.)
The Fox Valley Murders introduces the character, Joe Bain, the acting sheriff in the fictional county of San Rodrigo "a few hours drive south east of San Francisco." Here almost everybody knows each other, nothing is secret for very long and a person's history is readily recalled. Joe, for example, was not the most well behaved teenager when he grew up in the area so many people are surprised that he has become the acting sheriff.
Joe is the acting sheriff because the elected one died a few days ago. While he would never have run against the incumbent sheriff, Joe now decides to run for the position. In the upcoming election he will be opposed by a former San Francisco attorney, Lee Gervase, who is young, progressive, energetic, determined, slick, and very ambitious and wants to bring major changes to the county including replacing the historic courthouse with a new modern building. Joe loves the old courthouse and does not advocate growth or modernization. Instead he represents "honest, efficient law enforcement without fear of favoritism." The local newspaper, the Chamber of Commerce and several well to do citizens want more economic growth and change so they strongly support the opposing candidate Gervase. The local newspaper reporter, Griselda, will not even write anything positive about Joe in the paper because he supports Gervase. Griselda, along with Bain’s daughter and mother, appear again as characters in the second and final Joe Bain mystery, The Pleasant Grove Murders.
Many of the residents vividly recall the murder of a thirteen year old local girl that happened sixteen years ago. A local man, Ausley Wyett, was convicted and sent to prison. News has been released that Wyett has just been paroled from San Quentin after having served sixteen years. Even though Wyett claims he was falsely convicted, many people in town are unhappy or even outraged that he is returning to the area.
Locals become even more upset when Wyett arrives home and immediately sends letters to five local men who testified against him at his trial. Although the five identical letters are not threatening, they do mention how "dreadful" prison was and ask each recipient, "How do you plan to make this up to me?" When one of these men die in what appears to be an accident, Wyett is suspected of possibly being involved with his death. When a second of the five former witnesses subsequently dies in an unusual accident, local citizens become even more alarmed. They pressure Joe, as acting sheriff, to do something.
Joe, in the meantime, has been busy investigating why somebody put water in Bus Hacker's gas tank forcing him to walk to the post office to pick up some important mail. Then a local house burns down in what looks like arson and a large group of local boys get into a fight with another group of boys who live in a strict religious commune called Nazareth. In addition, the office manager at the police station, Mrs. Rostvolt, is resistant to Joe's new leadership, listens in on his phone conversations, tries to make decisions that the sheriff should be making and appears to be taking bribes from a local restaurant that supplies meals for the prisoners. He even finds out that she has been taking kick backs from the sponsors of local cockfights. Everyone knows, after all, that the previous sheriff encouraged these sort of things by accepting money and favors from others.
Vance creates a fascinating, old fashioned portrait of a small rural community with its down to earth, homespun characters. (He provided an even more detailed portrait of such people in his subsequent Joe Bain book, The Pleasant Grove Murders.) The novel is full of quaint interactions such as when Joe is offered a beer while on duty. He eventually agrees to have a drink after his friends in the bar joke with him that, "You might get the church vote by staying sober, but you lose the confidence of the drunks." The narrative and characters are down to earth and often humorous and there is an intricate plot along with vivid descriptions of an atmospheric time and place.
As Joe investigates the murders he also does his best not to lose too many votes by upsetting citizens. His opponent offered to let Joe maintain his job if he did not run for sheriff but Joe decided to run anyhow. If he loses the election Gervase has indicated he would fire Joe. So won’t just lose a promotion if he is not elected sheriff. He will also become unemployed.
This is the third time I have carefully read this novel and, as with many Vance writings, I found that I liked it even better after rereading it. The plot is improbable and the conclusion seems rushed, but the characters are interesting and Vance's charm is there. I’ve read this novel three times so far. I had initially rated it a 3 "liked it" after the first reading but am now rating it a Goodread's 4 which means "really liked it." The Fox Valley Murders is recommended to Jack Vance fans, mystery readers and those who appreciate skillful writing, with humor, an intriguing plot and a picturesque, rural, folksy, small town setting in a bygone era.
Vance-Pleasant Grove Murders, The
The Pleasant Grove Murders is a 184 page mystery novel that was written in 1965 and first published in 1967 by John Holbrook Vance. This is the real name of the famous and remarkably talented science fiction/fantasy writer, Jack Vance. The book is available in a very nice Spatterlight Press paperback and in hardover under the title of Desperate Days: Selected Mysteries Volume Two by Subterranean Press. Desperate Days also includes two other Vance mystery novels The Fox Valley Murders and The Deadly isles.
The setting is in a fictitious setting "a few hours drive south east of San Francisco," named Pleasant Grove in San Rodrigo County. There is an emphasis on creating the atmosphere of a small, rural town with odd or unusual characters who know everything about each other. And, of course, there is a murder and investigation by our honest, down home, local sheriff, Joe Bain.
Bain's wife deserted him and their daughter, Miranda, fifteen years ago to run off with a cowboy guitar player. He lives in a small, rather run down house with his daughter and mother who both encourage him to move to a better neighborhood. Although he is not a brilliant detective or an idealized or heroic character, Joe is competent, honest and persistent at his job. He is not above having a beer or two with people while he is on duty and even develops a romantic interest in a woman he meets during an investigation. At one point he comes out on the bottom in a scuffle with a young man who is bothering his daughter. Joe also frequently worries about being re-elected even though his salary is pitifully low. When he performs a good dead, such as helping a woman with a flat tire, he is not above thinking that he might have earned an extra vote or two in the next election by doing so. Joe is a very down to earth and sympathetic character so when things go wrong or when he is hounded by a critical news reporter, Howard Griselda, we naturally root for Joe. And Joe can use all the rooting he can get because he seems over his head in a murder investigation that appears to be growing increasingly out of control. Joe even begins to wonder if he isn't the "meathead" that Griselda suggests he is.
Our story actually begins seven years previously when two rich kids object to a tree house a poor kid, Bill Whipple, made on their extensive, forested property. This early incident with the tree house introduces some of the characters and later ties back into the storyline. Seven years later a mail delivery person (Ken) is found bludgeoned to death by a hammer in a well to do Pleasant Grove neighborhood. None of the mail was stolen or tampered with but a Life magazine with the address label removed was mysteriously placed under Ken's head after he was killed. Also, he was found in his parked mail truck but the truck apparently had not been parked there until the morning after the death. So it appears that the mail truck was stored somewhere else overnight. It also seems likely that the killer dressed in Ken's postal clothes and delivered some of the mail so that nobody would know which house he last visited when he was murdered. Of course all the neighborhood near the incident of the murder are highly suspect but no motive can be determined and evidence does not point to anybody in particular. One of the main questions is whether Ken was killed for personal reasons or because of the mail he was delivering.
While investigating the murder with help from his deputies, the postal service and local citizens, Joe has other events to deal with. A Swiss farm hand who climbs up a silo and begins shooting at people with a .22 rifle. A woman complains that she was pelted clods of dirt by unseen persons while she worked in her garden. A tool shed is reported to have been broken into and the owner brings in photos of the broken hinges as evidence. A resident complains in a memorandum to Joe that his neighbor has trays of water in her yard that are a breeding grounds for mosquitoes. It turns out that this is a local woman, Luna, who claims to be on a mission from the alien planet of Arthemisia. She has large trays of water in her yard so she can communicate with her thought rays with those on her home planet. Joe finds her attractive. Joe also finds attractive an old roadhouse bar and motel that is for sale and tries to purchase it without the owner knowing who the buyer is. And there the local newspaper owner and reporter, Howard Griselda, who tries to make Joe appear to be incompetent. Griselda gave Joe a hard time in The Fox River Murders novel and seems now to be even more vengeful and biased with his questions and news articles. But Joe is not above using unseemly tactics himself to defend himself from the invective reporter. Joe is also fond of beer, Scotch and pinot noir.
Vance's humor is generously distributed throughout this mystery, and we see some of his gift for creating interesting dialog, for vividly describing details of times, people and places and for fleshing out eccentric characters. Overall the narration is good if not as dazzling as Vance could be. And, although the plot is rather straightforward, it is not very predictable and the story is quite appealing and has its charm. The time and setting are fascinating and small town class distinctions are a crucial theme. For the general reader and those who like Vance's writing style, this novel is highly recommended and should provide an easy and enjoyable reading. If this novel appeals to you be sure to check out Vance's earlier The Fox River Murders and his unfinished but still interesting The Genesee Slough Murders. It is enjoyable to compare the three novels and helpful to reread them. This is the third time I have read The Pleasant Grove Murders and I’ve liked it even better upon rereading so am changing my initial rating of a 3 "Liked it" to a 4 "really liked it."
"The Genesee Slough Murders" was written in 1966 and is a 25 page long outline for another mystery novel involving Joe Bain, a likeable, competent sheriff in a rural county in northern California. It was first published in 2012 by Subterranean Press in the book called Desperate Days: Selected Mysteries, Volume Two. Although this has been referred to as "an outline for a novel," it is much more than just an outline. It is more of a Joe Bain mystery novelette with some of the chapters left as summaries. It appears that Vance was going to expand the story into a full novel or at least a novella. Despite its brevity, the story has a beginning, middle and end, although the resolution and ending seem rushed. But it has some interesting characters, a colorful setting, some Vancian humor, and a snappy dialog with enough intrigue to engage us in the story. Joe Bain is the clever but down to earth sheriff in the fictitious northern California county of San Rodrigo that has a long levee running through it and seems very similar to San Joaquin or Sacramento counties which are listed as being nearby. Bain and his seventeen year old daughter, Miranda, live together in a small house in a rural setting near the levee. Another character we have seen in other Joe Bain novels is the news reporter, Howard Griselda, who is self serving and frequently a pain in the ass to Joe Bain, whose job activities he frequently criticizes despite Bain's stellar performance. Bain initially investigates a local home burglary which he cleverly and efficiently solves. Next he is involved with keeping the peace at a protest rally on the levee where hippies in trees urinate down in protest while other demonstrators on the ground attempt to block a bulldozer from knocking over the trees. The roots of the trees are endangering the levee, but public opinion is divided between those who want to protect the trees and those (especially the farmers and local newspaper) who want to protect the levee. Joe is encouraged from both sides to make arrests and can't seem to please either side. Soon after the protest he receives a report of a car crash in the slough with a woman and baby in it both dead. Two days later three people are shot and killed in their homes in separate but probably related incidents. Joe investigates an irascible old man who lives on a houseboat and has been shooting at water skiers with a gun with the same caliber as the murder weapon. One of the men killed had a previous run in with one of the hippies, named Dakota Slim, so Joe also visits him and is "oinked" at by one of the other hippies. Joe is warned about this hippie when he is told, "Don't fool with him," says Dakota Slim. "He's trained in yoga." The Genesee Slough Murders had the potential of being one of Vance's better novels, perhaps even one of his finest. I did like and was fascinated by the story even though it is only partially completed. But it will probably appeal mostly to Vance fans rather then the general public or mystery readers. I rated it a 3 "liked it" out of 5 when applying Goodread's standards.
January 15, 2017
One of the best murder mysteries that I've ever had the pleasure to read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews