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Sheriff Dan Rhodes #25
That Old Scoundrel Death
Beloved Texas Sheriff Dan Rhodes is back with his final murder case in That Old Scoundrel Death.
When a man is run off the road by a thug with a snake tattooed around his neck, Sheriff Dan Rhodes knows it's his duty to stop and help out. The grateful victim gives his name as Cal Stinson, on his way to the nearby town of Thurston to take a look at the old school building before the city tears it down.
The next day, Cal Stinson turns up again. Only this time, he's dead.
His body is found in the dilapidated school that's about to be razed, and the woman who let Cal onto the premises claims he gave his name as Bruce Wayne. Whoever is he is, he was shot in the back of the head, and a piece of chalk lies inches away from his hand, under a lone line on the chalkboard, his last words unfinished.
Between not-so-bright hoodlums who can't seem to stay on the right side of the law, powerful families in town who are ready to go to battle over whether the old school should come down, and trying futilely to get private detective Seepy Benton to stop making mountains of mole hills, Sheriff Rhodes is beginning to wonder if retirement might be as good as it sounds.
When a man is run off the road by a thug with a snake tattooed around his neck, Sheriff Dan Rhodes knows it's his duty to stop and help out. The grateful victim gives his name as Cal Stinson, on his way to the nearby town of Thurston to take a look at the old school building before the city tears it down.
The next day, Cal Stinson turns up again. Only this time, he's dead.
His body is found in the dilapidated school that's about to be razed, and the woman who let Cal onto the premises claims he gave his name as Bruce Wayne. Whoever is he is, he was shot in the back of the head, and a piece of chalk lies inches away from his hand, under a lone line on the chalkboard, his last words unfinished.
Between not-so-bright hoodlums who can't seem to stay on the right side of the law, powerful families in town who are ready to go to battle over whether the old school should come down, and trying futilely to get private detective Seepy Benton to stop making mountains of mole hills, Sheriff Rhodes is beginning to wonder if retirement might be as good as it sounds.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 19, 2019
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 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 28, 2019
That Old Scoundrel Death by Bill Crider is a 2019 Minotaur publication.
Dueling news blogs, a decayed school building, his deputies, and the mayor are giving Sheriff Dan Rhodes fits. But when a body is found in the abandoned school, the chameleon victim places three prominent families under suspicion, all of them pointing fingers at the other. The sheriff has his work cut out for him trying to find out who the victim is, and why someone would want him dead.
The deeper he digs the more explosive the case becomes. Not only that, it happens to be an election year and the good sheriff is pondering his future. Should he seek re-election or hang up his badge?
This series never fails to charm me. While the stories are loaded with hysterical banter and odd duck characters, the mystery is always a top-notch whodunit. I climbed aboard this series a bit late in the game and now I’m glad I did, as there are still many books I haven’t read.
That means I won’t really have to say good-bye to the sheriff for a good long while. It is rare for a long-running series to stay fresh, and I’m sure there are a few stale chapters back there somewhere, but I’m thrilled this series went out on a high note. I still think of Bill from time to time and am so happy I discovered this quaint mystery series.
5 stars
Dueling news blogs, a decayed school building, his deputies, and the mayor are giving Sheriff Dan Rhodes fits. But when a body is found in the abandoned school, the chameleon victim places three prominent families under suspicion, all of them pointing fingers at the other. The sheriff has his work cut out for him trying to find out who the victim is, and why someone would want him dead.
The deeper he digs the more explosive the case becomes. Not only that, it happens to be an election year and the good sheriff is pondering his future. Should he seek re-election or hang up his badge?
This series never fails to charm me. While the stories are loaded with hysterical banter and odd duck characters, the mystery is always a top-notch whodunit. I climbed aboard this series a bit late in the game and now I’m glad I did, as there are still many books I haven’t read.
That means I won’t really have to say good-bye to the sheriff for a good long while. It is rare for a long-running series to stay fresh, and I’m sure there are a few stale chapters back there somewhere, but I’m thrilled this series went out on a high note. I still think of Bill from time to time and am so happy I discovered this quaint mystery series.
5 stars
February 26, 2019
Knowing “That Old Scoundrel Death” will be the last Bill Crider book we will ever see from this fine author, brought a certain sadness to reading this, the 25th book in the Sherriff Dan Rhodes series .
The official first book of the series was 1986’s “Too Late To Die” but was not, however, the book that may have started it all. There was a running gag throughout many of the books concerning terrorists taking over Blacklin County in Texas. Just ask the town’s commissioners. But the sheriff just does not believe it, or even think the possibility is likely. It’s more than likely this came from Crider’s first published book written with a friend in 1981, a Nick Carter book titled “Coyote Connection”
Bill Crider (July 28, 1941 – February 12, 2018). Bill taught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and went on to become the Chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas. In addition to teaching, Bill’s passions included reading, writing, book-collecting, music, movies, blogging, and cats. Bill was a prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children’s books.
Bill, along with comedian/TV weatherman Willard Scott wrote a couple of cozy whodunits, featuring of course, a nationally recognized weather forecaster by the name of Stanley Waters. The books are, “Murder \ Under Blue Skies” (1998) and “Murder in the Mist” (1999).
The Sheriff Dan Rhodes novels are character driven with a significant amount of wry humor. Two of my favorite characters are Hack, the dispatcher, and Lawton, the jailer. They give Rhodes grief, and make him work for every piece of information. Their roles have increased over the life of the series.
“That Old Scoundrel Death” is about the murder of a man with a penchant for using fake names, who was found shot to death in an abandoned Clearview, Tex., school building. The day before the murder, Rhodes rescued the man, then calling himself Cal Stinson, from a local troublemaker, Kenny Lambert, who ran him off the road and then pulled a gun on him. The lawman defused the situation, but after Stinson is killed, Rhodes wonders whether Lambert still intended Stinson harm.
It’s quite difficult saying good bye to the sheriff and his author.
The official first book of the series was 1986’s “Too Late To Die” but was not, however, the book that may have started it all. There was a running gag throughout many of the books concerning terrorists taking over Blacklin County in Texas. Just ask the town’s commissioners. But the sheriff just does not believe it, or even think the possibility is likely. It’s more than likely this came from Crider’s first published book written with a friend in 1981, a Nick Carter book titled “Coyote Connection”
Bill Crider (July 28, 1941 – February 12, 2018). Bill taught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and went on to become the Chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas. In addition to teaching, Bill’s passions included reading, writing, book-collecting, music, movies, blogging, and cats. Bill was a prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children’s books.
Bill, along with comedian/TV weatherman Willard Scott wrote a couple of cozy whodunits, featuring of course, a nationally recognized weather forecaster by the name of Stanley Waters. The books are, “Murder \ Under Blue Skies” (1998) and “Murder in the Mist” (1999).
The Sheriff Dan Rhodes novels are character driven with a significant amount of wry humor. Two of my favorite characters are Hack, the dispatcher, and Lawton, the jailer. They give Rhodes grief, and make him work for every piece of information. Their roles have increased over the life of the series.
“That Old Scoundrel Death” is about the murder of a man with a penchant for using fake names, who was found shot to death in an abandoned Clearview, Tex., school building. The day before the murder, Rhodes rescued the man, then calling himself Cal Stinson, from a local troublemaker, Kenny Lambert, who ran him off the road and then pulled a gun on him. The lawman defused the situation, but after Stinson is killed, Rhodes wonders whether Lambert still intended Stinson harm.
It’s quite difficult saying good bye to the sheriff and his author.
April 28, 2023
I first read this in 2019. I am now bringing this review to Goodreads.
This is the final book in the series due to the death of the author last year (2018).
Knowing “That Old Scoundrel Death” was the last book from this author, brought a certain sadness to reading this.
Still, I kept an open mind (since it was really the first I have read in his series.)
In the old days when I would lead my local Library Book Discussion Group I would do whatever I could to find out information about the author. So, being curious, I decided to look more into Bill Crider, especially his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. This is what I discovered:
The official first book of the series was 1986’s “Too Late To Die” but was not, however, the book that may have started it all. Apparently, there was a running gag throughout many of the books concerning terrorists taking over Blacklin County in Texas. (You can ask the town’s commissioners.) But the sheriff just does not believe it, or even think the possibility is likely. It’s more than likely this came from Crider’s first published book written with a friend in 1981, a Nick Carter book titled “Coyote Connection.”
Bill Crider (July 28, 1941 – February 12, 2018).
Crider taught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and went on to become the Chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas.
In addition to teaching, Crider’s passions included reading, writing, book-collecting, music, movies, blogging, and cats. Crider appeared to be a prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children’s books.
Crider, along with comedian/TV weatherman Willard Scott wrote a couple of cozy whodunits, featuring of course, a nationally recognized weather forecaster by the name of Stanley Waters.
The books are, “Murder \ Under Blue Skies” (1998) and “Murder in the Mist” (1999).
The Sheriff Dan Rhodes novels are character driven with a significant amount of wry humor. Two of his returning characters are Hack, the dispatcher, and Lawton, the jailer. They give Rhodes grief, and make him work for every piece of information.
(For me they were a bit annoying…but, that could just be me!)
Which leads me now to this story. How did I feel about it?
I guess we are lucky to have small town sleuths in the spirit of Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Interestingly enough, in this book, the Sheriff even thought of not running for office again. I guess we will never know.
This is the final book in the series due to the death of the author last year (2018).
Knowing “That Old Scoundrel Death” was the last book from this author, brought a certain sadness to reading this.
Still, I kept an open mind (since it was really the first I have read in his series.)
In the old days when I would lead my local Library Book Discussion Group I would do whatever I could to find out information about the author. So, being curious, I decided to look more into Bill Crider, especially his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. This is what I discovered:
The official first book of the series was 1986’s “Too Late To Die” but was not, however, the book that may have started it all. Apparently, there was a running gag throughout many of the books concerning terrorists taking over Blacklin County in Texas. (You can ask the town’s commissioners.) But the sheriff just does not believe it, or even think the possibility is likely. It’s more than likely this came from Crider’s first published book written with a friend in 1981, a Nick Carter book titled “Coyote Connection.”
Bill Crider (July 28, 1941 – February 12, 2018).
Crider taught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and went on to become the Chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas.
In addition to teaching, Crider’s passions included reading, writing, book-collecting, music, movies, blogging, and cats. Crider appeared to be a prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children’s books.
Crider, along with comedian/TV weatherman Willard Scott wrote a couple of cozy whodunits, featuring of course, a nationally recognized weather forecaster by the name of Stanley Waters.
The books are, “Murder \ Under Blue Skies” (1998) and “Murder in the Mist” (1999).
The Sheriff Dan Rhodes novels are character driven with a significant amount of wry humor. Two of his returning characters are Hack, the dispatcher, and Lawton, the jailer. They give Rhodes grief, and make him work for every piece of information.
(For me they were a bit annoying…but, that could just be me!)
Which leads me now to this story. How did I feel about it?
I guess we are lucky to have small town sleuths in the spirit of Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Interestingly enough, in this book, the Sheriff even thought of not running for office again. I guess we will never know.
June 2, 2019
This series always makes me laugh.
January 21, 2019
It isn’t a good thing to come across a man with a gun. Especially when the man with the gun is tweaking on meth. It is a hot August day in Blacklin County, Texas and while Rhodes is sweating because of the heat and having a gun pointed at him; the meth head is sweating and shaking because of the meth.
Some sort of road rage incident just happened before Rhodes came by in his patrol car. When all was said and done, the meth head decided to put a real scare in the other driver to teach him one heck of a lesson. Then Sheriff Rhodes went and showed up making things very complicated in the mind of the meth head known to one and all as Kenny Lambert. He has a history with local law enforcement going back a few years so Rhodes knows the man is not terribly bright on a good day. This is not a good day.
Rhodes also knows he screwed up by not figuring out what was going on fast enough and getting backup headed to them. He is on his own and things do not look good. That is until Kenny Lambert gets distracted by the victim. His action allows Sheriff Rhodes to get the gun and arrest Kenny.
All things considered, the victim is relatively okay and introduces himself as Carl Stinson. He plans on going home and cleaning himself up. He promises to come by the jail later and do the paperwork to bring charges against Kenny. Charges that Kenny will get along with the ones Sheriff Rhodes plans to bring because of having a gun pointed at him.
While it is not exactly normal procedure to let a victim go home and change before coming by the jail later to do the paperwork, Carl Stinson did promise to come by and should be in town for a while as he said he had plans to go look at the old school building nearby in Thurston. Some of the locals are pushing hard to finally bring the old building down before it comes down and maybe kills somebody in the process. The place is not very safe. Stinson says he is in town to see it as his grandmother went to school there. With another promise to appear at the jail, Sheriff Rhodes agrees and Cal Stinson drives off.
Sheriff Rhodes will come to regret that decision.
He is never seen alive again. Instead, he is soon found very much dead in the old school building. His name was not Cal Stinson either. Who he was and why he was shot in the back of the head are just two of the questions that Sheriff Dan Rhodes must answer in that That Old Scoundrel Death: A Dan Rhodes Mystery.
As one would expect, this is billed as the final installment of the great series. The book features all the usual characters that readers have enjoyed for so long. At work, as has been the case for many years now, is a primary mystery, a couple of secondary ones, a dash of humor, plenty of Texas wisdom and scenery, and the occasional Dr Pepper with the real sugar reference. Stir all that together under the able touch of author Bill Crider and you have another very good read. If That Old Scoundrel Death: A Dan Rhodes Mystery is to be the final installment of the series, it ends well and in a very good place. One can’t ask for more than that.
That Old Scoundrel Death: A Dan Rhodes Mystery
Bill Crider
http://www.billcrider.com
Minotaur Books (Thomas Dunne Books)
http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com/
February 19, 2019
ISBN #978-1250165633
Hardback
288 Pages
$27.99
My very special thanks to Angela Crider Neary who provided an ARC of her Dad’s final book.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
Some sort of road rage incident just happened before Rhodes came by in his patrol car. When all was said and done, the meth head decided to put a real scare in the other driver to teach him one heck of a lesson. Then Sheriff Rhodes went and showed up making things very complicated in the mind of the meth head known to one and all as Kenny Lambert. He has a history with local law enforcement going back a few years so Rhodes knows the man is not terribly bright on a good day. This is not a good day.
Rhodes also knows he screwed up by not figuring out what was going on fast enough and getting backup headed to them. He is on his own and things do not look good. That is until Kenny Lambert gets distracted by the victim. His action allows Sheriff Rhodes to get the gun and arrest Kenny.
All things considered, the victim is relatively okay and introduces himself as Carl Stinson. He plans on going home and cleaning himself up. He promises to come by the jail later and do the paperwork to bring charges against Kenny. Charges that Kenny will get along with the ones Sheriff Rhodes plans to bring because of having a gun pointed at him.
While it is not exactly normal procedure to let a victim go home and change before coming by the jail later to do the paperwork, Carl Stinson did promise to come by and should be in town for a while as he said he had plans to go look at the old school building nearby in Thurston. Some of the locals are pushing hard to finally bring the old building down before it comes down and maybe kills somebody in the process. The place is not very safe. Stinson says he is in town to see it as his grandmother went to school there. With another promise to appear at the jail, Sheriff Rhodes agrees and Cal Stinson drives off.
Sheriff Rhodes will come to regret that decision.
He is never seen alive again. Instead, he is soon found very much dead in the old school building. His name was not Cal Stinson either. Who he was and why he was shot in the back of the head are just two of the questions that Sheriff Dan Rhodes must answer in that That Old Scoundrel Death: A Dan Rhodes Mystery.
As one would expect, this is billed as the final installment of the great series. The book features all the usual characters that readers have enjoyed for so long. At work, as has been the case for many years now, is a primary mystery, a couple of secondary ones, a dash of humor, plenty of Texas wisdom and scenery, and the occasional Dr Pepper with the real sugar reference. Stir all that together under the able touch of author Bill Crider and you have another very good read. If That Old Scoundrel Death: A Dan Rhodes Mystery is to be the final installment of the series, it ends well and in a very good place. One can’t ask for more than that.
That Old Scoundrel Death: A Dan Rhodes Mystery
Bill Crider
http://www.billcrider.com
Minotaur Books (Thomas Dunne Books)
http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com/
February 19, 2019
ISBN #978-1250165633
Hardback
288 Pages
$27.99
My very special thanks to Angela Crider Neary who provided an ARC of her Dad’s final book.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
February 27, 2019
Unfortunately, this is Bill Crider's final book. However, it doesn't read like a final book. There's nothing elegiac about it, unlike, say, Rex Stout's final book, A Family Affair. While Dan Rhodes is thinking about maybe retiring, there's no real sense of sadness, or finality. In fact, he even leaves a dangling plot thread.
Dan Rhodes is taking care of business, when a man is murdered in an old abandoned school, shot in the head. Dan starts poking around and finds the guy was a writer for a local news blog. Rhodes starts asking people questions, and after a few incidents, solves the mystery.
Very good book. I would put it in the upper half of the series.
Dan Rhodes is taking care of business, when a man is murdered in an old abandoned school, shot in the head. Dan starts poking around and finds the guy was a writer for a local news blog. Rhodes starts asking people questions, and after a few incidents, solves the mystery.
Very good book. I would put it in the upper half of the series.
March 4, 2019
I love this series and hated to finish this last book of Bill Crider's. It was sweet, fun, action packed (but at a slower pace due to Rhodes' age), and full of wonderful characters, old and new. I cried at page 102 when Wanda said, "I like you, Sheriff. Anytime you want to come by for a talk, you'll be welcome." Acknowledgments page was another tear jerker.
March 23, 2019
The author died a year ago and this is the last new book about Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Thanks for all the wonderful stories and characters! I hated to finish it, knowing it was the last one. This was a favourite series and I'm going to miss the fictional Texas town of Clearview and its inhabitants, especially the Sheriff and his wife, Ivy, and their menagerie. So long, Sheriff.
March 4, 2019
25 wonderful stories about a small town Texas lawman who loved Dr. Pepper, DQ, BBQ and his wife and dogs. This last one did not disappoint. RIP Mr. Crider, thanks for the memories.
March 30, 2019
Another enjoyable story of Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Sorry to see the series come to an end. The town is fighting over the decision to restore an old school or tear it down. Dan sees a man with who is run off the road and stops to help him. The next day the man is found dead in the old school. Between all the fighting in town Dan wonders if he should retire and starts telling people he will. He also has a running battle with his wife over wha he should eat and has gone back to his Dr Pepper habit.
January 13, 2019
I first found this series at my local library when I was going the stack of books for something new to read. Dan Rhodes is the Sheriff in Texas and the books are full of incidents while his quirky staff helps. I learned a great about being sheriff in a small county. I like learning about this book feral pigs in one book.
In this book on his daily run noticed a situation that he needs to stop. One of the local hoodlums in a road age has a gun pointed at a stranger who is on the ground. He arrested the hoodlum and sends the stranger his. First, he asked a man his the name and tells him to into the Sheriff Department to file charges. Carl Stinson is on his way to visit an old school that has locals in a dispute. The next day Carl Stinson's body is found at the old murder. The sheriff needs to find the guilty party while handling the law in the county.
Sheriff's Rhodes is wondering rather run in the election next year. Who is Carl Stinson and why was he killed? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES. Will miss this series.
Disclosure: Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
In this book on his daily run noticed a situation that he needs to stop. One of the local hoodlums in a road age has a gun pointed at a stranger who is on the ground. He arrested the hoodlum and sends the stranger his. First, he asked a man his the name and tells him to into the Sheriff Department to file charges. Carl Stinson is on his way to visit an old school that has locals in a dispute. The next day Carl Stinson's body is found at the old murder. The sheriff needs to find the guilty party while handling the law in the county.
Sheriff's Rhodes is wondering rather run in the election next year. Who is Carl Stinson and why was he killed? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES. Will miss this series.
Disclosure: Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
December 25, 2019
I have been saving this one since we most likely will not get any more books in this series. It was a sad day when I learned of the passing of Bill Crider. He has brung me many laughs through the years. I can't really say what made me start reading these but probably since I like smalltown stories that is the reason. This one contains the usual banter and craziness from all the usual characters and some new ones. The portrait gallery is one of the great things in this series. I really enjoyed this last book about sheriff Dan Rhodes.
February 16, 2019
It's hard to say goodbye to Bill Crider, creator of the world of Sheriff Dan Rhodes and to the stories he wrote about Dan Rhodes. Sheriff Dan Rhodes is trying to decide if he wants to run for re-election, to ride off into the Texas sunset. Bill didn't have a choice, taken from us far too soon. Gone but oh, what a wonderful legacy he left for us to revisit over and over again. This is the 25th and final story (unless my dream comes true and the stories continue from another pen) and Dan finds himself making a decision that he feels is wrong. Driving along on patrol he comes upon two men is a tense situation - one has a gun and a twitch, not good. The guy with the gun goes to the police station and the other man, the one who had the gun pointed at him, is sent on his way. The next time he is seen, he is dead on the floor of an old school house, shot. Besides being dead, he turns out to have been known by several names - so who is he? Will investigating this murder case answer the question of retirement?
I don't want to go into more detail and spoil anything. If you are new to this series you are in for a treat. These mysteries are full of characters, humor and a special slow pace befitting the setting of a small town in Blacklin County Texas. A wonderful legacy from a very talented writer.
In time I will go back and re-read all 25 books.
My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I don't want to go into more detail and spoil anything. If you are new to this series you are in for a treat. These mysteries are full of characters, humor and a special slow pace befitting the setting of a small town in Blacklin County Texas. A wonderful legacy from a very talented writer.
In time I will go back and re-read all 25 books.
My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 19, 2019
Sheriff Dan Rhodes is back in the final book of the series. We have come to love this series and we hate for it to end, but with this final farewell from our beloved author, we have a real treat.
Sheriff Rhodes is caught in a bewildering murder investigation as a young man if found dead in the old schoolhouse. The interesting aspect is that everyone seems to know this young man by a different name. He always used a historical name when introducing himself to others, so that makes identification a challenge and the reason for his murder even more challenging.
But Sheriff Rhodes never lets obstacles get in his way. He also never lets other peoples agendas hinder his own, and that is to find a killer.
I don't want to give up any info about the crime and the outcome, but it is a very fitting end to a series that many have come to love. The story is fun and the characters are so eclectic that we can't help but love them.
This is a fitting final book and I am so glad that the family of Bill Crider decided to share it with his fans.
Enjoy!
Sheriff Rhodes is caught in a bewildering murder investigation as a young man if found dead in the old schoolhouse. The interesting aspect is that everyone seems to know this young man by a different name. He always used a historical name when introducing himself to others, so that makes identification a challenge and the reason for his murder even more challenging.
But Sheriff Rhodes never lets obstacles get in his way. He also never lets other peoples agendas hinder his own, and that is to find a killer.
I don't want to give up any info about the crime and the outcome, but it is a very fitting end to a series that many have come to love. The story is fun and the characters are so eclectic that we can't help but love them.
This is a fitting final book and I am so glad that the family of Bill Crider decided to share it with his fans.
Enjoy!
February 27, 2019
As I read through the last of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes books written by Bill Crider I took my time, savored it. Usually, when one of his books came out I would read it in one sitting, from start to finish...my mistake. So, I took my time saying goodbye to someone whom I had never met but considered a dear friend; two, actually, if you count the Sheriff, and I do.
Perhaps its just me being sentimental and maudlin, or perhaps its that Mr. Crider never lost his touch, not even at the end; but whatever it is this last book, in my humble opinion, is as good as the first of this series. It has all the things that got me hooked from the first one and kept me reading for 25 books; humor, mystery, the human side of Rhodes, believable characters and scenes and, to put it in Rhodes' lingo, just a durn good plot.
I will miss Mr. Crider, may he rest in peace, but I will visit the little town of Clearview, in Blackland County Texas from time to time, just to say hello.
Perhaps its just me being sentimental and maudlin, or perhaps its that Mr. Crider never lost his touch, not even at the end; but whatever it is this last book, in my humble opinion, is as good as the first of this series. It has all the things that got me hooked from the first one and kept me reading for 25 books; humor, mystery, the human side of Rhodes, believable characters and scenes and, to put it in Rhodes' lingo, just a durn good plot.
I will miss Mr. Crider, may he rest in peace, but I will visit the little town of Clearview, in Blackland County Texas from time to time, just to say hello.
January 12, 2019
As always from Bill Crider, it's a great cozy mystery set in a sparsely populated county and filled with his signature humor and characters who truly are. The publisher's blurb gives some idea of what to expect except for the arson, and spoilers are just not the thing. Don't want to do the recap thing either.
The only sad thing that I will relate is that while the sheriff is waffling on the idea of retirement, Bill Crider had no choice as he lost his last battle after finishing this book.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
The only sad thing that I will relate is that while the sheriff is waffling on the idea of retirement, Bill Crider had no choice as he lost his last battle after finishing this book.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
October 2, 2019
The Andy Griffith Show reboot. Rated R
Clearview as Mayberry
Sheriff Dan Rhodes as Sheriff Andy Griffith and the rest of the eccentric townsfolk.
Did they ever find a dead body in Mayberry? Did Barney Fife discover it at the local brothel? What was Barney doing there? Uh, oh!
Anyway this is just an average whodunnit. A dead body is found in town and the sheriff is on the hunt. An average story told in a so so way. This is book 25 of the series the last my first.
Just nothing really exiting to say.
Clearview as Mayberry
Sheriff Dan Rhodes as Sheriff Andy Griffith and the rest of the eccentric townsfolk.
Did they ever find a dead body in Mayberry? Did Barney Fife discover it at the local brothel? What was Barney doing there? Uh, oh!
Anyway this is just an average whodunnit. A dead body is found in town and the sheriff is on the hunt. An average story told in a so so way. This is book 25 of the series the last my first.
Just nothing really exiting to say.
February 19, 2019
It was with sorrow and gratitude that I started reading this book. Sorrow because its author, Bill Crider, passed away in February 2018, and he seems to have been a lovely man, and because his passing means that this is the last of the delightful Dan Rhodes books. Gratitude, because I have read all of the series since the 1980’s, and enjoyed them. I am grateful that Mr Crider graced the reading public with his excellent stories and wonderful, memorable characters.
“That Old Scoundrel Death,” is set, like the majority of Bill Crider’s books, in Clearview, Texas. The hero, although he would not think of himself as one, is the Sheriff of Blacklin County, Dan Rhodes. A native of his area, Rhodes has been sheriff for a long time, and is surrounded by a dandy cast of secondary characters, including his fellow employees, Hank and Lawton, his wife Ivy, a local reporter named Jennifer Loam, a college professor turned private detective named Benson, and of course the cats, and the two dogs, Yancey and Speedo.
I don’t like spoilers so I am not going to give any. There is, naturally, a murder, and Rhodes goes about solving it in his usual sensible and reasonable manner. He interviews witnesses, weighs up their stories, and applies common sense. I did not foresee the ending, but readers more clever than I might. Along the way there is a great deal of entertainment to be had.
I am sorry that this is the last of the series, and I am going to miss the gang down in Blacklin County. But I was glad to read this book, and whether you are a fan of the series, or this is going to be your first one, you will enjoy it.
“That Old Scoundrel Death,” is set, like the majority of Bill Crider’s books, in Clearview, Texas. The hero, although he would not think of himself as one, is the Sheriff of Blacklin County, Dan Rhodes. A native of his area, Rhodes has been sheriff for a long time, and is surrounded by a dandy cast of secondary characters, including his fellow employees, Hank and Lawton, his wife Ivy, a local reporter named Jennifer Loam, a college professor turned private detective named Benson, and of course the cats, and the two dogs, Yancey and Speedo.
I don’t like spoilers so I am not going to give any. There is, naturally, a murder, and Rhodes goes about solving it in his usual sensible and reasonable manner. He interviews witnesses, weighs up their stories, and applies common sense. I did not foresee the ending, but readers more clever than I might. Along the way there is a great deal of entertainment to be had.
I am sorry that this is the last of the series, and I am going to miss the gang down in Blacklin County. But I was glad to read this book, and whether you are a fan of the series, or this is going to be your first one, you will enjoy it.
March 3, 2019
Bill Crider died in 2018, and his daughter writes in the dedication to this book that it will be the last Sheriff Dan Rhodes book ever. This is like losing Crider all over again, but at least we have this book--though it wasn't one of his strongest--to enjoy. A dead man is found in the derelict school in Thurlow, but it's hard to determine who he is. Rhodes had met him at a traffic stop the day before and he'd given one name, but he gave another (Bruce Wayne? Really?) to the school's unofficial caretaker. Three local families are feuding over the future of the school building. Rhodes ponders retirement and even death--his age is hanging heavily upon him. But he goes through a lot of physical stress to finally nail the murderer. At least he manages not to adopt another cat when a witness is hospitalized!
January 1, 2019
For over 30 years, fans of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series have grown to know and love the stoic, easygoing sheriff and the cast of quirky Texas characters created by Bill Crider. It is with a heavy heart that I write this review of the last Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery.
Crider brings his usual subtle wit and laid-back, small-town charm to this final installment, and it doesn’t fail to please. When a stranger turns up murdered in an old schoolhouse, Rhodes has his work cut out for him. Making things more complicated is the fact that the community is battling over whether to raze the schoolhouse or preserve it for historical purposes. There are a host of suspects for the sheriff to whittle down, including meth-heads, local outlaws, as well as a rancher, wealthy community members, and an esteemed military family, all of whom think they’re above the law, and Crider keeps you guessing as to the identity of the perp throughout the story. Crider was known to say that he didn’t know, himself, “who dunnit” until near the end of his writing process, so perhaps that explains how he keeps the reader in suspense.
Ironically, Sheriff Rhodes contemplates retirement throughout the book - Are his lawman skills slipping? Is his heart still in the job? Unfortunately for the readers, we’ll never know how serious the sheriff was about not running for reelection. The book’s title from the General Douglas MacArthur quote is apropos of some of the themes in the book, as well as eerily apt for Crider’s last book - that old scoundrel death had him on the ropes. It’s comforting to know that Crider left us with such a wonderful legacy of entertainment. This book is a delightful end to the series, and perhaps knowing it is the last one makes it all the more enjoyable.
Crider brings his usual subtle wit and laid-back, small-town charm to this final installment, and it doesn’t fail to please. When a stranger turns up murdered in an old schoolhouse, Rhodes has his work cut out for him. Making things more complicated is the fact that the community is battling over whether to raze the schoolhouse or preserve it for historical purposes. There are a host of suspects for the sheriff to whittle down, including meth-heads, local outlaws, as well as a rancher, wealthy community members, and an esteemed military family, all of whom think they’re above the law, and Crider keeps you guessing as to the identity of the perp throughout the story. Crider was known to say that he didn’t know, himself, “who dunnit” until near the end of his writing process, so perhaps that explains how he keeps the reader in suspense.
Ironically, Sheriff Rhodes contemplates retirement throughout the book - Are his lawman skills slipping? Is his heart still in the job? Unfortunately for the readers, we’ll never know how serious the sheriff was about not running for reelection. The book’s title from the General Douglas MacArthur quote is apropos of some of the themes in the book, as well as eerily apt for Crider’s last book - that old scoundrel death had him on the ropes. It’s comforting to know that Crider left us with such a wonderful legacy of entertainment. This book is a delightful end to the series, and perhaps knowing it is the last one makes it all the more enjoyable.
April 25, 2019
THAT OLD SCOUNDREL DEATH, Bill Crider, 2019
I was so excited to hear that there was to be one more Sheriff Dan Rhodes book, when I thought they were all done. But when I held the book in my hands, it was a bittersweet moment, and I found myself not wanting to start the book, because then it would be over. Silly, perhaps, but that's the way I felt. Everyone else is likely to go over the plot of the book, but I'm going to let you discover it on your own. That seems fitting for the last book of the series. All I can say is that it was a true pleasure to "ride" again with the Sheriff and visit with all of Crider's characters for one final time. Bless you, Bill, for all the pleasure you've given your readers over these many years. You are missed but never forgotten.
I was so excited to hear that there was to be one more Sheriff Dan Rhodes book, when I thought they were all done. But when I held the book in my hands, it was a bittersweet moment, and I found myself not wanting to start the book, because then it would be over. Silly, perhaps, but that's the way I felt. Everyone else is likely to go over the plot of the book, but I'm going to let you discover it on your own. That seems fitting for the last book of the series. All I can say is that it was a true pleasure to "ride" again with the Sheriff and visit with all of Crider's characters for one final time. Bless you, Bill, for all the pleasure you've given your readers over these many years. You are missed but never forgotten.
March 8, 2019
That Old Scoundrel Death
This last of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery,is a great read.
It starts with a murder in schoolhouse,that is on the list to come down. But three families are at odds over it being torn down,but then a murder happens one night in the schoolhouse.
And it gets more complicated as the Sheriff investigates,when someone tries to burn the place down.
Bill Crider gives us a last visit with Dan Rhodes,his wife,Ivy,Seepy Benton,Hack and Lawton.
It's always hard to say goodbye to an author and his characters,but Bill Crider has done a masterful book.
R.I.P. Mr. Rider.
This last of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery,is a great read.
It starts with a murder in schoolhouse,that is on the list to come down. But three families are at odds over it being torn down,but then a murder happens one night in the schoolhouse.
And it gets more complicated as the Sheriff investigates,when someone tries to burn the place down.
Bill Crider gives us a last visit with Dan Rhodes,his wife,Ivy,Seepy Benton,Hack and Lawton.
It's always hard to say goodbye to an author and his characters,but Bill Crider has done a masterful book.
R.I.P. Mr. Rider.
March 4, 2019
Bill Crider is gone. This is the last Sheriff Dan Rhodes Texas story. Readers will have to read back through earlier titles in the series for surely it is too soon for the Sheriff with his jokes and sidekicks and wife Ivy with their dogs and cats to be done. Having ventured to Mexico in a recent tale, Rhodes is firmly back in his corner of Texas in this one. The characters are interesting. The mystery is not obvious but talking with an array of people provokes what direction to follow. A satisfying story which leaves the reader wanting one more.
March 26, 2019
Bill Crider passed away last year, sadly, and he will be missed. His Sheriff Dan Rhodes is a highly interesting character: a good lawman with a sense of humor, easy to get along with but tough and persistent when necessary. Combine this with a colorful case of characters and a solid mystery, plus the Texas setting, and this series has been consistently entertaining. This final book in the series was a sheer delight from beginning to end. The series was a long one, so I hope more people will be exposed to Dan Rhodes and the mysteries, but also to anything written by Mr. Crider.
March 21, 2025
This was a wonderful series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was sorry to learn that the author, Bill Crider, had passed away. However, I don't think the series would be as good with a stand in author. I just don't think anyone could replicate Crider's style, humor and plotting. RIP, Mr. Crider. You are missed, loved and appreciated.
February 22, 2019
Confession: I haven't read a lot of Bill Crider, unlike most of the literate world. So, I'm reviewing his final Dan Rhodes novel as an outsider looking in.
The book opens with Sheriff Rhodes making what he thinks will be a motorist assist, only to discover that he's stepped into a road rage incident. Kenny is not appreciative of 'Cal Stinson's' driving, and is threatening him with a gun. Rhodes, who appears to always be clear-minded under pressure, subdues Kenny and arrests him.
The next time Rhodes sees 'Cal', the young man has been found dead in an abandoned schoolhouse in Thurston. His true name is Lawrence Gates, and he's not local.
The old schoolhouse is the center of community debate at the moment; some people want it torn down, others want it restored. Rhodes must tangle with the families at the center of the conflict, along with all the other problems Blacklin County can muster. The mayor is angry because a local blog has called him a nincompoop, the local buttinsky Seepy Benton has decided to become a private eye, someone is trying to kill Kenny and Noble (for good reason), and Rhodes' cohorts, Hack and Lawton, constantly complain about being left out of "the loop".
His wife Ivy keeps feeding him kale, which he hates, and he must sneak in his donuts and hamburgers while handling his duties. Meanwhile, reporter Jennifer Loam has reminded him that an election is coming up, and Rhodes isn't sure he wants to run again.
Despite these speed bumps, Rhodes continues his investigation into Gates' death. The closer he gets to the truth, the more he realizes that the schoolhouse issue is just the window dressing for the real issue.
What I enjoyed most in this novel were the gentle humor in the author's voice and how very realistic the characters were. I worked at the reports desk for a police department back in the Stone Ages, and Crider's depiction of Kenny Lambert (a miscreant with a snake tattoo on his neck) and Noble Truelove (badly named) reminds me very much of some of the jokers our officers encountered. The witnesses he interviews are also typical Southerners: they take forever to get to the point, and you're going to learn some history along the way.
Rhodes gets into dangerous situations, but they aren't due to macho behavior or idiocy; they're just things he has to do as sheriff. He also resolves them without loud bravado or action hero moves, something else I respect.
"I want to think that my end will be handled the way I'd like it to be handled. It would be a comfort to me to know that."
The above was from a thought-provoking conversation between Clyde the undertaker and Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Bill Crider was open with his cancer diagnosis, and writing what was likely to be his last Rhodes novel.
I couldn't help but notice the enormous cast of characters in this book, and I discovered that many appeared in previous adventures. He also showed us the new people who took over Hod Barrett's grocery store in Thurston. I couldn't help but think that this was a gift to long-term fans - giving everyone a last glimpse at their favorites, and perhaps concluding a few arcs. He, too, was handling the end the way he wanted it to be handled.
In an afterword, Crider thanks many of the people who helped him along the way in his writing career. He also gives his own opinion on whether Rhodes should run for sheriff again, but I'll leave that for you to discover.
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The book opens with Sheriff Rhodes making what he thinks will be a motorist assist, only to discover that he's stepped into a road rage incident. Kenny is not appreciative of 'Cal Stinson's' driving, and is threatening him with a gun. Rhodes, who appears to always be clear-minded under pressure, subdues Kenny and arrests him.
The next time Rhodes sees 'Cal', the young man has been found dead in an abandoned schoolhouse in Thurston. His true name is Lawrence Gates, and he's not local.
The old schoolhouse is the center of community debate at the moment; some people want it torn down, others want it restored. Rhodes must tangle with the families at the center of the conflict, along with all the other problems Blacklin County can muster. The mayor is angry because a local blog has called him a nincompoop, the local buttinsky Seepy Benton has decided to become a private eye, someone is trying to kill Kenny and Noble (for good reason), and Rhodes' cohorts, Hack and Lawton, constantly complain about being left out of "the loop".
His wife Ivy keeps feeding him kale, which he hates, and he must sneak in his donuts and hamburgers while handling his duties. Meanwhile, reporter Jennifer Loam has reminded him that an election is coming up, and Rhodes isn't sure he wants to run again.
Despite these speed bumps, Rhodes continues his investigation into Gates' death. The closer he gets to the truth, the more he realizes that the schoolhouse issue is just the window dressing for the real issue.
What I enjoyed most in this novel were the gentle humor in the author's voice and how very realistic the characters were. I worked at the reports desk for a police department back in the Stone Ages, and Crider's depiction of Kenny Lambert (a miscreant with a snake tattoo on his neck) and Noble Truelove (badly named) reminds me very much of some of the jokers our officers encountered. The witnesses he interviews are also typical Southerners: they take forever to get to the point, and you're going to learn some history along the way.
Rhodes gets into dangerous situations, but they aren't due to macho behavior or idiocy; they're just things he has to do as sheriff. He also resolves them without loud bravado or action hero moves, something else I respect.
"I want to think that my end will be handled the way I'd like it to be handled. It would be a comfort to me to know that."
The above was from a thought-provoking conversation between Clyde the undertaker and Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Bill Crider was open with his cancer diagnosis, and writing what was likely to be his last Rhodes novel.
I couldn't help but notice the enormous cast of characters in this book, and I discovered that many appeared in previous adventures. He also showed us the new people who took over Hod Barrett's grocery store in Thurston. I couldn't help but think that this was a gift to long-term fans - giving everyone a last glimpse at their favorites, and perhaps concluding a few arcs. He, too, was handling the end the way he wanted it to be handled.
In an afterword, Crider thanks many of the people who helped him along the way in his writing career. He also gives his own opinion on whether Rhodes should run for sheriff again, but I'll leave that for you to discover.
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2019
this is the last novel in the series as Mr. Crider passed away; I will miss this series, yet there are about a 20 I need to read to complete the series. Sheriff Rhodes is run and realizes that he may not be the best to run the county so the election in the next year is on his mind while he talks to count residents to solve the murder of a man who gave false ID to him during an accident investigation. What was the outsider doing in Blacklin County and who killed him? Then who committed arson burning down an old high school that was a point of topics in the community grapevine with 2 sides only: keep it and repair it as an historic landmark which could bring tourism or demolish it and build a more modern school for the teens in the community.
July 22, 2019
I did not realize when I got this book through Amazon Vine that it was part of a series, in fact the last book, this is something I usually try to avoid, but it really was not a problem at all as it turns out. Though I did miss some of the backstories of everybody it did take away from the read, I loved the characters and the storyline, and the book moved at a good pace and had me guessing until the end. It was just a nice murder mystery, with some action and humor and overall very entertaining. I will definitely check out the series and see where it all began, and why the sheriff needs to eat healthier food.
May 11, 2019
I was saddened to learn that Bill Crider has died and this is his last Dan Rhodes mystery. It’s typical of the series, should he run again, how about that bald spot, new Dr. Pepper, Ivy’s healthy meals. It’s all there, gentle, funny, but this time Crider has Rhodes do some more athletic manoevers taking down perps and less getting into situations that leave him dirty and embarrassed. Crider knew he was dying and gives his reader a sweet goodbye. They’re not literature but they sure were fun. We will all miss you Dan, Ivy and all. You too Crider.❤️
November 29, 2020
I am so saddened to find out the talented author of this series passed away in February, 2018, and this is the last book in this addictive series I discovered a few years ago, although the author started writing it in 1986. I enjoy reading books from the Sheriff Dan Rhodes mysteries for the fact the books have a unique story telling style, such original story lines and contents, relatable characters, and interesting as well as entertaining relationship dynamics among the characters and this book is no exception. My condolences to the family and the fans.
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