Dragon Lives Forever

Garth Ryland Mystery #9

by John R. Riggs

Scott McBride, a washed up race car driver, returns to town. His efforts to achieve a comeback have failed. When his body is found floating in Hidden Quarry the day before Homecoming, the death is ruled a murder. What connection does McBride's death have with the disappearance of Paul Samuel, a little boy who disappeared while on his way to Homecoming twenty years earlier? In A Dragon Lives Forever, John Riggs' eighth in his acclaimed Garth Ryland mystery series, we once again meet the memorable cast of characters that make up the small town of Oakalla, Wisconsin, the setting for Riggs' books. There is Sheriff Harold Clark "Clarkie," who knows more than he is willing to tell about Scott McBride; Cheryl Loveless, who had an affair with McBride twenty years earlier. Then there is Butch Loveless, the fiercely jealous husband; Hayden Sims, Cheryl's over-protective father; Goldie Samuel, the missing boy's reclusive mother. These and a lively host of others are headed by local newspaper publisher and deputy sheriff Garth Ryland, who once again finds himself on the trail of a murderer who may hold the key to a secret that has been haunting Oakalla.

Genres: Mystery

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Since 1971, John has lived in Putnam County, Indiana, currently on a small farm southeast of Greencastle. Throughout those years he has worked as a teacher, football coach , quality control foreman, carpenter, and wood-splitter. From 1979-1997 he assisted James R. Gammon of DePauw University with Gammon's landmark research on the Wabash River. Presently, as he has done for the past twenty years John works as a researcher for the DePauw University Archives.

John is author of 13 books in the Garth Ryland mystery series, several published articles, and the Bicentennial History bulletins for the Indiana United Methodist Church. His works in progress include a Garth Ryland mystery and Me ,Darst, and Alley Oop Walking the Dog, both memoirs. River Rats, a coming of age novel, set along the Wabash River in the 1950's.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a long, hot summer in small town Wisconsin. The carnival is coming to town. The owner of the weekly newspaper is waiting for Renaissance weekend, when a washed up former NASCAR driver is found dead in a quarry outside of town.

20 years ago, a kid went missing, and has never been found. This same carnival was in town that day as well. The paperman finally investigates, and finds himself in a peck of trouble.

Typical for the time, when Baby Boomers really thought they could change the world by watching The Big Chill.

[Alice Harbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was just what I needed; an easy read, a mildly suspenseful mystery, that is solved, without a Pollyannish ending. You know, everyone lives happily ever after.
Garth is the editor of the local Okalla, WI news. His best friend is recently retired from being sheriff, and his replacement, Clarkie, (sounds like a toddler's name) is not quite up to the job. A teenage boy, Paul went missing 20 years ago when the carnival was in town. Now it's back and a body is found in the quarry. Garth gets an annonymous tip that someone knows where Paul is. Then there is an attractive gal, Cheryl, who was the last person known to be with the deceased. Her husband, Butch, is furious. You'll have to read it to know how it turns out.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of John Riggs' books. They take place in a small town. Garth, the main character, runs the newspaper and gets involved in solving crimes. I love the characters. The town and characters sort of make me think of Andy Griffith and Mulberry. Garth reminds me of Andy Griffith in these books. John is a local boy from my neck of the woods and kind of bases his books on the small town he used to hang out at. I met him once and he is the nicest person. He is just a good ole boy and when I told him where I was from, he said he had tramped around my neck of the woods many times. He acted like he knew me, like I wasn't a stranger, and had all the time in the world to chat. I love all his books; I read them years ago and still have all my hard copies. I wouldn't give them up for anything. Then he quit writing and I was so disappointed, but just recently he came out with 2 Garth books and it was like Christmas! So John, if you happen to read this, I am so glad you are writing again. And I am the West Point girl whose book you signed when you had a book signing many years ago. I'm still a fan.