The Men on the Farm

Joe Court #8

by Chris Culver

Nearly a year ago, Detective Mary Joe Court left St. Augustine County to find herself. Now she’s back home and back on the job to fight for the things she believes in.Unfortunately, there’s no rest for the weary. There are bodies on the ground at a local farm.It looks like a family fight that got out of hand. But it’s not. The family’s teenage babysitter is gone. So is their youngest daughter.The girls were taken. But why would anyone abduct a little girl and her babysitter?Joe knows there’s more to this case than she realizes, and to get the girls back alive, she’ll have to utilize every ounce of ability she has. Even then, that might not be enough. Because the people she’s hunting are dangerous…and closer than she could ever realize. THE MEN ON THE FARM is the eighth thrilling novel in New York Times’ bestselling author Chris Culver’s Joe Court series. This is a great series. Check it out from the beginning!

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 17, 2020

About the author

Chris Culver is the New York Times bestselling author of the Ash Rashid series of mysteries. After graduate school, Chris taught courses in ethics and comparative religion at a small liberal arts university in southern Arkansas. While there and when he really should have been grading exams, he wrote The Abbey, which spent sixteen weeks on the New York Times bestseller's list and introduced the world to Detective Ash Rashid.

Chris has been a storyteller since he was a kid, but he decided to write crime fiction after picking up a dog-eared, coffee-stained paperback copy of Mickey Spillane's I, the Jury in a library book sale. Many years later, his wife, despite considerable effort, still can't stop him from bringing more orphan books home. The two of them, along with a labrador retriever named Roy, reside near St. Louis where Chris is hard at work on his next novel.

Reviews

[Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's back. The evolution of Mary Joe Court continues. It starts with an armored car robbery, a kidnapping, a student being thrown down some stairs, to the questionable deaths of some of St. Augustine's unsavory characters. A day in the life. Only one more book in the series. I'll be sorry to see it end.

[JoAnne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see there will be one more book in the series. I am actually glad or I was going to write Joe Court SHOULD find a career as a social worker specializing in foster care children. There was a statement she made "I had always tried to leave my feelings out of my work. I had tried to be dispassionate and cool, to observe the things around me without allowing them to affect me." When I read that I kept thinking NOT TRUE. In previous books, her childhood/foster family colored EVERYTHING she did hence her constantly thinking about her childhood/foster life and how much she wanted to help foster children. And in this book, I thought "NOT AGAIN!"

Also, Joe Court was, imho, not terribly likable. She just did not seem to grow as a person except drink more vodka. And the title of the book.....well I don't get that. It was just such a short occurrence in the book. The story was more about the unfeeling murderous women. Needed a different title

Interesting storyline(s) in this book and again, with the foster kids, I think it was just to extend the pages in the book.

I hope some plots that were left unanswered will be resolved in the final book. If not, as much as I LOVED the Ash Rashid novels, I don't see me following Mr. Culver's future writings.

[ConniW · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one left me reeling it was so intense.

Detective Joe Court is a detective in St. Augustine once more, under a new sheriff and right out of the gate she gets a new case. This is how life is supposed to be, right? Well, I won't be divulging any spoilers but I will say that Joe has her hands full and will be a little disoriented as she finds her way through so many changes in less than a year away.
This one had me reeling from one direction to the next in a constant state of action packed turmoil suffused with distrust and shady dealings. I enjoyed the return of Agent Bryan Costa and the diversity he brought to the book and seeing the interaction between he and Joe as their friendship continues to develop. The disparity of the cases being worked will keep you busy and definitely thinking forward trying to keep up.
This is an intense read but one of the best of the series and worth every penny.

[Misty Glin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This whole series has me on the edge of my seat awaiting the next one! Joe is so focused and is amazing at her job! I pity the fools that cross her. She’s been hurt, shot, stabbed and betrayed by those that she should trust the most but she still keeps fighting for the right side! If you like murder mystery cop thrillers with a great lead detective that takes zero sh!t from anyone! Then this is the series for you!

[Les Charleville · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Joe Court series is one of my favorites, well written and believable. These books are the kind that you can't wait to get back to but you don't want to read them too fast because then they will be finished too soon.
But now have learned that Chris Culver is not going to continue the series.
That's too bad. I will miss Joe Court..

[Fran Burdsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Culver grabs you by the throat and sets off at a frantic pace into the crime filled world of Joe Court once again. The non-stop action and twisty plot never disappoints. But at the end, not all the plots are concluded and I'm forced to jump into #9 The Man in the River. OK, off we go again! I love it!

[Norma Hill]

a fact moving engaging book, especially if you have read the previous books with detective Joe Court.
This one seemed to end too soon. Will be eager to read the next one and explore the death of George Delgado.

[Raymond Gaudet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating

I’ve read all the Joe Court books and I can’t wait to read the next one, just sorry to find out it will be the last of the series.
Interesting stories, Joe Court is so likeable.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I chose this rating because the Joe Court series is great. I'm sad I'm coming up on the last one. I don't want to put them down. I love how they were written and the dedication of Joe Court. Well highly recommend.

[Stevan Thorpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!

That was amazing!!! And there's more to come!! I was on the edge of my seat with this one. Full of suspense and drama. Try to figure this one out! I loved this book, I seriously couldn't put it down. Amazing! Only one Joe Court story left🤔 I hope not!

[Teri Hawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This author knows how to write an exciting story. This whole series has been awesome! I am sorry to hear that the next book is the last in the series. He weaves a wonderful tale!

[Kathy Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book

A good read, slow to get started. Never really gave a good answer for the shotout at the farm. A thin Storyline there. Also, Joe is bossy and demanding and doesnt know how to say “please” or “thank you”. The stories are getting a little far out.

[Karen Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent writing!

Love this series! Great characters and the storyline always keeps you hooked from beginning to end! Another winner from Chris Culver!

[Merilyn F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of his Joe Court books

[Michael Gruber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really like this series.

[David Boddy]

This book was hard to put down

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please do me one favor... drop the "tight smile." Otherwise, great book!

[Dave Sause · Rating 3 out of 5]

like half a book, story continues

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve said it before. This is a must read series. Joe Court is a badass detective! I’m moving on to reading the next in series which is the last of the series. Ugh.

[Steve Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Joe Court certainly manages to kick a hornet's nest in this volume. There are twists and turns with the ending being completely unexpected. Great read!

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really do not want this series to end!!

[Robin McKee]

Love this series!!!!!

[Christina Simons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't stop reading this series--I love it.

[Bonnie Baisden · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

It just keeps you on your toes and guessing, love the stories. I only have 3 more in series and I will be so bored when I am done

[Helen moro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection

Great Story,, great writing. I love Joe court. Joe a
Ways gets the bad guy so the sheriff better hold on.

[Anna Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great one! Can't wait to start the next!!

[KH Khaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another straight forward book on this series. To cap off the year with 72 books read!

[Sandra Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Joe Court book series. Sorry about to read #9. Hope there will be more!!