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Bad Axe County #3
Bad Moon Rising
“As unique a place in the mystery universe as you will ever find...smooth, unexpected, and memorable. This book is a diamond in the rough.” —Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author
A record heat wave suffocates remote rural Wisconsin as the local sheriff tracks down a killer hidden in the depths of the community in this atmospheric, race-to-the-finish mystery by the acclaimed author of the Bad Axe County series.
Sheriff Heidi Kick has a dead body on her hands, a homeless young man last seen alive miles from the Bad Axe. Chillingly, the medical examiner confirms what Sheriff Kick has been experiencing in her own reoccurring nightmares of the victim was buried alive. As the relentless summer heat bears down and more bodies are discovered, Sheriff Kick also finds herself embroiled in a nasty reelection campaign. These days her detractors call her “Sheriff Mommy”—KICK HER OUT holler the opposition’s campaign signs—and as her family troubles become public, vicious rumors threaten to sway the electorate and derail her investigation.
Enter Vietnam veteran Leroy Fanta, editor-in-chief of the local paper who believes Heidi’s strange case might be tied to a reclusive man writing deranged letters to the opinions section for years. With his heart and liver on their last legs, Fanta drums up his old journalistic instincts in one last effort to help Heidi find a lead in her case, or at least a good story...
With simmering tension that sweats off the page, Bad Moon Rising infuses newsworthy relevance with a page-turning story of crime in America’s heartland, capturing global issues with startling immediacy while entertaining from start to finish.
A record heat wave suffocates remote rural Wisconsin as the local sheriff tracks down a killer hidden in the depths of the community in this atmospheric, race-to-the-finish mystery by the acclaimed author of the Bad Axe County series.
Sheriff Heidi Kick has a dead body on her hands, a homeless young man last seen alive miles from the Bad Axe. Chillingly, the medical examiner confirms what Sheriff Kick has been experiencing in her own reoccurring nightmares of the victim was buried alive. As the relentless summer heat bears down and more bodies are discovered, Sheriff Kick also finds herself embroiled in a nasty reelection campaign. These days her detractors call her “Sheriff Mommy”—KICK HER OUT holler the opposition’s campaign signs—and as her family troubles become public, vicious rumors threaten to sway the electorate and derail her investigation.
Enter Vietnam veteran Leroy Fanta, editor-in-chief of the local paper who believes Heidi’s strange case might be tied to a reclusive man writing deranged letters to the opinions section for years. With his heart and liver on their last legs, Fanta drums up his old journalistic instincts in one last effort to help Heidi find a lead in her case, or at least a good story...
With simmering tension that sweats off the page, Bad Moon Rising infuses newsworthy relevance with a page-turning story of crime in America’s heartland, capturing global issues with startling immediacy while entertaining from start to finish.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2021
97 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
John Galligan
16 books113 followersJohn Galligan,in addition to being a novelist and teacher, John has worked as a newspaper journalist, feature-film screenwriter, house painter, au pair, ESL teacher, cab driver, and freezer boy in a salmon cannery. He currently teaches writing at Madison Area Technical College, where his experience is enriched by students from every corner of the local and world community.
Series:
* Fly Fishing Mystery
Series:
* Fly Fishing Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
March 6, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
If you are not familiar with author John Galligan and his books this 2nd book in his Bad Axe County series takes a bit to get used to, but once you do the book speeds headlong at breakneck speed as we follow County Sheriff Heidi Kick as she confronts a myriad of issues and evil in remote Axe County, Wisconsin.
After a baffling preface, we encounter a murder of a homeless man, which quickly spirals into all the behind the scenes evil that is happening in the most isolated portion of the County. And not only are there bad intentions, one of the main adversaries is the swelteringly hot weather that the area is experiencing during this time period. Galligan’s book is divided into sections and he uses as unique way of dividing the action. His sections are not made up the time of day, or the days of the week, but rather the temperature ranges during the period of the books plot. Every day the temperature is between 94 and 100+ and it drives lots of the action in the book.
Not spending a lot of time on typical character development, he is able to use the actions to help us understand the characters and their points of view in the book. There are multiple parts of the plot, none of which seem to be related until we get to the dramatic last chapters of the book.
Not only do we deal with multiple murders, Sheriff Kick also has many issues with her own family that helps drive the action, and makes us realize how hard it is for law enforcement to be concentrating on their work when their family has as many issues as Kick’s does. Throw in a bitter election campaign, sex slaves, crazed environmentalists/back to the earth people who live in caves, and a host of other unique characters and you will be reading at breakneck speed to reach the conclusion.
This may not be a book that some will like to read, but nonetheless it is a book that also makes us confront many of the issues of our day, and how such evil exists within our society. Fast-paced and well written this book leaves Galligan’s fans anxiously awaiting the next volume in his Bad Axe County series.
This book was previously reviewed at www.historyandsuspense.com
If you are not familiar with author John Galligan and his books this 2nd book in his Bad Axe County series takes a bit to get used to, but once you do the book speeds headlong at breakneck speed as we follow County Sheriff Heidi Kick as she confronts a myriad of issues and evil in remote Axe County, Wisconsin.
After a baffling preface, we encounter a murder of a homeless man, which quickly spirals into all the behind the scenes evil that is happening in the most isolated portion of the County. And not only are there bad intentions, one of the main adversaries is the swelteringly hot weather that the area is experiencing during this time period. Galligan’s book is divided into sections and he uses as unique way of dividing the action. His sections are not made up the time of day, or the days of the week, but rather the temperature ranges during the period of the books plot. Every day the temperature is between 94 and 100+ and it drives lots of the action in the book.
Not spending a lot of time on typical character development, he is able to use the actions to help us understand the characters and their points of view in the book. There are multiple parts of the plot, none of which seem to be related until we get to the dramatic last chapters of the book.
Not only do we deal with multiple murders, Sheriff Kick also has many issues with her own family that helps drive the action, and makes us realize how hard it is for law enforcement to be concentrating on their work when their family has as many issues as Kick’s does. Throw in a bitter election campaign, sex slaves, crazed environmentalists/back to the earth people who live in caves, and a host of other unique characters and you will be reading at breakneck speed to reach the conclusion.
This may not be a book that some will like to read, but nonetheless it is a book that also makes us confront many of the issues of our day, and how such evil exists within our society. Fast-paced and well written this book leaves Galligan’s fans anxiously awaiting the next volume in his Bad Axe County series.
This book was previously reviewed at www.historyandsuspense.com
March 29, 2021
I thoroughly love this series!
Bad Moon Rising is book 3 in the Heidi Kick series and I hope the author keeps Heidi and her family around for a very long time.
As usual, this is a crime novel filled with both horrors and heart – and those horrors manage to be both terrible and heartbreaking in this one! As for the heart, watching Kick deal with horrific crimes while still trying to do the best for her family will hit any parent hard. Galligan brings us a woman who always tries and, like us, sometimes fails.
Please know that the book works very well as a standalone. While having familiaity with the series will help you to understand the dynamics of the town a bit better, the author still does a good job of bringing new readers into his world – you won’t get lost.
Happily waiting for the next book!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
Bad Moon Rising is book 3 in the Heidi Kick series and I hope the author keeps Heidi and her family around for a very long time.
As usual, this is a crime novel filled with both horrors and heart – and those horrors manage to be both terrible and heartbreaking in this one! As for the heart, watching Kick deal with horrific crimes while still trying to do the best for her family will hit any parent hard. Galligan brings us a woman who always tries and, like us, sometimes fails.
Please know that the book works very well as a standalone. While having familiaity with the series will help you to understand the dynamics of the town a bit better, the author still does a good job of bringing new readers into his world – you won’t get lost.
Happily waiting for the next book!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
June 11, 2021
It almost seems contradictory to say this is a good book when there's not a single character I'd ever want to meet or a location that makes me want to be there even if I'm just passing through. After watching all the characters sweat their way through gruesome murders, investigations meandering through muddy streams, bug-infested woods and temperatures hot enough to grill steaks on the pavement, I said a prayer of thanks for the air conditioning that was keeping me cool while I read.
That said, the style in which it's written makes for a bit of a tough go figuring out what's going on here, but once it began to come together in my head, the whole thing was full of action, twists and turns and on the whole a real page-turner. Bad Axe County (Wisconsin) Sheriff Heidi Kick, who's in the midst of a down-and-dirty reelection campaign, is called in when a dead body is found (this is, BTW, the third in the author's Bad Axe County series). Heidi's friend, former editor-in-chief of the local newspaper that's just been bought out by the mother of the guy running against her, thinks the dead guy might somehow be connected to an anonymous person who's been sending dire (and irrational) doomsday warnings to the paper. Unbeknownst to Heidi, he sets off on his own to ferret out the truth despite health issues that threaten to sideline him (or worse) at any given minute.
Meanwhile, Heidi's personal life is less than ideal; her loving husband, Harley, is a local baseball superstar who's away at a tournament - leaving her alone with twin sons Taylor and Dylan, one of whom has serious emotional issues, a daughter who's away at some kind of camp and a mother-in-law from you-know-where. On top of trying to do her job in the unyielding heat, she has to deal with near-threats from the man who's looking to replace her.
There's no way to describe the directions the investigation, political race and Heidi's personal life will go - it's way too complicated - so you'll just have to read the book to find out how it all comes out (and together) in the end. I'm glad I read it - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Beyond that, I'm still breathing a (cool) sigh that I don't live anywhere near this part of the country. Whew!
That said, the style in which it's written makes for a bit of a tough go figuring out what's going on here, but once it began to come together in my head, the whole thing was full of action, twists and turns and on the whole a real page-turner. Bad Axe County (Wisconsin) Sheriff Heidi Kick, who's in the midst of a down-and-dirty reelection campaign, is called in when a dead body is found (this is, BTW, the third in the author's Bad Axe County series). Heidi's friend, former editor-in-chief of the local newspaper that's just been bought out by the mother of the guy running against her, thinks the dead guy might somehow be connected to an anonymous person who's been sending dire (and irrational) doomsday warnings to the paper. Unbeknownst to Heidi, he sets off on his own to ferret out the truth despite health issues that threaten to sideline him (or worse) at any given minute.
Meanwhile, Heidi's personal life is less than ideal; her loving husband, Harley, is a local baseball superstar who's away at a tournament - leaving her alone with twin sons Taylor and Dylan, one of whom has serious emotional issues, a daughter who's away at some kind of camp and a mother-in-law from you-know-where. On top of trying to do her job in the unyielding heat, she has to deal with near-threats from the man who's looking to replace her.
There's no way to describe the directions the investigation, political race and Heidi's personal life will go - it's way too complicated - so you'll just have to read the book to find out how it all comes out (and together) in the end. I'm glad I read it - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Beyond that, I'm still breathing a (cool) sigh that I don't live anywhere near this part of the country. Whew!
January 6, 2021
A couple years ago I stumbled across the first book in this series, and I have no intentions on looking back. If Galligan keeps writing in this world, I will keep on reading them. I am thoroughly enjoying these books about Heidi Kick and her quest for a perfect family while keeping Bad Axe County as safe as she can.
Galligan does a great job at balancing the "evil" in the book and the main character's personal life. While both things do always intertwine, they still have their own places separately. This one takes Heidi on such a personal journey, I couldn't help to be heartbroken by the end.
This book reads pretty quickly. Between the mystery of the murder and who is who and Heidi tackling such a heavy load with her family, the book took me on a journey I couldn't have imagined. I was captured from the beginning to the end. Another winner for the Bad Axe.
Galligan does a great job at balancing the "evil" in the book and the main character's personal life. While both things do always intertwine, they still have their own places separately. This one takes Heidi on such a personal journey, I couldn't help to be heartbroken by the end.
This book reads pretty quickly. Between the mystery of the murder and who is who and Heidi tackling such a heavy load with her family, the book took me on a journey I couldn't have imagined. I was captured from the beginning to the end. Another winner for the Bad Axe.
August 8, 2021
When we think of Wisconsin, Milwaukee usually comes to mind, or perhaps Madison, where the university creates its own college culture. We don't think of the rural southeast corner, where the state rubs shoulders with the Mississippi River, where there are Amish, and where folks can literally disappear into the countryside with no one the wiser. It's in this place, Bad Axe County, where Sheriff Heidi Kick lives with her husband and three children.
Author John Galligan lives and teaches in Madison, and in BAD MOON RISING the rural countryside is as much a part of the story as a character might be. The prologue introduces an individual who is troubled, a transient who we know suffers from a mental health disorder and is not treated well. We also are informed that it’s a broiling hot summer in Bad Axe County, and tempers are short.
While we understand that there is more to Heidi than meets the eye, it suffices to know that she is running for reelection as county sheriff, and her opponent is a poor excuse for a candidate. The more we learn about him, the more despicable he becomes. The sheriff's husband is out of town playing baseball, and his mother has come to help with the children. The oldest daughter is at camp and grappling with gender issues. One of the twins, Taylor, has been causing trouble, so we see firsthand how a powerful woman with an important job balances family and work. Hint: when there are people in danger, the job wins.
We also meet Grape Fanta, a newspaper journalist who is out of a job but continues to write headlines and research articles. He was injured in Vietnam and has lived in Bad Axe County for decades. He knows everyone and is on the trail of a lunatic who has been making phone calls and writing crazy letters to him for years. But when his research takes him a bit too far off the beaten path, he gets himself in trouble.
From the first page to the last, the omniscient third person narrator helps us understand several of the main characters. We meet those who are confused, those who are noble and those who are truly depraved --- perhaps a few too many of the latter since it seems that Bad Axe County is a perfect place for lowlifes to come and think they can get away with almost anything. Many of them have been doing just that for a long time. But there's a new sheriff in town (well, she's not really that new at this point, but you get the idea), and she's not letting crime go unpunished.
Galligan writes a solid action story with plenty of different plot strands and various characters that serve to keep our attention. How it all comes together is unexpected but logical, as we see it through Sheriff Kick's eyes. Galligan includes many topics that make BAD MOON RISING a novel of our times: gender issues, wasting disease in deer, living off the grid, rural gender stereotypes, mental health issues, and simple problems relating to work-life balance. There's a lot packed in here that just might merit further investigation.
Reviewed by Pamela Kramer
Author John Galligan lives and teaches in Madison, and in BAD MOON RISING the rural countryside is as much a part of the story as a character might be. The prologue introduces an individual who is troubled, a transient who we know suffers from a mental health disorder and is not treated well. We also are informed that it’s a broiling hot summer in Bad Axe County, and tempers are short.
While we understand that there is more to Heidi than meets the eye, it suffices to know that she is running for reelection as county sheriff, and her opponent is a poor excuse for a candidate. The more we learn about him, the more despicable he becomes. The sheriff's husband is out of town playing baseball, and his mother has come to help with the children. The oldest daughter is at camp and grappling with gender issues. One of the twins, Taylor, has been causing trouble, so we see firsthand how a powerful woman with an important job balances family and work. Hint: when there are people in danger, the job wins.
We also meet Grape Fanta, a newspaper journalist who is out of a job but continues to write headlines and research articles. He was injured in Vietnam and has lived in Bad Axe County for decades. He knows everyone and is on the trail of a lunatic who has been making phone calls and writing crazy letters to him for years. But when his research takes him a bit too far off the beaten path, he gets himself in trouble.
From the first page to the last, the omniscient third person narrator helps us understand several of the main characters. We meet those who are confused, those who are noble and those who are truly depraved --- perhaps a few too many of the latter since it seems that Bad Axe County is a perfect place for lowlifes to come and think they can get away with almost anything. Many of them have been doing just that for a long time. But there's a new sheriff in town (well, she's not really that new at this point, but you get the idea), and she's not letting crime go unpunished.
Galligan writes a solid action story with plenty of different plot strands and various characters that serve to keep our attention. How it all comes together is unexpected but logical, as we see it through Sheriff Kick's eyes. Galligan includes many topics that make BAD MOON RISING a novel of our times: gender issues, wasting disease in deer, living off the grid, rural gender stereotypes, mental health issues, and simple problems relating to work-life balance. There's a lot packed in here that just might merit further investigation.
Reviewed by Pamela Kramer
September 4, 2021
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Bad Axe County series is one I am enjoying. The first one was exciting with multiple perpetrators and different cases. Misogyny is alive and well; young girls do not do well in this county. The good old boys have not been happy with Heidi as an interim sheriff and are fighting her re-election.
I somehow missed the second book in the series, Dead Man Dancing. I was so glad to find I could get it at the library and listen to it just before Bad Moon Rising. I really enjoyed it and since I was going right from it to the next one, I expected it to be easy. But it wasn't. Bad Moon Rising was a rough start for me. In addition to Sheriff Heidi, there were some other points of view, from people we don't know well and that was harder to settle into the story. After about a third of the book, it all came together and was a complex and thrilling read.
The cases are difficult and finding evidence goes too slowly. Heidi and her team do the right things, but some people aren't helpful or hide evidence so it goes slowly. Her opponent, some neighbors and even her MIL say mean things about her. Of course there is more than one case to juggle too.
There are multiple layers on the personal side as well. Heidi is not communicating well with her husband again (I hope this doesn't continue as a norm). Her elementary age children are having various issues. One thinks she should be a he, one is upset about all the neighbors and school kids saying bad (and untrue) things about his mother, and the other feels the pressure to be really good so as not to be a problem for his already stressed family. Heidi is having a health issue.
There are complex, emotional and financial issues and Heidi handles it all. She manages to solve her cases but at great personal costs. Those covering up their crimes, or taking revenge are not bothered by killing others to achieve their goals. I wonder what Heidi and her family will decide for their future.
Narration:
I've been listening to this narrator throughout the series and I'm very comfortable with her as Heidi, who is the primary character. Most of the story is her stream of consciousness. She handles the other male and female voices well with variation. I was able to listen at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/audiolibrary-a...
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Bad Axe County series is one I am enjoying. The first one was exciting with multiple perpetrators and different cases. Misogyny is alive and well; young girls do not do well in this county. The good old boys have not been happy with Heidi as an interim sheriff and are fighting her re-election.
I somehow missed the second book in the series, Dead Man Dancing. I was so glad to find I could get it at the library and listen to it just before Bad Moon Rising. I really enjoyed it and since I was going right from it to the next one, I expected it to be easy. But it wasn't. Bad Moon Rising was a rough start for me. In addition to Sheriff Heidi, there were some other points of view, from people we don't know well and that was harder to settle into the story. After about a third of the book, it all came together and was a complex and thrilling read.
The cases are difficult and finding evidence goes too slowly. Heidi and her team do the right things, but some people aren't helpful or hide evidence so it goes slowly. Her opponent, some neighbors and even her MIL say mean things about her. Of course there is more than one case to juggle too.
There are multiple layers on the personal side as well. Heidi is not communicating well with her husband again (I hope this doesn't continue as a norm). Her elementary age children are having various issues. One thinks she should be a he, one is upset about all the neighbors and school kids saying bad (and untrue) things about his mother, and the other feels the pressure to be really good so as not to be a problem for his already stressed family. Heidi is having a health issue.
There are complex, emotional and financial issues and Heidi handles it all. She manages to solve her cases but at great personal costs. Those covering up their crimes, or taking revenge are not bothered by killing others to achieve their goals. I wonder what Heidi and her family will decide for their future.
Narration:
I've been listening to this narrator throughout the series and I'm very comfortable with her as Heidi, who is the primary character. Most of the story is her stream of consciousness. She handles the other male and female voices well with variation. I was able to listen at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/audiolibrary-a...
June 3, 2021
This is the third book in a series featuring Wisconsin local sheriff Heidi Kick. Each book can be read as a standalone (this is actually the first book in the series that I’ve read).
In Bad Moon Rising, our sheriff is tasked with solving the murder of a young homeless man who was apparently buried alive. This isn’t the first murder of this type to occur in the community. A local newspaperman, Leroy Fanta, suspects that the crimes may be connected to a somewhat “unhinged” reader of the newspaper who has been sending angry and disturbing letters to the editor for years. He decides to investigate to help the sheriff with the case and ends up unearthing some pretty dark secrets in the process. The evil at play in the town was quite surprising.
It’s also worth mentioning that Heidi is in the midst of a reelection campaign that has gotten quite nasty, with her nemesis resorting to all sorts of unseemly tactics to oust the sheriff.
I found this book to be utterly captivating, with a gripping mystery to solve. The author does a masterful job of layering on the mysteries until we’re almost frantically turning the pages, impatient to find out what the hell is going on. The suspense is unrelenting to the very end. I also found the characterization in this book to be really powerful. There is no shortage of quirky characters, all of whom add to the overall atmosphere of the narrative and play an essential part in the development of the plot.
I was glued to my seat as I immersed myself in this mind-blowing police procedural that takes the reader down a dark and twisty path and then totally blows your mind with a jaw-dropping conclusion. All in all, I found Bad Moon Rising to be tense, unsettling, a tad creepy, and it kept me guessing till the very end. I plan on picking up the other books in this series as I grew pretty attached to Sheriff Kick by the end of the story.
A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.
In Bad Moon Rising, our sheriff is tasked with solving the murder of a young homeless man who was apparently buried alive. This isn’t the first murder of this type to occur in the community. A local newspaperman, Leroy Fanta, suspects that the crimes may be connected to a somewhat “unhinged” reader of the newspaper who has been sending angry and disturbing letters to the editor for years. He decides to investigate to help the sheriff with the case and ends up unearthing some pretty dark secrets in the process. The evil at play in the town was quite surprising.
It’s also worth mentioning that Heidi is in the midst of a reelection campaign that has gotten quite nasty, with her nemesis resorting to all sorts of unseemly tactics to oust the sheriff.
I found this book to be utterly captivating, with a gripping mystery to solve. The author does a masterful job of layering on the mysteries until we’re almost frantically turning the pages, impatient to find out what the hell is going on. The suspense is unrelenting to the very end. I also found the characterization in this book to be really powerful. There is no shortage of quirky characters, all of whom add to the overall atmosphere of the narrative and play an essential part in the development of the plot.
I was glued to my seat as I immersed myself in this mind-blowing police procedural that takes the reader down a dark and twisty path and then totally blows your mind with a jaw-dropping conclusion. All in all, I found Bad Moon Rising to be tense, unsettling, a tad creepy, and it kept me guessing till the very end. I plan on picking up the other books in this series as I grew pretty attached to Sheriff Kick by the end of the story.
A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.
December 26, 2021
Well-written small town mystery with a great female sheriff lead. I'm fairly certain I read the first book in the series too and I liked it, though I failed to record this at Goodreads. It'd be worth revisiting, based on the solid outing here. I find this author much more accomplished than many more popular authors.
The characters are just marvelous here, and there are complicated interwoven plots that the author handles with aplomb. He does an impressive POV of a young homeless schizophrenic that is pitch-perfect. And there is really a whole lot going on in the novel, but I was never confused, or bored by any subplot, and after reading a first novel this week where the subplot totally derailed the mystery, I thought about how difficult it is to strike the balance Galligan did here, and make it all work seamlessly.
4.5, rounded up. Read as audiobook, with excellent narration.
The characters are just marvelous here, and there are complicated interwoven plots that the author handles with aplomb. He does an impressive POV of a young homeless schizophrenic that is pitch-perfect. And there is really a whole lot going on in the novel, but I was never confused, or bored by any subplot, and after reading a first novel this week where the subplot totally derailed the mystery, I thought about how difficult it is to strike the balance Galligan did here, and make it all work seamlessly.
4.5, rounded up. Read as audiobook, with excellent narration.
May 2, 2022
More darkness in dairy land. Sheriff Heidi Kick is dealing with an obnoxious family whose alpha and only male is running against her re-election and spreading lies and disinformation about her. Of course he’s dirty and the last person you’d want as the sheriff. But that’s all in the background, the real plot is about missing homeless men, two reclusive twin brothers from Florida, incest, abuse, and cannibalism. Plus one of Heidi’s twins is acting out and gets himself abducted by the crazies. Quite a showdown in downtown for the ending. I’m ready for the next adventure and wondering what vices the author has in store for Heidi to battle.
August 5, 2022
The blurbs inside the front cover call this "gritty." I'd go with "gruesome." I found the treatment of the Wisconsin setting interesting, though. While investigating the disappearances of homeless men and at least one murder, Sheriff Heidi Kick also has to deal with welfare checks during a searing heat wave, parenting challenges, and a bitter re-election campaign.
August 2, 2021
Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the gifted copy.
Sheriff Heidi Kick investigates the death of a homeless man who was last seen alive miles from where he was found alongside a road in rural Wisconsin. The last thing Sheriff Kick needs is an unsolved murder because she’s in the midst of a nasty re-election campaign. Her opponent is running a smear campaign against her and calling her Sheriff Mommy. As the investigation intensifies and more bodies pile up, Heidi must deal with family problems and rumors that could derail her career and the investigation.
John Galligan is a new to me author and this is the third book in his Bad Axe County series. I had no problem jumping into the series with this book. There was enough background info to get me up to speed with the characters. Heidi is a compassionate and strong female character. She doesn’t have an easy time being the top law enforcement officer in a rural county, but she has some allies on her side. The plot had some wild and weird twists and turns that wrap up at the end. The story is a good mix of police procedural and family drama. The narration by Samantha Desz is smooth and compelling. I’m going to have to read the backlist titles in this series because I really liked Heidi’s character.
Sheriff Heidi Kick investigates the death of a homeless man who was last seen alive miles from where he was found alongside a road in rural Wisconsin. The last thing Sheriff Kick needs is an unsolved murder because she’s in the midst of a nasty re-election campaign. Her opponent is running a smear campaign against her and calling her Sheriff Mommy. As the investigation intensifies and more bodies pile up, Heidi must deal with family problems and rumors that could derail her career and the investigation.
John Galligan is a new to me author and this is the third book in his Bad Axe County series. I had no problem jumping into the series with this book. There was enough background info to get me up to speed with the characters. Heidi is a compassionate and strong female character. She doesn’t have an easy time being the top law enforcement officer in a rural county, but she has some allies on her side. The plot had some wild and weird twists and turns that wrap up at the end. The story is a good mix of police procedural and family drama. The narration by Samantha Desz is smooth and compelling. I’m going to have to read the backlist titles in this series because I really liked Heidi’s character.
June 26, 2021
John Galligan kicks off his third Bad Axe County novel with mystery and intrigue that pulls you right into the story. Bad Moon Rising begins with a mentally disturbed drifter hopping off a train and landing in Wisconsin, where a mysterious benefactor is trying to help Sheriff Heidi Kick who is embroiled in a reelection race already turned dirty. Add in the dead body of a homeless man, some oppressive Wisconsin summer heat, a newspaper editor who may be both literally and figuratively dying and you’ve got yourself the makings of a fun thriller.
Sheriff Heidi Kick, aka the Dairy Queen, finds the dead body of a homeless man in a ditch, missing a shoe and the foot that goes in it. This is just what she needs as her reelection campaign is already turning nasty and she has trouble at home that includes a sulky preteen and a mother-in-law always eager to believe the worst about her.
Newspaper and Vietnam veteran Leroy Fanta is trying to stave off the closing of his newspaper. He has a hunch that the sheriff’s case might be tied to a long-time letter to the editor writer. As it looks like a serial killer may be at work, both Kick and Fanta’s instincts and efforts jump into overdrive.
Galligan does a good job of working relevant topics into the fabric of a thriller. His characters are complex and juggling a lot of balls at the same time. He works in red herrings and intrigue, and a touch of the macabre to keep things moving at a good clip. The landscape unique to western Wisconsin almost becomes a character itself. Filled with coulees, creeks, cliffs and dense vegetation, almost as if you are entering a lost world.
Bad Moon Rising is another solid entry in this unique series that will entertain mystery and thriller buffs.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
Sheriff Heidi Kick, aka the Dairy Queen, finds the dead body of a homeless man in a ditch, missing a shoe and the foot that goes in it. This is just what she needs as her reelection campaign is already turning nasty and she has trouble at home that includes a sulky preteen and a mother-in-law always eager to believe the worst about her.
Newspaper and Vietnam veteran Leroy Fanta is trying to stave off the closing of his newspaper. He has a hunch that the sheriff’s case might be tied to a long-time letter to the editor writer. As it looks like a serial killer may be at work, both Kick and Fanta’s instincts and efforts jump into overdrive.
Galligan does a good job of working relevant topics into the fabric of a thriller. His characters are complex and juggling a lot of balls at the same time. He works in red herrings and intrigue, and a touch of the macabre to keep things moving at a good clip. The landscape unique to western Wisconsin almost becomes a character itself. Filled with coulees, creeks, cliffs and dense vegetation, almost as if you are entering a lost world.
Bad Moon Rising is another solid entry in this unique series that will entertain mystery and thriller buffs.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
October 6, 2021
I jumped into the third in the Bad Axe series without reading the first two. I was pleasantly surprised with Bad Moon Rising and will most likely read another in the series. Fast moving with lots, but not too many, twists and turns.
July 15, 2021
I loved the first two books in the Bad Axe County series, but this third entry didn't meet my high expectations. In the entire series, there has been this simmering sort of barely-restrained insanity in many of the characters, but in Bad Moon Rising, that element was more prominent, and it simply wasn't a very pleasant reading experience for me. Hoping for better in whatever is next in the series.
October 10, 2021
The book can be best described as a jumble of puzzle pieces, lying face down on a table. As each beginning chapter is finished, a piece of the puzzle is turned over, not making a bit of sense. More chapters read, more puzzle pieces turned over. Not until two-thirds of the chapters are finished, does anything resembling a picture take hold. In the end, the picture is clear.
June 28, 2021
Sheriff Heidi Kick returns in Bad Moon Rising, the third entry in John Galligan's Bad Axe County series.
I stumbled across the first book a couple of years back and was immediately hooked. Why? Well, the lead character has much to do with that. Sheriff Kick is a former Wisconsin Dairy Queen turned Sheriff. But don't let that fool you. Kick is seriously bad***. She doesn't back down from anyone or anything. She's had to fight the local council, the local thugs, the good ol' boy network and much more. She's also a mom with three kids and a husband - and a lot of folks think her personal life is fair game too.
She's up for re-election this year and the other guy running is playing down and dirty. Heidi will deal with that when she can, but there's other pressing matters first. Homeless men are going missing - and the last one found was buried alive. Veteran and ex newspaper editor Leroy Fanta has an idea of who might be the perp.
So, a great protagonist and an intriguing plot. Galligan has a scary mind - the who and the why behind the missing men is truly twisted. Although there are some truths behind the madness. And that crazy is stealing past the confines of the hollow to the light of day.
And last, but certainly not least is the setting. Bad Axe County. I doubt I would stop in Bad Axe County - it just says 'keep on driving' to me. In Bad Moon Rising, the county is in the midst of a heat wave with temperatures breaking 100 degrees F. The heat is relentless - almost enough to drive you mad.
There's lots of action in Galligan's books and I was engaged from first chapter to last. I'll be eagerly awaiting the fourth book and more of Sheriff Kick.
I chose to listen to Bad Moon Rising. I've listened to to the first two as well. I'm happy that Simon and Schuster has continued with the original reader - Samantha Desz. Her voice is perfect for this character and matches the mental image I've created for Heidi. Desz's voice has a nice gravelly tone, is easy to understand and easy on the ears. She rarely raises her voice which is absolutely right for this character. The calm way of speaking belies her determination. It's well paced, never rushing and perfectly modulated. The voices employed for other characters are really good as well.
(Gentle readers, this series is quite gritty and may not be the read/listen for you.)
March 17, 2023
I sometimes wonder how on earth Sheriff Heidi Kick can manage to stagger from one disaster to another as fraught as her personal life is. I sometimes wonder how she can think Bad Axe County is such a great place to live with all the sordid crimes that take place and all the out-and-out slimy, unhinged people who live there. I sometimes wonder why I like this series so much when those sordid crimes and unhinged people make me want to jump in a hot shower, stick my fingers in my ears, and singsong LA LA LA LA at the top of my voice. But you see, author John Galligan makes it all work, and I enjoyed Bad Moon Rising every bit as much as I did the first two books in the series.
I think my liking for this series has everything to do with its main character, Sheriff Heidi Kick. She's got the smarts, the intuition, and the determination to get the job done each and every time, and that's saying a lot because of her family. At least in this third book, her husband Harley behaved himself. No, it was her wonderful mother-in-law trying to make her life as miserable as possible this time around, bless her. Believe me, this extra grief is not necessary because I think she's got some of the most contentious children in all of crime fiction. But not contentious in the "let me lock 'em in the basement and throw away the key" way. These poor kids have very real problems that the entire family must decipher and learn to deal with, and it just makes me want to hug them all and pitch in to help.
Galligan's stories are always fast-paced and addictive, and no matter how gross the bad guys are, there's something ultimately satisfying in watching them come to justice. Yep. Once justice is served, I want to send dear mother-in-law on an around-the-world cruise she can't refuse, send Heidi and Harley out for a perfect just-the-two-of-them weekend, and babysit their kids.
Now... when a reader gets that involved with the characters, it has a lot to say about a series, doesn't it? Bring on the fourth book!
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
I think my liking for this series has everything to do with its main character, Sheriff Heidi Kick. She's got the smarts, the intuition, and the determination to get the job done each and every time, and that's saying a lot because of her family. At least in this third book, her husband Harley behaved himself. No, it was her wonderful mother-in-law trying to make her life as miserable as possible this time around, bless her. Believe me, this extra grief is not necessary because I think she's got some of the most contentious children in all of crime fiction. But not contentious in the "let me lock 'em in the basement and throw away the key" way. These poor kids have very real problems that the entire family must decipher and learn to deal with, and it just makes me want to hug them all and pitch in to help.
Galligan's stories are always fast-paced and addictive, and no matter how gross the bad guys are, there's something ultimately satisfying in watching them come to justice. Yep. Once justice is served, I want to send dear mother-in-law on an around-the-world cruise she can't refuse, send Heidi and Harley out for a perfect just-the-two-of-them weekend, and babysit their kids.
Now... when a reader gets that involved with the characters, it has a lot to say about a series, doesn't it? Bring on the fourth book!
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
June 18, 2021
Read his full review on Rosepoint Publishing.
Sheriff Heidi Kick is up for re-election but she has no time to campaign. An alarming number of murders and missing persons keep her from hitting the campaign trail. When her deputies wind up missing, she begins full 18-hour days to solve the mysteries. Her four kids are being raised by their grandmother.
Some areas of her beat are only accessible by four-wheel drive vehicles through deer trails and hidden canyons. Living within these hidden areas is a family of miscreants. Some of the young are never sent to school and speak pidgin German mixed with a modicum of English.
The Goodgolly farm is owned by two brothers with very sketchy backgrounds. There is almost a schizophrenic relationship between the two. They live on their land and do not interact with others. A car in a ditch hides a body which has not been identified. Sheriff Kick goes into the backcountry to solve the problem.
The picture painted by John Galligan of remote Wisconsin backwoods life is both informative and disturbing. Stir-crazy brothers create a living hell on earth for their offspring. Multiple births by the age of twelve are typical.
The book reveals a very different and horrific lifestyle. I would never want to spend time in this kind of environment. The reading experience was graphic and many times aggravating. 3.5 stars - C.E. Williams
We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.
Sheriff Heidi Kick is up for re-election but she has no time to campaign. An alarming number of murders and missing persons keep her from hitting the campaign trail. When her deputies wind up missing, she begins full 18-hour days to solve the mysteries. Her four kids are being raised by their grandmother.
Some areas of her beat are only accessible by four-wheel drive vehicles through deer trails and hidden canyons. Living within these hidden areas is a family of miscreants. Some of the young are never sent to school and speak pidgin German mixed with a modicum of English.
The Goodgolly farm is owned by two brothers with very sketchy backgrounds. There is almost a schizophrenic relationship between the two. They live on their land and do not interact with others. A car in a ditch hides a body which has not been identified. Sheriff Kick goes into the backcountry to solve the problem.
The picture painted by John Galligan of remote Wisconsin backwoods life is both informative and disturbing. Stir-crazy brothers create a living hell on earth for their offspring. Multiple births by the age of twelve are typical.
The book reveals a very different and horrific lifestyle. I would never want to spend time in this kind of environment. The reading experience was graphic and many times aggravating. 3.5 stars - C.E. Williams
We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.
June 27, 2021
Sheriff Heidi Kick has a lot on her plate. A record heat wave is killing the elderly in her rural Wisconsin town. A serial killer is killing the homeless. And local businessman, Barry Rickreiner, is running a vicious campaign against Heidi for Sheriff. He is blaming her for everything that has gone wrong in town lately. For Heidi, it feels like a Bad Moon Rising in Bad Axe County. Can former newspaper man and Vietnam veteran, Leroy “Grape” Fanta, help her defeat both the killer and Barry?
This book is crammed full with sub-plots too. Heidi’s son, Taylor, is acting out by physically assaulting his brother. Her daughter is “at a summer camp for gender-nonconforming kids”. Her mother-in-law, Grammy Belle, blames Heidi’s lack of attention for both issues. In addition, something is causing local “deer to stagger onto the roads and get killed in collisions”. Oh, and Heidi may be pregnant. All that is just from chapter 3.
I enjoyed reconnecting with Sheriff Heidi. I read the first book in this series a couple of years ago. I loved Heidi but not the book’s pacing. With Bad Moon Rising, that problem has been fixed. The writing and pacing are smooth. The rural Wisconsin setting is unusual. Plus, I love all the ongoing sub-plots. If you are looking for a suspenseful deep dive into rural life, look no further. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
This book is crammed full with sub-plots too. Heidi’s son, Taylor, is acting out by physically assaulting his brother. Her daughter is “at a summer camp for gender-nonconforming kids”. Her mother-in-law, Grammy Belle, blames Heidi’s lack of attention for both issues. In addition, something is causing local “deer to stagger onto the roads and get killed in collisions”. Oh, and Heidi may be pregnant. All that is just from chapter 3.
I enjoyed reconnecting with Sheriff Heidi. I read the first book in this series a couple of years ago. I loved Heidi but not the book’s pacing. With Bad Moon Rising, that problem has been fixed. The writing and pacing are smooth. The rural Wisconsin setting is unusual. Plus, I love all the ongoing sub-plots. If you are looking for a suspenseful deep dive into rural life, look no further. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 5, 2021
Wow, what a story. I read an ARC from #Netgalley but the published book should be just as good. I'm not going to spoil the book by revealing the plot but if you like mysteries, small town situations, rural policing or just great characters, then consider this book. It reminds me a bit of some darker Appalachian novels. This author was new to me but I'll definitely be looking for more books. Books with strong female leads in unusual situations, especially when they do a great job in very complicated circumstances (moms with demanding outside jobs can relate) are some of my favorites - complexity built into the plot! This book is chock full of great, well developed characters like Fanta, the aging, alcoholic newspaperman. What you'll find in the book: a small town sheriff dealing small town issues (animosity from the town board and the one relatively wealthy family who challenges her authority); some big city weirdness compounded someone who long ago separated from reality; two genuinely freaky characters; some stressful family dynamics; and several wonderful supporting characters doing their thing and complicating the sheriff's job. The writing has just the right amount of tension to pull you along without ratcheting the reader into an anxiety fit and eases up enough at times to let you breathe before reeling you back in. This one gets a rare four stars from me.
July 10, 2021
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the audiobook which was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
I am new to John Galligan, and not sure whether I will try again. I struggled with this one and I am not sure if that is blamed on my current poor health, the connection to the story or the choice to listen rather than read the book.
Our main character is Sheriff Heidi Kick. She is in charge of policing in Bad Axe County, Wisconsin. The staff is overworked, and the large cast of characters was part of the reason I struggled. I found them a bit cartoonish. And the Sheriff, while intelligent and dedicated to her job, wasn't nearly as strong-minded as I would have hoped. She if facing reelection, and her. opponent is playing dirty. But she doesn't seem to be ready for a fight.
And now she has elderly residents dying -- from the heat, or something else? Unfortunately that is only the beginning of the sheriff's problems. This one turns violent quickly and the story is grim, taut, and tightly paced. The plot was interesting to me. It was the characters that put me off.
I am new to John Galligan, and not sure whether I will try again. I struggled with this one and I am not sure if that is blamed on my current poor health, the connection to the story or the choice to listen rather than read the book.
Our main character is Sheriff Heidi Kick. She is in charge of policing in Bad Axe County, Wisconsin. The staff is overworked, and the large cast of characters was part of the reason I struggled. I found them a bit cartoonish. And the Sheriff, while intelligent and dedicated to her job, wasn't nearly as strong-minded as I would have hoped. She if facing reelection, and her. opponent is playing dirty. But she doesn't seem to be ready for a fight.
And now she has elderly residents dying -- from the heat, or something else? Unfortunately that is only the beginning of the sheriff's problems. This one turns violent quickly and the story is grim, taut, and tightly paced. The plot was interesting to me. It was the characters that put me off.
January 25, 2022
This was my first book in this series, so I was relieved that not "getting" the backstory references didn't interfere with this story. I found the characters interesting, which is a key part of a good book for me, and the plot moved briskly. Sheriff Heidi Kick has a murder to investigate, children that are being impacted by a nasty re-election campaign and a mother-in-law that is vocal about the poor job Heidi is doing as a wife, mother and sheriff. Meanwhile, her husband is away playing baseball in the minor leagues. Not a typical mystery, with red herrings and false trails unraveling to the big reveal. Sheriff Kick does routine police work but is aided by an unknown source via email and by Vietnam vet Leroy Fanta (my favorite character). Interesting environmental facts help build to the final showdown, with a bizarre twist. The good guys mostly win, some of the bad guys slink away to fight another day and the mother-in-law doesn't change her tune. I liked the story and I liked that there was not a super-nerd computer hacker providing the key clue, no vigilante justice by the sheriff.
June 26, 2021
I was drawn to this book based on the synopsis describing a sheriff and a heatwave in Wisconsin. I imagined something along the lines of Jane Harper’s DRY or Craig Johnson’s Longmire series, both are huge favorites of mine. And BAD MOON RISING is the third in a series, so that was also enticing.
Unfortunately, it isn’t quite that kind of book. DRY does an excellent job of creating a sense of place and making the weather a character; it is overwhelming. Johnson’s characters are so realistic, readers could write their dialog, or imagine their lives, outside of the books. And both authors are so very good at creating hooks that grab you at the last minute, upending everything you thought you knew about the plot, and tossing it aside.
BAD MOON RISING telegraphs too much, too far ahead of time, leaving little to reveal at the end. I wish the characters were more complex. The book is a reliable mystery. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Unfortunately, it isn’t quite that kind of book. DRY does an excellent job of creating a sense of place and making the weather a character; it is overwhelming. Johnson’s characters are so realistic, readers could write their dialog, or imagine their lives, outside of the books. And both authors are so very good at creating hooks that grab you at the last minute, upending everything you thought you knew about the plot, and tossing it aside.
BAD MOON RISING telegraphs too much, too far ahead of time, leaving little to reveal at the end. I wish the characters were more complex. The book is a reliable mystery. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 9, 2021
This is now the third book in the series I have read and the author has a winner on his hands. Maybe it is because I live in the suburbs that all the characters in the book are almost from another world in the sticks in Bad Axe County, Wisconsin. In this book the Sheriff, Heidi Kick, is still fighting to do good for her constituents while also fighting a reelection campaign against and unscrupulous competitor who will sees nothing as too low in his attacks to smear Kick's name. I don't want to ruin the plot but some really awful stuff comes to light that Kick must deal with while also maintaining her humanity with her minor league baseball husband and children who also need their attention. I hope book 4 comes out soon as I can't wait to see what happens in Bad Axe County next. A must read.
Thank you Netgalley, John Galligan and Atria Books for the ARC for my honest review.
Thank you Netgalley, John Galligan and Atria Books for the ARC for my honest review.
July 29, 2023
I don’t know how to review this book in a way that will make anyone want to read it. Heidi Kick is running for sheriff in her heatwave-saturated Wisconsin town. Her opponent is vigorously campaigning to oust her, and she’s so busy doing the job it’s hard to counteract his signage and messages.
Homeless people are going missing throughout the state, and it looks like someone somewhere is turning them into food for a mentally deranged man on the rural side of Heidi’s community.
This is a dark mystery, and I’ve enjoyed the first two books in the series far more than I did this one. Still, Samantha Desz’s narration more than carried the day and gave me all the impetus I needed to finish this.
Homeless people are going missing throughout the state, and it looks like someone somewhere is turning them into food for a mentally deranged man on the rural side of Heidi’s community.
This is a dark mystery, and I’ve enjoyed the first two books in the series far more than I did this one. Still, Samantha Desz’s narration more than carried the day and gave me all the impetus I needed to finish this.
June 29, 2021
Bad Moon Rising by John Galligan is a well-written book peopled with characters that are difficult to like. This is fine because it makes the story interesting and thought-provoking. The harsh setting replete with dangerous animals, etc., adds to the challenge of solving a repugnant homicide. Heidi Kick the sheriff of Bad Ax County, is looking into the death of an unidentified corpse while also planning her reelection campaign. Readers are treated to investigatory methodology and family drama that plagues Heidi in her third adventure in Bad Ax which is never as tranquil as she would wish. Unpredictable twists and turns add to this outstanding entry in the Bad Ax series. A proven winner.
July 9, 2021
I like Sheriff Heidi Kick. I like her husband Harley and her family (although her mother-in-law not so much). I like the people she works with, for the most part, and even most of her constituents. But boy there are some crazies who live in Bad Axe County, too! Totally off the grid folks including one of those who is totally off his rocker and a young girl out for revenge, a mentally disturbed young man from Oregon and a mother-son combo out to "Barry Her" with rumors and innuendo all combine to make a few HOT HOT days in Bad Axe pretty difficult for Sheriff Kick and her freinds. Loved the book-- and didn't know who OPPO was until he told Heidi (and even then I wasn't sure...)
June 6, 2023
From the first page until the last, you are glued to these pages. Where Heidi is running for re-election which has turned out to be down and dirty, to a body found buried, a reporter who might want to help and is trying but thinks the man discovered is a Vietnam Vet, then you have her family which her children are all having some sort of issue and her husband is out of town for some baseball thing, oh on top of that a heat wave is going through so everyone is boiling besides their tempers. This all adds up for a very good and at times intense story and very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com
June 5, 2021
John Galligan has done it again! Bad Moon Rising is the third book in the Bad Axe County series and arguably my favorite.
Bad Axe County sheriff Heidi Kick, the Dairy Queen to her opponents, must solve the murder of a homeless man, all while trying to juggle her troubled children, meddling mother-in-law, a deadly heat wave, a nasty reelection campaign, and a missing newspaper editor.
Galligan has created a quirky world in Bad Axe County Wisconsin and I hope he continues this series for a long time. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
Bad Axe County sheriff Heidi Kick, the Dairy Queen to her opponents, must solve the murder of a homeless man, all while trying to juggle her troubled children, meddling mother-in-law, a deadly heat wave, a nasty reelection campaign, and a missing newspaper editor.
Galligan has created a quirky world in Bad Axe County Wisconsin and I hope he continues this series for a long time. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
October 19, 2021
Although it takes me awhile to click into the Bad Axe books, once I do the twists and turns have my complete attention. We read Bad Moon Rising out loud to each other on a road trip; no one was going to fall asleep on that drive until we found out what was going to happen to Heidi and her kids! I feel compelled to say that I really liked the Leroy Fanta character and the whole state-of-the-local newspaper aspect.
I'm glad more Heidi is coming!
Thank you to the author for my copy of the book with no expectation of a review here.
I'm glad more Heidi is coming!
Thank you to the author for my copy of the book with no expectation of a review here.
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