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Black Mountain
A group of "city dwellers"--including the governor of New York and transit cop Richard Corrigan--quickly discovers the dangers that lurk in the wilds of Wyoming when their simple hiking outing is plagued by murder. By the author of Presidential Deal. Reprint.
283 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 7, 2000
48 people want to read
About the author
Les Standiford
42 books160 followersLes Standiford is a historian and author and has since 1985 been the Director of the Florida International University Creative Writing Program. Standiford has been awarded the Frank O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, a Florida Individual Artist Fellowship in Fiction, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Fiction, and belongs to the Associated Writing Programs, Mystery Writers of America, and the Writers Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 5, 2014
Rather ordinary plot but well-executed. Richard Corrigan is a NY transit cop, relegated to the subways because of an eye injury. Assigned to crowd control at the governor's appearance in Central Park, he sees an odd looking homeless man moving quickly toward the speaker’s platform with his hands in his packets. Giving chase, Corrigan follows the man running into a subway tunnel where the man falls in front of a subway train and is killed. What Corrigan thought might be a gun turned out to be an inhaler. His partner throws down a gun to make it look like the guy was armed and Corrigan, much to his disgust is hailed as a hero by the governor.
The governor, as a publicity stunt, decides to take Corrigan along on his wilderness trip and, of course, the party becomes stranded when their plane crashes after dropping them off and a couple of hitmen stalk them through the trek out of the mountains, killing people off as they go along. The bad guys seem to be helped by the weather which seemed a bit too much deus ex machina, but nevermind.
The governor is your standard schnook to the point where rooting for the bad guys is a definite option. There is never any doubt as to the ultimate outcome so a thriller it’s not and this is perhaps one of those books enhanced by the skill of the narrator, Richard Ferrone, who is very good, indeed.
The governor, as a publicity stunt, decides to take Corrigan along on his wilderness trip and, of course, the party becomes stranded when their plane crashes after dropping them off and a couple of hitmen stalk them through the trek out of the mountains, killing people off as they go along. The bad guys seem to be helped by the weather which seemed a bit too much deus ex machina, but nevermind.
The governor is your standard schnook to the point where rooting for the bad guys is a definite option. There is never any doubt as to the ultimate outcome so a thriller it’s not and this is perhaps one of those books enhanced by the skill of the narrator, Richard Ferrone, who is very good, indeed.
March 18, 2019
PROTAGONIST: Richard Corrigan, NY transit cop
SETTING: Wyoming
RATING: 3.5
WHY: New York City Transit Cop Richard Corrigan is mistakenly identified as a hero when he stops a man who appears to be threatening NY governor Fielding Dawson. Dawson rewards Corrigan by inviting him along to serve as security during a wilderness jaunt he had planned which to Corrigan seems to be a publicity stunt as Dawson chases the presidency. Things swiftly go awry. One by one, the participants are being killed with only a few of them remaining to fight their way through tough weather and terrain to escape the villains. One of them is a reporter, Dara Wylie, with whom Corrigan has established a bond. Exciting, but requires large suspensions of disbelief.
SETTING: Wyoming
RATING: 3.5
WHY: New York City Transit Cop Richard Corrigan is mistakenly identified as a hero when he stops a man who appears to be threatening NY governor Fielding Dawson. Dawson rewards Corrigan by inviting him along to serve as security during a wilderness jaunt he had planned which to Corrigan seems to be a publicity stunt as Dawson chases the presidency. Things swiftly go awry. One by one, the participants are being killed with only a few of them remaining to fight their way through tough weather and terrain to escape the villains. One of them is a reporter, Dara Wylie, with whom Corrigan has established a bond. Exciting, but requires large suspensions of disbelief.
July 5, 2018
An old-fashioned mystery where a cop protects the Gov. on a trip to Montana. I say old-fashioned because there is a sexy hit women in leopard pants. Perhaps men would enjoy this book more than I did. nice writing, slow plot.
October 22, 2018
This was probably the most suspenseful, mysterious book I have listened to. This is a great audio book for a long drive, it will keep your attention and you won't fall asleep. I have been recommending this book to others. It had a good twist at the end that I didn't expect. I loved it!
October 13, 2017
a good outdoors thriller based in the wilds of Wyoming
June 17, 2018
Good setting. Kind of corny hero; however, alls well that ends well.
October 17, 2009
I picked this up because my book club was reading another Standiford book (Last Train to Paradise- which makes sense as I live in Florida) This was an OK by the pool read- lots of action & excitment. Predictable ending "with a character twist" It was OK but I still want to get the Last Train to Paradise
March 19, 2010
Deliverance type stuff, but not as good
June 5, 2010
Lots of suspense, lot of twists and turns.
November 9, 2018
It was a fast read...I did it in one day! There are some nice twists & turns.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews