What do you think?
Rate this book
Sheriff Dan Rhodes #3
Cursed to Death
In tiny Blacklin County, Texas, a curse is nothing more than a four-letter word hollered in a barroom or muttered in the heat. So Sheriff Dan Rhodes is more curious than concerned when he dutifully responds to a complaint of witchcraft.
When Dr. Samuel Martin, the local dentist — and unpopular landlord — claims he's been hexed by a tenant, Rhodes does his best to smooth things out between the distressed D.D.S. and the would-be witch. But in two shakes of a black cat's tail, the good doctor disappears... and his wife turns up bludgeoned to death.
For Rhodes, it means there's a bad moon rising over Blacklin County. And now he's got to do the voodoo he does best — asking pointed questions and extracting the painful truth from some tight-lipped suspects who also bite...
When Dr. Samuel Martin, the local dentist — and unpopular landlord — claims he's been hexed by a tenant, Rhodes does his best to smooth things out between the distressed D.D.S. and the would-be witch. But in two shakes of a black cat's tail, the good doctor disappears... and his wife turns up bludgeoned to death.
For Rhodes, it means there's a bad moon rising over Blacklin County. And now he's got to do the voodoo he does best — asking pointed questions and extracting the painful truth from some tight-lipped suspects who also bite...
193 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
43 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Bill Crider
241 books235 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 6, 2015
"May your teeth fall out, and you disappear" Thus is the curse given to a local dentist and slum lord in the small Texas town where Sheriff Dan Rhodes, in this third outing, must deal with the high and low crimes committed in his county.
He must also deal with a food fight at the local old folks home because two of it's residents want to co-habituate but the home director will not allow it.
It's tough being a sheriff. Then the dentist / slum lord vanishes. The sheriff discovers that oh so many of the towns folk did not like him, so many suspects, and all Sheriff Rhodes wants to do is go fishing and worry about his decision to keep courtin' and sparkin the new woman in his life.
Another fine addition to the series of easy going fun reading adventures of a small town sheriff and his geriatric side kicks. There is even a reference to Barney Fife and Mayberry plus all that vintage movie reference.
He must also deal with a food fight at the local old folks home because two of it's residents want to co-habituate but the home director will not allow it.
It's tough being a sheriff. Then the dentist / slum lord vanishes. The sheriff discovers that oh so many of the towns folk did not like him, so many suspects, and all Sheriff Rhodes wants to do is go fishing and worry about his decision to keep courtin' and sparkin the new woman in his life.
Another fine addition to the series of easy going fun reading adventures of a small town sheriff and his geriatric side kicks. There is even a reference to Barney Fife and Mayberry plus all that vintage movie reference.
August 21, 2015
A dentist comes into the sheriff's office claiming a witch put a curse on him. Dan Rhodes gets that straightened up, but then the dentist disappears.
Plus, it's Christmas time, and Dan has to get something for Ivy, not to mention whomever he drew for the secret Santa.
Great stuff.
Plus, it's Christmas time, and Dan has to get something for Ivy, not to mention whomever he drew for the secret Santa.
Great stuff.
April 23, 2020
I laughed in places. That is a good thing.
August 23, 2015
This is one of favorite new series. Glad I found him. I saw one of his books advertised and went back to the first one, and I'm glad I did.
May 7, 2025
“Cursed to Death” sees Sheriff Dan Rhodes investigating the disappearance of a local dentist and landlord.
Samuel Martin had complained to police a few days earlier that he had been cursed by one of his tenants.
Set just before Christmas it is unseasonably warm in Blackling County, Texas, and things are heating up with Ivy.
Outside of the local crime there is a comfy feel to the area - its places and people.
Deputy Ruth has introduced Secret Santa to the station and a somewhat baffled Dan (he hasn't a clue what to get for Ivy, but he knows he'll have to).
Meanwhile, down in a local Old Folks home, romance has led to a reign of elderly chaos.
It's a fun read.
3 Stars.
Samuel Martin had complained to police a few days earlier that he had been cursed by one of his tenants.
Set just before Christmas it is unseasonably warm in Blackling County, Texas, and things are heating up with Ivy.
Outside of the local crime there is a comfy feel to the area - its places and people.
Deputy Ruth has introduced Secret Santa to the station and a somewhat baffled Dan (he hasn't a clue what to get for Ivy, but he knows he'll have to).
Meanwhile, down in a local Old Folks home, romance has led to a reign of elderly chaos.
It's a fun read.
3 Stars.
October 17, 2019
Sheriff Dan Rhodes investigates the disappearance of Samuel Martin, the local dentist and the owner of a number of rental properties. Rhodes is the sheriff of Blacklin County, a small rural county. The book is set a few days before Christmas and the weather is unseasonably warm. As always in this series there is plenty of humor, particularity involving Hack and Lawton who work in the Sheriff's office. Rhodes' romance with Ivy continues. There is also an intriguing mystery in the disappearance and a subsequent murder and several interesting offshoots to the story.
November 6, 2017
This is my 3rd Sheriff Dan Rhodes...While no CJ Box or Craig Johnson, Crider certainly can spin a small-town crime yarn with them...wonderful characters & dialog...In this one, Rhodes has a local dentist come up missing & the dentist's wife bludgeoned to death after being cursed by one of the dentist's renters...OK read!
September 20, 2017
Really fun to read - good characters, fun plot.
December 4, 2018
Was not as good as some of his other books. Anticlimactic.
April 18, 2019
Ok getting more into the storyline and central character is developing a recognizable personality. There's hope yet... On to the 4th book.
November 30, 2021
I'm really enjoying this series. Only a bit of violence and only a bit of romance. Just nice, solid stories.
May 5, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this comfortable read
December 5, 2023
Love the characters.
April 1, 2025
Book #3. I love these crime novels written on the 80s.
September 1, 2014
Cursed to Death is the 3rd book in the Dan Rhodes series. A dentist who also is a owner of many rental houses has a curse put on him by a tenant who has not paid the rent. The dentist soon goes missing. Dan Rhodes sheriff of Blacklin County Texas is called by the dentist's wife to find her husband. The missing dentist had told his wife that he was going to go collect back rent from several renters.
I have read three Dan Rhodes books now and have enjoyed them all. This book was a fast read for me as it held my attention. I like the series because I like the character Sheriff Dan Rhodes. He likes his ice cold bottled Doctor Pepper. He likes to make cold cut sandwiches at home and watch old movies. He solves crimes by talking to people and using his instinct. Even if high technology would have been available at the time this book was written, I feel that Sheriff Rhodes would still prefer to grind it out-talking to people and following his own instincts on human behavior. He is also in a quandary as he is "almost" engaged. It was an entertaining and interesting read.
I have read three Dan Rhodes books now and have enjoyed them all. This book was a fast read for me as it held my attention. I like the series because I like the character Sheriff Dan Rhodes. He likes his ice cold bottled Doctor Pepper. He likes to make cold cut sandwiches at home and watch old movies. He solves crimes by talking to people and using his instinct. Even if high technology would have been available at the time this book was written, I feel that Sheriff Rhodes would still prefer to grind it out-talking to people and following his own instincts on human behavior. He is also in a quandary as he is "almost" engaged. It was an entertaining and interesting read.
May 16, 2011
BOTTOM LINE: #3 Sheriff Dan Rhodes, Blacklin County, Texas. A witch curses a dentist, who promptly disappears, his wife gets murdered, and there’s a riot at an old age home. And Christmas is coming soon, and Dan doesn’t have any presents bought as yet. The time frame jumps around a bit, but the plotting is tight and the pace is fast.
Good times in a small town, a comfortable police procedural with wonderful characters who’ve become my friends. I love this series, and look forward to reading Sheriff Rhodes #4, DEATH ON THE MOVE, and beginning Crider’s series about Carl Burns, with #1, ONE DEAD DEAN.
The finale was ‘way similar to the two earlier books, though, and I hope this isn’t going to happen in the next twelve or so... Poor Dan gets run through the mill, beat up and shot and generally hurting. A touch of energizer bunny-ism, that I hope doesn’t get any larger. Still good writting over all, though.
Good times in a small town, a comfortable police procedural with wonderful characters who’ve become my friends. I love this series, and look forward to reading Sheriff Rhodes #4, DEATH ON THE MOVE, and beginning Crider’s series about Carl Burns, with #1, ONE DEAD DEAN.
The finale was ‘way similar to the two earlier books, though, and I hope this isn’t going to happen in the next twelve or so... Poor Dan gets run through the mill, beat up and shot and generally hurting. A touch of energizer bunny-ism, that I hope doesn’t get any larger. Still good writting over all, though.
April 14, 2016
A real cliff-hanger concerning Sheriff Dan Rhodes desperately avoiding Christmas shopping. People who have read earlier books in the series already know that Sheriff Dan Rhodes does not wear hats and has never solved a murder using finger prints. I don't think that it's a spoiler to say that he doesn't solve this one using finger prints either. As usual, Sheriff Rhodes plods around town asking people questions, getting beat up and shot, and asking more questions until he gets his man, or woman, as the case may be.
Other reviews note that this book is old fashioned (no cell phones) but for 1988 it is actually pretty progressive ... in other ways. I had a computer 15 years before I had a cell phone. Hack and Lawton have a computer at the jail in A Ghost of a Chance (Sheriff Dan Rhodes #10) so readers may have to wait awhile for cell phones.
Other reviews note that this book is old fashioned (no cell phones) but for 1988 it is actually pretty progressive ... in other ways. I had a computer 15 years before I had a cell phone. Hack and Lawton have a computer at the jail in A Ghost of a Chance (Sheriff Dan Rhodes #10) so readers may have to wait awhile for cell phones.
August 23, 2012
#3 in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. Rather a lackluster, but enjoyable, entry in the estimable small town Texas series.
Dan Rhodes series - When a witch places a public curse on a local dentist / landlord, and the target of that curse disappears without much of a trace, Rhodes does as much investigating as he can, with what little he has to go on. Then the dentist's wife is murdered, and the investigation is taken up a notch. The most likely suspects are the four tenants who rent from the dentist -- including the witch, who turns out not to be a witch at all. And all of this action happens just before Christmas, when folks are scurrying around putting up trees and buying presents for each other.
Dan Rhodes series - When a witch places a public curse on a local dentist / landlord, and the target of that curse disappears without much of a trace, Rhodes does as much investigating as he can, with what little he has to go on. Then the dentist's wife is murdered, and the investigation is taken up a notch. The most likely suspects are the four tenants who rent from the dentist -- including the witch, who turns out not to be a witch at all. And all of this action happens just before Christmas, when folks are scurrying around putting up trees and buying presents for each other.
August 3, 2023
I have a handful of favorite author series and the Sheriff Dan Rhodes mysteries are among those favorites. Once again it took a day to read as taking breaks aren't as often or long. These aren't thrillers. They're westerns without a women's habit of romancing a simple story. They're also mysteries. Wow, the books are so good. Bad guys, unexpected surprises, humor, fights, clues and good guys who do not have to cuss to keep ones interest. It kept my attention right to the end which is not a surprise.
January 30, 2014
A Clearview dentist is cursed by one of his tenants, and shortly after disappears. Sheriff Dan Rhodes isn't sure whether to be concerned or not. After all, even a quiet rural county has other things going on. There's the rumpus at the nursing home, for instance, that pits the administrator and staff against true love. But when Rhodes finds the dentist's wife dead, he knows that there's something really wrong in town.
March 25, 2016
So old it's almost embarrassing to read. Not even cell phones which would have done helped charming Dan Rhodes. So old the comic relief in the jail must be at least 100 today. But who cares. You find out a little more about Rhodes and Ivy and how they get together. The mystery is clever but not central. Just good old fashioned ironic writing.
December 12, 2012
I am really enjoying this series. I'm trying to read them in order.
While they read quick(I did this one in acouple of days) They have some depth to them. I really enjoy the Sheriff and his small Texas town. A good mystery. Can't wait to read the next one...
While they read quick(I did this one in acouple of days) They have some depth to them. I really enjoy the Sheriff and his small Texas town. A good mystery. Can't wait to read the next one...
May 29, 2011
Continuing my quest to read some favorite author's backlist.... Bill Crider's Sheriff Rhodes series is a humorous police procedural set in rural Texas. Always enjoyable, never taxing.
June 26, 2013
Dan Rhodes is a middle-age sheriff in a small Texas town who pokes about until he solves the mystery of the missing dentist and murdered wife.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews