Rating: 
Summary: Hard to Hit a Moving Target
Review: In the ten commandments of mystery writing,Mr. Harstad (if that is his name/or their names) has broken thirteen or fourteen rules. Parts of the narrative move apace, despite numerous attempts at misdirecting the audience. One of the best things about the book? It is a fast read!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best mysteries I've ever read!
Review: I've been a mystery reader all my life and have rarely found a first novel this good. Mr. Harstead brings great authenticity to his work as well as flashes of humor. I felt like I knew these people, or wanted to. Some of the crime scene information might be a little strong for folks but all in all, I think this book is terrific. Carlene Rae Dater (CarlenRae@AOL.com)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, a real page turner
Review: I loved this book! As a rural Deputy Sheriff myself, I know exactly where the author is coming from. His portrayals of the law enforcement personnel are right on the money. I have already ordered his next book. If it is half as good as his first, my money will have been well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Lookout John Sanford, You have competition
Review: Great read, Rural Law enforcement at it's best. Very few dull spots and keeps you engaged throughout the book
Rating: 
Summary: Characters need some work ...
Review: You can read the reviews and summaries above for a detailed description of the story. I enjoyed the book and will read the next one by this author. Later on in the book, however, I started to have more and more trouble keeping track of the characters. More character development would have helped.
Rating:
Summary: A riveting page-turner with an authentic voice.
Review: Having worked in a small rural sheriff's department, I can say that Harstad's narrative is right on target. I could easily imagine some of the very same personalities and political conflicts he describes. This book had me hooked from page one. Whenever I had to put it down to deal with real life, I couldn't stop thinking about it and being very impatient for some more reading time. A very fast-paced read.I took this book with me to read while on vacation and had it finished in a day. I'm very much looking forward to reading Harstad's new novel.
Rating:
Summary: Book of the week for July 12th, 1999 on http://www.myke.com
Review: The author says that this story is based on his experiences as a small Iowa town police officer and this really shows in the writing and the attitudes presented in it. I found the characters to be extremely realistic although not terribly interesting (I think this is the reason for some of the negative reviews as well as the very regional nature of the story). The attitudes presented by "Carl Houseman" and other characters in the story are realistic and are not as cosmopolitan as what other writers would give you. For me, this really works. But for other people, I can see where this would make the book hard to read. I found the book to be totally immersing (despite the fact that I live and grew up in a large city) and a wonderful first novel.
Rating:
Summary: Good until the ending
Review: There was a lot to like about this book - a lot of good surprises and interesting story developments. However, I found the ending unbelievable because there was too big of a juxtaposition of the satanic killing machine the cops were searching for and how that character appeared elsewhere in the book before being revealed as the skm. There were some other plot holes. Also the use of kitchen appliances, was that necessary?
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for the beach!
Review: I was unable to put this book down. So intense and grisly is this book, that I paid for my sunburn for over a week, and still cant wait for the next great read from Donald Harstad.
Rating:
Summary: A chilling, can't-put-down thriller
Review: This novel sent chills up my spine with each riveting page. I was unable to put it down. There were some graphic scenes, but it only added to the suspense. I can picture this as a GREAT movie. I think this drama unfolds better than a Tom Clancy novel.
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