Rating: 
Summary: One of best 'first' novels of the year!
Review: Living in NE Iowa I appreciate the accurate and vivid descriptions. Better yet is Harstad's style of continuing dialogue to even more vividly portray the action of this compelling novel of crime, investigation, and resolution. You can guess at the ending, but when it comes the reader is amazed at the skillful and satisfying ending. The reader of mystery novels will appreciate this one, taking place in the heartland of America. The crimes committed by seemingly ordinary people and solved by seemingly ordinary people. No country hicks here.Well worth the reader's $$ and time.
Rating: 
Summary: RITUAL EVIL IN A SMALL TOWN
Review: Mr. Harstad has harvested for his own, the Small-Town, rural America, that has seldom been seen in the detective genre -- and he has done so with wit and insight. He does not talk down to either the reader or his characters, but treats both with respect and compassion. Mr. Harstad is able to give us a rare perspective into a rural farming community, deep-seated in incomparable personal experience as a small town citizen and peace officer, tempered by a fine writer's intelligence and acumen. His character, Carl, who is the voice of both moderation and good sense, is driven to solve the mystery because of his genuinely empathy for the victims, both the dead those who will live with guilt and memories. Don Harstad has written an highly commendable book, and I look forward to his next.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: While looking through the reviews I thought that I must have been alone in finding this book a complete waste of time, but Tim of Fresno put his finger on it. Dialogue is tedious, the story line is all over the place and at the end of the day I didn't care about any of the 'characters'. There are many more thrillers that are much better so read them instead.
Rating:
Summary: Gorey, but entertaining; couldn't put it down.
Review: This was a real page-turner! This reader is not a big fan of gorey mysteries (I prefer Robert Benchley, personally), a friend handed it to me one day and asked my opinion. I spent the whole day on it, unable to put it down. Harstad obviously has quite a bit of experience to draw on and a (necessary) sense of humor as well. I did think it got bogged down in technicalities in a few places, but the narrative is fast paced and keeps the reader intrigued. All the characters seem familiar, making it more frightening that this could be happening to someone you know. Looking forward to the next one!
Rating:
Summary: None of us will read a thriller this good for a looong time!
Review: I'll bet you can't write a first novel this good. I'll bet hardly anybody can. Harstad's narrative is absolutely riveting. The last time I read a novel non-stop it was "Eye of the Needle," - and for my money this was in the same league. A terribly grisly murder with satanic overtones -- and characters who deal with it like real people would. Could it happen in your home-town? Loved the complexity. Loved good guys (and gals). Loved the surprises. Loved the humor. Bring on the sequel!
Rating:
Summary: A fast-paced, often-times surprisingly funny suspense story.
Review: As a big fan of "Fargo" but not too big a fan of mysteries, I read Eleven Days seeking some momentary diversion. Moments turned into hours when I found myself wrapped up in the search for a killer in a small town, where life is placid on the surface but exciting in the depths. The "real time" narration of the small town deputy provided fast-paced momentum as the story raced along with enough twists and turns to satisfy the most avid roller-coaster rider. Thank goodness there were also moments where the reader could catch his breath with a chuckle or out-right laugh at the more practical and mundane events in police work. It was a fun ride!
Rating:
Summary: Very good thriller
Review: Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman likes his non-pressure law enforcement job in Nation County, Iowa. However, his life is abruptly changed when a frantic woman calls 911. Carl goes to the farm to find the caller is gone, and the farmer is dead and mutilated in a satanic style ritual. Down the road at another farm lie more corpses are found, victims of an apparent cult running amok. As Carl investigates the killings, he uncovers a vicious sect capable of the killings, yet he believes that it is a lone serial killer committing the dastardly deeds. Carl soon realizes that the heart of the killings in our nation's heartland may be a model citizen. Now if he can only prove his hunch that lurking underneath the placid, friendly façade of an everyday citizen lies the soul of a monster. ELEVEN DAYS is a superb police procedural that rivals some of the best in the sub-genre. Based on a true story, the novel is fast-paced and action-packed. Carl is a great cop and hopefully will return in future engagements. Though debut author Donald Harstad pads the story with a bit too muc material on cults, overall this novel is a one-day sitting that will be well received by fans of the sub-genre. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: fast paced and tightly wound
Review: This is one of those books, that if you can stomach the descriptions of what happens to the victims (and it's not pretty), You'll be rewarded with one of the best thrillers I've read in recent memory. There are more twists and turns in here than on Carl's blacktop and gravel, and it isn't that we don't know they're coming, but that we don't know what's going to be around the corner when we get there. And if you're careful, there are also some really nice bits in here that'll get you laughing. It appears policework isn't all coffee and donuts (although that's still a lot of it)
Rating: 
Summary: ELEVEN DAYS OF HO-HUM IN THE HEARTLAND
Review: This first time effort had its moments but the style detracted from the story. A houseful of murder,mayhem and Satanic symbols in the farm country of Iowa begins a story narrated by deputy sheriff Carl Houseman and the methodical solution to the case. At times the story is very good:exciting,gruesome,puzzling. At other times it is easy to get confused by the dialogue. The character development is not very good and the use of first names and he, she, he, she said, he said, they, them, they said etc. gets real old and easy to lose track of who said what to whom when and why he said it to her anyway. Get the picture?
Rating:
Summary: A superb achievement.....
Review: Donald Harstad's first novel (inspired by true events) was absorbing. I first read this novel during the winter of my final year of medical school (when I was researching the dark aspect of the human experience). I curled up with this engaging tome for an entire weekend. It was time well-spent.
The novel begins with a bizarre & twisted murder scene in a rural Iowa farmhouse. The juxtaposition of this scene in the setting of an innocent, serene town sets the stage for the novel. The ensuing investigation w/ its twists & turns is certainly suspenseful. I enjoyed the section where an expert in satanically-inspired crime is imported into the investigation from the East Coast. His analysis of the nature of the crime is intriguing. Moreover, the novel also alludes to the different strata which exist amongst practitioners of Satanism; for instance, there are the mere dabblers in this dark art who view it as a diversion while there are the ascetic devotees who literally adhere to its principles and thus are more warped & dangerous. If I had written this novel, I would have explored the psychological factors driving the different characters in this novel, especially the elusive serial killer. Perhaps Mr. Harstad is saving this material for a sequel, a psychological study of the serial killer. This would make a fascinating novel as well. It's been 3 years since I first read this novel. I plan to revisit it soon. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy reading suspenseful novels dealing w/ occult themes. Address an email letter to Dr. Nicholas Lianna (nehalpatel1975@yahoo.com) for further discussion of this work. In his spare time, Dr. Lianna, M.D. (in the realm of internal medicine) has been investigating aberrant psychology, psychopathology in the domain of psychiatry, different modalities of bio- & psychotherapy, and other instances of the dark aspect of the human experience during the last several years. He is in the midst of constructing a compilation of his findings, analyses, & final conclusions.
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