Dead Angler

Rating:
Summary: A Keeper
Review: Dead Angler caught my attention right from the first page. I'm not an angler, but I enjoyed learning about it. Most of all, I definitely connected with the main character and his love interest the female sheriff--great chemistry and an unusual relationship with a lot of possibilities. The mystery was truly mysterious--I didn't guess it until the last chapter just the way I like it. Loved the locale and interesting secondary characters. Read it!

Rating:
Summary: What a catch!
Review: Doc is just an ordinary guy, a retired dentist to be exact, who loves to fish. Lew is the local sheriff who needs Doc's dental knowledge to solve crimes. Together they make a great team. But what makes Victoria Houston's books delightful are the other colorful characters that inhabit Loon Lake and appear, and interfere, in the investigations. If you like blood, guts and testosterone, Victoria's books are not for you. But if you like a puzzle, strange happenings and the characters that go with it, I highly recommend "Dead Angler".

Rating:
Summary: Not the best in the genre, but OK
Review: I enjoy this genre of mystery, the type that takes place in a small town with quirky local characters and not much blood and guts. This book is the first in the Loon Lake, Lew Ferris Police Chief, fly fishing series.

Although the series touts tough, fly fishing Ms. Lew Ferris as police chief, the book is told through the eyes of retired dentist Dr. Osbourne, who is deputized to be a forensic dentist. Usually in this genre, the story is told through the actual detective. Seeing the mystery unfold second-hand through the dentist's eyes is different, and frankly, not as interesting. His contributions to the clue-finding are tripping over the body and identifying that her gold fillings have been pulled out. For the rest of the clues, the reader must rely on what Chief Ferris chooses to tell him. This is complicated by Dr. Osbourne's developing crush on the police chief.

I don't think this author is as good a writer as, for example, Earlene Fowler (quilting mysteries) or Diane Mott Davidson (culinary mysteries with excellent recipes included). However, if you are desperate for another author who can be relied on to keep to the genre, I would recommend this author, Victoria Houston (the name sounds made up, doesn't it?).

Rating:
Summary: Not the best in the genre, but OK
Review: I enjoy this genre of mystery, the type that takes place in a small town with quirky local characters and not much blood and guts. This book is the first in the Loon Lake, Lew Ferris Police Chief, fly fishing series.

Although the series touts tough, fly fishing Ms. Lew Ferris as police chief, the book is told through the eyes of retired dentist Dr. Osbourne, who is deputized to be a forensic dentist. Usually in this genre, the story is told through the actual detective. Seeing the mystery unfold second-hand through the dentist's eyes is different, and frankly, not as interesting. His contributions to the clue-finding are tripping over the body and identifying that her gold fillings have been pulled out. For the rest of the clues, the reader must rely on what Chief Ferris chooses to tell him. This is complicated by Dr. Osbourne's developing crush on the police chief.

I don't think this author is as good a writer as, for example, Earlene Fowler (quilting mysteries) or Diane Mott Davidson (culinary mysteries with excellent recipes included). However, if you are desperate for another author who can be relied on to keep to the genre, I would recommend this author, Victoria Houston (the name sounds made up, doesn't it?).

Rating:
Summary: Don't Throw This One Back In
Review: I've had this book since it's publication in 2000. I bought it when I lived in Texas, shipped it to Vermont when I moved, and it's been on my bookshelf for nearly four years. I finally picked it up to read the other day, and could kick myself for not reading it sooner.

This is a wonderful first book. It's got a great plot with lots of twists and turns, quirky characters who are easy to like, and, of course, Loon Lake.

Unlike other first-time authors, Houston did not keep secrets from the reader. As the characters found bits and pieces of the puzzle, Houston let us in on them, too.

I'm one of those readers who like to read series in order, and I'm sorry it took me so long to read this because I know I'm going to have a hard time finding "Dead Creek" (2000) and "Dead Water (2001). Rats!

Rating:
Summary: Don't Throw This One Back In
Review: I've had this book since it's publication in 2000. I bought it when I lived in Texas, shipped it to Vermont when I moved, and it's been on my bookshelf for nearly four years. I finally picked it up to read the other day, and could kick myself for not reading it sooner.

This is a wonderful first book. It's got a great plot with lots of twists and turns, quirky characters who are easy to like, and, of course, Loon Lake.

Unlike other first-time authors, Houston did not keep secrets from the reader. As the characters found bits and pieces of the puzzle, Houston let us in on them, too.

I'm one of those readers who like to read series in order, and I'm sorry it took me so long to read this because I know I'm going to have a hard time finding "Dead Creek" (2000) and "Dead Water (2001). Rats!

Rating:
Summary: A Keeper
Review: Never before have I chosen a book because of its cover, but DEAD ANGLER by Victoria Houston had such an interesting one that I couldn't resist. I'm glad I didn't. I always enjoy a novel that tells me about something with which I am not familiar, and this one certainly qualified. In DEAD ANGLER, I not only experienced the unexpected beauty of northern Wisconsin, but I also discovered the fascinating world of fishing, a world populated by a male protagonist who is strong enough to admit his fears and failings, a female chief of police whose hard-headed good sense gives her the courage to live and thrive in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, and an eccentric fishing guide you'd love to hang out with for a few weeks. However interesting and quirky Ms. Houston's characters are, she keeps firm control over them, never letting them become caricatures. If you like character driven novels, this one is for you. But beware, you may find yourself hooked.

Rating:
Summary: Get Hooked!
Review: Never before have I chosen a book because of its cover, but DEAD ANGLER by Victoria Houston had such an interesting one that I couldn't resist. I'm glad I didn't. I always enjoy a novel that tells me about something with which I am not familiar, and this one certainly qualified. In DEAD ANGLER, I not only experienced the unexpected beauty of northern Wisconsin, but I also discovered the fascinating world of fishing, a world populated by a male protagonist who is strong enough to admit his fears and failings, a female chief of police whose hard-headed good sense gives her the courage to live and thrive in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, and an eccentric fishing guide you'd love to hang out with for a few weeks. However interesting and quirky Ms. Houston's characters are, she keeps firm control over them, never letting them become caricatures. If you like character driven novels, this one is for you. But beware, you may find yourself hooked.

Rating:
Summary: Muskie Fever
Review: Retired Dentist Paul Osborne is widowed from an acquisitive shrew. He teams up with Loon Lake Wisconsin's new Chief of Police, Lew(ellyn) Ferris for fly fishing for trout and solving a murder mystery. But will Bait & Tackle Store owner Ralph tie off the budding romance? And who ripped the gold fillings out of the corpse's mouth?
This murder mystery was a little too "cozy" for me (a la Lillian Jackson Braun.) Better the reel action of Walleye or Muskie fishing - and who wants to eat a poor fish who is staring back at you from the plate, anyway? The best part of this book is Ray's hat!

Rating:
Summary: Muskie Fever
Review: Retired Dentist Paul Osborne is widowed from an acquisitive shrew. He teams up with Loon Lake Wisconsin's new Chief of Police, Lew(ellyn) Ferris for fly fishing for trout and solving a murder mystery. But will Bait & Tackle Store owner Ralph tie off the budding romance? And who ripped the gold fillings out of the corpse's mouth?
This murder mystery was a little too "cozy" for me (a la Lillian Jackson Braun.) Better the reel action of Walleye or Muskie fishing - and who wants to eat a poor fish who is staring back at you from the plate, anyway? The best part of this book is Ray's hat!