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Rating: 
Summary: Better than I expected
Review: "Code 61" by Donald Harstad will startle your senses and stretch your imagination, an unbelievable tale of the heartland so well told you will believe every word. Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman is summoned to a crime scene, a purported suicide and every aspect of the area surrounding the body screams deception. When a young woman reports that the peeping-tom at her window is very pale and has fangs, perplexed
officers can find no ledge for anyone to perch upon. Then the autopsy proves murder with startling information that involves the small town and surrounding area police officers on a "vampire" hunt.
Harstad's greatest writing talent is his ability to place his readers into the midst of a case and take them step by step through to its final conclusion. Once you have read one of Donald Harstad's novels you too will be a fan.
Beverly J Scott author of "Righteous Revenge" and "Ruth Fever." Reviewer for Intriguing Authors and Their Books at http://www.funeralassociates.com/authors.htm
Rating: 
Summary: Low-key mystery is still fun
Review: Donald Harstad writes books in the first person, with alter ego Carl Houseman narrating the story that he's involved in. The result is a book that sounds like it was written by a veteran of Iowa law enforcement, which is of course what Harstad is. This is an interesting technique: there's no attempt at beautiful prose (James Lee Burke comes to mind) but rather a mundane as-it-happened reportorial style that's authentic feeling. Sort of like a hand-held camera in a movie during a chase scene...you think you're actually there, or hearing about it from someone who was.
In this installment, Houseman is first called to an apartment building where a very strange peeping tom is making trouble, then begins to investigate a strange killing in an even stranger house in Nation County. The killer at least appears to be a vampire, or he thinks he's one anyway, and several other participants believe he is also. This leads to much humor, dark and otherwise, and to several interesting plot twists.
Harstad's weak point, if there is one, is that his plots sort of meander at points, and this one does that halfway through the book. Things get bogged down in his mundane recountings of radio conversations (which he creates using the "ten" codes that they actually use on the radio in Iowa) and various procedural things that go on around a homicide. At times it can get excruciating waiting for something to happen, but the characters are interesting and the dialog's good.
I enjoyed this book in spite of the shortcomings listed above, and would recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Harstad - The Real Thing
Review: I am a retired police officer, having served for over 33 years in large and small jurisdictions. I was surprised when I began Harstad's book. I thought to myself: " This guy is one of us or sure has a great insight". While the story is fanciful, it was very well written and "gripping" throughout. I paid close attention to the language, the actions, the thought processes, the insertion of humor (sometimes of the 'graveyard-type) and case development. All these things were right on the money. I have and will recommend Harstad's books to other officers - active and retired. I also recommend his books to you if you are interested in both a well written, interesting tale as well as a peek into how "cops" think and act. Both thumbs up!!
Rating:
Summary: Another mystery from the heartland
Review: I have read all of Mr. Harstad's books and found them all quite enjoyable. True, they are not of exceptionable literary merit, but the stories are intriguing and the characters add a lot to the story. I think they offer insight to life in the midwest, and a lot of detail about police work in that area. "Code 61" is a quick read with a rather unusual bad guy who could have really been expanded more in the story. He is discussed a lot peripherally, but not enough is said about his motive or background. Without revealing anything about the plot, I am a little confused about the title since it doesn't really tie in with the story all that well. I would also like to see the Hester Gorse character expanded. She is the tough, no nonsense state agent who assists Deputy Houseman in most of his cases. In any event, it is a good story and worth a read. I would caution readers that if you are not into "police procedural" novels, then this may not be for you.
Rating:
Summary: Bitingly Funny
Review: I picked up this book a few days ago on a trip up to Seattle. I have to say it took the first 150 pages to really get into the book, which is very technical in nature. Its obvious to me that Donald Harstad was a talented police officer in his previous incarnation. There was quite a bit of, in my opinion, useless dialogue that really seemed to be there to just fill pages. The story itself was at times intriguing but it tended to sputter out more often than not. A lot of the character development seemed wasted in the end which, in my opinion, was extremely anticlimactic. I hate to give this book such a terrible review because after all the lead-up I was really looking forward to a big payoff.
Rating:
Summary: The Real Harstad
Review: I'm not a usual mystery reader -- but as a librarian in a small town in Northeast Iowa I read his books to expand my horizons and invited him to speak at our library. Harstad won me over. Something the other reviewers didn't mention is his humor -- and the quirky personality in his stories. He represents our corner of Iowa in a way I haven't seen before (although the cases have been fictionalized they are taken from parts of incidents in his career and the atmosphere darkened -- he shows our part of the world to be surrounded by bluffs along the river and full of scrappy, hard-working and intelligent people ... and some strange people as well) People who visit are surprised how beautiful it is here (not at all what they expect from Iowa). Harstad lives here, worked here for over 20 years in the police department -- and when he writes about our landscape and our people he knows what he's talking about. Of course -- a novel focuses on the unusual (so don't think we're vampires) By the way -- the house in Code Sixty-One really exists and is only a block away from me. Sny Magill is a real place too. Enjoyable, personable mystery.
Rating:
Summary: `Tis the -Halloween- Season
Review: Is he or isn't he? Only his Dentist knows for sure. (A paraphrase of the old Lady Clairol Blonde ads) Is there a slithering pit of Vampires operating in Nation County, Iowa, and throughout the Upper Midwest?In this 4th excursion, former Iowa Deputy Sheriff Donald Harstad's Iowa Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman and crew still have the Coffee on and the mysteries perking. With a Midwestern knack for understatement, also included at The End of the book are "Some Useful Ten Codes" (That's a big "10-4!") I made a copy this Very Helpful list - doubles as a bookmark - to which to refer while reading other police procedurals whose authors are not so thoughtful of their readership. This book brought back memories of long-ago afternoons spent in front of the TV with the friends and fiends of *Dark Shadows.* Reviewed by TundraVision.
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't finish it
Review: This is a long, boring novel. I really tried to finish it because I hate not reading a whole novel. I just couldn't wade through it. The dialogue is clunky and there is too much procedural. An investigation of a crime scene lasts 100 pages! Good luck with it.
Rating:
Summary: A most likeable cop
Review: With the title it has, I would never have even picked up this book if my sister-in-law hadn't given it to me because it is set along the Mississippi like KEEPERS OF THE RIVER. Yes, it's a vampire story but don't expect a real one. Too bad. I think the story would have been more intriguing if the vampire turned out to be genuine, but I suppose the author didn't want to risk leaving the mystery genre. With the hope of finding a Midwestern Dracula, I waded into a maze of technical police stuff but was carried along by amusing dialogue and a most likeable cop, Carl Houseman. He is an unique and engaging character. Unfortunately, the others are not so readily pictured and the ending was rather anticlimatic.
Rating:
Summary: A most likeable cop
Review: With the title it has, I would never have even picked up this book if my sister-in-law hadn't given it to me because it is set along the Mississippi like KEEPERS OF THE RIVER. Yes, it's a vampire story but don't expect a real one. Too bad. I think the story would have been more intriguing if the vampire turned out to be genuine, but I suppose the author didn't want to risk leaving the mystery genre. With the hope of finding a Midwestern Dracula, I waded into a maze of technical police stuff but was carried along by amusing dialogue and a most likeable cop, Carl Houseman. He is an unique and engaging character. Unfortunately, the others are not so readily pictured and the ending was rather anticlimatic.
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