Paradise City: A Joe Gunther Novel Audiobook

" Has the Joe Gunther series "jumped the shark"? I have enjoyed Mayor's set of novels about a Vermont lawman, but this latest installment left me yawning. All the ingredients are in place for a great story, but somehow the whole is less than the sum of the parts. The formula may be getting stale, and in need of a quantum shift. "

" Archer Mayor churns out his Joe Gunther series on at least a yearly basis. I've read most of them, in part because their locales are familiar, and his protagonist is likeable, although fairly two-dimensional. This latest in a long series is fair-to-middling. Perhaps I'm just tired of Joe's aging angst, and Willy Kunkle's sourness. The story involves both the familiar - Vermont - and for Mayor, the unfamiliar, venturing into Northhampton, MA, in a convoluted tale of large-scale jewelry theft and "laundering," exploitation of mostly-Asians escaping horrendous conditions at home, only to find themselves in almost as bad situations in the states. This is a quick read, with lots of white space on the pages of a book that could be half the size. "

" Meh. I keep thinking I have to read these books because they are by a Vermont author, and I really enjoyed the early ones. The last few have been so formulaic that I had trouble finishing them. This book got better towards the end and it was okay, but I may not pick up Mayor's next one. "

" I enjoyed this book. it was a straight murder book without all the new twist and turns "

" Entertaining, informative, and insightful. "

" I love reading books that mention places I know and love. It was great to have Joe Gunther visit my city of Hamp. Easy read and a little disappointing ending because it seemed awfully rushed. All in all...good book. One of my favorites of Mayor. "

" Enjoyed it as much as I generally enjoy Archer Mayer's books. I like the references to Vermont and find his books easy and entertaining. "

" VT goes to MASS for this title in the Joe Gunther police procedural series. Good writing, reasonably interesting plot. I give Archer Mayor kudos for giving intelligent female characters good billing in his series. "

" I love Joe Gunther though find Willy Kunkle nearly impossible. Don't know how anyone can tolerate him, especially his partner. "

" Silted characters, cliched plot, boring writing. I'd heard good things, and it's based locally. Oh, well. "

" This was moving along pretty nicely when, all of a sudden, the book ended. It was as if Mayor had reached 300 pages and was done. Interesting until then. "

" Weak plot, weaker characters. "

" Up to date on the series, "

" Not a very good Joe Gunther. I have read them all, in order, and this was a big disappointment. "

" Revisiting the Joe Gunther series after almost 15 years. Still extremely pleasurable to read. I'll go back and read the ones I've missed. Not sure why I wasn't reading them all along! "