The murder of a successful advertising executive leads Detective Virgil Flowers to the unlikely scene of the crime: a peaceful and bucolic wooded resort with as many suspects as it has secrets... While competing in a fishing tournament in a remote area of northern Minnesota, Virgil Flowers receives a call from Lucas Davenport to investigate a brutal murder at a nearby resort for women only. As Virgil begins investigating, he finds a web of connections between the people at the resort, the victim, and some local women, notably a talented and popular country singer. The more Virgil digs, the more he discovers the arrows of suspicion point in many directions, encompassing a multitude of motivations: jealousy, blackmail, greed, anger, and fear. Then Virgil discovers something that sends his investigation reeling. This is not the first murder connected to the Eagle Nest Lodge. Nor will it be the last...
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"A very good police procedural by Sandford. Virgil Flowers works for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) in the rural areas of the state. He's a believable and likeable character, tough but not too tough, a genial womanizer who genuinely likes women. Combined with what seems like authentic rural Minnesota settings, adequate characterizations and plotting, and good dialogue, this book is a very good read."
— Joyce (4 out of 5 stars)
Rich, satisfying, and frequently hilarious.
— Stephen King, Entertainment WeeklySandford takes literary chances, and he succeeds brilliantly here with Minnesota state cop Virgil Flowers. The characters, especially Flowers, come vividly and delightfully to life, and the dialogue is sprightly, witty, and sometimes sexy. Sandford writes entertainment that’s not to be missed. Grade: A.
— The Cleveland Plain DealerUnexpected twists...Sandford excels at all the required elements of the novelist: plot, personality, and prose. The melding is masterful and produces an exquisitely paced book at once beautiful and profane, a story that fans of both crime-novel approaches can enjoy. He makes Flowers as appealing and captivating a character as always. With a confident touch, Sandford brings it all home in Rough Country.
— Richmond Times-DispatchAn entertaining romp...Sandford has long been one of the best crime series mystery writers around. He keeps the pages turning and the dialogue snapping better than anyone this side of Elmore Leonard. An entertaining...and completely engrossing page-turner.
— The Post and CourierFast-paced [and] action-packed.
— Minneapolis Star TribuneIt’s a complicated case, but Virgil is up to the task, and, as always, he’s funny, smart, and tough when he needs to be.
— Publishers Weekly" Poor fucking Virgil Flowers cannot catch a break. This one had a huge gaping plot hole but I decided to not care. A fun, quick read. Just what I needed. "
— Kristin, 2/11/2014" Another suspense novel, with an interesting detective who is on a police force but unconventional in style. Interesting setting and complicated mystery. Enjoying the Minnesota background of these books. "
— Leslie, 2/6/2014" i love john sandfords lucas davenport series. virgil flowers is a newer series that does not disappoint, my favorite thing about his writing is the character development and both lucas and virgil draw you in, particularly if you enjoy crime novels... a new favorite series for me. "
— tiffany, 1/31/2014" Always enjoy any book that John Sandford has written. "
— Lynn, 1/28/2014" Put your boat in tow and head up north for some fishing and maybe a murder or two. Virgil Flowers in his breakout novel. "
— Pete, 1/22/2014" I thought that I have already written my review of this book. i know I thought it was a really good read, with well developed story and characters. I am not remembering much more of the story line now. "
— Steve, 1/22/2014" Probably the least favorite of the Flowers book. I really didn't understand why he wrote this one. "
— Pyxis, 1/16/2014" brain candy... just a bit of escapism. "
— Pam, 1/14/2014" One of the best John Sandford books Ive ever read!!! I didnt want to put it down, it was so good :) "
— Fran, 12/17/2013" Virgil is not a tough as Lucas but still is a great character "
— Burt, 12/12/2013" Virgil Flowers's methods of investigation may be unorthodox but they make for an excellent read. "
— Hapzydeco, 12/12/2013John Sandford is the pseudonym for the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Camp. He is the author of more than thirty Prey novels, as well as novels in the Kidd series and the Virgil Flowers series, among other books.
Eric Conger is a stage actor, voice artist, and award-winning audiobook narrator. He has narrated more than 125 fiction and nonfiction audiobooks and was a four-time finalist for the Audie Award, both as a sole narrator in 2007 and 2008 and as part of a multicast reading in 2001 and 2012. He has earned numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards. His extensive voice-over work includes more than 5,000 narrations for commercial ventures. A graduate of Wesleyan University and the University of Paris, he also works as a writer and playwright. He has appeared in over fifty plays and has also translated plays of Molière and Feydeau for regional theaters.