"Dark of the Moon"

John Sandford's "Dark of the Moon" is the first book featuring Virgil Flowers in his own series.  Before now he's been in the "Prey" series books that evidently feature his boss, Lucas Davenport, at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.  I have yet to read that series but after reading a couple of Sandford books I'm ready to read any I can find. 

Flowers has been sent to the small town of Bluestem to assist the local sheriff, Jim Stryker, against whom he once played high school ball.  Flowers is a specialist in solving murders and murder is new to Bluestem so, after the murder of a prominent local older couple, Flowers is called in to assist the sheriff in the investigation -- or, in reality, to take charge.  On his way into Bluestem he spots a fire which turns out to be the scene of another homicide.  All of the victims were known to each other and were older so Flowers begins investigating the links between them to find a motive.  Although Flowers becomes well acquainted with a lot of the locals, he doesn't let that blind him to possible murder suspects no matter how likeable they seem to him. 

In the meantime, the thrice married and divorced Flowers starts a fling with the sheriff's sister while the sheriff has a new romance of his own.  However, romance has to take a back seat to murder as well as self-preservation when it appears Flowers may have become a target himself. 

I started this book last evening and finished it this afternoon.  I resisted the temptation to peak ahead to find out who the murderer was and am glad I did.  The book is complex and kept me interested to the end.  Sandford is a great mystery writer!  pazt