The Catch-Archer Mayor

The Catch
Archer Mayor
St, Martins, Sep 30 2008
ISBN: 9780312381912

Vermont Bureau of Investigation (VBI) Joe Gunther receives the call that he loathes hearing; a cop was killed in the line of duty. Apparently on a dark rustic road, deputy sheriff Brian Sleuter was making a routine traffic stop when he was killed. The tape of the incident captured by his cruiser shows two Boston drug runners on their way south from Canada.

Gunther and his VBI team in conjunction with US Immigration authorities take charge of the cop murder because of the major drug running connection. His target is the son of a lobsterman, Alan Budney. With the lobster industry in disarray, he has been able to use their anger to run drugs. Now a cop murder is added to his gang’s accomplishments.

Filled with excellent twists and red herrings (make that red lobsters), the latest Gunther regional police procedural is a superb entry in a strong New England series. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Joe receives the call all cops fear and never slows down even as the plot meanders more than the Winooski River. THE CATCH is another winning Joe Gunther VBI investigation.

Harriet Klausner