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Sheriff Bo Tully #1
The Blight Way
Bo Tully, sheriff of Blight county, Idaho -- and a fellow who dropped twenty pounds on Atkins -- had been thinking about asking out Jan Whittle, his grade-school sweetheart. Problem is, he's already promised to celebrate his dad's seventy-fifth birthday with him. Thwarted romance proves to be the least of Bo's problems, however, when a dead body turns up on Batim Scragg's ranch. The baffling thing is that neither Batim nor his two wayward sons appear to be the culprits. Forced to put on his sleuthing hat, Bo finds himself faced with a whole slew of possible suspects. And what quickly becomes apparent is that, while the sheriff's investigative methods may not exactly be legal, they are, for better or worse, "The Blight Way," A bestselling author with more than two million books in print, the curmudgeonly wit Patrick McManus delivers a page-turning mystery filled with mirth and misadventure set in hook-and-bullet territory.
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First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Patrick F. McManus
57 books400 followersPatrick F. McManus is an American outdoor humor writer. A humor columnist for Outdoor Life and other magazines, his columns have been collected in several books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
April 4, 2022
Feel like I haven't read as much cozy mystery as I used to and decided to give this one ago and it was a good pick. Very easy to get invested in and interesting plot and characters.
August 1, 2014
I rated this book 4 stars mainly because I liked Blight County Idaho Sheriff Bo Tully, his intrepid deputies, his elderly father/sidekick Pap and Dave the cafe owner and tracker who might or might not be of Indian decent. They all contribute to a very entertaining and well written mystery that's quite fun to read because we all enjoy reading books with central characters we like for sometimes inexplicable reasons. Bo Tully and friends remind me of those unforgettably wacky characters in Carl Hiaassen's books in that, unlike other recurring mystery/thriller characters I read, they bring personality and humor to the party without taking themselves too seriously along the way. Bo Tully, for example, is a an artist of some renown in addition to his law enforcement responsibilities - a modern cowboy/renaissance man to be sure! The good news for me of course, is it's book #1 in a series!
October 15, 2017
The Blight Way is a light fun mystery that takes place in Blight County, Idaho. The characters make this a memorable read. Sheriff Bo Tully feeds a Hobo spider that lives behind his file cabinet choice flies daily. He is a widower and bought Danielle Steele paperbacks to learn how to charm women. His dad Pap is as much a colorful character as his son. Pap was the previous sheriff and has a reputation. He does not have to lock his doors because people fear him. He is all business and doesn't mess around. For his seventy fifth birthday, Bo takes Pap to a murder scene.
A body is hanging over a fence on the ranch of a father and his ne'er-do-well sons. Normally they don't help the law but it is known that if they were the murderers, the body would be down an abandoned mine shaft instead.
Sheriff Bo Tully has a crack CSI unit who is one man named Lurch. His tracker, Dave, a owner of a restaurant claims to be a Native American. Buck is a not too bright deputy and Daisy is a crack secretary. The book is rich in interesting characters.
It was a relaxing fun fast read.
A body is hanging over a fence on the ranch of a father and his ne'er-do-well sons. Normally they don't help the law but it is known that if they were the murderers, the body would be down an abandoned mine shaft instead.
Sheriff Bo Tully has a crack CSI unit who is one man named Lurch. His tracker, Dave, a owner of a restaurant claims to be a Native American. Buck is a not too bright deputy and Daisy is a crack secretary. The book is rich in interesting characters.
It was a relaxing fun fast read.
May 29, 2017
Charming police procedural of the cozy kind; a Steven Havill novel with more humor, if you will. McManus is a humor writer and this series departs from that genre, but the quirkiness of the characters has a subtle humor that helps you appreciate and like them.
The main character is Sheriff Bo Tully who is called by the local miscreant family to their ranch where a man has been found shot and draped over a fence. Realizing they would be the logical suspects, they thought it might be best to phone it in. Then, again, had they done it, the body would have been buried and not found. Tully knows that. Turns out Vern Littlefield's new wife and the new hands on his ranch (ostensibly he was switching from cattle to grapes!) may be part of something nasty. Tully bring his father along (the former sheriff) for curmudgeonly relief.
The timid among us who are fearful of being exposed to a "bad" word will appreciate McManus as with the Posadas County mysteries. I don't mind one way or the other. The book was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and I will read more in the series.
The main character is Sheriff Bo Tully who is called by the local miscreant family to their ranch where a man has been found shot and draped over a fence. Realizing they would be the logical suspects, they thought it might be best to phone it in. Then, again, had they done it, the body would have been buried and not found. Tully knows that. Turns out Vern Littlefield's new wife and the new hands on his ranch (ostensibly he was switching from cattle to grapes!) may be part of something nasty. Tully bring his father along (the former sheriff) for curmudgeonly relief.
The timid among us who are fearful of being exposed to a "bad" word will appreciate McManus as with the Posadas County mysteries. I don't mind one way or the other. The book was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and I will read more in the series.
August 12, 2022
Ever since Bill Crider's death, I've been looking for a series to replace his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. I hoped this could be it.
Set in very rural Idaho, the local outlaw family notifies the Sheriff that there's a body hanging on their fence. The guy is strangely wearing a suit and tie. On further investigation, there's a shot up car nearby, containing other gents with suits and ties.
Sheriff Bo Tully tries to figure out what's going on.
It's humorous, but a more mean spirited, less whimsical sort than Bill Crider's. Guess I'll have to keep looking.
Set in very rural Idaho, the local outlaw family notifies the Sheriff that there's a body hanging on their fence. The guy is strangely wearing a suit and tie. On further investigation, there's a shot up car nearby, containing other gents with suits and ties.
Sheriff Bo Tully tries to figure out what's going on.
It's humorous, but a more mean spirited, less whimsical sort than Bill Crider's. Guess I'll have to keep looking.
May 29, 2014
PROTAGONIST: Bo Tully, Sheriff
SETTING: Blight County, Idaho
SERIES: #1 of possible series
RATING: 3.5
Sheriff Bo Tully of Blight County, Idaho, doesn't ride a big horse, carry a Glock or scare criminals by the piercing look in his eyes. His secret weapon is his father, "Pap", who formerly held the office and has more common sense than a roomful of Rhodes Scholars. Add in a crack investigative unit (actually, one man by the name of Lurch), a pretty medical examiner and a part-time tracker, and it's safe to say that the clearance rate for crime in Blight is going to be very high.
One of the scourges of Blight is the Scragg family, with old man Batim and his 2 sons, Lem and Lister, being the candidates for Most Likely to Do Something Bad almost all the time. Much to Bo's surprise, the Scraggs actually report a crime that has occurred on their property, and they're not the ones who have committed it. There's a body hanging over one of their fences; it appears that someone got caught while being chased. As a present for his Dad's 75th birthday, Bo asks him to help with the investigation. He would have been better off if he had gotten a new tie.
While not laugh-out-loud funny, THE BLIGHT WAY has its amusing moments that will bring a smile to the face of the reader. The one area that caused me to lower my rating of the book was the fact that Bo ALWAYS figured out what was going on, no matter how slim the evidence.
THE BLIGHT WAY is a light enjoyable read that isn't going to test your brain cells. You have to like a guy who buys Danielle Steel novels in order to figure out how to become more romantic (it doesn't work). Fortunately, McManus doesn't turn Bo into a country bumpkin. I enjoyed the book enough to look forward to the next in this proposed series.
SETTING: Blight County, Idaho
SERIES: #1 of possible series
RATING: 3.5
Sheriff Bo Tully of Blight County, Idaho, doesn't ride a big horse, carry a Glock or scare criminals by the piercing look in his eyes. His secret weapon is his father, "Pap", who formerly held the office and has more common sense than a roomful of Rhodes Scholars. Add in a crack investigative unit (actually, one man by the name of Lurch), a pretty medical examiner and a part-time tracker, and it's safe to say that the clearance rate for crime in Blight is going to be very high.
One of the scourges of Blight is the Scragg family, with old man Batim and his 2 sons, Lem and Lister, being the candidates for Most Likely to Do Something Bad almost all the time. Much to Bo's surprise, the Scraggs actually report a crime that has occurred on their property, and they're not the ones who have committed it. There's a body hanging over one of their fences; it appears that someone got caught while being chased. As a present for his Dad's 75th birthday, Bo asks him to help with the investigation. He would have been better off if he had gotten a new tie.
While not laugh-out-loud funny, THE BLIGHT WAY has its amusing moments that will bring a smile to the face of the reader. The one area that caused me to lower my rating of the book was the fact that Bo ALWAYS figured out what was going on, no matter how slim the evidence.
THE BLIGHT WAY is a light enjoyable read that isn't going to test your brain cells. You have to like a guy who buys Danielle Steel novels in order to figure out how to become more romantic (it doesn't work). Fortunately, McManus doesn't turn Bo into a country bumpkin. I enjoyed the book enough to look forward to the next in this proposed series.
March 15, 2013
This was one of the rare books that I stopped reading mid-way, doubly sorry for such a beloved author. Since being introduced to McManus at the age of 10 when a friend's father had the whole set and let me devour them, I've bought, given away, and repurchased all of his books many times over. If you can get a vegan to appreciate your books about hunting and fishing, you must have some flair! Unfortunately McManus' Sheriff Bo books just don't seem to have the same zest and appeal; Sheriff Bo is cranky and doesn't appeal to the reader, and the book seemed filled with gore and carnage. Not sure if I'd even try the series again given the books for free, but definitely will stick with his other "true to life" humor books.
December 21, 2020
Enjoyable mystery/police procedural. I plan to read the rest of the series but it's a shame there are so few. I could have misread something but I think the author passed away before he could write more.
The main issue with the criminals seems a bit silly in light of recent events, but at the time it was written it made sense. Read the spoiler if you want to know.
The main issue with the criminals seems a bit silly in light of recent events, but at the time it was written it made sense. Read the spoiler if you want to know.
December 17, 2021
Patrick McManus doesn’t just write funny essays, he’s a novelist as well and this one is a doozy wrapping all of his wit, charm and insight into a fascinating murder mystery. While I didn’t figure out any of the pieces of the crime on my own, I felt a thrill at each new revelation. But it’s not really the mystery that made me love this book, it’s McManus’ way of revealing people and the zany cast of supporting characters that his sheriff attracts to him.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
December 19, 2023
The idea of an Idaho-set mystery series by an author known mostly for his nature writing enticed me. But this opener of the Bo Tully series falls flat.
The problem is, main character Bo Tully is, well, old. And, no, I’m not being ageist here. Tully’s not just old in age but old because he seems to think it’s still 1974. The kind of old where marijuana is “grass” and females of all ages are “ladies.” This geezer is one Nixon joke away from living in a bygone century.
And, I daresay, sexist. Just about every female character here is weighed as a possible conquest for this 70-year-old sheriff.
No such luck. Most of the action in these pages is Tully and a bunch of locals eating pancakes in the local diner, swapping stories about not getting the girl.
Should have been an intriguing mystery, but for me this caper felt like a moldy oldie.
The problem is, main character Bo Tully is, well, old. And, no, I’m not being ageist here. Tully’s not just old in age but old because he seems to think it’s still 1974. The kind of old where marijuana is “grass” and females of all ages are “ladies.” This geezer is one Nixon joke away from living in a bygone century.
And, I daresay, sexist. Just about every female character here is weighed as a possible conquest for this 70-year-old sheriff.
No such luck. Most of the action in these pages is Tully and a bunch of locals eating pancakes in the local diner, swapping stories about not getting the girl.
Should have been an intriguing mystery, but for me this caper felt like a moldy oldie.
April 16, 2022
Very good story with romance, humor, mystery and good old fun and suspense looking for a murderer.
March 8, 2023
2023 bk 79 - Mcmanus had a wonderful way with words both as a non-fiction and as a fiction author. In this introduction to the Sheriff of Blight County we find a man who is both very much at home with his environment and at the same time, a sophisticated artist, a man's man with an interest in dating, but also very much in love with his deceased wife. When a dead man is found draped over a wire fence it is up to Sheriff Tully and his father, the retired Sheriff Tully, to find out who done it - and they do.
July 10, 2021
Premise: Bo Tully is the sheriff of the rural Blight County, Idaho, where nothing hardly ever happens and everyone knows each other. When Sheriff Tully is called out to a murder scene in Famine, he brings along Pap, his seventy-five year old father and previous sheriff, as a birthday present. The scene turns out to be more of a gift than he could have even dreamed.
A man from LA is found dead on Batim Scragg’s ranch and it is up to Sheriff Bo to figure out who the killer is and if they are still around. Batim and his sons are a prime suspect, but they seem less likely as the sheriff’s investigations proceed and more men are found dead in some sort of shootout. He calls out all his resources: his deputies, the new medical examiner, and Dave, the local tracker.
Throughout the story, Sheriff Bo Tully uses his own investigative techniques, which may lack pesky things like search warrants and Miranda rights, and may not be exactly legal. But his methods prove effective, and in the end Bo has a job to do, and he plans on getting it done.
Themes: The Blight Way is primarily a cop murder mystery novel. We follow Sheriff Bo Tully as he talks to the usual suspects and uses his unorthodox ways to draw out the perpetrators and their motives.
Surprisingly, there is a light sprinkling of romance in this story between the sheriff and Susan Parker, the attractive new medical examiner. Bo tries taking some advice from a Danielle Steele novel, but ends up just being himself, hoping that will be enough to win her over. For this, he relies on his wits and his past experiences and ex-wives.
Pros: Patrick F. McManus masterfully weaves together likeable characters with humor and style. Every character is amiable, including villains and town idiots. These characters are all unique within the limited space without becoming charicatures. I laughed at the dialogue throughout the novel, especially with the interactions between Bo and Pap. McManus really captures the small town feel with his fictional rural Idaho county.
Cons: The mystery is solved just a little too easily and with muted climax. Some additional foreshadowing might have given the reader more to hold onto while trying to determine who committed the crimes. Important information is conveniently withheld from the reader that is essential for figuring out the mystery.
Recommendations: I would recommend The Blight Way to anyone, including those who might not usually read police dramas or mystery novels. The Blight Way is also a fairly clean novel considering the plot, even cleaner than a lot of young adult or teen novels that claim to be in that category. Patrick F. McManus weaves together a story that is funny and quaint. His style is so easy to read that the chapters just fly by. If ever there were such a thing as a lighthearted murder mystery, this is it.
A man from LA is found dead on Batim Scragg’s ranch and it is up to Sheriff Bo to figure out who the killer is and if they are still around. Batim and his sons are a prime suspect, but they seem less likely as the sheriff’s investigations proceed and more men are found dead in some sort of shootout. He calls out all his resources: his deputies, the new medical examiner, and Dave, the local tracker.
Throughout the story, Sheriff Bo Tully uses his own investigative techniques, which may lack pesky things like search warrants and Miranda rights, and may not be exactly legal. But his methods prove effective, and in the end Bo has a job to do, and he plans on getting it done.
Themes: The Blight Way is primarily a cop murder mystery novel. We follow Sheriff Bo Tully as he talks to the usual suspects and uses his unorthodox ways to draw out the perpetrators and their motives.
Surprisingly, there is a light sprinkling of romance in this story between the sheriff and Susan Parker, the attractive new medical examiner. Bo tries taking some advice from a Danielle Steele novel, but ends up just being himself, hoping that will be enough to win her over. For this, he relies on his wits and his past experiences and ex-wives.
Pros: Patrick F. McManus masterfully weaves together likeable characters with humor and style. Every character is amiable, including villains and town idiots. These characters are all unique within the limited space without becoming charicatures. I laughed at the dialogue throughout the novel, especially with the interactions between Bo and Pap. McManus really captures the small town feel with his fictional rural Idaho county.
Cons: The mystery is solved just a little too easily and with muted climax. Some additional foreshadowing might have given the reader more to hold onto while trying to determine who committed the crimes. Important information is conveniently withheld from the reader that is essential for figuring out the mystery.
Recommendations: I would recommend The Blight Way to anyone, including those who might not usually read police dramas or mystery novels. The Blight Way is also a fairly clean novel considering the plot, even cleaner than a lot of young adult or teen novels that claim to be in that category. Patrick F. McManus weaves together a story that is funny and quaint. His style is so easy to read that the chapters just fly by. If ever there were such a thing as a lighthearted murder mystery, this is it.
March 10, 2010
I love Patrick McManus. He has a great sense of humor and can give you a vivid picture of the scene or action in just a few words. His characters come to life, and I do mean "characters".
This book is a Sheriff Bo Tully mystery. If you like Bo Tully, you'll like this book. It's a sure thing. It's fun easy, vacation reading. These books are kind of like McManus's humor books with some fictional mystery story added.
I bet older guys who hunt and fish really like these books. Bo Tully is down to earth, smart, just macho enough to be cool, savy when it comes to his job, but kind of clueless when it comes to things like women. He's also charming in an "aw shucks" way, very kind and patient, sentimental and boyish. But he always solves the mystery and gets the job done. There's some hunting, fishing, guns and outdoorsy stuff mixed in, and of course, clever McManus humor. And every scene that takes place at mealtime in a restaurant (and a LOT of them do!) includes a complete description of what everyone ate.
But this isn't just a guys' book. Reading Bo Tully gives women a glimpse into how men think and that's funny and entertaining. And it's just a fun story.
This book is a Sheriff Bo Tully mystery. If you like Bo Tully, you'll like this book. It's a sure thing. It's fun easy, vacation reading. These books are kind of like McManus's humor books with some fictional mystery story added.
I bet older guys who hunt and fish really like these books. Bo Tully is down to earth, smart, just macho enough to be cool, savy when it comes to his job, but kind of clueless when it comes to things like women. He's also charming in an "aw shucks" way, very kind and patient, sentimental and boyish. But he always solves the mystery and gets the job done. There's some hunting, fishing, guns and outdoorsy stuff mixed in, and of course, clever McManus humor. And every scene that takes place at mealtime in a restaurant (and a LOT of them do!) includes a complete description of what everyone ate.
But this isn't just a guys' book. Reading Bo Tully gives women a glimpse into how men think and that's funny and entertaining. And it's just a fun story.
June 10, 2021
Great fun!
I love Sheriff Bo Tully's character, sort of irreverent, forever hopeful in his vaniy, inept at relationships, seeing the humor in it all, including himself. The light murder mystery set around the modern-west town of Famine drove the story along, and I actually sought out time to finish the book, which doesn't happen often. Author Patrick McManus is a favorite of mine for his crack-up short stories. Here, you also get some flashes of pure McManus, like when the forensic pathologist thought Bo was about to barf, or the weasel... (can't say anymore without wrecking it for you). Think Longmire on happy pills.
I love Sheriff Bo Tully's character, sort of irreverent, forever hopeful in his vaniy, inept at relationships, seeing the humor in it all, including himself. The light murder mystery set around the modern-west town of Famine drove the story along, and I actually sought out time to finish the book, which doesn't happen often. Author Patrick McManus is a favorite of mine for his crack-up short stories. Here, you also get some flashes of pure McManus, like when the forensic pathologist thought Bo was about to barf, or the weasel... (can't say anymore without wrecking it for you). Think Longmire on happy pills.
October 18, 2011
Sheriff Bo Tulley is called upon to investigate a dead body hanging on a ranch fence. While exploring the scence, two more bodies aare found. Throw in a missing rancher, a haunted hotel, and a good looking medical examiner and you get a pretty good yarn.
December 10, 2020
Laugh out loud funny. A character driven mystery that was entertaining. I am still chuckling over the Sheriff reading Danielle Steele for dating advise and then trying out his “warm smile” on his love interest.
July 30, 2019
This is an entertaining listen as an audiobook on a driving trip with your spouse. Since I had read Book 2 in the series (Avalanche) and really liked it and thought my husband would enjoy Sheriff Bo Tully's adventures, I decided to get the first book on audio. The experiment was a success and now we have another series to share on driving trips. The characters are interesting and eclectic and I Idaho provides a great setting.
September 30, 2019
This is an entertaining, quick, enjoyable mystery filled with humor. It's not the laughter you get from a Janet Evanovich story, but more like a Garrison Keillor story which surprised me because I've read some the short story collections by McManus and those were belly laughers. The dialogue and the main character's inner thoughts drive this mystery and provide the soft humor.
July 14, 2019
The long time columnist of Outdoor Life & Field & Stream magazines, can also write an entertaining good natured, comic mystery. With the prerequisite, backwoods characters in Blight County, Idaho, Sheriff Tully tries to maintain the insanity.
January 26, 2020
This was in no way a police procedural. What it was is even better ... it's like the Pat McManus we love as a humorous outdoor writer wrote a cozy mystery with the best characters you can imagine. Oh. Wait. That is what it is!
January 14, 2018
Rural Idaho sheriff procedural with great cop banter.
August 26, 2023
Oh, this was such a fun, lighthearted mystery! Full of humorous dialogue. I'm going to have to read another (there are several) because it was kind of like eating potato chips....can't stop at just one or two. :)
March 6, 2022
Bo Tully, sheriff of Blight County, Idaho, finds himself involved in a murder case. Bo must solve this mystery before it gets away from him. Tagging along is Bo's 75 year old father to provide him some insight on solving murders and how he did it the "Blight Way" when he was the sheriff before Bo took over the position. An odd ball cast of characters help round out this misadventure of mystery, crime solving and plates of Chicken Fried Steak consumed.
January 18, 2021
Amusing dialog, interesting mystery, but mostly what I took out of it was Tully's take on food stamps and poverty in reaction to Everett, who complained about having to support lazy people who should go out and get a job:
The first thing we need to do is to withdraw all support from poor people. If they can't earn their own way, they starve. …
Of course, we wouldn't want women and children and babies and old people staving to death out in public, all bony and their eyes bulging out and like that. I mean that would be disgusting. It would be uncivilized, don't you think, Ev? …
No, sir, what we would need is some kind of warehouse, out in the country maybe, where we could put the poor people who were starving to death, get them out of sight, for heaven's sake, don't you think, Ev? …
Sorry, I just get carried away every time I hear about food stamps. You don't like the warehouse idea? That's awfully hard, Ev, awfully hard. You'd just let the folks starve to death out there in the street? …
I never said curing poverty would be easy. And I wouldn't look forward to hauling starving poor folks off to the warehouse. But I would do it. It would be just too disgusting having them die out here in public. By the way, Ev. You're not one of them bleeding-heart liberals, are you? …
Good. …
You sure you're not one of them liberals, Ev?
Although there was no monologizing of the killers, there was an interview to tidy things up for the reader. Not as bad as the killer filling in the plot before failing to kill the detective, tho'.
Second read: Still good fun. Still love the food stamps scene. There's a haunted hotel scene reminiscent of one of his essays. McManus has managed to update Frontier Justice (AKA The Blight Way) to use cell phones and mobsters and greasy food. My arteries were hardening just reading about it. Heh!
I have since listened to the audiobook and enjoyed that as well. Good characterization by Charles Leggett.
The first thing we need to do is to withdraw all support from poor people. If they can't earn their own way, they starve. …
Of course, we wouldn't want women and children and babies and old people staving to death out in public, all bony and their eyes bulging out and like that. I mean that would be disgusting. It would be uncivilized, don't you think, Ev? …
No, sir, what we would need is some kind of warehouse, out in the country maybe, where we could put the poor people who were starving to death, get them out of sight, for heaven's sake, don't you think, Ev? …
Sorry, I just get carried away every time I hear about food stamps. You don't like the warehouse idea? That's awfully hard, Ev, awfully hard. You'd just let the folks starve to death out there in the street? …
I never said curing poverty would be easy. And I wouldn't look forward to hauling starving poor folks off to the warehouse. But I would do it. It would be just too disgusting having them die out here in public. By the way, Ev. You're not one of them bleeding-heart liberals, are you? …
Good. …
You sure you're not one of them liberals, Ev?
Although there was no monologizing of the killers, there was an interview to tidy things up for the reader. Not as bad as the killer filling in the plot before failing to kill the detective, tho'.
Second read: Still good fun. Still love the food stamps scene. There's a haunted hotel scene reminiscent of one of his essays. McManus has managed to update Frontier Justice (AKA The Blight Way) to use cell phones and mobsters and greasy food. My arteries were hardening just reading about it. Heh!
I have since listened to the audiobook and enjoyed that as well. Good characterization by Charles Leggett.
February 20, 2012
Patrick McManus has written a very humorous, quirky murder mystery. I found myself chuckling and smirking throughout this fun book. The Blight Way is set in Blight County, Idaho in a backwoods town with a cast of townsfolk that make the story as fun to read as the mystery itself.
Blight County Sheriff Bo Tully has a great 75th birthday present for his father, a murder in the neighboring town of Famine. When they arrive to find the well-dressed body of a stranger hanging over the fence on the Scraggs ranch, it becomes clear this is more than just a local dispute. Bo and his father Pap are soon on the trail of ATV's, missing local citizens and an ambush gone amuck all with the help of a 1 man CSI unit and local tracker known as Dave the Indian, whose actual Indian blood is questionable.
Tully has to deal with a gun happy father, a haunted hotel, a runaway child, a less then successful track record with women and a deputy who might do better in a different profession, all while trying to solve the mystery up at Last Hope Mine.
Blight County Sheriff Bo Tully has a great 75th birthday present for his father, a murder in the neighboring town of Famine. When they arrive to find the well-dressed body of a stranger hanging over the fence on the Scraggs ranch, it becomes clear this is more than just a local dispute. Bo and his father Pap are soon on the trail of ATV's, missing local citizens and an ambush gone amuck all with the help of a 1 man CSI unit and local tracker known as Dave the Indian, whose actual Indian blood is questionable.
Tully has to deal with a gun happy father, a haunted hotel, a runaway child, a less then successful track record with women and a deputy who might do better in a different profession, all while trying to solve the mystery up at Last Hope Mine.
January 18, 2021
'Enough is as good as a feast,' about sums up my feelings for this book. In many ways a pleasant and diverting read about a good ole boy sheriff and his colorful sidekicks solving a murder without any undue unpleasantness. Long on affability but short on plausibility for a murder mystery. I was surprised at the good one liners and can see why the author has a devoted following.
If a good measure of a book is how much I enjoy spending time time with the characters, then this passes the test. I just found that the solution to this mystery felt rushed as if the author wanted to wrap it up and get on to something else. Not a fatal flaw but enough to leave me without craving more. I will check out some of the author's other works.
If a good measure of a book is how much I enjoy spending time time with the characters, then this passes the test. I just found that the solution to this mystery felt rushed as if the author wanted to wrap it up and get on to something else. Not a fatal flaw but enough to leave me without craving more. I will check out some of the author's other works.
October 9, 2021
A solid entry into what appears to be a pretty good series. Sheriff Bo Tully of Blight, Idaho is a hot mess and the author does an excellent job of placing him in a variety of difficult situations. The supporting cast is also amusing, although by the end of the book it has certainly been diminished. McManus definitely has a fantastic sense of humor and that appears throughout this book. In some ways the plot is a bit one dimensional and fairly easily figured out. However, that is offset by the fact this book is well written and funny as hell. I will certainly be continuing with this series and look forward to seeing which direction McManus takes with Sheriff Bo Tully. Regardless I am sure he will choose the Blight Way to go.
January 28, 2022
Silly and fun. You can tell he’s a gear guy. He’s a little too descriptive of the guns, cars, outdoor gear, and fishing tackle that his characters come across. Also their strict adherence to firearms safety. It has the feel of bothersome product placement, that benefits neither the reader nor the author. But you can tell that he's writing about what he loves and what makes him laugh. A lot of it we've got in common (like Vern's Remington .270). Has the feel of a linear mystery, unfolding details, items, and clues as a video game would. Not too hard to see where this was going, but fun enough to stick around until the end.
November 24, 2016
This was a nice light read but disappointing. Bo Tully is a bit cranky without necessarily being a character I'd want to spend a lot of time with. I'll probably look at some of the other books, since perhaps this is just McManus getting the feel of the mystery genre as opposed to the outdoor humor genre, but I've gotta say, left me feeling a little bit meh.
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