Heartshot

From Publishers Weekly Septuagenarian undersheriff Bill Gastner of Posadas County， N.M.， is the skeptical， endearing narrator of this mystery debut by a writer of Westerns ( Timberblood ). Conscious of advancing age and his bulging waistline， Gastner distrusts both computers and the skills of newly elected sheriff Martin Holman， a former used-car salesman. When a large stash of cocaine is found in the car of five teenagers killed in a crash， local officials are stymied. A young state cop is brought in to mingle with the victims's friends， posing as Gastner's grandson. In short order， a grief-stricken father shoots the undercover cop， a moody teenager dies in a suspicious "suicide，" and Gastner has a heart attack. Eventually Gastner， the surprisingly capable Holman and detective Estelle Reyes expose a complicated drug-smuggling operation. Airplanes， real and model， loom large in the denouement and the climactic flying sequence is a corker. If the villain's identity is not surprising， readers still will enjoy this caper and look forward to future appearances of curmudgeonly charmer Gastner. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information， Inc. Review Having lived in the historic burg of Lincoln for many years， and having written mysteries set in a remote corner of southwestern New Mexico， Stephen Havill is not one of the state's best known mystery writers. But he is one of the best mystery writers， or St. Martin's Press would not have seen fit to publish seven of Havill's Bill Gastner mysteries. For any reader who has yet to sample one， here's your chance. Gastner—the slightly over weight， not-too-fit， not-too-glamorous， not-at-all-political undersheriff of Posadas County in the New Mexico bootheel—was introduced to readers in HEARTSHOT， first published in 1991. Havill has invented a great bunch of characters， and the Poisoned Pen Press is to be commended for keeping them alive for a new generation of Havill fans to enjoy. —DLC， New Mexico Book League --This text refers to the Paperback edition. See all Editorial Reviews