Heartshot

An Undersheriff Bill Gastner Mystery #1

By: Steven F. Havill

Narrated by: Rusty Nelson

Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

New Mexico Undersheriff Bill Gastner is presented with a case that appears to have brought big-time crime, including drug gangs, into Posadas County.

Solve another case with Undersheriff Bill Gastner.

©1991 Steven F Havill (P)2002 Books in Motion

Critic reviews

"Airplanes, real and model, loom large in the denouement and the climactic flying sequence is a corker." ( Publishers Weekly)
"The authentic flavor of the New Mexico locale is so real you'll be tempted to check your shoes for fine red dust." ( Mystery Scene)

As a pilot, a little hard to swallow

Any additional comments?

An OK read. As a pilot though, the fact that our hero didn't follow the advice of the controller and land at the larger, better equipped airport, was a wee bit hard to swallow.

Love Bill Gastner!

Havill's writing is wonderful and Rusty Nelson's narration is superb. If I close my eyes while listening, I easily visualize the desert scrub, the wooded terrain and opalescent blue skies! Gastner reminds me of my dad, a bit of a crumudgeon, with a tenacious spirit, a bit stubborn, and dogged determination to do what's right.

An Excellent Start

This was my first Havill. It will not be the last.

The plot was intelligent and well developed, the characters were real and likable, especially the crotchety under-sheriff hero. After the last mystery I read, I particularly appreciated the detective heroes not making a series of stupid mistakes (just that big one at the end).

The novel is fairly short, at only 7 1/2 hours, and the body count was a little high for my taste, but I listened to it in one sitting, unusual for me, as the story held me all day. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Really fun read

Love the narration and dry, small town banter. You have to suspend your disbelief a wee bit but it's totally worth it. I found myself wanting to meet Undersheriff Bill Gastner...!

Decent book

I’m from western Colorado and love books like Chinle Miller’s series Bud Shumway. This is my first book by Mr Havill. I’m going to stick with it for the next in the series, as New Mexico is our second home. Love books about places we know and have explored. Mr Havill does a good job in bringing you into the locale and letting your imagination run.

A Believable Mystery Series!

I've fallen for crusty old undersheriff Bill Gastner. Author Steven Havill has done a marvelous job of developing a believable and intruiging set of characters living in Posadas County New Mexico, and reader Rusty Nelson's voice perfectly embodies the gritty, gravelly sheriff who lives for his job. I'm working my way through the series and enjoying every opportunity to know the folks of Posadas a little better.

Interesting First in Series

I enjoyed this mystery that takes place in New Mexico. Great mystery with a Western flair. Rusty Nelson makes a great narrator.

Read the book, then listened to it

Enjoyed the story but the reader maybe needed some coaching with pronunciation of Southwestern terms.

Entertaining

I enjoyed this first of a series and will listen to more! Characters interesting and definitely well read.

Posadas

This book held my undivided attention because this county Posadas is also in my PS3 Red Dead Redemption game. It was nice to read and play with a known location. Question are there more books to come? Thank you