Mad River

By: John Sandford

Narrated by: Eric Conger

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Bonnie and Clyde, they thought. And what's-his-name, the sidekick. Three teenagers with dead-end lives, and chips on their shoulders, and guns.

The first person they killed was a highway patrolman. The second was a woman during a robbery. Then, hell, why not keep on going? As their crime spree cuts a swath through rural Minnesota, some of it captured on the killers' cell phones and sent to a local television station, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers joins the growing army of cops trying to run them down. But even he doesn't realize what's about to happen next.

©2012 John Sandford (P)2012 Penguin Audio

LOVE VIRGIL FLOWERS!

Virgil is my favorite John Sanford character and Eric Conger brings him to life. I listen as much for Eric's performance as I do the storyline which was okay. All in all, I enjoyed the book very much.

Not Bad

Not the best Flowers novel. Still great. not as much suspense this time but ok.

I love Virgil

I approached the Virgil Flowers series with trepidation. How could anyone be more natural and crafty as Lucas Davenport. Forgive me John Sandford for I was wrong. Virgil is the perfect mix of sexiness, detective work, and great dialog. Eric Conger growls the narrative in a way that is totally believable and character perfect. Long live Virgil and his work in and around "the cities".

Took it everywhere except the shower

I'm liking the Virgil Flowers series with a touch of Davenport now and then. Some narrators fit so well that they become the character for me. Eric Conger simply fits Virgil. I like the down to earth touch.

Virgil Flowers is my favorite!

His character is so well developed—we get the sense of a tall, good looking, intelligent, thoughtful & sensitive man who apparently is not good marriage material—probably due to him being attracted to the wrong sort of woman for the wrong sort of reasons….
I love his Lutheran roots & that he tries to grasp reason & motivation from senseless crimes. Eric Conger is the perfect voice for the Flowers books. His nuanced performance paints a more vivid picture than the book alone.

Virgil takes on Bonnie and Clyde - Fantastic book

Excellent Virgil Flowers book. I love this series. This book begins with Jim and Becky and their sidekick, Tom on a killing spree. They are totally ruthless and will kill anyone. It all begins near Virgil’s home town of Marshall, Minnesota. The first kill described in the book appears to have occurred in a robbery gone wrong. There is a twist or controversary about this particular murder. It involves the O’Leary family, made up of physician John O’Leary , his wife and their several children a few of which are also doctors. Virgil works hard to get to the bottom of the murders and catch the evil killers. The overall question is What is Justice?

Some reviewers have complained about the ending, after the tornado, but I really liked Virgil’s decision.

Classic Sandford

So, you know what you like about Sandford’s books. It’s all here, Virgil Flowers brand.

Another great flower story

Another great MN story of Davenport and Flowers.Narrator did a good job telling the story

Good. Not Great. But Virgil is Hard to Skip.

John Sandford is a terrific writer and the creator of both the Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers mystery series. Both series have given fans some great reads (or listens) and Sandford has certainly earned his place among the very best crime/mystery writers. I'm a fan and I've read (or listened to) everyone one of his books, many more than once.

I'm glad I read this latest Virgil Flowers mystery and, as a fan, will be unlikely to miss the next one. Mad River is an enjoyable, sometimes suspenseful listen. If you are a fan, its worth the credit.

That said, this is not the right book to introduce you to Virgil Flowers or to hook you on the series. Something is going on with John Sandford and it is not leading to great books. It seems Sandford is losing steam with both his series. Plots, character development, local color are all a bit less compelling than they once were.

Perhaps this is understandable with the long-running (22-book) Davenport series. But Sandford's Virgil Flowers offerings (of which this is the 6th) have seemed a fresh and exciting new start. That may yet prove out, but this latest novel is merely a good tale from an author we know can produce great ones.

Listening to Mad River was more like listening to a straight chronology of events than to a novel. The events were well-related and the new characters were engaging enough (although by no means compelling). But it seemed like this story was something Sandford just had to get off his chest, so he told it too straight. As a result, much of the spark Sandford brings to his tales (GREAT local color, plot twists, solid character development) are missing.

I don't want to be too harsh here. If we weren't talking about John Sandford here, the story would probably rate a 4 instead of a 3. I'm not sorry I spent time with this audio, and the plot was sufficiently interesting to be remembered. But if this type of story-telling is the new normal for John Sandford, I'm not sure how long I will be anxiously anticipating his next work.

The best advice I can offer (as others have) is that this is certainly a creditworthy mystery for the Virgil Flowers/John Sandford/Lucas Davenport fan. For everyone else, start with the earlier works and become a fan, first.

John Sandford keeps up the good work.

Im a huge Sandford fan. Mad River doesnt dissapoint. Good story, great characters, keeps your attention. Smooth story with great action and the depth of the characters is what sets his books apart, for me.