Buck Fever

A Blanco County Mystery, Book 1

By: Ben Rehder

Narrated by: Johnny Peppers

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Edgar Award-nominated author Ben Rehder's Blanco County comic mysteries have made best-of-the-year lists in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Field & Stream. The novels have been optioned by Warner Brothers Horizon Scripted Television for development as a cable TV series.

Buck Fever: It's the week before deer hunting season, as close to a statewide holiday as you get in Texas, and the locals are getting restless. Game Warden John Marlin has his hands full with poaching complaints coming in faster than he can write out-of-season tickets. Then a call of a different sort comes in. A man dressed up in some sort of deer costume has been shot at the Circle S ranch, and witnesses are reporting a massive wild-eyed buck prancing about the pasture in a lovesick frenzy. Marlin's seen a lot in his years, but this is wilder than he could have imagined: the man in the deer suit is a good friend, and the whacked-out whitetail isn't exactly a stranger either.

It's the beginning of a mad, frantic weekend in Blanco County, one that will see a few more men shot, an invasion by Colombians with more than hunting on their minds, and damn near the end of Marlin's life. Ben Rehder serves it all up with a huge helping of humor in this debut comic mystery that will firmly establish him as the funniest crime writer in Texas.

©2002 Ben Rehder (P)2013 Ben Rehder

A Hunting We Will Go

Buck Fever
(A Blanco County Mystery #1)
by Ben Rehder


This is a book that starts out cozy and moves to crime fiction, and on and on. It has some very funny moments, and some just strange. I read the e-book several years

back and thought the audiobook would be interesting. It wasn't a bad way to pass a chilly few hours.



The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed. Johnny Peppers kept the story flowing with multiple voices for the characters. Quite entertaining.



I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Ended Better Than it Began

I struggled to continue after the first couple of chapters. After a very slow beginning into which a ton of characters were thrown, this book settled down to a very interesting story. I was. completely surprised by the unexpected twists and turns.

enjoyable mystery

A vertical well written mystery-adventure. the story holds the audience well as the events unfold.

Buck Fever

What a fun mystery to solve. So many things happen in this book that I stayed hooked all the way until the end. The narration was done really well and the accents were spot on.

The Beginning of a Wonderful Adventure

I enjoyed all of the wacky stories by Carl Hiaasen and wanted something similar set in Texas. This led me to Buck Fever, which introduced me to Ben Rehder. Since then I’ve read and loved them all. I’ve just begun experiencing this series as audiobooks and it’s a great start. Thank you Ben Rehder for creating just what I was looking for.

Interesting start

An interesting start to a series. Multifaceted characters. Engaging mystery plot. Atypical law enforcement officer. Small town quirks and foibles. And, essential in my mind: a complete story without cliffhangers!!!

Stands alone, but better as part of the series.

I received this audiobook for free in exchange for a review.

Blanco Fever

This three-ring Texas circus is more fun than a barrel of rednecks. Oh, wait, it *is* a barrel of rednecks. Redher pokes outrageous fun at the state he loves with a lively cast of characters and a fast-moving plot that twists in unpredictable ways. I spent a year in Austin so I especially enjoyed his culturally-specific imagery. Note: Rehder's hero. John Marlin, is a game warden and the book centers around deer season, told through the eyes of people for whom hunting is a way of life. If this is problematic for you, you might want to give this a miss and try Rehder's Roy Ballard mysteries instead.

Highly Entertaining

What made the experience of listening to Buck Fever the most enjoyable?

The distinct Western twang and Columbian accent that Johnny Peppers gave each character was spot on.I could see each person clearly in my minds eye, even the women.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character had to be the 300 lb bumpkin. He had me laughing out loud more than once.

Which scene was your favorite?

I got a big kick out of the discovery of vet in the dear costume after he was shot. Or later when he was sent to tranquilize them.... tranquilize one dear, snort one line LOL

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I think when the game warden let the poacher slide because he knew the man would use every oz of his kill to feed his family.

Any additional comments?

This story was enjoyable from beginning to end. Hat's off to Ben Rehder for a job well done. I'll definitely be reading more of his work in the near future.

Loved it!

i loved this book. This was a well thought out plot, and the characters were likeable.The narration was well presented. Kudos to the Author! I can't wait to read another of his books!

A Sporting Try

While there are much better mysteries out there this was engaging and a nice way to spend a few hours. The only part that irritated me was the sex scene. Oh, look, we're captured by Colombian drug lords, let's have sex! Gimme a break. Interesting way to smuggle drugs though.