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Known Dead  By  cover art

Known Dead

By: Donald Harstad
Narrated by: Ron McLarty
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Publisher's summary

Donald Harstad, a 26-year police veteran, has firsthand knowledge of small-town police departments. This background enables him to create the authentic details, realistic dialogue, and suspenseful twists in Known Dead.

Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman is dozing in his cruiser near parklands in Nation County, Iowa, when he hears popping sounds. Immediately, his radio screams to life with a call for assistance. What started as a simple raid on a marijuana patch has erupted into high-powered gunfire. As the air clears, two men are known dead. But who was firing, and what else are they protecting?

Houseman will find few heroes as he follows a convoluted trail that leads from the marijuana plants to an elusive international operator. By the time the case is closed, “known dead” has taken on a new meaning for him. Ron McLarty’s dramatic narration highlights Houseman’s increasingly ironic attitude toward life and his profession.

©1999 Donald Harstad (P)2000 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Written...with a delightful sense of humor, and displaying a deft handling of pace and character that would make other, more well known writers jealous, this fine novel not only fulfills the promise of Harstad's debut but instantly propels him into the top ranks of mystery writers." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Known Dead

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Police procedural at its best.

I have just finished listening to Donald Harstad debut novel. I read it a few years ago and thought it was an excellent story,I was right. The narration by Ron McLarty puts the icing on the cake.
I hope Audible gets the rest of the series and that Ron McLarty remains as the narrator.
It is a winning combination.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

First rate police procedural

I really enjoy Harstad who was a deputy sheriff in Iowa. I wish more were available on audio. I've read several in paper. He writes well and his protagonist, Carl Houseman, has just the right amount of self-deprecation. McLarty, as usual, does a first-rate narration. If you like these you might also enjoy Steven Havill's books about Posadas County, NM.

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3 people found this helpful