The Orphan's Guilt

A Joe Gunther Novel

By: Archer Mayor

Narrated by: Tom Taylorson

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

In Archer Mayor’s intriguing new Vermont-based mystery, The Orphan’s Guilt, a straightforward traffic stop snowballs into a homicide investigation after Joe Gunther and his fellow investigators peel back layer upon layer of history and personal heartbreak to learn a decades-old hidden truth.

John Rust is arrested for drunk driving by a Vermont state trooper. Looking to find mitigating circumstances, John’s lawyer hires private eye Sally Kravitz to look into the recent death of John’s younger brother, purportedly from a childhood brain injury years earlier. But what was the nature of that injury, and might its mechanism point more to murder than to natural causes? That debate brings in Joe Gunther and his team.

Gunther’s efforts quickly uncover an ancient tale of avarice, betrayal, and vengeance that swirled around the Rust boys growing up. Their parents and the people they consorted with - forgotten, relentless, but now jolted to action by this simple set of circumstances - emerge with a destructive passion. All while the presumably innocent John Rust mysteriously vanishes with no explanation.

©2020 Archer Mayor (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

This series just keeps getting better

There is fast paced action and a thrilling mystery in this book.

I listen to these as if I personally know the constant characters.

I look forward to the next one.

This series is wholly dependent upon Tom Taylorson as a Master Storyteller!

Joe Gunther Bk 31

I was new to Joe Gunther mysteries //Archer Mayor and began listening with book 1. I was captivated by the character building of all the individuals in the series. I almost feel like I know each of their doppelgangers in my own life. As I was saying I began with book 1 and became so entrenched in the Joe Gunther mysteries I binged listened to all 32 books with fascination, escape, and enjoyment. I love the less than perfect characters, the thought processes each character manipulates and how each struggle with mental demons (some more than others) that make them real and come to life. I am also really impressed that not one of Mr Mayor’s stories (of all 32 books) repeat themselves in story line which is a impressive feat. My only disappointment is the next book isn’t out until Sept 2022.

Mixed feelings about this one

I loved the premise of this book. I knew by mid-book who, where, what and when. I felt like the addition of new characters in the last few chapters was unnecessary. The exposition they provided could have come from somewhere else. What I didn't love about this book is that someone I thought I would love now repeatedly makes the same mistakes, justifies them to ***self even though they know it is wrong and know they will hurt others. This was what made me hate Gail and made celebrate when she became a barely alluded to former governor. I know that every book needs antagonists, protagonists and not-my-favorite-agonists, but I really wanted to like this person.

love Joe Gunther

I love this series and cant wait til the next one to come out. I have listen to the series 3 times now. Tom Taylorson is the best narrator for the series.

Not his best

He is still my favorite detective writer.He is still very good.But in comparison to his previous work this one is a little disappointing

liked all the novels. More Joe is needed

I like all the characters and they are evolving. But more Joe Gunther in the story is needed. Or phase him out.

Getting close to the end!

I have loved every book in this series. Dreading getting close to the last one. I am attached to each of the folk who people these stories, addicted to the police procedural storylines and thrilled to have Tom Taylorson back in the all important reader position. Loved every book - sadly only two to go - but this story captured me - my favorite!!! Will be waiting for Mr Māyor to continue the adventures of Joe, Sam, Willie and friends. And can’t wait to see the adventures Rachel Reeling explores. We need MORE!’

I thought this was a Joe Gunther story!

This story was long-winded and convoluted. I read these because I like police/detective stories and the characters created over the past many books. But this felt like Mayor got into a story and couldn't figure out how to move it along, so he ran 2 parallel plots and let them almost work together. Had they worked together, the story could have ended with character conversation instead of author exposition. By the time it was over, the plodding narration of Tom Taylorson had almost lulled me to sleep. But how could Taylorson proceed at a pace greater than plodding with this story.

Previously Mayor successfully told his stories as police procedurals and included friends, family members, reporters, other cops who liked Joe and some who didn't, as well as myriad bad guys and innocent onlookers. This book barely links the police to the reporter/lawyer stories except through dinners with Joe. Boring and uninteresting. I kept thinking that Rachel was so naive and stupid that she would finally get herself and somebody else killed, too. But just like Gail, she will probably wander on too long, prove her ego to be the size of Alaska, with talent coming from who-knows-where and continually endanger others because of her self-serving tendencies.

C'mon, Mr. Mayor. Tell a police story with reporters as characters. Or tell reporter stories with police as characters, but you don't have to (shouldn't) do both in one book. More direct action, but less gratuitous violence (the scene in the storage locker, which was only resolved in the epilogue) would be nice. Remember that Willie isn't careless or stupid and would listen for footsteps at a door and wouldn't just get easily hurt by a barely interested (or interesting) minor character out getting a drink. And where the heck is Joe (outside of making a few appearances to receive hero worship of cops not offended by the VBI or having dinner with his girl and her girl)??

Great book

I really like the story and the characters. The story was predictable but still could hold your attention. I would recommend this book.

Disappointing

Ending was an afterthought. So much fluff. So much unresolved. Extremely disappointing. This was BARELY a Joe Gunther story.