Review of Bad Blood by John Sandford

Bad Blood

John Sandford

J P Putnam’s Sons

388 pages

Bad Blood is the 4^th in the Virgil Flowers series

When there’s trouble deep in the wilds of Minnesota the one man to count on is Virgil Flowers and Sheriff Lee Coakley definitely needs someone to count on, she’s got a murder that looks like a suicide and she’s about to learn what it means when the sh-t hits the fan, Virgil on the other hand has always taken solving crimes with a level head and deep thinking, don’t be fooled by his laid back attitude because there is a steel trap mind under all that blonde unruly hair. Lee and Virgil work well together and soon they realize that there’s more to their relationship than just work so while they solve crimes they also scratch a certain itch.

John Sandford the award winning author of the Lucas Davenport Prey series has developed a spin off series staring the unsinkable Virgil Flowers, now if you’re a fan of the “Prey” series you have obviously met Virgil a time or two in one of Lucas Davenport’s novels where he’s affectionately referred to as that “effing Flowers”. But one thing for sure is that Virgil get’s the job done, and what makes this series one of a kind is that Mr. Sandford uses unique and in some cases slightly illegal means to catch the bad guy (s). In this episode he gives us a look at life on the farm like you’ve never expected to view it. You will recognize his dialogue as he uses many of the same characters in both series. His characters are unforgettable, first rate and will stay with the reader for a long while after the last page is turned.

So if you’re looking for an in-between series when you run out of Lucas Davenport you will love this series, if you’re looking for a crime drama that includes a lot of hard tack crime and yet gives you the incredible outdoors of Minnesota than you won’t do better than this. If you like your protagonist to be a hard loving, hard living warrior with the heart of a scholar you can’t go wrong. But the real reason to read this novel and the ones that came before and the ones that come after is because you won’t find a better storyteller anywhere.
Fans of Ridley Pearson’s Walt Fleming series will like this series. If you’re a fan of Paul Doriron author of The Poacher’s Son you will enjoy this too.