Circles in the Snow

April 14, 2014
In humorist McManus’s sleepy sixth and final Bo Tully mystery (after 2013’s The Tamarack Murders), the sheriff of rural Blight County, Idaho, and his ex-sheriff father, Pap, find the body of rancher Morgan Fester, known for philandering and shooting eagles, in a snowbank, shot in the back with an arrow. The unpopular Fester was killed around the time his free-spirited, bird-loving wife headed to Mexico for the winter. The murder investigation pointedly lacks urgency, tension, or conflict, though the author’s storytelling skills remain strong. McManus focuses mainly on the disillusionment of his hero, who can no longer go along with the “Blight Way,” a concept that allows “a certain degree of elasticity in the execution of legal matters.” Still, series fans will appreciate this affectionate send-off, which closes with a career retrospective of Sheriff Tully from the local paper, the Silver Tip Miner.

May 1, 2014
The sheriff of Blight County, Idaho, makes some life-changing decisions while investigating a murder.Middle-aged widower Bo Tully is the closest thing to an honest sheriff the county has ever had, and that includes his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. When local rancher Morgan Fester is found shot dead by an arrow, even Bo's not eager to investigate the killing of the man everybody hated. It looks as if Fester was out shooting at eagles, a protected species dear to his bird-loving wife, who's supposed to be in Mexico at their other ranch. Bo brings a decidedly offbeat background to his job. An art major in college, he's had flings with a sexy FBI agent, the medical examiner, his secretary, Daisy, and many others. But now that he's just sold a watercolor for $12,000, he's seriously considering retiring to settle down and paint full-time. Answering the call of duty instead, he gets his pop, a great tracker, and CSI Byron Proctor to check out the crime scene, which contains a mysterious circle in the snow well away from any footprints. Fester's widow and his ranch foreman seem like the best suspects, but having such a well-hated victim encourages Bo to leave his options open. While Pop and Byron head to Mexico to talk to the widow, there are plenty of other crimes to look into. Bo handles them the Blight County way, a way that doesn't always adhere strictly to the letter of the law.While murder and humor don't always mix (The Tamarack Murders, 2013, etc.), Bo's charmingly wry take on life makes up this time for whatever's missing in the way of mystery.

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