The Errand Boy

July 27, 2009
When Canadian businessman Harold Tuttle buys property in Tipton, Vt., clear-cuts 50 acres and erects a huge egg farm, the residual problems—pollution, flies, odors, truck traffic—have area residents up in arms, including town constable Hector Bellevance, in Bredes's suspenseful third novel to feature the stubborn, principled New Englander (after 2006's The Fifth Season
). A serious accident caused by Tuttle's arrogant son, Sebastian, puts Bellevance's pregnant wife in a coma. After Sebastian is found beaten to death just days later, in an ironic twist Tuttle hires Bellevance to solve the crime. Bellevance steps on the toes of federal agents and attracts the attention of assorted bad guys, including Hells Angels from Canada and a known killer. But when his 11-year-old daughter is kidnapped, nothing will dissuade Bellevance to back off until he's rescued her. Bellevance provides a fine example of the “man's gotta do what a man's gotta do” philosophy.

August 1, 2009
In a small New England town, still waters run deep...and murderous.

Having already traded the stress of being a Boston detective for the laid-back life of a constable in bucolic Tipton, Vt., Hector Bellevance has recently cut back to being only a part-time constable. Along with his pregnant wife Wilma and their daughter Myra, he makes up the difference by growing the family's vegetables. Prompted by a question from Myra, the couple impulsively decides to have the big wedding they never bothered with. But their dream is shelved when Hector and Wilma are struck by a speeding car. The driver is arrogant Canadian bad boy Sebastian Tuttle, who runs a local plant with his older brother Jeremy. Hector's foot is injured; Wilma lands in the hospital in a coma. Amid accusations of assault and of spraying noxious chemicals on neighboring property pending against the Tuttles, Hector finds himself in a long line of aggrieved parties that turns into a list of suspects when Seb is found brutally murdered, his face unrecognizable. So deep is the animosity toward Seb that no one even pretends to be unhappy about his death. Turning sleuth once more (The Fifth Season, 2005, etc.), Hector gathers an anthology's worth of small-town stories in tandem with his list of suspects before narrowing the latter.

Another sure-footed and involving tour of Bredes's Vermont, with a detour to family pathos and a tidy whodunit finale.

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