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Carl Houseman #1
Eleven Days
In a mesmerizing debut, cop-turned-author Donald Harstad uses real-life events to paint a jarring picture of crime in America's heartland--where two-stoplight towns no longer offer refuge from modern-day brutality.
Life in Maitland, Iowa, is usually predictable, even for a cop. But all that changes the day Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman's dispatcher receives the terrifying 911 call. The day cops find the mutilated bodies at a remote farmhouse. The first of eleven days Carl will never forget.
As hotshot investigators fly in from New York, Carl and his fellow cops use old-fashioned detective work to piece together clues. But to turn suspicions into suspects, Carl must search among his closest friends to find a killer who has shocked and bewildered cops who'd thought they'd seen it all. And before it's over, Carl will be forced into an unrelenting spiral of chaos, coming face-to-face with evil he never dreamed could exist in Maitland...or anywhere else.
Life in Maitland, Iowa, is usually predictable, even for a cop. But all that changes the day Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman's dispatcher receives the terrifying 911 call. The day cops find the mutilated bodies at a remote farmhouse. The first of eleven days Carl will never forget.
As hotshot investigators fly in from New York, Carl and his fellow cops use old-fashioned detective work to piece together clues. But to turn suspicions into suspects, Carl must search among his closest friends to find a killer who has shocked and bewildered cops who'd thought they'd seen it all. And before it's over, Carl will be forced into an unrelenting spiral of chaos, coming face-to-face with evil he never dreamed could exist in Maitland...or anywhere else.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 15, 1998
About the author
Donald Harstad
12 books102 followersDonald Harstad is a twenty-six-year veteran of the Clayton County Sheriff's Department in northeastern Iowa, and the author of the acclaimed novels Eleven Days and Known Dead. A former deputy sheriff, Harstad lives with his wife, Mary, in Elkader, Iowa. (From Random House website.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
July 20, 2022
“A hell of a first novel.” — Michael Connelly
Donald Harstad wrote and then released this grisly, fast-moving, and surprisingly humorous (considering the subject matter) police procedural back in the late 90’s, then followed it up with Known Dead, The Big Thaw, and Code 61. In my opinion, it should have reached the stature of Craig Johnson’s Longmire, or at least C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett books, but it seemed to fizzle after that. Whether it was a fickle public, or Harstad simply didn’t receive the big publicity push it deserved, I don’t know, but those first four entries in this series, especially this explosive debut, are as good and fun to read as any rural crime series you’re ever likely to come across.
Eleven days boasts a narrative filled with well-drawn supporting characters, a true rural farmland atmosphere that is palpable to the reader, and a human and likable hero in Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman. The humor seems natural, and is often self-deprecating. This is a series that now has some years on it, but if you've never read it, it will be a great new find for you.
As a twenty-six-year veteran of the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department, Harstad perfectly captures the rural atmosphere of Iowa farm country. It is also still relevant — perhaps spookily so. This tense and exciting novel shows how a world gone askew morally reaches all the way into America’s heartland. Today the narrative (which I understand is based in truth) may seem less shocking, but that only makes it more relevant than it was back when it was written. In Eleven Days, a small town in the Bible Belt is suddenly confronted by mass slayings, satanic rituals and hidden amorality, in one of the best debuts in this genre I’ve personally ever read.
Harstad creates a believable crime story, and right off the bat gives readers a genuine feel for his setting. This is a place where a fax is "hi-tech" equipment for the cops. Homes and farms can be — and more often than not are — miles apart. We see everything which occurs through the eyes of Carl Houseman; from his relationship with his boss and co-workers, to a realistic marriage where he and his wife barely see each other, and must make the most of the moments they do have together. Despite the rather grisly subject matter, Eleven Days is also filled with humor and humanity in the face of the unthinkable.
This first entry in the Carl Houseman series is an adrenaline rush of a read, moving like a tornado through the sparse Iowa landscape. It is bloody and exciting, funny and disturbing at the same time. If you’ve been looking for a good rural mystery series, this will certainly get your attention. A terrific series that should have exploded, I highly recommend Eleven Days, and the three books that followed: Known Dead, The Big Thaw, and Code 61.
Donald Harstad wrote and then released this grisly, fast-moving, and surprisingly humorous (considering the subject matter) police procedural back in the late 90’s, then followed it up with Known Dead, The Big Thaw, and Code 61. In my opinion, it should have reached the stature of Craig Johnson’s Longmire, or at least C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett books, but it seemed to fizzle after that. Whether it was a fickle public, or Harstad simply didn’t receive the big publicity push it deserved, I don’t know, but those first four entries in this series, especially this explosive debut, are as good and fun to read as any rural crime series you’re ever likely to come across.
Eleven days boasts a narrative filled with well-drawn supporting characters, a true rural farmland atmosphere that is palpable to the reader, and a human and likable hero in Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman. The humor seems natural, and is often self-deprecating. This is a series that now has some years on it, but if you've never read it, it will be a great new find for you.
As a twenty-six-year veteran of the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department, Harstad perfectly captures the rural atmosphere of Iowa farm country. It is also still relevant — perhaps spookily so. This tense and exciting novel shows how a world gone askew morally reaches all the way into America’s heartland. Today the narrative (which I understand is based in truth) may seem less shocking, but that only makes it more relevant than it was back when it was written. In Eleven Days, a small town in the Bible Belt is suddenly confronted by mass slayings, satanic rituals and hidden amorality, in one of the best debuts in this genre I’ve personally ever read.
Harstad creates a believable crime story, and right off the bat gives readers a genuine feel for his setting. This is a place where a fax is "hi-tech" equipment for the cops. Homes and farms can be — and more often than not are — miles apart. We see everything which occurs through the eyes of Carl Houseman; from his relationship with his boss and co-workers, to a realistic marriage where he and his wife barely see each other, and must make the most of the moments they do have together. Despite the rather grisly subject matter, Eleven Days is also filled with humor and humanity in the face of the unthinkable.
This first entry in the Carl Houseman series is an adrenaline rush of a read, moving like a tornado through the sparse Iowa landscape. It is bloody and exciting, funny and disturbing at the same time. If you’ve been looking for a good rural mystery series, this will certainly get your attention. A terrific series that should have exploded, I highly recommend Eleven Days, and the three books that followed: Known Dead, The Big Thaw, and Code 61.
March 15, 2022
A low 4 stars but a 4 star read nevertheless. It was easy getting invested in the case and flew by as I needed to know what was going on. On of the more intense read I've read recently. Crime novels involving cases that sounds satanic is both creepy and hard to put done if it's done right
February 6, 2023
Wow! That was intense! This felt like a continual ride- along with Deputy Carl and I enjoyed it despite the pretty horrific subject matter. That ending had me on the edge of my seat. I picked this up on a whim trying to find a book set in Iowa for a challenge and I am so glad I did. And thanks to the challenge, I have found yet another author whose books I will be continuing to read.
April 27, 2013
Eleven Days by former deputy sheriff Donald Harstad was published in 1999, fourteen years ago which is a good while, and I guess qualifies as a forgotten book. It's a cop novel of very exceptional merit and gets my recommendation. Deputy Carl Houseman works is Maitland, Iowa, which qualifies as the truest American heartland. He encounters a multiple homicide which is traced to the handiwork of a local Satanic cult. Ghoulish, yes. Carl plainly sees he's overmatched here, but he plugs away in his investigation. I believe he surprises himself with his dogged tenacity and country boy smarts to solve what happened at the farmhouse of death. It takes him eleven days before he's finished. As with most police procedurals, I want to find the protagonist a likeable and sympathetic character. Carl is both. He's married to Sue, and they have their differences over his long work hours and his cop job's dangers. Still, they love each other, and that makes for a satisfying read. There is also a strong sense of authenticity to the narrative as Carl relates it to us. This makes sense because of the author's extensive law enforcement background in rural Iowa. The voice is Carl's frank, straightforward speaking style. He has a cop's often earthy sense of humor, and generally he gets along with his fellow cops, even the hot shot psychological profiler sent out from the New York City PD. The cult leader's identity was a surprise to me. The tension mounts at a nice pace, and Carl collects his share of hard knocks. All in all, I enjoyed my reading week riding alongside Deputy Carl on the job that turns bloody over eleven days before it ends.
August 29, 2012
Recommended to me by someone in a mystery/thriller bookstore who seemed to have similar taste to me, and had a cover blurb from Michael Connelly. So ... I was excited. In fact, I was so confident that I'd found another good author that I bought not only this but also two more of Harstead's books. Oops.
It was just silly. Absurd coincidences and implausibilities abounded; characterization was sketchy at best, and the sex antics of the Satanic cult (those crazzzzy Satanists!) were also, well, silly and absurd. Seriously, it was a like a soap opera converted into a police procedural - everyone's sleeping with everyone else (including lesbians! threesomes! orgies!) and the only ridiculous twist missing was the evil twin (which perhaps Harstead saved for one of the other books I bought).
It was just silly. Absurd coincidences and implausibilities abounded; characterization was sketchy at best, and the sex antics of the Satanic cult (those crazzzzy Satanists!) were also, well, silly and absurd. Seriously, it was a like a soap opera converted into a police procedural - everyone's sleeping with everyone else (including lesbians! threesomes! orgies!) and the only ridiculous twist missing was the evil twin (which perhaps Harstead saved for one of the other books I bought).
October 17, 2020
Surprised to see I hadn't reviewed this ... Harstad introduced 'Heartland' previously unknown. His main character very believable. Iowa's northeast setting for small town police. Recommend. Have re-read some of Officer Harstad's stories with pleasure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_...
April 5, 2022
If you like police procedurals and rural locales, ELEVEN DAYS by Donald Harstad is a good novel for you. It's got crisp writing, impeccable authenticity, sturdy pacing ... and not a lot else to clutter up the pure, formula genre experience. It's like a script for a 1970s Quinn Martin TV crime drama in novel form, all plot and clipped voice and strictured structure.
The characters, including the series hero, sheriff's deputy Carl Houseman, are pretty much one-dimensional, focused on the job and little else, and the story's tone stays the stentorian course even as it dives into the sex-drenched, murderous depravities of a coven of Satanists in the heartland.
These are rendered as if they were routine drug busts or burglaries, and that leads to passages like this: She looked back at her notes. “Oh, before I forget … If you’re having trouble, emotionally, with this stuff, don’t feel bad. One of the cops investigating this case in Ohio actually got off on a psychiatric disability.” She looked up. “Now, the physical evidence is good. The general Satanic overtones are good. But there’s a problem here. The first murders were apparently committed by Satanists. We feel, however, that our perp isn’t necessarily one himself. What he does doesn’t jibe with the activities of the group. I mean, it’s almost like he’s read up on this stuff. The victim group wasn’t nearly as ‘formal’ about their practices as our perp is. We feel that the Satanic-related evidence at the scene was set up. To make it look Satanic, or at least, more Satanic. Anybody disagree?”
The simple review of ELEVEN DAYS is this: If you think the above passages puts its emphasis in the right place, this novel is for you. If you're looking for something that captures the senses and engages the emotions and fills you with regional flavors, you'll want to look elsewhere.
The characters, including the series hero, sheriff's deputy Carl Houseman, are pretty much one-dimensional, focused on the job and little else, and the story's tone stays the stentorian course even as it dives into the sex-drenched, murderous depravities of a coven of Satanists in the heartland.
These are rendered as if they were routine drug busts or burglaries, and that leads to passages like this: She looked back at her notes. “Oh, before I forget … If you’re having trouble, emotionally, with this stuff, don’t feel bad. One of the cops investigating this case in Ohio actually got off on a psychiatric disability.” She looked up. “Now, the physical evidence is good. The general Satanic overtones are good. But there’s a problem here. The first murders were apparently committed by Satanists. We feel, however, that our perp isn’t necessarily one himself. What he does doesn’t jibe with the activities of the group. I mean, it’s almost like he’s read up on this stuff. The victim group wasn’t nearly as ‘formal’ about their practices as our perp is. We feel that the Satanic-related evidence at the scene was set up. To make it look Satanic, or at least, more Satanic. Anybody disagree?”
The simple review of ELEVEN DAYS is this: If you think the above passages puts its emphasis in the right place, this novel is for you. If you're looking for something that captures the senses and engages the emotions and fills you with regional flavors, you'll want to look elsewhere.
July 7, 2018
This was set in the midwest, where I grew up, so the background was perhaps too close to my own memories. This is precise, perfect police procedural. The 'p's' though are all perhaps too much. It moves quickly and ends where you expect but don't quite expect.
June 2, 2011
We are reading this for book club this month. I liked it, but found it uneven. The narrator is a deputy sheriff for a rural county in Iowa. It starts off incredibly slow and full of meaningless police jargon. I mean, if there's any way to make a quadruple homicide with Satanic influences at multiple locations boring, this author does it! I began to wonder if it was a bit on purpose, to demonstrate how grindingly procedural and mundane most police work is? Every detail is documented, from the time he wakes up, to each meal he eats, to the nagging by his wife about his dangerous job, to tagging and labeling each piece of evidence, to which other officers he has to call with every bit of information he processes. The narrator gives this and an interview with the lesbian lover of one of the victims equal significance - the exciting details of the case are slipped in there in the midst of the trivia. In newspaper parlance, he "buries the lead." I would say the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the book just needs to be plowed through.
All this being said, the last half and absolutely the last third of the book were very compelling and dare I say, riveting! And I read many mysteries, but this one took some turns that I was not expecting, especially given the slow start. So if you're like me, reading this for our book club, take heart! It's not as bad as it seems at first. I promise.
All this being said, the last half and absolutely the last third of the book were very compelling and dare I say, riveting! And I read many mysteries, but this one took some turns that I was not expecting, especially given the slow start. So if you're like me, reading this for our book club, take heart! It's not as bad as it seems at first. I promise.
January 22, 2019
My dad knows the author and we had a copy always around the house. I joined work book club and this was my pick. What a great read! Highly suspenseful and amazing plot twists. I was convinced I had everything figured out, but the final scene is one big shock followed by another big shock. The humor and ability to relate to the North East Iowa characters can only be written by someone from NEIA himself. At book club, we tried to Google the occurrences since it's based on true events but were unsuccessful. Don Harstad is well know in NEIA and I asked my mom about the "based on true events", turns out Don's wife was my mom's grade school teacher and they were elderly when she was in school in the 80's so I think I'll have to fact check a couple years later than the dates/timeline in the book.
May 25, 2018
I don't know how I went this long without discovering this excellent author of crime fiction. He is a great character builder and I love his deadpan humor. I like the way he says one thing and then lets you know what he is really thinking. A retired deputy sheriff and twenty-six year veteran of a small town sheriff's department in Iowa, Harstad really knows what he is writing about. I continued to read his next four novels after reading Eleven Days and now I am moving onto the sixth (November Rain 2013) and hopefully not the last one. I figured it's past time for me to write a review for Donald Harstad.
May 5, 2013
This novel is the first of six in a very good procedural series (rural Iowa sherif's office) written between the late 90s and mid 00s. It begins with a multiple murder and involves some pretty grim stuff, though the main sheriff deputy/narrator, Carl Houseman, delivers quite a bit of cop humor along the way. I wish there were more than the six books, though Phil Rustad's recent books carry some of the same strengths.
January 1, 2023
This book BLEW me away! I cannot believe there is not more hype surrounding this book. It had me on edge the entire time, never a dull moment. I was surprised and horrified from the beginning until the end. Also I love this author’s writing style and perspectives on the characters, absolutely phenomenal. I haven’t read a book this good in I don’t know how long, I can’t wait to read more of the series!
October 11, 2020
3.5 - I'm not a big crime novel fan, or I would probably rate this higher.
I read it because the writer is from the county I grew up in, and it's fun to place some of the things in his story as happening back home. I don't know if I'll read another one or not, but for those of you who either 1) like crime novels or 2) are from NE Iowa, you should check it out.
I read it because the writer is from the county I grew up in, and it's fun to place some of the things in his story as happening back home. I don't know if I'll read another one or not, but for those of you who either 1) like crime novels or 2) are from NE Iowa, you should check it out.
December 21, 2021
This first novel is different and really good. Carl Houseman is a deputy sheriff in Iowa. They've got murders. Carl and his coworkers solve this crime about like you and I would. They are not slick, they are just good and the story of their work is excellent. My friend, Jeannie, says his second book is as good. Gotta get it!
February 11, 2017
A cop story, satanic rituals, who done it, and an OK ending. Storyline a bit shaky.
December 1, 2011
Donald Harstad's police procedural set in small-town Iowa starts with a Satanic multiple murder and gets more complicated from there. His first-person narrator, Carl Houseman, deputy sheriff in Nation County, tells the story in a deadpan, occasionally stream of consciousness voice that is original, authentic and engaging.
Since Harstad was a longtime cop, the police procedure is painstakingly depicted and presumably 100% accurate, sometimes almost intrusively so. In the end, the unraveling of the crime, and its connection to previous crimes, hurtles along at such a pace -- all in eleven days, after all -- that no amount of 10-4s and 10-78s can slow it down.
Houseman is a good cop, with all the cynicism one would expect from a veteran in law enforcement, but an innate enthusiasm for his job that makes him excited getting up every afternoon and going to work. He is a good storyteller. He reminded me of my brother, who was a police officer for 30-some years.
You spend a lot of time in the squad room, which is really the kitchen of the small office, conferring and kibitzing, sorting through clues, manipulating the multi-layered bureaucracy of county and state law enforcement, with a New York specialist thrown in. And yet Harstad keeps this as taut as the action scenes that punctuate the grind of the investigation.
The author is particularly skillful in creating small-town characters, with their quirks, their petty jealousies, their surprising depravity. He is far less interested in setting the scene. There is virtually no sense of being in Iowa -- the plot could just as well have been set in Connecticut or Mayberry. One of the joys of reading these mysteries set in different states, of course, is to get that sense of place and that is almost totally missing from this novel.
But no one says he has to oblige readers doing a 50-state mystery challenge by having his state's scenery or geography play a major role. The decentralized but relatively small expanse of Iowa, with officers and evidence shuttling between Des Moines, the fictional Maitland and Dubuque gives a little bounce to the narrative.
The twists and turns in the plot are satisfying, the red herrings are not too red, and the identity of the killer is intimated enough towards the end that it is not a shock when it is finally revealed. There is (just) enough action and not an excessive amount of blood in the two-step climax.
The real winning quality, though, is the friendly, funny, solid as a brick narrator -- a character who does show what the heartland is all about. It's good to know that there's already a number of sequels with him around.
Since Harstad was a longtime cop, the police procedure is painstakingly depicted and presumably 100% accurate, sometimes almost intrusively so. In the end, the unraveling of the crime, and its connection to previous crimes, hurtles along at such a pace -- all in eleven days, after all -- that no amount of 10-4s and 10-78s can slow it down.
Houseman is a good cop, with all the cynicism one would expect from a veteran in law enforcement, but an innate enthusiasm for his job that makes him excited getting up every afternoon and going to work. He is a good storyteller. He reminded me of my brother, who was a police officer for 30-some years.
You spend a lot of time in the squad room, which is really the kitchen of the small office, conferring and kibitzing, sorting through clues, manipulating the multi-layered bureaucracy of county and state law enforcement, with a New York specialist thrown in. And yet Harstad keeps this as taut as the action scenes that punctuate the grind of the investigation.
The author is particularly skillful in creating small-town characters, with their quirks, their petty jealousies, their surprising depravity. He is far less interested in setting the scene. There is virtually no sense of being in Iowa -- the plot could just as well have been set in Connecticut or Mayberry. One of the joys of reading these mysteries set in different states, of course, is to get that sense of place and that is almost totally missing from this novel.
But no one says he has to oblige readers doing a 50-state mystery challenge by having his state's scenery or geography play a major role. The decentralized but relatively small expanse of Iowa, with officers and evidence shuttling between Des Moines, the fictional Maitland and Dubuque gives a little bounce to the narrative.
The twists and turns in the plot are satisfying, the red herrings are not too red, and the identity of the killer is intimated enough towards the end that it is not a shock when it is finally revealed. There is (just) enough action and not an excessive amount of blood in the two-step climax.
The real winning quality, though, is the friendly, funny, solid as a brick narrator -- a character who does show what the heartland is all about. It's good to know that there's already a number of sequels with him around.
November 16, 2017
A lost and forgotten gem of a police procedural.
Carl Houseman is an Iowa night shift deputy. He's the wrong side of forty, running a little to fat, and his wife doesn't appreciate the way his job consumes his - or their - life. When he is called out to a multiple homicide with apparent satanic influences at a rural farmstead, he is thrown into a case that challenge his undermanned department.
The satanic case is apparently based "one real events" and comes across as nicely lacking in hysteria. If it seems a little dated now, it should be noted that "Eleven Days" was published in 1998, thus written in the mid 90s - if not at the height of the "satanic panic", then certainly at a time when it was in many people's memories. As such, the level headedness with which some of the genuinely unpleasant ideas are handled.
Houseman's narrative will not be to everyone's taste. His voice is plain and laconic, and while the level of detail often adds verisimilitude - you really *believe* this man is a serving police officer - it can sometimes tip over into something more like a list of tasks.
The presentation of rural Iowa is atmospheric. I was occasionally reminded of Stephen Booth's Peak District "rural noir" police procedurals - underpopulated areas, struggling farmers, under-resourced police, secrets kept in out of the way farmsteads. The resemblance ends with the atmosphere though, Harstad's books are surprisingly upbeat compared to Booths.
Houseman acquires an investgative partner in Agent Hester Gorse. A little younger, a lot fitter, certainly more educated, if not cleverer. Gorse is a good female character. Harstad pays lipservice to the treatment of female officers in all-male environments but either doesn't know, or is unwilling to portray, the real difficulties they undergo. The narrative is much better when Gorse is simply being Gorse and the very real observations that Harstad has made about how women deal with male environments (in public) come to the fore. I bring this up because a book published more recently would be, I think, a little more sensitive to these experiences. Harstad does bettr than many of his contemporaries.
Houseman and Gorse are solidly constructed characters, the procedural aspects are impeccable, if sometimes overdetailed, and the overall story kept me reading.
Carl Houseman is an Iowa night shift deputy. He's the wrong side of forty, running a little to fat, and his wife doesn't appreciate the way his job consumes his - or their - life. When he is called out to a multiple homicide with apparent satanic influences at a rural farmstead, he is thrown into a case that challenge his undermanned department.
The satanic case is apparently based "one real events" and comes across as nicely lacking in hysteria. If it seems a little dated now, it should be noted that "Eleven Days" was published in 1998, thus written in the mid 90s - if not at the height of the "satanic panic", then certainly at a time when it was in many people's memories. As such, the level headedness with which some of the genuinely unpleasant ideas are handled.
Houseman's narrative will not be to everyone's taste. His voice is plain and laconic, and while the level of detail often adds verisimilitude - you really *believe* this man is a serving police officer - it can sometimes tip over into something more like a list of tasks.
The presentation of rural Iowa is atmospheric. I was occasionally reminded of Stephen Booth's Peak District "rural noir" police procedurals - underpopulated areas, struggling farmers, under-resourced police, secrets kept in out of the way farmsteads. The resemblance ends with the atmosphere though, Harstad's books are surprisingly upbeat compared to Booths.
Houseman acquires an investgative partner in Agent Hester Gorse. A little younger, a lot fitter, certainly more educated, if not cleverer. Gorse is a good female character. Harstad pays lipservice to the treatment of female officers in all-male environments but either doesn't know, or is unwilling to portray, the real difficulties they undergo. The narrative is much better when Gorse is simply being Gorse and the very real observations that Harstad has made about how women deal with male environments (in public) come to the fore. I bring this up because a book published more recently would be, I think, a little more sensitive to these experiences. Harstad does bettr than many of his contemporaries.
Houseman and Gorse are solidly constructed characters, the procedural aspects are impeccable, if sometimes overdetailed, and the overall story kept me reading.
November 2, 2008
Carl Houseman is a night shift deputy sheriff in Nation County, Iowa. Not the sort of place you would expect to find a house full of horrifically maimed bodies and signs of Satanism. A frantic call brings the law to the scene and for the next 11 days the investigation seeks the responsible party. This is a very easy-to-read crime novel. The author is an Iowan deputy sheriff himself, so he speaks of what he knows, at least as far as the constabulary practices goes. It did strike me as a little far fetched that there was as much naughty business going on in this little town as he would have us accept, but if one is willing to suspend that bit of rationality, it was a fun ride. Not a great book, but a painless way to spend some time.
December 8, 2021
Life in Maitland, Iowa, is usually predictable, even for a cop. But all that changes the day Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman's dispatcher receives the terrifying 911 call. The day cops find the mutilated bodies at a remote farmhouse. The first of eleven days Carl will never forget.
As hotshot investigators fly in from New York, Carl and his fellow cops use old-fashioned detective work to piece together clues. But to turn suspicions into suspects, Carl must search among his closest friends to find a killer who has shocked and bewildered cops who'd thought they'd seen it all. And before it's over, Carl will be forced into an unrelenting spiral of chaos, coming face-to-face with evil he never dreamed could exist in Maitland...or anywhere else
As hotshot investigators fly in from New York, Carl and his fellow cops use old-fashioned detective work to piece together clues. But to turn suspicions into suspects, Carl must search among his closest friends to find a killer who has shocked and bewildered cops who'd thought they'd seen it all. And before it's over, Carl will be forced into an unrelenting spiral of chaos, coming face-to-face with evil he never dreamed could exist in Maitland...or anywhere else
October 13, 2011
I read this book based on the recommendations of a friend. They liked the book because it takes place in eastern Iowa and mentions places they had been to. I enjoyed that part of the book plus I enjoyed the way Harstad unfolds the story and develops the character. And there is a good twist when the murderer is revealed. The book moves along at a good pace and as clues are discovered the reader becomes more involved. I liked this book and I'll be looking to read the rest of the Harstad books.
May 30, 2017
Pretty good. A little slow in places but I think he'll get better as it goes. First books can be that way some times. Liked the characters but wish they were a little more fleshed out. Weird little plot but I had an inkling how it was going at the end.
May 22, 2013
Enjoyed this one ~ had no club who was the guilty party until the very end! I liked that you saw how a police department really works - patience is a real virtue.
August 31, 2014
Awesome story Love this writer
July 15, 2024
This was evidently written by a former cop who became an author and boy was it obvious. First, it’s way out of touch. Bad and aggressive cop work that wouldn’t fly today, it’s also written in the most boring way possible. It tells you what is happening in a very plain way, ending usually with him going to bed eating and sleeping. The case itself is interesting and it’s where the best of this book comes from. I wouldn’t say it’s worth reading for the case alone because the writing is pretty poor but it wasn’t the worst thing ever.
April 25, 2022
Great thriller and I love the main character. However this is not for the faint hearted. Gruesome and delves into Satanic rites. It is a very good thriller nevertheless. I like fact that Harstad was a working policemen in the area where his books are set. He's dogged and thoughtful and can untangle a seemingly impossible riddle.
May 9, 2022
I had no idea who the villain was until the very end, which is unusual for this avid mystery reader! The characters in this series are likable and believable, and Harstad captures the Mid-West with his small-town setting. I've just discovered this series and will be reading the rest of the books now.
September 23, 2023
Very enjoyable and engrossing. My parents passed me this series, it is written by someone my cousin is acquainted with and so was recommended to them.
My only complaint is the stereotype of Satanists, but it was written in the late 90s at the end of the Satanic Panic so it reflects what people erroneously thought at that time.
My only complaint is the stereotype of Satanists, but it was written in the late 90s at the end of the Satanic Panic so it reflects what people erroneously thought at that time.
April 3, 2018
An unsettling and frightening debut. This police procedural, written by a former deputy sheriff, is more proof that sickos can live in the heartland of America also. I will be reading his next Carl Houseman case.
May 5, 2020
Starts out good .........
By the time I got to chapter 15 I was ready to quit reading. Skipped to epilogue and read enough to know most of the story. I do not recommend this book. Sorry.
By the time I got to chapter 15 I was ready to quit reading. Skipped to epilogue and read enough to know most of the story. I do not recommend this book. Sorry.
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