Mad River

August 27, 2012
In this high-octane thrill ride, bestseller Sandfordâs fifth novel featuring Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent Virgil Flowers (after 2011âs Shock Wave), Lucas Davenport, Virgilâs boss (and star of his own series), dispatches Virgil to a remote corner of the state to deal with âa bad one.â Four people are dead: a married couple in Shinder, another two in nearby Bigham. The gang responsibleâarmed and dangerous teens Jimmy Sharp, Tom McCall, and Becky Welshâhave already murdered one woman during a robbery, and Virgil soon suspects them in these other crimes. Fearful that the killing spree hasnât run its course, Virgil pulls out all the stops to get inside the minds of his quarry while he sorts through all the possible motives for the spate of deaths. Virgilâs penchant for wisecracking, which in less skilled hands could have been annoying, serves to deflate the tension, and his backstory is simple enough to allow new readers to easily keep up. Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM.