Nightzone (Posadas County Mysteries) - Hardcover

Havill, Steven F

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1464200696 ISBN 13: 9781464200694

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, 2013

Synopsis

"Gastner's capabilities are plausible for a septuagenarian, and Havill peoples the book with believable characters." ―Publishers Weekly STARRED review

What do you do when you inherit $330 million after taxes? If you're New Mexico rancher Miles Waddell, you build a dream. Waddell's dream is NightZone, an astronomy-based theme park complete with giant radio telescope, a bank of smaller scopes linked to a theater, five-star dining in a restaurant with retracting dome ceiling, a hotel/resort, tram car access, and a narrow gauge steam locomotive to carry tourists to the mesa top.

But the dream becomes a nightmare when two eco-terrorists chain-saw down power lines that feed the development. One of them is killed by a bucking power pole; the other escapes by car. From 20 miles away, retired Posadas Sheriff William K. Gastner spots a pair of headlights as the dead man's companion speeds from the scene.

Soon charges include murder when the fleeing conspirator is stopped by a cop and guns the lawman down. Hours later Gastner stops to assist Sgt. Jackie Taber during an unrelated traffic stop, and 74-year-old Gastner becomes the focus of a second investigation by the District Attorney and Sheriff's Department.

About this title

About the Author:

Steven F. Havill lives with his wife of more than forty years, Kathleen, in New Mexico. He is the author of more than twenty novels, taught secondary schools for 25 years, and recently earned an AAS degree in gunsmithing.

From Booklist:

When retired Posadas County sheriff Bill Gastner can’t sleep, he drives to a spot outside of town to enjoy New Mexico’s brilliant night sky. One night, he sees two pinpoint pops of light in the distance, but there’s nothing celestial about them. As he learns later that night, two ecoterrorists cut down two power lines that would eventually service a proposed astronomy-based theme park dubbed NightZone. One of the perps is killed by a fallen power line; the other escapes. Heading home after offering testimony to the police, he stops to assist an officer who has drawn fire during a seemingly routine traffic stop. Once a lawman, always a lawman; Gastner returns fire when the shooter levels his shotgun at him, killing the gunman. Gastner soon receives threats from the deceased’s enraged son. The nineteenth Posadas County mystery places the focus back on the retired Gastner after a few episodes in which the mysteries revolved around his successor. No matter the protagonist, Havill’s work is believable and well plotted, and never, ever includes a character who isn’t a viable human being. Another fine book in a terrific series. --Wes Lukowsky

About this edition

• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1464200696
• ISBN 13: 9781464200694
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 250