From Publishers WeeklyFull of imaginative plotting touches, Deutermann's fast-paced sequel to his acclaimed 2005 suspense novel, The Cat Dancers, finds Cam Richter, formerly a lieutenant with the Manceford County, N.C., sheriff's office, now doing less stressful work as the head of a PI firm staffed with other ex-cops. Park ranger Mary Ellen Goode, Richter's more-than-colleague who was severely traumatized in their last joint inquiry, reaches out to him for help after a probationary ranger is raped and left for dead in a Smoky Mountains national park. Richter's inquiries soon reveal that the crime was tangentially related to a much bigger criminal conspiracy, possibly centered on methamphetamine sales orchestrated by a figure out of a Grimm's fairy tale, the evil Grinny Creigh, and her incestuous clan. The author's impressive ability to bring the remote Appalachian region to life bodes well for the health of this series. (Jan.) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.From BooklistHigh in the mountains of North Carolina, a family operated methamphetamine gang has finally, after years of operation outside the law, gone too far. When Cam Richter, a freelance investigative consultant (and formerly a lieutenant in the sheriff's department), discovers that the malevolent Creigh family has branched out into child abuse, he vows to do everything in his power to bring them down, once and for all. But he didn't reckon on Grinny Creigh, matriarch of the clan and an incredibly ruthless, amoral villain. She is also one of the crime genre's more original and memorable creations, a mother-cum-crime-lord with a heart forged out of cold steel. Grinny is a welcome change from the usual sort of thriller villain, and she makes what could have been a ho-hum novel into something altogether different. This is definitely a cut above previous offerings (mainly Clancy-like military thrillers) from retired U.S. Navy captain Deutermann. David PittCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved Praise for Deutermann's THE CAT DANCERS what are some interesting books to read Spider Mountain: A Novel
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Much for Deutermann to learnBy CustomerI got slightly over half way through Spider Mountain before the author's puerile plot elements overwhelmed me. Here's why: PT has the habit of trying to tell the story details through the dialogue of his characters in long narratives, a fundamental mistake of the novice writer. Second, all dialogue sounds the same, e.g., PT's hillbillies all sound like they came out of the same uneducated, dull-witted Jed Clampitt box to the extent that any believability the reader might want to invest is lost. Ditto for the good guys. And PT's premise depends upon us believing that the entire federal military/DEA/FBI/state militia apparatus is powerless to move against an ugly fat lady who has nothing going for her except for a black, evil soul. Her minions are zombie-like creatures that are otherwise unemployed save to do her bidding. I think two stars is a stretch in the wrong direction. By the by, Deutermann's errors are repeated in his other books. The man needs to take lessons in the art of story telling.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Stick to his Naval booksBy R. E. JamesDeutermann is a former naval officer, and his books about the navy (Pacific Glory, Sentinels of Fire, etc.) are quite good. I have found his thrillers to be less so, and this is no exception. The plot is interesting, if implausible, but the characters keep doing dumb things that cause them all kinds of trouble. He also drags the plot out for about 100 pages more than necessary. I picked this up at a used book store for a buck, and it was worth it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Two StarsBy Hugh W. MccarronNo