Autorenbild.

J. M. Hayes

Autor von Mad Dog and Englishman

10 Werke 240 Mitglieder 8 Rezensionen Lieblingsautor von 2 Lesern

Reihen

Werke von J. M. Hayes

Mad Dog and Englishman (2000) 54 Exemplare
Prairie Gothic (2003) 41 Exemplare
Plains Crazy (2004) 32 Exemplare
Server Down (1900) 31 Exemplare
The Grey Pilgrim (1990) 25 Exemplare
Broken Heartland (2007) 23 Exemplare
English Lessons (2011) 18 Exemplare
The Spirit and the Skull (2014) 14 Exemplare
The Pope in Canada 1 Exemplar
Prairie Gothic 1 Exemplar

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Wissenswertes

Gebräuchlichste Namensform
Hayes, J. M.
Rechtmäßiger Name
Hayes, James Michael
Geburtstag
1944-11-16
Geschlecht
male
Nationalität
USA
Wohnorte
Tucson, Arizona, USA

Mitglieder

Rezensionen

I liked the main characters in this book (the only book in the series I have read) but the plot was ridiculous with every other person indiscriminately shooting their machine gun or throwing their grenade.
If it had focused on the people a bit more and not a shoot at everything story, I might be continuing on to the next book, because I think these characters could be interesting.
There was also an afterword by the author that may be saying all this mayhem was because he had been accused of writing cozy mysteries. Maybe I would have liked those better, but I am not willing to try after this book.… (mehr)
½
 
Gekennzeichnet
rkchr | 1 weitere Rezension | Aug 8, 2016 |
Although the plot centers around murder, this is not a murder mystery in the conventional sense. People seeking such a thing will not find it here.

The Spirit & the Skull is a very interesting exploration of a hypothetical paleolithic society, based on some archeological data and a lot of speculation, focusing on some of the first nomads to move into North America.

The society of the people is very well-drawn, I thought, combining both the ways in which we are similar and the ways in which their society was probably vastly different from ours. It focuses mostly on the menfolk, so women were largely treated as chattel; nonetheless, there were some ways in which their power was clear, though it would have been better balanced to make that more obvious. I find it really hard to believe that a subsistence-scrabbling tribe would have the resources to so thoroughly ignore the women on whom they rely; that's a luxury I doubt they could, in practice, afford.

The real problem is with the plot. Most especially: the time-traveling elements seemed completely out of place and unnecessary. I think they were supposed to ratchet up the tension around the paleo murders more, but it was not clear at all to me how these were connected in any sense, so that didn't work. I also found the resolution of the mystery to be arbitrary and not something that felt like an obvious solution.

Now, in some ways these might be strengths. I've read enough folktales in which causation and plot do not coincide with our current understandings, and this novel as a whole did remind me of such, as well as literary fiction as some create it.

Nonetheless, I found it a fascinating read, but ultimately unsatisfying ... which of course may have been the author's intent; I cannot say.

I received this book from Rambles.net, in exchange for writing an honest review.
… (mehr)
½
 
Gekennzeichnet
cissa | Oct 10, 2014 |
A slight, enjoyable mystery that takes itself exactly as seriously as it should, and doesn't outstay its welcome, Mad Dog and Englishman was a good read, especially given its current price on the Kindle (free).

Sheriff English has a Deputy he can't fire, an ex-wife that won't quit, and half-brother whose senses are on a leave-of-absence. But these small-town tribulations pale into nothingness when the local priest's mutilated corpse shows up. Who killed him, and why?

Hayes' writing is what really sets this book apart from other, more pedestrian mysteries, with similarly preposterous plots. He captures the rural setting with great accuracy and affection. Anyone from a small town will recognise the types and the way they react, but I was really impressed by how he refused to turn his characters into superheros when the plot demanded it. Instead, when a very unusual violence sweeps into town, the characters are at a loss, and make several bad decisions - exactly as ordinary people would do.

But whatever the danger, the tone remains light, and the narrative bustles along. In this respect, Mad Dog and Englishman felt very "television" to me - lovable characters, light tone, dastardly deeds. This isn't a knock on the book, but anyone looking for adamantine logic and emotional (or otherwise) realism should best look elsewhere.

They would be missing out though. Hayes has written an enjoyable romp, almost a perfect holiday read.
… (mehr)
½
 
Gekennzeichnet
patrickgarson | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Feb 16, 2013 |
First Line: Summer in Benteen County, Kansas, is a season possessed of all the gentle subtlety of an act of war.

When Sheriff English's part-Cheyenne brother, Mad Dog, arrives in the park to meditate, he finds the mutilated body of Reverend Peter Sims, and the entire county is set on its ear. Benteen County is sparsely populated. Everyone knows everyone else's business. Sheriff English has never had to investigate a homicide, even the coroner (who's been on the job for over seventeen years) has never had to deal with a murder victim. So it's important that they do everything right.

Since Mad Dog is the natural prime suspect, Sheriff English has to not only look for suspicious characters, he has to delve into the history of the Simms family, which is very dark indeed. More murders seem almost inevitable-- just like that tornado that's on the horizon.

Hayes brings small town Kansas to life and doesn't put a foot wrong with his cast of characters. Sheriff English's ex-wife is a teacher, and they have a mouthy teenage daughter. Although they're divorced, they can't seem to keep their hands off each other-- which is something the entire town knows.

There's also the incompetent police officer who got his job through nepotism. He can't use his handcuffs because his kid lost the key and he hasn't got the replacement yet. The dispatcher is good at her job, but she's also Gossip Central. The guy who lives behind the police station keeps planting roses in the parking lot and then has fits when the police run over them. Anyone who's ever lived in a small town recognizes these folks.

The identity of the killer and the reason behind the murders were a bit obvious to me, but that didn't matter so much because I truly enjoyed getting to know this corner of Kansas and the entire cast of characters. This first book has set me up perfectly, and I can't wait to continue with the series.
… (mehr)
½
1 abstimmen
Gekennzeichnet
cathyskye | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Jul 6, 2011 |

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Statistikseite

Werke
10
Mitglieder
240
Beliebtheit
#94,569
Bewertung
3.8
Rezensionen
8
ISBNs
69
Favoriten
2

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