Books like Deadline by John Sandford

In southeast Minnesota, a school board meeting is being wrapped up when the chairman tells the council that the remainder of the session will be held in closed session because of personnel issues. A vote is announced to determine whether a local reporter should be allowed to die, and the final tally is four to one in favor. The outcome is a wake-up call for Virgil Flowers, who is already doing a favor for a friend by investigating a complex dognapping case that is turning into something much larger and, frighteningly, agricultural. When he receives a call from Lucas Davenport about a murdered body, Flowers must find out why this well‑connected tragedy has so many more than the usual threads. As he delves deeper into the case, an intricate chain of corrupt practice is uncovered, implicating the village’s crime scene, suspected forensic labs, and a web of individuals tied to municipal regulations.

First publish date: 2014