Dindy's Reviews > Dead, to Begin With

Note: The Goodreads description of Dead, to Begin With actually belongs to a DIFFERENT Dan Rhodes book, Between the Living and the Dead.

Crider is at the top of his game in Dead, to Begin With. The crazy characters that are hallmarks of any of Crider's books are all there, as well as a pretty good mystery. Dan Rhodes is the Andy Griffith of Clearview, trying to ride herd on his dispatcher and deputies, while at the same time keeping the people of Clearview not just from killing each other, but from attacking each other with sledgehammers, equipment hoists, and whatever other implements they can lay hands on.

In between, Crider makes us appreciate the small things-- a bottle of Dr. Pepper made with real sugar, sitting on the back porch and watching the dogs play, sneaking a high calorie hamburger when the health-conscious wife isn't looking.

This book is a wonderful addition to the Dan Rhodes library, and may become one of my favorites of the series!