The Dark Root

The Joe Gunther Mysteries, Book 6

By: Archer Mayor

Narrated by: Tom Taylorson

A brutal home invasion shocks Brattleboro's small Asian community, but no one is talking. Undeterred, Joe Gunther digs deeper and discovers a cross-border smuggling route carrying drugs, contraband, and illegal aliens into and out of Canada. Operating below the radar for years, competition between underworld rivals is bringing it into the light with deadly consequences.

International jurisdiction is a complicated matter, and in the pursuit of justice, Gunther will have to collaborate with the FBI, the Border Patrol, and the Mounties.

©2013 Archer Mayor (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A VERY INTERESTING SUBJECT

Would you listen to The Dark Root again? Why?

No. The subject matter was very interesting, but the story told dragged on.

What other book might you compare The Dark Root to and why?

It might be compared to other detective or cop novels but not favorably.

Which character – as performed by Tom Taylorson – was your favorite?

Is guess it would be Joe Gunther although he wasn't much of a hero

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. There were parts that dragged on.

:/

I didn't enjoy this book as much as some of the others in the series. There's things I liked about it, but overall I found it confusing/hard to follow at times and often caught myself daydreaming because some parts are boring. There are so many characters, so it's hard to keep them all straight. Even at the end, I was still unsure which details belonged to which "bad guy".
On top of the many regular characters, this book has a bunch of agencies working together, numerous suspects from various gangs and locations, and a bunch of victims. It's just a lot to keep straight.
I've been reading the series in order and overall I enjoy it a lot. Joe frustrates me sometimes, but that's part of what makes him more realistic.

Too much

The author is a gifted writer. However, this book, as notes by others is crippled by the ill naming of its copious characters. I felt that I had to STUDY the book more than read it and be entertained. I found myself using the bookmark functionality and notes in Audible to help me remember who was who. It’s a bit telling when acquiring these “skills” is the best part about reading the book.

Joe Gunther Bk 6

I was new to Joe Gunther mysteries //Archer Mayor and began listening with book 1. I was captivated by the character building of all the individuals in the series. I almost feel like I know each of their doppelgangers in my own life. As I was saying I began with book 1 and became so entrenched in the Joe Gunther mysteries I binged listened to all 32 books with fascination, escape, and enjoyment. I love the less than perfect characters, the thought processes each character manipulates and how each struggle with mental demons (some more than others) that make them real and come to life. I am also really impressed that not one of Mr Mayor’s stories (of all 32 books) repeat themselves in story line which is a impressive feat. My only disappointment is the next book isn’t out until Sept 2022.

love this series

I have laughed, and have cried and have enjoyed every single Joe Gunther book for it holds my interest and very real. Thanks so much for sharing!!