Heat Lightning

In the take my mind away from reality and let me relax it’s 5 star and that’s why I read fiction.

Of course, four stars in the brain candy category is not the same as four stars in the great literature category, but I really enjoyed the ride while reading this book. This is the second in Sandford's new Virgil Flowers series, and I liked it more than the first one, Dark of the Moon. Good plot with lots of little kinks and curves, and Sandford's trademark guy humor. Also many familiar characters carried over from the Lucas Davenport series, so I felt I was hangin' with my old friends. I especially loved the way they resolved their dilemma with the Homeland Security guys near the end of the book.

Bodies are turning up propped against soldiers' memorials around Minnesota. Dead, tortured, with lemons stuffed in their mouths. Virgil Flowers doesn't have much to go on, but he's pretty sure the trail leads back to Vietnam....Another eminently readable outing by that f'en Flower.

The sexism is very subtle, but it's there. It's the kind of insidious stuff that most readers might think is "normal" (and perhaps it is) but... Women really aren't there just for the entertainment and sexual proliclivities of men. Seriously. They can have thoughts and plans that have nothing to do with some studly man looking to shag them. I noticed this in Sandford's other books too so I guess it's a writer overlaying his personal attitudes on his characters rather than a character "development".And there are a couple odd (out of place) references to God's will (etc) that seem to be there to show that Flowers is a Christian (at least this is the only point I can get from it). Maybe if they weren't just added in like footnotes and were actually part of the story, they wouldn't have been as jarring... or maybe if Flowers actually acted like a Christian and didn't think of other people, especially women, in terms of how much use they are to him... I guess the plot was fairly engaging, but, unfortunately, the victims have so few (okay, none) redeeming qualities that I didn't really care if they were killed or not. Or if the "bad guys" got away or not. Maybe this ambiguity was intentional, but it didn't give me any sense of investment in the story's conclusion.Anyway... I finished the book, and already had the next in the series on my shelf so will read it, but... I don't think I'll carry on with this series, or this author. Even though the plot was kinda interesting, Flowers holier-than-thou-and-by-the-way-when-will-we-shag attitude is just too annoying.

Virgil Flowers is a different animal from Davenport, but just as engaging. With Davenport getting on in years, I think it was a good idea to start another series featuring a younger cop. Flowers is a social investigator. He solves crimes basically by bullshitting with people. It's quite different from the way Davenport works and I think Sandford does a good job keeping the two distinct from each other. Reading them out of order doesn't seem to matter. This is the one with the shootout with the Vietnamese gang referred to in subsequent installments. I found the action (specifically the shootout) to be oddly muted. I don't think I've noticed that in the Flowers books before, and it certainly isn't present in the Davenport novels. The violence isn't as gratuitous or richly described the way it is with say, Lehane, but its not glossed over either and while the assassination scenes were depicted with some detail, the shootout wasn't and it seemed odd...I even wondered if I'd somehow skipped it, but I didn't. The old Vietnam connection was an interesting one and I think Virgil's detachment from that time and those events helped keep him unbiased about the crime and the criminals. One of which is easy to spot. Calling him a criminal isn't really accurate, but he was hinky from the start and I wasn't shocked at his role. That was ok, the book had other surprises for me and was fun as usual. I am dubious about our government's role in the whole deal, but it makes for a nice conspiratorial touch. And the ending, well, let's say that maybe Sandford is keeping something in his back pocket for later. Who knows who will walk back into Virgil's life.One thing for sure is that Flowers isn't drawn nearly as deep as Davenport. I guess he'd have to have people in his life for that. Davenport's complex family connections and brush with depression round him out as a human, not just a cop. While some of it seems to blunt his effectiveness both as an investigator and as a hard-driving leading man, it seems to make Flowers seem less there than he is. Less vital and substantial. Virgil is way less invested in his investigations, too. He takes things way less personally than Lucas does. Also, I think when Sandford domesticated Lucas, he missed his old Lothario and so made that the central feature of Virgil's life; the next roll in the hay. Now he's got Lothario back, he can't seem to make Virgil into anything else. Sure, he's got his fishing, part-time writing and his t-shirts, but the guy's life is basically an empty shell. I like him though. Maybe he'll pick up some baggage along the way that will make him more interesting and give him a bit more heft.

I’m getting the distinct impression that Sandford has developed an issue with dogs. I didn’t like it in Dark of the Moon.and really didn’t like it in this one, so much so that I knocked a whole star off for the needlessness of it. Otherwise, the book is Flowers all the way through and absolutely hilarious in parts. Flowers is brilliantly crafted, you still don’t really know who he is, but you find yourself thinking that you do

This is my second John Sandford book and my first Virgil Flowers novel. It cracked me up and I had a good time with it. Went through it in a day. Virgil is a great "every man" hero. He's not perfect. I liked Lucas Davenport better in this book as well.

I pay no attention to reviews - I *LOVE* these books. Great protagonist, unusual setting, well written, love the subtle humor.

I enjoy Virgil Flowers and hope to hear much more from this funny character. This is a great story, one full of mystery and twists and turns.

I am a fan of Virgil Flowers, maybe even more than I am a fan of Lucas Davenport. Davenport can come off as a bit uptight and serious, while Flowers has more of a laissez-faire style, and a good deal of recklessness. When we join him in this story, he is investigating a series of murders where the victims are left at Veterans’ memorials with lemons in their mouths. Soon, a connection to the Vietnam War emerges, and Flowers travels the state of Minnesota chasing down leads. Along the way, we see his trademark affinity for troubled women, and he finds himself fooled on more than one occasion. And that’s why we love Virgil… He’s not perfect. The state of Minnesota is also the perfect backdrop for this outdoorsman, and I feel like I know the state after seeing it through his eyes.

I've been a fan of the 'Prey' series from the first, and the stories are still as interesting, but I'm finished with Sandford. His increasing and gratuitous use of foul language in both this series and even more so in the Virgil Flowers series, has lost him, at the least, this one reader!

Good story but the reader read mostly fragments rather than complete sentances. This made listening difficult and irritating at times.

Just so-so. I like the idea of Sandford setting his novels in an area I am familiar with (Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Michigan), but this one fell a bit flat. The connections that tie the plot together were just barely holding together.

Sandford gets to rewrite the Lucas Davenport series when penning new stories featuring Virgil Flowers, a younger, more spritely, enigmatic cop. He's also a ladies man, allowing Sandford to interject his vibrant narrative, consistently delivering interesting and smile-producing outlooks on relationships. The Flowers series (and this is the second) allows more freedom with the central character and this is fully utilised in Heat Lightning, where both Flowers' youth and sexual appetite are both factors in how the plot develops. The crime in question is, as usual for a Sandford novel, a series of steps to capture an anonymous killer and is potentially confusing if the book is not read in a small timeframe. The finale is of high calibre, a well choreographed set-piece which is certainly entertaining. Heat Lightning is a competent crime thriller, with interesting characters as well as smart and entertaining writing, however it's potentially too complex at times and a little dry going in the middle.

Well-paced, good read.

Second of the Virgil Flowers novels, this book was an entertaining read from the start. It seems Vietnam veterans are being targeted for murder. But that's not all...the bodies are placed prominently at veterans memorials with a lemon shoved in their mouths. Why are the deceased being targeted? By whom? And can Virgil solve the case before anyone else gets killed and certainly before the Republican National Convention comes to town, bringing the country's media eye to focus on Minneapolis!! I liked this book better than the first in the series, Dark Side of the Moon. The story is nonstop from the outset and the characters (especially Virgil) seem more in focus than the earlier story. Sanford weaves the plot masterfully as it works toward the solution. I Thought I'd figured it out (but of course I didn't) and kept the pages turning right until the end. I'm looking forward to more in this series.

Good work by Sandford. Moves along and is faster paced than the latest of the Prey series. Virgil Flowers is a good character with Davenport as his mentor.

I've read most of the Prey book and really liked the way John Sandford has introduced a new series from the old one - I liked reading the bits with Davenport and Weather in them - like old friends! The story itself was good and I liked Virgil as a main character. It was an fast-paced and fun read.

Excellent; fast moving, lots of suprises

This book is for all those who are getting tired of Lucas Davenport and his domesticated boring ways and who are looking for a tough rugged cop to cheer for again. The fantastically named Virgil Flowers premiere appearance in "Dark Side Of The Moon" was depressingly boring which was ominously bad so I approached this book nervously. But ten pages in, I knew I was onto a winner and I was hooked to the very end.This book reminded me a lot of the early Prey books, when Davenport was unmarried, a bit reckless and a skirt chaser. Flowers is nowhere near the thug that Davenport was (he goes to bed thinking about God!) but nevertheless, this book was packed full of action and there was never a dull moment to be had.The plot is that a group of men who served in the US Special Forces in Vietnam are being targeted for execution by an assassin. One by one, they are being killed and no-one knows the reason (except the victims and they aren't in the mood to talk to the police). As they are each gunned down, the killer puts a lemon in their mouth which is what the Vietcong do when they kill their enemies. As each one dies, the surviving members of the group get even more scared and paranoid about their personal security and safety.Obviously the state police are investigating the murders and Davenport sends in Virgil Flowers to take over the investigation. He quickly focuses on a pacifist university professor with strong ties to Vietnam who may or may not be a CIA agent, the professor's daughter who may or may not be falling in love with Flowers, two Vietnamese businessmen who may or may not be Vietnamese Intelligence agents, a Vietnamese Consular official who may or may not be the head of his intelligence service in the US and several former Vietnam soldiers who may know why these former special forces soldiers are being targeted.But the bodies are stacking up fast, the assassin is relentless and he has a knack for knowing where Flowers is at all times - and he is now coming for Virgil Flowers - because Flowers is starting to learn too much and certain highly placed people have ordered his removal.If you like the Prey books, you'll definately love this book. It has Davenport (and his annoying wife and family), Rose-Marie Roux, the Minnesota Governor, Davenport's cop colleagues and all the other familar faces - and a brilliant story.

Sandford is turning into one of my favorite writers. I've been a fan of Davenport and reluctantly tried his other series. I didn't think he could pull off the Davenport intensity with other characters.But he does. I was wrong!! Heat Lightning is the second Virgil Flowers novel. Flowers (or "that fuckin' Flowers") works for Davenport in the Twin Cities BCA. This case covers a series of related murders where the victim is placed at the foot of a veteran's monument with a lemon stuck in their mouths. Sounds related.Flowers is a 30ish guy with an affinity for band t-shirts as his uniform. He's a pretty likable character and he interacts really well with Lucas and the rest of the BCA.Overall, a good mystery with great characters.

I trying to figure out if I would like these books more if I hadn't read the Davenport series. It just feels to me that Virgil is Lucas light. There isn't a substantive difference between the two, and Virgil, frankly, isn't as smart as Davenport. I saw the 'twist' at the end, coming a mile off, and it annoyed me that Virgil didn't. The person with the most detectiing capacity in this book was Lucas's old friend the Nun. The plot centeres around 2 men who are killed and displayed conspicuously at war memorial sites with a lemon in their mouth. Virgil is told of a Vietnam connection and the rest of the book is spent figuring out a) who is going to be killed next and b) why are they being killed. I didn't mind them being killed but the collatoral damage seemed rather high. So, Sandford is always readable but this is definitely a second tier outing for me. A library loan, not a keeper...

Having married off Lucas Davenport in the Prey series, Sandord has no character to engage is sexual peccadillos, so he has a new series and a new detective. Virgil Flowers is a terrible name, and the character is charmless. A mystery with its origins in Vietnam could have been solved on p. 5 if Flowers had done what any detective would do and check out people's identities. But there would then be no reason for this book, and that would not be such a bad thing. Every 20 or 30 pages, Virgil talks to Lucas on the phone who tells him about 20x throughout the book, "get the job done." I am not sure why Davenport is dragged into this series in a cameo appearance; it only reminds readers that the Prey series is much better than this new one.

Humorless. A lot of character confusion for me at the end. Hispanic characters and flavor.