Running Dark: A Woods Cop Mystery

by Joseph Heywood

Book Overview

We go back in time twenty-five years to meet Service as a young conservation officer. Still fresh from Vietnam, but on home turf, Service has been tapped for an unusual assignment that threatens to be... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592288901
• ISBN13: 9781592288908
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.2" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

My Favorite Series

I live in Michigan and have travelled the whole State. So when Heywood mentions the small towns and cities, I can immediately conjure up a picture in my mind. I have also explored many of the back roads and two-tracks in the U.P., His power of description is dead on! I connect immediately. Even if you took that all away, I still believe the plot lines he develops in the Woods Cop series are every bit as good as any nationally recognized author. For years, I was a Clive Cussler fan, eagerly awaiting each new release in the Dirk Pitt series. Dirk got old and boring. Granted, Grady already is old :) and his adventures never get boring! I have also read some of the other "popular" Michigan mystery writers. Personally, I think Mr. Heywood's style is far more mature and refined. I could confidently attach this review to any one of the books in the series. They are all superb. Thank you Mr. Heywood!

Running Dark

I have read all of Joseph Heywood's books. His Wood Cop series are mesmerizing, great reads all of them, can't put them down till I finish. Having lived in the U.P. for over 3 decades his stories hit home from what we hear up here concerning hunting rights, land, the economics etc. Loving the outdoors one can appreciate all the obvious research Heywood has put into each novel. His words are true, the kinds of poaching he writes about goes on continually. Each of his Wood Cop series has a different kind of poaching. The characters are a bit scary, lawless, lacking morals, also lacking any kind of respect for man, woman or beast, they are all here in the U.P. Hope to see a movie down the road sometime in the future. The characters are true to form. Their speech, which originates from the Finnish population here is in fact exactly how the old timers speak. The culture is exactly as he describes it to be among people who have lived up here is this sometimes politically forgotten land. However amongst the law abiding population you will hear people call this "God's country" We love our outdoors, wide open spaces, the thick brush, miles and miles between towns, and even our wetlands. Most people struggle to survive, but would not leave, you have to be a hardy sort to maintain here. Heywood describes his major and minor characters in these terms. He is right on the money writing about the law abiding citizens up here. We are a caring people. At the end of Running Dark Heywood has a heartfelt description and explanation of how and why he writes about his seemingly chosen second home. It has been a pleasure to read about his main character Grady Service who dedicated his heart mind and soul to his homeland and carries on his fathers tradition of being a Wood Cop. Heywood is probably writing some of himself into these characters, the good ones that is! I'll be waiting for Wood Cop #5

Read to win

A well done story with characters that feel real. The ending surprises in several ways that ring true. I'm looking for more by the author.

another great wood cop novel......

This is the fourth woods cop novel I have read and as usual, completely enjoyed it. If you enjoy the great outdoors or northern michigan, and then throw in a mystery with it,then this is the series for you.... I sure hope MR. Heywood continues a long and many volume involvement in this series.....

Tautly written and plotted

This fourth book in the Woods Cops series is an enjoyable read. Heywood is back on top of his game here (by contrast to his third book). The plot elements all belong to and contribute to the story; we don't see diverting digressions from the story. Heywood has a gift for descriptive writing: his evocations of the outdoors settings are realistic and his account of Grady's dive into the lake waters is indeed chilling. Nice touch bringing in scenes from the present to offset the story which was set 30 years ago. I did choke on one page where Grady's ability to maintain a pace through the woods was described as "ten minute miles almost indefinitely"?? And "because of 15 inches of snow and higher drifts, unfamiliar and rolling terrain," he decides to allow 30 minutes per mile? The man's a regular beast! It was a particularly nice touch to bring in the point that the Conservation Officers were working to carry out a state policy which really didn't make much sense other than to favor certain economic interests over older, declining interests. It really was not about maintaining fish populations or justice or fairness. Simply the politics of vested interests; the wardens were simply to carry out the policies without asking why. As usual, Joe brought in the unique Yooper culture and language, which I was have always enjoyed in his books. His characters are believable and have feet of clay, even Grady Service. A really enjoyable story. I pull out all the Woods Cops stories once a year and read the whole series through, and enjoy them fully with each reading.