I sometimes wonder how on earth Sheriff Heidi Kick can manage to stagger from one disaster to another as fraught as her personal life is. I sometimes wonder how she can think Bad Axe County is such a great place to live with all the sordid crimes that take place and all the out-and-out slimy, unhinged people who live there. I sometimes wonder why I like this series so much when those sordid crimes and unhinged people make me want to jump in a hot shower, stick my fingers in my ears, and singsong LA LA LA LA at the top of my voice. But you see, author John Galligan makes it all work, and I enjoyed Bad Moon Rising every bit as much as I did the first two books in the series.

I think my liking for this series has everything to do with its main character, Sheriff Heidi Kick. She's got the smarts, the intuition, and the determination to get the job done each and every time, and that's saying a lot because of her family. At least in this third book, her husband Harley behaved himself. No, it was her wonderful mother-in-law trying to make her life as miserable as possible this time around, bless her. Believe me, this extra grief is not necessary because I think she's got some of the most contentious children in all of crime fiction. But not contentious in the "let me lock 'em in the basement and throw away the key" way. These poor kids have very real problems that the entire family must decipher and learn to deal with, and it just makes me want to hug them all and pitch in to help.

Galligan's stories are always fast-paced and addictive, and no matter how gross the bad guys are, there's something ultimately satisfying in watching them come to justice. Yep. Once justice is served, I want to send dear mother-in-law on an around-the-world cruise she can't refuse, send Heidi and Harley out for a perfect just-the-two-of-them weekend, and babysit their kids.

Now... when a reader gets that involved with the characters, it has a lot to say about a series, doesn't it? Bring on the fourth book!

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley) ( )

I loved the first two books in the Bad Axe County series, but this third entry didn't meet my high expectations. In the entire series, there has been this simmering sort of barely-restrained insanity in many of the characters, but in Bad Moon Rising, that element was more prominent, and it simply wasn't a very pleasant reading experience for me. Hoping for better in whatever is next in the series. ( )

Sheriff Heidi Kick returns in Bad Moon Rising, the third entry in John Galligan's Bad Axe County series.

I stumbled across the first book a couple of years back and was immediately hooked. Why? Well, the lead character has much to do with that. Sheriff Kick is a former Wisconsin Dairy Queen turned Sheriff. But don't let that fool you. Kick is seriously bad***. She doesn't back down from anyone or anything. She's had to fight the local council, the local thugs, the good ol' boy network and much more. She's also a mom with three kids and a husband - and a lot of folks think her personal life is fair game too.

She's up for re-election this year and the other guy running is playing down and dirty. Heidi will deal with that when she can, but there's other pressing matters first. Homeless men are going missing - and the last one found was buried alive. Veteran and ex newspaper editor Leroy Fanta has an idea of who might be the perp.

So, a great protagonist and an intriguing plot. Galligan has a scary mind - the who and the why behind the missing men is truly twisted. Although there are some truths behind the madness. And that crazy is stealing past the confines of the hollow to the light of day.

And last, but certainly not least is the setting. Bad Axe County. I doubt I would stop in Bad Axe County - it just says 'keep on driving' to me. In Bad Moon Rising, the county is in the midst of a heat wave with temperatures breaking 100 degrees F. The heat is relentless - almost enough to drive you mad.

There's lots of action in Galligan's books and I was engaged from first chapter to last. I'll be eagerly awaiting the fourth book and more of Sheriff Kick.

I chose to listen to Bad Moon Rising. I've listened to to the first two as well. I'm happy that Simon and Schuster has continued with the original reader - Samantha Desz. Her voice is perfect for this character and matches the mental image I've created for Heidi. Desz's voice has a nice gravelly tone, is easy to understand and easy on the ears. She rarely raises her voice which is absolutely right for this character. The calm way of speaking belies her determination. It's well paced, never rushing and perfectly modulated. The voices employed for other characters are really good as well.

(Gentle readers, this series is quite gritty and may not be the read/listen for you.) ( )

John Galligan kicks off his third Bad Axe County novel with mystery and intrigue that pulls you right into the story. Bad Moon Rising begins with a mentally disturbed drifter hopping off a train and landing in Wisconsin, where a mysterious benefactor is trying to help Sheriff Heidi Kick who is embroiled in a reelection race already turned dirty. Add in the dead body of a homeless man, some oppressive Wisconsin summer heat, a newspaper editor who may be both literally and figuratively dying and you’ve got yourself the makings of a fun thriller.

Sheriff Heidi Kick, aka the Dairy Queen, finds the dead body of a homeless man in a ditch, missing a shoe and the foot that goes in it. This is just what she needs as her reelection campaign is already turning nasty and she has trouble at home that includes a sulky preteen and a mother-in-law always eager to believe the worst about her.

Newspaper and Vietnam veteran Leroy Fanta is trying to stave off the closing of his newspaper. He has a hunch that the sheriff’s case might be tied to a long-time letter to the editor writer. As it looks like a serial killer may be at work, both Kick and Fanta’s instincts and efforts jump into overdrive.

Galligan does a good job of working relevant topics into the fabric of a thriller. His characters are complex and juggling a lot of balls at the same time. He works in red herrings and intrigue, and a touch of the macabre to keep things moving at a good clip. The landscape unique to western Wisconsin almost becomes a character itself. Filled with coulees, creeks, cliffs and dense vegetation, almost as if you are entering a lost world.

Bad Moon Rising is another solid entry in this unique series that will entertain mystery and thriller buffs.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. ( )