Review: The Company She Kept by Archer Mayor

A Mysterious Review of The Company She Kept by Archer Mayor. A Joe Gunther Mystery.

Review summary: The series lead is an engaging character, well-defined and approachable to new readers and comfortably familiar to fans of the series, which seems to improve with every outing. With a strongly developed and compelling storyline, this very intriguing mystery is highly recommended. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

The Company She Kept
Archer Mayor
A Joe Gunther Mystery
Minotaur Books (September 2015)

Publisher synopsis: During the height of a harsh Vermont winter, the body of a woman is found hanging from the steel-mesh retaining net lining the cliffs along the interstate. She was brutally murdered, with the word "dyke" carved into her chest. She was also a state senator and best friend and ally of the current governor, Gail Zigman. At Zigman's personal request, Joe Gunther and his Vermont Bureau of Investigation team agree to help the Vermont State Police in their investigation before the victim's high profile and powerful friends create the inevitable publicity maelstrom.

Raffner was indeed a lesbian, and the word carved into her chest might be evidence of a hate crime, or it might be a feint designed to confuse and mislead investigators. But the question remains-what was she involved with, who wanted her dead, and what company was she keeping? What Gunther and his team discover during their initial investigation isn't the stuff of a simple murder. Someone killed a prominent figure and fabricated an elaborate scene for a purpose.

And this might only be the beginning...