Best-Selling Author Archer Mayor Publishes 28th Book in Joe Gunther Series

NEWFANE, Vt., Sept. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- From his bucolic home near Brattleboro, Vermont, author Archer Mayor continues to create one best-selling Joe Gunther novel after another - one per year, like clockwork. His precision and dedication are reflected in his intelligent, nuanced, methodical characters and in his matter-of-fact, New England prose.

Of the series, The Chicago Tribune says: "Archer Mayor is producing what is consistently the best police-procedural series being written in America." Associated Press remarks: "Mayor writes an intelligent mystery. His characters are real, the things that happen to them are logical, and the plot is believable. It's a pleasure to find a story that captures readers' attention, makes them care about the characters ? and offers such dark chills." Booklist states: "One of the finest series in crime fiction." The New York Times adds: "Mayor's Vermont police procedurals are the best thing going...," and describes the author as "one of the most sophisticated stylists in the genre."

His 28th book in the intense series - Trace - was published on September 26, 2017, by St Martin's Press. In it, Mayor brings into play with new force and imagination his years of experience as a death investigator for the state medical examiner, a police officer, and a firefighter/EMT. He also does something few crime series writers would have the nerve to do - he has his hero, Joe Gunther, step back from the action for much of the novel, assigning three complex, tension-filled cases to his three most seasoned investigators at the Vermont Bureau of Investigation.

"In Trace, I'm delighted to depart from general convention to pay homage to my own law enforcement background," says Mayor. "Traditionally, fictional cops pursue a single crime, challenged by unlikely red herrings and rewarded by a surprise ending. In fact, real investigators have multiple cases they must handle simultaneously. Stress, frustration, and lack of results abound. Trace tells of three separate, unconnected investigations, displaying how the best cops cooperate and brainstorm in real life, often bringing the resulting tensions into their personal lives. Trace reflects the kinds of officers I knew and admired, and did my best to emulate when I was on the job."

In early reviews, Trace is living up to its pedigree:

• "Outstanding . . . Mayor keeps the suspense high as he showcases each of his detectives' special talents . . . in this welcome addition to the long-running series." - Publishers Weekly
• "Trace is one of the best of a very fine series." - Booklist
• "The latest installment in the adventures of Joe Gunther's unit in the Vermont Bureau of Investigation offers the most intricate pieces of crime-solving in the entire ? and entirely engaging ? series. [The three] cases offer vastly different crimes and different approaches to sleuthing. In Trace, Archer Mayor, a writer with an easygoing style and a nice touch with Vermont's geography and lifestyle, shows how smart and nimble he is in portraying savvy detectives at work."     - Toronto Star

? "Solid . . . work from all hands, including Mayor, who as usual forgoes high- concept mystery for the slow-burning pleasures of the multitrack regional procedural." - Kirkus Reviews

? "Excellent."- Library Review

Mayor shares his rural lifestyle with his wife/business manager/ editor/marketing guru Margot Zalkind, a dog named Grace and a cat named Gilbert (just like Joe Gunther's cat). In addition to writing, he is passionate about his motorcycle, photography and a well-equipped woodworking shop, where he goes to "process his plots."

For more information about Archer Mayor and his award-winning Joe Gunther series, please visit his website.

For media inquires or to arrange an interview with Archer Mayor, please contact Scott Busby at The Busby Group - [email protected] or 310.475.2914. 

Media Contact: Scott Busby, The Busby Group, 310.475.2914, [email protected]

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SOURCE Archer Mayor