Fear the Reaper

By: David Housewright

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book!

Rushmore McKenzie is a retired police officer, retiring after coming into a ton of money. He’s away on a trip in Wisconsin with friend when they stop at a winery. A man opens the door to the winery, puts an AR-15 on his shoulder while looking down the barrel. Before he can do anything, McKenzie and a friend, a police detective, tackles the guy. What ensues then is an investigation into what this guy was doing there, who his target was. The guy is arrested, but since Wisconsin is an open carry state, he’s released. So who was his target, and will they figure it out before that person loses their life?

When I see the title Fear the Reaper, I’m expecting a ton of suspense, a thriller ride. But it was none of that. In fact, it was rather boring at times. The investigation that ensued after the initial incident takes FOREVER and the book is only 302 pages.

I haven’t read the other books in this series but I didn’t really feel like I was missing anything, so I did appreciate that. I also did like the bit of action that was written at the end. I just needed more in the middle. It’s a classic investigation book, but the execution for my tastes, just didn’t work for me.

If you like straightforward police procedurals, this is the book for you!

Publish Date: June 23, 2026
Find the book here.
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