Gun Shy
Ben Rehder

Reviewed by Sarra Borne

“Ben Rehder is a straight shooter and an equal opportunity offender” – Kinky Friedman  

Rehder’s fifth comic mystery featuring game warden John Martin in Blanco County, Texas.   In this offering, Rehder remains neutral while poking fun at both sides of America’s gun culture.    

The National Weapons Alliance is planning a big rally to support the God-given right of every American to carry a concealed automatic weapon.  The rally is all set to be held on the back forty belonging to their newest spokesman, country music superstar  

Unfortunately for the NWA, they don’t know a few things, first that Mitch Campbell is really Norman Klienschmidt from Vermont.  Mitch is only faking being a cowboy because his agent thinks it will sell more records.  Second, that the pressure of the deception and the superstardom has turned Mitch to drugs.

When a bad trip makes Mitch believe his life is in danger he grabs the gift given to him by the NWA and shoots his Mexican gardener.  In a panic, Mitch calls the president of the Texas chapter of the NWA, a cover-up ensues and John Martin and other members of Blanco County law enforcement end up on the case. 

Added to the mix is John Martin’s conviction that guns aren’t to blame for crime, it’s all the criminals fault.  Testing those views is a very personal situation with his girlfriend, who has had some events in her life that cause her to take the opposite view.  Additional subplots include two good old boys and their wacky schemes to meet Mitch so they can sell him on their song, and a woman who will do almost anything to keep the man who killed her son in jail where he belongs.   Readers familiar with the series will recognize Rehder’s trademark off-beat characters who keep the story fresh and interesting as you never know what might happen next.   

Rehder’s previous books in the Blanco County series have been nominated for Edgar, Lefty and Barry Awards.  It won’t be surprising if Gun Shy is nominated as well, as it is a bold piece of satirical writing on a par with Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey.