HomeCrime FictionThe dark root

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Crime Fiction · 1995 · R

The dark root

by Archer Mayor

New York gang activity is reaching Vermont. Gunther is used to smaller crimes than this.

For17+GenreCrime FictionLength286 pagesRead time~7.5 hours

This analysis was generated by AI from publicly available reader reviews, literary criticism, and book discussions. It has not been verified by a BookLens community reviewer and may contain errors. Be the first to verify →

Content snapshot

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

A lot

Gang violence; drug trafficking; Gunther facing threats from a larger criminal organization

Language

Some

Some strong language

Sexual Content

Barely any

Mild content

Substance Use

A lot

Drug trafficking is the central crime; significant substance presence

Emotional Intensity

Some

The specific vulnerability of a small-town investigator encountering organized crime that has resources and reach he doesn't

What this book is about

Gang activity from New York City is spreading into Vermont — drug distribution routes, violence, and a criminal infrastructure that operates on a scale Brattleboro's police are not equipped for. Joe Gunther investigates the connection between a local crime and the larger organization behind it. Archer Mayor's fifth Gunther novel is the series' most expansive in geography, following the drug trade from rural Vermont back to its New York origins, and Gunther's discomfort with the scale of what he's facing is rendered honestly.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

fifth Joe Gunther novel by Archer Mayor

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