The Pleasant Grove Murders

This is the second of Jack Vance's mysteries about Sheriff Joe Bain cases in rural California south of San Fancisco. The previous book, [b:The Fox Valley Murders 17566365 The Fox Valley Murders (Joe Bain, #1) Jack Vance https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362826948s/17566365.jpg 456360], was technically interesting and well written, but not outstanding. Vance plotted and outlined a third book, but never wrote it.This book differs from Fox Valley in that the mystery itself is less complex, but the characters are more interesting. Overall, they are more fully fleshed out than in the first book. But we also see the emergence of some typical Vance types - a girl (they're almost always girls and not women) who is cool and distant and beautiful; a young man who is pompous and self-centered. Overall, I'd say this is the better book. The characters are more human and engaging, and if the actual mystery is thinner, that's okay. Both Joe Bain books are better than Vance's more intriguing but less fully realized [b:The House on Lily Street 17412168 The House on Lily Street Jack Vance https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361726702s/17412168.jpg 24257042]. Other books that at least vaguely qualify as real world mysteries (and are well worth reading): [b:The View from Chickweed's Window 17566565 The View from Chickweed's Window Jack Vance https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362833036s/17566565.jpg 24502215], [b:Bad Ronald 17566573 Bad Ronald Jack Vance https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362833219s/17566573.jpg 40503], [b:The Dark Ocean 13630030 The Dark Ocean Jack Vance https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1352061733s/13630030.jpg 19237533], [b:Bird Isle 468161 Bird Isle Jack Vance https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1352061521s/468161.jpg 456505], [b:Take My Face 468005 Take My Face Jack Vance https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351805092s/468005.jpg 456349].CVIE V