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Shock Wave (A Virgil Flowers Novel) Hardcover – October 4, 2011

by John Sandford (Author)

4.5 7,484 ratings

Book 5 of 12: Virgil Flowers

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The thrilling new Virgil Flowers novel from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author.

The superstore chain PyeMart has its sights set on a Minnesota river town, but two very angry groups want to stop it: local merchants, fearing for their businesses, and environmentalists, predicting ecological disaster. The protests don't seem to be slowing the project, though, until someone decides to take matters into his own hands.

The first bomb goes off on the top floor of PyeMart's headquarters. The second one explodes at the construction site itself. The blasts are meant to inflict maximum damage-and they do. Who's behind the bombs, and how far will they go? It's Virgil Flowers's job to find out . . . before more people get killed.

Book 5 of 12

Virgil Flowers
Print length

400 pages
Language

English
Publisher

G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date

October 4, 2011
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

0399157697
ISBN-13

978-0399157691
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Popular Highlights in this book

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He sighed, and stood up, headed for the bathroom. The fact was, Davenport had called just as he was adjusting the temperature control. There was nobody else in the shower. Nobody but Virgil, a little drunk, looking up at a showerhead at the Holiday Inn, on a starry night in beautiful downtown Butternut Falls, Minnesota.
Highlighted by 206 Kindle readers
“Ever notice how dumb luck seems to follow smart people around?” Retrief asked.
Highlighted by 159 Kindle readers
Larry Butz. He’s one of the trout guys. He said publicly that we had to stop the PyeMart any way we could.
Highlighted by 129 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Sandford is the author of twenty-one Prey novels, most recently Buried Prey; the Virgil Flowers novels, most recently Bad Blood; and six other books. He lives in Minnesota.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons; Book Club Edition (October 4, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399157697
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399157691
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.32 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #708,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #32,321 in Crime Thrillers (Books)
- #35,349 in Suspense Thrillers
- #39,441 in American Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 7,484 ratings

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John Sandford

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John Sandford is the pseudonym for the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Camp. He is the author of the Prey novels, the Kidd novels, the Virgil Flowers novels, and six other books, including three YA novels co-authored with his wife Michele Cook.

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4.5 out of 5

7,484 global ratings

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avidreader

More Virgil, please!

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2015

Verified Purchase

I am an ardent John Sandford fan. I recently purchased and read the complete Prey series and then the complete Flowers series in order, and I'm only sorry I'll have to wait for the next book in both series. Sandford is a novelist with the rare ability to carry over characters and plot elements with complete believabiity while allowing both to develop in interesting, unexpected but natural ways - the only other "serial" novelist who does this nearly as well is Anthony Trollope, and he avoids murders. I re-read these books with pleasure as great or greater than the first reading because the fast-paced narrative and unexpected plot developments pulls you to read fast the first time; the second or third you can pay attention to atmosphere (he's great on significant landscape detail), character growth, and situation development. Sandford writes like a real novelist, not like someone trying to impress academia with his literary exclusivity.I am an ardent John Sandford fan. I recently purchased and read the complete Prey series and then the complete Flowers series in order, and I'm only sorry I'll have to wait for the next book in both series. Sandford is a novelist with the rare ability to carry over characters and plot elements with complete believabiity while allowing both to develop in interesting, unexpected but natural ways - the only other "serial" novelist who does this nearly as well is Anthony Trollope, and he avoids murders. I re-read these books with pleasure as great or greater than the first reading because the fast-paced narrative and unexpected plot developments pulls you to read fast the first time; the second or third you can pay attention to atmosphere (he's great on significant landscape detail), character growth, and situation development. Sandford writes like a real novelist, not like someone trying to impress academia with his literary exclusivity.

3 people found this helpful

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Paper or Kindle

Bombs away!

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2011

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this entry into the Virgil Flowers series, partly because there was so little emphasis on the hero obtaining a girlfriend. Until now, each novel has provided a new love interest to add to Virgil's reputation as a ladies' man with three divorces under his belt. It was a really nice change of pace to see him focusing entirely on his case, with a few stray thoughts about a long-distance relationship that is coming to an end. As always, John Sandford's writing is crisp and clean, his plots well-thought-out, and plenty of red herrings, oddball characters and Minnesota scenery thrown into the mix. In fact, I thought his writing was better than his last two books - more careful, perhaps. The plot involves bombs, lots of them. PyeMart is about to open a new store in a small city that doesn't want it, and it looks as if one of the residents is trying to prevent it. The local retailers are likely to be put out of business, the local trout stream may be polluted, and between the fishermen and the store owners, there are plenty of suspects. Virgil Flowers tends to wander around, stirring up trouble, discussing private police matters in public and then waiting for the fall-out. This method has served him well in the past, but there's a new spin on it this time: market research, suggested by none other than one of his suspects. Anyone who doesn't take Virgil seriously, with his indie band tee shirts, fishing rod and overly long hair, eventually finds out that there's more to him than one might think. A neat locked-room mystery is a sub-plot that will keep you guessing, but Virgil figures it out - and it's not what you'd suspect. This is a very good read and a solid mystery. It's also a stand-alone, so don't feel obliged to read the earlier books in the series, though they're very good, too.

7 people found this helpful

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Fred Camfield

People vs. Big Box Stores

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2011

Verified Purchase

It's an old story of people contending with competition, and small merchants competing with big box stores, sometimes called the Walmartization of America. The problem dates back a long ways in time. A hundred years ago my grandfather had a small hardware store in a smaller prairie town. He found himself competing with Sears. The family did other things on the side, running the small post office, running the telephone exchange, and brewing beer in what would now be called a microbrewery. He may have sold farm machinery. He eventually sold out and moved and the town eventually faded away like many small towns on the prairie. Opposition to progress can sometimes turn violent as in the case of the Luddites. In the present novel, some residents oppose the entry of a big box store into Butternut, Minnesota, and someone has started setting off bombs.

Virgil Floweres is sent to the scene to investigate. There are more bombs, and people are being killed, but the bomber seems to miss his targets. Virgil finds that there are complications, as there are questions about how the company received zoning changes. The case becomes a hot political potato as events unravel.

This is a well written novel dealing with some contemporary problems. Investigators use up-to-date forensic skills. The bomber seems to be smart and Virgil starts to develop a profile. There is pressure to solve the case and events move forward rapidly.

The novel develops into a page turner, and the ending kept me up late. You should be advised that it contains coarse language, and comments about women that are not PC, but the dialog is realistic.

3 people found this helpful

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FJC2

great story with lots of twist

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2023

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed the book and the story was great. It was a mind twister, funny, sad and suspenseful. What I also enjoyed was that Virgil didn’t get laid. I’m not a prude, but I get tired of the details of Virgil’s sex exploits. I really recommend this book.

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2022

Verified Purchase

It was a good read. I enjoy John Sandford novels. Usually great twists . Pity Virgil didnt get laid. Would have been 5 star

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Top reviews from other countries

Uwe Meller

Perfect Virgil Flowers

Reviewed in Mexico on October 12, 2023

Verified Purchase

Keeps you guessing to the end. Virgil is at his most humorous belying his intelligence. He always gets his man at the end.

Peretti Aldo

Thriller

Reviewed in Italy on April 9, 2023

Verified Purchase

Riveting plot good book

DLEE

a fabulous read. Entertaing to the end.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2022

Verified Purchase

Like all John Sandford. fabulous and Virgil Flowers is a great character. Ii feel like he is part of my life and I miss him when he is not around. a great read. Recommended.

Marcie G.

Sandford never disappoints - ever.

Reviewed in Canada on December 20, 2016

Verified Purchase

I don't think Sandford could write a wrong word if his life depended on it. No matter which of his regular protagonists are on board in a story, you know you'll get a satisfyingly forget-sleep read. Sandford has a superbly accurate ear for dialogue and inserts humour in just the right spots. If I could buy stock in John Sandford, I would.