"Snake Jones is back. Following her excellent debut in Victor and Mallory’s Death Roll, Snake finds herself embroiled in a dispute between northern "Killer Instinct opens with an old, crusty local yelling across the Last Chance Outfitters store at Snake: “... Shoot ‘em all, every last one of ‘em. Nothin but varmints… worthless murdering scavengers!” Snake is in the small town of Wolf Lake, Minnesota, gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, with her film crew to shoot a segment of Zoofari for the Minnesota Valley Zoo. There’s some buzz that Animal Planet may pick it up for syndication. When she and her old college friend Gina Brown later discover four wolf carcasses, shot and hidden in the woods near Wolf Lake, the old loudmouth from the diner becomes Snake’s first suspect. But the old coot is soon eliminated – quite literally – as a suspect, shot by the same rifle that killed the wolves. "More murders and peculiarities ensue, and Snake, even though she can’t afford to be distracted from this important film project, can’t rest until she gets to the bottom of these mysteries. Ultimately, Snake and her Aussie husband Jeff will need to rely on all the survival instincts and training they have when, deep in the dark interior of "Some of my favorite books, and a major reason I enjoy reading, teach me something while I’m being entertained. This book contains a wealth of material on animal behavior. I never knew, for example, that ravens are the only bird that will fly towards a gun shot. They have learned that that’s quite possibly where their next meal will be found, thus overcoming what would seem to be a natural instinct to fly away. "In one of those coincidences that happen now and then, the day after I finished reading Killer Instinct, this headline appeared from the Associated Press: “Feds Want Wolf Off Endangered List” (September 14, 2010). We might have had to wait a few years for this new Snake Jones adventure, but you have to admit, it’s about as timely as you can get. Killer Instinct is both a great entertainment and a compelling mystery, with a strong sense of place (fans of Kent Krueger take note) and really cool, interesting characters. Marilyn Victor and Michael Allan Mallory have seamlessly combined their voices into a well-tuned and expressive unison." --Crimespree Magazine "This suspenseful nail-biter teaches us that wolves’ fearsome reputation is largely undeserved, and why their presence actually encourages a balanced eco-system. Educational and thrilling in turns, Killer Instinct is a must-read for dedicated mystery fans."
"...among the dark forests of northern Minnesota and the dangerous wildlife living there—some human, I held on tight, fully engrossed in this twisting tale of the investigation of a wild wolf slaughter that escalates to human murder." “…For anyone who enjoys a strong suspense puzzle along with interesting side stories, here are "real" humans with tangled lives, including Lavender "Snake" Jones herself. Among the characters there are murder suspects a-plenty that have Snake switching from one suspect to another until the story's final pages.
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"'Snake' Jones gets herself into yet another wildlife jam as she and her TV crew scout out locations and try filming material for a show on wolves. Readers will find themselves immersed in the wilderness of Superior National Forest in Minnesota. Seamlessly weaving in material on wolves and their behavior, Victor and Mallory produced a tale that will enchant you and even keep you guessing as to who did it. With tempers flaring all around and with suspects crawling out from under every rock in the forest, readers will find themselves reading until they finish this mystery. Then they’ll go hunting for the first book in the series."
--Mysterical-E Summer 2011 Issue
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- Betty Webb, author of The Koala of Death and Desert Lost
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- Beth Groundwater, author of Deadly Currents, the first in the RM Outdoor Adventure mystery series.
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“As icing on the cake, I learned many fascinating facts about wolf habits and motivation, and you will, too.
“The setting for the story took me back to my own wonderful outdoor experiences in the same area of Minnesota years ago, but those of you unfamiliar with it won't be handicapped. The sense of place shared by the authors draws you in and wraps itself around you as you go with Snake and others into investigation mode, seeking to learn who killed the wolves and, eventually, more than one human.
“Suspense and fascination plus a truly different type of story are guaranteed as a second murder is discovered, and Snake and Jeff almost join the pile of bodies…”
--Radine Trees Nehring, author of the "To Die For" series for DorothyL.
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Reviews of DEATH ROLL, featuring mystery's first zoologist sleuth.
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"When JR finally surfaces he is immediately arrested However, an attack on Snake seems to prove to her and Jeff that JR is innocent. As they investigate further, things become complicated, and nothing appears to be clear-cut. Finally, the pieces begin to fit together and the stunning truth is revealed that solves not one, but two murders, one buried in the past. "This is a first book by the authors, both of whom are involved in the background that adds so much to the story. I have never read another story set behind the scenes in a zoo, and that alone made it fascinating and intriguing. But the plotting and writing were also both first rate, and extremely sophisticated. It was a book I did not want to put down, and just kept reading till I reached the end. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED." ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Death Roll...introduces an original protagonist in zookeeper Snake Jones, a determined woman who prefers khaki over pastels and hiking boots over heels. Snake is a breath of fresh air to the mystery genre, even if that air is tainted with the pungent odor of animal droppings. Death Roll is a fun read and well plotted mystery, appropriate for most ages, with a unique settings, and colorful characters of both the two-and-four-footed variety." --Sue Ann Jaffarian, author of the Odelia Grey mysteries. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "If you enjoy Animal Planet and like mysteries then you'll certainly fall for Snake and Jeff Jones. They're a modern day Nick and Nora Charles for the zoology set. Kudos to the authors for imparting their knowledge of wildlife in an entertaining mystery with more twists and turns than a snake." --Jessica Speart, author of Unsafe Harbor ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "A female zoologist named Snake, a hungry crocodile named Sebastian, a feisty kangaroo named Boomer, and lots of other wildly interesting characters populate this debut mystery...Add a foxy plot, plenty of creepy-crawly action, a shrewd conclusion and what have you got? A beastly good book!" --Amanda Matetsky, author of Murder on a Hot Tin Roof ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "This mystery has teeth! It grabbed me from the start and wouldn't let go." --Susan Sizemore, author of Primal Heat ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Death Roll is not only smart and intriguing, it's a roaring good time. Victor and Mallory have created a winner. Full of action and empathy, it will keep you turning pages well into the night." --Lois Greiman, author of Unscrewed ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "...this is a fine amateur sleuth tale in which Snake's investigation enables the audience to see what goes on behind the exhibits of a zoo. The deep look at a zoo is cleverly interwoven into the whodunit, but is so well done, the Minnesota Valley Zoo feels like a key character. Fans will enjoy this fine murder mystery in which every clue points toward JR being a killer hiding his illegal peddling of wild animals with only Snake and Jeff having doubts that are slowly vanishing with one clue after another." --Harriet Klausner, BookReview.com “Great mystery, great book!” “...You will learn things about animals that you never knew, and what goes on behind the scenes, and the camaraderie between people who make things happen at the zoo." "It's hard to believe this is their first book." --Janet Rosenthal and Marion Stein, Docents _________________________________________________________________________________________________ "...an engaging romp..." "...Despite the fact that this is a novel, its conservation-themed undertones may well provide subliminal education to those who read it." "As the busy summer zoo season winds down, you might want to put this title on your winter reading list...It's a great escape into a murder mystery within the zoo world." --Animal Keepers' Forum, September 2007, the official monthly publication of AAZK, the American Association of Zoo Keepers ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "...Boy, did I learn a lot about zoos, and boy, was I impressed. I wanted to rush out and visit a zoo (almost any well-run zoo) while I was reading this novel, but all my "for me" time was spent reading the book. The story, featuring zookeeper Snake Jones and her husband Jeff, an import from Australia who's "into crocodiles" fascinated me. There was new and exciting information on every page, and the mystery (who killed the zoo director, and why?, plus much more bad stuff and close calls) kept me guessing. There were enough hints to point to the true killer, and I had suspicions, but didn't really get it until the tell-all ending. The plot is terrific and exciting. All the characters are real, with involved human emotions and motivations. And the zoo setting? Well, you can almost smell the "Zoo-Doo," if you know what I mean... "I've never had such a good time with a book. Treat yourself, and no matter what type mystery you think you like best, buy this book and join the DEATH ROLL." --Radine Trees Nehring, author of the "To Die For" series. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "I loved the zoo setting for this mystery. Snake and Jeff are fabulous characters. The zoo really lent itself to the cozy genre with the 'small town' feel of the employees and supporters. There were plenty of secrets and corruption to keep me guessing at the killer's identity. And there were plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep me reading. I --Dawn Dowdle, Mystery Lovers Corner www.mysteryloverscorner.com ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ -- Connie Fletcher, author of Crime Scene: Inside the World of the Real CSIs ________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Death Roll is a fun read. The action is well paced and the plot does not sag. Most of the characters have depth, so readers feel like they are getting to know new neighbors. What makes this book come alive is that --Mary Schoen, Twin Cities Daily Planet _________________________________________________________________________________________________ "What a fun, fun book!...I can't wait to read the next in the series. Clever and very engaging." --Theresa Barnaby, Ms. Tree's Mystery Reviews, Richlund Public Library, Richlund, Washington _________________________________________________________________________________________________ “The unique setting, fun characters and great story kept me glued to this mystery novel. The colorful descriptions of zoo life made me feel I was right there with Jeff and Snake Jones. Some parts of the story made me laugh out loud; they were hilarious. I can’t wait for the next Snake Jones mystery. I loved Death Roll!” _________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Marilyn Victor and Michael Allan Mallory have given mystery readers a treat...[Death Roll] is fast-paced, exciting and often amusing." --Doris Ann Norris, "The 2000 year old librarian" and famous reader.
"The most fun I've had reading a mystery in a long time! It's a mystery why no other author has given readers a zoo setting before -- lots of behind-the-scenes animal fascination and human intrigue here. A wow of a book!"
the scene of the crime is our very own Minnesota zoo."
--Marcia Cummings, Forensic Artist, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
