Part of Series
"You'd have to be Flat Crazy to miss a Ben Rehder book. This guy is the funniest, freshest voice in Texas mystery writing today." —Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Thief Flat Crazy: An unidentified wild creature is on the loose in Blanco County, and, over the protests of game warden John Marlin, the locals have convinced themselves they're dealing with a mythical vampirish beast called a chupacabra. It doesn't help Marlin's cause when a dead body turns up with a fang-like wound in its neck. Then things really get out of hand: tabloid news programs invade Blanco, good old boys Red O'Brien and Billy Don Craddock develop a cockamamie get-rich-quick scheme involving the animal, and everyone is a little surprised at the booming population of voluptuous Chinese dwarves who've turned up in town. If anyone can make sense of the strange events, it's John Marlin, who's well-versed in the intricacies of small-town life, Texas style. But can he do it before another body turns up? REVIEWS FOR FLAT CRAZY: “Murderously funny…[Game Warden] Marlin’s job, as usual, is to keep a cool hand on a dangerously fraught situation. Rehder’s job, performed with similar skill, is to stand back and let it all work itself out.” —Chicago Tribune “Another of Rehder’s relentlessly twisted tales. Outrageous fun.” —Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) “Down-home humor that is both intriguing and entertaining.” —Dallas Morning News “The odd cast of characters and bizarre plots and subplots make for a rollicking good read.” —Houston Chronicle “The third and cleverest installment of Austinite Ben Rehder’s Blanco County Mystery series. Flat Crazy is pure, guilt-free pleasure for those who like their mysteries with a side order of weird.” —Texas Monthly “Rehder has a stable of characters and critters guaranteed to create havoc. Marlin’s quiet competency adds to the enjoyment, as he puzzles out this confounding mystery.” —Publishers Weekly “Rollicking good fun.” —San Antonio Express-News “Rehder’s clever storytelling skills, his expert comic timing and flair for characters have made this series shine. Rehder’s series works for both those readers who despise hunting as well as those who indulge in the sport. Rehder’s dark sense of humor serves him well as Flat Crazy has many laugh-out loud moments, punctuated by sharp dialogue and odd but believable characters. Flat Crazy‘s ending is the perfect mix of absurd humor and suspenseful action. Rehder doesn’t just write niche mysteries, he’s proving to be one of the genre’s rising talents with his twisted tales.” —South Florida Sun-Sentinel “Ben Rehder is back with the third installment of his Blanco County mystery series, and, once again, he’s brought the funny…well-drawn characters, genuine plot surprises, and ironic social commentary lift the series well above the connect-the-dots level. Flat Crazy is flat-out funny, and I can’t wait to see what [Game Warden] John Marlin gets into next.” —Austin Chronicle
Author
Ben Rehder wanted to become a writer ever since he was dropped on his head as a toddler. As he grew into a young adult and the vertigo gradually dissipated, his passion for literature grew. Ben longed to craft the type of soul-stirring prose that would touch people’s lives and help them explore new emotional horizons. But he went to work at an ad agency instead. Throughout his rewarding and fruitful career in the ad business, Ben has been known to write such imaginative and compelling phrases as “Act now!,” “Limited-time offer,” and “Compatible with today’s rapidly changing network environment.” However, there eventually came a time when, as unbelievable as it sounds, writing brochures and spec sheets simply wasn’t enough to satisfy Ben’s creative urges. Ben knew: It was time to write a novel. “But what kind of novel?” Ben asked himself, drawing stares from passersby. A mystery? A thriller? A work of suspense? Ben had read hundreds of books in these genres and loved them all. But nothing had sparked his creative juices enough to try it himself. Fate played a hand one day when Ben’s father-in-law tossed him a copy of a Carl Hiaasen novel. And then it hit him. It literally hit him, right in the forehead. When the swelling went down and Ben had a chance to read the book, he discovered a type of fiction he had never experienced before—the comic crime novel! He loved the wacky characters, the zany plots, the interesting writing that threw a good deal of humor into the mix. So Ben set out to write his own novel. After many grueling minutes in front of a computer, Ben was proud to present Buck Fever. Like many best-selling classics, Buck Fever has lots and lots of verbs, prepositions, adjectives, and the occasional gerund. It was even nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel! Next came Bone Dry, Flat Crazy, Guilt Trip, Gun Shy, and Holy Moly. Best of all, Ben is now releasing the earlier novels in ebook format at the low low price of just $2.99. What a deal!
