The Judas Judge

Kevin Kerney #5

by Michael McGarrity

This title has been removed from sale by Penguin Group, USA.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Westerns, Crime, Thriller

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

With the publication of Tularosa in 1996, Michael McGarrity turned to writing full time. Many of his novels have been national best sellers. He holds a BA with distinction in psychology and a master's degree in clinical social work. As an undergraduate, he held a Ford Foundation Scholarship at the University of New Mexico. Additionally, he is an honor graduate of the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy.

His career in criminal justice spanned over twenty-five years and included creating treatment programs for drug offenders, supervising outreach services for at-risk juveniles, and re-establishing mental health services for the Department of Corrections after the infamous 1980 riot at the New Mexico Penitentiary. As a Santa Fe County deputy sheriff, he worked as a patrol officer, training and planning supervisor, community relations officer, and was the lead investigator of the sex crimes unit, which he established. Additionally, he taught courses at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, served as a caseworker and investigator for the Public Defender's District Office, and conducted investigations for a state government agency. In 1980 he was named New Mexico Social Worker of the Year and in 1987 was recognized by the American Legion as Police Officer of the Year.

In 2004 he received the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts -- Literature. He is also the 2015 recipient of the Frank Waters Exemplary Literary Achievement Award and the 2015 Santa Fe Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts – Literature. He has been instrumental in establishing the Hillerman-McGarrity Creative Writing Scholarship at the University of New Mexico, the Richard Bradford Memorial Creative Writing Scholarship at the Santa Fe Community College, and the N. Scott Momaday Creative Writing Scholarship at the Institute of American Indian Arts.

He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife Emily Beth (Mimi).

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but comparing to others in the series I would put this in last place. Michael McGarrity wrote Kevin Kerney differently in this novel. Maybe he wanted to change the character a bit now that he is married and has all the things he was searching for in books 1-4? I don't know why, but Kerney is not as tough and manly as he has been in the other books and I hope he returns to the manly cowboy he was in the earlier ones. That isn't the only thing that is different though, can't quite put my finger on it but he is writing Kerney's thought's and speech differently in this one. Oh, well, on to book 6!

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded downward. This is definitely the one I have liked least in the series. Kevin is written differently in both mood and behaviors. Not st all the stalwart or solid nuance that doesn't have to advertise strength. And far more a moody bully and straight out rude instigator.

There is also some other snob and pretty much arrogant overlook expressed here too. More after I have considered it awhile and have a keyboard access. But I will be on to number 6 for sure. I truly wonder why he made Kerney think and rather act within such almost hypocritical dichotomy.

The case was absolutely the most depressing of the first 5 too. Believe it happens for sure. Do not believe that many people can keep secrets for 30 or 40 years when so many have been witness. New Mexico makes up for the various improbable plot fall ours.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite so far in this series. I don't know if it's the location, where I live, or if it's the pace of the narrative. Kerney is about set to realize something few people do-wealth and be set for life. However, his job is making him question his dreams and what he wants to do with himself. Leaving the state police to become a wealthy rancher is put on hold when what appears to be a serial killer leaves a trail of blood in the Tularosa Valley. Kerney is put in charge of the investigation and simultaneously confronts a situation that few officers encounter-using deadly force. His personal life is full of surprises in this episode as well. Surprises the reader would have never thought possible. He's got a lot on his plate between personal decisions and tracking down a sordid killer who is hiding in plain sight. Can't wait to see where Kerney is working in the next adventure.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I can find a book where the story is situated in the Southwest, particularly, New Mexico, I put it on my TBR list. A family member lived in Albuquerque for several years and we fell in love with the area. Love the people, the culture, the food and the landscapes. This novel describes the scenery of the area with such good detail that the reader can visualize where the action is taking place.

Kevin Kerney is an experienced detective who is looking forward to retirement when someone commits a series of murders in a short period. Kerney believes that the murder spree was meant to cover the death of one man, a judge who was shot twice with a gun with a silencer in the middle of a campground. The other murders were more remote and the killer used only one bullet per victim.

The case becomes more and more complex as information unfolds about the people involved. The focus appears to be on one family. Kerney realizes that two earlier deaths in the family may be related to the murder spree. As the investigation progresses it appears that a son with alcohol and drug problems may be the killer. However, Kerney is uncertain, particularly when the son commits suicide leaving a video recording of his death and proclaiming his innocence.

There are interesting personal sidelines, too. Kerney discovers he has a son and grandchildren. And, we meet his wife, who has a military career that she intends to continue after his retirement. All this adds up to a very good read. I need to find more novels by this author as I so like this character.

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character is Kevin Kerney who is a career police officer. He lives and works in New Mexico. I enjoy these books because Kevin is kind of outside the box as a police officer but he tracks down his bad guys threw a lot of hard work. Kevin was injured in a police shoot out and has a bad limp that acts up on him but he manages to overcome that problem.
He also just got married to Sara who is with the military so their life is just a bit complicated.
In this book Kevin gets involved in solving a murder spree in which 6 people are killed. Kevin decides that the killing of so many people was to cover up the real motive of killing one person.
There are a lot of trails for Kevin to follow as well as the other police officers working under him. I like Kevin because he leaves no stone unturned.
MM also spends time building a story around Kevin that makes him a very interesting character. A new wife, an old girlfriend, a grown son with children. A grown son that he never knew existed until now. A very wealthy elderly woman that was like family to Kevin who dies and leaves him with more money than he can count.
If you like old fashioned police detective stories I highly recommend this series. If you ever read any Tony Hillerman you might also like this book.

[Janet Hutchinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many characters left me a little confused at times and a need to flip back in the book to remember the relationship. I felt like Kearney was written a little more superficially than in the previous books, so as a result, was a little less interesting. Still, I’ll continue with the series.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was okay in the series continuation. Previous to this I read the Kearney Family Trilogy. I would have understood more characters that I met reading the first four books of Kevin Kearney. The author must have heard comments which resulted in the prequel Trilogy.

[Pamela Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this author and his insight into human behavior. However, do not read this book if you have issues with childhood molestation. I had no idea that this book was about that until about 2/3rds of the way through. Molestation leaves scars that never heal. Unfortunately, this story was about those scars and the actions resulting from them. This author’s job before taking up writing was working as an officer in SVU in New Mexico. He established the first Sex Crimes Unit in that area.

[Anne, Unfinished Woman · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

A truly depressing read, though I love these characters and look forward to each story and visiting the beautifully laid out New Mexico landscape. Kevin Kerney, Chief Deputy for the State police will be pushed to the extremes on this one. He has an apparent spree killing on his hands, though the final death of former judge Vernon Langsford doesn't fit the pattern of the others. At the same time the police are looking at the activities of a fellow officer who is believed to be stealing evidence and selling it. When Kevin agrees to bring him in, Sgt Randy Stockley refuses and pulls his weapon, whereupon Kevin shoots him. He steps out of that investigation, feeling the weight of killing a fellow cop, though the man as the investigation progresses was also forcing women to have sex with him to avoid arrest. He was also involved in stolen cars. But other members of the force are not accepting of the result. And his care is not being vandalized regularly.

As he looks in to the death of Vernon Langsford he realizes that there are many suspicious individuals who could have killed him, but no one is willing to say much negative about him. His son Arthur had been killed by a hit-and-run some years earlier. His wife Marsha went to pieces after that and then was killed by a letter bomb that was assumed to be meant for him. Now Vernon.
His son Eric is flake, who is constantly either drunk or high or both. His travelling around could have put him close enough to commit the killings, but Kevin doesn't see him having the balls to do it. Vernon was the last of the five murdered and was shot twice instead of just once. Something is clearly hinky and in the end he is revealed a depraved and nasty piece of work. He played with his daughter, and passed her to his son Arthur. He was a pedophile who assaulted multiple victims, one of whom, Margie Hobeck, finally confesses that he and Arthur had molested her over and over. Vernon had been paying her brother Danny Hobeck for years, disguised as an employee of Ranchers Exploration and Development. It appears that his "assistant" Kay Murray and a former lover, Penelope Gibben, had been complicit in hiding his activities and maybe procuring girls for them. They tell him that Vernon had molested his own daughter, and that poses new insights into the possible killer. When he questions Eric, her brother, he evades the issue. However, he commits suicide and leaves a video saying he did not kill any of them, and then filming his suicide. +He interviews her ex husband, Bill Kendell, and her partner Drew Randolph, to discover that her alibi does not hold up. Though there is no concrete evidence against her, the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. As he confronts her he records the conversation in which she confesses, though it cannot be used. She had killed them all based on their treatment of her and their covering it up. She had no remorse for the four innocents she killed as a means of distracting the police from her. Her mother had known about the abuse. And both Kay and Penelope would probably have been next if they had not apprehended Linda.

The ugliness of these cases nearly brings Kevin to his knees. At the same time he is still looking at ranch property, but struggles with the idea he may not be up to modern ranching and its difficulties. While out on a ranch with Dale Jennings one day, they are confronted by Officer Clayton Istee, who gives them tickets for trespassing on the Mescalero Indian Reservation. Dale comments on how much the officer resembles Kevin. Kevin remembers his college girlfriend Isabel Istee, who never returned his mail after they parted. He goes to the Reservation to find her and she reveals that Clayton is his son. She had gone to college to obtain a nursing degree and a child. She got what she wanted, she coldly tells Kevin. She believes that Clayton is Apache and will one day be a tribal leader; she does not him bothered by an outside relationship. Clayton is also married with two children. Kevin is a grandfather. Later Clayton comes to see him and indicates that his mother's views are not necessarily his. Kevin reveals that he did try to contact Isabel after they parted and did not get a reply. He was unaware that Isabel was pregnant. He is sad that he missed the childhood of his son, and probably would have pursued a custodial position had he known. Clayton leaves the window open for expanding his relationship with Kevin and also introducing him to his family. Kevin continues to struggle with this startling news and how he feels about it, and shares the information with his wife Sara, whom he misses. Sara is comfortable with his new family and teases him about being a grandpa. He resigns from the State police. The two of them discuss options to having more time together, while agreeing that Kevin is not a person to follow her around from post to post. At the end it is revealed that Sara is pregnant. Kevin has modified his ideas for what he wants in property to a more manageable size. The sale of his inheritance to the Nature Conservancy is complete and he is now a multimillionaire. He arranges for education funds for Claytons kids, leaving Clayton astounded. Kevin also has accepted the position of Santa Fe Police Chief, which is what he has always wanted.

This author continues to write compelling and interesting stories that push me to the next one.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this rather early edition of the Kevin Kearney series. Lots of good police procedural work and good intertwining of Kearney's personal life. All in all, a very enjoyable story, despite the depravity it ultimately revealed.

[Tammy Flanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Wished my rating could have been higher. I liked the book but found I didn’t feel as connected to character in this one compare to the others in the series. Somehow the investigation felt clinical and Kearny was just a bit too much of a bully for my liking. On to the next one, however.

[Viva · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retired judge who is working as a volunteer park guide is shot and killed in his RV at the park. Because of the judge's record and prominence, Kearney is asked by his friend Andy Baca of the New Mexico State Police to investigate.

Edit: Ha-ha, some of this is wrong. I read this book and #4 on a vacation and I can no longer remember which part belongs to which book. This is because the whole series is basically one long book and I'm binge reading it like I'm binge watching a drama series where after a while you can't remember which events happen on which particular episode.

Kearney is further vested as the Assistant Chief of Police over the heads of many assistants for the job. This serves as the back story. This is only a minor backstory as Kearney decides to leave the job once the investigation is over. The other backstories are Kearney's relationship with his newly discovered son, his inheritance from Emma Henderson and love life with Sara. You don't really need to read the previous 4 books to get these backstories but it's highly recommended that you start from book 1.

Spoilers below.

The actual plot begins with the investigation of the judge's family. I'm not satisfied with what is basically the only direction of this investigation (like a 90/10 effort into family vs. other possibilities). It seems a bit far fetched and I thought a normal investigation would start by looking at randos. Still the book is a fairly good book because it stays with the strengths of McGarrity's writing: the police procedural and the development of the characters in the series but I never really bought into the storyline - I thought at some point one of the other detectives would come up with something but the story stayed with the family pretty much all the way.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Fifth book in the Kevin Kerney series. This is the last book in the series that I had on my shelves so if I decide to continue with these, I'll have to get them from the library or elsewhere. Anyway, this was another good one, somewhat more of a police procedural than the previous novels in the series. Kevin Kerney, who is a Deputy State Police Chief, is called in to investigate the killing spree of six people in campgrounds along a New Mexico highway. But Kerney can see that the spree may have been a way to coverup the murder of a judge named Vernon Langsford who was the last killed and under different circumstances than the others. As Kerney looks into this, he discovers a very dysfunctional family in the Langsfords with a history of sexual indiscretions, betrayal, greed, and the premature deaths of other members of the family. And along the way, Kerney discovers that he has a son from a Native American woman who he dated back in his college days!

As usual, this one kept me turning the pages. It sometimes got a little tedious because of the many interviews and re-interviews of possible suspects and witnesses but in the end the outcome of the investigation was somewhat surprising and very disturbing as the motivations of the killer became clear. Not sure when I will continue with this series since this is the last of the books I had on my TBR shelves, but pretty sure I haven't read the last of Kerney.

[Terry Steinborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book in this series, with a somewhat disturbing reservation. The story is very complex, but our protagonist (Kerney) manages to get it all sorted in the end. The crime is cleverly committed to mask the killer, but the investigation reveals more underlying crimes, complicating the process. Kerney is a likable character with a human side. Nearing retirement, he faces some decisions about the future, and encounters some surprises along the way.
My major reservation with this book is that it doesn't ring true for an author who apparently has extensive history living in New Mexico. It may be bad editing, but ultimately it must be the authors responsibility to get the basics right. There were three (that I noted) instances of east-west confusion, which should not happen. The first I noted was a sunset turning the San Andres mountains amber, which should be very difficult because the point of view is from the east side of the mountains, so they should be grey at best. The second case is that Creede Colorado is said to be NE of Alamosa, while in fact it is WNW of Alamosa. It is listed as being in the Rockies, but Alamosa is at the edge of the flat land to the east of the Rockies. The third case was minor - a storm arising in the Gulf of Mexico fading at Ruidoso after a rapid pass through the SW quadrant of NM. Clearly impossible - Should be the SE quadrant of NM.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

My local book group read a book from this series quite a few years ago and I liked it enough to go back and start the series from the beginning. It was a hit and miss proposition at first, but now I'm determined to add this series to my regular rotation of a book every 12-18 months. We'll see how it goes :)

I like Kevin Kerney, the MC, who is a veteran police officer working his way up the ranks. He is a bit edgier than many other MCs in the books I read, and he doesn't always look at things the way most police do, but he gets results. In this book, he's more than ready to retire but is asked to head up the investigation of an apparent serial killer. There are other threads in the story, but they are (at least so far) minor and not really worth mentioning.

The investigation into the killings took a lot of digging and interviewing, questioning some potential suspects multiple times. I had trouble keeping all the stories straight and gave up trying to figure out who the culprit was. Given the character's history, I wasn't surprised when the killer was revealed nor by the motive.

I've already added the next book from this series to my to-read shelf. I'm curious about what will happen next in both Kevin's professional and personal lives.

[Dave Weller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Judas Judge begins with a climactic scene, when Kevin Kerney confronts a dirty cop named Randy Shockley. Shockley has been stealing from the evidence room, and he desperately attempted to dispose of the latest theft before Kerney arrives. While this confrontation is extremely thrilling, it is a side plot and not related to the main theme of the book. Kerney remains as a top dog in the New Mexico state police hierarchy, and his boss, Andy Baca, assigns him to investigate a series of six deaths over a six hour period. The last is a retired judge, and Kerney concludes that the judge was the main target. This book was a reasonably interesting read, but it did not contain a climactic confrontation between Kerney and the perpetrator of the crimes. Nevertheless, the plot kept me guessing, and it was not until near the end that the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together. Kerney and his wife, Sara Brannon, along with his good friends, Dale and Barbara Jennings carry over from previous books. Kerney is about to receive a large inheritance, and he struggles with what to do with his new found wealth. Another surprise family revelation emerges in The Judas Judge, but you need to read it to find out what that is. Book 6 is on my Want to Read list.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery. The author really describes the area well and gives you the feeling of being there.
In this story Kevin Kerney is tasked with investigating the murder of a retired judge and 5 other people. He believes the judge was the main target and goes about looking into the judge's past and that of his family, friends and associates. This does not make him any friends and some people are very upset with him.
At the same time he is dealing with some personal issues. He finds out an old girlfriend gave birth to his son and he is actually a grandfather. He is working on a relationship with his son who is a trip policeman. His wife is in the army and he doesn't see her much and he is trying to decide once he retires soon.
He is a very thorough detective and doesn't let what others think of him hold him back. He works hard to get to the truth. The judge and his family are a very complicated set of people.
Good plot and well written.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crooked police

Very attractive series based on a lawman in New Mexico and his family. This is part of the series called the Kevin Kerney Novels. This paragraph applies to all books in this series. The story’s are great, but what makes this series stand out is how the country is worked into the story, It’s almost as if you are there. The author is a gifted story teller.

Do you need to read this series in order: Yes, it helps a lot. Note that Hard Country and Backlands (and one pending maybe) are the prequels.

Triggers: Cops and police situations, there are rapes, homicides, and crime.

A vicious multiple murder and the shooting of a crooked police officer draw Sheriff Kevin Kerney, a former Santa Fe police detective, into a baffling and dangerous investigation into police corruption extending to the highest levels of state government.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I've read Michael McGarrity, and I enjoyed returning to this series. Kevin Kerny is involved in what appears to be a case of spree murders on camp grounds. The last victim, however, has a dissimilarity to the previous murders--and this causes Kerney to wonder if the previous murders were actually distractions rather than random victims of a spree killer. If so, why would a retired judge be the target?

The Judas Judge is a Western police procedural set in New Mexico with an interesting investigation and family secrets that are difficult to tease out. His suspects all have something they're hiding and are protecting themselves in some way. The roots of the murder reach into the past and Kerney has to work to find the guilty party.

I'm glad to return to this series and am pleased to have more to read.

[Rosemary Dreyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in the Kerney series. This novel departed from the usual storyline. What starts out as a series of murders becomes a convoluted family drama. What I liked: the characters (mostly); the warped family dynamics; the unfolding of the plot; showing how tedious police work can be; the use of the landscape; the relationship between Kevin and Sara. What I didn’t like: the clipped writing style that made it choppy at times. Overall, I’m really enjoying this series.

A side note: I do NOT understand how writers and editors don’t correct the improper use of adverbs. This is a pet peeve of mine. This author is also guilty of this.

[Andrew Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, McGarrity has Kevin Kerney following the murder of a prominent judge. Many suspects come to mind but Kerney realizes that the true villain may be hiding in plain sight with a seemingly airtight alibi. Kerney also has personal problems as well. He is married to an Air Force colonel who is juggling family life with a high flying career. Also, he has learned that a college romance that broke off resulted in his girlfriend's pregnancy which she kept hidden from him. Now, he has to try to weave this family into his own. A good read.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr McGarrity can write a good book! Usually I can figure out "Who Done It" way before the end of the book. I was kept guessing with this one till the end. I had my suspicions but nothing was adding up for me. I really like the way MaGarrity uses his experiences, the local color and scenery to wave his tales.

I enjoy reading book series and so far these Kevin Kerney mysteries have been very captivating.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Goodreads Review: In a remote New Mexico campground, six people are killed in an apparently senseless murder spree. Deputy State Police Chief Kevin Kerney suspects the slaying wasn’t random at all—but rather a calculated plot to eliminate one high-profile victim, retired judge, Vernon Langsford.

This is the book in which Clayton Istee makes a first appearance.

This was book #4 on our Read-alouds With Lutrecia List for 2022 and book #5 on our own Read-alouds List for 2022.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another excellent Kevin Kerney novel. Set in New Mexico, the story starts out with a bang, literally, as there is a string of serial murders, culminating with that of a judge. Kerney has to try to figure out why the judge was shot twice, when all the other murders were shot once. There are several possible motives and several suspects, and this book becomes a page-turner very quickly.
This is definitely a good read.

[Janie Prim · Rating 5 out of 5]

McGarrity's books just get better and better!!His knowledge of the inner workings of law enforcement aid in the believability of his stories, and His descriptions of the beautiful New Mexico landscape satisfy this New Mexico lover! His lead character, Kevin Kerney, is admirable, and his personality undoubtedly comes from McGarrity's past life as a deputy sheriff. Thank you!, Mr. McGarrity, for good reading!!

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Definitely my least favorite of this series so far. Kerney's character is written differently and seems inconsistent with the earlier novels. This could be a deliberate choice, based on the fatal shooting that occurs very early in the story, but I find this version of Kerney less palatable. Also, the investigation seems interminable. I'll continue reading the series, hoping for a return to earlier quality.

[Jennifer Bolton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kerney is married and is looking forward to retirement, but the murder of 6 campers in what appears to be a spree killing has put a damper on his plans. Lots of twists and turns in this one as Kerney tries to solve the murder of a judge, one of the apparent spree murder victims, and figure out what he wants to do with his life.
This series continues to entertain.

[Rich Buickerood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy this writer's style as well as his New Mexico setting and characters. The continuing series captures the mindset of the lead character, as well as his foibles. I find myself rooting for him in both his professional and personal life. Then too, the plots themselves keep you guessing until the very end.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Kerney book!

As always McGarrity is a fantastic read! I loved the way it tied into the three long-form Kerney family history books (Last Ranch, Hard Country, Back Lands). Just when I thought it was getting bogged down in investigative details - BAM - an unexpected twist! I really enjoyed this book and hope you will too.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not realize this was book #5 but it didn't matter to the story line at all. It was a decent book and kept my interest. I read it in 2 weeks but only about 4 or 5 sittings. I gave it 4 starts because some times it seemed there was too much going on and language/content that didn't really need to be in it.