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Home Grown

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DON'T MESS WITH A WOMAN WHO BUYS INK BY THE BARREL


FACT...
In 1989, federal authorities busted what they called the Cornbread Mafia, the largest domestic marijuana growing operationin American history. They confiscated 182 tons of pot with a street value-- in 1989!--of $400 million. Federal marshals arrested 56 men in 5 states...but they all came from one small town in Kentucky.

FICTION...
Somebody murdered Jim Bingham, shot him dead in front of his own newspaper office in the small town of Brewster, and now his heartbroken daughter must abandon the world of academic journalism for the real world of running the newspaper he left behind.

But Sarabeth Bingham soon discovers that marijuana-growing has corrupted the idyllic small town where she grew up.

The sheriff can't get a marijuana conviction because the county's jury pool is tainted.

Her cousin grows weed and has lost his wife and daughter to the world of drugs.

Sarabeth finds herself falling for a handsome bourbon distillery owner she's convinced is financing his business with dope money.

And a ruthless farmer named Bubba Jamison will do anything--absolutely anything--to protect his empire.

After 3 children find dope money in an abandoned building and the dopers kidnap them to get it back, Sarabeth heeds the words on the plaque that has hung above her father's desk for as long as she can remember: "Don't mess with a man who buys ink by the barrel!"

In a blazing front-page editorial in the next issue of the Tribune, Sarabeth declares war on the marijuana-growing industry! Now, the growers have to shut her up and she soon learns a terrifying lesson: dopers fight dirty.


* * *
Home Grown isn't the true story of the rise and fall of the Cornbread Mafia, not from a historical perspective; thrillers like this are too intricately woven to stick to the facts. But the novel is as real as what actually did happen, a mystery thrillers and suspense story with a female protagonist who grabs the reader and drags him into the action to live it with her. Sarabeth Bingham isn't the stereotypical heroine of sappy contemporary women's fiction. She is flawed, human and real. She has multiple sclerosis and a past filled with the kind of pain that's the mortar for building walls. Home Grown gives crime fiction a heart--and the face of a red-haired woman who didn't set out to be a hero.

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2010

278 people are currently reading
783 people want to read

About the author

Ninie Hammon

48 books240 followers
I was born in Socorro, New Mexico, sometime shortly after the earth cooled off. It’s clear that from the outset my parents never intended for me to amount to anything. How could I? With a name like “Ninie?” Please.

Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.

If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:

“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”

I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn't know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn't write the rest of it didn't matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.

Now, I write suspense--every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.

In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you'll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are--people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable--and it's always the game-changer."


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5 stars
404 (50%)
4 stars
224 (27%)
3 stars
122 (15%)
2 stars
41 (5%)
1 star
12 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
7 reviews
October 2, 2014
Reading this author's books is like eating potato chips. No one can eat just one. I read Five Days in May and I was hooked and I have now read every book she has written. One is better than the next. She ought to be famous.
Profile Image for Sukarn.
5 reviews
March 23, 2015
I am conflicted about rating this book. I took off one star because of three reasons, mostly because of the first reason, but perhaps it deserves a full five star, or maybe it deserves to have another star knocked off:

(1) the first 30% or so of the book drags on forever, with excessively long descriptions of every character and every location. I considered putting the book down multiple times while reading through those parts.

(2) a long cast of characters with multiple names for most characters. If it wasn't for Kindle's X-Ray feature (which shows short extracts for any character), I would have been very confused throughout the book.

(3) The heavy reliance on unique words from south-US didn't exactly help along the way.

If I wasn't padding it by reading another book or two in between chapters of this book, I would've been too bored with this book to reach the 40% mark. That's about where the story starts rolling, and once it does, there's no stopping it. The further I got into this book, the harder it became to put it down.

The story was great. It would have been better with shorter descriptions though.

Profile Image for Angie.
1,387 reviews19 followers
June 27, 2016
Okay , so to be honest , part of my love for this book may be that my hubby and I own a vacation home not all that far from this area....

I think that was my first draw and the writing , characters and plot pulled me right on in . I will have to check out more from this author ;-)
Profile Image for Lindelicious.
87 reviews
January 23, 2015
Boring unmemorable characters, with pitiful attempts at humour. The author just goes on and on about everything and nothing, getting the reader lost and confused with all the pointless descriptions of the landscape, cow poo (TMI), etc...and the author is trying to confuse us even more with everyone having a "B"name. All the description in chapter two meant to be vivid was more of a soup of words, I couldn't get the point of it. When you get past the over the top descriptions it's not so bad, and the plot is okay. With some imagination the story unfolds decently.
14 reviews3 followers
January 7, 2015
What great book- this is a "must read".

I couldn't put this down. It is beautifully written, with characters so real I felt as though I knew them. The story is so enthralling that it was hard not to race through it to see what would happen next. Parts of it are raw and brutal and other parts are touching and sad and so very real. ,
Profile Image for Cynthia Hamilton.
Author 21 books228 followers
July 26, 2017
From the very first page I was hooked on Ninie Hammon's authentic, enthralling tale of both sides of the pot wars in Kentucky and the immense trouble caused by one little weed. The writing is superb, giving the reader a true sense of the emotions and conflicts felt by her well-drawn characters. I'm so looking forward to reading more by this author - she is definitely one to watch!
Profile Image for debbie ragan.
316 reviews4 followers
March 6, 2016
Hard to put down

Very well written. This book made it hard for me to do anything else I only wanted to read the next word. No one realizes how an illegal industry can damage so many lives especially the children, and people think of the ones using it has tremendous effect on the families of suppliers. This book whether based on facts or not was a real eye opener .
Profile Image for Dave Allen.
79 reviews9 followers
February 10, 2015
Ripping yarn

Hammond tells a good story. I started off reading a few pages each night or two before bed and wound up tearing through the last six chapters in one day. she creates well-defined characters, and keeps the story moving. I got sucked right in.
Profile Image for Terry Conrad.
292 reviews20 followers
March 8, 2016
I am in the minority again. I really didn't care much for this book or the author's writing. It was all over the place. Honestly, she went around the block 5 times to make a statement. By the time the book picked up it's pace at about the 55% point, I didn't much care anymore.
Profile Image for Denise.
10 reviews
April 26, 2015
The book doesn't take off till almost 50%.
Profile Image for Tony Parsons.
4,156 reviews102 followers
April 16, 2019
Westminster Abbey. BANG! Jim Bingham (69, Callison County Tribune editor, journalist) never saw what was coming or anything again.
Dr. Sarabeth Bingham (daughter, aka Elizabeth, PhD journalism professor, Stanford U, multiple sclerosis MS) took care of the funeral/burial from Beddingfield’s Funeral Home.

7/1/1988, Brewster, KY. Callison County. Bubba Jamison’s marijuana crop was a very lucrative business for him.
Daisy (Rottweiler) who could not bark, Target (pit bull), & Lucky (German Shepherd)
all helped keep an eye on things.
Billy Joe Reynolds (husband/father) thought he was a little smarter than most drug dealers.
He would find another location to grow his marijuana.
Callison County Circuit Court. All rise. Judge Earl S. Compton (50+) is presiding.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky vs Joseph Edward Fogerty.
The trial was over. Joseph got 25 yrs. & was sent to the Kentucky State Penitentiary (Eddyville).
Dr. Bingham thought well it was better than nothing.
Callison County Tribune office. Dr. Bingham 1st day on the job. The employees are: Harmony Pruitt (20+, receptionist), Jonas Haskins (advertising mgr.), Wanda Lee (55+, circulation mgr.), Beverly
Thompson (55+, composition mgr.), Bobby Wilson (P/T reporter), & Gabe Lee (18, HS; Sr., Wanda’s older son/brother, photography, dark room).
Cock fighting was still a way of life. Most everyone’s money was on Elsie Bingo (cock).
Callison County Circuit Court. All rise. Judge Earl S. Compton (50+) is presiding.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky vs Jimmy Dan Puckett.
Sheriff Andrew “Sonny” Jackson Tackett III (Callison County, witness, widower), Simon Henry (Commonwealth’s Attorney), Jimmy Dan Puckett (defendant), & Anderson Bertram (defense Attorney) were at their respective places.
What happened with/to Margert “Maggie Mae” Davis (8), & Lester “Doodlebug” Burkett?
What shocking news did Jennifer Jamison (15, daughter) tell Jake?
Chief Jedediah Craddock (54, CCFD), Asst. Chief Harold Baxter (CCFD), & their crew had arrived at the Double Springs Distillery (Rolling Fork River).
The place already looked like Hell.
Family Five, Citation, Black Star, & Flying Ebony warehouses were all toast.

Seth McAllister had perished in the fire, Dr. Bingham had survived.
The arson investigation would take time.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great suspense movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Bay Forest; InstaFreebie; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Profile Image for Carol.
73 reviews
January 16, 2018
Of course growing and selling marijuana is legal these days, so you might think that this story has no punch. You might want to think again. Based on true events of the Corn Bread Mafia operating out of Kentucky, during the 1980’s, it portrays how lives are shattered by organized crime, especially the lives of “little guys” trying to make a few tantalizing big bucks. The syndicate spans over the South and the West and before it’s all over 400 million bucks of weed is confiscated and 56 people in 5 states are arrested. There is plenty of “collateral damage” too. Innocents get destroyed and the “little guys”, after all, are just so much debris. Just like real-life hard-drug syndicates today.

Sarahbeth Bingham is a journalist for the LA Times, come home to her murdered father’s funeral. He was the owner and editor of a local paper, and his last written words tell us that there was foul play afoot and that he was “on to it”. As Sarahbeth investigates and discovers how her little central Kentucky home town has been the catalyst to a huge crime ring, lives become unraveled, tragedies reel out of control and Sarahbeth puts her own life on the line with her by line. “Don’t mess with a man who buys ink by the barrel,” read a plaque above her Dad’s desk, and Sarahbeth carried through with that promise.

Ninie Hammon is a story teller par excellence and grips you from the beginning clear to the end. Her writing is polished, artistic and inspiring. There is no prescribed “Deus ex machina” here. There is however, power in her work that draws upon The Hand of The Living God.
189 reviews2 followers
October 16, 2021
Wow! What a story!

Ninie Hammon sure can write amazing books! I love all her books. Have to read them all in one setting. This book had a big roster of characters. But not too many to keep track of. I always love a strong female lead. Sara Beth was the star of this book! Every book this author writes should be made into a movie. Especially this one.
The characters are very well developed and believable. The dialogue flows smoothly. The editing is clean. The storyline is true to life. I grew up in western Kentucky and for many years Kentucky was the number one state in our country to produce the most marijuana. Then California came along to compete.
I look forward to reading more books from this author. I highly recommend reading all her other books to anyone that loves a good book!
Profile Image for Susan.
252 reviews
January 2, 2019
This is the story of the Cornbread Mafia, only with some fiction thrown in, to protect the innocent I suppose. The novel tells the story of Bubba Jamison and his control and manipulation over the county residents, law enforcement and judges. The newspaper editor has figured out who is at the center of the marijuana ring. As he leaves his office, he is murdered. The town drunk is blamed. Sarabeth comes to town to keep her father's news paper going. She stumbles into the corruption of the county. Trying to figure out who to trust, she works it out. I found the twists and turns keeping me guessing. There were some gruesome parts I wasn't comfortable with, but maybe they were needed to make the story more real. It's well worth the read.
31 reviews2 followers
June 9, 2018
Absolutely riveting story

This book was so well written with characters i came to love and also one's i came to hate. Drugs will destroy lives every time even innocent lives. This was a great story and I'm so glad I discovered this author. There are so many good books out there and I'm pleased that I happened to pick an absolutely amazing story from by tbr list. I can't wait to read more from Ms. Hammond. You won't be disappointed with this novel.
Profile Image for Jill.
462 reviews
February 10, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The writing was awesome, and the story was spellbinding! Parts of the book were a bit difficult to read due to the gruesome nature of the events, but I'd have to say it was a book I definitely had difficulty putting down and didn't want to end. Knowing that the book was based on real-life events truly made this a book worth reading!
20 reviews
January 4, 2022
Suspense, Romance and the good guys win!

In typical Ninie fashion this book is filled suspense and twisty turns, but romance is also thrown. Excellent story of good vs evil, with the most unlikely people becoming the best of friends. As always, the words "the end" came too soon! Can't wait for the sequel! There is a sequel, right?
Profile Image for Donna.
874 reviews4 followers
January 23, 2018
Mary Jane Mystery

A poignant tale of human greed. A story that could certainly come out of our current news headlines. A well written story about a small town nearly destroyed by the greed of the few and the refusal of the many to open their eyes.
106 reviews2 followers
May 30, 2018
Good book!

This was a really good book! I thought there was a lot of jumping around with the characters, so I got lost for a bit. But once I figured it out, couldn't put the book down! Excellent storyline!!
Profile Image for Barb.
1,547 reviews39 followers
May 30, 2018
Based on true events of the Corn Bread Mafia operating out of Kentucky, during the 1980’s, it portrays how lives are shattered by organized crime, especially the lives of “little guys” trying to make a few tantalizing big bucks.
Profile Image for LANIER LEE.
7 reviews
June 3, 2018
Home Grown great read

Home Grown should be on everyone’s list to read. The story is fiction based on true happenings. It is an account of what drugs do to you whether you are a user or a dealer, either way you have a bullet waiting for you.
43 reviews
July 9, 2018
Very good

I bought Home Grown because, well why not since I've read the rest of Ninie Hammond books. This book was different from the others and I loved it. Now I'm waiting for the next on to come out.
124 reviews
July 19, 2018
Great storytelling

Although probably dramatized for storytelling it is totally believable. Hard to believe that events like this actually happened and people like the criminal element in the story actually behaved this way.
453 reviews1 follower
September 1, 2018
Enjoyed this book very much. Interesting story that became very tense, so tense that at one time my dog was lying next to me and she sneezed and I jumped an inch. A page turner that I could not put down.
Profile Image for Cynthia  Malanowski.
56 reviews
June 26, 2024
Suspenseful

It started off as a regular story I wasn't sure where it was headed. The farther I got into the story I couldn't put it down! Very good and suspenseful to what will happen next. Would recommend to read!!
5 reviews
January 8, 2017
A horrible story so well written you cannot put it down!

A twisting of lives and happenings that previously would have been hard to imagine. Good does finally triumph over evil!
13 reviews
October 8, 2017
Good story

Good story, great author, really enjoyed this tale and its characters. Hard to put down in last couple of chapters.
Profile Image for Robin.
22 reviews
June 23, 2018
Worth the read

Girl inherits fathers business in small Kentucky town, solved a huge crime almost dying in the process, falls in love along the way and lives another day.
Profile Image for Rafael Coello Gilbert.
10 reviews2 followers
June 30, 2018
Muy buen libro

Te engancha desde el principio. Personajes y situaciones tan reales que a ratos piensas que es una biografía. Llega un momento que no puedes dejar de leer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews

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