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Black Hills
“ Black Hills is a fast paced and very entertaining read full of unpredictable twists and turns.” ― New York Daily News When Brooklyn private investigator Alice Riley reluctantly travels to Whitehurst, South Dakota, to investigate an assault charge against her ex-boss’s husband, she discovers more than just a tawdry small-town scandal. A surveyor for the local fracking operation, the accused was leading a dangerous double life―shacking up with a prostitute named Kim and overindulging in Whitehurst’s deadly new drug, a powerful stimulant called “devil dust.” Out of her element in this badlands boomtown, Alice joins forces with the street-smart Kim, whose connections open doors some in town would rather keep closed. Working together, they descend into the heart of the local drug trade, unraveling a decades-old conspiracy that reaches to the top of Whitehurst’s social strata. As Alice comes closer to cracking the case, however, people around her start disappearing. With the case and her life spinning out of control, Alice embarks on a single-minded, dust-fueled campaign to expose the truth―an effort that will take her to the darkest places imaginable.
- GenresThriller
330 pages, Paperback
Published October 11, 2016
58 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 18, 2016
The novel, written by a brother and sister team, is well plotted and well written, however I totally disliked the characters who were mostly drunk, high or involved in some kind of nefarious scheme that brought out the worst in everyone around them. Although I wanted to know who caused all the chaos, I didn't care enough about the main or fringe characters to want to learn what happened to them. The three stars are for the plot and writing. Thanks to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for an ARC for an honest review.
February 1, 2017
Slow moving plot that doesn't really take off until more than halfway through the book.
I am not talking about the kind of slow building, on-the-edge-of-your-seat anticipation of a well crafted story that has the reader anxiously wanting to dig into the heart of the story. I mean slow to the point of being boring. Had I not made a commitment to review this book I would have never finished it. Several times I put it down and had to force myself to pick it back up and continue reading.
Black Hills by Jennifer Schneider and Franklin Schneider begins when Alice, a private detective from New York, is called in to investigate a murder case involving the spouse of an estranged former colleague. The first half of the book consists mainly of Alice and her new Native American sidekick aimlessly going around partying, doing drugs, and not really investigating much of anything. Once the story jumps into gear - in respect to the whole murder case and whatnot - the situation becomes so implausible that it's something of a trainwreck to the finish line.
Needless to say, I cannot recommend this book.
R rated material. There is abundant drug use, strong language, and adult/sexual situations.
***Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.
I am not talking about the kind of slow building, on-the-edge-of-your-seat anticipation of a well crafted story that has the reader anxiously wanting to dig into the heart of the story. I mean slow to the point of being boring. Had I not made a commitment to review this book I would have never finished it. Several times I put it down and had to force myself to pick it back up and continue reading.
Black Hills by Jennifer Schneider and Franklin Schneider begins when Alice, a private detective from New York, is called in to investigate a murder case involving the spouse of an estranged former colleague. The first half of the book consists mainly of Alice and her new Native American sidekick aimlessly going around partying, doing drugs, and not really investigating much of anything. Once the story jumps into gear - in respect to the whole murder case and whatnot - the situation becomes so implausible that it's something of a trainwreck to the finish line.
Needless to say, I cannot recommend this book.
R rated material. There is abundant drug use, strong language, and adult/sexual situations.
***Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.
November 10, 2016
My Review:
Black Hills authors, Jennifer and Franklin Schneider are a brother/sister writing team based in the US and this is their first published project together.
Set in Whitehurst, South Dakota this book is full of betrayal; secrets; control; deprivation; violence; drugs; corruption and revenge in the name of justice.
The story-line intrigued me when I was approached to review this book. It is even-paced with a slow build-up but littered with hooks that keeps the reader guessing. I was worried that it may not flow, given it has two authors – but I need not have feared as I could not spot any inconsistencies or breaks in the momentum!
It was the characters in this novel that really kept me turning the pages. Raw, real and very much believable, I really enjoyed the mixture of personalties that I came across as the story unfolded. There were times I even forgot about the main players, as actually there were some more interesting supporting characters that stole the show!
Alice is one messed up Private Investigator! Throughout the whole book, I was not sure I was even drawn to her – but something just kept me intrigued. She is a renegade, using unorthodox methods including drugs, alcohol, sex and violence to achieve her goals. Despite her flaws, she has a strength in character that urges the reader to want Alice to achieve her aims by any means necessary! How messed up is that!?
Kim Holywhitemountain was a fantastic sidekick for Alice! The friendship forged with the common goal of proving Robert’s innocence was addictive. This character really stood out for me. Her strength and courage on the outside hid the insecurities that plagued her daily. Kim says it how she sees it but also has a side to her that others easily take advantage of.
Whitehurst, Hicks and the Sheriff also drew me in for different reasons. Their qualities were ..well…not very likeable in the main but I still wanted to know more about each one. The Sheriff especially! WTAF is up with this guy! Remind me never to visit his town! Ha Ha! There are loads of other characters that had more of a lead role, but these are the ones that stood out to me most.
It took me a while to figure out where the story was heading. A few twists threw me off guard, but I eventually ended up on the right track. I did feel the ending was slightly drawn out but luckily, not too much to cause me to lose interest! I also enjoyed how some of the loose ends were wrapped up so that I was not made to have to guess how it ended up when the main conclusion was revealed!
Would I recommend this book? That would be a definite Hell Yeah from me. Greed, corruption, violence and betrayal are a sure fire way to keep me hooked!
February 2, 2020
Alice a PI embarks on a journey to help a former friend and ends up almost losing her life. Her friends husband Frank has been falsely accused of the assault of a known prostitute in a small town in the badlands. Alice travels to this small town and finds corruption at every turn. Right off the bat she is warned to carry a gun which she does even though she's never fired one and doesn't believe she could. This is a town run by one man whom she thinks controls everyone. He owns the fracking company that employs most of the town and seems to even control those who don't. This is a town run rampant with "dust" a drug rumored to be made from fracking fluid. Fracking is the main source of work in this area other than prostitution. This little town has a majority of men and few women it's a town that has a sheriff who may or may not be crooked. Alice immediately makes friends with the prostitute who was living with Frank, a rough tough Native American who has instincts that can help Alice get Frank off by finding the real attacker. Alice is quickly pulled into drugs and sex party's trying to find answers. When she starts to get to close people die.
November 22, 2016
It was a solid read. The heroine was a great character showing all her flaws. Beware, this isn't a neat and tidy read, drug use, sex and murder run rampant through the pages. A tale with twist and turns as the mystery unravels.
September 1, 2017
Unrewarding read
I kept thinking it would get better. The plot was sluggish. The characters didn't really sync. So much attention paid to how it feels to get high it made me wonder if the authors were, or just wished they were.
I kept thinking it would get better. The plot was sluggish. The characters didn't really sync. So much attention paid to how it feels to get high it made me wonder if the authors were, or just wished they were.
June 5, 2021
Great pacing, engaging characters, and an overall fantastic read to bring along on a trip, to the beach, etc.
September 30, 2016
Alice is a private investigator that has been asked by her former boss, Rachel to look into an assault charge against the Rachel’s husband, Robert. Alice heads to Whitehurst, South Dakota, an oil fracking town that resembles something out of the old West. It seems Robert is a geologist and now has charges for assaulting a prostitute that lands her in a coma. Currently Robert is staying with another prostitute, Kim and is experimenting with the local drug Devil’s Dust.
Alice finds herself with Kim looking into the charges and quickly finding out that there is more happening than just the assault. This is a small, tough town where a lot of things are shared and a lot of covered up. It is a dark and dirty story of Alice having to step out of the norm to find out what is really happening. But with determination and the help of Kim, Alice figures out the conspiracy.
Like I said, this is a dark and dirty story. It’s not for the faint of heart but it is worth the read. I loved the mystery. You are given bread crumbs but don’t get the chance to put them together until the end. There are no obvious who the killer is moments or the infamous how does the make an ending there are no clues for that ending. I loved Alice and Kim. Both are tough characters will to do what needs to be done.
This is a great mystery and one that I strongly recommend if you like your stories with a noir feel.
I received Black Hills from the publisher and Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
Alice finds herself with Kim looking into the charges and quickly finding out that there is more happening than just the assault. This is a small, tough town where a lot of things are shared and a lot of covered up. It is a dark and dirty story of Alice having to step out of the norm to find out what is really happening. But with determination and the help of Kim, Alice figures out the conspiracy.
Like I said, this is a dark and dirty story. It’s not for the faint of heart but it is worth the read. I loved the mystery. You are given bread crumbs but don’t get the chance to put them together until the end. There are no obvious who the killer is moments or the infamous how does the make an ending there are no clues for that ending. I loved Alice and Kim. Both are tough characters will to do what needs to be done.
This is a great mystery and one that I strongly recommend if you like your stories with a noir feel.
I received Black Hills from the publisher and Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2017
Good book.
Want to read
October 13, 2016I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. It is a Kindle book.
October 25, 2016
Black Hills hits the high notes, and is at once both a page-gripping thriller and an invective against misogyny and capitalism.
If you dig your pulp a la Phillip Marlowe in The Long Goodbye (that is to say, violence, pain, and mayhem follow Alice, the protagonist's, acutely intellectual verbal beat downs to the bad guys/The Establishment, and vice versa) you should absolutely pick this up. If you don't prefer your thrillers in that style, go read some Lee Child or James Patterson or something, I don't know. (Nothing wrong with some Lee Child OR James Patterson, by the way.)
This is a suspenseful plot that centers around successful shamus and morally ambiguous Alice, who breezes into North Dakota's fracking territory to exonerate the ex-husband -- accused of and possibly framed for murdering a prostitute -- of a former boss and friend she doesn't even like anymore. Alice strikes an initially icy partnership with a wised-up, sexy prostitute named Kim (who reminds me Reese Witherspoon's character in Freeway), which softens into an almost sweetly sisterly friendship. From there, an Odysseus-like quest unfolds all over the North Dakotan plains, or, more appropriately I suppose, a perverse and drug-fueled, uh, Alice in Wonderland journey that sees her going through a cave entrance to, quite literally, the very end of the earth.
There is a video game-like quality to some of the violence -- gruesome in some parts, uncomfortably so, which lends shock factor & grit to the whole narrative. (Then again, I cower when fights break out at hockey games, so what do I know?) The writing is good and meaty, with the occasional oddly self-conscious (or is it sly?) angst-ridden throwaway phrases one would use as a sophomore writing his first short story for Creative Writing. Which makes me think they were doing it on purpose to either fuck with the reader a little, because the writing as a whole is very good, or to temper Alice, who isn't exactly a barrel of laughs, though she is frequently featured holding the barrel of her gun.
I, voyeur I, appreciated all the descriptions of the ND badlands, the magnificent sunsets, the culture of ND, which appears to vacillate between hostility and hospitality depending on if you're packing.
Bonus: A strong female protagonist -- actually, two strong female leads! Also: Lots of sex, lots of violence, lots of drugs, lots of great GRE words thrown in for good measure. (My feeble brain learned a ton of fracking-related jargon AND now I know that the word harridan exists -- thank you Jennifer & Franklin Schneider!)
If you dig your pulp a la Phillip Marlowe in The Long Goodbye (that is to say, violence, pain, and mayhem follow Alice, the protagonist's, acutely intellectual verbal beat downs to the bad guys/The Establishment, and vice versa) you should absolutely pick this up. If you don't prefer your thrillers in that style, go read some Lee Child or James Patterson or something, I don't know. (Nothing wrong with some Lee Child OR James Patterson, by the way.)
This is a suspenseful plot that centers around successful shamus and morally ambiguous Alice, who breezes into North Dakota's fracking territory to exonerate the ex-husband -- accused of and possibly framed for murdering a prostitute -- of a former boss and friend she doesn't even like anymore. Alice strikes an initially icy partnership with a wised-up, sexy prostitute named Kim (who reminds me Reese Witherspoon's character in Freeway), which softens into an almost sweetly sisterly friendship. From there, an Odysseus-like quest unfolds all over the North Dakotan plains, or, more appropriately I suppose, a perverse and drug-fueled, uh, Alice in Wonderland journey that sees her going through a cave entrance to, quite literally, the very end of the earth.
There is a video game-like quality to some of the violence -- gruesome in some parts, uncomfortably so, which lends shock factor & grit to the whole narrative. (Then again, I cower when fights break out at hockey games, so what do I know?) The writing is good and meaty, with the occasional oddly self-conscious (or is it sly?) angst-ridden throwaway phrases one would use as a sophomore writing his first short story for Creative Writing. Which makes me think they were doing it on purpose to either fuck with the reader a little, because the writing as a whole is very good, or to temper Alice, who isn't exactly a barrel of laughs, though she is frequently featured holding the barrel of her gun.
I, voyeur I, appreciated all the descriptions of the ND badlands, the magnificent sunsets, the culture of ND, which appears to vacillate between hostility and hospitality depending on if you're packing.
Bonus: A strong female protagonist -- actually, two strong female leads! Also: Lots of sex, lots of violence, lots of drugs, lots of great GRE words thrown in for good measure. (My feeble brain learned a ton of fracking-related jargon AND now I know that the word harridan exists -- thank you Jennifer & Franklin Schneider!)
July 29, 2016
I continue to seek a genre of book that might not exist. I'm looking for "oil fields Gothic" and this book almost, almost got there. Black Hills is a fun, pulpy, noir set in the fracking fields and badlands in South Dakota. It's an interesting take on the hardened PI story-- Alice, a disgraced newspaper reporter turned PI, leaves NYC to investigate a woman's death. Her first few weeks in Whitehurst are characterized by hard living (in service of the case) before an enormous conspiracy becomes clear. I don't want to spoil the twists and turns, that's the fun of a noir after all, but I found that the balance of the book was off. There's *so much* time spent on Alice's hard living that the climax and resolution feel rushed and really, really implausible. Which is a shame, because the first portion of the book does feel plausible. So when all of a sudden Alice has a lot more skill with weapons, hiking, caving, etc. it felt inauthentic.
I enjoyed Alice's take on the hyper-masculine world of oil fields and appreciated the feminist asides. Unlike many novels where the female lead just reads like she's motivated by and afraid of the same things men are, this felt like a truly female character.
My major complaint with the book is the drug use. Not because I'm opposed to characters who use drugs, but Alice's use of "dust" felt inconsistent. Sometimes it made her hyper focused, other times it made her peaceful and languid, sometimes it dulled her senses, and sometimes it heightened them. Towards the end, it also seemed to be the thing that gave her near super-power level skills with weapons and hiking. If a character is going to use drugs, it's important to me that the drug use is treated as something with both consequences (good and bad) and reality. So, if you establish that dust makes you languid and hazy it can't then make it easier for you to study lots of documents for hours at a time.
This is a fun book and worth reading if you're looking for a new take on classic pulp fiction. There's sex, violence, drug use, anti-heroes, and conspiracy!
** I received a free e-galley of this book from the publisher on NetGalley.
I enjoyed Alice's take on the hyper-masculine world of oil fields and appreciated the feminist asides. Unlike many novels where the female lead just reads like she's motivated by and afraid of the same things men are, this felt like a truly female character.
My major complaint with the book is the drug use. Not because I'm opposed to characters who use drugs, but Alice's use of "dust" felt inconsistent. Sometimes it made her hyper focused, other times it made her peaceful and languid, sometimes it dulled her senses, and sometimes it heightened them. Towards the end, it also seemed to be the thing that gave her near super-power level skills with weapons and hiking. If a character is going to use drugs, it's important to me that the drug use is treated as something with both consequences (good and bad) and reality. So, if you establish that dust makes you languid and hazy it can't then make it easier for you to study lots of documents for hours at a time.
This is a fun book and worth reading if you're looking for a new take on classic pulp fiction. There's sex, violence, drug use, anti-heroes, and conspiracy!
** I received a free e-galley of this book from the publisher on NetGalley.
September 6, 2016
A riveting contemporary thriller that I wholeheartedly recommend. The two female protagonists are intriguing and believable, the plot kept me guessing, and the prose is smooth and readable but also polished.
"Black Hills" follows private investigator Alice Riley as she tries to clear her ex-boss's husband from a suspicious attempted murder charge in a North Dakota fracking boomtown. Assisted by local callgirl Kim Holywhitemoutain, she discovers that her client is just a pawn in a massive conspiracy. Most thrillers that center around conspiracies, as "Black Hills" does, have one of two problems; either the "hints" are way too obvious, and we guess who's behind it all very early on, or the author introduces a lot of intriguing elements, but fails to bring them together in a satisfying way. "Black Hills" dodges both these pitfalls; the end is surprising without feeling totally random, and the finale is anything but half-baked or anticlimactic; things really build and accelerate towards the end, and every loose end is tied up in an ingenious way. This is super hard to pull off; even Hollywood, with their bottomless budgets, fails at it the vast majority of the time.
The two lead characters, Alice and Kim, are very well characterized. Again, there are two main pitfalls that 99% of authors fall into when writing female characters; either they write them just like men, except with female names, or they make them patronizing caricatures of what men think "Women" are like, ie all they talk about are men, hair, makeup, cupcakes, etc. The Schneiders have managed to create two highly believable female characters, warts and all. I felt like they were real women I might know in everyday life, and from the very first chapter I was rooting for them. In fact, between the engaging protagonists and the propulsive plot, I couldn't put this book down. I couldn't help but notice that the authors left the door cracked for a sequel, and my fingers are crossed that they'll give us another Alice Riley book!
February 12, 2017
I received a free advance e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ‘Black Hills’ gives the reader a look at the dark underbelly of society in a fracking boomtown in South Dakota. This book is full of despicable characters, drugs, hookers, sex, murder, greed, betrayal, secrets, lies, corruption, violence, and a conspiracy. Alice, the main character is extremely flawed but she has chutzpa. Some characters seem to be the scum of the earth. This is an action packed thriller full of twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. ‘Black Hills’ is a well-written novel with an extremely dark plot and well-developed, dark characters. This book is well worth the read for anyone who likes a dark and dirty read. I look forward to reading more from this brother and sister team.
February 17, 2017
Wild ride
This was one of those stories that sucks you in then propels you headlong into the storyteller's adventure. The characters are well developed and grab your emotions and your curiosity as the clues to the mystery are revealed. It is rough and raw and often violent, but so is life in the town it's located in. It surprised me how much I enjoyed it.
This was one of those stories that sucks you in then propels you headlong into the storyteller's adventure. The characters are well developed and grab your emotions and your curiosity as the clues to the mystery are revealed. It is rough and raw and often violent, but so is life in the town it's located in. It surprised me how much I enjoyed it.
August 2, 2016
Black Hills by Franklin & Jennifer Schneider
4 stars
Sex, drugs, but no rock ‘n roll.
Alice Riley is a Brooklyn PI. She used to be a journalist but she and her boss and friend Rachel fabricated evidence in an attempt to give an alibi to a man accused of multiple murders and it went wrong so both paid the price. Since that time they had not spoken, so when Rachel turns up unexpectedly to ask for Alice’s help she knows it has to be serious ……. and it is.
Alice ends up in Whitehurst, South Dakota to undertake an investigation into the circumstances of the charges again Rachel’s geologist husband Robert who is accused of aggravated assault against a young prostitute who is now in a coma from which she is unlikely to recover. He professes his innocence. Alice quickly discovers that Robert has taken up with Kim, another local prostitute, when he is in town. It’s complicated but then isn’t everyone’s life story.
Whitehurst is an oil fracking town where men are men and women are willing. It’s very much like a modern day gold rush town. Alice and Kim team up to find the truth. They share everything – drugs, car, bed, men.
This is not a novel for the faint hearted. The characters are well drawn from the top of the pyramid to the gutter dregs. The action is raw and pulls no punches. It’s a very tough world where morals are set aside in the name of truth seeking. It’s also a novel which is hard edged and gritty and is a great read if the reader can take the sex and violence.
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
4 stars
Sex, drugs, but no rock ‘n roll.
Alice Riley is a Brooklyn PI. She used to be a journalist but she and her boss and friend Rachel fabricated evidence in an attempt to give an alibi to a man accused of multiple murders and it went wrong so both paid the price. Since that time they had not spoken, so when Rachel turns up unexpectedly to ask for Alice’s help she knows it has to be serious ……. and it is.
Alice ends up in Whitehurst, South Dakota to undertake an investigation into the circumstances of the charges again Rachel’s geologist husband Robert who is accused of aggravated assault against a young prostitute who is now in a coma from which she is unlikely to recover. He professes his innocence. Alice quickly discovers that Robert has taken up with Kim, another local prostitute, when he is in town. It’s complicated but then isn’t everyone’s life story.
Whitehurst is an oil fracking town where men are men and women are willing. It’s very much like a modern day gold rush town. Alice and Kim team up to find the truth. They share everything – drugs, car, bed, men.
This is not a novel for the faint hearted. The characters are well drawn from the top of the pyramid to the gutter dregs. The action is raw and pulls no punches. It’s a very tough world where morals are set aside in the name of truth seeking. It’s also a novel which is hard edged and gritty and is a great read if the reader can take the sex and violence.
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
October 13, 2016
"Just another oil boomtown: ninety-nine percent men and one percent sex and retail workers."
Alice Riley is an ex-reporter, now private investigator for 8 years, out of Brooklyn, New York. She is visited by her ex-boss from the newspaper (they were both caught fabricating a story and fired years ago) and Rachel wants her to delve into why her geologist husband, Robert, is sitting in jail in the booming oil fracking town of Whitehurst, South Dakota. Supposedly he assaulted a prostitute and she's in a coma in the local hospital. And Rachel doesn't believe her husband capable of this.
So Alice heads to the wilds (and they really are the wilds) of Whitehurst and finds Kim Holywhitemountain, a Native American hooker that the husband has been living with and the two of them work at finding out the real story.
This is one DARK, DARK story from the Midwestern region of the U.S. - an area not often written about. It is full of misogyny, sex, drugs including a local one called Devil's Dust, and some really unlikable characters.
Alice and Kim are quite a pair of detectives, with some unusual investigative techniques.
The story steamrolls along, dragging the reader along at a fast pace. It is one of the most unusual and compelling stories I've read in a long time and was written by a definitely warped brother-sister duo.
I highly recommend this to anyone with a strong stomach that isn't easily shocked that enjoys dark, noirish mysteries.
I received this book from Thomas & Mercer through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
Alice Riley is an ex-reporter, now private investigator for 8 years, out of Brooklyn, New York. She is visited by her ex-boss from the newspaper (they were both caught fabricating a story and fired years ago) and Rachel wants her to delve into why her geologist husband, Robert, is sitting in jail in the booming oil fracking town of Whitehurst, South Dakota. Supposedly he assaulted a prostitute and she's in a coma in the local hospital. And Rachel doesn't believe her husband capable of this.
So Alice heads to the wilds (and they really are the wilds) of Whitehurst and finds Kim Holywhitemountain, a Native American hooker that the husband has been living with and the two of them work at finding out the real story.
This is one DARK, DARK story from the Midwestern region of the U.S. - an area not often written about. It is full of misogyny, sex, drugs including a local one called Devil's Dust, and some really unlikable characters.
Alice and Kim are quite a pair of detectives, with some unusual investigative techniques.
The story steamrolls along, dragging the reader along at a fast pace. It is one of the most unusual and compelling stories I've read in a long time and was written by a definitely warped brother-sister duo.
I highly recommend this to anyone with a strong stomach that isn't easily shocked that enjoys dark, noirish mysteries.
I received this book from Thomas & Mercer through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
December 16, 2016
Interesting book and scary
The main character handles so many physical attacks and persists in investigating the conspiracy which is a really big and dangerous one. She explains her continuing by saying she is high. I don't think I could ever get high enough to get through what she does. However she compelling read.
The main character handles so many physical attacks and persists in investigating the conspiracy which is a really big and dangerous one. She explains her continuing by saying she is high. I don't think I could ever get high enough to get through what she does. However she compelling read.
October 16, 2016
Normally you find the detective in detective stories are generally “good” people and often ex-public servants police or military. Alice Riley bucks the trend, a drug user, a liar and cheat she is not the norm but does have a morality streak for good. Originally a journalist Allice is asked by a friend to investigate the arrest of her husband geologist working in the oil and gas fracking fields around Whitehurst in South Dakota. Very quickly Alice finds this place totally unlike home in New York, with prostitution and drug and alcohol use the norm for almost all who live there. This novel is packed with violence, sex, greed and corruption that always makes a good crime story. The style is very easy to read and does not contain that annoying extra text used to pad out some books. All in all, this is a very entertaining and fast moving read and would recommend it without hesitation.
December 27, 2016
As I was sitting in the airport heading on vacation, Amazon recommended this book to me based on others I had enjoyed. I was looking for something "vacationy" to read, and this sounded intriguing; and intriguing it was. The characters and situations were completely improbably, and I enjoyed the book all the more for those very attributes. I just read some of the other reviews that are critical of certain elements of the characters' portrayals, and I suppose I can understand them, but I found that the raw and unbridled narrative caught me up and carried me along for the entire ride without me ever really delving too deeply into the deeper meanings (which, to be honest, is rare for me) or noticing the "man behind the curtain" pulling the levers. It was definitely a good vacation read.
October 28, 2016
I received a free kindle version of this book via the Goodreads Giveaways program. Thanks to anyone who was involved in that!
This was a great mystery/thriller! I loved the realistic characters, especially the two women at the center of the story. I loved how crystal clearly I could picture the setting in my mind. I loved the grim and gritty feel of the novel and how there are lots of shades of gray in between good and evil here. I also loved the ending which fit the story very well. Everything was wrapped up very satisfyingly yet not too neatly - no happily ever after here!
This was a great mystery/thriller! I loved the realistic characters, especially the two women at the center of the story. I loved how crystal clearly I could picture the setting in my mind. I loved the grim and gritty feel of the novel and how there are lots of shades of gray in between good and evil here. I also loved the ending which fit the story very well. Everything was wrapped up very satisfyingly yet not too neatly - no happily ever after here!
October 27, 2016
Good plot that keeps going
This isn't my usual type of book but I'm glad I read it . Alice is the main character and while she is the heroine of the story she isn't aware of it. Alice doesn't conform to society and she definitely doesn't care...she is a one of a kind character. Bending the rules seems to be her forte and she will go to any length to help a friend despite the consequences!
This isn't my usual type of book but I'm glad I read it . Alice is the main character and while she is the heroine of the story she isn't aware of it. Alice doesn't conform to society and she definitely doesn't care...she is a one of a kind character. Bending the rules seems to be her forte and she will go to any length to help a friend despite the consequences!
November 5, 2016
This book has a good story line and is well written. The story deals with misogyny and capitalism in a boom town created by oil drilling.
I disliked the characters who were mostly drunk, high and did things that seemed out of character based on their backstory. The preposterous things they did in order to solve the mystery seemed so unrealistic that lowered the enjoyment of the book.
Note that I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I disliked the characters who were mostly drunk, high and did things that seemed out of character based on their backstory. The preposterous things they did in order to solve the mystery seemed so unrealistic that lowered the enjoyment of the book.
Note that I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2016
A gritty story of drugs, violence, alcohol and greed. The main character is easy to dislike until you see the heart underneath. There are many hard, flawed characters. The plot builds, the bodies mount and so does the thought that this could happen in any oil or mining town.
I read it straight through and then, finally, slept. It was impossible to put down.
I read it straight through and then, finally, slept. It was impossible to put down.
July 26, 2017
I liked the story, but I didn't resonate with any of the characters. They were well-written and fleshed out, but I found I didn't really care about any of them, though I can't put my finger on why. I would read another novel by these authors, though, as the the story kept me interested through to the end.
I won this book via Goodreads Giveaways.
I won this book via Goodreads Giveaways.
December 15, 2016
I never write a review but for this book iwll: fantastic,different but real gripping and gritty ,I couldn't stop reading to see what would happen next.keep writing I can't wait.
I nvrr write reviews but an awesome read Fantastic different gripping could not put down hope they write more! Waiting
I nvrr write reviews but an awesome read Fantastic different gripping could not put down hope they write more! Waiting
December 19, 2016
Great plot
Enjoyed the characters found them very different than expected. I got surprised several times. I was disappointed with the ending.. I could see it coming and kept hoping I was wrong.. came out made for television ..fit interesting people into maudlin and ordinary. The characters created by the writer didn't belong where the author forced them to be.
Enjoyed the characters found them very different than expected. I got surprised several times. I was disappointed with the ending.. I could see it coming and kept hoping I was wrong.. came out made for television ..fit interesting people into maudlin and ordinary. The characters created by the writer didn't belong where the author forced them to be.
January 14, 2017
Gritty
The story is a gritty as the described landscape. It's a hard story, always on edge. Completely believable, even though you don't want it to be. Definitely don't want enemies like ALice and Kim, but not sure I want them as friends either.
I won this book on a goodreads.com giveaway.
The story is a gritty as the described landscape. It's a hard story, always on edge. Completely believable, even though you don't want it to be. Definitely don't want enemies like ALice and Kim, but not sure I want them as friends either.
I won this book on a goodreads.com giveaway.
August 22, 2017
When you take the time to write a book, I think you should also take the time to know the geography of the area. If it is called the Black Hills , then it shouldn't be set in prairie east of the Black Hills. I know what I'm talking about because I was born and raised in the Black Hills. The book was well written and interesting. The characters were good. That is why I gave 4 stars.
October 25, 2016
This is a topical, fast paced read with some dark humor and an interesting character in Alice. There have been a spate of mystery/thrillers involving fracking so that part of this was not a surprise but I liked the setting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
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