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Sheriff Hank Worth #3
A Deadly Turn
Branson county sheriff Hank Worth struggles to uncover the truth behind a fatal car crash in this absorbing mystery.
Hank Worth thinks he’s performed a good deed when he pulls over the car of six teens caught speeding on a Saturday night and lets them off with a warning and instructions to go home. When he responds to an urgent call minutes later, he realises he made a fatal error of judgement – every teen is dead.
Struggling to come to terms with his role in the crash, Hank begins to suspect foul play. While notifying the parents of the children involved, his suspicions grow when an unidentified body is discovered in one of their homes and a teenage girl is found after apparently attempting to commit suicide. Hank believes the incidents are connected, but those around him disagree.
Is Hank right, or is his guilt making him search for answers where there are none?
Hank Worth thinks he’s performed a good deed when he pulls over the car of six teens caught speeding on a Saturday night and lets them off with a warning and instructions to go home. When he responds to an urgent call minutes later, he realises he made a fatal error of judgement – every teen is dead.
Struggling to come to terms with his role in the crash, Hank begins to suspect foul play. While notifying the parents of the children involved, his suspicions grow when an unidentified body is discovered in one of their homes and a teenage girl is found after apparently attempting to commit suicide. Hank believes the incidents are connected, but those around him disagree.
Is Hank right, or is his guilt making him search for answers where there are none?
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2019
9 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Claire Booth
15 books102 followersClaire Booth is a journalist and author who has written about crime for decades. She’s covered everything from the theft of the Aston Martin used in the James Bond film Goldfinger to the Laci Peterson murder and the San Francisco dog mauling case, where two lawyers were convicted of killing their neighbor with vicious dogs they kept for an imprisoned friend.
She also covered the case of Taylor Helzer, a Northern California man who convinced two followers he was a prophet of God. In order to raise money for their end-of-days scheme, the group extorted money from a retired couple and then killed them and three others to cover their tracks. The tremendously complicated quintuple murder case is the basis for her first book, the non-fiction The False Prophet: Conspiracy, Extortion and Murder in the Name of God.
After living with that case for so long, Claire decided she’d had enough of the real world and turned to fiction. Her first novel, The Branson Beauty, features county sheriff Hank Worth. The second in the series is Another Man’s Ground and the third, A Deadly Turn, comes out March 1, 2019.
She also covered the case of Taylor Helzer, a Northern California man who convinced two followers he was a prophet of God. In order to raise money for their end-of-days scheme, the group extorted money from a retired couple and then killed them and three others to cover their tracks. The tremendously complicated quintuple murder case is the basis for her first book, the non-fiction The False Prophet: Conspiracy, Extortion and Murder in the Name of God.
After living with that case for so long, Claire decided she’d had enough of the real world and turned to fiction. Her first novel, The Branson Beauty, features county sheriff Hank Worth. The second in the series is Another Man’s Ground and the third, A Deadly Turn, comes out March 1, 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 22, 2019
A Deadly Turn, the third novel in the Hank Worth Mystery Series, and although it can certainly be read as a standalone without any problems, in order to see how the characters have evolved and where their motivations come from I advise starting at the beginning. As with the previous books, this is a beautifully plotted, well written and compulsive police procedural and the police slog away with determination to find the answers. I liked the linear, straightforward structure which allowed for maximum enjoyment and the characters are developed nicely. The pace was great with action packed into every page to keep you reading, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the poignancy the storyline brought as it was something I wasn't expecting.
There are surprises and reveals throughout to keep you on your toes, and I was singing Hallelujah when I realised that the characters continue to be refreshing in the sense that they don't have the often usual customary baggage that comes with the territory in policing - alcohol dependency etc. There is a lot of death and destruction taking place in A Deadly Turn, so if you are not up for that type of story then it's best avoided, but, if you are, you'll be richly rewarded. The cliffhanger conclusion was somewhat expected given it's a series and the author wants to make sure you pick up the next instalment to find out what actually happens.
Many thanks to Severn House Publishers for an ARC.
There are surprises and reveals throughout to keep you on your toes, and I was singing Hallelujah when I realised that the characters continue to be refreshing in the sense that they don't have the often usual customary baggage that comes with the territory in policing - alcohol dependency etc. There is a lot of death and destruction taking place in A Deadly Turn, so if you are not up for that type of story then it's best avoided, but, if you are, you'll be richly rewarded. The cliffhanger conclusion was somewhat expected given it's a series and the author wants to make sure you pick up the next instalment to find out what actually happens.
Many thanks to Severn House Publishers for an ARC.
April 19, 2019
Did Sheriff Hank Worth make a deadly error in judgment? On patrol one night, the Sheriff pulls over a car holding 6 teenagers. He slightly knows one or two of them, there was no sign of drugs or alcohol, so he lets them go with a warning.
Minutes later, he's call to the scene of a one-car accident. All six of the teenagers are dead. Hank is filled with grief and guilt. Notifying the parents that their children are dead are bad enough ... but Hank is starting to think something else may be going on. A young man's body is found murdered in an apartment under a different name. A teenage girl is found after an attempted suicide.
Hank thinks these are all related ... but how, and most importantly .. why?
He seems to be all alone in his belief ... those around him seem to think his guilt is responsible for seeing connections where there are none.
Several twists and turns kept me riveted to each and every page. Although this is 3rd in this series, it is easily read as a sand alone. This one whetted my appetite to go back to the beginning to see how the characters have evolved. Hank and his partner are likable and I enjoyed how they relate to each other with respect, and sometimes with humor.
Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Negalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 10, 2019
First Sentence: He walked casually up to the car.
Branson County Sheriff Hank Worth stops a car with six teens clearly out for a joy ride. He lets them go with a warning only to receive a call a short time later of a serious traffic accident and arrives to find all six kids dead. The closer Hank looks at the scene, the more he questions whether it was an accident, or whether foul play was involved.
Booth does an excellent job of conveying the devastation and guilt Hank feels, while creating excellent characters to back him up. Booth does a good job of introducing one character who transforms fairly quickly. That Booth provides a short biography on each of the victims adds verisimilitude; they aren't characters, they are victims.
This is a book where a cast of characters would have been particularly helpful. There is a multitude of officers from a multitude of agencies not always working with those in their own agency. It can have the feel of musical chairs at times, including with the families of the victims and others. However, one thing is that Booth's characters do ring true in all ways.
It's nice how quickly the anomalies begin to appear and give the sense that the accident is more than it first seems. In the end, it's good, old-fashioned police work, following the clues, and an exciting car chase that solves the crime.
That there is an unnecessary, unrelated cliffhanger at the end was annoying. One may also wish to start the series at the beginning rather than with this, the third book, in order to have a better understanding of the characters.
"A Deadly Turn" is a good read with plenty of twists and turns. Sheriff Hank Worth could easily join one's list of favorite characters.
A DEADLY TURN (PolProc-Sheriff Hank Worth-Missouri-Contemp)-G+
Booth, Claire – 3rd in series
Severn House Digital – March 2019
Branson County Sheriff Hank Worth stops a car with six teens clearly out for a joy ride. He lets them go with a warning only to receive a call a short time later of a serious traffic accident and arrives to find all six kids dead. The closer Hank looks at the scene, the more he questions whether it was an accident, or whether foul play was involved.
Booth does an excellent job of conveying the devastation and guilt Hank feels, while creating excellent characters to back him up. Booth does a good job of introducing one character who transforms fairly quickly. That Booth provides a short biography on each of the victims adds verisimilitude; they aren't characters, they are victims.
This is a book where a cast of characters would have been particularly helpful. There is a multitude of officers from a multitude of agencies not always working with those in their own agency. It can have the feel of musical chairs at times, including with the families of the victims and others. However, one thing is that Booth's characters do ring true in all ways.
It's nice how quickly the anomalies begin to appear and give the sense that the accident is more than it first seems. In the end, it's good, old-fashioned police work, following the clues, and an exciting car chase that solves the crime.
That there is an unnecessary, unrelated cliffhanger at the end was annoying. One may also wish to start the series at the beginning rather than with this, the third book, in order to have a better understanding of the characters.
"A Deadly Turn" is a good read with plenty of twists and turns. Sheriff Hank Worth could easily join one's list of favorite characters.
A DEADLY TURN (PolProc-Sheriff Hank Worth-Missouri-Contemp)-G+
Booth, Claire – 3rd in series
Severn House Digital – March 2019
April 26, 2025
I think this series is only getting better and better. A Deadly Turn finds our sheriff in the middle of a brutal car accident that will lead to so much more in the county. Claire Booth has created some great characters and a place in Missouri that has a high rate of death. I just love it.
April 1, 2020
It was ok, but I thought it was a bit convoluted with too many characters. By the time it got close to the end, I really was not interested in how it ended.
April 1, 2019
Way too many characters in this one (suggest a notebook if you're going to read it) -- and way too many hyphenated phrases...kind of got irritating.
February 28, 2019
Hank Worth, the county sheriff in the area of the tourist town Branson, Missouri. He lets a carload of teens off with a warning and that decision ends up haunting him when twenty minutes later they are involved in a fatal accident. A couple of other crimes occur that the Branson Police Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol think are separate incidents, but Hank insists they are related to the car accident. Hank has to cooperate with these other departments and put his grief aside to get to the truth.
I am familiar with the Branson, Missouri setting so I enjoy this series. I like family man, Hank, as well as his chief deputy, Sheila. Their skills and personalities complement each other and they make a great team. This procedural shares a glimpse of working and living in a small town where gossip and local politics definitely play a part in the story. The plot of the book is sad, but intriguing. I didn't enjoy this book as much as the previous two, but it's not the subject but the fact that the motives and explanations for the various crimes get complicated and somewhat confusing.
Good detective work, much of which is done by young officer, Sam, solves the cases. As happens in life, there really aren't any happy endings, but the cases are resolved but not necessarily the fallout for Hank. The book ends on an unrelated cliffhanger, which I assume sets up a follow-up book. This isn't my favorite way for an author to end a book, but I do like this series. I think fans of J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady series or Nancy Allen's Ozark Mysteries will enjoy this book and the entire series.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Severn House. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
I am familiar with the Branson, Missouri setting so I enjoy this series. I like family man, Hank, as well as his chief deputy, Sheila. Their skills and personalities complement each other and they make a great team. This procedural shares a glimpse of working and living in a small town where gossip and local politics definitely play a part in the story. The plot of the book is sad, but intriguing. I didn't enjoy this book as much as the previous two, but it's not the subject but the fact that the motives and explanations for the various crimes get complicated and somewhat confusing.
Good detective work, much of which is done by young officer, Sam, solves the cases. As happens in life, there really aren't any happy endings, but the cases are resolved but not necessarily the fallout for Hank. The book ends on an unrelated cliffhanger, which I assume sets up a follow-up book. This isn't my favorite way for an author to end a book, but I do like this series. I think fans of J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady series or Nancy Allen's Ozark Mysteries will enjoy this book and the entire series.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Severn House. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2018
5 stars
I read the Kindle edition.
Sheriff Hank Worth stops a car full of teenagers going twenty-five miles over the speed limit. He lectures them, gives a stern warning and tells them to go straight home.
Minutes later, he is called to the scene of an accident. It is the same car and all six teens are dead. Hank now doubts his judgment. Should he have let them go? Is this his fault? He begins to work the scene before his chief deputy Sheila shows up. More deputies arrive at the scene and then the troopers from the Missouri Highway Patrol’s Major Crash team are next. One of the investigators named Jenkins is a real pain in the behind, while the other called DeRosia is kind. They work the scene.
Sheila and Jenkins and DeRosia and Hank begin to notify the relatives. They get predictable teary responses and a couple of surprises along the way. At the last home that they visit, Hank and DeRosia find a man dead of stab wounds. He was about twenty-five. Now they have a murder on their hands.
They discover from the manager of the apartment complex that the dead man was supposed to be one Johnny Gall who rented the place – but it wasn’t. The manager said he did not know the dead man. Johnny Gall was one of the teens killed in the accident. What in the heck was going on?
A teenage girl is in critical condition. Is it connected to the accident? Does she know something? When she finally regains consciousness, she tells them a story about being chased in the woods and falling down a hill. She was close friends with one of the car accident girls.
The police are still trying to identify the teen who called himself Johnny Gall. It is proving to be very problematic. And who is the stabbing victim in the apartment?
Good, solid, determined police work solves the case in the end. Following an exciting car chase, Hank, Sheila and the other officers get their answers.
This book is very well written and plotted. One event follows another in a logical progression. I liked Hank and his wife’s relationship. There was sufficient background information given on all of the main characters so as to flesh them out a bit, but not so much that it detracted from the story line at all. I liked that the officers – for the most part – got along well and worked with one another. I enjoyed Sheila’s spunkiness and drive. This is my first Hank Worth novel, but it won’t be my last. I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of Ms. Booth’s novels.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review.
I read the Kindle edition.
Sheriff Hank Worth stops a car full of teenagers going twenty-five miles over the speed limit. He lectures them, gives a stern warning and tells them to go straight home.
Minutes later, he is called to the scene of an accident. It is the same car and all six teens are dead. Hank now doubts his judgment. Should he have let them go? Is this his fault? He begins to work the scene before his chief deputy Sheila shows up. More deputies arrive at the scene and then the troopers from the Missouri Highway Patrol’s Major Crash team are next. One of the investigators named Jenkins is a real pain in the behind, while the other called DeRosia is kind. They work the scene.
Sheila and Jenkins and DeRosia and Hank begin to notify the relatives. They get predictable teary responses and a couple of surprises along the way. At the last home that they visit, Hank and DeRosia find a man dead of stab wounds. He was about twenty-five. Now they have a murder on their hands.
They discover from the manager of the apartment complex that the dead man was supposed to be one Johnny Gall who rented the place – but it wasn’t. The manager said he did not know the dead man. Johnny Gall was one of the teens killed in the accident. What in the heck was going on?
A teenage girl is in critical condition. Is it connected to the accident? Does she know something? When she finally regains consciousness, she tells them a story about being chased in the woods and falling down a hill. She was close friends with one of the car accident girls.
The police are still trying to identify the teen who called himself Johnny Gall. It is proving to be very problematic. And who is the stabbing victim in the apartment?
Good, solid, determined police work solves the case in the end. Following an exciting car chase, Hank, Sheila and the other officers get their answers.
This book is very well written and plotted. One event follows another in a logical progression. I liked Hank and his wife’s relationship. There was sufficient background information given on all of the main characters so as to flesh them out a bit, but not so much that it detracted from the story line at all. I liked that the officers – for the most part – got along well and worked with one another. I enjoyed Sheila’s spunkiness and drive. This is my first Hank Worth novel, but it won’t be my last. I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of Ms. Booth’s novels.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review.
August 26, 2019
This is a heartbreaking subject, but the characters pull through the story so realistically that it helps dull the pain of the loss of a car full of teenagers at the start of the book. Now Sheriff, Hank still takes on patrolling and other jobs to stay in the game. After letting the teens off with a warning, the emergency calls start coming in and he is plenty close to respond. Hank's a mess, Sam isn't himself yet and Shelia sure earns her Deputy Chief status by trying to keep them all together. There is the usual jockeying over jurisdiction that brings some new characters to the county. And then at home, Hank's father in law Duncan's sister has mysteriously turned up, not realizing what a hectic time this is the for the family. Not many light moments here, but I did find the eventual path to the end engrossing.
August 25, 2019
A good story but the telling of it wasn't good.
Should have been written better.
Not sure what that means.
If i did i would be a writer.
The first 50 pages was about notifying the parents that their kid is dead. The rest is trying to figure out if this was a tragic accident or something more sinister. A question which wasn't answered. Then the book veered off. A dead body, a girl attacked, fake ID's, blackmail, and money laundering.
Too many characters to keep track of. Too many storylines. Sheriff Hank Worth lacks charisma. His personal life isn't very interesting. Plus the first two books in this series weren't very good so that might have something to do with it. Just an okay read.
Should have been written better.
Not sure what that means.
If i did i would be a writer.
The first 50 pages was about notifying the parents that their kid is dead. The rest is trying to figure out if this was a tragic accident or something more sinister. A question which wasn't answered. Then the book veered off. A dead body, a girl attacked, fake ID's, blackmail, and money laundering.
Too many characters to keep track of. Too many storylines. Sheriff Hank Worth lacks charisma. His personal life isn't very interesting. Plus the first two books in this series weren't very good so that might have something to do with it. Just an okay read.
May 7, 2020
Sad cop thriller. 7 kids dead. Don't speed.
April 20, 2019
“Anderson looked concerned, but not panicked. This was a man who took a lot of things in stride. Including the safety of his children. Wherever they thought Kayla was, it was apparently inconceivable to them that her well-being was the issue. Or any of the rest of her siblings. There looked to be several in the photos that covered the wall on the right side pf the entry hall.
Hank wondered how many people were actually blessed enough to live like that. Without the first thought being one of harm or tragedy. Certainly not him. (A Deadly Turn, Claire Booth, Chapter Seven, Page 33)”
It is a quiet Saturday night as A Deadly Turn: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery begins and Sheriff Hank Worth has pulled over a car full of teenagers. The six kids were cruising around, taking turns driving, and are guilty of speeding as they were flying along at more than twenty-five miles an hour over the speed limit. They had been having a good time as they sailed by his hidden police car and now that he has them stopped, it is clear they all understand that the fun is very much over. Good kids having a little fun and no need to scare them even more than they already are by writing tickets, calling parents, etc. He tells them to go home for the night and follows them for a bit making sure they are headed home.
A decision he will hate himself for in the coming hours and days. Just minutes after he stopped following them as he was sure they were headed home, the car was involved in a horrific crash. The brown sedan rolled at least once after hitting a boulder in the front yard of a house. Not a kid in the car is alive and the night has taken quite A Deadly Turn.
In the aftermath, Sheriff Worth is full of guilt and anguish about the deaths of the six teens. Did they die because he made a horrible error in judgement? He does not think it could be that easy as the kids were scared out of their minds by the simple traffic stop. They were very scared and he is sure they were headed home having learned their lesson. If that is true, then what happened? Something had to have occurred somewhere between the time he last saw them and the later car crash. The question is what?
A question that begins to gradually loom larger as the horrible process of notifying families begins. Not all is as it seemed when he made the stop and even the basic information on one of the deceased now appears to be incorrect. Things get very complicated very fast in A Deadly Turn.
This is the third book in an excellent series that began with The Branson Beauty. Unlike the first two books in the series, flashes of humor are nearly nonexistent in this one. The cast of characters from the earlier books are back here as are a couple of interesting new players in this evolving and complicated series. While the title clearly implies the car crash at the beginning of the book it also just as easily could apply to the intriguing hook at the end of the book. If that is any indication of what is to come, book four should also be one heck of a read.
As it is a series that builds on the foundation of Hank and his family, one really needs to start at the beginning. A Deadly Turn: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery is one heck of a read and very good.
A Deadly Turn: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery
Claire Booth
http://www.clairebooth.com
Severn House
http://www.severnhouse.com
March 2019
ISBN# 978-0-7278-8845-7
Hardback (eBook format available)
288 Pages
$28.99
Material supplied by the author with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
Hank wondered how many people were actually blessed enough to live like that. Without the first thought being one of harm or tragedy. Certainly not him. (A Deadly Turn, Claire Booth, Chapter Seven, Page 33)”
It is a quiet Saturday night as A Deadly Turn: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery begins and Sheriff Hank Worth has pulled over a car full of teenagers. The six kids were cruising around, taking turns driving, and are guilty of speeding as they were flying along at more than twenty-five miles an hour over the speed limit. They had been having a good time as they sailed by his hidden police car and now that he has them stopped, it is clear they all understand that the fun is very much over. Good kids having a little fun and no need to scare them even more than they already are by writing tickets, calling parents, etc. He tells them to go home for the night and follows them for a bit making sure they are headed home.
A decision he will hate himself for in the coming hours and days. Just minutes after he stopped following them as he was sure they were headed home, the car was involved in a horrific crash. The brown sedan rolled at least once after hitting a boulder in the front yard of a house. Not a kid in the car is alive and the night has taken quite A Deadly Turn.
In the aftermath, Sheriff Worth is full of guilt and anguish about the deaths of the six teens. Did they die because he made a horrible error in judgement? He does not think it could be that easy as the kids were scared out of their minds by the simple traffic stop. They were very scared and he is sure they were headed home having learned their lesson. If that is true, then what happened? Something had to have occurred somewhere between the time he last saw them and the later car crash. The question is what?
A question that begins to gradually loom larger as the horrible process of notifying families begins. Not all is as it seemed when he made the stop and even the basic information on one of the deceased now appears to be incorrect. Things get very complicated very fast in A Deadly Turn.
This is the third book in an excellent series that began with The Branson Beauty. Unlike the first two books in the series, flashes of humor are nearly nonexistent in this one. The cast of characters from the earlier books are back here as are a couple of interesting new players in this evolving and complicated series. While the title clearly implies the car crash at the beginning of the book it also just as easily could apply to the intriguing hook at the end of the book. If that is any indication of what is to come, book four should also be one heck of a read.
As it is a series that builds on the foundation of Hank and his family, one really needs to start at the beginning. A Deadly Turn: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery is one heck of a read and very good.
A Deadly Turn: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery
Claire Booth
http://www.clairebooth.com
Severn House
http://www.severnhouse.com
March 2019
ISBN# 978-0-7278-8845-7
Hardback (eBook format available)
288 Pages
$28.99
Material supplied by the author with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
February 19, 2019
Branson county sheriff Hank Worth stops a speeding car and lets the six teenagers off with a warning. An urgent call comes minutes later about a fatal car crash and Worth is stunned to find it is the same car and everyone has died. Guilt-stricken about his role in the crash, Worth hands over the investigation to the Major Crimes Highway Patrol and goes to give death notifications to the parents. Worth and his deputy are surprised to find an unidentified male body at one of the victim's apartment. Then a classmate of the crash victims is found seriously injured in a fall.
Worth believes all the deaths and incidents are connected but his deputies and Branson police detective Dale Raker are skeptical. How did car crash victim Johnny Gall obtain several fake birth certificates and driver licenses? Why was ostracized teenager Hailee Fitch one of the car crash victims? The murdered man's trail leads the investigators to a renovated Branson country music hall and veteran country singer Euford Gunner. The search for Hailee's no-good older sister Emily is also a key subplot in the story.
This was another well-plotted story and it is great that the Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series is continuing with a new publisher.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Severn House with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
Worth believes all the deaths and incidents are connected but his deputies and Branson police detective Dale Raker are skeptical. How did car crash victim Johnny Gall obtain several fake birth certificates and driver licenses? Why was ostracized teenager Hailee Fitch one of the car crash victims? The murdered man's trail leads the investigators to a renovated Branson country music hall and veteran country singer Euford Gunner. The search for Hailee's no-good older sister Emily is also a key subplot in the story.
This was another well-plotted story and it is great that the Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series is continuing with a new publisher.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Severn House with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
October 31, 2025
This is my first book by the Author , but the 3rd in this series , and I was pleasantly
surprised by the quality of writing .
Sheriff Hank Worth has made a grave error of judgement - moments after giving
a car full of speeding youngsters just a warning - he finds their car crashed , all aboard dead .
On notifying the parents of the accident he discovers anomalies - a body is found in one
of the apartments , a young girl is found after a suicide attempt .......... just what is going on ?
Was the crash really an accident ? Are all the events connected ?
His colleagues discount his views as grief from his perceived error , seeing nothing amiss .
But Hank , is determined to investigate - at what cost ?
This is an interesting book , full of grief and sadness - with differing agencies jockeying for
control of the investigations ....... can Hank redeem himself and solve the many puzzles
before its too late ?.
I was given an arc of the book by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review .
surprised by the quality of writing .
Sheriff Hank Worth has made a grave error of judgement - moments after giving
a car full of speeding youngsters just a warning - he finds their car crashed , all aboard dead .
On notifying the parents of the accident he discovers anomalies - a body is found in one
of the apartments , a young girl is found after a suicide attempt .......... just what is going on ?
Was the crash really an accident ? Are all the events connected ?
His colleagues discount his views as grief from his perceived error , seeing nothing amiss .
But Hank , is determined to investigate - at what cost ?
This is an interesting book , full of grief and sadness - with differing agencies jockeying for
control of the investigations ....... can Hank redeem himself and solve the many puzzles
before its too late ?.
I was given an arc of the book by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review .
January 7, 2019
This is as well written story with many unexpected (but well explained) twists. There is a large caste but all are well described and come over as individuals with issues and ambitions. For once,too,there are detectives who do not have the standard dysfunctional personal lives! The climax comes gradually but there is no doubt the readers will be keen to get there. The ending is not obvious early on which us another bonus. This is well worth reading.
March 31, 2019
Good story though could be better written.
February 25, 2019
I was very saddened to find that this book was the third in a series. I don't feel like I missed out on anything in this book because I hadn't read the prior two books, but I really liked the characters and would have loved to know more about them. Additionally, due to comments in this installment, I already know more than I'd want to know about what happens in the first two books to read them. All that aside, Hank Worth is a sheriff who cares deeply for his community. When 6 kids die in a car accident shortly after he has pulled them over and let them go, Hank blames himself. But as the investigations continues, more questions than answers arise. The book was well written and includes some great characters. When the next one comes out I will have to seriously consider going back and reading the first two!
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2018
#DeadlyTurnA #NetGalley This was the third in the series but was perfectly able to be read as a standalone novel. It was good to read this type of novel from the perspective of the local sheriff rather than the police. Easy to read, with a tear jerking storyline, I loved the characters of Hank and his deputies Sheila and Sam. The plot moved along at a great pace with plenty of action but kept me guessing right up to the end. A cliffhanger at the end (which definitely does not detract from the enjoyment of the book), is hopefully a teaser for the next in the series. I would definitely read more in this series.
February 12, 2019
While on night patrol Branson county sheriff Hank Worth stops a speeding car to find six teenagers inside. He decides to let them off with a warning. Less than thirty minutes later he responses to a call, a car has crashed. But the case gets complicated when another body is found in an apartment, and a seriously hurt girl is discovered. Are these incidents connected.
This is my first Hank Worth book and it can easily be read as a standalone story.
It took me a while to get into the story but it is well-written with a good plot line. The main characters are likeable with some depth. Look forward to reading more from the series.
A NetGalley Book
This is my first Hank Worth book and it can easily be read as a standalone story.
It took me a while to get into the story but it is well-written with a good plot line. The main characters are likeable with some depth. Look forward to reading more from the series.
A NetGalley Book
March 30, 2019
In this third book of the Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series, Worth lets a car of speeding teens off with a warning, then feels crushing guilt when a fatal crash occurs. While notifying family, he begins to suspect foul play. Booth offers unexpected turns and great characters in her books, and I was pleased to find some of the minor characters in her previous novels stepping forward in this one. I especially enjoy the relationships in these books – the humor, and the concern for family and co-workers are vivid moments. Though it’s part of series, readers can definitely pick up without reading previous novels.
March 6, 2020
This book veers off into surprising places after its initial tragic opening.
Just minutes after a sheriff has pulled over and given a warning to a carload of teenagers who have been joy-riding and speeding -- but declined to give them a ticket -- he learns of a crash involving that same vehicle in which ALL of the kids have been killed.
Tough beginning!
The intrigue begins when it turns out that not everyone in that car was who he thought they were, and hence the mystery at the heart of the novel.
The story is well told, and the ongoing heart-ache of the sheriff over the loss of those young lives believably conveyed.
Just minutes after a sheriff has pulled over and given a warning to a carload of teenagers who have been joy-riding and speeding -- but declined to give them a ticket -- he learns of a crash involving that same vehicle in which ALL of the kids have been killed.
Tough beginning!
The intrigue begins when it turns out that not everyone in that car was who he thought they were, and hence the mystery at the heart of the novel.
The story is well told, and the ongoing heart-ache of the sheriff over the loss of those young lives believably conveyed.
February 22, 2019
There is an incredible amount of death and bad stuff in this book- and I kept thinking that this was just too much for Branson Country Missouri. Hank Worth is a good character, to be sure, but how many people can be killed in one night? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'd not read the first books so this was a standalone for me.
May 17, 2020
Sheriff Hank Worth stops a car containing aix teenagers for speeding and reckless driving. Making a judgment call he decides to let them go as long as they promise to go right home. Twenty minutes later a call comes over the radio of an accident. Did he make the right call? If he had detained them would the results have been different?
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February 17, 2022A page turner for sure! Teens involved in a crash and another seriously injured. could they all be tied together? Throw in an outcast girl who no one was allowed to be around but that night was included in the group in the crash. A dead body fould in the apartment of one of the victims. Who done it for sure.
December 29, 2019
I'm not sure what happened here - it started out great. But by the last half I was really getting confused with the characters. Another thing that bothered me was that there were several culture references to music, TV, movies that felt very dated.
April 7, 2020
A good mystery with a lot of twists and turns. Too many characters, though, whose names kept changing due to many aliases. I did enjoy it and may look at her other books with Hank Worth, as the sheriff "hero".
September 25, 2020
Hank pulls over a carful of teenagers, giving them a stern talking-to and telling them to go home. A few minutes later he gets a call that there's been a terrible wreck...so begins Hank's quest to find out what the kids were doing and how if it ties into a dead man in an upstairs apartment.
June 22, 2021
Six teens die in a car crash and, when the police attempt to notify the next of kin of one of the boys, they find a dead body. No one believes that there’s a connection except for Sheriff Hank Worth. A well written police procedural.
November 30, 2025
A lot of characters to keep straight. Several of them were not very remarkable or developed enough for me to keep them straight throughout the book.
Also, some of the coincidental scenarios towards the end had me rolling my eyes.
Also, some of the coincidental scenarios towards the end had me rolling my eyes.
March 19, 2019
A lot of characters, but needed for plot development A good read
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