Echoes of the Fall: An Earl Marcus Mystery

Earl Marcus #3

by Hank Early

Earl Marcus has faced a litany of demons in his time, but a grisly murder sends him spiraling into a vortex of long-buried secrets.

After losing a hotly contested sheriff's race to the lackey of corrupt politician Jeb Walsh, Earl Marcus has had the worst summer of his life. But worst turns deadly when a body turns up on Earl's front lawn, accompanied by a cryptic letter.

Earl finds a cell phone in the victim's car and tracks it to The Harden School, an old, isolated campus surrounded by barbed wire and locked gates, and catches a sneak peek at a file labeled complaints, where he finds a familiar name: Jeb Walsh. Jeb's ex-wife Eleanor had lodged multiple complaints against the school on behalf of her son, and when he contacts Eleanor, the horrifying truth begins to emerge.

Desperate to make a connection between the school and the dead man, Earl journeys into a world where nothing is sacred.

Genres: Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2019

About the author

Hank Early spent much of his youth in the mountains of North Georgia, but he never held a snake or got struck by lightning. These days, he lives in central Alabama with his wife and two kids. He writes crime, watches too much basketball, and rarely sleeps. Heaven's Crooked Finger is his first novel. He's represented by Alec Shane of Writers House.

In a previous life, he published some books as John Mantooth. Check them out here:

https://www.amazon.com/John-Mantooth/...

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a big fan of the first two books in this series. So, I was pleased to get a chance to read the third prior to its release. Early’s writing remains just as good as always. When he starts the book writing about Earl’s hangover, I swear I could feel the pounding in my own head.

The book begins not only with the hangover, but with Earl’s discovery of a dead body in his front yard. Aware that the body would be the perfect excuse for the sheriff to accuse Earl of murder, he makes the body disappear. Then he starts trying to find out the identity of the murdered man. It leads him to a private boy’s school, one that has a hard and troubled history.

Earl is a great character. He knows he should let sleeping dogs lie and not investigate the school. But as someone says “He said you were the kind of man who couldn’t hear a sound in the middle of the night without getting up to see what caused it. He said you were broken, that you’re weren't the kind of man to let other men live their lives.” And yes, Earl is broken. He’s got a real fondness for whiskey. He can’t help but hurt the ones he loves the most.

These aren’t just your normal mysteries. The writing is dark but engrossing. There’s a lot of philosophy wrapped up in these pages. “The past isn’t set in stone even if we want it to be, because it’s a living, fluid thing, open to a thousand interpretations and evaluations, influenced by the present as much as the other way around. Destiny and the past are intertwined because they can both be manipulated by the present.”

The characters are well formed, each damaged in their own way. We get more of Rufus’ backstory this time around which really helped round out the story. I hope Early finds a way to create #4 for the series.
My thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of the Fall is Hank Early’s outstanding latest edition to the Earl Marcus mystery series. Marcus has lost an election for sheriff and is in a dark place. His girlfriend is far away, he’s drinking too much and he makes the disturbing discovery of a dead body in his yard. As Earl seeks to learn who the dead man is and why he was killed, clues take him on a dangerous scavenger hunt all over the county and he finds that his life, and the lives of those he is close to, are in jeopardy.

What I love most about Early’s writing are his very vivid descriptions of the Georgia wilderness. Without giving too much away, there are two scenes in particular that brought me right to the gorges where they took place and had me gripping the edge of my seat in anxious anticipation. In addition, Early is a master of using metaphor to enable readers a glimpse inside his characters’ minds. At this he is a master and his writing has me wanting to come back for more and more. If you haven’t had a chance to read this series yet, put it at the top of your list!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Hank Early for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Tracy Cavanah · Rating 5 out of 5]

After losing a hotly contested sheriff's race to the lackey of corrupt politician Jeb Walsh, Earl Marcus has had the worst summer of his life. But worst turns deadly when a body turns up on Earl's front lawn, accompanied by a cryptic letter.

Earl finds a cell phone in the victim's car and tracks it to The Harden School, an old, isolated campus surrounded by barbed wire and locked gates, and catches a sneak peek at a file labeled complaints, where he finds a familiar name: Jeb Walsh. Jeb's ex-wife Eleanor had lodged multiple complaints against the school on behalf of her son, and when he contacts Eleanor, the horrifying truth begins to emerge.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book it was a great experience first time reading anything from this author

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was better than the second book at least, probably pretty close to the first one. So we'll say 3.5 stars.
The plot was pretty decent, the ending was maybe a little rushed, but the other books had that too.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of Echoes of the Fall, the third novel to feature Georgia based PI Earl Marcus.

When Earl finds a murdered body in his yard he knows that he has to get rid of it or the corrupt sheriff who beat him to the job several months earlier will arrest him. Not knowing who the dead man is Earl finds a letter linking him to the Harden School, a shadowy enterprise with links to his nemesis, Jen Walsh.

I enjoyed Echoes of the Fall which is an action packed slice of rural noir. It is told from two points of view, Earl’s first person experience and a third person narrative his friend Rufus’s adventures and history. At first I found the style a bit jerky and it didn’t really capture my attention but as the novel progresses I found myself more involved. It very much reminds me of James Lee Burke’s writing with the evocative description of both the location and its inhabitants, the idea of rampant corruption in high places, the high octane action and the constant self analysis and homilies on life although Earl Marcus is more self accepting than the rather self righteous Dave Robicheaux. Mr Early skilfully blends past and present to bring a very readable plot to life with a mystery, plenty of twists and a fair amount of tragedy.

I have read the first novel in the series, Heaven’s Crooked Finger, so I was interested to see where Mr Early would take his character after those cataclysmic events. I like that he has tackled another subject, suitable to his setting. I’m not going to issue spoilers and say what it is but it is apt for both the settings and the times and something entirely alien to my life experience. I like learning new things.

Earl Marcus is a flawed protagonist with his difficult and, for me, exotic childhood casting a long shadow into his present. It is not mentioned much in this novel so perhaps reading the novels in order would give the reader a deeper understanding. As it is he struggles with alcohol and seems to depend on his girlfriend, Mary, to validate him or, as he sees it, “save” him. I must admit that much of his navel gazing washed over me as I don’t really get it. It is, nevertheless, a powerful study of a conflicted man.

Echoes of the Fall is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of the Fall is the third in the Earl Marcus series of mysteries set in a mountainous and rural area of North Georgia.

What a way to wake up from a whiskey bender! Dunked headfirst unceremoniously into the river several times. After the third time, Earl Marcus remembered why he was so drunk. He had run over a young man lying in his yard last night when driving buzzed home from the local gin joint.

Earl quickly realizes that the man was already dead before being run over. Earl decides to bury the body and hide the man’s truck rather than call the corrupt sheriff’s office. But he is haunted by the man. Why was he waiting in Earl’s yard? Before hiding the man’s body and truck, Earl found only the man’s phone, a bookmark, and a letter addressed to Joe. Those items lead Earl and his two friends, Ronnie and Rufus, to investigate the mysterious boy’s reform school, Harden School.

Echoes of the Fall is another enthralling mystery in this series. It can be read as a standalone too. The lush descriptions of the locale make you feel like you are riding shotgun in Earl’s truck. Earl’s friendships with Ronnie and blind Rufus feel genuine as does the animosity between Rufus and Ronnie. Earl’s relationship with Mary, so prominent in the last series entry, is now sidelined by her being away from town. Instead, Rufus’ history is revealed including how he went blind. This book is a great atmospheric almost noir-like thriller. It is highly recommended. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Early's dark, Southern/Appalachian work is new to me. I didn't know what to expect but found parts of this novel to be gritty, parts poetic, and all of it believable. The opening chapter grabbed me from the get-go. True friends; selfish, evil people; backward beliefs; stunted emotions; and hard won salvation. This book should appeal to anyone looking for a great story and especially to lovers of Southern noir.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third instalment of the superb ‘Earl Marcus’ hillbilly noir series confirms
that Hank Early deserves to mix with the giants of crime and mystery fiction

Over the last couple of years Earl Marcus has fast become one of my favourite Fictional detectives and Echoes of the Fall is the third in the series set in the small town of Riley in the mountainous regions of north Georgia. I look forward to his reappearance as much as my all-time favourite detectives John Rebus and Harry Bosch. The area the novels is set is known as the ‘Five Fingers’ named after five mountains which dominate the surrounding landscape. I would strongly recommend you read the novels in the correct sequence; beginning with Heaven’s Crooked Finger and then In the Valley of the Devil, before embarking upon this latest Earl Marcus adventure. Book three could still be read as a standalone novel, but greater enjoyment will be had by picking up the character development and many references which knit the three books together and the wider story arc which threads through this wonderful series.

Although they are not horror novels, the series does have a vague undiagnosed supernatural touch, particularly in the first two books, but ultimately they are outstandingly atmospheric thrillers with a unique sense of time and place. I’ve never drunk whiskey in the back-water honky-tonk bars described in these books or visited locations like ‘Backslide Gap’ or ‘Ghost Creek’ but this series transports directly into this other world and vividly breathes life into them. Few series use their locale better than Hank Early does, which at times is simply breath-taking and places a significant part in the success of the series. If we are talking sub-genres the Earl Marcus Mystery series could probably be called ‘Hillbilly Noir’ and ‘Appalachian Noir’ which is very popular in America at the moment and these books should be ranked amongst the very best of the genre.

Earl Marcus is a private detective who, after many years away, once again lives in his childhood hometown of Riley, and at the beginning of the novel is suffering from both personal and alcohol problems which are loosely connected to events from the previous novels. The trilogy frequently refers back to Earl’s unhappy childhood, whose father was a charismatic Pentecostal preacher who led his own church. His father’s shadow dominates the series, particularly book one and there are frequent flashbacks to his formative years as a teenager. Much of Hank’s personal problems are connected to issues with his father and his inner demons are never far from bubbling to the surface, which is another recurring theme and an aspect of his character which makes him incredibly engaging.

Many of the established characters return in this third outing; his best friends Rufus Gribble, who is blind and squats in the ruins of his father’s old church and Ronnie Thrash who both help Earl with his personal problems and his detective work. Ronnie, who is a neighbour of Earl, also has nice character development when he starts a band called the ‘Bluegrass Mountain Cult’. Although book three is predominately written in the first person from Earl’s point of view, it expands upon this and gives Rufus a much bigger role as he is facing his own inner demons, including terrific flashbacks to when he was a teenager which is connected to the major wider story arc of Echoes of the Fall.

The mystery begins when Earl discovers a dead body in his front yard and due to long running issues with the local sheriff he does not report this to the police. Instead he begins to investigate, and realising the dead man was coming to him for help and the mystery deepens. Initially Earl does not believe he can involve his friends in this case and after finding a letter in the dead man’s pocket with a cryptic message about God and rebellion the trail leads to the Harden School, a reform institution for boys. Because of spoilers, I do not want to say much more about the plot.

Fans of the series will be delighted to see further familiar characters pop-up; the dangerous redneck politician Jeb Walsh makes a seedy return, but this time out Earl’s girlfriend policewoman Mary Hawkins plays a much smaller role. Other new superb characters are added to the series including the scary ‘Hill Brothers’ who make an outstanding first appearance in a little honkytonk bar which is built almost into the woods. I sure would love to visit that place!

Although Earl is written in the first person, Rufus is written in the third and the flashbacks to his teenage years were a major highlight of the novel, which also reveals the circumstances in which he was blinded. The vague supernatural touch returns, once again, with the ‘Shadow Girl’ or perhaps she is only a figment of Rufus’s conscience?

Echoes of the Fall is an exceptionally well-developed mystery thriller and fans of the previous two novels are going to gobble this book up. Earl Marcus is a brilliant, complex and flawed main character, but due to the circumstances of this novel some readers may lose some sympathy for him, as many of his problems are of his own making. Religion was a major theme in Heaven’s Crooked Finger which also features in this new book, perhaps if Earl is to return for a fourth outing (and I hope he does) it is a subject worth avoiding and the series could do with moving in a fresh direction?

[Wm. Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I was afraid. Not of jumping and crushing my body against the bottom of the gap, but of falling and realizing too late that there was no bottom, that a man's fall could last forever and redemption was just a whisper on a long forgotten wind."

This book was fantastic! If you like mysteries-got get it! If you like well written stories-if you are a fan of Southern Gothic-go buy it now!

[Meredith Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 3 in the Earl Marcus series set in the Georgia mountains. It can easily be read as a standalone.

While it took me a while to warm up to Echoes of the Fall, once engaged in the story, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Earl Marcus is a man who can’t outrun his past. But boy, does he try.

Earl, as narrator, as a terrific voice. He often sounds homey and backwoods: not in the “uneducated hick” sense, but in the sense of the old spirituals, with their aching sadness and longing for something beyond this temporal life on earth. Religious ideology (or in some cases, idolatry!) imbues the narrative.

This may be a turn-off for some. But I live in a nearby area of the South and I can tell you, you don’t understand the rural U.S. Bible Belt if you don’t understand that religion and culture are woven together. It’s not necessarily good or bad; it just is what it is.

Every character in this book grapples with faith. What is it? Who or what is it placed in?

A religious system or cult-like figure like what Earl and his blind friend Rufus have rejected when they rejected Earl’s father’s version of Christianity?
A legend, like the one told about two Indians leaping across an impossible chasm?
A system of rules that distorts sexuality and conflates it with power rather than love, like the authorities at the Harden School have?
An absolute nothingness and faith only in unending despair and meaninglessness like the mysterious Hill brothers?
Or even just faith that being oneself is possible . . . to watch the moon as myself, as one character puts it?
This wrestling strengthens and deepens the narrative. This book could be merely a backwoods P.I. tale with local color. But this spiritual aspect adds dimension and depth to it.

Rufus and Ronnie, as Earl’s buddies, show what true friendship is. They are loyal, tough love type of guys who join together to kick Earl out of his self-imposed drunken stupor/stupidity. They do this despite their differences and alleged “hatred” for each other. Both are interesting individuals that feel complex and deep. Rufus is blind (we find out why late in the book) but manages to get around the mountain. Ronnie is a former inmate who went to jail for Earl in a previous novel. I see a lot of future stories developing from both men’s characters as they interact.

There are a few things that detracted from the tale.

1. The main female antagonist came across as a bit flat. I never found a compelling motivation for her evil doing. She seemed like a backwoods femme fatale.

The other antagonists (such as the authorities at the Harden School) also feel like by-the-book villains. Given that Early developed such interesting and complex “good guys,” it’s a shame that the antagonists fell flat.

(In Echoes of the Fall, Jeb Walsh didn’t make an appearance enough for me to see how much his character is developed. I think previous books may have had more Jeb-moments. I was intrigued by his ex-wife, though, as she’s definitely not what I–or Earl, apparently–expected. I’d really like to see her and their son make appearances in future Earl Marcus novels.)

2. There were also moments that didn’t feel believable. For example, Earl often muses about spiritual things, which I enjoy, but I find it hard to believe that he would be doing so during moments of physical peril. Once, I might believe. But it seemed to happen multiple times throughout one particularly harrowing scene on the face of a cliff, which seemed a bit much.

There was also a lengthy conversation between Earl and an antagonist when both are in immediate danger of death. This, too, seemed a bit hard to believe.

But there are plenty of terrific twists, including a few that I didn’t see coming. When I realized I’d fallen for one of the main red herrings, I was kicking myself and mentally congratulating Early for effectively fooling me.

Read this? Yes. It’s enjoyable and thought-provoking.

(I received a copy of Echoes of the Fall from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.)

[Karin Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is apparently part of a series but this reads as a great standalone. Back in the day they would have called this a hard boiled detective story or noir and it is in a way. Well-plotted with an interesting but seriously unhappy lead character. It held my interest all the way through and has me looking forward to more from this author. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

[Laurie Tell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reads like an old time hard core detective novel. If it were to be turned into a movie, I could see Hank being played by Clint Eastwood, or Jeff Bridges. It would be filmed mostly at night, or with a filtered lens.

Why am I talking about it as a movie? I'm trying to give a sense of the atmosphere, which to me was the main character.

I thought it started a little slow, but after a while I got really involved. i wanted to know what happened next. And I could visualize the story as I read it. However, it was a little too dark for me personally.

Thank you to net galley for the advance copy.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Not a stand alone book; if you really want to understand the dynamics between the characters, it’s best to have read the previous books in the series, which I did not. The base plot was good, but the antics of the hero were somewhat ludicrous. He jumps off a roof into a garden pond ( yet his cell phone still works?). Tries to jump across a gorge, ends up clinging to a small outcropping, yet bruised and battered (should be dead), manages to squeeze through a crevasse into a cave. Has no light in said cave, yet walks through and finds his way out, yadda, yadda, you get the picture. Not bad for a man in his 50’s.

I would pass on this one, unless this is your cup of tea.

[Ron Dickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My last read of 2019 fell over into 2020 ECHOES OF THE FALL, the third book in the Earl Marcus series by Hank Early​​, is a gripping, heartbreaking thrill ride. It’s tough to maintain the momentum and quality in a series character, but Early does it with aplomb.

You don’t need to pick up the first two in the series to understand what’s going on, but they’re all worth your time. HEAVEN’S CROOKED FINGER is the first and IN THE VALLEY OF THE DEVIL is second.

Go and experience Earl Marcus. Then thank your lucky stars you aren’t him!

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. It was a mystery comparable to Hillerman ‘s work.
It has wonderfully imperfect characters and beautiful set with fast paced plots.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

[LianaReads blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being my first read by the author I didn’t knew what to expect. I have mixed feelings though because I have questions that I think I will find the answer in the first two books in the series and also I loved a lot of moments in this book just because I went blind and tried to see if I can predict something. Some turns I got it right, some I didn’t and that’s a bonus for me.
I liked that the characters are depicted very real and relatable with real person as in greedy, traitors and hungry for power and success with no conscience. The main character is struggling with real life problems that only a few authors are writing about it and again another bonus for me.
There are fast paced moments, there are slow downs ones as there are many other questions that I need answers to and hopefully will get them in the next books.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Echoes of the Fall by Hank Early is a gritty mystery set in rural Georgia. Although this newest release is the third installment in the Earl Marcus Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone,

Earl Marcus's latest case literally begins in his own yard with the discovery of a murdered man. Unable to trust the local sheriff's department to investigate, he turns to his close friends, Rufus Gribble and Ronnie Thrash to help him unravel the mysterious death. Earl's search for the victim's identity and that of his killer leads him a local reform school which has unexpected ties to his nemesis Jeb Walsh. Will Earl, Rufus and Ronnie untangle the twisted web that is inexplicably and unexpectedly connected to Rufus's distant past?

With his girlfriend, Mary Hawkins, now living out of state, Earl is relying heavily on whisky to help quiet his demons.   Rufus and Ronnie grow alarmed as their friend's drinking spirals out of control. With their help, he manages to stay mostly sober during the investigation. Armed with little more than the victim's first name, a bookmark and a letter from the mysterious Dr. Blevins, Earl's search for answers leads him to the Harden School which has a bit of a dubious  history.

Unbeknownst to Earl, Rufus is also struggling with the ghosts of his past.  When the investigation takes an unanticipated turn, he finds himself face to face with his own troubled and unresolved history.  Rufus is in the middle of revealing  his long held secrets to Earl when he is ruthlessly kidnapped and forced to reckon with the mistakes he made as a young man.

Despite a somewhat slow start, Echoes of the Fall is an intriguing mystery that is quite riveting. Earl is achingly fallible as he self-destructs after making a whisky fueled decision and the implosion of his personal life. Rufus reflects on his own shortcomings as he attempts to escape from his increasingly perilous predicament.   Hank Early brings this dark mystery to an edge of the seat, explosive finale.  Another deeply satisfying addition to the Earl Marcus Mystery series that will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's never a good thing to find a dead body on your front lawn, whether you are hung over or not. Earl Marcus makes the rather astounding decision to disappear it in order not to be a suspect by the newly elected sheriff. He then sets out to find out what happened, especially the nature of the connection to the Harden School, which is tied into his arch enemy Jeb Walsh. This is Georgia noir, complete with some philosophizing, and a damaged protagonist who is mercifully assisted by his friends and his girlfriend Mary. Told alternately from the point of view of Earl and his friend Rufus, this one has some good twists. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is part of the series but it should be fine as a standalone because Early give you enough back story (but not too much for those who have read the earlier installments.)

[Night Runner · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 27%

It kills me giving 1 Star review as I know the authors put in a lot of effort to write their stories.

I will probably skip HE's books in the future as he allows his political views to permeate his stories. I don't care if the author is a liberal, conservative or a libertarian, when you have to insert every hot button issue or talking point in your story, it makes it feel like sitting through hours and hours of campaign ads.

In this story, nearly all police officers and conservative politicians are pure evil who are willing to frame or kill anyone who gets in their way. Men live only to oppress women and Gay people

If you entwine the hard core elements of your ideology into your books, maybe add a political fluff tag so it will allow those of us who read to escape the harsh political landscape to skip the story and not bring down the book's rating.

[Staci Troilo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stakes are the highest we've seen them in this third installment of the Earl Marcus series. Not only is the peril increasing, but our hero finds himself increasingly on his own. The cabal is now barely operating in secret and has targeted Earl. His life is a mess BEFORE a man is murdered in his driveway... and sirens in the distance suggest the police are on the way. Earl has to get creative in his quest to stay out of jail while solving the crime, and his investigation unveils Rufus's painful past and puts him in danger. This is an intriguing exploration into the theme of family dysfunction and how it shapes a person.

[Charissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Troubled characters, strange holier than thou attitudes, and a backwoods police force has introduced this book as a very intriguing read.

The Harden School, an old, isolated campus surrounded by barbed wire and locked gates, and a outdated philosophy. The school has become a reform school for homosexuals that old powers believe can be “changed” into heterosexuals. Politics and old judge mental “rulers” have caused murders, suicide, and twisted outcomes.
Thank you netgalley for a preview copy.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
This was the third in a series featuring PI Earl Marcus. Though I think it might me best to have read the first two, this held up fairly well as a stand-alone. The mystery was decent and I kind of enjoyed the noir feel.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of the Fall is about Earl losing the race for sheriff and then finding a body on his front lawn accompanied by a cryptic letter. As he digs into who the dead man is, As Earl starts digging for the truth he finds himself knee deep in corruption and something he never expected.

Great read.

[Jennifer T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this dark Southern noir mystery trilogy especially on audio listening to the warm, dulcet tones of Craig Jessen. I don’t think Mr Early is going to write anymore about Earl and his small part of Georgia, but I sure wish he would. Highly highly recommend all 3 books.

[Bob Morrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not best read- Georgia mountains- reform school to convert gay boys-small town boss hoggs,and rich guys controlling everything- not my favorite author from this read.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Earl becomes a drunken horn dog with predictable consequences.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy read with a great story line and wonderful characters. I love a good mystery and this was perfect!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great mystery book that, in the end, grabs you. I never got this till the end. Well written book.

[Lisa Whitehead · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story about a southern boarding school for teen boys that tries to convert them from gay to straight. The book was a bit crude and the personalities were a bit overstated.

[Avid (Maria) Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a first book for me by this author.

This story follows PI Earl Marcus and his quest to find out how a dead body found outside his home has a connection with The Harden School. An isolated school with a big fence and barb wire.

With the help of his friends Ronnie and Rufus, Earl wants to get to the
bottom of things.

This story did have some action and mystery to it,but I neededicated a little bit more. I felt the ending did left me with many questions. We're Rufus and Harriet able to meet again. Did the town ever find out what a corrupt person Jeb Walsh was?.

Thank you Net galley and Crooked Lane Books for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.