Twentymile

by C. Matthew Smith

When wildlife biologist Alex Lowe is found dead inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it looks on the surface like a suicide. But Tsula Walker, Special Agent with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch, isn’t so sure.

Tsula’s investigation will lead her deep into the park and face-to-face with a group of lethal men on a mission to reclaim a historic homestead. The encounter will irretrievably alter the lives of all involved and leave Tsula fighting for survival – not only from those who would do her harm, but from a looming winter storm that could prove just as deadly.

A finely crafted literary thriller, Twentymile delivers a propulsive story of long-held grievances, new hopes, and the contentious history of the land at its heart.

PRAISE FOR TWENTYMILE:

"[A] taut, page-turning thriller . . ."
--Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"In C. Matthew Smith’s engrossing novel Twentymile, a park service biologist turns up dead in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and discord regarding annexed land fuels a treacherous chase....a disturbing, potent thriller about ownership and trespassing, as well as unrealized dreams and aggression."
--Foreword Reviews

"Twentymile is packed with everything I love: A strong, female character; a wilderness setting; gripping storytelling; masterful writing. . . I loved every word. A beautiful and brutal and extraordinary debut."
--Diane Les Becquets, bestselling author of Breaking Wild and The Last Woman in the Forest

"Original, intelligent. . . Twentymile is an accomplished first novel from a talented and fully-formed writer."
--James McLaughlin, Edgar Award winning author of Bearskin

“Twentymile is a moody, atmospheric tale of family, vengeance, and anger too-long held, all set in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Ultimately, it is the story of reaching for- discovering and recovering- home, and how such a complicated yearning can play out on both sides of the law."
--Steph Post, author of Miraculum, Lightwood, and A Tree Born Crooked​

"Smith’s spellbinding debut takes readers on a murderous journey through the backwoods of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. . . A thrilling and evocative tale."
--Scott Graham, National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of Canyonlands Carnage

"A highly enjoyable read suited best to those who like their thrillers to simmer for awhile before erupting in a blizzard of action and unpredictability with a future promise of grander adventures."
--Kashif Hussain, Best Thriller Books

"C. Matthew Smith's gripping tale centers around the history of our public lands and the people who use and protect them. Twentymile is a tremendously entertaining first novel from a writer who knows how to spin a good yarn."
--Rob Phillips, bestselling author of The Cascade Killer, Cascade Vengeance, and Cascade Predator

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Crime, Fiction

325 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2021

About the author

C. Matthew Smith is the author of the novel Twentymile, a nominee for the 2022 Georgia Author of the Year Award in the category of Detective/Mystery fiction. Matt’s short stories have appeared in and are forthcoming from numerous outlets, including Mystery Tribune, Mystery Weekly, Close to the Bone, and Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir Vol. 3 (Down & Out Books). He’s a member of Sisters in Crime and the Atlanta Writers Club.

Reviews

[Vicki Herbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Don't Let Others
Take What Is Yours...

TWENTYMILE
by C. Matthew Smith

No spoilers. 4 stars. Harlan Miles knew he should've kept the group moving. Make them disappear into the forest...

They had made this journey many times, and they had never encountered another soul along the way...

Until now...

A stranger blundered into their path, and now Harlan had to kill him...

They were on their final trip and didn't want any witnesses...

Afterward...

They left the trail and melted into the wilderness of the forest...

Harlan had a cabin in the backwoods of the forest on land taken from his family generations ago when the government exercised eminent domaine...

You don't let others take what is yours...

Later, another body was found in a stream behind the Twentymile Ranger Station. It appeared to be a suicide by gunshot...

But...

Special Agent Tsula Walker smells something fishy. She is eventually assigned the case...

... which will require her to backpack into the national park to investigate...

Trouble is...

There is an expected monster snowstorm, and she needs to get in and out of the park the same day with the evidence before the weather destroys it...

This story really took off at the halfway point and became a page-turner. It is unsettling to dwell on what lurks in the deep and vast outdoors, where the weather can turn on a dime and suddenly become deadly.

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

TWENTYMILE by C. Matthew Smith is an intense thriller featuring a female Cherokee SBI agent as the protagonist and is set in the scenic and beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Qualla Boundary.

SBI Special Agent Tsula Walker has returned home to her childhood home to care for her mother in the Qualla Boundary. When a Parks Service wildlife biologist is found dead in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park nearby, Tsula is sent to investigate.

Tsula’s investigation leads her deep into the park where she comes face-to-face with a man, his two teenage sons and a friend who are willing to do anything to reclaim a historic homestead they believe stolen by the government. Tsula barely escapes the homestead with her life and runs deep into the park while the men continue to hunt her down. She ends up not only trying to survive her attackers, but also a deadly winter storm which could end up killing her as well.

This is such an intriguing thriller on many levels. The investigation and wilderness chase kept me turning the pages. The questions posed by characters throughout the story regarding land rights and the contentious fights that continue today were interspersed and examined from many sides without slowing the pace of the story and I never felt like I was getting an information dump or being preached to. Tsula is a unique and intriguing character with a very interesting background. She has a strong sense of family, is physically strong, brave, intelligent and wants to be the best SBI agent she can be. I would love to follow Tsula’s adventures in future books.

I highly recommend this beautifully written and intriguing thriller!

[Stephen R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark and beautiful thriller written in intelligent and enjoyable prose. The story unravels slowly and subtly, offering the reader just enough to keep them gripped and longing for more. Each chapter hops between the perspective of different characters, giving us a depth of understanding around the story and also helping to pace the narrative.

The main character, Special Agent Tsula Walker, is a likable protagonist who the reader can identify with but also look up to for her bravery and tenacity. The pace escalates until it eventually explodes, as we follow Tsula trying to uncover a murder masked as a suicide.

[J.B. Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. It strikes a great balance between fast-paced thriller and prose-beautiful literary novel. The main plot is well mixed with a “pull of two-worlds” subplot.

This novel is well done and I expect big things from this writer.

If you like Elmore Leonard, David Joy, and C.J. Box this book is for you.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

An edge of the seat thriller – and a debut novel of substance!

Georgia author C. Matthew Smith earned his degree in English from Davidson College and in Law from the University of Georgia. He is a practicing attorney who has published short stories in Mystery Tribune, Mystery Weekly, and Close To The Bone among others. He is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Atlanta Writers Club. TWENTYMILE is his debut novel.

Revealing a keen sense of atmospheric creativity, Matthew opens his story with a strange murder scene as follows: ‘May 10 The same moment the hiker comes upon them, rounding the bend in the trail, Harlan knows the man will die. He takes no pleasure in the thought. So far as Harlan is aware, he has never met the man and has no quarrel with him. This stranger is simply an unexpected contingency. A loose thread that, once noticed, requires snipping. Harlan knows, too, it’s his own fault. He shouldn’t have stopped. He should have pressed the group forward, off the trail ad into the concealing drapery of the forest. That, after all, is the plan they’ve followed each time: Keep moving. Disappear.’

The dark journey in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina provides one the more scintillating thrillers, and the adventure is outlined as follows: ‘When wildlife biologist Alex Lowe is found dead inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it looks on the surface like a suicide. But Tsula Walker, Special Agent with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services and a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, isn’t so sure. Tsula’s investigation will lead her deep into the park and face-to-face with a group of lethal men on a mission to reclaim a historic homestead. This encounter will irretrievably alter the lives of all involved and leave Tsula fighting for survival – not only form those who would do her harm, but from a looming winter storm that could prove just as deadly. A finely drafted literary thriller, TWENTYMILE delivers a propulsive story of long-held grievances, new hopes, and the contentious history of the land at its heart.

C. Matthew Smith gives evidence of a strong new voice on the literary scene. His writing is crisp, involving, and beautifully descriptive, able to secure the reader’s attention form the first page to the last. An impressive debut, this! Highly recommended.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tsula is a strong, talented woman. She’s also stubborn. As in “get out of my way” stubborn.

As a National Park Services Special Agent she starts investigating a couple corpses found in the park. The second one being a wildlife biologist found near Twentymile station. Alex Lowe appears to be a suicide, but Tsula can’t leave it at that. It just doesn’t feel right.

She decides to follow his last trail through the wilderness. What she finds endangers both her and the agent who accompanied her.

The story line includes four men who decide to set up a self sufficient home in the deep wilderness. They will do anything to protect home and body.

Danger stalks Tsula as she runs for her life from both these men and a blizzard. If she survives life will never be the same for her.

Thank you, Mr. Smith. I look forward to more of your books.

***Book provided without charge by PICT.***

[C. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m allowed to do this, right?

These are some words I wrote in a particular order. I think they’re pretty good. I hope you enjoy them.

[Jim Thomsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

TWENTYMILE is a graceful, assured debut thriller, a major-publisher novel in small-press disguise. Its premise and execution stand sturdily alongside the stalwarts of outdoor crime fiction: Nevada Barr, C.J. Box, Peter Heller and Paul Doiron, among others, come readily to mind.

The story's structure is just as solidly constructed as its sentences. Tsula Walker has two identities that often uneasily co-exist: as a special agent with the Investigative Services Branch of the U.S. Park Service, she is seen as a rubber-stamp proxy for government interests that sometimes collide with the interests of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, of which she is an enrolled member.

It's a discomfort Tsula mosrtly tries to ignore — only her terminally ill mother, an advocate for restoring to the tribe lands which may have been taken by the government for the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in her native North Carolina. And what she comes to learn, before long, is that other parties — the descendants of displaced white settlers — are also nursing similar grievances against Tsula's employer.

When Tsula is dispatched to Twentymile Ranger Station within the park in search of a missing employee who may have met with violence, her determination to do her job and be blind to all else leads her, perhaps recklessly, into a haunting, harrowing game of murderous cat-and-mouse. For two days, she's alone against a band of grievance-crazed killers in a seldom trekked portion of the park, against harsh wintry elements.

C. Matthew Smith imbues his storytelling not only with a native's affection for the rugged beauty of the park and its wild topography, but with an equal measure of head and heart for all sides in this struggle: the bureaucratically unwieldly and sometimes slow-to-move colossus that is the Park Service; the tribe, taking some newfound political power out for a populist test drive; and the white descendants of long-gone settlers, believing in their hearts the stories they've been told all their lives about stolen land and legacies.

Rare for a debut author, Smith's prose never quivers with anxiety to be admired, but instead describes what its characters see in smooth, soothing, semi-hypnotic terms: "October color still hangs in the trees, though much diminished from its peak. Yellow birch and crimson maple leaves give way overhead and carousel slowly to the ground. Nearby, anglers wade into the river and cast lures in search of skittish trout. Tsula closes her eyes and takes in the susurrus of the stream as it flows around smoothed rocks rising up from the riverbed" is one early, foundational example. And I also liked "In time the The moon hovers over the trail, a bright and gleaming scythe. The white blanket of snow catches the light and returns its own spectral glow."

The cat-and-mouse games that makes up most of the second half of TWENTYMILE is skillfully drawn, without any garish imagery or extended interiority. They remind me of the best such scenes in C.J. Box's novels, in which character is just as much at issue as survival, and the combination turns something that could be single-dimensional and dry into something juicy and robust and compelling.

Tsula Walker has the makings of a durable series character whose layers of depth promise to be slowly unpeeled in future adventures. She's no schematic feminist, though she's clearly self-reliant and constructively defiant to a degree that makes some in her orbit less than comfortable: "Owing to the advice of an early mentor, Tsula has forged a habit of avoiding outward displays of anger. A lot of men don’t know what to do with an angry woman other than dismiss her, the mentor told her. That’s true of witnesses. It’s true of suspects. It’s even true of your colleagues. You gotta give some dude push-back, try smart-*ss instead. Guys understand smart-*ss. They’ve been at it since they were like five."

In Smith's hands, there's nary a hint of male gaze, but even with the insertion of a backstory about a tragically lost young love, her feminine side is downplayed to the point of almost disappearing. At first that was a distraction, then I came to see, or believe, that we're just seeing one layer among many to come in what hopefully will be a series. The ending, which hints at a truce and maybe more between Tsula and one of her tribal antagonists, seems tailor-made for a cliffhanger for a second book. This reader, for one, can't wait.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Nov 20









COYER # 22 Read a book with a one word title.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Start this book when you have time to read it in one sitting, because you won't want to put it down. I did not know our national park system has Special Agents, but this book features one, a female from the Cherokee nation.
Having lived on the East Coast for a period of time, I had the opportunity to hike the Appalachian Trail several times (no, not the whole thing!) and could easily picture the many settings featured in this book.
Well described survival skills come into play as a key component of the action in some very harsh conditions as the female Special Agent is being chased by a deranged man who thinks he has the right to reclaim his family home in the park, ready to kill anyone who disagrees.
There is a lot to like about this book. This is a debut novel from this author and I will be sure to be on the lookout for his next book. Great read!

Kindle Unlimited

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from Publicity team. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The description of Twentymile intrigued me and I knew I wanted to read it.  When I started reading, I was quickly absorbed into the world, the characters and story.   I liked the setting of North Carolina.  The main character, Tsula, is a federal agent, but grew up in the area, part of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

I had only recently learned more about the historical aspects of this area.  First the Cherokee Indians lived there and were forced out to make way for European settlers.  Then the settlers were bought out to form the National Park.  Neither the Indians or the settlers were thrilled about leaving the land and those grudges are long held.  It makes for a tenuous situation in the area.

When park personnel are found dead, Tsula is sent to investigate.  She had an earlier case in the area but wasn't able to resolve it.  People want her to claim this death is suicide, but some things niggle at her and she wants to go investigate the GPS locations of where he was last known before his death.

She and a ranger from Alex's own park go to look into what he might have been doing on the western edge of the park.  There is a storm coming in soon, so they go on horseback so they can come back the same day.  Quickly, they run into the settlers trying to reclaim their historical homestead which is now part of the park.

It turns into an exciting battle for survival between Tsula, the men who want her dead and the deadly storm.  Tsula is a strong and relatable character. She has great skills and experience.

I hope this is only the beginning and there will be more stories about Tsula and the National Parks she serves. There is also room for plenty of personal growth and the development of a support circle with her recent move back to this area, and being single.  I enjoyed Twentymile immensely and highly recommend it.



COYER # 22 Read a book with a one word title.

[Charlotte Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow burning gold!

A slow burn thriller that had me turn pages without realising it. Plush with details that help build an intriguing story, Twentymile immerses you into cultures and struggles that you wouldn't usual think about.
Special Agent Tsula Walker is sharp, intelligent and definitely not a fool! She sees things that others miss and can hold her own......I do love a strong female character that happens to be our main one too.
Perfect for a first or fifty-first foray into thrillers, you won't be disappointed.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening to Twentymile reads like a post-apocalyptic struggle-to-survive novel as it introduces Harlan, his two sons, and a fellow traveler as they move through the North Carolina mountains seeking their sought-after safe destination. Moving forward, this novel is not a science-fiction tale, but instead, a story about a small group of people trying to reclaim a heritage, time, and place they have come to believe is lawfully theirs. The group also is more than willing to do anything to obtain what they consider to be their just reward - even murder.

As the story follows their journey, Tsula Walker, a Special Agent with the National Park Service, is tasked with investigating the suspected suicide death of wildlife biologist Alex Lowe. Lowe had been conducting research in the North Carolina mountains and was discovered dead with a pistol by his side.

Because Tsula has discovered anomalies in GPS tracking data involving Lowe, she and another investigator then enter the mountains to re-trace Lowe's movements and soon find themselves in a tale about justice, survival, and what things people must do to stay alive. Included in the story are interesting backstories of all involved and elements that aptly develop each character and the plot.

Twentymile was a pleasant surprise upon reading and is deserving of praise that other novelists have ascribed and is recommended to those that enjoy adventure-hunt-and-pursuit novels.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, this is one suspenseful novel with a tough heroine. Smith's writing style drew this reader in and kept me turning pages. I like the location and the historical information about taking land for the national park and the rights of the original land owners. That background is cleverly woven into the suspenseful plot.

I am critical of a couple of aspects of the novel. One is creating suspense by having the heroine go forward into a potentially deadly storm. I personally feel that is an overused way of generating suspense. The other aspect of the novel is changing location and character central to a chapter. Some chapter headings have the day and year but occasionally I was surprised at the change from a background story to the present day without identifying the change. So do pay attention as the narrative does jump around. It works in moving the plot forward while including past material but was a bit fragmented for my taste.

This is a good suspenseful novel for readers like me who love hiking in national parks. One should always be prepared for the unknown when hiking but this novel takes that suggestion to new heights. I am impressed with this debut effort and will certainly be watching for the next novel from Smith.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Reading-for-life (Angela Sanford) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twentymile by Author C. Matthew Smith was outstanding! Being the first book I have read by this amazing author, I can honestly say that I am completely hooked! When Tsula Walker, a special agent with the National Park Service, returns to her childhood home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to care for her ailing mother, she doesn't know that soon she will be fighting for her life as well. Working an apparent suicide case, Tsula soon discovers that the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains are hiding a group of men that want to return to a time in history when everything was self sustained. Will Tsula find them before the beautiful mountains of her childhood claims another innocent victim? The first word that came to mind when I first started this thriller is WOW! I was engrossed from page one and it only got better! Being a North Carolina resident, I am always thrilled to read books that have my beautiful state as the setting. I was seeing the places the characters were talking about in my mind, and in my opinion, it made me the book even better! I applaud Author C. Matthew Smith for the great plot twists and amazing character development. I will keep my eye out for more great works written by my new favorite go to author! I was given a copy of this ARC by the author, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are truly my own!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twentymile by C. Matthew Smith is truly one of the best stories I have read - it's well oriented, socially relevant, thoughtful, intriguing, interesting, descriptive, educational, historical, suspenseful... It has man v man, man v nature, man v authority. The characters are intentionally created. I am deeply drawn to the protagonist, Tsula Walker, specifically her strength and resilience, but, likewise, I have compassion for the antagonist, Harlan Miles: not his methods, by any means, but in the telling of his backstory, I understand his purpose and the motivation that drives him. The setting, the Great Smoky Mountains, and weather, a harsh winter storm, are characters in themselves that are pivotal in adding climatic tension to bring the novel full circle. The story is so well-crafted, it is hard to believe it is a debut novel. I am looking forward to adding more C. Matthew Smith's works to my library.

[Theodore Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just got back from being on the road for a bit, flew back and forth across the country, read a couple books. One was Donald Ray Pollock’s Knockemstiff, and lots of folks have had plenty to say about that amazing collection, peripherally recommended to me by Stephen Graham Jones. The other, maybe less known, but still knockemout in its own way, was C. Matthew Smith’s Twentymile from Latah Press.
I haven’t been reading a ton of novels lately, so I started it with a little trepidation, poked away at it, hmmmed it, held it, hawed it, and remembered that some stories take time, and if you’re lucky, they’ll pay off.
Bingo. This is one of those books. It pulled me in even as I pushed back a little, a son of Smiths and Walkers, half my family from the Tennessee side of things, Blount County, Cades Cove in particular, just about…twenty miles as the crow flies from both Twentymile Ranger Station and the Shuckstack Fire Tower. Yup.
Ranger stations, fire towers, the TN-NC border area in the big and wild Smokies, those are your referents and settings. Smith does an excellent job of sketching and filling in the characters who inhabit them, setting a clock, preluding the action, building tension, all of it, to be sure, but he does it with a seamless and compelling approach, and in the rare and special way that gets you to the yes! a fkn page-turner point, and it takes off from there. Thank you, Mr. Smith.
The plot and synopsis are easily available and so rather than give them to you, I’d prefer you went and read them right before you order this excellent offering from wherever you get your book on. I’m delighted to say that Twentymile reads like it’s the third or fourth book in a rich and wondrous run, gives me the same happy feels I get when I pick up a James Lee Burke, or a Robert B. Parker. Smith at the moment has said there’s no new adventures planned for Special Agent Tsula Walker, but I know his Twitter handle and I’m just gonna keep bugging him ‘til she comes back. Everytime. Until she’s got the big series she deserves.

[Just another reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly written thriller. The story revolves around SBI Special Agent Tsula Walker, who has had to get back to her childhood home at Qualla Boundary to care for her mum. Little does she know that the beautiful smoky scenic mountains would hold a nasty death that Tsula has no choice but to investigate. It's a survival tale, packed with elements of adventure, action, historical politicism, and intrigue, all woven into one.
The pacing is splendid and the characters show remarkable depth and many different facets. I absolutely loved the way Tsula's characterization is carved, with her being a hero and a vulnerable human at the same time. My sincere thanks to Smith, the publishers Latah Books, and PICT for gifting me with a copy of this book.

[Pat Fayo Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would never have expected this book to be as intriguing and tantalizing as it turned out to be knowing that this was the author’s debut novel. From page one until the end, the author held my interest with the well written descriptive book and well developed characters. From the location of the Great Smoky mountains, intertwined with the historical information about the Cherokee Indians, and a strong female Special Bureau of Investigations protagonist, C. Michael Smith created an awesome, suspenseful thriller! Tulsa Walker is a strong, unique and resourceful character. She is very family oriented but also has the intelligent mind of an SBI agent who struggles to survive the tactics of men who are willing to do anything to reclaim a historic piece of land, and also the elements of a harsh winter storm! You have to read the book to see which gets the best of her and if and how she survives each one. The timeline of the book does not drag out, nor does the author use a lot of “fluff” to up his word count. The book has a pace full of intensity until you feel you can not take the suspense anymore and then BAM!… it explodes! I hope the author has plans to write more books with the same intensity. The book was given to me from #partnersincrimevbt but all opinions here are solely mine

[Randy Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Typically when I write a review it’s very short and basic. Either I liked the book or I didn’t. I want to say a little more about this one, though, because it was such a pleasant surprise.

If I know that a local writer has a book out, I buy it. Most of the time simply to support local writers, because so many times the books just aren’t readable. After a few pages I’m done. In this case, I happened to meet Matt by chance at a local bookstore, chatted a minute and bought his book. Honestly, I was not expecting much out of it.

Wow, was I wrong! Twentymile is an excellent book, very well written, well researched, and completely engaging. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to finish it, something I rarely do anymore. I enjoy popular fiction, but even some best-selling authors I’ve tried don’t write this well. Their characters may be overdone, such as a crusty old private eye who is too much of everything, and not believable. Or they try too hard with their descriptions, to the point where I get the impression they are more interested in impressing me with their vocabulary and writing skills than they are in adding to the story.

I found none of that in Twentymile. There’s a lot of detail and description in the book, but it always served to put me in the location or connect me with the characters. It was like I didn’t notice it, because it engaged me in the story instead of distracting me from it.

Obviously I am very high on this book and this writer. I recommend them both highly.

[Lelia Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

When I was ten years old, my family went on our first tent camping trip for our summer vacation, the first of many such trips over the coming years. The Great Smoky Mountains, specifically Balsam Mountain Campground not far from the small village of Cherokee, was our destination that summer and several more and I quickly came to love the area, the wonderful things to see and do, hiking small sections of the Appalachian Trail, and especially the history, highlighted by the outdoor play, “Unto These Hills”. That play was my initial experience with outdoor theater and, all these years later, I still remember it well; I knew the story of the Cherokee Nation but the play really made me understand. Growing up, I also camped in that setting as a Girl Scout, both trooper and leader and, to this day, it’s my favorite part of the Blue Ridge.

It’s that memory and love of the Smokies that made me take immediate interest in the description of Twentymile and I’m so very glad I decided to read it. I was quickly absorbed by the characters, good and bad, and the story behind the belligerence and vicious nature of Harlan and his family. They reminded me of the movie “Deliverance” and the reality of today’s anti-government survivalists but I also had a certain compassion for their belief that their land had been stolen—the same thing happened in my home state, Virginia and, while these families were given compensation, nothing truly makes up for it.

Tsula is a remarkable woman and everything about her rings true in her search for the truth in Alex’s murder. She’s a law enforcement officer I’d like to see much more of and, while I think there were some flaws in this book, I’ll gladly read more if this becomes a series.

[Margaret Yelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twentymile by C. Matthew Smith is a suspenseful thriller of which I really didn't know what to expect from the book. This was a new author for me, and I can say I was pleasantly surprised he was able to pull me in and keep me turning the pages. Over all I found this to be a very enjoyable read, along with a interesting plot line. The book revolves around SBI Special Agent Tsula Walker, who returns to her childhood home after many years away after her mother is diagnosed with cancer. I guess I was drawn to this book because I grew up in North Carolina and always enjoy reading books that take place in the state. Tsula is a strong, woman stubborn and set in her ways. When a wildlife biologist is found dead in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from what looks to be a suicide Tsula is called in to investigate. What follows is her search to find the answers of whether it actually was a suicide or something more sinister. The book is full of twists and turns, that keeps the book interesting. I certainly would recommend this book to others. I received a copy of the book from the author and #partnersincrimevbt, without any obligation to leave a favorable review all opinions expressed here are my own.

[Scott Semegran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twentymile by C. Matthew Smith is a thrilling novel of suspense with literary undertones. The book description from the publisher describes it best: “When wildlife biologist Alex Lowe is found dead inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it looks on the surface like a suicide. But Tsula Walker, Special Agent with the National Park Service's Investigative Services Branch and a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, isn't so sure. Tsula's investigation will lead her deep into the park and face-to-face with a group of lethal men on a mission to reclaim a historic homestead. The encounter will irretrievably alter the lives of all involved and leave Tsula fighting for survival—not only from those who would do her harm, but from a looming winter storm that could prove just as deadly.”

Tsula Walker is an engaging protagonist who juggles a stressful work life with a complicated personal life. On the job, she chases poachers and land squatters. In her personal life, her mother is invested in the discovery of a sacred ancestral site of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians even though she suffers from the effects of terminal cancer. Tsula wants to stay on top of both, but antagonist Harlan Miles complicates her life. Harlan, his two sons, and a friend have reclaimed a cabin deep in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that once belonged to his great grandfather, but was believed to have been taken by the US Government as part of the national park a century before. When Harlan and his clan are discovered, they’re not giving up this “homestead” without a fight, leading to deadly results.

Smith is an assured writer in his debut novel, weaving thrilling and suspenseful results with literary flourishes. When I expected some of the more plot-driven aspects of the novel to veer into cliché, Smith expertly steers the plot towards realism, leaning into his knowledge of hiking and backcountry camping. Smith can also turn a phrase beautifully, and offers poetic descriptions of the wooded setting as a reprieve from tense action. Most thrilling was the ending, serving up a juicy twist to the cause that Harlan used to reclaim this backcountry property as his own. This is an engrossing adventure with a deeply satisfying conclusion. Bravo!

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. I would give this book 5 stars.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twentymile by C. Matthew Smith is a literary thriller set in and around the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. A wildlife biologist has been found dead inside the park and it is apparent fairly quickly that what was staged to look like a suicide, definitely was not. Tsula Walker, Special Agent for the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch and of Cherokee descent, is brought in to lead the investigation.

For the rest of the review - which includes a Q&A with the author - go to https://www.literatureandleisure.com/....

[Mark Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tsula Walker is capable of big-picture, deep thoughts. She finds “odd comfort” in stones in the Oconaluftee River. To her, the stones represent time. They have been around long enough to see “whole continents drift apart.” The stones give her perspective. In the “literal grand scheme of things,” she realizes, her troubles are nothing.

She’s also capable of seeing what’s right under her nose, in the moment. She can reduce her world “to what is within the reach of her arms and feet,” to concentrate on the tactile details. Tsula, hard on the trail of a killer, “resists the urge to look beyond where her hands go next. Doing so can only bring about panic and mistakes.”

Tsula is a Special Agent with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch. She’s also a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She’s six-feet tall. She has an “affinity” for defensive arts. “Tsula is female, physically formidable, with skin just dark enough to inspire suspicion, if not hostility, from the small-minded—who, as it turns out, are everywhere.” She is “competent but not cocky, firm and unflappable, biting retort cocked but fired sparingly.”

C. Matthew Smith gives us plenty of Tsula and her character before the crime novel concerns of Twentymile shift into second and third gear. We first get a glimpse of Tsula’s patient-yet-determined investigative style in a brisk opening scene involving black market poaching of sea turtle eggs in Florida. We also see Tsula managing the healthcare of her feisty mother, Clara, who is being treated for cancer. This is another chance for Tsula to think big-picture and detailed, too. Looking at CT scans, Tsula ponders the body’s interior spaces and the “ordered miracle” of human anatomy.

Tsula needs all her skills to tackle the main murder case in Twentymile. There’s a whispered whiff of “maybe suicide” but we readers know better because Smith has given us an opening chapter told from the point of view of a guy named Harlan and we know precisely what Harlan has done.

Twentymile flips back and forth from Tsula to Harlan (and his kin and kind). Harlan’s crew have deep roots in the land and have their own claims and legends and family lore. And history. And privileges. Playing fair, Smith applies as much three-dimensionality to Harlan as he does to Tsula. Twentymile is built with crime fiction bones, but Smith isn’t afraid to let moments linger. Tsula believes in taking stock and evaluating best of courses of action, even when things look bleak:

“As her mind emerges from the night’s irregular sleep, she flaps her arms across her torso and sprints in place to warm her body. Then she takes inventory of the facts confronting her. She currently shelters inside the cab of a lookout tower west-southwest of Harlan’s cabin, on the spine of a high ride just off the Appalachian Trail. She has a knife and pistol but no bullets. No water and no food aside from deer jerky now frozen hard. A small amount of white gas for the stove, a flint lighter, and waterproof matches. One less clothing layer now that her undershirt lies frozen stiff on the floor. A map and a compass, but no means of communication with the outside world.”

Clear-eyed and character-driven, Twentymile is a brisk trip on a fast road with a tasty twist in the last few steps. For fans of William Kent Krueger, Nevada Barr, Craig Johnson, Christine Carbo and many others who take full advantage of an outdoor setting.

[MerrinBoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twentymile had a cleverly devised plot, with some surprising twists and turns along the way that made me doubt and wonder to the very last page. I think it is a stylistic triumph and also a very good read.

In short, Twentymile by author C Matthew Smith is an edge-of-your-seat thriller, so if you love suspense I would suggest giving this book read. It isn’t very often I read a thriller of this type where I can immediately picture it given a big screen conversion, but that is what happened here. Very highly recommended.

[Erin Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a masterclass in putting your characters in danger then tightening the screws! I love how Smith builds character, setting, and situation in a way that feels all too real, and the multiple povs was a brilliant choice to open the story up so we can see the it from many sides. This will become one of my go-to recs for people who love the outdoors, heart-thumping action, and compelling characters. Loved it!

[Curtis Ippolito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twentymile is beautifully-written, and provides the reader with an engrossing adventure to sink their teeth into. This thriller has it all. Great characters, well-structured plot, stakes, stakes, and more stakes. Highly recommend!

[Evan Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and the author is a great guy. Go buy a copy!!

[Matt Starr · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impressive debut that picks up a lot of steam after a bit of a slow start. This book really benefits from great writing, strong points of view, and quick-hit chapters that keep the plot moving forward.