Dangerous Consequences

Sheriff Hank Worth #5

by Claire Booth

Fans of Steven F. Havill's Posadas County and Lisa Regan's Josie Quinn series will enjoy this fascinating and complex story set in small-town Missouri.


Elderly tourists visiting Branson, Missouri for a fun time are instead becoming so sick and disoriented they end up in the ER with Dr Maggie McCleary. She asks the sheriff to investigate and, because he happens to be her husband, Hank Worth readily agrees.


When the tour operator denies responsibility, Hank digs deeper leaving Chief Deputy Sheila Turley to handle a simmering revolt within the ranks. Their policy to eliminate overtime pay has infuriated many long-time deputies. Those fired for insubordination have filed a lawsuit, while those still there sabotage Sheila at every turn.


With pressure mounting, they're called to a hit-and-run accident. But the victim's injuries haven't been caused by a car . . . she's been beaten to death and dumped by the side of the road. And she was someone they knew.


Will the victim's aggressive business dealings come to haunt them all? And can Hank and Sheila save their department from destruction?

Genres: Mystery

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2022

About the author

Claire 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.

Reviews

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanks wife has a problem at the local hospital, there's an unusual amount of old people coming in with various symptoms. The only thing they have in common is that they are tourists seeing a show. Dangerous Consequences by Claire Booth is the fifth book about Sheriff Worth in Branson, Missouri. Now I am up to date in this series and awit with excitement for book seven which will be out later this year. I have had a great time getting to know the characters in this series so masterfully created by this author. Oh, there is murder as well.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dangerous Consequences is the fifth book in the Hank Worth Mystery Series. I've read each of the prior books but enough information about the main characters and prior storylines that it also works as a standalone. Sheriff Hank Worth and his Chief Deputy Sheila Turley have been trying to clean up the sheriff's department which has created a division amongst the members of law enforcement in the small tourist town of Branson, Missouri. This division has an effect on how cases are being investigated and becomes out of control when a deputy's life is put in danger.

I really enjoy this series because of the setting and the characters. I am very familiar with the real life town of Branson, so it's fun to see how its unique blend of typical small town and popular tourist destination plays an important role in these stories. In terms of the characters, I like the teamwork between Hank and Sheila. I am also enjoying the character of Deputy Sam Karnes, who is very involved in a murder investigation while Hank and Sheila are busy with many other issues. I like Hank's relationship with his wife, Dr. Maggie McCleary, and the part she plays in bringing a case to her husband's attention that involves a wicked way of increasing timeshare sales. This is a solid installment in an entertaining series that would appeal to fans of J.A. Jance or Steven F. Havill. 

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Severn House. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since his wife is a physician at the local hospital, sheriff Hank Worth hears about the elderly tourists to Branson arriving at the hospital disoriented and with low glucose levels. But he's also concerned about a death that is assuredly not a hit-and-run, and the fact that he's being sued by some deputies that he discharged. His deputy, a middle-aged African American woman named Sheila, doesn't let him know that she's keeping an eye on the deputies at the jail, who also are trying to bring him down.
An enjoyable addition to the list of fictional sheriffs.

[Kevintipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Dangerous Consequences: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery by Claire Booth begins, the ripple effects of the recent termination of several deputies, continue. New staff is being brought in while some of the still employed old guard continue to work from within against Sheriff Hank Worth and Chief Deputy Sheila Turley. The rot within the department still lingers, but getting rid of the rest of the folks who need to go is not going to be easy.

A far more immediate issue is the recent spate of emergency cases in the local hospital. Sheriff Worth’s wife, Maggie McCleary, is a doctor and personally knows of a couple situations that troubled her. She did some quiet investigating on her own and identified at least ten cases of elderly patients who have to be treated in the last month for dehydration and other issues. All were tourists. All were part of various tour groups. Whether it is all a massive coincidence or something the Sheriff’s department as well as Branson City Police Department should be looking at, she does not know. She does now something is not right and she is worried.

So, she brought what has been happening to her husband. Like those of us who were lucky to have been married to a very smart women and caring woman, Sheriff Worth knows Maggie is almost never wrong. If she believes something is going on, it most certainly is happening. The real question is why it is happening, who is involved besides the elderly victims, and how to stop it before more are imperiled and somebody dies.

These storylines and others combine into another excellent installment with Dangerous Consequences. A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery by Claire Booth. As in the preceding books, ongoing character development and storyline arcs continue, so it is best to have read the preceding books. Mystery, action, and the occasional laugh out loud funny moment make this read, and the series, one of my favorites. Highly recommended.


My reading copy came from the author with no expectation of a review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2022

[Sue Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-crafted mystery grounded in police procedures in the Ozarks with sharp characters. The background of the characters and their stories were so seamlessly presented, I never felt lost even though this was the 5th in the series and my first. For me, the highlight was the sense of place. Several of the plot points really would not transfer to many other locales. The small town dynamics and intradepartment difficulties could be almost anywhere though. The death of a realtor and pattern of illness among elderly attendees at tourist shows open the story. Adding this to my don't miss series list.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this fifth entry in the Henry Worth series and plan to pick it up with book 1. Hank is the elected county sheriff in Branson County, Missouri. We quickly learn that three new recruits have been trained and are starting work in the wake of several employee terminations. The department is deeply divided over a budgetary decision to allow no overtime, in order to maintain a full staff. Hank's wife, Maggie is the ER doctor in town. She has noticed that an unusually large number of older bus tourists have ended up in the hospital with dehydration and low blood sugar issues while attending some of the entertainment venues. Hank agrees to take a look at the issue. Booth does a nice job weaving in department politics, the advancement and performance of various less experienced people and the new recruits, the Chief Deputy Sheriff's efforts to quietly keep a handle on how bad the remaining angry employees are making things for the newbies or less experienced folks, and in general, a character named Earl who is a civilian clerk with more common sense in his pinkie than most of the folks around him. There is a murder, the victim not quite likable so we have a number of good suspects. There is a bigwig that Hank has never cared for who he is sure is involved somehow. There are the County Commissioners, with one anti-sheriff bozo and others not willing to adequately fund the department. All in all it's a great cast of characters with some very original plot twists and some lessons on effective community policing and doing the right thing. I was sleepy when I started the book. Booth starts many sections of the book without identifying the character who we are reading about. I had to go back and pick up her style but it was a very enjoyable technique once I read the whole book wide awake.

[Grace Koshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheriff Hank Worth's doctor wife Maggie is worried about an increased number of older tourists coming to the ER. Hank learns they got sick & disoriented after being forced to sit through long shows without being fed. The tour operator denies any wrongdoing but the high pressure tactics to force them to buy Branson timeshares verged on elder abuse.

Meanwhile, last year's policy to eliminate overtime pay led to several deputies being fired for insubordination. Chief Deputy Sheila Turley is dealing with the aftermath, including an impending lawsuit by the worst troublemakers & continuing harassment of the newest hires by the remaining disgruntled deputies. Sheila's budget-saving attempts are blown out the window when a hit-and-run accident of Vivian Gillam turns out to be murder. Was Vivian's aggressive real estate business dealings the motive for her murder? The ongoing feud between Worth, a county commissioner, as well as a wealthy developer are also added into the mix to provide plenty of tension, twists and suspects.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Severn House. All opinions are my own.

[Richard Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun read as we follow county sheriff staff Hank, Sam and Sheila, along with several other key characters, as they navigate the political waters of law enforcement on a shoestring budget in Branson, MO.

Hank's wife, a doctor, asks him to look into a rash of ER visits by elderly patients in town for time share presentations. While investigating this, the murder of a mysterious woman from Chicago who caters to the rich and famous as they visit Branson, takes center stage. Are the two cases related? Hank and Sheila think so. But will they solve the crimes in time to save other potential elderly victims? And themselves?

Good page turner!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a marvelous series. The characters and sense of place are outstanding--smallish town Branson, MO, with its' tourists and big city problems have been a good vehicle for these mysteries. Sheriff Hank Worth capably leads his department while second in command Shelia is tasked with HR and overtime issues. Young cop Sam has his own rookie in this book, and it has been fun to follow his growth to someone who can train a new cop. Hank's wife. an emergency room doctor, asks Hank to look into the rise in elderly admits to emergency from tour groups. Meanwhile, a hit and run turns into a murder investigation and the twists and coincidences kept me reading and guessing until the end.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I read in this series and it's even better than the first one.
The author did an excellent job in delivering a solid mystery, fleshed out characters, and an interesting setting.
I liked the storytelling and the solid plot kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Keith Raffel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew that Branson, Missouri was such a sinister place? Leave it to Sheriff Hank Worth and Chief Deputy Sheila Turley to get to the bottom of the evildoings. The plotlines are expertly knitted together in this compelling tale of change, corruption, justice. Just climb on board and put your trust in Ms. Booth's bravura storytelling skills.

[Paula Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing as always with a surprise wrap up. I have to quickly find out if there’s a sixth book in the series. I am ready for it!

[John Sargent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and a fast read. Good plot

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting even better but I don't think this one should be read as a stand alone. Think it's best to start with number one and enjoy them all.

[Andrea Scollay · Rating 5 out of 5]

You think you know and then it twists and turns to something else. Loved this latest addition to the Hank Worth novels. Great attention to details with the writing and facts.

[JMM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Claire Booth’s Sheriff Hank Worth mysteries! In this latest one, while elderly tourists are collapsing in unusual numbers, a departmental staff revolt complicates matters, and a hit-and-run case turns out to be more than expected. Booth juggles the storylines while continuing to develop her likeable main characters, the sheriff and his right-hand, Chief Deputy Sheila Turley. These characters will definitely keep me returning to Booth’s fictional Branson!

[Becky Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Consequences by Claire Booth continues the saga of Sheriff Hank Worth and his family and friends as they work to find out why so many elderly people are ending up in the emergency room. The location of Branson, Missouri and the storyline of time shares and the lengths developers will go to, to get people signed up made this a great book in the series.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author skillfully weaves together multiple plot lines into a cohesive story with plenty of plot twists and a number of likely suspects. The characters are well written, and I particularly like how she brings in new characters and allows them to grow and develop both professionally and in their personal lives as the series goes on. This was a hard story to put down.