Dark Hollow Road

Possum Gap #2

by Karen Ann Hopkins

Surrounded by wilderness is Possum Gap, the isolated town in Kentucky where dark secrets and violence runs rife among its people.

In this forlorn place, no-nonsense, down-to-earth sheriff, Sadie Mills, does her best to bring order and justice to a community struggling with crime, drug overdoses, and hopelessness. Aiding her is Coroner Raymond Russo, who fled New Jersey for a simpler life in rural America in a last-ditch effort to escape a family crime syndicate.

When the body of a young man is recovered from the Puissant River, evidence leads Sheriff Mills to a cold case murder and a rundown cabin in the woods. The hill country is a dangerous place, and Sadie doesn’t know if she can trust John Dover, the mysterious loner and member of the notorious Dover clan who offers to help her uncover the truth.

Events take a tragic turn when a teenaged boy from the nearby Amish settlement goes missing and Sadie suspects the cases are connected. And just when Sadie doesn’t think things can get any worse, Russo’s family shows up with revenge on their minds.

As things heat up in Possum Gap, a horrific tale from the past emerges that threatens not only Sadie’s life, but everyone she holds dear. Will the hill people unite against an outside threat to save their sheriff or leave her and the authority she represents to fate? It’s a race against time to save the lost Amish boy and battle an unthinkable evil.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2022

About the author

You can visit Karen Ann Hopkins at her website: www.karenannhopkinsfiction.com.

"I loved joining Rose and Noah during their journey in the Temptation series by Karen Hopkins."-Katie McGarry, acclaimed YA author

Karen Ann Hopkins resides in northern Kentucky with her family on a farm that boasts a menagerie of horses, goats, sheep, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, pigs, dogs, and cats. Karen rescues and fosters a variety of pets and farm animals, but she also finds time to give riding lessons, coach a youth equestrian drill team, and of course, write. She was inspired to create her first book, Temptation, by the Amish community she lives in. The experiential knowledge she gained through her interactions with her neighbors drove her to create the story of the star-crossed lovers, Rose and Noah.

Karen grew up about a mile from Lake Ontario in Upstate New York. She was bitten by the horse bug at the age of five, and after diligently taking riding lessons for several years, she was rewarded with her first horse at the age of eleven. The feisty horse's name was Lady, a Quarter Horse-Thoroughbred cross, who became Karen's steadfast companion. Through the years, the constant force in her life was horses. Eventually, Karen found her place as a riding instructor herself. Before accepting her fate in the barnyard, she worked a short stint as a paralegal, traveled abroad, and guided tourists on horseback riding tours in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Karen is currently working on her two interconnecting mystery/crime fiction series, Serenity's Plain Secrets and Possum Gap, along with several new projects.

To learn more about Karen and her books, please visit her website.

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is the second book in the Possum Gap series by Karen Ann Hopkins. After a somewhat slow start we were off and racing. Nothing much happens in the small town which includes an Amish settlement, or does it? The town is slowly shrinking and there is a drug problem. There are also two enclaves of - let’s call them hill people - the Dovers and the Calhouns. Sadie Mills, the sheriff knows that unlawful things go on in these enclaves but as long as any trouble in contained within their boundaries a blind eye is turned.

All that changes when the body of a teenage boy is fished out of the river. Clearly he didn’t simply drown as he is missing some fingers and a thumb. It who is he? There was a similar case 4 years ago and Sadie wonders if they are related. Meanwhile her coroner Raymond Russo has disappeared although he does turn up unexpectedly after this body is found.

She also seems to have caught the eye of John Dover - a member of the Dover enclave although he lives a bit apart from them. Sparks fly between the two and John has a habit of turning up when Sadie is in a bit of trouble.

After the body is identified they learn he had been missing for 4 years, WTF? Meanwhile Lucinda from the Amish settlement is concerned for a missing teenager, Albert Peachey but no one is willing to report him missing.

The Sheriff’s department is stretched thin with absences so Darcy, the admin assistant and daughter of Sadie’s best friend Tanya, dons her investigative hat and ropes in Russo, on whom she has a crush, and they go off chasing down leads like regular police. Darcy at least knows the Dovers so is allowed safe passage there. But do they stop there - no! They follow up every lead and end up in extreme danger at the mercy of a mad woman in the Calhoun clan. Things go pear shaped very quickly and the end of this book has a very “to be continued” feel about it.

I enjoyed the story and will be keen to read the next instalment as there are still many unresolved issues. Many thanks to BookSirens for providing me with a free copy which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Ann Hopkins weaves a gripping murder mystery yarn with twists and turns galore. Every time you feel you've figured out the plot, Hopkins pulls the rug from under your feet over and over again. All the main characters have well-thought-out backstories and their own plot threads that make them seem like real people with real emotions, motives, and inner conflicts. The town of Possum Gap feels lived-in, with the members of the Dover clan bringing a colorful dynamic to the proceedings, especially the scenes involving Grandma Dover. Hopkins keeps her cards close to her chest as the complete mystery only gets revealed in the last few pages. I thoroughly enjoyed Dark Hollow Road and am looking forward to reading more of this series.

[Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie Mills is the sheriff at Possum Gap, Kentucky, and is trying to get and keep control of the area, which includes an Amish settlement and some very unsavoury characters. When a young man is found dead, Sadie is set off on an investigation that involves drugs, violence and hill communities who have no love for law enforcement. Fortunately the Coroner, Raymond Russo, turns up to assist, despite his own family problems.

This is a really fast paced, well plotted and interesting read. It is told mainly from Sadies view, but also by Russo and Lucinda, an Amish housewife. Not knowing much about the Amish, it’s interesting to read not only about their lifestyle, but also that of small town America and the hill communities. This is the second in the Possum Gap series and fits in nicely with this authors Serenity’s Plain Secrets series, both featuring a strong independent woman. I read this in one sitting, late into the night, and loved it. Roll on the next in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read lots of characters with different backstories and a sheriff who takes no nonsense. All in all a good read and glad I found the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Romaine Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being the sheriff of Possum Gap Sadie finds herself dealing with the Amish community, regular town folk and the hillbillies who take care of their own problems not trusting the law.
Coroner Raymond Russo has secrets of his own that he's hiding from the smart whipped sheriff.
When a young teenager is found floating in the river Sheriff Sadie finds herself leaning on John who has hillbilly relatives. Together with Russo they try to unravel the mystery of the dead boy.
Mystery and suspense will keep you intrigued as Sheriff Sadie and John try to locate Russo and Darcy from danger putting their own lives on the line.
Thank you Booksirens and the author for a digital copy. Read and reviewed voluntarily and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this is the second in the Possum Gap series by Karen Ann Hopkins, it is a well-written novel on its own. The town of Possum Gap, in deeply rural Kentucky, is a place filled with characters who harbor secrets that threaten to overwhelm them with drug use and crime and the resulting hopelessness. As sheriff Sadie Mills seeks to bring law and order to her community, she is assisted by Raymond Russo, the coroner, whose New Jersey upbringing, makes him an instant foreigner in the closed mindedness of Possum Gap. Though there are secrets and mysteries that must be solved, the well-developed, and colorful characters make this a memorable and satisfying read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nina Foster · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as exciting as the first book of the series which I gave 5 stars. This is the 2nd of the series. It had been very slow until about the last 50 pages, then things unfolded with some action. There was a bit too much banter and conversations that led nowhere between characters and not the same amount of mystery that kept me guessing. I feel the author could have done better.

[Ruby Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Ann Hopkins delivers again

As always this Author is awesome. I love her books. They are strong with characters & keeps your heart beating fast with each page. If you love a strong woman who is a Sheriff with true grit & fighting crime in a small town this is a series you will absolutely love.

[Connie J Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possum Gap #2

Wow!! I can't wait for her next book release!!
Well done, just a hint of redneck romance and lots of angry folk carrying fire arms.
I love the connection of the Amish close by with crossovers!!
KAREN ANN HOPKINS, you are my favorite author!!

[Margaret Yelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Hollow Road is the second book in the Possum Gap series, this was a new author for me so I will be going back to read the first book. Having said that I had no problem reading this as a stand alone book. Possum Gap is a rural community in Kentucky, with a lot of backwoods folks. Sadie Mills is the sheriff so the town, and is responsible for keeping the people safe and solving the murders that are taking place in the small town. I would certainly recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC of this from BookSirens free of charge, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[John Penrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great novel.

Karen has written another great follow-up novel to her new series. Anxious to see the tie in between the two sheriffs. Look forward to seeing it soon.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Proofread Please

The story was an enjoyable read. However the many errors in the pages was very distracting. The manuscript needs to have a good proofreading before it is published.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Hollow Road is Book 2 in a series, but can definitely be read as a stand alone. Although, I'll definitely need to go back and read Book 1. Book 2 references the case in Book 1 and it sounds macabre.

Dark Hollow Road is a police procedural, told from 3 points of view, the town Sheriff, a resident of the Amish community and the town coroner.

A young Amish boy has gone missing and nobody in the community seems worried. They have all assumed he is rebelling, spending time with the English, and will come back eventually. Except one Amish woman who feels there is evil in the air. At the same time a boy is found dead in the river and the case is similar to that of another case a few years back. Is there a connection between the boys disappearance and the body found in the river.

Possum Gap is a small town in Kentucky full of drug abuse, poverty, and crime. In this book you have three groups that are quite opposite each other, a tight knit family group (clan) that doesn't take well to authority, the Amish community and the law enforcement of the small town. The author brings them together to try and figure out what happened to the boy in the river and the missing Amish boy.

This book was a quick read, the investigation didn't get going until about half way through the book, but it was unputdownable after that.

The coroner was from New Jersey whose family was part of a crime syndicate there, but who didn't follow in his families footsteps. His family plays a role in this story that felt a little unrealistic. While they played an essential role in helping the Sheriff, the scene felt a little action movie and I would have liked to see help from the Sheriff coming from the town.

Book 2 leads into book 3, coming out in 2023 and there definitely seems like a lot of set up to book 3 throughout. I'll definitely be reading it. Especially to see if romance develops for our Sheriff, there are definitely sparks between her and one of the clan that I hope develops into a romance.

I received an advance copy of this book for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Hollow Road is the second book in the Possum Gap series. This is another fantastic book in the series. While it can be a stand-alone read I highly recommend reading all of the books in order.

The devil has come to Possum Gap. The mountains and hills are full of dark and deadly secrets.

Lucinda was a main character in the previous book and is again in this one. After her children were nearly killed by a young girl she took in to care for, it has been six weeks, and she is more watchful about her children and the young ones in the community. When a young boy is found floating in the river, she is fearful that it might be the boy that has been missing for several days. When the identity is revealed, the manner of death is similar to that of another cold case.

The notorious Dover Clan figures prominently as they are in the way of solving the mystery. John Dover is also back as a potential love match with Sadie. His relationship to the Dover clan is less clear at this point.

Russo is back after a leave of absence. His two brothers follow him back and bring their own family drama in an already complex and intense story line.

Sadie has her hands full being short staffed and then Russo and Darcy go missing. Needless to say, Sadie and the crew are in danger. Help from a surprising source arrives but will they be in time.

Well, this was intense and especially riveting read. I love this series, the characters and the writing. It ticks all the boxes for me. I am looking forward to the next one.

I received an ARC from BookSirens for an unbiased review.

[Jacqueline]

I am an ARC reader and this is my honest opinion. I wanted to read this book because I read book 1 in the Possum Gap series and found myself taken into the world the author created. This, book, no.2 in the series, didn't disappoint. Possum Gap may be a small town tucked away in the Appellation mountains, but it's anything but quiet. Sheriff Sadie has a hard enough time handling the town's law and order, she is also raising her teenage daughter alone. The characterisation by this author is great - I really got a feel for the people she writes about - including coroner Russo, whose mysterious disappearance leaving Sheriff Sadie in a difficult position, turns out to be for reasons I suspected that also turned out to be fortuitous as she tackles the worst of the notorious Dover clan. Having help from a very unexpected source helps to save her life but also gives her an entirely different kind of headache. So far, with this book, this author's writing is proving to be exciting, suspenseful and leads to a goulish, then thrilling denouement. It is stated in the end notes that this particular storyline continues in book 14, Night Song, in Karen Ann Hopkins other series, Serenity Plains which I have gone on to start. Great books.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up from 2.5 stars. This should have been written in the third person because each chapter is told by one of three characters: Lucinda, an Amish woman; Sadie, the Possum Gap sheriff; or Russo, the town’s coroner. It was confusing to read “I” or “me” and have to recall who was narrating that chapter.

Early on, a body is pulled from a river, and Sadie finds a possible link to a cold case in another town. Russo appears after having been gone for several weeks under mysterious circumstances. Lucinda, who is still recovering from a recent traumatic event, is looking for a missing teenager from another Amish family.

There were several glaring typos. In Chapter 18, “their” was used in a sentence instead of “there”. In Chapter 34, the middle of a sentence had the wrong word: “… me tagging alone…”. It should have been “along”.

The stories and the characters were interesting, but the book ended in a cliffhanger, which I didn’t like.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie Mills was a sheriff in a town of Amish people also some mountain folks with not so good reputations. Amish always tried to solve their own problems their own way instead of calling the cops. Seems there was a young boy found in the river. Checking into it Sadie found a unsolved case from 4 years ago of a young boy the same age. Sounded similar circumstance to her. The Amish said oh the boys left for rumspringa probably . So much going on . Lots of names come out now, to many for me to keep track of. Whose going to side with and help the Sheriff Sadie, Amish or mountain clans? In the end they find another young boy decease in the basement of the clan family. Seemed every boy found had fingers missing. But its still not who they hoped it would be. Happened to be another young blonde haired blue eyes boy. Sheriff Serenity Adams comes to help Sheriff Sadie. Shes also one who worked in the Amish community.

[Caitlin C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read. This is the second in the series but the first I read. I was able to follow the storyline, but I think it would’ve been helpful to read the first one first. This had a good amount of suspense and twists and turns.

Sadie is the sheriff of Possum Gap. She is a single mom, raising her 16 year old daughter. Possum Gap is a pretty rural area in Kentucky. A dead boy shows up in the river and Sadie is drawn into a web of lies, drugs and violence. She is helped by the coroner, Raymond Russo, who has his own secret, and her best friends little sister.

Sadie is also aided in a way by a local Amish woman who she worked with in the last book. I loved all the plot twists and unexpected events in this book. After looking it up, I learned that there are many in another series that involves a sheriff in a nearby county. I am looking forward to reading more of her work.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan Gromis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew this was second in a series, and there was information and character development from the first book that was integral to this one, but I still chose to read this first. I should have read the first one first.
The story continues with the adventures in Dark Hollow with Sheriff Sadie trying to maintain order among the Hollow folks and the Amish residing there.
The story was engrossing and entertaining; the reason for only 3 stars is because there are more than a few grammatical errors and misspelled words that should have been caught in editing. Also, (again), this is a series, so book #2 ends with a cliffhanger, and unresolved business.
I recommend this book, but start at the series’ beginning.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could a newly found body be connected to a four-year-old case that was ruled a suicide? There are similarities in the bodies that can't be ignored. Is there a killer of teenage blond boys? If so, why and who? Russo has his own problems. He just returned after being gone for six weeks. Now his brother and cousin are in town. Russo wants to keep his family a secret from those he works with and the community. It isn't going to help that he and Darcy are out playing detective against Sheriff Sadie's orders. Then Darcy and Russo become missing. This really starts the trouble between the sheriff and the Dovers. But who will come out alive? I voluntarily reviewed copy of this book.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could a newly found body be connected to a four-year-old case that was ruled a suicide? There are similarities in the bodies that can't be ignored. Is there a killer of teenage blond boys? If so, why and who? Russo has his own problems. He just returned after being gone for six weeks. Now his brother and cousin are in town. Russo wants to keep his family a secret from those he works with and the community. It isn't going to help that he and Darcy are out playing detective against Sheriff Sadie's orders. Then Darcy and Russo become missing. This really starts the trouble between the sheriff and the Dovers. But who will come out alive? I voluntarily reviewed copy of this book.

[Kris10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is only the second book in the series...but I'm hooked!! Hopkins has a way with thrilling mysteries, just as Mary Higgins Clark does!! I could not put this book down until I knew what and why things were happening!! There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing!! Sheriff Mills is one tough woman and I love that Hopkins made her as such. It's so liberating to have a strong female lead who can hold her own but isn't too proud to ask for help. I also enjoy Sheriff Mills and Coroner Russo's comradery working together!!

I received a copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Devons book corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie is the sheriff in Possum Gap. The Amish community often handles things themselves, because they don't trust that the law will. Possum Gas is set in rural Kentucky with regular town people and hillbillies. There's drugs, crime, and poverty. Many have secrets they are trying to keep hidden, even Raymond Russo, the coroner. When a young boy is found floating in the river, it's up to Sadie to find out what happened. This was a very good book that drew me in immediately. I'm excited to see what book 3 has in store for us.

[Sam Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good storyline, but kept jumping from one person's narrative to another. Each chapter was given the name of one of the main characters & they, with another character tried to decipher where the young lad was & who was the culprit. I found this book a bit confusing, jumping from one character to another, which made the story jump backwards & forwards too. Just when you finally grasped what was going on, the chapter ended & you were back somewhere else with the other characters. If you find my review muddled, then I think you'll find the book the same.

[Catherine Sewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Hollow Road gives you a taste of everything!

We have a small town sheriff trying to solve a murder that crosses over into the Amish community. Then there is her medical examiner who has a secret of his own. Scramble it all up with a bit of romance and you have a story that holds your attention from beginning to end.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Pedro Bedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the way the story is told from different points of view and the way the different characters interact and all tie in to each other to help the plot along. Of course all the hill people (hillbillies?) think they are a law unto themselves, the Dover family matriarch should have her own plot. The romantic sub plot is not overdone which I rather like and the dead boy not being who they thought at the end introducing Sheriff Mills from Blood Rock Indiana is a nice touch.

[Dwina Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back up in the Kentucky hills, life is different. The sheriff stays out of some of the hollows until boys start going missing. When this is connected to a death four years ago in an adjacent county, the sheriff has go investigate these insulated communities. There's an Amish settlement near Possum Gap as well.

If you want a fast paced investigative story, with a little romance, you'll enjoy this book. If you read the first one before this, you'll enjoy it more.

[Teresa Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Dark Hollow Road readers are introduced more fully to the Dover clan, who are a thorn in Sheriff Mills' side. Readers briefly met a couple members of the mountain clan in Free From Sin, but here they take center stage. They are quite the group of mountain people. Ms. Hopkins describes these characters so well that one would almost think we could recognize them on the street corner.

There is unstoppable action, heart-pounding suspense, a touch of romance, intrigue, and a wonderful setting that could be a character all its own.

I love this series and can't wait to see what Ms. Hopkins has in store next for Saide, Russo, John, Buddy, Tanya, and Darcy. Whatever it is, I know it will be engaging.

I received a review copy from the author via BookSirens and this review is my honest opinion.

[Anne G. Kasaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read multiple books from this series. I normally feel it’s best to go in the order the books are written. However with this series it really doesn’t take away from the story to read them out of order. I love the setting of the storyline and the characters are fully developed. This book pulled me in from the first page and kept me engaged throughout.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

[Glenna Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Possum Gap series. The mystery and crime hold you attention. Adding the Amish community as well as the trouble maker Dover clan adds to the story line.
Sheriff Sadie, being a divorced single mom, in a small town and doesn’t have time for man, this book brings just enough spark with different men in her life.
I have read Book 1 and now Book 2 in this series. Looking forward to reading Book 3.