The Killing Hills-Chris Offutt

Book: The Killing Hills
Author: Chris Offutt
Publisher: No Exit Press

Mick Hardin, a combat veteran now working as an Army CID agent, is home on a leave that is almost done. His wife is about to give birth, but they aren't getting along. His sister, newly risen to sheriff, has just landed her first murder case, and local politicians are pushing for city police or the FBI to take the case. Are they convinced she can't handle it, or is there something else at work? She calls on Mick who, with his homicide investigation experience and familiarity with the terrain, is well-suited to staying under the radar. As he delves into the investigation, he dodges his commanding officer's increasingly urgent calls while attempting to head off further murders. And he needs to talk to his wife. In The Killing Hills, Chris Offutt has delivered a dark, witty, and absolutely compelling novel of murder and honor, with an investigator hero unlike any in fiction.

The plot of the book is quite unique in the way it is planned. The story focuses on the characters as much as it does on the crime. The storytelling is quite interesting and holds the interest of the reader. The plot is well planned and the story arc has some very interesting twists. The thing that Loved about the book was the natural flow and ease with which the plot flows. The story seems realistic in the manner it is sketched. The descriptions are quite vivid and helps the reader piece together the events as they occur. The book, however, lacks depth in the suspense as it unfolds almost two-thirds into the plot. There are also a few events that take place haphazardly which cause the middle part of the story to derail for a bit. The climax is interesting and brings the story to a close nicely.

The story’s characters are well sketched. I liked Mick’s character specially for the way he has been created with the positives and negatives. Another character I likes was that of Linda and her role as the Sheriff handling the case and the fallout of the events. The other characters are well written as well and support the plot excellently.

Overall, a wonderful story and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of crime fiction. The book scores a 4.19/5 for me.

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