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dljmsw's review against another edition
5.0
I love this series. It's not for everyone, but I cannot get enough. The characters are complex and they vary from deplorable to kind-hearted. I like many so much that it is hard that each main character seems to disappear into the background in the next book, but Panowich has been able to invent solid new characters, which prevents it from being a dealbreaker. The plots are interesting and just far-fetched enough without going overboard. They are excessively gory, but the overall effect is worth it to me. I cannot wait for another.
sangelo17's review against another edition
4.0
Spoke with a little hard to get into for me being that it was a totally different character base. By the end of the book it gave you that thrilling feeling, that I have to read another chapter urge. Who knew being an outlaw could be so fun
ehkaysee's review against another edition
1.0
I struggled to get through this book. The plot was slow moving and the narrator changed so frequently it was difficult to keep track of which character was speaking.
The book was also full of misogynistic and racist language under the guise of southern colloquialisms. This language added nothing to build the southern feel of the novel and felt more like an excuse to use words that are no longer socially acceptable. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone and am not interested in reading other works by this author. If you are interested in southern gothic novels there are better written and less offensive alternatives.
The book was also full of misogynistic and racist language under the guise of southern colloquialisms. This language added nothing to build the southern feel of the novel and felt more like an excuse to use words that are no longer socially acceptable. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone and am not interested in reading other works by this author. If you are interested in southern gothic novels there are better written and less offensive alternatives.
pio_near's review against another edition
3.0
3.5.
This was a good read. More thriller than mystery, though shrouded in mystery. I feel like the base character(s) could have been a little less sloppily played for a much more complete, enjoyable experience. But hey... its tough in the deep south.
Overall a gritty, twisted read that shows the verisimilitude of spirit over a payday, and that good still lives, albeit sometimes twisted and tainted.
This was a good read. More thriller than mystery, though shrouded in mystery. I feel like the base character(s) could have been a little less sloppily played for a much more complete, enjoyable experience. But hey... its tough in the deep south.
Overall a gritty, twisted read that shows the verisimilitude of spirit over a payday, and that good still lives, albeit sometimes twisted and tainted.
readingwithmygoldens's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Rounding Up
My first Brian Panowich and what a great introduction it was. This was fast paced, but not so quick with action that it lacked depth. I thought how it switched between the perspective of the victims and the investigation was very well thought out and cleverly executed.
I'm not sure if I struggled with some things because I haven't read the first two books? I had trouble connecting emotionally with the MC at times, but I really think that's me and not the book. I find that I'm having the opposite reaction of friends who read this and enjoyed the sections that didn't revolve around the investigation. I know that it was there to provide depth to the story and the MC, but it didn't work for me for some reason. I don't have a really good reason so don't take my opinion too seriously. What did bother me was a portion at the end that really challenged me to suspend reality and that I just couldn't shake off. That knocked it down a star. Overall, a good book, but it isn't my favorite. I rounded up because I did enjoy the investigation and the action scenes very much.
Many thanks to Joe Brosnan at Minotaur Books for sending me a galley to read and review. Also, thank you to the author.
Review Date: 05/03/2020
Publication Date: 05/05/2020
My first Brian Panowich and what a great introduction it was. This was fast paced, but not so quick with action that it lacked depth. I thought how it switched between the perspective of the victims and the investigation was very well thought out and cleverly executed.
I'm not sure if I struggled with some things because I haven't read the first two books? I had trouble connecting emotionally with the MC at times, but I really think that's me and not the book. I find that I'm having the opposite reaction of friends who read this and enjoyed the sections that didn't revolve around the investigation. I know that it was there to provide depth to the story and the MC, but it didn't work for me for some reason. I don't have a really good reason so don't take my opinion too seriously. What did bother me was a portion at the end that really challenged me to suspend reality and that I just couldn't shake off. That knocked it down a star. Overall, a good book, but it isn't my favorite. I rounded up because I did enjoy the investigation and the action scenes very much.
Many thanks to Joe Brosnan at Minotaur Books for sending me a galley to read and review. Also, thank you to the author.
Review Date: 05/03/2020
Publication Date: 05/05/2020
dotorsojak's review against another edition
2.0
This was okay. It reminded me a bit of C. J. Box. The book starts well with a gruesome murder, moves up into the north Georgia mountains, and introduces an ex-fireman, Dane Kirby, as our protagonist. However, although there is a lot of talk about Kirby and his skill as an investigator, we hardly ever see that skill being demonstrated. Okay he finds a burn mark of a marijuana joint, but he is tremendously gullible when it comes to the people he is tracking, his friends, the other law enforcement characters with whom he is working. There are a lot of side plots seemingly unrelated. There are even more villains. Oh, and Kirby has terminal cancer so he is always gripping a rail or the back of a chair to stay upright. And then there is the whole business of the death of Kirby's wife and daughter, which seems unduly emphasized given that Kirby is in a love relationship with another woman. I guess the point is that he can't let go of his mourning in order to love another person. But wait, all the bad guys, all the murders, Kirby's decade old loss, even his cancer will come together at the end of the book. Every single loose end is tied up. And then there is a denouement to the denouement, which seems nonsensical and only introduced in order for us to be quoted a love sonnet by Pablo Neruda. It's a good poem, but in context it seems unearned and sentimental. The logic of the story calls for a very different ending in my opinion. This is not a bad book, just a bit of a self-indulgent one. Perhaps I just wanted a book called HARD CASH VALLEY to be a bit harder-boiled and a bit more noir. Really rates more like 2.5 stars
abibliofob's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, I was expecting another typical Bull Mountain book with Burroughs as the main character. Instead I got Dane Kirby, the Burroughs clan is only mentioned but they are not missed. What a story and such gallery of characters. I actually think this is the best one so far according to me. Strong recommendations and a big thanks to Edelweiss Macmillan and Minotaur books.
marshaskrypuch's review against another edition
4.0
A dark, propulsive read. For my own taste, a bit too much violence, but it's done in a way that fits with the genre and readership. This novel is third in a series but reads well as a stand-alone. Solid writing.
scallywag316's review against another edition
4.0
Started at the end, book three,....oops! I will have to read book two next and of course book one is last...what fun. I do recommend the book and eventually, the whole series as it was a great story, plot and characters were real.