The Devil’s Country by Harry Hunsicker
Former Texas Ranger Arlo Baines didn’t come to the tiny West Texas town of Piedra Springs to cause trouble. After his wife and children were murdered, Arlo just wants to be left alone. Moving from place to place seems to be the only thing that eases the pain of his family’s violent end.
But a chance encounter outside a bar forces him to rescue a terrified woman and her children from mysterious attackers. When the woman turns up murdered the next day—her children missing—Arlo becomes the primary suspect in exactly the same type of crime he is trying desperately to forget.
Haunted by the fate of his family, and with the police questioning the existence of the dead woman’s children, Arlo decides it’s his duty to find them. The question is, just how deep will he have to sink into the dusty secrets of Piedra Springs to save them and clear his name?
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Author’s Bio
Harry Hunsicker is the former executive vice president of the Mystery Writers of America and the author of seven crime thrillers. Hunsicker’s work has been shortlisted for the Shamus and Thriller Awards. His story “West of Nowhere” (originally published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine) was selected to appear in The Best American Mystery Stories 2011, edited by Otto Penzler and Harlan Coben. Hunsicker lives in Dallas with his wife, Alison.
My Review
4 stars
Arlo Baines was a Texas Ranger that lost his family and travels around Texas to deal with their loss. He gets off the bus in Piera Springs and comes across a woman and her two children being harassed by two thugs. Arlo steps in and saves the woman but the next morning he discovers that the woman has been killed and her kids are missing. Of course Arlo is the main suspect and he decides to take the investigation into his own hands.
Arlo has his own troubles but when he is accused of the murder of the woman he decides to step up and investigate since no one else really is making any moves too. It seems the woman was involved in a local cult that owns half of the town. But he gets a break when he meets a journalist with a sister in the cult.
This is a great thriller with lots of action and a one man army. As you follow along on the present day investigation you get some flash backs and learn what happened to Arlo’s family. If you love high action, kick butt thrillers, look no further.
I received The Devil’s Country from Little Bird Publicity for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
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