A Family Feud Erupts Over ‘Another Man’s Ground’ [REVIEW]

Are trees worth killing for? Find out in Claire Booth’s new mystery, Another Man’s Ground. (Photo by Emily Mills, Flickr)

In his second novel, Hank Worth is called out to the Ozark backwoods to look into the mystery of the naked trees. But with an election coming up, is this case worth the newly appointed sheriff’s time? Find out in Claire Booth’s latest, Another Man’s Ground. 

Minotaur Books

If you’re into homeopathy, you may be familiar with slippery elm. The inner bark of these trees is used as medicine to treat a wide range of maladies. So when a whole copse of these trees is stripped of its bark, Vern Miles calls on Worth to investigate his stolen crop. Once Worth realizes the true value of these damaged trees, he decides to look deeper. In doing so, he makes a few enemies in the process.

This time around, Worth is keeping secrets of his own as he overlooks the undocumented immigrants hiding in the woods.  But then a body is discovered deep in the Ozarks, which changes the rules of the game and suddenly no one is safe: not the immigrants, Worth, his team or his family. Now he must do everything in his power to find a killer, win an election, and avoid getting caught in the midst of a generations-old feud.

Author Claire Booth ups the ante in a suspiciously devious way. What starts out as a seemingly innocuous case of vandalism becomes a sleeper thriller that keeps everyone looking over their shoulder. To me, this is the best kind of mystery, where tension and drama erupt when and where we least expect it. That’s one of the reasons I love books by journalists-turned-novelists. Reporters are carefully trained to deliver stories that grab readers by the throat and refuse to let go. Booth does this remarkably well, utilizing little details to ratchet up the suspense and keep us guessing till the end.

In addition to being entertaining, this book is also timely and thought-provoking. With all the press about immigration law and undocumented immigrants of late, Booth makes us take a long hard look at why and how these folks have made their way into the States to begin with, and whether or not we should offer them refuge and work to protect them once they are here.

Despite the tough topics addressed in this story, however, Booth keeps the story light and moving along at a steady pace. She uses Worth’s cheeky wit to keep us laughing, and introduces us to another colorful cast of characters who are impossible to resist. There’s even a family feud reminiscent of the Hatfields and the McCoys included for good measure. For anyone who has ever visited the Ozarks, these characters ring true. And if you never have been, Booth does a brilliant job turning us into armchair travelers as she leads us deep into the mountains for a second helping of Hank Worth charm in a mystery that is sure to become a fan favorite. Don’t miss Another Man’s Ground!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Claire Booth

Claire Booth is the author of the Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series and the non-fiction book, The False Prophet: Conspiracy, Extortion and Murder in the Name of God. 

A former crime reporter and ghostwriter, her work has been featured in numerous newspapers, including the Miami Herald, San Jose Mercury News, Philadelphia Enquirer and Contra Costa Times.

After working in Missouri, Washington, DC, South Florida, and Seattle, she now resides in California. Visit her home on the Web at ClaireBooth.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

THE BRANSON BEAUTY
By Claire Booth
320 pgs. Minotaur Books. $25.99

Purchase Another Man’s Ground from one of these fine online retailers: Amazon, Books-A-Million, and Barnes & Noble.

Another Man’s Ground is brought to you in association with TLC Book Tours.

Another Man’s Ground Giveaway

Congratulations to Sarah Pralle who won a copy of Another Man’s Ground. Although this giveaway is over, stay tuned for more opportunities to win great prizes.