Code of the Hills

Mick Hardin, Book 3

By: Chris Offutt

Narrated by: George Newbern

Mick Hardin is back in the hills of Kentucky. He’d planned to touch down briefly before heading to France, marking the end to his twenty-year Army career. In Rocksalt, his sister Linda the sheriff is investigating the murder of Pete Lowe, a sought-after mechanic at the local racetrack. After another body is found, Linda and her deputy Johnny Boy Tolliver wonder if the two murders are related. Linda steps into harm’s way just as a third body turns up and Mick ends up being deputized again, uncovering evidence of illegal cockfighting, and trying to connect all the crimes.

An explosive return to the mayhem of the Kentucky hills, Code of the Hills is a harrowing novel of family—of what we’re willing to do to protect and avenge the ones we love.

©2023 Chris Offutt (P)2023 Dreamscape Media

Hill Wisdom

I noticed more quaint country sayings, homespun wisdom, and interesting people stories in this book than in the last couple of books I read by this author. I'm not complaining, this is what I like most about Mick Hardin stories. It was much heavier in this book, or maybe I was looking for it.

I mostly listened to this book, though I did end up buying the Kindle version as well and read the last few chapters. I was glad I had the text copy, as my mind kept wandering while I listened. I'm not sure if that's because I had a lot on my mind, or if the story wasn't holding my interest. At the end, 4 murderers are mentioned, and I had to flip back through the book to find all.4 of them. The narrator was as good as he always is, but I kept having to go back and re-listen to large parts of the audio book. Once I.finished the book, I wasn't sure I understood it all. Again, maybe it's me and not the book.

Chris Off putt is still one of my favorite authors. I kept my eye on the release date of this book. I used a credit for the audio book and then purchased the Kindle version. I will probably do the same with the next Mick Hardin/Kentucky hills story by this author.