Death on a Desert Hillside

A Smoke Tree Series Novel

By: Gary J. George

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

In the foothills of the desert mountains west of Smoke Tree, someone has murdered Caleb and Eunice Clovis. They were impoverished squatters living a life of bare subsistence far off the beaten track in a miserable lean-to made of discarded lumber and cast off building materials. Who would want to kill them? And why? There seems to be no motive for the crime. Lieutenant Carlos Caballo, known throughout the Lower Colorado River Basin simply as “Horse,” is charged with solving the crime. A crime that might not have been discovered for months or even years except for a minor twist of fate. As the commander of the Smoke Tree Substation of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Horse has other issues to deal with at the same time. A town divided by Highway 66 into haves and have-nots where prejudice and anger simmer just beneath the surface; a corrupt and incompetent local police department; small town politics; cattle rusting in the river bottom north of Smoke Tree; and the possibility his best young deputy is about to request a transfer. With the help of his friend Chemehuevi Joe, a mysterious, self-sufficient, and deadly Native American, Horse sets off on the trail of a killer who is not done killing in this fourth book of the Smoke Tree Series.

This series is great

I really enjoy these books in this series. Perfect mysteries without a lot of extra drama (bad language or sex)

weak AI reading

A new writer for me, I like his style and his characters. The AI reading was incredibly weak. it was like listening to a 5th grader read. No intonation, flat dialog, mispronounced words...shouldn't the producer have caught those? Maybe the producer was ai too. Are you telling me Audible is in financial trouble and can't afford to put quality product out any longer?

I love all of his books

typically fantastic just like the other novels. I was training to be a cop by an officer so similar to Horse that I can't see anyone else in my mind as I listen. His nickname was Cavallo because he had the mild appearance of a horse. Great stuff.

Such a beautiful ending (lovely image)

The story was well developed as is typical of the author. Tha AI Voice makes me giggle with some pronunciations. Levi jeans, LOL with the way he pronounced the brand.

Another Terrific Book

Gary George brings his characters to life. You care about them and what happens to them.