| Title | : | Hard Cash Valley (Bull Mountain, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1250206928 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250206923 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 304 |
| Publication | : | First published May 5, 2020 |
Dane Kirby is a broken man and no stranger to tragedy. As a life-long resident and ex-arson investigator for McFalls County, Dane has lived his life in one of the most chaotic and crime-ridden regions of the south. When he gets called in to consult on a brutal murder in a Jacksonville, Florida, motel room, he and his FBI counterpart, Special Agent Roselita Velasquez, begin an investigation that leads them back to the criminal circles of his own backyard.
Arnie Blackwell’s murder in Jacksonville is only the beginning – and Dane and Roselita seem to be one step behind. For someone is hacking a bloody trail throughout the Southeast looking for Arnie’s younger brother, a boy with Asperger’s Syndrome who possesses an unusual skill with numbers that could make a lot of money and that has already gotten a lot of people killed―and has even more of the deadliest people alive willing to do anything it takes to exploit him.
As Dane joins in the hunt to find the boy, it swiftly becomes a race against the clock that has Dane entangled in a web of secrets involving everyone from the Filipino Mafia to distrusting federal agents to some of hardest southern outlaws he’s ever known.
Hard Cash Valley (Bull Mountain, #3) Reviews
-
5 Incredible Stars
Dark, Troubling and Suspenseful Grit Lit!
Living. It means something different to everyone, whether it’s about drugs, money, hard work, family, love or loss.
In McFalls County, Georgia, living ain’t easy. Never has been, never will be.
It’s about desperate times and desperate measures. Every once in a while a man comes along looking to make things right. That’s where Dane Kirby, an Investigator with the George Bureau of Investigation, comes in. When a murder happens on Bull Mountain, Kirby is the man Sheriff Darby Ellis calls when all hell breaks loose. (Ellis was the former Deputy under Clayton Burroughs, whose legend still lingers over Bull Mountain.)
Coinciding with the murder in Georgia, is the suspicious and brutal murder of a man in a Florida hotel room who has ties to McFalls County and a place called “Hard Cash Valley.” Kirby is soon paired with FBI Agent Roselita Velasquez to solve that crime and find the only person who might be able to help.
Dane Kirby is a man with a checkered past.
Haunted, troubled, and extremely vulnerable, Dane Kirby’s character pulled at me. Just thinking about the person he is, his anguish and his deep dark past, I couldn’t help but be all in as soon as I turned the first page of Brian Panovich’s “Hard Cash Valley.”
Having read Brian Panovich’s prior novels “Bull Mountain” and “Like Lions” - I would describe this novel as having more heart. You all know that I am a “softie” when it comes to novels that I love. I get “teary” at times and there was a point where this one got me. It has its moments where it's a bit dark and ominous, (it’s Grit Lit after all!) yet it isn’t quite as violent as Brian Panovich’s other novels (at least not in my opinion). That aside, I love the atmosphere, the setting and the character development and can’t wait to see what Brian Panovich comes out with next. “Hard Cash Valley” is the first Grit Lit of the year to make my Goodreads Best of List for 2020.
This was a buddy read with Kaceey - which I was extremely excited to share with her. It was her first Brian Panovich! I can happily report that she loved it.
A Huge Thank You goes out to Joe Brosnan at Minotaur Books for the Galley. I could not wait to get my hands on a copy of this book and he obliged. Thank you also to Brian Panovich, you do not disappoint.
Published on Goodreads on 3.1.20. -
If honesty is the best policy, then somebody needs to start thinking about revising the rule book.
Gripping, thought-provoking, and at times ominous,
Brian Panowich’s third novel heightened my appreciation for his work. The mesmerizing flow of his words, skillful plotting, and the few redeeming characters wandering the pages held me captive for the entirety of the book. Panowich has made rural north Georgia a place I want to be, despite the gun-slinging, meth-dealing, cockfighting, blood and guts, no rules approach that just about everyone lives by.
This go-round, Panowich lands readers in Hard Cash Valley, a community on the outskirts of McFalls County with a looming mountain on the horizon. A shady mountain readers became familiar with in
Bull Mountain and
Like Lions. Hard Cash Valley is home to The Farm, an out of the way place where money changes hands in the name of the prized feathered fighter. A place where loyalty is valued and disputes are settled with bloodshed and an incinerator.
Dane Kirby, former McFalls County fire chief and arson investigator, turned part-time agent with the GBI, finds himself teamed up with a none too happy FBI agent, Roselita Velasquez. The new partners, prone to bickering, are tasked with tracking down the eleven-year-old brother of a victim found gutted in a cheap motel room some 400 miles south in Jacksonville, FL. Dane’s familiarity with the people of Hard Cash Valley and help from a childhood friend, land him on The Farm and face-to-face with gold-toothed, Rooster. A motley crew of rednecks, Filipino gangsters, and untrusting FBI agents take their turn skewing the trajectory of the investigation.
Where Panowich shines again is in creating a character with a big beating heart. Similar to Clayton Burroughs, Dane Kirby is a standup guy living in a place where morality often takes a backseat to vengeance and money. He’s a guy you can’t help but to hope finds his way. In the face of all the muck the investigation slings at him, Dane has to contend with an insecure girlfriend, the ghost of his dead wife, and the sobering truth, he can’t seem to give voice.
Dane’s reality paints a foretelling ending, one I approached with bated breath and a weary heart. Yet, with a clever sleight of hand, Panowich manages to incite hope and serve up an invaluable life lesson. Letting go is often hard but necessary.
Let’s hope Panowich’s creative juices continue to flow and we see more from Hard Cash Valley, Bull Mountain or heck, even another locale in north Georgia.
*Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for access to an advanced copy. -
4.5 stars
Read it! Nuff said...
But...I'll give you my thoughts nevertheless...
Hard Cash is a dark gritty tale about desperation, greed, drugs, money, family, loss...you name it.
Panowich is a genius at writing Southern/Country/crime noir that is both gritty, suspenseful, dark and moving. His characters are flawed, are either trouble, have seen trouble or have created trouble for others.
Dane Kirby has seen trouble and grief. It haunts him (it would haunt you are well). He has lived in
McFalls County, Georgia his entire life and is an ex-arson investigator and is a current investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He's called in by the FBI to help investigate the murder of Arnie Blackwell in Jacksonville, Florida. This murder is only the beginning and it soon becomes apparent that more is at stake as his younger brother, William, an eleven-year-old with Asperger’s Syndrome is missing. Dane and his new partner. Special Agent Roselita Velasquez, are not the only ones looking for William. Someone is leaving a bloody trail in his wake while searching for the youth.
Gritty, raw, suspenseful, dark, and powerful. Gritty novels don't generally have me grabbing for the tissues but there is one scene that got to me.
Panowich's writing is solid and I found this book to be perfectly paced. Nothing felt drawn out or rushed. He knows how to set the mood and use the environment, topography, and people to tell his tale. I found this book to be captivating, moving and it turned into a real page-turner for me.
Thank you to Brian Panowich and to Joseph Brosnan at Minotaur Books who provided me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. -
Now that my friends, is how it’s done!
A masterfully written piece of southern noir that will have you flying through the pages from start to end!
Having recently retired his title of Fire Investigator, Dane Kirby is new to the GBI. To say he carries around demons would be a massive understatement. So raw they haunt his every waking moment.
Now he’s facing a new nightmare. One that may change the very course of his existence.
Arnie, a low life petty criminal is brutally killed in Florida. And in short order his younger brother William goes missing. The FBI dials up Dane for help as all the evidence points directly back to Georgia. Hard Cash Valley to be exact. Dane’s backyard! Can he root out the killer before more bodies start turning up? And oh yes, locate William before the killer does!
Brian Panowich writes a dark, gritty crime-drama that taps into every emotion possible. From profound love to revulsion and everything in between. The brutality is vivid. The love is heartbreaking. The grief is real and raw.
This read was absolutely unputdownable! Having found myself in a bit of a reading slump lately, this book completely turned everything around for me! So much so, I have to say this is my favorite book so far for 2020. If you’re a fan of southern literature this is a must read for you! Highly recommend!
A buddy read with Susanne that we both devoured in just a couple readings!
Thank you to Joseph Brosnan at Minotaur Books for an Advanced copy to read and review. -
4.5
Another winner by Brian Panowich!
The writing is amazing!
We are taken back to McFalls County and Bull Mountain where we met Dane Kirby, a lifelong resident and former ex-arson investigator with a tragic family history, is called in to consult on a murder investigation.
Unforgettable characters..gritty, tension filled, fast moving..a lot of heart in the story too!
Just loved this one!
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC! -
Don’t pick up a Brian Panowich book expecting it to be light or easy. He is a master of Southern noir; dark and brutal in the extreme.
Hard Cash Valley opens with Arnie Blackwell heading down to Florida with a suitcase full of cash. But he doesn’t get far and his murder sets the scene for the darkness to come.
Dane Kirby is an ex- Arson investigator called in to consult after Arnie’s murder. He’s haunted by ghosts. Roselita, his new partner (not that either of them likes it), is hard, determined to be the toughest person in the room, even at the cost of getting the answers she needs. This isn’t a woman who ever learned you get more from honey than vinegar. These are fully fleshed out characters that come flying off the page. In Roselita’s case, usually spitting anger.
If you’re ok with the violence you’ll be rewarded with great writing and a dynamic plot. Panowich’s descriptions are totally apt, whether describing the weather, fighting cocks or the dynamics of the various law enforcers. “Sheriff Ellis wasn’t sure if he liked Roselita or not. The bloodhound behind his young, narrowed blue eyes was still sniffing her out...The sheriff’s eyes got a little less young and bright, and more partly cloudy with a chance of cocky.”
Wow, wow, wow! I didn’t see that ending coming. Lots of moving parts and plot twists coming and it all adds up to a wild ride. Five big stars for this one.
This is considered part of the Bull Mountain series. But it’s a whole new cast of characters (almost) so no need to have read the prior books.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book. -
this takes place in the same world as
Bull Mountain,
The Broken King, and
Like Lions, but while it's a standalone, meaning your appreciation of it isn’t necessarily contingent upon your having read the others, you should read those nonetheless simply because they are brilliant examples of character-driven crime fiction that manage to stand out in an overcrowded genre.
i’m thrilled to see so many five-star reviews for this book because panowich is one of the best grit lit writers going, and he 100% deserves all the acclaim and recognition in the world. but if i’m being honest, for me this was a high three and a half rounded up. part of it is likely my 2020-battered attention span, but i wasn’t as invested in arson-investigating new-character dane kirby as i was the burroughs family and their criminal and/or crime-fighting exploits.
i found him a little stodgy, and the secondary characters here were somewhat less morally complex than in panowich's previous works, but the story itself is every bit as tight and explosive as i've come to expect from his deliciously dark mind.
the parts that i loved i really, really loved. kirby himself may be somewhat sentimental, clinging to the memory of his wife—talking to her more than he does to his long-suffering still-living lady—but the events that unfold are as brutal and unsentimental as it gets.
once the plot starts its engine, its pace is relentless, and everything barrels violently towards its bloody conclusion without ever letting up, as one crime leads to another and seemingly unrelated storylines converge in unexpected and satisfying ways.
as always, he's amazing at evoking atmosphere, his location-writing all but springs up off the page, and this departure-but-not-really adds another excellent layer to the saga of the criminal enterprises of backwoods georgia he's been so skillfully developing.
it may not be my favorite of his books, but considering that i read this in my little cave o'quarantine while the goddamn world was falling apart, my inability to engage was most certainly not the book's fault, so my round-up is an apologetic, "it's not you, it's EVERYTHING ELSE" and i can't wait to get my hands on whatever he writes next.
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back to work and all worn out - review to come when i reacclimate!
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finally getting to this one!
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MUST! HAVE! THIS! BOOK!
there's a giveaway for it now, but don't all go storming the gates because i don't want you ruining my chances!!
come to my blog! -
4.5 Surprises, aka as red herrings are stewn throughout this novel. What is not surprising to readers of this author, is the grit, darkness, and violence. It was the violence that had me discussing with myself whether I could give this book five stars or not. I decided not, as one can see, though I liked this book and a few of the characters very much.
It starts with a murder, and turns into the search for a young boy. He has Aspergers and is tremendously gifted with numbers. Numbers means cash, big money in the denizens of the criminal world. A former fire investigator will be drawn, against his will, into this search. Dane Kirby is a wonderful character, and knows, sees more, than he acknowledges. He is definitely the star of this show.
The Burroughs are mentioned a few times, and the atmosphere of his previous books, as well as location are featured prominently. These people live hard lives, definitely not a place for sissies.
If you liked Bull Mountain and Like Lions, you will love this. There is justice, but maybe not the straight up kind to which one is used to expecting. Even that is different in this county.
ARC from Edelweiss and publisher. -
Mercy me! Well, Brian Panowich shows no mercy with his stories, ok maybe not entirely true. He pulls out the big guns here in more ways than one. Hard Cash Valley is another winner for me and Brian Panowich is setting the bar for me with my new favourite genre. He has been called the new master of Southern Noir and I am his newest fan.
Things start off fast and furious and I'm sure I stopped breathing at times with the tight tension that filled the air around me while I was reading this one. The plot is heavy and the violence is heart-stopping and I needed to take some breaks to bring my heart rate back to normal. I couldn't stay away for long because Brian Panowich has created another tougher than nails, damage, interesting and likable main characters here with heart that shines through all the violence in the story with Dane Kirby a retired fire chief and part-time GBI investigator. He is pulled into a murder investigation, and a race against time to find a child to keep him safe.
Dane Kirby is such a likable, interesting character and there is a love story here between him and his dead wife and his girlfriend. It brings some warmth to the story, along with some conflict to his personal life. My heart broke for him and I rooted for him at the same time.
The action in the story sets the pace for an entertaining read here, despite the violence to the story. I found myself liking all the different characters here from our likable characters, some questionable characters here with their actions and to some horrible characters that added entertain value to the story for me as well.
The ending did push things a little bit on needing to suspend disbelief, but the characters shined through for me right to the end
I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley -
So I got denied this one from Netgalley. I cried like a big old baby and got to begging. Luckily I got a copy of it before I had to break out my moves.
Because dammit man this type of book is my absolute favorite. (This author is a total favorite of mine since I first read the first word of his)
Panowich takes the reader back to my beloved North GA mountains and we return to
Bull Mountain.
However, we aren't going back to that same family. He took a gamble and I'm so glad! I LOVED how this turned out. The story starts off with a loser dude running to Florida with a ton of money. As the story unfolds you realize that dude probably did some underhanded stuff to come across said money. Turns out he did. He ends up in not such good health as the result.
Then we get to meet Dane Kirby, an GBI agent that just happens to be from my favorite neck of the woods. He gets called in by the big boys to assist with this case.
All things end up back in the mountains and we find out that those mountains still have some shady stuff going on.
So back in the day I was dating this dude and we ended up at a place that is described to perfection in this book. My girlie butt was not happy with the situation and some "Deliverance" jokes were made nervously. My then date decided that really wasn't the place for my big mouth and we got the heck outta there. The area and the atmosphere is described perfectly. I'm glad that my big chicken butt got out of there before the kinds of things that happen in this story went on.
Anyways. I LOVED that the author took a chance and just didn't return to the same Bull Mountain. I'm ready for his next one!
I did receive an reader copy of this book in return for nothing. I fangirled it all on my own. -
!! NOW AVAILABLE !!
This story begins in Jacksonville, Florida when a quick flight from Atlanta and a check-in at an airport motel goes more than a little awry. From there, it’s a twisty, winding journey that had me alternately holding my breath, desperately wanting to reach a place of resolution for these people, but also not wanting this story to end as each surprising turn of events had me wondering how this story would end.
I loved returning to Brian Panowich’s settings of Bull Mountain and McFalls County, Georgia - although I suspect my feelings might be very different if I were to actually meet some of these people in reality.
Another gripping installment in the Bull Mountain series replete with cockfighting, guns, and drug dealers, along with some attention-grabbing bombshell twists, for fans of grit-lit / Southern-lit, or whatever label you want to put on this genre, this is not to be missed.
Pub Date: 05 May 2020
Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books -
Oh I was sooooo looking forward to some hardcore, gritty, southern hillbilly noir.
I enjoyed
Bull Mountain and
Like Lions. This one just fell a little flat and lacked the oomph of the other 2. A lot of violence yes, but the protagonist was a little out in the back forty with his trips down memory lane.
An overall solid story with the hunt for $1.2 million and a boy with asbergers who can pick winners in a cockfight (reminder of Rainman).
3.5⭐️ -
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
At the foot of the North GA mountains lies the small town of Hard Cash Valley. We'll not mess too much with the town proper, it's the rural area that stretches out around it that is of special interest here. We stop to take a gander at a place called The Farm, way off the beaten track. It's run by a man name of Eddie Hightower, or Rooster if you are on good terms. Cockfighting is almost a religion here, and Rooster is in it up to his neck. Panowich makes good use of the 'hillbilly vernacular' in this story. Down, dirty, and gritty as all get out. Fans of Bull Mountain will not be disappointed. It was a harrowing ride, but it came closer than I would like to an icky-poo-poo ending. On the other hand, who amongst us won't dig on something that is at least a little positive right now? -
Hard Cash Valley is, technically, the third novel in the Bull Mountain series by Brian Panowich. But while much of the landscape is the same, both geographically and psychically, and while the ghosts of some of the previous characters hang over the novel, this is an entirely new cast of characters. And as much as I loved both
Bull Mountain and
Like Lions, this book is even better.
At the heart of the novel is Dane Kirby, a former arson investigator who now works for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. As the novel opens, one of Kirby's boyhood friends is arrested for murder. Kirby is morally convinced that his friend could not be guilty, even though a lot of evidence points in that direction. Kirby promises to help his old friend, but before he can even lift a finger to do so, his boss loans him out to the F.B.I., which is investigating a particularly brutal murder in a seedy Florida motel.
A lowlife named Arnie Blackwell has been slowly tortured to death and his body then set on fire. Kirby assesses the scene, offers a few opinions, and then attempts to beg off the case, claiming that he can bring nothing of value to the investigation. The supervisor in charge refuses to let him off the hook, though, and pairs him with a caustic, hard-driving agent named Roselita Velasquez, displacing Velasquez's usual partner in the process.
It's a rocky start to their relationship, and things will not get better any time soon. Velasquez resents being assigned to work with Kirby and there seems to be nothing he can do to soften her attitude toward him or to most of the other people that they encounter during the course of the investigation.
It soon turns out that the murder of Arnie Blackwell is only the opening round of a very long and sordid trail of criminal activity. Blackwell had recently come into possession of a huge amount of money, which is now missing, and a lot of extremely nasty characters are searching for it. A young boy, close to Blackwell, is also missing. People are looking for him as well, and the hunt for both the money and the boy will take virtually all of the characters into some very dark and dangerous places.
Dane Kirby is a man with a lot of problems of his own. Years earlier, his life was shattered by an unspeakable tragedy, from which he has never recovered. He's having trouble relating to the woman in his life and has other issues as well. The last thing he needs at the moment is an investigation this complex and daunting, and watching him soldier on is a heart-wrenching experience.
This is a beautifully written book with sharply drawn characters who will remain with the reader for a very long time. Panowich is an hugely gifted storyteller, and the plot is electric. Even more impressive is the sense of place that he evokes, and the reader is immediately immersed in the world that Panowich has created. Hard Cash Valley is a dark, gritty, violent book that grabs you from the opening paragraph and is impossible to put down. All in all, it's one of the most impressive books I've read in a long time. -
Hard Cash Valley by Brian Panowich is a 2020 Minotaur publication.
Gripping Southern Noir!
In his third novel, Panowich moves his southern saga forward with a new cast of characters, introducing Dane Kirby-a part-time fire investigator who has been tapped to consult with the GBI on a case that involves a missing boy on the autism spectrum.
Dane is also trying to help his old friend, Ned, who has been accused of murder, on top of keeping a terrible secret from those closest to him.
Once again, the rural locations, the shocking criminal underground, rooted in greed, and a haunted main character that pulls the reader’s emotions in all directions, makes this a riveting, unputdownable crime drama.
This another impressive effort by Panowich!
4 stars -
What a read! Goodness gracious, I almost did not make it. But here we are, and I'm thrilled.
It was really a great experience, although the ending was perhaps a little melodramatic. But really good, anyway. I'm in the mood for these kind of murder suspense thrillers, and this one fitted right in. -
4.5, third book in a row to come alive! (Rounded up because I just had to.)
Here we go again! Another book that swept me away! Just what the doctor ordered in these virus-y protest-y times. Glad I kept my pogo stick out, even though it was tough to travel over the rough terrain of backwoods Georgia. In fact, it’s not just the terrain that’s rough—the characters and the scenes are, too. Don’t worry, the rocky road didn’t throw me off the stick. Not to brag, but I’m a good driver—at least of pogo sticks (cars are a different story).
I have to say, I’ve never read any Southern grit-lit or Southern Noir—whatever it’s called—so I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting into. With such rave reviews from friends, I had to check it out. I knew there would be grit, but I wasn’t prepared for just how much violence there would be. I had been thinking more along the lines of drugs and assaults, not murders. Within the first 10 percent, there had been two deaths. The first violent scene was especially gruesome. Let me tell you, this is one dark book!
The book opens with a low-life waiting for a suitcase to come down onto the carousel at an airport’s baggage claim. From the first second, I was mesmerized, and frantic to read on. Bang! Tension out the wazoo. Talk about a powerful opening scene, yet it had only just begun. The character and his emotions were electric. It says something about the writer that I got attached to a creepy, messed-up guy, especially in so few pages. In fact, Panowich drew all his characters in a way that made you feel their emotions.
There’s a crime or two to solve, many chasing-downs, some overly vivid fights, and several humdinger betrayals, but there’s also heartache and sad memories. The main character, Dane, is the good guy trying to track down the bad guys and also find an 11-year-old boy with Asperger’s, who’s in danger. Dane is a completely likeable, saint-like man, and it’s impossible not to root for him.
One nit—Dane forgives someone and I don’t think he should have. As I said, he’s saint-like, but I think here the author went too far. Talking about complaints for a sec (and this is the only other nit, actually): I’m not sure the ending fits with the rest of the story’s tone. These are just quibbles, though; I still loved the book.
There were at least two whopping twists: books always get extra points when things sneak up on me like that. Another surprise for me—I actually LIKED Dane’s many conversations with his dead wife! Very weird, since I’m a no-ghost kind of gal.
Here are some lines that give you the flavor of Panowich’s writing:
“He didn’t want to come out here just to get lost in the black parts of his memory, or the big neon parts that refused to go away.”
“Nothing made any sense. Her entire world stopped working correctly at that moment. Everything went Picasso.”
“The best way to describe how William sees things is to say he sees the negative space in things.”
“The giant man hadn’t missed a workout in decades and looked as if he’d been raised on raw meat and gunpowder.”
Man, this was one good read. It was fast paced, with vivid characters and a twisty plot. And so well written! I’m now chomping at the bit to read Bull Mountain. This writer has my full attention.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the advance copy. -
4.5 Stars
Money is the root of all evil in HARD CASH VALLEY as you will see with a bloody-good visit back to the Georgia foothills of Bull Mountain.
The players may have changed this time around, but Brian Panowich seamlessly takes the reader forward introducing a new group of good headed by Agent Dane Kirby with his secrets and haunted past....and (really nasty dude) evil....that begins early on and doesn't end until the deadly trip to the farm.
"No one wanted to be involved in the kind of sh*t that happened up there."
Get ready for yet another gritty-good crime mystery with quite the cast of interesting characters (please bring back Ned) and more than one curveball along the way.
Thank you to Brian Panowich for bringing me out of my reading slump and to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the arc invite in exchange for review.
-
Find all of my reviews at:
http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
When it comes to hick lit, Brian Panowich is 100% an author who can . . . . .
And with a best pal who always has my back, I’m sure to be at the front of the line when it comes to requesting an early copy. As the blurb states, Hard Cash Valley once again takes readers back to Bull Mountain, but this time the focus isn’t on the Burroughs clan. This go around deals with a fella named Dane Kirby, a part-time employee of the GBI who gets called in to an investigation down in . . . .
Featuring a dead small-time criminal who bit off more than he could chew and (more importantly) a “beat the clock” sort of search for the dead dude’s missing little brother who is being tracked by some seriously bad hombres due to his uhhhhhhhhhhh special abilities . . . . .
Not much more can be said without spoiling all the fun, but let’s just say this kid wasn’t counting cards, the local Farm (as well as the people who run it) ain’t exactly what those of us in flyover country are familiar with, there’s a whole bunch of characters who get introduced and all of them have more to offer the story than first impressions would offer. My notes say “every character is amazing aside from poor depressed Dane.” Not that Dane didn’t have stuff to offer – it’s just not stuff like this . . . .
“Tater – Boner – Rooster – everyone up here sounds like they were named after cartoons. Is there a Tweety Bird out here, too?”
Now Ned looked offended. “Watch your mouth, Velasquez. Tweety is good people. No need to trash talk good folk.”
So as I said above, aside fromDebbieDane Downer and an ending that got just a weeeeeee bit sappy, this was everything I could have hoped for. The fact that I read it in one sitting and upon finishing went around my house declaring things like . . . .
Means it gets all the Stars. Keep writing ‘em, Mr. Panowich, ‘cause I wanna keep reading ‘em.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley! -
Some people are so fond of bad luck that they run half way to meet it.
Just ask Arnie Blackwell. Ol' Arnie has been in and out of lockup in Atlanta so many times that they leave a nightlight on for him at the entrance gate. But this time Arnie feels it in his bones that he's finally hit paydirt. After a nerve wracking flight with suitcase in hand, Arnie checks into a motel that's just a tad above seedy in Jacksonville, Florida. Should never have answered that knock at the door, Arnie.
Arnie's run-in will be felt all the way to McFalls County, Georgia. Dane Kirby of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations will receive a phone call demanding his presence in Jacksonville. After a rough-and-ready helicopter flight to Jacksonville, Dane is met at Arnie's motel room by the FBI. Dane is perplexed as to why he's been nailed to this new case. He's introduced to Special Agent Roselita Velasquez and, by the way, don't call her Rosie or Rose. She'll step on your tongue and leave painful prints.
You see, Arnie's prior stop was in Dane's territory and he headed into something bad. Very bad. Arnie's ten year old Autistic brother, William, is missing as well. William was suppose to have been waiting for Arnie at an undisclosed area. It's now up to Dane and Agent Velasquez to find the missing William. Dane and his new partner will widen their net and will find plenty of dead fish floating on the surface.
Brian Panowich is a master at creating storylines that are dug deep into the grit of Georgia clay. This is the third in this series, but it can be read as a standalone. Panowich will open the door on Dane's past life circumstances and will add an unexpected layer to his present situation. Dane is a complicated fellow, but then life in Bull Mountain is rich with backwoods and backstories.
If you've not had the pleasure of partaking in a Panowich novel, do yourself a huge favor and crack this one open. There's a prize inside every one guaranteed.
I received a copy of Hard Cash Valley through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to the talented Brian Panowich. -
I have not read this author before nor any hard-boiled southern noir, but I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written thriller. Dane Kirby is a rural Georgia investigator, haunted by his own past, who is called to Jacksonville, Florida to consult with the FBI on a brutal murder.
Other colorful characters run the gamut from a tough-as-nails, lesbian special agent, a kid with Asperger’s Syndrome and a depraved Filipino Mafioso with a baston. I had to check Wikipedia for information on that martial arts weapon.😉
This story is compulsively readable with a curious fusion of tough and gritty crime tale with heart-wrenching poignancy. -
Hard Cash Valley is a rock-solid country noir crime thriller set in the same northern Georgia mountains as two earlier books by Panowich. From the opening scene through to the end, it's a hard-to-put-down action-packed ride. Panowich takes the classic scene of a petty conman/gambler/ thief on the run with a suitcase full of money and breathes new life into this crime fiction trope. And our petty grifter isn't even the star of the show. That's a life-weary arson investigator haunted by a past so harrowing that lesser men would've home and swallowed their guns and by a death sentence he can't come to grips with. The ghosts of his past, particularly the gorgeous Gwen, are so real. But, the horrors of the present can't be ignored. A lot of the time these crime thrillers are peopled by caricatures of real people, but the characters here are real, vivid, believable, and desperately flawed. A terrific read!
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Two things occurred as I read the final page of Hard Cash Valley - I wiped the tears off my face and struggled with a deep rooted desire to start over at the beginning and read it again. Wow. Just wow. This story is a powerfully moving illustration of Southern Noir at its finest. This is why I read and love Grit Lit, especially from authors who can deliver it with heart as Brian Panowich has done in Hard Cash Valley. Not only has he rendered a dark, gritty, graphic tale of anguish, vengeance, and tragedy, he's also spun a tale of redemption, hope, and love. A story that will linger with me for some time. One I know I'll eventually reread.
The story begins with lowlife scum Arnie Blackwell on the run with a suitcase full of money and improbable dreams. When his mutilated body is later found in a Florida motel, GBI Agent Dane Kirby is called away from the crime scene of another murder in McFalls County, Georgia, to investigate. Despite his protests, Kirby's ordered to partner up with reluctant FBI Agent Roselita Velasquez to find Blackwell's missing eleven year old brother who has Asperger's syndrome and an uncanny gift for numbers, before the killers do. With time running out, the agents are astounded to realize where the dark, bloody, twisted trail leads - a place where morality is sorely lacking and hard cash and swift vengeance are abundant. A place where violence is bred and law is scorned. A place where Dane Kirby has history . . . and a score to settle. That's all you'll get from me about the story other than to say it's intense, raw, gutsy, and absolutely riveting. While it's listed as book 3 of the Bull Mountain series, it tells the story of a completely different family and stands alone.
Panowich is a skillful master of tightly woven plot lines brought to life through vivid prose and dimensional characters who are deeply flawed - some worthy of redemption, some not. The author pairs Kirby - a good man with a broken heart and a strong sense of justice who's killing time while mourning ghosts from the past with Roselita - a smart and spunky spitfire of a woman with a chip on her shoulder who often speaks before she thinks. Together, they form the perfect odd couple who bicker a lot and trust little. Through graphic prose, Panowich's authentic descriptive settings tease all the senses, emphasizing the contrast between the beauty of the valley and the dangerous reality of The Farm while a dark tone of trepidation and malice intensifies at a steady pace. All of it together adds up to one of the best Southern Noir books I've read in a long time. Hard Cash Valley claims a spot on my 2020 Favorite's Shelf. Highly Recommended!
*A special thank you to Minotaur Books for a paperback arc of this book! #MinotaurInfluencers
**Reviewed at:
Cross My Heart Reviews -
It took me a long time to read this book. I have been distracted by the relentless scary news about covid 19. As I hunker down with my family, I'm hoping to get back into reading as a form of relief...
Brian Panowich writes a good mean story. I've read all of his previous boos. Hard Cash Valley fits right in there. I'm not going to give much of a description to avoid spoilers. Suffice it to say that we're back in McFalls County. Dane Kirby, who works for the FBI, is called upon to help with a murder investigation that starts in Florida but leads back to cockfighting in McFalls County. The set up was great -- great characters and good suspenseful beginning. It dragged down a bit in the middle, but then I thought the end was brilliant. Panowich is a master at creating tense scenes and the end of Hard cash Valley was right up there for me. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Edelweiss for giving me access to an advance copy. -
Hard Cash transcends the southern-grit-lit-noir label. It is a propulsive, well-written, unexpectedly moving novel with a hero whom I rooted for. Definitely the first “thriller” I’ve read which quotes an entire Pablo Neruda poem! I will be reading more of Panowich!
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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 -
In the acknowledgements of this book, the author says that the book demonstrates that love conquers all. I disagree. I think it demonstrates that everyone is scum, but some people get away with it. This is a fast paced crime novel crammed with ethically challenged characters, the sole exception being an 11 year old boy who is the subject of an extensive search. The book has a very high body count. Not surprising considering it features a Filipino gang, thugs who run a cock fighting enterprise, a mysterious assassin and a bag filled with lots of cash. And of course everyone has a gun, because this is America. This is the third book set in the same area of Georgia and it refers to events that occurred in the previous books, however this works as a standalone. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. -
I've been in a bit of a book slump recently, but Panowich does not disappoint! I wasn't sure where we could go next in Bull Mountain and it took me a minute to warm up to Dane. Somewhere Dane grabbed me and I needed to know what was next for him.
We start out in a hotel room in Jacksonville, FL and race back to McFalls County in Georgia. The pace is fast while all the characters are racing to find the same person - a young boy with Asperger's with a skill with numbers. Panowich did toss in a curve ball in this story and I wouldn't expect less. I'd complain if he didn't. There is just something about southern grit lit that hooks me and I wish more books would come out in this genre.
You don't have to read the first two books in the series to enjoy this one, but I recommend you don't miss them. Coming your way May 5th. Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the ARC. -
Hard Cash Valley by Author Brian Panowich, starts off running and just does not stop. An action packed and gritty tale of Southern Noir, set in rural Georgia.
A book that can not be put down once it is started.
The chaotic life of Dane Kirby is one that readers will emphasize with
For lovers of good mystery thrillers this is one to pick up, and for those who have not read any of Brian Panowich’s books before - you will be hooked.
Thanks to NetGalley, the Author and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy to review -
This was my first opportunity to read a book in Panowich's Bull Mountain series. I found the thriller riveting; I'd definitely like to read more in this series. The story was equal parts hard-bitten, gritty Southern noir and heart-breaking drama with lots of graphic gore mixed in. Memories of these interesting characters, damaged by life, will stick with me in the days to come.
I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm grateful for the opportunity.
