A DARK PATH
Katrina Williams Book 3
by Robert E. Dunn
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: 8/7/2018
Sheriff's detective Katrina “Hurricane” Williams confronts deep-rooted hate and greed in the Missouri Ozarks in this riveting police procedural…
What at first appears to be a brush fire in some undeveloped bottom land yields the charred remains of a young African-American man. As sheriff’s Katrina Williams conducts her in-spection of the crime scene, she discovers broken headstones and disturbed open graves in a forgotten cemetery.
As Katrina attempts to sort out a complex backwoods criminal network involving the Aryan Brotherhood, meth dealers, and the Ozarks Nightriders motorcycle gang, she is confronted by the sudden appearance of a person out of her own past who may be involved. And what seems like a clear-cut case of racially motivated murder is further complicated by rumors of hidden silver and dark family histories. To uncover the ugly truth, Katrina will need to dig up past crimes and shameful secrets that certain people would kill to keep buried . . .
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
The third book in the Katrina Williams series is A Dark Path. Again, this series really needs to be read in the appropriate order and not just because I say that on every series! For fans of this series and those who hope for just a smidgen of happiness for Katrina, the book starts with that chance. To be honest, I had hope that it would finally happen. I noticed a real difference in Katrina in the beginning of this book. She was letting down some of her walls she built, she acted more stable, she was putting effort into working with her therapist. After everything she’s been through and worked to overcome, it was such a difference.
Of course, Katrina is called when a body is found and as expected, it’s an ugly case from start to end. What starts out as a body burned in a pile of brush turns into a field of bodies. Katrina’s investigation is going down a dark hole and the stories that are uncovered are horrific. This author really confronts some of the ugliest parts of people. In the first book, it was the abuse that happened and was ignored in the military, along with abuse in family that is hidden and can warp the mind of the abused. In the second book, it was the secrets that hide behind the tent revival. In this book, it’s the ugliness of white supremacy and its history with even the people you know. And yes, this book and series is a work of fiction.
Again, I absolutely loved how well done the police procedural is. Every step of the detective work is done with the reader riding along for the investigation. Katrina does a great job of picking apart each clue and following it to the next one. The author has her truly investigating a murder, not shortchanging it with magical findings. Despite my feelings about the personal parts of the story, the author’s writing of the police procedural is what will keep bringing me back for each new book in the series.
This case that Katrina is working is heartbreaking. With the other books, you can think, oh this is just fiction, it would never happen. **eyeroll** With this one, you know the ugly history of white supremacy and you know the chances that something like this happened anywhere in the US is pretty high. My heart broke as Katrina unraveled the mystery in this case.
I’ve said before that I thought the author did a fantastic job, but I thought this one really showed his writing strengths. The history of white supremacy is a multi-dimensional issue. Yes, in my mind it’s a right/wrong issue, but the reality is there are people who we’d be shocked by the hatred they had based on skin tone. And in this story, those people were forced to confront their behaviors and hate that they had hidden or moved on from.
The author doesn’t give Katrina a break and she’s faced with violence and abuse that sends her spiraling out of control again, plus the reappearance of someone from her past. Honestly, Katrina can’t catch a break, it’s no wonder she’s called the Hurricane. Her controlled behavior was short lived and she was again in a spiral. And though I struggle with Katrina’s professional behavior, personally, I love her. She’s strong, fierce, independent and a badass.
Again, for those who enjoy police procedures and mysteries, this is a series you must read! In this regard, I think this is definitely one of my favorite series. And as much as I don’t like what the author puts Katrina through, it fits naturally into the story. It’s not like he’s just abusing her for the heck of it but maybe soon he’ll write some self-preservation characteristics for her! Grab the books in this series now!
Rating: 4 stars
A LIVING GRAVE
Katrina Williams Book 1
The first in a gritty new series featuring sheriff’s detective Katrina Williams, as she investigates moonshine, murder, and the ghosts of her own past…
BODY OF PROOF
BODY OF PROOF
Katrina Williams left the Army ten years ago disillusioned and damaged. Now a sheriff’s detective at home in the Missouri Ozarks, Katrina is living her life one case at a time—between mandated therapy sessions—until she learns that she’s a suspect in a military investigation with ties to her painful past.
The disappearance of a local girl is far from the routine distraction, however. Brutally murdered, the girl’s corpse is found by a bottlegger whose information leads Katrina into a tangled web of teenagers, moonshiners, motorcycle clubs, and a fellow veteran battling illness and his own personal demons. Unraveling each thread will take time Katrina might not have as the Army investigator turns his searchlight on the devastating incident that ended her military career. Now Katrina will need to dig deep for the truth—before she’s found buried…
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The Katrina Williams series currently has three books following sheriff detective Katrina Williams. For true enjoyment, I think this series needs to be read in the appropriate order. This series is about Katrina so everything is tied together and follows a storyline.
The first book in the series is A Living Grave. This first book introduces us to Katrina Williams, her life currently and her history. It shows a sheriff detective struggling with the memories and flashbacks of what happened to her during her time in the Army. Katrina is working a case of a teenage girl who is killed. Katrina is on a cliff, violent and trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the girl. Along with the mystery of her case, we also meet the people in her life and her town.
I thought this story was very well written. The first book in a new series can be overwhelming when there are a lot of characters to learn. I didn’t feel that way with this book. Characters were naturally added throughout the story so I never felt like there were too many all at once. The story around the characters and their relationships never felt forced, or done just to create a storyline. And there are a lot of characters and stories that are discovered as Katrina is investigating.
I liked Katrina but I really thought she should have lost her badge many times. She’s dangerous and her first reaction is violence. Whenever she would have a flashback she was looking for a fight and alcohol and was a danger to herself and everyone around her. It was easy to excuse her behavior because we know the reason she acts this way, but the other part of me was thinking, she’s a police officer. She should absolutely not be allowed on the streets and her Captain should have known better than to allow her to continue working with her out of control behavior.
If you like books that really follow the detective working a case, this is a must read! The author does not shortchange that part of the storyline for others. There were no half measures when it came to the investigating, and I absolutely loved that! This story pulled me in and I had to find out who the killer was. Pretty early on I had suspected who did the actual killing, but I never guessed the motive for the killing. This isn’t just a mystery/police detective book. There’s also a small side of romance for Katrina. I definitely recommend giving this series a chance!
Rating: 4 stars
A PARTICULAR DARKNESS
Katrina Williams Book 2
Pub Date: 9/12/2017
From the author of A Living Grave comes a gripping police procedural featuring sheriff's detective Katrina Williams as she exposes the dark underbelly of Appalachia . . .
Dredging up the Truth
Still recovering from tragedy and grieving a devastating loss, Iraq war veteran and sheriff's detective Katrina Williams copes the only way she knows how—by immersing herself in work. A body's just been pulled from the lake with a fish haul, but what seems like a straight-forward murder case over the poaching of paddlefish for domestic caviar quickly becomes murkier than the depths of the lake.
Soon a second body is found—an illegal Peruvian refugee woman linked to a charismatic tent revival preacher. But as Katrina tries to investigate the enigmatic evangelist, she is blocked by antagonistic FBI agents and Army CID personnel. When more young female refu-gees disappear, she must partner with deputy Billy Blevins, who stirs mixed feelings in her, to connect the lake murder to the refugees. Katrina is no stranger to darkness, but cold-blooded conspirators plan to make sure she'll never again see the light of day . . .
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The second book in the Katrina Williams series is A Particular Darkness. This book takes place months after the first one ended. Katrina’s experienced another loss in her life and is starting back to work after having some personal time off work. She gets called out by her friend, and coworker Billy for a body found at the lake. And we’re back to following Katrina working through the twists and turns of a death that takes unexpected turns. This story was a lot more convoluted and multi-layered than the first one. There are more shady characters introduced that I was immediately suspicious of.
This book runs the gamut from poaching to refugee women to a tent revival preacher to more difficulties with military personnel. And, if Katrina’s loss at the beginning of the book isn’t enough, she suffers more loss. Loss that I really took exception with. Honestly, I was so mad about it, I had to take a break from the story.
Again, I felt like Katrina’s behavior was dangerous and reckless. She has a reputation in her town as the Hurricane who takes no sh*t or names. On one hand, I didn’t think that was a bad thing, but again, the other part of me is thinking, she’s a police officer. It’s unsafe for her to be on the force with the actions she takes. She’s given chance after chance, when the reality is she shouldn’t be allowed to be a police officer. Her job gives her protection to be the out of control, reckless, violent person and that’s horrible.
I thought for a little while that there was growth with Katrina and everything she has experienced, but that thought didn’t last long. Plus, how could we see growth when she can’t get more than a second of happiness. Which is why she gets so much leeway. Her life is crap, why shouldn’t she be an alcoholic?
Once again, the police procedural part of the story was really well done. Though I guessed part of what was happening, even my twisted mind couldn’t expect all the bad guys doing bad things that ended up happening in this book. I enjoyed being able to work along with Katrina as she discovered clues and tried to unravel a twisty tale to find the culprit or culprits. For me, as much as this storyline can twist and turn, it’s absolutely my favorite part. I like for my police procedurals to have characters with stable personal lives so the story can focus on the mystery/detective part.
Again, I enjoyed this book and thought the author did a great job building the case in this book. He also does a great job of crushing any happiness the main character may hope to achieve (hahahaha), if you enjoy that type of story! Not to worry, he leaves Katrina with a smidgen of a chance of some happiness in the romantic portions but I expect nothing at this point. Don’t go into this book expecting some HEA endings. Go into this book expecting a well-written crime drama with resolutions to the case Katrina is working.
Rating: 4 stars
Robert E. Dunn was born an Army brat and grew up in the Missouri Ozarks. He wrote his first book at age eleven turning a series of Jack Kirby comic books into a hand written novel.
Over many years in the, mostly, honest work of video and film production he produced everything from documentaries, to training films and his favorite, travelogues. He returned to writing mystery, horror, and fantasy fiction for publication after the turn of the century. It seemed like a good time for change even if the changes were not always his choice.
Mr. Dunn is the author of the horror novels, THE RED HIGHWAY, MOTORMAN, and THE HARROWING, as well as the Katrina Williams mystery/thriller series, A LIVING GRAVE, A PARTICULAR DARKNESS, and the upcoming A DARK PATH.
Over many years in the, mostly, honest work of video and film production he produced everything from documentaries, to training films and his favorite, travelogues. He returned to writing mystery, horror, and fantasy fiction for publication after the turn of the century. It seemed like a good time for change even if the changes were not always his choice.
Mr. Dunn is the author of the horror novels, THE RED HIGHWAY, MOTORMAN, and THE HARROWING, as well as the Katrina Williams mystery/thriller series, A LIVING GRAVE, A PARTICULAR DARKNESS, and the upcoming A DARK PATH.
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The book cover is a good one.
ReplyDeletecongrats on the release
ReplyDeleteThose covers really stole my attention, they gave off sinister vibes and intrigues of the story. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThe covers for both book are beautiful. Sounds like intriguing reads.
ReplyDelete