The Code of the Hills: An Ozarks Mystery
&#8220;What a terrific book--strong, tough, smart and powerful. This compassionate and compelling mystery reveals the disturbing reality of one woman&#8217;s quest for justice--while a bleak and sinister culture tries to bury the truth.&#8221; (Hank Phillippi Ryan, the Mary Higgins Clark, Agatha, and Anthony Award-winning author ofThe Wrong Girl)&#8220;Highly recommended for terrific command of suspense, authenticity and utterly engaging central character, prosecutor Elsie . . . some of the best courtroom scenes I&#8217;ve ever read, some of the nastiest people encountered in fiction and for all that, it&#8217;s illuminated by passion and kindness . . . a truly marvelous debut.&#8221; (Frances Fyfield, author ofGold Digger)&#8220;An authentic legal thriller from an exciting new voice.&#8221; (Mari Hannah, Polari Prize-winning author ofThe Murder Wall)&#8220;The plot, characters, and dialogue are beyond riveting . . . the requisite thrills and chills, but also a nugget of hope for the many people in the world who are hurting, letting them know that the &#8216;good and brave&#8217; still exist.&#8221; (Suspense Magazine)&#8220;A legal page-turner . . . think John Grisham meets Daniel Woodrell -- as Allen touches on the racism, poverty and sexism that are as much a part of the Ozarks as its rocky terrain. Her Elsie flies in the face of these local conventions.&#8221; (Riverfront Times (St. Louis))&#8220;A powerfully intense courtroom mystery/drama that grasps readers&#8217; interest from the first page and never lets up until the dynamic ending . . . an expertly convincing expos&#xE9; . . . outstanding debut that should not be missed.&#8221; (Fresh Fiction)&#8220;Unflinching and gritty detail . . . the descriptions of both the court maneuverings and the Ozark community make this an entertaining read.&#8221; (Library Journal)