T.J. Brearton – Rough Country

‘Rough Country’ by T.J. Brearton is a standalone crime thriller, set in New York State.

A young girl, Kasey Stevens, is found dead with a strange symbol carved in her stomach. Detective Reed Raleigh from the Major Crime Unit is sent out to deal with the discovery. Reed and his team have the task to discover what happened and why? As the investigation unfolds it seems that there is more to Kasey’s death than meets the eye. This case may be connected to something that someone is so concerned about they are willing to kill for. Can Reed get to the bottom of it or not?

As soon as I began to read, I immediately felt the atmospheric, intensity of the town this book is set in. It is a small town in which everyone knows everything and everyone too. I felt it lent to the realism of the story and I could sense the crushing heaviness that such a town can create. All of these different things made for a gritty read.

Reed Raleigh is a man who has his issues. An ex-services man, he is struggling with PTSD, a divorce, and a missing child. He is a great character, I connected immediately with him. He is so calm and collected in his work and all the while inside he is struggling with his own stuff. He is determined to get to the bottom of it, and makes sure all bases are covered to do this.

I sped through this book with ease, couldn’t put it down and would love to see Reed Raleigh with his issues and dealing with murders and crimes that need solving. Highly recommended reading for these dark yukky nights.

Thanks to Damp Pebbles Blog Tours and Inkubator Books for the copy of the book for my review today.