Sheriff Hank Worth is back with another mystery to solve. It begins with a case of theft—tree bark theft. This is a new one for Hank, as he's thrown into the world of herbal supplement supply. And while it may not sound dangerous, we quickly learn that it can be just as cut-throat as illegal drug trade.
While investigating the report of the theft that kicks off the book, Hank and his department accidentally stumble onto another crime scene...and a grizzly one at that. They now have to solve not only a theft, but investigate disappearances, deaths, and a shady and curious generations-old feud between two neighbors—and determine if and how everything is related.
I loved the way Another Man's Ground developed. Each character and storyline intricately woven in and around the others, creating the perfect amount of suspense, doubt, and intrigue. I was pleased that I did not see the ending coming. I enjoyed seeing the development of the characters from book 1 to book 2, as well; I've become attached and look forward to many more mysteries to be solved by Sheriff Hank Worth and his department.
Groceries were piled everywhere. There were enough sandwich fixings to feed the Corletti family for a year. Several jumbo packs of beef jerky sat in a bag on the floor. And a huge pot of soup bubbled on the stove. From the smell of the green chilies and onion, Hank guessed it was chile verde. He took a peek to confirm it and then leaned against the counter.
Another Man's Ground
author: Claire Boothseries: Sheriff Hank Worth Mysteries (Book 2)
publisher: Minotaur Books (July 11, 2017)
genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery
hard cover: 320 pages
"foodie" read: No, but the food that is on the pages is enough to fool you into thinking it kind of wants to be...
opening sentence: The dispatch call said there was stripping going on in the woods, and the property owner was not happy about it.
teaser: It starts out as an interesting little theft case. Branson, Missouri’s new Sheriff Hank Worth is called out to look at stands of trees that have been stripped of their bark, which the property owner had planned to harvest for the booming herbal supplement market. At first, Hank easily balances the demands of the investigation with his fledging political career. He was appointed several months earlier to the vacant sheriff position, but he needs to win the fast-approaching election in order to keep his job. He thinks the campaign will go well, as long as he’s able to keep secret the fact that a group of undocumented immigrants – hired to cut down the stripped trees – have fled into the forest and he’s deliberately not looking for them.
But then the discovery of a murder victim deep in the Ozark backwoods sets him in the middle of a generations-old feud that explodes into danger not only for him, but also for the immigrants, his deputies, and his family. He must rush to find a murderer before election day, and protect the vulnerable in Branson County, where politicking is hell and trespassing can get you killed.
In Another Man’s Ground, her next novel featuring Sheriff Hank Worth, acclaimed author Claire Booth delivers a taut, witty mystery that will grip readers from the opening pages to the breathless conclusion.
about the author: Claire Booth spent more than a decade as a daily newspaper reporter, much of it covering crimes so convoluted and strange they seemed more like fiction than reality. Eventually, she had enough of the real world and decided to write novels instead. Her Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series takes place in Branson, Missouri, where small-town Ozark politics and big-city country music tourism clash in, yes, strange and convoluted ways.
For more about Claire, her books, and some of the true crimes she’s covered, check out her website or follow her on social media (links follow).
connect with the author: website | facebook | twitter
recipe inspired by the book: Chile Verde
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The priest sent Hank off with a stomach full of chile verde and a solemn oath that he was telling the truth about the meeting time and place.
Yield: serves 4
Slow Cooker Chile Verde
prep time: 20 MINScook time: 4 hourtotal time: 4 hours and 20 mins
Chunks of slow cooked pork in a roasted tomatillo and green chile infused stew.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork butt or boneless baby back ribs
- 6-8 good-sized tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, stemmed
- 1 Anaheim or Hatch chile (or a Poblano if you can't find one), stemmed
- 3 fat cloves of garlic
- 1 small-medium onion
- handful fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground toasted cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground toasted coriander seeds
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the pork in the bottom of your slow cooker insert.
- Broil or roast the tomatillos, chiles, onion, and garlic until the skin is well-charred on the chiles and garlic, the onion is blackened in spots. Put them into a blender jar, squeezing the garlic from its papery skin and being sure to add any juices released by the tomatillos, and pulse quickly to break them up. Toss in the cilantro and seasonings, then measure in enough cool water to make about 3 cups. Blend until smooth, then pour it evenly over the pork.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours. Use two large forks to pull the pork into large chunks and shreds.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with hot tortillas and your choice of condiments.
Notes:
- To make this even easier, you could use storebought salsa verde in place of the homemade salsa verde (at least 3 cups). If you go this route, I recommend using one that starts with roasted vegetables, such as Rick Bayless's Frontera brand...and still adding the extra spices (oregano, cumin, marjoram, coriander seed).
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Also check out my review and recipe inspired by the first book in the Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery series, The Branson Beauty, by clicking on the photo below!
