The Reluctant Sheriff

 

Author: Chris Offutt 

Publisher: Grove Atlantic Press 

Release date: March 25, 2025

Thank you Grove Atlantic and NetGalkey for the e-arc. Much appreciated! 

Former Army CID investigator Mick Hardin’s retirement plan was to head to a small village in Corsica to find some peace and quiet. Instead he’s stuck in Kentucky. His sister Linda, the local sheriff, was wounded in the line of duty. Now Mick is holding down the fort as interim sheriff. He’s got his hands full investigating the murder of a bar owner. Mick’s investigation takes a personal turn when his ex-wife’s new husband becomes a suspect. Then two more bodies turn up. 

Author Chris Offut delivers another atmospheric and riveting police procedural. Mick is a great and complex character. He’d love nothing more to live in a cabin in the woods in his native Kentucky, but he has a restless spirit. He’s lonely after the his divorce, but he doesn’t really know how to connect with people. The only thing he knows, and what he’s good at is solving murders. 

The Reluctant Sheriff, out March 25th, is the fourth book of the series and I’ve loved them all. This book can be read as a stand alone. There’s enough information about Mick’s previous exploits to get you up to speed. If you’re looking for interesting characters, sharp writing, and a mystery with as many twists and turns a country road, then dive into the world of Mick Hardin. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QOTD: What’s trope in police procedurals that you love? Or one that you think is overused?

I think a massively overused trope is the seemly super intelligent, all knowing, always one step ahead of the police serial killer. Sometimes these villains are just too over the top for me. 

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