Ethan Brand’s first day as chief in the small town of Blaine, Washington, holds big surprises, starting with a bloody heart left on his doorstep. The morning doesn’t get much better as Ethan navigates the new power dynamic in his department and Blaine’s first homicide in years in A LONESOME PLACE FOR DYING.

At forty-two years old, Ethan is a former marine with an ankle injury from an IED. Physically, Ethan knows how to handle himself. Unfortunately, he’s not so good with small-town politics and needs to watch his back with the town council. When a body is found by the train tracks, Ethan is thrust into the spotlight, and his leadership skills are on display. As Ethan and his team start investigating, they learn the identity of the victim and start piecing together the series of events that led to her final, lonesome resting place. From incarcerated community members to small-town politics, a suspicious man in town, drug trafficking, and new threats to Ethan’s life, this mystery is complex and intriguing. When a second murder occurs, Ethan knows the stakes are high, and he must work fast to catch a killer and keep his job.

A LONESOME PLACE FOR DYING is an intriguing police procedural that pulls readers into the action in Blaine, Oregon. Not only is the mystery compelling, but so is Ethan and the cast of characters that surround him. Ethan is flawed, and his personal life is unsettled. With his wife and kids living across the country, Ethan is dealing with the loneliness of the separation. His only home companion is an errant coyote who keeps watch. He is also feeling the fallout of his affair with a highly connected woman in town. His personal life is a mess, but he’s quite capable of handling himself physically, and how he deals with a disgruntled suspended officer is highly entertaining. With all his faults, Ethan is a likable protagonist trying to make sense of his place in the world, lead his team effectively, and find justice for the victims. The novel progresses at a strong pace, and the high-stakes ending pulls you into the action, while the last twist gives you something to think about. Looking forward to seeing more novels with this new lawman leading the charge.