In The Country Dark

Two friends. One with nothing to lose and the other everything to lose, set the stage for In The Country Dark the latest book by West Virginia writer Mike Mallow. This is a must read if you like mystery, suspense and a thrilling page turner.

Set in three ficDonal counDes of West Virginia, it’s a story of a murder for hire gone wrong. Cabel Walsh is a newspaper man and aFer a falling out with the publisher of the local paper, he quits and takes a job at a newspaper two counDes over. Spending less Dme in his home county he finds himself disconnected from the people and events. One night in a bar he finds himself reacquainted with his childhood friend Troy Mason. Troy and Cabel may have had the same childhood, but their adult lives have taken a significantly different turn. Troy’s life has been one of addicDon, driFing from job to job and a failed marriage. Agreeing to accompany Troy to a business meeDng sets Cabel down a dark path that ends with death. But who’s?

Troy’s need for revenge aFer losing his last job and Cabel’s need to come to terms with his childhood weave into a web of lies, double crosses and murder. They find themselves in the cross hairs of the local crime lord aFer Troy refuses to pay for the murder due to a technicality. They have to take maMers into their own hands before Dme runs out. GeOng deeper into Troy’s world, Cabel finds he has to do things he never though himself capable of. But when he finds these things aren’t that hard to do or reconcile in his mind, will he be able to find his way back from the darkness?

Mike does a great job with seOng, characters and plot. His descripDons of West Virginia, her land, people and events are spot on. The plot is full of twists and turns. You’ll think you have it all figured out and then here comes a twist you never saw coming. The characters are well defined and some you’ll find yourself thinking they remind you of either someone you know or used to know. Mike himself is a newspaper man and he uses his experience and knowledge to write a believable story. He told me he worked on development for the book during his drive to work, two counDes over.

I just realized this could be a series, so you go ahead and start reading In The Country Dark and I’ll start convincing Mike he needs a sequel.