From the back of book:
On thing Deborah Knott knows for sure. Just when everything is going great -- up jumps the devil. In this case he's Allen Stancil, a black sheep back in North Carolina after one of the Stancil clan--rednecks all and proud of it -- gets shot to death. Then another Stancil murder makes Allen suspect number one and Deborah Knott one worried woman. She and Allen share an old secret. Now the only way she can keep it buried is to dig up the real killer, or her career -- and maybe her life -- is headed straight to hell.......
A great mystery about a NC judge, Deborah Knott. Lots of action and a romance, too.
Fourth in the series but no need to have read the others. Reading this made me a little sad. The ever-increasing encroachment of development into open spaces - either farmland or wild land - and the lure of money underlies the story. As usual it is Knott's family life and all the various relationships that take center stage, with the murder investigation taking place around it. Some twists and turns as Deborah discovers more than one of her family has at least a little motive to kill. Maron does a great job at evoking a sense of place and the dynamics of the large Knott family, and I like Deborah's voice. The mystery plot is not developed as well, but it's still enjoyable.
I would rate this book as an entertaining, light read. It was not an exciting page turner but it did keep my interest. Takes place in North Carolina and since I live there it was interesting to read about some of the history.
The title of this book is an old saying in the south and applies to the murderer in this mystery.I like this author and on her 6th book in the Judge Knott series.I plan to read all her books.They are very entertaining and what I call a light mystery.You learn a lot about North Carolina and southern ways.