I really enjoyed Claire Booth’s debut novel The Branson Beauty, and I’ve been looking out for the follow up ever since. Having solved the murder of the popular, pretty young woman in the previous book, Hank thinks that he should be able to keep being sheriff and live a quiet existence in Branson for a while. But he has to run for the sheriff’s office in order to keep his job since he was appointed to the position, and he has some enemies in both other disgruntled cops and local affluent businessmen that couldn’t buy him off–so it will be anything but easy to run his campaign. And then he has murders to investigate when a local landowner hires undocumented workers to cut down some trees and one of them stumbles into a ravine containing two bodies at the bottom–one very fresh and one decades old.

Hank’s family life has settled down some, with his father-in-law Duncan taking care of the two children while Hank is working leads and his wife is a doctor in the local hospital’s emergency room. Some of the more light-hearted moments occur when Hank comes home to find what Duncan and the kids have been up to in their absence, and grandpa certainly has his own ideas of what the kids and their unruly adopted dog Guapo should get to do while the parents are away. It’s so relatable to my family situation and it made me smile.

Hank’s right-hand woman at work is Sheila Turley, the county’s first African American woman deputy–which doesn’t sit well with some citizens. She’s the best cop that Hank has known in so many ways, and he wouldn’t be nearly as successful in his position without her. Along with a few other trusted cops, Hank knows that he can get to the truth about the murders, but it will take a lot of leg work and some luck as well. There’s a new set of characters–both bad and good–that populate this second installment, and I enjoyed getting to know them. From the not-so-stereotypical backwoods feud between two neighboring families and the disappearance of their medicinal tree bark, to the campaign manager that Hank’s wife hires to make him more appealing and seem like less of an outsider, to the neighbor who seems to have the hots for Duncan, every person who makes an appearance–big or small–makes an impact and leaves an impression that isn’t forgettable. And that’s saying something when the cast does grow as the book moves along toward the end.

Claire Booth does a fantastic job of bringing small town Branson and the surrounding country areas to life, and it makes me simultaneously happy that I don’t live in a rural area any more and miss it just a tiny bit. We got to learn so much more about Hank and his life before coming to Branson since a lot was drug out during the election, and I understand him more now. But he’s essentially the same–he’s loyal, tough, fair, honest, funny, and has a low tolerance for b.s. and backstabbing. And those are fantastic qualities in both a sheriff and a family man.

I give Another Man’s Ground a five out of five. I really enjoyed how all of the stories wove together–from the decades old feud between the rich, influential neighbors to the bad seed family of brothers, to even aspects of his campaign that he’d rather not participate in. Just like in the previous book, I felt right at home immediately with Hank, his family, and his main deputies, and any new characters were distinct and well-drawn. The pacing was perfect, and I really didn’t want to put this down. Claire Booth expanded this fictional world and it still feels cozy and quaint. I’m looking forward to more stories about Hank, his deputies, and his family–and of course more of the unique and quirky citizens of Branson.

Great followup to the first Sheriff Hank Worth book! I am really enjoying this series. I like the characters and the storyline in this one kept me captivated.

In this one, Hank investigates the theft of elm tree bark. The thieves have stripped so much of the bark that the trees are now dying, so the owner decides to go ahead and cut the whole grove down. He hires undocumented workers to do it, and when Hank stops by to check on things, the crew runs. One unfortunate runaway laborer tumbles into a deep crevice and lands a couple of bodies from different time periods.

Hank suddenly finds himself in the midst of two separate murder investigations, and the tree bark theft while running for re-election.

This is a quick and easy one to read, and was quite enjoyable.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A Small town murder mystery done with humor, heart, and good balance of police work.

ANOTHER MAN’S GROUND is more than a mystery. I know it sounds cliche, but the bodies that are found are only the beginning of a story that will bring you deep into the heart of Branson, Missouri.

The layers that Claire Booth builds within the narrative are so intertwined that the author seamlessly gives her readers a perfect combination of human interest and crime. I loved the way that she takes the stripping of trees for profit and catapults her readers into a town filled with dead bodies, backhanded politics, crazy antics, and wonderful characters that enrich the story even more. As each page went by, I became completely invested in Hank, his deputies, and his family, as well as their outcomes.

All in all this is a solid crime novel that you will love if you like small town police procedurals. Also, for those who don’t love the more gritty mysteries and thrillers out there. This book gives you just the right balance of crime, characters, and witty banter.

Series Note: I never read the first novel in the series, but I understood everything that was going on. Sure there are a few things here and there that might have gone over my head, but for the most part, you can enjoy Sheriff Hank Worth without having read the previous book.

It started with a simple phone call about stripped slippery elm bark and quickly become something much more complicated. Sheriff Hank Worth's investigation into the theft of the bark of a tree used as a herbal remedy evolves into the discovery of not one but two dead and buried bodies, a host of illegal immigrants in his county, and a miss-step that just might cost him the election as sheriff in the second book in the Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series, Another Man's Ground by Claire Booth.

Sheriff Hank Worth is a transplant to Branson, Missouri from the "city." He was appointed sheriff a few months back and is now running for election. Although Hank's wife was born and raised in Branson, Hank isn't a part of the "good ol' boy" network and doesn't have the political clout of his opponent and long-time county deputy sheriff, Gerald Tucker. Hank doesn't exactly get along with his campaign manager and he's sure her advice at a local luncheon may have cost him the election. As if dealing with the campaign and all of its drama and fallout wasn't bad enough, Hank must also keep under wraps the illegals he found while investigating the bark theft, attempt to discover the identity of the two dead bodies buried years apart, discern why they were killed and disposed of, and handle a family that can only be described as bad-tempered and ornery if not deadly when crossed. Can Hank find the answers to the theft, identify the remains and killer, and do so before the election?

Another Man's Ground is the second book in the Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series by Claire Booth but the first book that I've read (a situation that will be quickly remedied I assure you). I found this to be a fast-paced, engaging, and enjoyable read despite constant interruptions due to travels between hospitals and nursing homes, nursing home drama, back-to-back-to-back migraine headaches, and more. I enjoyed the personal and workplace drama that Hank encounters and found him to be a realistic and believable character. I actually liked most of the characters in this story, including the colorful, crusty and cantankerous Jasper Kinney, campaign manager Darcy Blakely, and Hank's co-workers -- Alice and Sheila (I really liked Sheila). Another Man's Ground is a taut mystery that provides humor with the twists and turns in the story, mixing family drama, big city boy versus small town boy, and more. Although I didn't read The Branson Beauty (again, something that will be rectified soon), I didn't feel as if I coming into this series and missing too much backstory (of course I could be wrong). If you've read The Branson Beauty, then I'm pretty sure you already have Another Man's Ground on your TBR list (if not, add it ASAP). If you haven't read The Branson Beauty, then I strongly urge you to read it and grab yourself a copy of Another Man's Ground to read immediately afterward. I look forward to reading more in this series and consider myself fortunate to have been introduced to this new-to-me author and series.

Another Man's Ground is the second Sheriff Hank Worth by author Claire Booth. This is the first book of Booth's that I have read and I really enjoyed it.

Another Man's Ground is set in Branson County, Missouri which is just south of Springfield in the Ozark Mountains. Sheriff Hank Worth is up for re-election while trying to solve two murders as well as find out who stole elm tree bark. Then there is the long simmering feud between property owners. And undocumented workers hiding in the woods.

Another Man's Ground is an interesting and entertaining read that mystery fans will love. I enjoyed getting to know Sheriff Hank and his family and co-workers. I found this book to be well written and a pleasure to read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Highly recommend Another Man's Ground.

Another Man’s Ground
Sheriff Hank Worth Mysteries #2
Claire Booth
Minotaur Books, July 2017
ISBN 978-1-250-08441-5
Hardcover

From the publisher—

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.

When I discover a new—or, new to me—author and they knock my socks off, I’m always a little trepidatious that the next book will let me down, be a bit disappointing. That sad occurrence has happened more often than I like to think but, happily, I had no need to worry this time. The Branson Beauty was a wonderful book and it made my 2016 Favorite Books list; Another Man’s Ground is every bit as entertaining and Sheriff Hank Worth is still one of my best-loved smallish-town cops.

Hank is a man who loves what he does, protecting and defending others besides using his considerable intellect to solve crimes. He left the Kansas City police department in hopes of finding a more congenial place for his family and, indeed, he did but detective work is in his blood and he enjoys being Sheriff. Not so enjoyable is the campaigning he has to do for the upcoming election and looking into what he thinks is a fairly simple theft is a welcome distraction but, of course, it’s anything but simple.

Claire Booth brings the Ozarks to life and, in what I can only call a touch of love, she lets us come to know the people of this rural area as far more perceptive and quick-witted than stereotypes from the past persisting today would lead us to believe. The good folk of Branson and its environs are likeable and intelligent and its criminals have their own brand of cleverness. On the other hand, the notion of a decades-long feud is straight out of the hills and adds an element of curiosity and intrigue to what should have been, as I said, a simple theft.

With a little help from a deputy named Sheila Turley and not so much from the DEA and some US Marshals, Hank brings sanity back to Branson but it’s Guapo, a kind of ridiculous dog, who steals hearts on the campaign trail and all the townfolks together make me add this to my favorite books read in 2017. And now I’m really curious about what’s in store next time for Guapo and friends 😉

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, July 2017.

Hank Worth is the new sheriff of a small, rural tourist town in southern Missouri. He is investigating an unusual crime of elm bark theft and is surprised to learn how lucrative the sale of this bark can be. This crime leads the property owner, Vern Miles, to decide to remove several dying trees, which leads to the discovery of two dead bodies. Now in the middle of his re-election campaign, Hank has two murders to solve, and in trying to get the answers, he's not sure who he can trust.

"Another Man's Ground" is the follow-up author Claire Booth's "The Branson Beauty." Hank is a thorough and highly ethical investigator with a lot on his plate. He has to balance family life, getting used to living and working in a rural area and learns that dealing with small town politics is unfortunately part of the job. Although this book takes place in Missouri, this reminds me of J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady series. The book is well-written and Hank is a likeable character.

I am familiar with the town of Branson, Missouri, which is the setting of the book. I think the author did a better job realistically portraying that town in the first book, but still hit many of the right notes in bringing the town to life as the setting of the mystery. I liked how the case and the book ended and hope this series continues.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Minotaur Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal when Sheriff Hank Worth is called to look into bark being stripped from the trees a land owner was planning to harvest for an herbal supplement. Hank hasn’t been sheriff of Branson, Missouri all that long, and he’s up for re-election soon. He certainly hasn’t had a lot of problems with crime and hopes this will help his campaign. Then a body is found in the woods and Hank finds himself thrown into a feud that would put the Hatfields and the McCoys to shame. With the violence and hatred spreading through town to his deputies and his own family, Hank suddenly has a lot more to worry about than his bid for re-election