Dark, dangerous, depressing, a story about long hidden secrets and present day crime in a rural county. Some people will like this book, but it was too dark for me.

I lost interest in this book very quickly and was unable to finish it. The characters seemed ‘too quirky’, too forced.

Bad Axe County has a bad-ass sheriff. Well, technically she's the interim sheriff until the special election is held. But there is nothing interim about her drive to bring down the criminals of the county. Heidi Kick is a complicated character. Difficult enough to be a wife, mother and sheriff but Heidi is haunted by her past and when it begins to collide with her present she struggles to keep her objectivity. I would love to meet her in person. I was initially drawn to this story because it's set in the Wisconsin Dells area, a place I have vacationed at several times. I was impressed by the way the author used the setting as a character in the story. The hills and valleys of the place, even the weather, play a huge part in the drama and thrills of the narrative. This drama also touches on the issues of sex trafficking, the drug trade, and illegal interstate commerce. Not to mention the complicated relationships between residents. This book kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole ride and kept me guessing till the end. Top-notch read!

Fast paced mystery with a kick-ass heroine. Readers will love Heidi Kick and will finish this book wanting more.

If Bad Axe County really existed, I'd never go near it. And based on the characters in this story (which, BTW, there were far too many of for my aging brain to keep straight), I'm happy to not live anywhere near any of these downright detestable folks. That's not to say the book isn't well-written; it is - and no doubt many readers will love it. But I disliked the people and places so much that it was hard to work up much enthusiasm for the plot.

Heidi Kick is the new interim sheriff in Bad Axe County, Wisconsin - the first female in what's clearly old-boy territory. She's married to Harley, who in his younger days was a star baseball player (and who is the only character in this story who has redeeming social value, IMHO). More than a decade earlier, Heidi's parents were found dead on their farm, and the police ruled it a murder-suicide. Heidi never believed that, though, and has tried ever since to figure out what really happened to them.

She's also got a job to do, though much of it seems to be an uphill battle against the seedy folks in the backwoods county who don't want her to do it. So bad is the situation that she's not even totally sure she'll run for the upcoming election that, should she somehow win, would give her a more permanent status.

As a real storm brews, a storm of another sort pops up in the local library involving an unidentified man, a young girl and a years-earlier baseball game that nobody - including Heidi's husband - want to talk about. That, in turn, leads to Heidi's learning about secret "stag parties" attended by all sorts of locals and an assortment of young girls, not all of whom were there of their own volition (think: human trafficking). One, in fact, has been missing ever since the party that followed that secretive baseball game; now, Heidi fears that the girl in the library may be another unwilling victim (one who, hopefully, she can save).

The nasty weather and roiling rivers take their toll as Heidi investigates up and down very run-down properties like a salvage yard and a restaurant/bar, both of which are operated by characters even a mother couldn't love. Can Heidi find the missing girl before it's too late? Will she learn whose hand really killed her parents? And will her marriage survive the secrets her husband has been keeping from her? All are questions that aren't for me to reveal; you'll just have to read it for yourself. Do so only, I might add, if you don't mind graphic language and really, really rough guys and gals (the language does fit the characters, but even though that usually doesn't bother me much, in this case it made me like them all even less).

Bottom line? While I appreciate the quality of the writing, this one is just too dark and gritty for me. In other words, I got through it intact, but I admit I'm now looking forward to diving into a cozy mystery (and if you know my opinion on those, you know that speaks volumes). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Heidi Kick was Dairy Queen when she found out her parents were dead. Convinced it wasn't a murder-suicide, she tried to find the truth, and hasn't stopped now that she is interim sheriff in the small town she grew up in. As she digs deeper into the underbelly of Bad Axe County, Heidi comes up against opposition from every turn, and discovers secrets she may wish she had never uncovered.

This book really flew by. There was a lot of suspense, and many twists and turns. Heidi Kick is a great protagonist, strong and complicated, and the characters she is surrounded with have layers and darkness inside them all.

This book was a lot gritter than I am normally drawn to. It was pretty much all dark with no light, and had some really hard subjects to stomach.

While I don't think I would read any more of Galligan's work, it's not because this book wasn't good. It was just too dark and gritty for my tastes.

Bad Axe County probably isn't the place for you--or the thriller for you--if you're uncomfortable on the darker, grittier side of the street. But if you're looking for a compelling mystery, a powerful sense of place, and richly layered characterizations, don't miss this read. Very much hope this is the start of a series.

This book... I didn't know what I was getting into with this one. All I knew is that I hoped beyond all hopes that it wasn't a dud for me. I was very interested in reading this one.

This book has everything I like in a book. Great characters. Great plot and follow through. Great suspense. Great mystery. It flowed and didn't drag.This book couldn't have been written better. 

I was so engaged in this story that when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I was curious how it would all end up playing out. I couldn't wait to see how it all played out. The twists and turns had me wanting to turn my back on characters I liked and vice versa. Eventually, I caught on on who to trust, who not to trust.

I am really hoping that this is the start of a series. I definitely want to read more from Bad Axe County and its kick butt Sheriff and her husband. How could I not?

I liked the story. I liked the characters. The book was well written. I give the book 4.5 stars. I recommend it . Its a good book, an enjoyable story.

I DNF"d this at 40% I just could not get into the Story, or the characters. I won't be reviewing as I feel other readers will like this book, and I do not want any negative review from me to detract readers from reading it. It was a very rich and detailed writing style, but I just couldn't connect. I am not the right reader.

I thank NetGalley, author John Galligan, and also AtriaMysteryBus for a digital copy and a free ARC of the Book! I really enjoyed this dark, intense thriller taking place in a small country town. The new interim police chief, Heidi Kick faces many on her staff who do not want her there and work against her, bad spring weather, sex trafficking and drugs, to name a few problems that face her immediately! This is in Bad Axe County, a town she grew up next to, serving that area as the Wisconsin Dairy Queen one fateful summer. When she was serving at an event her manager receives a call that Heidi's parents have been murdered!! So she enters her job with many events swirling in her mind...
There are several plots that intertwine seamlessly,with characters so well-developed you can feel their breath on you. The narrative is packed with explicit scenes in which you feel yourself, afraid one minute, totally pissed off the next!! Heidi tries to solve several cases at once, including her parent's murder from 15 years ago, stretching her mind and capabilities.
This is an intriguing read for all who like mysteries and thrillers!!!
I write my review from my honest feelings and thoughts after reading this wonderful , dark adventure!

4.5 Stars!!!

When I read the description for Bad Axe County, I felt it was a little out of my reading “comfort zone”, but I had a gut feeling it was going to be a good read. Well, I am thanking my gut because this novel was was more than good...it was fantastic! From the beginning, this chilling novel grabbed my attention and had me tuning out the real world because the storyline was that addictive! John Galligan masterfully planned out every nook and cranny to maximize the suspense throughout! I found some of the subject matter alarming, but very thought provoking! I haven’t read John Galligan before, but I will definitely be checking anything he comes out with n the future!

This book will keep you on your toes and have you questioning everyone and everything until the breathtaking ending. I loved the strong character of Heidi.
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital proof of this book to read and review.

I LIKED this book!! Heidi White, AKA "Dairy Queen", has had a difficult life. While she was serving as the Wisconsin Dairy Queen, her parents are found dead at their farm in what was ruled a murder-suicide. But Heidi KNOWS her Dad would never kill his wife, much less himself! Now, fifteen years later, Heidi is living in Bad Axe County, the next county over from her childhood home. She is married to the local baseball star and coach and is the mother of three children. She has also just been appointed acting sheriff when the longtime sheriff dies.

Bad things happen in Bad Axe, always have, and always with the complicit acceptance of the Sheriff. But now there is a new sheriff, at least temporarily. A bad ice storm is on the way, which will be followed by flooding and washouts as the ice melts. Heidi gets a tip that an underage girl is travelling with an older man and she may be in trouble.

Thus starts a wild and crazy ride which I enjoyed a LOT and I think most people will.

3.5 stars, rounded up

The blurb for this book recommends it to readers who like Dennis Lehane or Megan Miranda. It reminded me much more of Lehane with its dark subject matter and horrible villains.

Heidi Kick is the interim sheriff in Bad Axe County, Wisconsin. She’s facing misogyny within her staff, a bad spring snow storm, sex trafficking and drug dealing. Oh, and she’s also trying to figure out the truth behind her parents’ supposed murder-suicide from 15 years before. AND what happened in 2012, the day of a badly lost baseball game with her now husband supposedly pitching. This is a dark, gritty novel. Lots of moving pieces to this one. Galligan does a decent job of portraying the place and characters, although some of the characters seem more caricature. I can’t say that it was a fabulous mystery, but it moves at a brisk pace and kept my interest.

My thanks to netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

This book is has is all suspense....mystery....corruption and the first sheriff in this rural setting.
It’s dark.....gritty and will grab you by the throat and hold on till the end.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love a good police procedural and this book certainly qualifies. Throw in a female protagonist battling the "boys club" and what more could you ask for?

Set in eastern Wisconsin, the story focuses on Heidi Kick, a former "Dairy Queen" with a tragic past. Now married to a local baseball legend, she is the interim Sheriff of Bad Axe County and not everyone is on her side. With her loyal staff by her side, she's chasing sex traffickers while battling an ice storm and uncovering long buried secrets that hit close to home.

Galligan does a good job of creating tension and letting it build as the characters race the clock (and weather). Some of the characters are little underdeveloped, but still an enjoyable read.

This book was just awful. I usually read books in a matter of days, but this one took me almost 2 weeks to get through. I just hated picking it back up. The story dragged, all the characters were unlikeable, there were way TOO many character, so many people to keep track of, none of them fleshed out. I really kept hoping it would get better and it was interesting enough that I did want to find out “who did it”...but really I think this is a book that I would have preferred to pass on. Even the name of the county is awful. “Bad Axe”?

3.5/5 If you like your novels dark and gritty, then here's a good one for you. The protagonist is a former beauty queen turned sheriff who gets caught up in a case of trafficking whose roots run deep in the community. There's a lot of great atmospheric description and plenty of colorful characters. Overall, a good read, but for me, sometimes the descriptions of what happened to the girls was a little bit too much- though, it's probably realistic, which is a shame.

This novel grabbed me from the onset much the same way Lehane’s or Burke’s do. It is set in Bad Axe, Wisconsin, and the protagonist is Heidi White Kick who is the first female Sheriff in this rural area. When she was a teenager her parents died and were deemed to have been a murder and suicide. Being a farm kid and knowing her family well, Heidi never believed this. She is now dealing with a missing girl, sex trafficking, drugs and a colorful and often amusing cast of miscreants who continue to refer to her as the Dairy Queen for a beauty contest she won shortly before her parents death. Her team, as a general rule, have no respect for her because of her gender and some are in competition with her to become Sheriff. She also has a husband she is uncertain about who coaches the local baseball team and three young children. Life is not easy for Heidi and her ability to cope and overcome obstacles is noteworthy. Thanks to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC for an honest review.