My very first Attica Locke and a dazzling entry, for me, into the world of an exciting author. I can't wait to dig into the backlist after finding myself intrigued with the mystery here, and captivated by Locke's poeticism and unique turn of phrase. Texas Ranger Darren Matthews is sent to East Texas to investigate the disappearance of the 9-year-old son of a known white supremacist. Matthews is confronted with shady characters, backhanded political dealings, fistfuls of racism and ignorance, while manoeuvring around some personal conflicts: his blackmailing mum, his somewhat estranged wife, a flame on the other side of the world, and his own sense of right and wrong. The story moves quickly, winding effortlessly around a gripping mystery, and keeping the puzzle-solving reader on their feet as red herrings abound. I enjoyed the history here, the assured voice with a keen message, and, again, the poetry of the sentences and the majesty of the descriptions. I'm looking forward to more.

This is a tricky book for me to review. I think because I haven't read the first in the series there's lots of references to things that wasn't quite clear, so I found this quite hard to get into.
One the whole this is a missing boy story, where the detective is black. The book explores racial tensions and issues in Southern America in a post-Trump world.

The quality of Attica Locke’s writing is extremely high, from opening to conclusion this novel flows so effortlessly. I have not read any of the previous novels in the series and that was not problematic at all, you can definitely pick up this novel without any prior knowledge of the characters. Although, I guarantee you will want to read more of the series after engaging with this novel. Heaven, My Home is incredibly atmospheric, with shades of southern gothic and in the mood of True Detective. Racial tension, both within law enforcement and the wider community, is explored with a nuanced eye. The central case in the novel is a tangled yet not too tricky to follow web; it is creative and never once feels like ground that has already been trodden.

Darren Matthews is a black Texas Ranger who is part of a task force investigating the Aryan Brotherhood. When a boy goes missing at Caddo Lake, his boss Wilson assigns him to the investigation. There is an ulterior motive; the boy's father is a senior figure in the Brotherhood, and Wilson is hoping that Darren can turn up evidence against them in the course of his investigation. However Darren also has his own secrets, and his own ulterior motives.

What Matthews finds when he arrives is a community seething with racial hate, heightened by Donald Trump's recent electoral win. It is made very clear by the local Sheriff that he is not welcome, and is surprised when an FBI buddy of his decides to insert himself into the investigation by playing the race card. In all the plot and subterfuge, nobody seems dreadfully interested in finding the missing boy.

This is a pacy novel with a complex plot and some good strong characters. Locke refrains from turning her protagonist into some kind of shining hero, and she manages to give most of her other characters a similar authenticity. I also liked Locke's descriptions of Caddo Lake itself, mysterious and steeped in history.

I read the first book (Bluebird, Bluebird) in the Highway 59 series a couple of years back so wasn’t sure I’d remember everything important as I began the next instalment. However, as soon as I started reading Heaven, My Home the story of Darren Matthews came rushing back to me and I was once again engrossed in his complex and intense life as a Texas Ranger. Heaven, My Home could not come at a more relevant moment. It is a brilliant crime and mystery book with all the compelling twists and turns that come with that but it’s also much more. It is a searing portrayal of modern America. It is set in the aftermath of the 2016 election and the spectre of Trump is everywhere. Locke has managed to perfectly capture the anger, fear, rage, hopelessness and despair that many Americans must have felt and has shown just how the country has found itself in a very divisive and complicated place where prejudice is disturbingly alive and well.

Locke is fantastic at evoking the setting of her story. I have never been to America, let alone Texas, but she manages to bring it to life in an incredibly atmospheric and haunting way. Her descriptions of Lake Caddo in particular and it’s mysterious nature are beautifully done. Her writing makes you feel like you are right there experiencing this extreme and dangerous yet mystically beautiful place. The different parts of the state that Darren finds himself in are all vital to his character. He has such a strong emotional connection to Texas and that is felt completely by the reader at all times.

There is a sort of gothic feeling to Heaven, My Home which I loved and the story is continuously compelling. However it is the visceral, honest and potent atmosphere that Locke has created that will stay with you long after you finish reading. Considering what is going on in the world at the moment, this book is vitally important in trying to figure out how America can move forward and powerfully depicts the tension it is living with now. A timely, intense and well written book that I highly recommend you add to your TBR list.

Very well written, and drags you into a vividly created world. You get a real sense of the lines that divide a community, the tension and prejudice that still exists, a hangover from years gone by, all ably supported by a great cast of characters.

This was such a well constructed and compelling crime novel, steeped in the rhythms of East Texas. We follow Texas Ranger Darren Mathews as he investigates the disappearance of a young boy, the son of an incarcerated Aryan Brotherhood member.

The Positives: The plot is really compelling and intricately woven. It was incredibly impressive how many threads Attica Locke intertwined into the narrative, which never strayed into confusion but remained lean and well paced throughout. Her sense of place is very firmly defined and the reader gets a real sense of Caddo Lake and the people who make their lives upon it. The characters were well drawn and felt authentic, with a layer of southern gentility covering a very murky underbelly, which I very much enjoyed. Locke writes about race and the American experience without sugar coating anything, which is painful to read at times but so important, particularly in a genre novel.

The Negatives: There were a couple of plot beats/reveals that I felt were a little predictable.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable and intelligent novel and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

*Many thanks to Attica Locke, Serpent's Tail/Profile Books and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
A good thriller set in Texas with well developed characters. However, it was a diffcult read for meat times as there are references to Book 1 which I have not read yet. Atmospheric and intriguing.

Sometimes I found this book a difficult read, it does contains racism - although saying that it was engaging and the description of East Texas was atmospheric and realistic. I recommend you read Bluebird Bluebird first as there is references in this book.

Brilliant book. Very well
Written and absolutely unputdownable. Interesting and current. Highly recommended xx