I received this from Netgalley.com.

The blurb sounded interesting .. "Annie McIntyre has a love/hate relationship with Garnett, Texas" .. I could relate because I feel the same about the small town where I grew up.

So, that being said, this book has its highs and lows. I would love to have seen Annie in a better defined and determined leading role.

2☆

Because this debut novel was described as Friday Night Lights meets Mare of Eastown, I was very anxious to read it. Nonetheless, I was somewhat disappointed because it was definitely not as described. The main character Annie McIntyre, a recent college graduate, returns home, takes a job as a waitress (because other job prospects are dismal) and becomes involved in the investigation into the disappearance of her co-worker Victoria. The plot is simplistic, the mystery is a basic one with typical stereotypes thrown in, and the story moves along at a pretty slow pace. However, the characters are interesting and fairly well-developed so that they may be setting the stage for this novel being the first in a series. I did not think this was a great read, but I liked it well enough to be interested in reading the next in the series, should there be one.

Pay Dirt Road is a mystery novel with a very impetuous young lady at the core. She jumps into situations too many times where I thought “surely not again”. I enjoyed the parts of the book where it involved family and good friends the most. There were several times when I had to go back into the previous pages to see if I missed something. I would read a sequel, but it wasn’t a favorite.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Gritty Garrett Texas, a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business, is the setting for Pay Dirt Road. Samantha Jayne Allen's main characther is newly-graduated Annie McIntyre, who becomes a reluctant PI in the family business. As she solves a local murder mystery and does a bit of growing up in the process, she grapples with the lessons of her past. This is an enjoyable, well-written and atmospheric mystery.

3.5 stars, rounded down
I was drawn to this debut novel as its author won the 2019 Tony Hillerman award for best first mystery set in the southwest. The story follows Annie, a young woman recently returned to her small hometown in Texas after graduating from college. There’s a recession going on and she finds work as a waitress. After a bonfire party, another waitress, a work friend, goes missing. Annie, the granddaughter of a retired sheriff, now a private investigator, decides to investigate on her own. Annie was a compelling character and fully formed.
While the book kept my interest, I didn’t find it particularly engrossing. It doesn’t really cover any new ground. Allen does a good job of presenting a scene and it was easy to envision the book playing out. I thought the ending worked well and I didn’t foresee who was responsible until almost the end.
This book is set up for a second book and I liked it enough that I would read the next one.
My thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advance copy of this book.

I was given this book from arc and I'm leaving my honest review . Pay Dirt road is an interesting mystery that takes place in a small town in Texas. Anne returns from college and starts working with her grandfather to help solve a death of a co-worker where they both worked in a diner part-time. She is very close with her cousin Nikki who she rooms with. I think the book was long and in part slow moving. It was well written and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this

The late Tony Hillerman was one of my treasures. His mysteries set in Navajo country revealed the beauty of the land and the culture, and were driven by unforgettable characters. His passing left a large void in my reading regimen. Samantha Jayne Allen's "Pay Dirt Road" won the 2019 Tony Hillerman Prize given for the best first mystery set in the southwest. Big shoes to fill.

I loved the location setup. The main character, Annie McIntyre, has reluctantly returned from college to her old hometown of Garnett, Texas-- where there did not seem much to do other than watch trains and "doing donuts in the Walmart parking lot". Annie is working as a waitress, just sort of drifting along, when two murders happen on the same day. One victim was a coworker of hers and she feels she could have done something to prevent this tragedy. It just so happens her crusty old grandpa used to be the town sheriff and now runs a private investigation firm-- just the contrivance to pull her into the world of crime solving.

Annie is going to have to be a lot more determined to convince us she has private eye potential. She blunders into some dangerous situations and is not especially clever in her methods. The plot is pretty simple and moves slowly at times, but it is a decent setup for a series-- provided that Annie sharpens her skills. A good debut. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An ambitious story of loss, regret, and healing. Annie is a rudderless young college graduate who, upon learning her friend and coworker disappeared, sets out to assist her grandfather PI

The author presents a strong character yarn of a 20 something young woman as she rediscovers her past and reconciles old hurts. Much of young Annie’s life is laid bare on the pages in an earnest, truthful fashion.

Yet, as a mystery, Pay Dirt Road suffers from uneven pacing and uneven application of topic matters. The twists were well written and will keep readers guessing to the end.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4394068190

This was an enjoyable debut and a solid origin story for the main character’s life as a detective.

The characters are imperfect and authentic, and I loved the setting of small-town Texas. It has gripping suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat and a fierce female protagonist. It’s gritty and effectively sets the reader up for a series.

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its publication date.

A classic whodunnit that scratches my small town rural noir itch. There is way more space for women in this spot of the shelf. It needs to be filled.

This story takes place in a small town in Texas. Annie has lived in Garnet all her life - she did finally leave to go to college but ended up back in Garnett - she endsup waitressing in the local/popular restaurant. Victoria, another waitress, who works there also is found to be missing after a huge bonfire with the local young people and a few others pop in.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Was not gruesome. It certainly kept me from putting the book down as i read very late into the evening. Good characters, good story line and a surprise ending. This may be Ms Allen's first book but I certainly hope it won't be her last. I look forward to reading another of her books in the near future.

Small towns have secrets and Garnett, Texas is no different. Annie returns to her hometown after college. She’s not sure where her life will go. When a co-worker is murdered, it seems like she’ll be sucked into her family legacy. The book is slow moving at times, but worth every page. I definitely didn’t see that ending. Annie learns some heard truths and maybe finds herself. Well worth the read!


*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Interesting but not really my cup of tea. Well written I just personally couldn’t get into the story. Multiple victims in her hometown. Her and her family investigation team will do whatever it takes to put these to an end. But in these small towns isn’t it someone you usually know? So who can she trust. Predictable and honestly it was a struggle to keep my interest. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book fell a little flat for me. I think the mystery was too simple and I expected more grit from the storyline. It was too clean for my liking but I'm sure there is an audience for it.

There’s just somethin’ about books set in small towns Friday Night Lights style (especially when it’s a thriller/mystery story) that always appeals to me, which is why I was immediately drawn into Pay Dirt Road after reading the synopsis. This novel is pitched as Friday Night Lights meets Mare of East Town, and while I don’t know who/what Mare of East Town is, I definitely agree with the Friday Night Lights aspect of it (side note: who else thinks that’s one of the best shows ever? Must rewatch soon!)

Samantha Jayne Allen perfectly captured the essence of small town life with her excellently crafted depictions: the dirt roads, the classic diner, the bonfires (which you could and hear the hiss and crackle off), the lights from Friday night football games; the cozy but wary feeling of a place that stands frozen in time and rarely ever changes. Although i’ve experience small town life, i’ve never experienced small town in Texas life, but I was able to get an excellent sense of it through this story. Intertwine the excellently crafted small town with a mystery, and you’ve got yourself a perfect mystery read to settle down with on a quiet Autumn night.

Pay Dirt Road is an atmospheric, slow burning but crackling thriller that will have you eagerly flipping the pages in anticipation of what happens next.

Annie McIntyre has graduated college and returned home to Garnett, Texas. Not knowing what to do with her life now, she's waitressing to earn needed money. When there is a hit and run and a murdered waitress on the same night, is there a connection---Annie has to know. Working with her PI grandfather, Leroy, and his partner, Mary Pat, nearly gets herself killed before all the truth comes out.

This is one of those books that I had to check I hadn't read it before. I couldn't have but I've read a lot of books like it before--rural US, Texas, wanting to get away from small town life, crime. It wasn't bad but to be honest, I forgot it quickly.

Thank you St. Martins and NetGalley for the chance to read this debut from Samantha Jayne Allen. This mystery is a strong blend of character driven themes with a well developed plot, more of a novel/literary book with a mystery added in. For me this was a strength of the book as I appreciated how well developed the main character, Annie, was and that her character was given an identity that was well developed. I hope this might be the start of a series from this author as I loved seeing how Annie embraced her role, learned some tough lessons and showed growth throughout the book, I could see a great series emerging from this strong debut..

Three things I loved
1. Annie and the writing overall felt real, authentic, and genuine. I appreciated that Annie had some dimension and growth and that the story was as much about her as the missing friend.
2. A well executed plot, the mystery without a lot of violence or twists, I liked that the author had a strong enough story to tell without trying to mislead or confuse the reader. Some of the story might be predictable but the writing and characters make it worthwhile. Sometimes a good mystery novel can be about the characters and getting to the resolution, not just the resolution.
3. Potential for a series. I am a reader who really loves mystery series and returning to the same lead and secondary characters. Given that I enjoyed how much Annie had space to grow in this book I could be excited to see her keep growing into her PI career in future books.

A great book for mystery book clubs and fans of mystery and suspense novels. I look forward to supporting this book with reviews on my instagram account (meghan_readsbooks) and other spaces near publication date. Thank you for the chance to enjoy this debut book!

Annie has returned to her small Texas town where everyone knows everyone after graduating from university. She is unsure what she wants to do next. Meanwhile, she is working as a waitress. When one of her fellow watresses is killed, Annie wonders if she might had changed the outcome by offering a ride home from the late night party. Soon she is questioning her grandfather, former sheriff, about 'what if?'
Interesting read of a person unsure of herself and what others think of her.

Enjoyable debut, rich in local rural Texas color and complications. The main character, too, is refreshingly and realistically complicated: college-aged but adrift, living mostly on distractions and dishwater tips and dealing with men who aren't quite right for her even if she can't quite see it clearly. She doesn't make for a particularly convincing detective, but her dogged pursuit of the truth and her determination to do justice by those who have been wronged, even as she struggles to get out of her own distracted way, are not just admirable but admirably human. It's nice to see a crime-solver who's a hot mess without being a hyper-stylized hot mess ala Stephanie Plum.

Looking forward to seeing Annie McIntyre grow in further adventures, though hopefully in stories with more plausible climactic scenes (the one in PAY DIRT ROAD will make readers sprain their eyeballs while rolling them) and perhaps a few fewer peripheral characters.