Harlan Winter has returned to his corner of Appalachia, where his fiery history with a depraved cult has made him a legend. All Harlan wants is to run his occult bookshop and get on with his life—if only his unsettling visions would let him. But when a fellow devotee of the dark arts moves to Coopersville and Harlan’s coveted grimoire is stolen, he’s pulled into a world deadlier than the one that already scarred his soul.

The foolish thieves are two local teenagers hightailing it out of Appalachia in a stolen car and heading south to Florida where a buyer for the coveted grimoire is waiting. They have no idea what evil lies on the road ahead. But Harlan does. Blood has already been spilled. He’s following them mile by mile on a mission to save them before it’s too late. Because once their prized possession is in the wrong hands, there will be hell to pay.

Loved this from start to finish. Such dynamic writing. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

Second time around...do NOT skip #1 or lots won't make sense. The stupid kids who come for Harlan's precioussss were under relatable, saddening pressure. What happens is a lot like the violence tinged with supernatural shenanigans from before, only being #2, they turned up the volume.

It was a mistake to pound 'em down one after the other. Don't do that and you'll like the results better. Same advisories as for #1: "It's easier to forgive underdevelopedness than obtrusiveness, so non-horror unsupernaturalizers are warned off. The rest of us need reasonably good #Deathtober reads. Here's one."

Thomas & Mercer only want $2.49 for this one, which is exactly my idea of the right price.

I'm loving this series and this an excellent and intriguing second installment.
A more extensive review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Head Full of LiesHead Full of Lies
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“Head Full of Lies” by Jordan Farmer is the second installment in the Harlan Winter series, and it delivers an enthralling blend of occult mystery and gritty noir that sinks its claws in and refuses to let go.

Set against the backdrop of Appalachia, a region as enigmatic as it is beautiful, the novel follows Harlan Winter, a man whose past is as fiery as the cult he once escaped. Now a proprietor of an occult bookshop, Harlan’s desire for a quiet life is upended when his visions, as unsettling as they are prophetic, draw him back into the darkness he thought he’d left behind.

The theft of a coveted grimoire sets off a chain of events that sees two local teenagers on a perilous road trip south, with Harlan in pursuit. The narrative accelerates with the urgency of a spell gone awry, as the teens remain blissfully unaware of the malevolent forces they’ve unleashed. Farmer masterfully captures the essence of a chase where the stakes are not just life and death, but eternal damnation.

Farmer’s prose is sharp and evocative, painting a world where the line between the real and the supernatural is as thin as the paper of the stolen spellbook. The setting of Coopersville comes alive under his pen, with each description more vivid than the last, making the town an integral character in its own right.

Harlan Winter is a protagonist who is both flawed and formidable. His journey is not just a physical chase but a spiritual odyssey, confronting the evils of his past and the specters of his present. The supporting cast, particularly the misguided teens, are drawn with a sympathetic brush, their naivety a stark contrast to Harlan’s weary experience.

“Head Full of Lies” is a novel that does not shy away from the darkness within its pages or within its characters. It is a story that explores the unrelenting power of evil and the relentless pursuit of redemption. With a pace that mirrors a heartbeat in flight and a conclusion that satisfies as much as it haunts, this book is a must-read for fans of the genre and a testament to Farmer’s growing prowess in contemporary Appalachian fiction.

In summary, Jordan Farmer’s “Head Full of Lies” is a compelling tale of magic, morality, and the monsters that lurk in the shadows of the human soul. It’s a journey well worth taking, with a guide as complex and captivating as Harlan Winter himself.

Head Full of lies had an engaging blurb but reading the full book did not work so well for me. It has a good plot and characters and it's entertaining!
I thank Mr. Farmer, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Head Full of Lies by Jordan Farmer is a well-written highly engaging book. I also thought that the writing was vivid and packed a punch.
I enjoyed the way Jordan Farmer wrote this and can't wait to read more in the future.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I liked this.

I wouldn’t say it worked perfectly as a standalone. I never read the first book and definitely felt like I was missing a little something when it came to Harlan Winter’s character. I didn’t really understand his past or his personality.

That being said, I still was all in on the plot and our other characters.

The book has a nice edge to it and I liked the mix of Crime and something ‘other’.

I’d like to go back and read the first book and would definitely like another book in the series.

• ARC via Publisher

A perfectly fine book, but it just didn't work for me and I can't put my finger on why. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

The writing was great, the blurb was enticing, and the story was intriguing. To a point. It didn't take long for me to get confused. I didn't know this was part of a series and only a few chapters in it was clear this was not going to be a stand alone novel. Please make it clear that a book is part of series, publishers. This as happened several times this year.