Hard Cash Valley

Hard Cash Valley is a rock-solid country noir crime thriller set in the same northern Georgia mountains as two earlier books by Panowich. From the opening scene through to the end, it's a hard-to-put-down action-packed ride. Panowich takes the classic scene of a petty conman/gambler/ thief on the run with a suitcase full of money and breathes new life into this crime fiction trope. And our petty grifter isn't even the star of the show. That's a life-weary arson investigator haunted by a past so harrowing that lesser men would've home and swallowed their guns and by a death sentence he can't come to grips with. The ghosts of his past, particularly the gorgeous Gwen, are so real. But, the horrors of the present can't be ignored. A lot of the time these crime thrillers are peopled by caricatures of real people, but the characters here are real, vivid, believable, and desperately flawed. A terrific read!

Hard Cash Valley is a rock-solid country noir crime thriller set in the same northern Georgia mountains as two earlier books by Panowich. From the opening scene through to the end, it's a hard-to-put-down action-packed ride. Panowich takes the classic scene of a petty conman/gambler/ thief on the run with a suitcase full of money and breathes new life into this crime fiction trope. And our petty grifter isn't even the star of the show. That's a life-weary arson investigator haunted by a past so harrowing that lesser men would've home and swallowed their guns and by a death sentence he can't come to grips with. The ghosts of his past, particularly the gorgeous Gwen, are so real. But, the horrors of the present can't be ignored. A lot of the time these crime thrillers are peopled by caricatures of real people, but the characters here are real, vivid, believable, and desperately flawed. A terrific read!

This is the third book in the series; it follows Bull Mountain and Like Lions, although you do not have to have read the first two before reading this one. Unlike the other two, Clayton Burroughs and his family are not the main characters; the focus has switched to a GBI employee – Dane Kirby. The story follows Dane as he is asked to help the FBI on a rather gruesome case, the body of a man is found burned and badly beaten in a hotel room. As the details become clear as to why the Feds want his help, Dane works with a female FBI agent to investigate the murder and subsequent disappearance of the 11 year old brother of the dead man. I really found this book to move along at a rapid pace, there were a few twists that I did not see coming and the author maintained the suspense level. There is a lot of violence, though if you had read the previous two books, it’s in a similar vein. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Bull Mountain what? i thought Bull Mountain would be tough to top, but Panowich has done it.
This is now his best work. Dane is such an incredible character with such a tragic back story, which we find out slowly through out the book. Great story and great setting makes this a book to treasure. Absolutely loved it!

When it comes to hick lit, Brian Panowich is 100% an author who can get 'er done. And with a best pal who always has my back, I’m sure to be at the front of the line when it comes to requesting an early copy.

As the blurb states, Hard Cash Valley once again takes readers back to Bull Mountain, but this time the focus isn’t on the Burroughs clan. This go around deals with a fella named Dane Kirby, a part-time employee of the GBI who gets called in to an investigation down in the penis of America. Featuring a dead small-time criminal who bit off more than he could chew and (more importantly) a “beat the clock” sort of search for the dead dude’s missing little brother who is being tracked by some seriously bad hombres due to his uhhhhhhhhhhh special abilities . . . . .

Not much more can be said without spoiling all the fun, but let’s just say this kid wasn’t counting cards, the local Farm (as well as the people who run it) ain’t exactly what those of us in flyover country are familiar with, there’s a whole bunch of characters who get introduced and all of them have more to offer the story than first impressions would offer. My notes say “every character is amazing aside from poor depressed Dane.” Not that Dane didn’t have stuff to offer – it’s just not stuff like this . . . .

“Tater – Boner – Rooster – everyone up here sounds like they were named after cartoons. Is there a Tweety Bird out here, too?”

Now Ned looked offended. “Watch your mouth, Velasquez. Tweety is good people. No need to trash talk good folk.”

So as I said above, aside from Debbie Dane Downer and an ending that got just a weeeeeee bit sappy, this was everything I could have hoped for. The fact that I read it in one sitting and upon finishing went around my house declaring things like HOT DAMN! means it gets all the Stars. Keep writing ‘em, Mr. Panowich, ‘cause I wanna keep reading ‘em.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

Hard Cash Valley is a solid 5 star country noir crime thriller. This is the third book in the series. I absolutely loved it. I stayed up way into the night devouring this one. I couldn’t put it down. The story was believable and truly captivating. I highly recommend this one!

How do I begin to even talk about this hard scrabble book that I loved with such fierce intensity. Panowich is such a great writer; I was lucky to have found him before and read his previous two novels. I finished this book with tears streaming down my face. Who would have thought that I would be attracted to a southern noir novel set in the Bull Mountain area, north Georgia where criminals and fringe of society members live in a world of their own. A world is created whose characters spar between good and evil with pulse racing prose that whirls with tension creating an immensely compelling book. Dane Kirby, an ex-arson investigator lives in this brutal crime area and is called upon to investigate a bloody murder of several people ,and then assigned to a new female partner. But the carnage only leads to a circuitous trail of more crimes and massacres culminating in the search for a young autistic boy who holds the key to it all. It can be violent; but it is also about love, tenderness, and the deep bond of friendship. Oh, how I didn't want this to end!

Thank you Net Galley from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to review and give an honest opinion of this novel.

Hard Cash Valley has been well worth the wait after Like Lions, the second of the Bull Mountain trilogy. Brian Panowich has the innate ability to draw you into the most desperate of predicaments of the most desperate of characters; his underdogs become yours, and I always root for the underdog, because they have the most grit out of necessity, and who hasn’t been there? Bull Mountain has a presence in the Valley, but the novel takes on a somewhat lesser- known vice than the drug trade. It all begins with a suitcase of money...not all the money, mind you, but big money, nevertheless. Arnie flies from Atlanta to Jacksonville with a large sum of other people’s money, money they are looking for. Arnie’s brother William is in hiding for now, waiting for Arnie to come get him.William has a very special talent that puts him in the crosshairs and under the radar at the same time. Dane is a new part- time investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and a full-time ex-fireman living with the ghosts of his wife and child. He is called in on a case of a murdered recluse, said recluse having been dispatched by a friend of Dane’s. And the games begin. Panowich weaves a rich story of pain and loss, desperation and honor; the cost of integrity altered. His writing wrings every emotion from you in turn, and at the end of the book you have lived his vision. He is a treasure.

Dane Kirby, former fire chief up in McFalls County, GA. Bull Mountain territory. Kirby is no longer looking at arson cases having joined the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The sheriff calls on Kirby to look in on a local murder because the suspect says he is a friend of Dane. At least until the FBI tells his boss to send Kirby to Jacksonville, FL to look into a case with a fire link.

One of those ubiquitous airport hotels had a fire in a room. A hot flash fire that burned itself out fast. It was an attempt to cover up a murder so grisly that even a hardened investigator like Kirby gags. The victim was first tortured then disemboweled while still alive. The who and the why can’t be answered. An unremarkable clue suggests the victim has a brother.

Kirby is paired with Special Agent Roselita Velasquez. They learn about the victim – Arnold Blackwell. Two-bit crook with a long string of drug and robbery arrests. They learn that Arnold had a brother. Younger. Pre-teen. With Asperger’s Syndrome. Likes birds. A lot. And he has Rain Man-like affinity for numbers and odds.

The killers are Filipino mafia who have major money in cock fighting. Turns out a major ‘tournament’ that floats from city to city had just concluded in the Bull Mountain area. Arnold’s little brother’s specific skill is an unrivaled ability to pick winners in a cock fight. The two of them took this ‘tournament’ for over a million dollars. The Filipino’s had a big stake in the competition, and they want their money back.

Kirby and Roselita (not ‘Rose’) track backwards in time and upwards in altitude to Bull Mountain. To find the boy. To find the money. To the site of the cock fighting fest. And back around to that local murder.

This is Panowich’s 3rd venture into the Bull Mountain corner of NW Georgia. His first, Bull Mountain knocked me off my feet. His 2nd, Like Lions, blew me away. Hard Cash Valley? Good Lord. Panowich can flat out write. Hard to believe this is just his 3rd outing. The maturity of his storytelling. The turn of a phrase. The depth of pain felt by his characters. The enormity of viciousness of the crimes. The body count. The twists in loyalty and in the story. Call it what you will: country noir, hick-lit, Redneck noir. I don’t care. Panowich is flat out one of the best new voices in fiction I’ve read . . . ever. Three books and he has shouldered his way into my power rotation. And that’s a first. Panowich is that great.

Brian Panowich makes you feel like you are trapped in a situation so complex and filled with hidden agendas that you are afraid to close your eyes. Small towns seem so bucolic when you pass through and have homemade pie at the local diner. What hides behind closed doors can be too devious and evil to imagine.

In most cases it all boils down to the pursuit of money, in the fastest and easiest way possible, legalities aside. The upper Georgia mountains are no exception to this pursuit or the frightening characters involved. Dane has not had an easy life, he has probably faced more tragedy in 30+ years than any ten people do in a lifetime. Somehow is is still striving to be a valuable member of society and on the right side of the law. When he is temporarily loaned to the FBI he is confused, but figures he can only do his part. What he does not know is that enemies are all around, and Panowich can create some of the most evil imaginable. This book will get your heart rate elevated and keep you glued to the pages.

Hard Cash Valley by Author Brian Panowich, starts off running and just does not stop. An action packed and gritty tale of Southern Noir, set in rural Georgia.

A book that can not be put down once it is started.

The chaotic life of Dane Kirby is one that readers will emphasize with

For lovers of good mystery thrillers this is one to pick up, and for those who have not read any of Brian Panowich’s books before - you will be hooked.

Thanks to NetGalley, the Author and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy to review

Some people are so fond of bad luck that they run half way to meet it.

Just ask Arnie Blackwell. Ol' Arnie has been in and out of lockup in Atlanta so many times that they leave a nightlight on for him at the entrance gate. But this time Arnie feels it in his bones that he's finally hit paydirt. After a nerve-wracking flight with suitcase in hand, Arnie checks into a motel that's just a tad above seedy in Jacksonville, Florida. Should never have answered that knock at the door, Arnie.

Arnie's run-in will be felt all the way to McFalls County, Georgia. Dane Kirby of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations will receive a phone call demanding his presence in Jacksonville. After a rough-and-ready helicopter flight to Jacksonville, Dane is met at Arnie's motel room by the FBI. Dane is perplexed as to why he's been nailed to this new case. He's introduced to his new partner Special Agent Roselita Velasquez and, by the way, don't call her Rosie or Rose. She'll step on your tongue and leave painful prints.

You see, Arnie's prior stop was in Dane's territory and he headed into something bad. Very bad. Arnie's ten year old Autistic brother, William, is missing as well. William was suppose to have been waiting for Arnie at an undisclosed area. It's now up to Dane and Agent Velasquez to find the missing William. Dane and his new partner will widen their net and will find plenty of dead fish floating on the surface.

Brian Panowich is a master at creating storylines that are dug deep into the grit of Georgia clay. This is the third in this series, but it can be read as a standalone. Panowich will open the door on Dane's past life circumstances and will add an unexpected layer to his present situation. Dane is a complicated fellow, but then life in Bull Mountain is rich with backwoods and backstories.

If you've not had the pleasure of partaking in a Panowich novel, do yourself a huge favor and crack this one open. There's a prize inside every one guaranteed.

I received a copy of Hard Cash Valley through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to the talented Brian Panowich for the opportunity.

This story begins in Jacksonville, Florida when a quick flight from Atlanta and a check-in at an airport motel goes more than a little awry. From there, it’s a twisty, winding journey that had me alternately holding my breath, desperately wanting to reach a place of resolution for these people, but also not wanting this story to end as each surprising turn of events had me wondering how this story would end.

I loved returning to Brian Panowich’s settings of Bull Mountain and McFalls County, Georgia - although I suspect my feelings might be very different if I were to actually meet some of these people in reality.

Another gripping installment in the Bull Mountain series replete with cockfighting, guns, and drug dealers, along with some attention-grabbing bombshell twists, for fans of grit-lit / Southern-lit, or whatever label you want to put on this genre, this is not to be missed.


Pub Date: 05 May 2020

Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books

Don’t pick up a Brian Panowich book expecting it to be light or easy. He is a master of Southern noir; dark and brutal in the extreme.
Hard Cash Valley opens with Arnie Blackwell heading down to Florida with a suitcase full of cash. But he doesn’t get far and his murder sets the scene for the darkness to come.
Dane Kirby is an ex- Arson investigator called in to consult after Arnie’s murder. He’s haunted by ghosts. Roselita, his new partner (not that either of them likes it), is hard, determined to be the toughest person in the room, even at the cost of getting the answers she needs. This isn’t a woman who ever learned you get more from honey than vinegar. These are fully fleshed out characters that come flying off the page. In Roselita’s case, usually spitting anger.
If you’re ok with the violence you’ll be rewarded with great writing and a dynamic plot. Panowich’s descriptions are totally apt, whether describing the weather, fighting cocks or the dynamics of the various law enforcers. “Sheriff Ellis wasn’t sure if he liked Roselita or not. The bloodhound behind his young, narrowed blue eyes was still sniffing her out...The sheriff’s eyes got a little less young and bright, and more partly cloudy with a chance of cocky.”
Wow, wow, wow! I didn’t see that ending coming. Lots of moving parts and plot twists coming and it all adds up to a wild ride. Five big stars for this one.
This is considered part of the Bull Mountain series. But it’s a whole new cast of characters (almost) so no need to have read the prior books.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

I've been in a bit of a book slump recently, but Panowich does not disappoint! I wasn't sure where we could go next in Bull Mountain and it took me a minute to warm up to Dane. Somewhere Dane grabbed me and I needed to know what was next for him.

We start out in a hotel room in Jacksonville, FL and race back to McFalls County in Georgia. The pace is fast while all the characters are racing to find the same person - a young boy with Asperger's with a skill with numbers. Panowich did toss in a curve ball in this story and I wouldn't expect less. I'd complain if he didn't There is just something about southern grit lit that hooks me and I wish more books would come out in this genre.

You don't have to read the first two books in the series to enjoy this one, but I recommend you don't miss them. Coming your way May 5th. Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

This is the 3rd installment of the Bull Mountain series. I've read all 3 and loved them all but you could easily read this as a stand alone as each book focuses on individual characters in this high mountain community. Brian Panowich is an extraordinary author who has the skills to pull readers into the story. This is a rare find in any author but all three of these books will leave you talking about them for awhile and recommending to your friends as a must read.
As our detectives are investigating a horrendous murder scene, they realize that this man was killed for information on his brother, who is now hiding. The investigation will take them into several communities where they must push to find this young man before he meets the same fate as his brother. You will definitely find yourself talking to these characters as the story rushes to the end. A really, really good read.

Author Brian Panowich creates a Southern landscape replete with downtrodden lowlifes, suffering fools, over-the-top villains and heartbroken heroes. HARD CASH VALLEY is a tale that twists its characters tightly and spits them out, forcing readers to keep up furiously, hoping to piece together this mystery just one step ahead of the authorities investigating a brutal crime. It’s a great story and kept me spellbound until the very last page. Even the ending was a surprise to me; it was just that good and well-written. If you’ve read any of Panowich’s other two books that occur in this same geographic area then you know he has a fondness for the crazies who inhabit the rural corners of redneck country. Their financial enterprises and close encounters with local and federal law enforcement serve as the vehicle for his stories. He is an amazing writer and his books are a joy to read. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.