Julia Keller

Bell Elkins has moved back to Raythune County, West Virginia, to become the prosecuting attorney. She moved there with her teenaged daughter but not her husband. He never wanted to return to West Virginia and is happy with his life in Washington, DC.

Bell had a troubled childhood and was placed in the foster care system when she was ten and her older sister killed their abusive father and burned down the run-down trailer that was their home. Her sister, who is up for parole, refuses all contact with Bell.

Meanwhile, Bell is on a crusade because prescription bill abuse is running rampant in the county. She is also working on the case of a mentally retarded man killing his six-year-old playmate and also on a murder investigation when an unknown gunman entered a local diner and murdered three elderly men who were having coffee there.

Bell's daughter Carla was at the diner when the shooting occurred and thinks she recognizes the shooter. However, instead of telling her mother, she decides to investigate on her own which leads to her being kidnapped by the shooter.

The third viewpoint character is that of the shooter who sees himself as a badass superspy, but is actually just an impulsive, amoral punk.

This was an interesting story well narrated by Shannon McManus. I thought there might have been a little too much repetition about the chronic poverty, joblessness, and hopelessness in West Virginia but enjoyed the mystery.… (mehr)