Dry County

'Imagine Breaking Bad's Walter White as the pastor of a Baptist Church; Hinkson's Brother Weatherford's fall is as far, as dark, and as deep' John Copenhaver

Richard Weatherford is a successful small-town preacher in the Arkansas Ozarks. He's a proud husband and father of five, and has worked hard to grow his loyal flock with strong sermons and smart community outreach. But while Weatherford is a man of influence and power – including a big force in local politics – he's also a man with secrets.

In the lead up to the 2016 presidential election, Weatherford's world is threatened when he's blackmailed by a former lover. Collecting the money the blackmailer demands will be a nearly impossible feat, especially over Easter weekend, when all eyes are on him. So Weatherford will have to turn to the darkest corners of their small town in a desperate attempt to keep his world from falling apart.

A dark vision of American religion and politics, Dry County is a portrait of a man willing to do anything to hold onto his power – including murder.

'A masterpiece of economy and tension . . . This story's got it all: blackmail, brutality, and desperate people doing desperate things. An instant noir classic' William Boyle

'Dry County is a dark, noir-ish tale that weaves religion, politics, family betrayals, and violence, all centred around the forgotten small towns of rural Arkansas. Jake Hinkson spins a story that just holds onto you and doesn't let go. Highly recommended' Brendan DuBois

'Jake Hinkson reveals the underbelly of small town life in this gritty thriller as he depicts the fall of a Southern preacher. An absorbing tale' Nancy Allen

'A white-knuckle ride in a world where good people have done bad things. I couldn't put it down' Aoife Clifford

'Set against the backdrop of the 2016 election, Hinkson's darkly satirical take on power and hypocrisy closes with a shocking but fitting twist' Booklist

'Powered by raw emotional intensity and a disturbingly realistic portrayal of small-town America, this story is unforgettable' Publishers Weekly

Genre: Mystery

"Dry County is a hillbilly noir jewel. Jake Hinkson reveals the underbelly of small town life in this gritty thriller as he depicts the fall of a Southern preacher. An absorbing tale." - Nancy Allen

"A masterpiece of economy and tension. An instant noir classic." - William Boyle

"A day in a small town with big secrets is the setting for this perfect storm of a book. Jake Hinkson takes the reader on a white-knuckle ride in a world where good people have done bad things. I couldn't put it down." - Aoife Clifford

"Desire, desperation, and despair collide in Jake Hinkson's bleakly imagined and perfectly rendered vision of small-town Arkansas. Religion, respectability, hope for the future--virtue is the flip side of vice and Hinkson drives that truth sharply home." - S J Rozan