Chris Offutt Books

Army-cop-turned-small-town-investigator Mick Hardin returns to the Kentucky hills in this second vividly atmospheric thriller from acclaimed literary crime novelist Chris Offutt...

The collection features eight new stories that explore the lives of individuals who have departed from Kentucky but yearn to reconnect with their roots. Offutt skillfully portrays a range of characters, including gravediggers, drifters, and truck drivers, weaving narratives rich with the complexities of their experiences. His distinctive voice and keen observations reveal the harsh realities of life, making these tales resonate with emotional depth and authenticity. This return to his literary roots showcases Offutt's remarkable talent and connection to his homeland.

Chris Offutt's long-awaited return to fiction after nearly two decades, Country Dark is a fierce noir-inflected novel about a good man pushed by circumstance into crime.

Army cop-turned-small-town-investigator Mick Hardin returns to the Kentucky hills in this second vividly atmospheric thriller from acclaimed literary crime novelist Chris Offutt.A literary master across genres, award-winning author Chris Offutt's latest book, Shifty's Boys, is a compelling, propulsive thriller that returns to Appalachia.Mick Hardin is an Army CID officer home on leave, recovering from an IED attack and flirting with prescription painkillers, when a body is found in the center of town. It's Barney Kissick, the local heroin dealer, and the city police see it as an occupational hazard. But when Barney's mother, Shifty, asks Mick to take a look, it seems there's more to the killing than it seems. Mick should be rehabbing his leg, signing his divorce papers, and getting out of town--and most of all, staying out of the way of his sister Linda's reelection as Sheriff--but he keeps on looking, and suddenly he's getting shot at himself.A dark, pacy crime novel about grief and revenge, and the surprises hidden below the surface, Shifty's Boys is a tour de force that confirms Chris Offutt's Mick Hardin as one of the most appealing new investigators in fiction.

A candid memoir chronicles the author's journey from a restless youth in the Kentucky Appalachians to unexpected fatherhood in Iowa. After facing multiple rejections from various institutions, he embarks on a series of odd jobs, leading to unique encounters across America. Fifteen years later, he reflects on his transformation, blending humorous and brutal insights as he navigates the challenges and joys of maturity. Offutt's narrative captures the essence of self-discovery and the comforts of settling down.

The story follows Virgil Caudill, who is thrust into a world of conflict after the murder of his reckless brother, Boyd. In the unforgiving hills of Kentucky, the weight of tradition demands retribution, leaving Virgil in a dire situation where every choice leads to loss. As he navigates the complexities of loyalty and vengeance, he must confront the harsh realities of his surroundings and the consequences of familial ties.

A literary master across genres, award-winning author Chris Offutt's latest novel, The Killing Hills, is a compelling, propulsive thriller in which a suspicious death exposes the loyalties and rivalries of a deep-rooted and fiercely private community in the Kentucky backwoods. Mick Hardin, a combat veteran now...

An explosive return to the Kentucky hills, Code of the Hills is a novel of family and what we're willing to do to protect and avenge the ones we love.

In den rauen Kentucky Hills sind die Menschen so schweigsam wie die Berge, die sie umgeben. Mick Hardin, Kriminalermittler bei der US Army, kennt das Land und seine Bewohner bestens. Als Shifty Kissick ihn um Hilfe bittet, weil ihr Sohn Barney, ein Drogendealer, tot aufgefunden wurde, ist die Polizei nicht bereit zu ermitteln. Mick beginnt, Nachforschungen anzustellen und sieht sich bald dubiosen Kräften gegenüber. Er ist zurück in den Kentucky Hills, verletzt von einer Explosion und mit dem Druck, die Scheidungspapiere seiner Frau zu unterschreiben. Doch die Entdeckung von Barneys Leiche zwingt ihn, sich mit dem Fall auseinanderzusetzen, obwohl er seiner Schwester Linda, die kurz vor ihrer Wiederwahl als Sheriff steht, versprochen hatte, sich herauszuhalten. Während er tiefer in die rauen Hügellandschaften eintaucht, entdeckt er eine gefährliche Spur, die nicht nur Lindas Karriere, sondern auch sein eigenes Leben bedroht. Die Geschichte bietet eine Mischung aus knallharter Action und komplexen Charakteren, die gezwungen sind, zu extremen Maßnahmen zu greifen, um den Kreislauf der Gewalt zu durchbrechen. Kritiker loben die spannende Handlung und die unkonventionellen Lösungen, die Mick für seine Herausforderungen findet.