A Killing in the Hills

A Novel (Bell Elkins, Book 1)

By: Julia Keller

Narrated by: Shannon McManus

What’s happening in Acker’s Gap, West Virginia? Three elderly men are gunned down over their coffee at a local diner, and seemingly half the town is there to witness the act. Still, it happened so fast, and no one seems to have gotten a good look at the shooter. Was it random? Was it connected to the spate of drug violence plaguing poor areas of the country just like Acker’s Gap? Or were Dean Streeter, Shorty McClurg, and Lee Rader targeted somehow?

One of the witnesses to the brutal incident was Carla Elkins, teenaged daughter of Bell Elkins, the prosecuting attorney for Raythune County, West Virginia. Carla was shocked and horrified by what she saw, but after a few days, she begins to recover enough to believe that she might be uniquely placed to help her mother do her job. After all, what better way to repair their fragile, damaged relationship? But could Carla also end up doing more harm than good - in fact, putting her own life in danger?

In this powerful, intricate debut from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Julia Keller, a mother and a daughter try to do right by a town and each other before it’s too late.

©2012 Julia Keller (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Riveting

If you enjoy murder, mystery, decete, and betrayal you will surely love this book. I know I did!

Liked it; but...

This one was a tough call for me. As a mountain born child who moved to the city; then returned to the mountains I relate to both the plot and the character. The characterizations of the townspeople was spot on, as was the lack of expectations for the majority of the area youth.
Now for the negatives. Belle Elkins was not a very likable main character and her daughter was even less so. The ending did not ring true either. it seemed almost as if she decided to redirect the narrative at the last moment. Hopefully Julia Keller's characters will become better as she continues the series. Though I was somewhat disappointed by this selection I will probably give the next book in the series a shot.

Mystery merges with social conscience

Loved this first time effort about the new DA and her daughter, and her pull to her past. Written with literary skill, the writer brought to the forefront the heart-breaking challenges of a WV mountain town and its people left behind by the economy, then ravaged by the tragedy of opiate addiction. Can't wait to read her next book and see where her promising characters take her. Impressive and moving first book. I am inspired to go re-read Red Badge of Courage...and read some lines of John Donne. Well worth the listen.

Accurate tale of small southern towns

Any additional comments?

It's slow to start in action after the killing, but all the information that takes so long to get across is necessary to really understand the characters and from where they come. Very insightful. Again not as action packed as I thought it would be but still a good read.

It's okay......

The story is good for the most part. The many metaphors and analogies were not bad at first and helped to set the story, but they quickly became redundant. The overall crime mysteries were interesting enough, but Belfa's past and characterization could use some work. Overall, it was an okay listen, but when it ended I just felt disappointed.

Compelling

West Virginia unvarnished, the communities ravaged by poverty and a meth invasion coupled with prescription drugs rampant. Compelling characters, narrator, two stories
intertwining. Unexpected ending and overall job welldone.

Very well written mystery

Good mystery with beautiful descriptive prose. Interesting main characters with real world problems, thoughtfully handled.

Great Book

If you could sum up A Killing in the Hills in three words, what would they be?

Beautifully written stunner.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Killing in the Hills?

The last twist.

What about Shannon McManus’s performance did you like?

When I started the book, I thought she sounded too young, but after the first chapter I realized I was wrong. She did a great job defining the characters and her voice is very pleasing to the ear.

Any additional comments?

I purchased the first three books and forgot I had them. Starting the series was like finding a precious gem.

Accurate portrayal of rural West Virginia.

Riveting story, excellent narration. Accurate portrayal of rural WV’s juxtaposition of natural beauty and the poverty which has fueled the drug problem.

A wonderful treat!

I love mysteries for the suspense and the puzzles that are solved by the end of the book. The mysteries I enjoy the most contain multi-dimensional characters with plots being used to develop these characters. Even better, a story that explores a place I have never been and that leaves me with a sense of the smells, the sounds and the colours is a treat. Ms. Keller combines a tightly woven story with characters and a place I became deeply interested in. I don't feel that I have words that can express how much I enjoyed both the prose and the story itself. West Virginia now "lives" in my imagination, in the same way that James Lee Burke's St. John's Parish and Timothy Hallinan's Bangkok have come alive for me. Shannon McManus is superb. I highly recommend this book. Please write more stories about Bell, Ms. Keller.
P.S. I enjoyed the prose so much that I bought a Kindle copy of the book so that I could re-read certain passages. It really doesn't get much better than this!