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The Night of the Dance
(2003)(The first book in the Jeremiah Spur Mysteries series)
A novel by James Hime
2004 Edgar Award for Best First Novel (nominee)
2004 Macavity Award for Best First Novel (nominee)
Review
"Colorfully written and marked by a compassionate knowledge of small towns operate, Mr. Hime's debut novel is enjoyable and exciting, filled with Texas lore and obvious affection for the state." -Dallas Morning News
"Rangy, shrewd, and heartfelt: an oversized debut stuffed with so many subplots it could only have come out of Texas." -Kirkus Reviews
"Illicit sex, blackmail, political corruption, racism, religious hypocrisy, and a few pinches of down-home humor. Hime stokes the embers of Lone Star crime to white hot intensity, while ladling the grill with his distinctive home-brewed dressing. He's a first novelist to bet the ranch on."-Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The first novel by Hime is surprisingly polished; it reads like the work of a seasoned, capable pro. The primary characters are carefully drawn, without gimmicks, and each is driven by unique, realistic motives. Top it off with a conclusion that is unexpected but so damn right."
-Booklist (starred review)
Back Cover Copy
After Ten Years, They Just Found Sissy Fletcher's Cowboy Boot. With Her Foot Still Inside.
Some folks think the big-bellied sheriff of Brenham, Texas, isn't smart enough to get reelected. But he's savvy enough to ask retired Texas Ranger Jeremiah Spur for help when Sissy Fletcher is dug up in a pasture outside of town. The hell-raising daughter of a popular preacher, Sissy disappeared ten years ago after a rodeo dance. Everybody thought she ran off with a cowboy. Everybody was dead wrong, and now the Houston TV stations are spotlighting the case. Joining up with deputy Clyde Thomas, a black cop with an attitude problem and the best investigative skills south of Dallas, ex-Ranger Spur figures unearthing Sissy will open a whole can of worms-since some fine upstanding citizen is probably a killer. He just doesn't know how deep secrets are buried in Brenham or how deadly, like prodding a rattler with a short stick, poking into the past will be...
Genre: Mystery
"Colorfully written and marked by a compassionate knowledge of small towns operate, Mr. Hime's debut novel is enjoyable and exciting, filled with Texas lore and obvious affection for the state." -Dallas Morning News
"Rangy, shrewd, and heartfelt: an oversized debut stuffed with so many subplots it could only have come out of Texas." -Kirkus Reviews
"Illicit sex, blackmail, political corruption, racism, religious hypocrisy, and a few pinches of down-home humor. Hime stokes the embers of Lone Star crime to white hot intensity, while ladling the grill with his distinctive home-brewed dressing. He's a first novelist to bet the ranch on."-Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The first novel by Hime is surprisingly polished; it reads like the work of a seasoned, capable pro. The primary characters are carefully drawn, without gimmicks, and each is driven by unique, realistic motives. Top it off with a conclusion that is unexpected but so damn right."
-Booklist (starred review)
Back Cover Copy
After Ten Years, They Just Found Sissy Fletcher's Cowboy Boot. With Her Foot Still Inside.
Some folks think the big-bellied sheriff of Brenham, Texas, isn't smart enough to get reelected. But he's savvy enough to ask retired Texas Ranger Jeremiah Spur for help when Sissy Fletcher is dug up in a pasture outside of town. The hell-raising daughter of a popular preacher, Sissy disappeared ten years ago after a rodeo dance. Everybody thought she ran off with a cowboy. Everybody was dead wrong, and now the Houston TV stations are spotlighting the case. Joining up with deputy Clyde Thomas, a black cop with an attitude problem and the best investigative skills south of Dallas, ex-Ranger Spur figures unearthing Sissy will open a whole can of worms-since some fine upstanding citizen is probably a killer. He just doesn't know how deep secrets are buried in Brenham or how deadly, like prodding a rattler with a short stick, poking into the past will be...
Genre: Mystery
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Used availability for James Hime's The Night of the Dance