Nail's Crossing

This debut mystery from a fresh voice in Southwestern fiction stakes out the common ground between Tony Hillerman, Elmore Leonard, and Cormac McCarthy.In a remote corner of the Chickasaw Nation, tribal Lighthorse policeman Bill Maytubby and county deputy Hannah Bond discover the buzzard-ravaged body of Majesty Tate, a young drifter with a blank past. They comb Oklahoma’s rock prairie, river bottoms, and hard-bitten small towns for traces of her last days.Tate was seen dancing with Austin Love, a violent local meth dealer fresh out of prison. An Oklahoma City motel clerk connects her with an aspiring politician. An oil-patch roustabout and a shady itinerant preacher provide dubious leads. Ne’er-do-wells start dying off.A fluke lead propels Maytubby deep into Louisiana’s bayou country, where a Cajun shrimper puts him on the scent of a bizarre conspiracy. He and Bond reunite in the Chickasaw Nation for the eventual face-off at Nail’s Crossing.“As fine a mystery series debut as I’ve read in a long time.”—Craig Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of the Longmire series“Thrilling…Lackey’s exciting story unwinds like a rattlesnake.”—Bill Loehfelm, author of The Devil’s Muse“A captivating look at a little-known corner of rural Oklahoma…rife with drug problems, yet peopled by tenacious, idiosyncratic characters you can’t help rooting for.”—Kirkus Reviews


Genre: Mystery

"Kris Lackey brings to vivid life a unique and fascinating part of the country. With two appealing main characters and a sinuously intriguing plot, Nail's Crossing marks a terrific debut." - Lou Berney

"You'll want to make a sandwich before you start this book, but don't wear your good shirt because while chasing down criminals, Bill Maytubby, a vegetarian, music-loving, poetry-reading, vintage truck-driving detective takes us across the arid plains of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, over into Arkansas and Texas and then down into the swamps of Cajun Louisiana, going deep into the compelling landscapes of tiny towns, and while he's got you trying to connect the dots, Maytubby is likely to say something food-spitting funny. A visually delicious read." - Barb Johnson

"As fine a mystery series debut as I've read in a long time--you're going to want more of tribal Lighthorse Policeman Bill Maytubby and Deputy Hannah Bond." - Craig Johnson

"With his thrilling, heartfelt debut, Lackey accomplishes a rare feat in contemporary crime fiction...he takes us someplace new, bringing to vivid life the dusty plains of Oklahoma and the tough folks who live there. His Maytubby and Bond are witty and well-matched-- the perfect guides through the dry and dark places where Lackey's exciting story unwinds like a rattlesnake." - Bill Loehfelm