In the Sticks by Joel Jurrens

From the Back Cover:

Murder comes to Cossack County when Deputy Lyle Hoffman finds the murdered and tortured body of a woman in a rural farmhouse. The investigation will lead him down a path filled with ruthless outlaw bikers, where friends become suspects and dark secrets are brought to light.

Joel Jurrens has wriiten just the type of mystery novel I enjoy: flawed characters, not too much gore, easy to read. Lyle Hoffman is one burned out cop but he still tries to get the job done - just not with the same enthusiasm he used to have. He's just putting in time. Until he ends up being first on the scene of a truly grisly murder and circumstances conspire against him to get his head back into the game.

Mr Jurrens has drawn on his experience in small town law enforcement in writing this book, and it shows. The crime, the police officers, even the bad guys feel completely real - not the least bit contrived. The flow of the investigation continues at just the right pace to keep the reader interested and guessing. The sarcastic humor was also a huge plus for me. I love it when characters don't take themselves too seriously. All in all, In the Sticks is great pick for those of us who like mystery novels with a little edge and without the nightmares.

A Taste From Page 71:

Lyle took a shower and put on his uniform. The headache was still with him, but the aspirin had dulled it. It had been reduced to an ember ready to burst into a forest fire at the slightest breeze. He trudged out the front door, then turned around and went back inside and grabbed the bottle of aspirin. Today could be a very windy day.