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Ozark Dogs
In this Southern thriller, two families grapple with the aftermath of a murder in their small Arkansas town.
After his son is convicted of capital murder, Vietnam War veteran Jeremiah Fitzjurls takes over the care of his granddaughter, Joanna, raising her with as much warmth as can be found in an Ozark junkyard outfitted to be an armory. He teaches her how to shoot and fight, but there is not enough training in the world to protect her when the dreaded Ledfords, notorious meth dealers and fanatical white supremacists, come to collect on Joanna as payment for a long-overdue blood debt.
Headed by rancorous patriarch Bunn and smooth-talking, erudite Evail, the Ledfords have never forgotten what the Fitzjurls family did to them, and they will not be satisfied until they have taken an eye for an eye. As they seek revenge, and as Jeremiah desperately searches for his granddaughter, their narratives collide in this immersive story about family and how far some will go to honor, defend—or in some cases, destroy it.
After his son is convicted of capital murder, Vietnam War veteran Jeremiah Fitzjurls takes over the care of his granddaughter, Joanna, raising her with as much warmth as can be found in an Ozark junkyard outfitted to be an armory. He teaches her how to shoot and fight, but there is not enough training in the world to protect her when the dreaded Ledfords, notorious meth dealers and fanatical white supremacists, come to collect on Joanna as payment for a long-overdue blood debt.
Headed by rancorous patriarch Bunn and smooth-talking, erudite Evail, the Ledfords have never forgotten what the Fitzjurls family did to them, and they will not be satisfied until they have taken an eye for an eye. As they seek revenge, and as Jeremiah desperately searches for his granddaughter, their narratives collide in this immersive story about family and how far some will go to honor, defend—or in some cases, destroy it.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2023
218 people are currently reading
7,334 people want to read
About the author
Eli Cranor
15books418followersEli Cranor played quarterback at every level: peewee to professional, and then coached high school football for five years. These days, he's traded in the pigskin for a laptop, writing from Arkansas where he lives with his wife and kids.
Eli's novel Don't Know Tough was awarded the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Contest and will be published by Soho Press in 2022. Over the course of his career, Eli's fiction has garnered multiple awards (2018-The Missouri Review; 2017-Greensboro Review). Along with fiction, Eli writes a nationally-syndicated sports column, and his craft column, "Shop Talk," appears monthly over at CrimeReads. Eli is currently at work on his next novel.
Eli's novel Don't Know Tough was awarded the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Contest and will be published by Soho Press in 2022. Over the course of his career, Eli's fiction has garnered multiple awards (2018-The Missouri Review; 2017-Greensboro Review). Along with fiction, Eli writes a nationally-syndicated sports column, and his craft column, "Shop Talk," appears monthly over at CrimeReads. Eli is currently at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 404 reviews
April 24, 2023
Eli Cranor has thrown family drama, tension, secrets, revenge, guilt, murder, and addiction into his sophomore book, . It has grit, mystery, and dark themes.
Jeremiah is a Vietnam War sniper who is now raising his granddaughter, Joanna, after his son was convicted of murder. Jeremiah is a hard man with a violent past who is struggling with his actions during the war. He loves his granddaughter and would do anything to keep her safe.
Jo (Joanna) was raised in a junkyard by her grandfather, Jeremiah, who taught her to shoot and fight. She longs for a mother she never knew and has a father in prison. She wants to be a normal teen and do normal teen things.
The Ledfords are white supremacists who deal Meth. They are a nasty bunch with devious plans. They, like the small town they live in, have long memories, and feel it is time that a debt is paid...
This was a gripping and gritty novel about family, murder, revenge, vengeance, and secrets. I had both the book and audiobook which the author narrated himself as he did his first book, . I enjoyed his narration and thought he did a great job bringing his characters to life.
I enjoyed this from cover to cover and found it to be an absorbing and thought provoking read. Eli Cranor is off to a great start with his writing career, and I look forward to reading what he writes next. He's one to watch (and read), especially if you enjoy Southern noir and gritty books.
*Traveling Friends buddy read with Brenda.
Read more of my reviews at
Jeremiah is a Vietnam War sniper who is now raising his granddaughter, Joanna, after his son was convicted of murder. Jeremiah is a hard man with a violent past who is struggling with his actions during the war. He loves his granddaughter and would do anything to keep her safe.
Jo (Joanna) was raised in a junkyard by her grandfather, Jeremiah, who taught her to shoot and fight. She longs for a mother she never knew and has a father in prison. She wants to be a normal teen and do normal teen things.
The Ledfords are white supremacists who deal Meth. They are a nasty bunch with devious plans. They, like the small town they live in, have long memories, and feel it is time that a debt is paid...
This was a gripping and gritty novel about family, murder, revenge, vengeance, and secrets. I had both the book and audiobook which the author narrated himself as he did his first book, . I enjoyed his narration and thought he did a great job bringing his characters to life.
I enjoyed this from cover to cover and found it to be an absorbing and thought provoking read. Eli Cranor is off to a great start with his writing career, and I look forward to reading what he writes next. He's one to watch (and read), especially if you enjoy Southern noir and gritty books.
*Traveling Friends buddy read with Brenda.
Read more of my reviews at
June 3, 2023
. . . there's some dogs you got to keep locked up.
Two things to know:
One man has a plan that will not only boost his family's meth business, but also right an old wrong.
Junkyard owner and Vietnam vet, Jeremiah Fitzjurls, will stop at nothing to keep his granddaughter safe.
God can't change the wild streak that send some dogs running. God can't change the blood.
Can he?
Blood will tell one violent night in a dying Arkansas town.
A well-paced, engrossing read.
Note -despite the title and the many canine references, this is NOT a book for dog lovers.
Two things to know:
One man has a plan that will not only boost his family's meth business, but also right an old wrong.
Junkyard owner and Vietnam vet, Jeremiah Fitzjurls, will stop at nothing to keep his granddaughter safe.
God can't change the wild streak that send some dogs running. God can't change the blood.
Can he?
Blood will tell one violent night in a dying Arkansas town.
A well-paced, engrossing read.
Note -despite the title and the many canine references, this is NOT a book for dog lovers.
October 25, 2023
This southern noir tale simmers with rage and the burning need for revenge as its fuel that is destined for a showdown where no one can possibly be the winner. Ozark Dogs, set in rural Arkansas, is as mean and spiteful as it is steeped with familial love and protection and Eli Cranor manages to capture every raging emotion with a deft casualness that is impressive to behold.
Jeremiah Fitzjurls is a junkyard owner and former Vietnam Vet where he served as a sniper earning himself a Bronze Star in the process. These days he’s the proud and overprotective grandfather of Joanna (Jo) who he cares for after her father was handed a life sentence for murder. Leaving the grounds of the junkyard is something he rarely does, but on the night Jo is likely to be crowned Homecoming Queen he’s prepared to make an exception.
But the night doesn’t go exactly to plan and part of that’s down to the Ledford family who’ve been plotting an act of revenge for ages. This is a family of white supremacist meth-dealing religious freaks who have all sorts of whacked out ideas of what constitutes reasonable action in the name of revenge. What they come up with is the abduction of Jo with even graver plans to follow.
Now, when a former war hero with a sniping ability and a fierce sense of protectiveness when it comes to family finds out his beloved granddaughter has been snatched by his sworn enemies, what do you think happens next? Right, war is declared.
But there are wrinkles in the story, memories that must be ruminated over, a sheriff who knows how Jeremiah thinks and a Mexican drug lord who’s got a few tricks up his sleeve too. There’s some substance to the story that runs it more deeply than a simple eye for an eye retribution type of gambit.
In many ways there’s a blurring of the lines between good and bad. Actually, that’s not a hundred percent accurate. There’s actually a scale of badness to be considered here and very little good is thrown in to act as a counter balance. The difference, I suppose, is the level of regret shown on the side of the righteous. When you’re pushed to defend your family, it’s all about how far you’ll actually go to get them back and that’s what’s played out here.
I found Ozark Dogs to be compulsive reading. Desperate, almost hopeless, situations means the stakes are raised to their highest levels. It creates a “what would you do� type of atmosphere and challenges you to put yourself in the protagonist’s shoes. There’s a realness to the raw emotion every scene evokes no matter whether it’s love, hate, disgust or deep regret.
Jeremiah Fitzjurls is a junkyard owner and former Vietnam Vet where he served as a sniper earning himself a Bronze Star in the process. These days he’s the proud and overprotective grandfather of Joanna (Jo) who he cares for after her father was handed a life sentence for murder. Leaving the grounds of the junkyard is something he rarely does, but on the night Jo is likely to be crowned Homecoming Queen he’s prepared to make an exception.
But the night doesn’t go exactly to plan and part of that’s down to the Ledford family who’ve been plotting an act of revenge for ages. This is a family of white supremacist meth-dealing religious freaks who have all sorts of whacked out ideas of what constitutes reasonable action in the name of revenge. What they come up with is the abduction of Jo with even graver plans to follow.
Now, when a former war hero with a sniping ability and a fierce sense of protectiveness when it comes to family finds out his beloved granddaughter has been snatched by his sworn enemies, what do you think happens next? Right, war is declared.
But there are wrinkles in the story, memories that must be ruminated over, a sheriff who knows how Jeremiah thinks and a Mexican drug lord who’s got a few tricks up his sleeve too. There’s some substance to the story that runs it more deeply than a simple eye for an eye retribution type of gambit.
In many ways there’s a blurring of the lines between good and bad. Actually, that’s not a hundred percent accurate. There’s actually a scale of badness to be considered here and very little good is thrown in to act as a counter balance. The difference, I suppose, is the level of regret shown on the side of the righteous. When you’re pushed to defend your family, it’s all about how far you’ll actually go to get them back and that’s what’s played out here.
I found Ozark Dogs to be compulsive reading. Desperate, almost hopeless, situations means the stakes are raised to their highest levels. It creates a “what would you do� type of atmosphere and challenges you to put yourself in the protagonist’s shoes. There’s a realness to the raw emotion every scene evokes no matter whether it’s love, hate, disgust or deep regret.
January 3, 2024
This one sure was dramatic, unfortunately the characters largely left me indifferent.
July 9, 2023
This book was so vivid that I felt like I was really there...and now I need to go there, which I was already planning on doing BUT NOW!!! NOW, I really gotta go.
Which is kind of funny when you think about it, especially because Ozark Dogs was anything but sunshine and daisies, but that's why it was right up my alley.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author, and I really love his accent and how he brought the characters to life.
They were all well developed, and while I wouldn't say I liked all of them (there were some fucked up people here), I did enjoy getting to know them.
The reader is fed nuggets of info throughout the book, so we slowly learn about the family/blood feud and how it relates to the new generation.
I guessed one of the main twists somewhere in the middle, but was hoping it wouldn't be the case...sadly it was. But you can't have a Southern book without it seems. But I think it was somehow effective? Like it wasn't just there for the shock factor, it made sense with the plot.
What I would've liked though is more of the ending. What became of the characters who are still alive, what they made of themselves etc. But at least it's not an open ending, we do get some closure.
Eli Cranor is definitely on my radar now, I'll be closely following whatever he puts out next. And I also need to check out Don't Know Tough.
Which is kind of funny when you think about it, especially because Ozark Dogs was anything but sunshine and daisies, but that's why it was right up my alley.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author, and I really love his accent and how he brought the characters to life.
They were all well developed, and while I wouldn't say I liked all of them (there were some fucked up people here), I did enjoy getting to know them.
The reader is fed nuggets of info throughout the book, so we slowly learn about the family/blood feud and how it relates to the new generation.
I guessed one of the main twists somewhere in the middle, but was hoping it wouldn't be the case...sadly it was. But you can't have a Southern book without it seems. But I think it was somehow effective? Like it wasn't just there for the shock factor, it made sense with the plot.
What I would've liked though is more of the ending. What became of the characters who are still alive, what they made of themselves etc. But at least it's not an open ending, we do get some closure.
Eli Cranor is definitely on my radar now, I'll be closely following whatever he puts out next. And I also need to check out Don't Know Tough.
May 21, 2023
Fever dream of a southern novel. A 70 year old Vietnam vet takes on the usual White Supremacists to save his grand daughter. It's the kind of thing people in New York City read so they can say to themselves that the city isn't so bad.
June 27, 2023
3.5 Trashy and gritty with animal cruelty. At times it was hard to understand the language. I proceeded hesitantly not sure if I wanted to spend the time on this book but I wanted to know what happened to the girl. The story is compelling but because of the way dogs are treated I will probably not read another book by this author.
December 18, 2023
I really enjoyed this gritty, good-and-evil thriller, about a bunch of conflicted characters, none of whom is totally sympathetic. So much happens in the grey areas in Ozark Dogs: it has the kind of messy morals that I love.
Eli Cranor is someone who is very much heading in the right direction. This is much more accomplished and convincing than his debut, Don't Know Tough, and he is definitely a writer to watch. He's in a similar mould to S. A. Cosby, but has a bit of work to do before he's quite at that level. I'm excited to see where he goes next!
Eli Cranor is someone who is very much heading in the right direction. This is much more accomplished and convincing than his debut, Don't Know Tough, and he is definitely a writer to watch. He's in a similar mould to S. A. Cosby, but has a bit of work to do before he's quite at that level. I'm excited to see where he goes next!
July 11, 2023
”But blood was hard to erase, hard to clean, even harder to forget.�
This book has been kicking my heart around for weeks! And head! There’s no other way to say it�.Eli Cranor’s Ozark Dogs is a mindfuck. It fucked with my head when I read it months ago and it still is. So, yeah. It’s good. It’s really fucking good. Shit, sorry. Let me try that again without the swears. :)
Mr. Cranor weaves in and out of different points of view here, so we meet quite a few people. We meet Jeremiah, a Vietnam veteran and grandfather, still dealing with the war while raising his granddaughter (Jo) all on his own. Jo is a girl who grew up in a junkyard with her very overprotective grandfather. Maybe there was a reason Jeremiah was overprotective though, because Jo is kidnapped for revenge. For... I'm not saying! Readers follow along as Jo fights back and discovers all sorts of hard truths. And then. Then, we have The Ledfords. You are just going to have to meet them for yourself.
Ozark Dogs is something else. It’s layer upon layer upon layer of history, pain, guilt, loss, and “the remains of other people’s lives�. There’s a lot going on here, so keep your eye on the ball. It got me. It got me good!
I can’t review this book any other way. No spoilers here. Just read it! It’s a gut punch.
HIGHLY recommended.
Just 1 of my favorites lines...
“Jeremiah shook his head at the boy’s hope, his confidence. How many years did it take to scrape away such a thing?�
February 20, 2023
Arkansas author and former high school football coach Eli Cranor produced, for me, arguably the best debut crime novel of last year with the extraordinary Don’t Know Tough. With its evocative prose and jagged first-person voice of rage-filled, abused teenage football star Billy Lowe, it heralded the arrival of a powerful new storyteller.
So I was curious to crack open Ozark Dogs, Cranor’s second effort that’s part-inspired by a true story from his Arkansas hometown. Not only is there no ‘sophomore slump�, Ozark Dogs may be even better than Cranor’s brilliant debut. High standards, exceeded.
Jeremiah Fitzjurls is an old man with violence scratching at his soul; a Vietnam War sniper with a Bronze Star, an armoury full of weapons, and too many bad memories. His days are spent crushing cars at his junkyard and trying to protect his beloved granddaughter Joanna from sins new and old. His son, Joanna’s father, is in prison for murder. Their town doesn’t forget, and neither have the Ledfords, a vicious concoction of white supremacists and meth dealers. So when Joanna disappears after Homecoming, a violent reckoning is coming, unless Craven County Sheriff Mona McNabb can stop it.
Ozark Dogs is the kind of book that burrows beneath your skin. Cranor’s crafted a gritty, epic tale of family burdens and long shadows cast by past misdeeds. Terrible people or good people making terrible choices; the awful impact may be the same. Superb.
So I was curious to crack open Ozark Dogs, Cranor’s second effort that’s part-inspired by a true story from his Arkansas hometown. Not only is there no ‘sophomore slump�, Ozark Dogs may be even better than Cranor’s brilliant debut. High standards, exceeded.
Jeremiah Fitzjurls is an old man with violence scratching at his soul; a Vietnam War sniper with a Bronze Star, an armoury full of weapons, and too many bad memories. His days are spent crushing cars at his junkyard and trying to protect his beloved granddaughter Joanna from sins new and old. His son, Joanna’s father, is in prison for murder. Their town doesn’t forget, and neither have the Ledfords, a vicious concoction of white supremacists and meth dealers. So when Joanna disappears after Homecoming, a violent reckoning is coming, unless Craven County Sheriff Mona McNabb can stop it.
Ozark Dogs is the kind of book that burrows beneath your skin. Cranor’s crafted a gritty, epic tale of family burdens and long shadows cast by past misdeeds. Terrible people or good people making terrible choices; the awful impact may be the same. Superb.
September 26, 2022
A sophomoric effort that should solidify Cranor as a voice that brings grace and grit together. Fans of the southern voice of Grisham will appreciate the authenticity, fans of SA Cosby will appreciate the grittiness and fans of Abbott the authenticity. As a reader of both fiction and true crime I have always appreciated novelists who can take a true crime story and humanize it further by providing a back story. Absolutely outstanding and this should hit every best seller list upon its release in April.
September 9, 2024
4.5 stars, this is a new to me author and so far both of his books have been great reads. This one is definitely more gritty than Broiler.
May 9, 2023
I absolutely flew through this book! It was exciting and didn’t waste time on fluff. Crime fiction with revenge, drugs, and white supremacy set in a small town-perfect combo! One of my favorite books of the year so far.
May 10, 2023
If you’re a fan of SA Cosby, then you will like this book. It is gritty but full of heart. It is a story about revenge, inherited hate, and justice. But at its core, it’s a grandfather’s last attempt at saving the only bit of family he has left. I dare you not to get the feels in this book.
Eli Cranor creates characters so alive, and full of feeling, that they become a part of you. Jeremiah, the grandfather, is a strong and memorable character. The book is really his story, and the reader goes on the journey of growth, getting sober, and fighting for love. If this ever becomes a movie, Denzel Washington is Jeremiah. Once you read this, you won’t unsee that.
Like any good Southern Thriller, this book is dark, drug laced and pitted with little surprises. It always comes back to family, even with the antagonists. I promise you will get sucked in, and be begging for a movie adaptation as well.
Eli Cranor creates characters so alive, and full of feeling, that they become a part of you. Jeremiah, the grandfather, is a strong and memorable character. The book is really his story, and the reader goes on the journey of growth, getting sober, and fighting for love. If this ever becomes a movie, Denzel Washington is Jeremiah. Once you read this, you won’t unsee that.
Like any good Southern Thriller, this book is dark, drug laced and pitted with little surprises. It always comes back to family, even with the antagonists. I promise you will get sucked in, and be begging for a movie adaptation as well.
April 16, 2023
dark, depressing, violent. Don't need this.
December 13, 2023
Absolutely phenomenal. I couldn’t put it down.
June 23, 2023
God can't change the wild streak that sends some dogs running. God can't change the blood. Can he?
Ozark Dogs seems to exist within its own sphere, it's a novel about the gray areas, the spaces in between. It exists between the good and the bad, between the ugly and the beautiful, it sits, unassuming, and unashamed to show the truth of rural, small town living. This is a novel with some serious heart, one that's full of awful people who constantly make a string of terrible choices in life. There's no real positivity to be found within this story. This is not the book to venture into if you're seeking a warm and comforting experience, this is a bleak and depressing tale that will punch you right in the face.
Grit-Lit, Southern Noir, or Hillbilly Noir, whatever you want to call it, it's a tricky genre to get right. It's not enough to simply tell a gritty story, and it's certainly not enough for your novel to just take place in Southern USA. There's a delicate balancing act that must be mastered, nature must stand in all its beauty against the sins of humanity. The turmoil of bad choices and brutal living conditions must eventually give way to the peacefulness of the surrounding world, and yet, these stories must never shy away from the harsh realities of desperation and survival. This is one such novel that manages to nail exactly what this genre is about, with this story, Cranor has proved that he has mastered the art of Grit-Lit.
This book is propulsive, it's addictive, it's a novel that can be utterly devoured in one sitting. In fact, the only reason it took me two days to read, is because I had to force myself to bed, shutting the book away to avoid temptation. It's an all consuming head fuck of a novel that will leave its readers reeling right up until its final word.
Jeremiah felt the water beneath him, cool and clean, unaware of the violence men had brought down upon it. Jeremiah could end it all in less time than it took to breathe, but the water was so oblivious, so innocent.
Ozark Dogs seems to exist within its own sphere, it's a novel about the gray areas, the spaces in between. It exists between the good and the bad, between the ugly and the beautiful, it sits, unassuming, and unashamed to show the truth of rural, small town living. This is a novel with some serious heart, one that's full of awful people who constantly make a string of terrible choices in life. There's no real positivity to be found within this story. This is not the book to venture into if you're seeking a warm and comforting experience, this is a bleak and depressing tale that will punch you right in the face.
Grit-Lit, Southern Noir, or Hillbilly Noir, whatever you want to call it, it's a tricky genre to get right. It's not enough to simply tell a gritty story, and it's certainly not enough for your novel to just take place in Southern USA. There's a delicate balancing act that must be mastered, nature must stand in all its beauty against the sins of humanity. The turmoil of bad choices and brutal living conditions must eventually give way to the peacefulness of the surrounding world, and yet, these stories must never shy away from the harsh realities of desperation and survival. This is one such novel that manages to nail exactly what this genre is about, with this story, Cranor has proved that he has mastered the art of Grit-Lit.
This book is propulsive, it's addictive, it's a novel that can be utterly devoured in one sitting. In fact, the only reason it took me two days to read, is because I had to force myself to bed, shutting the book away to avoid temptation. It's an all consuming head fuck of a novel that will leave its readers reeling right up until its final word.
Jeremiah felt the water beneath him, cool and clean, unaware of the violence men had brought down upon it. Jeremiah could end it all in less time than it took to breathe, but the water was so oblivious, so innocent.
July 12, 2023
There'll be spoilers so stop reading now.
First the positive. the PTSD and war flashbacks were decent.
Now the rest: Big spoiler, Jo and Colt have the same mom but they have sex and it's just glossed over. The dialog and actions of the antagonists don't fit their demeanors. Colt is god's gift to women, trained by his brother Evail to lure in women to sell to the Mexicans for meth and he falls in love with his first victim (his half sister, don't forget), really?? The patriarch Bunn was once a tough meth cooking Klansman but now cow tows to his son? And when the Mexicans show up Guillermo is the cock of the walk and they acquiesce to his wishes like bitches? Some drug kingpin Bunn was. I'm glad they all died so there can't be a sequel. Or maybe there will be with Colt and Jo's inbred son as the deformed baby seeking revenge on his parents, Jeremiah, Belladonna and Mona for being characters in such a story.
First the positive. the PTSD and war flashbacks were decent.
Now the rest: Big spoiler, Jo and Colt have the same mom but they have sex and it's just glossed over. The dialog and actions of the antagonists don't fit their demeanors. Colt is god's gift to women, trained by his brother Evail to lure in women to sell to the Mexicans for meth and he falls in love with his first victim (his half sister, don't forget), really?? The patriarch Bunn was once a tough meth cooking Klansman but now cow tows to his son? And when the Mexicans show up Guillermo is the cock of the walk and they acquiesce to his wishes like bitches? Some drug kingpin Bunn was. I'm glad they all died so there can't be a sequel. Or maybe there will be with Colt and Jo's inbred son as the deformed baby seeking revenge on his parents, Jeremiah, Belladonna and Mona for being characters in such a story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2022
A twisted mystery partially based on true events? Sign me up!
Cranor does a great job of giving readers just enough information to keep them coming back chapter by chapter. I often found myself reading for hours without even noticing.
Cranor does a great job of giving readers just enough information to keep them coming back chapter by chapter. I often found myself reading for hours without even noticing.
October 23, 2023
"Too much thinking was never a good thing; it led to answers."
An entertaining, solid Southern thriller, as it is most often the case with the genre, this is one is plenty dark and not for the squeamish.
An entertaining, solid Southern thriller, as it is most often the case with the genre, this is one is plenty dark and not for the squeamish.
May 4, 2023
Was i supposed to have empathy for any of the characters?
I am surprised I finished this novel.
I am surprised I finished this novel.
July 24, 2023
I don’t like books where dogs get killed.
May 20, 2023
This is Cranor's second book - set in the Ozarks, poor folks, poor education. It is painful, gothic, dark, muddled - the people connections, not the story. And like his earlier book, the ending smacks you in the face - HARD. I had to go back this morning to reread the last few pages. I finished it last night but this morning I was not really certain what I read. There are no fake clues, there are mean people and lying people - mean, willing to sell people off as slaves in the sex trade. Lot of killing at the end and I would say everyone deserved it. Teenagers and old people who hold grudges for a lifetime are the characters. I did like one character, the female sheriff - in backwoods Arkansas. And I liked the mother of the bad guy clan a little bit. Otherwise, this is drugs, selling them, stealing anything to get money for drugs. Teenagers are focused here - trying to do right, to stay out of trouble but .... (I cannot tell you. You have to read the book.) Cranor is the new voice in Southern noir. His writing is super - clean-cut, no misunderstanding. Sometimes, leaving you holding your breath - what happens next? A lot of pain and darkness - but there is some hope in the end. Maybe things will get better for one of the characters. This book would be great for book club discussions - so much meat to the book.
March 11, 2023
I wasn’t sure how Eli Cranor would follow up DONT KNOW TOUGH—a home run of a novel. Well, he hit a grand slam with OZARK DOGS. It’s a novel that shows off his skill and maturity as a writer and a storyteller. Now I really don’t know how he’s going to follow this one up.
June 28, 2024
Wow, some of those twists and turns and revelations were uncomfortable. This is a dark novel. Was there one person that was truly good? The characters may not have been good people but the book was very good. There is a Vietnam War veteran with PTSD, meth dealing, human trafficking and a high school romance that makes you go ugh. (Don’t want to spoil it). I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author. He has a new book coming out next week and a local book signing since he is Arkansan. I wanted to read something of his before I went to meet him.
April 6, 2024
3.5 *s
April 6, 2023
3.5 Was really into the first half, but I thought it lacked some of the grit I expected.
June 10, 2023
I raced through this book. It was hard, mean, and fierce, with a couple solid twists near the end. A smooth, fast, gritty read with well-drawn characters. I loved how Cranor used a couple strong images--a blue Homecoming dress, an old truck named The Judge--and worked them into sources of resonance and surprise along the way. I'm not sure I loved this book as much as his debut, DON'T KNOW TOUGH, but I look forward to rereading both of them and enjoying many more of Cranor's stories to come.
January 1, 2024
Wow! What a story! This novel is chock full of emotion. Jeremiah loves his granddaughter, Jo, so much. Sometimes, though all of his actions do not end up helping her. My heart raced faster and faster the more I read. I could not stop. All the actions the characters take propel the novel to its climax, and then there is a twist I was not expecting. Some of the details are a bit far fetched, but they do not take away from the enjoyment of the book. It is a little hard to believe that a star football player just shows up and leads his team without having played much organized ball as a youth (just one year at a rival school) and furthermore that no one recognizes this boy. It seems a little unbelievable that one of the bad guys hatches up his plan so far in advance, but again these details do not detract from the story. Bunn Ledford leads his followers to KKK gatherings. Cranor does not provide for us the readers much regarding Bunn’s motivation other than he is upset that foreigners are taking jobs in the nearby town. I think Bunn’s connections to the KKK and other militias are included in the story just as a way of demonstrating how evil Bunn Ledford is.
It is also unclear how the Ledford’s started producing meth or crank out of the blue when economic times got tough, but then stopped cold turkey after one explosion. I think Cranor does a better job of describing the role Church and religion play in Jeremiah’s life. There is a great scene when Jeremiah and his preacher exchange ideas. In the church the preacher tells his parishioners, “Are you sure He ain’t coming for you? This fiery-eyed Jesus and His army? You ain’t got no guns that can protect you. He’s coming, and you better watch out. There’s only one thing that can save you . . .�
And then out back Jeremiah tells the preacher, “What if just one Saturday, instead of you telling everybody they get a free pass as long as they love Jesus - you stood up there and told them to stop being so damn mean to each other? How you think that’d go over?�
The preacher unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and began rolling up his sleeves and says, “We’d probably lose a few members.�
It is also unclear how the Ledford’s started producing meth or crank out of the blue when economic times got tough, but then stopped cold turkey after one explosion. I think Cranor does a better job of describing the role Church and religion play in Jeremiah’s life. There is a great scene when Jeremiah and his preacher exchange ideas. In the church the preacher tells his parishioners, “Are you sure He ain’t coming for you? This fiery-eyed Jesus and His army? You ain’t got no guns that can protect you. He’s coming, and you better watch out. There’s only one thing that can save you . . .�
And then out back Jeremiah tells the preacher, “What if just one Saturday, instead of you telling everybody they get a free pass as long as they love Jesus - you stood up there and told them to stop being so damn mean to each other? How you think that’d go over?�
The preacher unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and began rolling up his sleeves and says, “We’d probably lose a few members.�
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