What do you think?
Rate this book
Mick Hardin #3
Code of the Hills
In this blistering return to Chris
Offutt’s acclaimed crime series, Mick Hardin is tested like never before as
familial allegiances and old wounds collide, threatening to destroy everything
he loves
Master storyteller and award-winning author Chris Offutt’s latest book, Code
of the Hills, is a dark, witty, and propulsive thriller of murder and
secrets in a town where little is as it seems.
Mick Hardin is back in the hills of Kentucky. He’d planned to touch down
briefly before heading to France, marking the end to his twenty-year Army
career. In Rocksalt, his sister Linda the sheriff is investigating the murder
of Pete Lowe, a sought-after mechanic at the local racetrack. After
another body is found, Linda and her deputy Johnny Boy Tolliver wonder if the
two murders are related. Linda steps into harm’s way just as a third body turns
up and Mick ends up being deputized again, uncovering evidence of illegal
cockfighting, and trying to connect all the crimes.
An explosive return to the mayhem of the Kentucky hills, Code of
the Hills is a harrowing novel of family—of what we’re willing to do
to protect and avenge the ones we love.
Offutt’s acclaimed crime series, Mick Hardin is tested like never before as
familial allegiances and old wounds collide, threatening to destroy everything
he loves
Master storyteller and award-winning author Chris Offutt’s latest book, Code
of the Hills, is a dark, witty, and propulsive thriller of murder and
secrets in a town where little is as it seems.
Mick Hardin is back in the hills of Kentucky. He’d planned to touch down
briefly before heading to France, marking the end to his twenty-year Army
career. In Rocksalt, his sister Linda the sheriff is investigating the murder
of Pete Lowe, a sought-after mechanic at the local racetrack. After
another body is found, Linda and her deputy Johnny Boy Tolliver wonder if the
two murders are related. Linda steps into harm’s way just as a third body turns
up and Mick ends up being deputized again, uncovering evidence of illegal
cockfighting, and trying to connect all the crimes.
An explosive return to the mayhem of the Kentucky hills, Code of
the Hills is a harrowing novel of family—of what we’re willing to do
to protect and avenge the ones we love.
271 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2023
89 people are currently reading
4,021 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
June 13, 2023
Code of the Hills is Mick Hardin book #3 and my first from this author. This is a great standalone mystery and once finished I immediately grab book #1 and I'm ready to roll!
As a sucker for good crime mysteries set in the South, I like them gritty and in rural locales. Code of the Hills is set in the backwoods of Kentucky, a small town of Rocksalt. The author captures the atmosphere so well and makes me feel a part of the story.
Retired Army investigator Mick Hardin visits his hometown when his sheriff sister Linda was severely injured while on duty. THREE deaths, are they linked? Mick whose plan to be in France is now deputized to help Linda's deputy, Johnny Boy with the case.
I didn't figure out the mysteries and kept changing my mind. I'm very satisfied with the conclusion and find it very fitting for this novel.😉 Love these characters and hope to see them again in future books.
George Newbern did a wonderful job reading this novel. I'm glad he reads all three!
Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for my advance listening copy.
Published June 13, 2023!!
As a sucker for good crime mysteries set in the South, I like them gritty and in rural locales. Code of the Hills is set in the backwoods of Kentucky, a small town of Rocksalt. The author captures the atmosphere so well and makes me feel a part of the story.
Retired Army investigator Mick Hardin visits his hometown when his sheriff sister Linda was severely injured while on duty. THREE deaths, are they linked? Mick whose plan to be in France is now deputized to help Linda's deputy, Johnny Boy with the case.
I didn't figure out the mysteries and kept changing my mind. I'm very satisfied with the conclusion and find it very fitting for this novel.😉 Love these characters and hope to see them again in future books.
George Newbern did a wonderful job reading this novel. I'm glad he reads all three!
Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for my advance listening copy.
Published June 13, 2023!!
June 14, 2023
This is the third book in the series featuring Nick Hardin, a military officer who keeps coming back to his Kentucky hometown. His sister Linda is sheriff, and the pattern established by the first book requires Nick to become involved in police business. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, “The Killing Hills� and hoped that the series would continue. Now, I hope that the series ends here.
The code of the Kentucky hills consists of a continuous circle of revenge, accompanied by letting people get away with murder. This philosophy is so completely repellent that by the end of the book, I hated Hardin. This book is practically a cozy. Yes, there are a lot of murders, but it doesn’t have the rural noir feel. The murderers are all so very nice - until oops someone winds up shot to death. Whoever wrote the blurb clearly did not read the book. No way is this “blistering�. The author can do much better than this, but I guess the money to be made in writing a series is too tempting. I suggest that you read “Country Dark� or “The Killing Hills� instead of this book. 3.5 stars
I received free copies of the ebook and audiobook from the publisher.
The code of the Kentucky hills consists of a continuous circle of revenge, accompanied by letting people get away with murder. This philosophy is so completely repellent that by the end of the book, I hated Hardin. This book is practically a cozy. Yes, there are a lot of murders, but it doesn’t have the rural noir feel. The murderers are all so very nice - until oops someone winds up shot to death. Whoever wrote the blurb clearly did not read the book. No way is this “blistering�. The author can do much better than this, but I guess the money to be made in writing a series is too tempting. I suggest that you read “Country Dark� or “The Killing Hills� instead of this book. 3.5 stars
I received free copies of the ebook and audiobook from the publisher.
June 15, 2023
"Humans are the only animal that kills in reprisal. Been doing it since the beginning of time. What that means is, we're all descended from revenge killers. It's in us deep. We're a vengeful bunch."
In the rural hills of Kentucky, everyone either knows everyone else or is related to them through blood or marriage. Yet, there are so many secrets . . .
"The hills were like a slipknot---the more you struggled, the tighter they held."
While investigating a murder, Sheriff Linda is injured, and put temporarily out of commission. Lucky for her, brother Mick is visiting, able, and willing to reluctantly resume the role of deputy to wrap up the case.
Though not as compelling as the first two books, this is not a bad entry in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for the read.
In the rural hills of Kentucky, everyone either knows everyone else or is related to them through blood or marriage. Yet, there are so many secrets . . .
"The hills were like a slipknot---the more you struggled, the tighter they held."
While investigating a murder, Sheriff Linda is injured, and put temporarily out of commission. Lucky for her, brother Mick is visiting, able, and willing to reluctantly resume the role of deputy to wrap up the case.
Though not as compelling as the first two books, this is not a bad entry in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for the read.
December 13, 2023
Keep them coming please........
I cannot testify about the veracity of Offutt's Appalachia because I lack personal experience, but I can testify that his Appalachia comes to life in his books. It becomes a character, a sort of blanket that nestles the story and is high lighted through each character. So although the Appalachian is a laconic, solitary soul, we catch him or her in her many nuances.
We see Mick going on a sort of redemption spree, a sort of penance tour. After all his warmongering tours and murderous chases, it was now time for compassion. This is the third book in Mick Hardin's series and I feel as if Mick has reached a safe spot, a pinnacle in a holler close to his heart. I finished the book feeling well and anxious to get more as I want to read more about these people. We cannot leave Mick, Johnny Boy, Sandra, Ray-Ray, Linda all on their lonesome. Let us keep them company Mr Offut.
An ARC gently provided by author/publisher via Netgalley
I cannot testify about the veracity of Offutt's Appalachia because I lack personal experience, but I can testify that his Appalachia comes to life in his books. It becomes a character, a sort of blanket that nestles the story and is high lighted through each character. So although the Appalachian is a laconic, solitary soul, we catch him or her in her many nuances.
We see Mick going on a sort of redemption spree, a sort of penance tour. After all his warmongering tours and murderous chases, it was now time for compassion. This is the third book in Mick Hardin's series and I feel as if Mick has reached a safe spot, a pinnacle in a holler close to his heart. I finished the book feeling well and anxious to get more as I want to read more about these people. We cannot leave Mick, Johnny Boy, Sandra, Ray-Ray, Linda all on their lonesome. Let us keep them company Mr Offut.
An ARC gently provided by author/publisher via Netgalley
February 15, 2024
4.5 stars.
This third installment in the Mick Hardin series is all about people and place. Plot is a distant third. The title is perfect because almost every decision made here is based on a moral principle (sometimes a particularly personal one), whether legal or not. It is my favorite book in the series, maybe even my favorite Offutt to-date, and I was happy to see he left lots of loose ends for a possible book #4.
As the story opens, Mick Hardin has retired from his twenty-year stint in the US Army and is making a brief stop in his hometown of Rocksalt, Kentucky to see his sister Linda, now sheriff of Eldridge County, before leaving for a six-month sojourn in Corsica, France. It’s been two years since his last visit, and little has changed. Linda has fixed up their mother’s home and changed the locks. Albin is now top driver (of 3) in the local taxi company, and Johnny Boy Tolliver is still plodding along as deputy sheriff, currently immersed in the investigation of local race car mechanic Pete Lowe’s murder. Mick plans to stay only a few days in Rocksalt but, as is the way in these hills, one murder leads to another and Mick soon finds himself changing plans.
Readers of previous Hardin novels will recognize some familiar “faces� here - Ray-Ray and Shifty McKissick and Juan Carlos, dispatcher Sandra Caldwell, police chief Chet Logan, Detroit mobster Charley Flowers. - plus meet some new and interesting locals - Janice Lowe, Penny Lawson, Carla Jo Gowan, and Charles, the $3,000 rooster. Chris Offutt did a Q&A last summer with Chapter16.org and when asked what kept bringing him back to Mick Hardin and the Kentucky hills setting, Offutt replied:
“Love. I love all the characters. I love the landscape. And I love the unique way that people in the hills think. It’s always more fun, as you say, to spend time with people you love.�
The love definitely shines through here, especially his love for Mick and Johnny Boy - they are the stars of this one.
“Why?� [asks Johnny Boy]
“You’re in a jam,� Mick said, “and I can help you.�
“That’s it?�
“That’s all things ever are. If you don’t help when you can, there might not be anybody to help you when you need it.�
Link to the interview:
This third installment in the Mick Hardin series is all about people and place. Plot is a distant third. The title is perfect because almost every decision made here is based on a moral principle (sometimes a particularly personal one), whether legal or not. It is my favorite book in the series, maybe even my favorite Offutt to-date, and I was happy to see he left lots of loose ends for a possible book #4.
As the story opens, Mick Hardin has retired from his twenty-year stint in the US Army and is making a brief stop in his hometown of Rocksalt, Kentucky to see his sister Linda, now sheriff of Eldridge County, before leaving for a six-month sojourn in Corsica, France. It’s been two years since his last visit, and little has changed. Linda has fixed up their mother’s home and changed the locks. Albin is now top driver (of 3) in the local taxi company, and Johnny Boy Tolliver is still plodding along as deputy sheriff, currently immersed in the investigation of local race car mechanic Pete Lowe’s murder. Mick plans to stay only a few days in Rocksalt but, as is the way in these hills, one murder leads to another and Mick soon finds himself changing plans.
Readers of previous Hardin novels will recognize some familiar “faces� here - Ray-Ray and Shifty McKissick and Juan Carlos, dispatcher Sandra Caldwell, police chief Chet Logan, Detroit mobster Charley Flowers. - plus meet some new and interesting locals - Janice Lowe, Penny Lawson, Carla Jo Gowan, and Charles, the $3,000 rooster. Chris Offutt did a Q&A last summer with Chapter16.org and when asked what kept bringing him back to Mick Hardin and the Kentucky hills setting, Offutt replied:
“Love. I love all the characters. I love the landscape. And I love the unique way that people in the hills think. It’s always more fun, as you say, to spend time with people you love.�
The love definitely shines through here, especially his love for Mick and Johnny Boy - they are the stars of this one.
“Why?� [asks Johnny Boy]
“You’re in a jam,� Mick said, “and I can help you.�
“That’s it?�
“That’s all things ever are. If you don’t help when you can, there might not be anybody to help you when you need it.�
Link to the interview:
January 31, 2025
4.5 stars
When Chris Offutt says in an interview that he loves his characters, this book is convincing truth of that. Mick Hardin is back in a 3rd installment of this series, and it's clear that Mick is home to stay, despite any plans or promises to the contrary. His Kentucky Hills won't let him go, his sister needs him after being shot in the line of duty, he needs to reconcile with the dispatcher he got involved with before leaving 2 years prior and his training in the army as an investigator for CID is proving very helpful. As tough as he is, he's a kind man who has his own ideas of justice and has no trouble making tough decisions that might not be popular with his by-the-book superiors. My kind of hero.
Mick Hardin is second in my affections with another Offutt character, Tucker in Country Dark. I fell hard for Tucker, but I'm falling hard for all these characters in this series too. They are real and when the code of the hills dictates that some people just need killin', I can get behind that.
When Chris Offutt says in an interview that he loves his characters, this book is convincing truth of that. Mick Hardin is back in a 3rd installment of this series, and it's clear that Mick is home to stay, despite any plans or promises to the contrary. His Kentucky Hills won't let him go, his sister needs him after being shot in the line of duty, he needs to reconcile with the dispatcher he got involved with before leaving 2 years prior and his training in the army as an investigator for CID is proving very helpful. As tough as he is, he's a kind man who has his own ideas of justice and has no trouble making tough decisions that might not be popular with his by-the-book superiors. My kind of hero.
Mick Hardin is second in my affections with another Offutt character, Tucker in Country Dark. I fell hard for Tucker, but I'm falling hard for all these characters in this series too. They are real and when the code of the hills dictates that some people just need killin', I can get behind that.
August 6, 2023
Chris Offutt is back with the third book in his excellent Mick Hardin series. Mick has now retired from the army and is returning to his home town of Rocksalt, Kentucky. His plan is a quick visit, then a trip to Corsica for an indefinite stay with a friend he met while in the military. He arrives in Rocksalt just as a murder occurs. His sister Linda, the sheriff, and her deputy begin investigating this when another murder is discovered. Then Linda is shot and everything changes. Mick becomes deputy to Johnny Boy Tolliver to solve all of these crimes.
Mick Hardin is a great character. He reacts and thinks like a man with this double pronged background: Appalachian hill country combined with military battlefield and CID. His loyalties and skill sets are vast, varied and very interesting to read about. He keeps everything moving and thinks on the run, often literally.
If you’re looking for an action/mystery/crime novel with great atmosphere then pick up Chris Offutt’s Mick Hardin series. Code of the Hills can be read as a stand-alone, but why miss the prior two books. As for me, I need to read the second one, Shifty’s Boy’s but have already read The Killing Hills. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Grove Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. My review is my own.
Mick Hardin is a great character. He reacts and thinks like a man with this double pronged background: Appalachian hill country combined with military battlefield and CID. His loyalties and skill sets are vast, varied and very interesting to read about. He keeps everything moving and thinks on the run, often literally.
If you’re looking for an action/mystery/crime novel with great atmosphere then pick up Chris Offutt’s Mick Hardin series. Code of the Hills can be read as a stand-alone, but why miss the prior two books. As for me, I need to read the second one, Shifty’s Boy’s but have already read The Killing Hills. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Grove Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. My review is my own.
February 6, 2024
This is the third volume in the Mick Hardin series set in the Kentucky Hills. It's refreshingly different from other series I follow and I enjoy Chris Offutt's writing very much.
Favorite quotes:
"They sat looking at each other, not so much an evaluation as a willingness to accept. Each was the only family the other had, despite their differences, many, and extreme, they were loyal in the way of the hills."
The hills were like a slip knot, the more struggled, the tighter they held. He realized he didn't mind. He had his spot. He closed his eyes and listened to the birds."
Favorite quotes:
"They sat looking at each other, not so much an evaluation as a willingness to accept. Each was the only family the other had, despite their differences, many, and extreme, they were loyal in the way of the hills."
The hills were like a slip knot, the more struggled, the tighter they held. He realized he didn't mind. He had his spot. He closed his eyes and listened to the birds."
January 29, 2025
Mick Harden is back in the Kentucky hills again. He has done his 20 with the army, has left for good, and is stopping in to see his sister before heading off to Corsica. Of course, none of Mick’s intentions ever go as planned, so unsurprisingly he is caught up in a multiple-murder investigation.
These books are just a bit of good fun. I have become fond of Mick, I like his sister, Linda, and I love seeing him squirm his way around Sandra, the alluring police dispatcher. These are action tales, so the pace is quick; they are detailed and unpredictable, a bonus in this genre.
I needed to finally get to this one, because book #4 is expected to be released in March. I don’t generally read them the minute they are available, but I don’t want them to stack up on me either. This was the perfect choice to follow up the disappointing book I just finished before plunging into something Victorian and serious.
These books are just a bit of good fun. I have become fond of Mick, I like his sister, Linda, and I love seeing him squirm his way around Sandra, the alluring police dispatcher. These are action tales, so the pace is quick; they are detailed and unpredictable, a bonus in this genre.
I needed to finally get to this one, because book #4 is expected to be released in March. I don’t generally read them the minute they are available, but I don’t want them to stack up on me either. This was the perfect choice to follow up the disappointing book I just finished before plunging into something Victorian and serious.
December 31, 2023
4.5 stars
Mick was going home to a place that was no longer home.
My tendency toward reading crime, mystery or thriller novels is rare; however, when Chris Offutt is writing and the protagonist is Mick Hardin, I know I’m going to be glad I read it because he’s going to take me back to my home state and very near where I grew up! The third installment, Code of the Hills has Mick returning home once again to the hills he grew up in in Rocksalt, Kentucky, a place where everyone knows your business and secrets really aren’t that secret. It’s also a place where most can’t wait to leave and once gone miss being “home�. Boy, do I understand that sentiment!
I am once again glued to the pages wanting to learn more and more about these characters he’s made me like so much. Of course with a vengeful hill country code, this one is even grittier than the others and just as suspenseful. Offutt even takes us out of the hills into the crime-ridden streets of Detroit. But what makes these thrillers A+ stories for me is the priority of characters and story over plot. Well done Mr. Offutt!
The hills were like a slipknot---the more you struggled, the tighter they held.
Mick has retired from the Army but any time he comes home, readers know to expect a couple of murders or three. Mick’s sister Linda, the new sheriff, along with her deputy, Johnny Boy are investigating three deaths and trying to find out if they are connected. Linda finds herself wounded and Johnny Boy steps up to showcase his sheriffing skills with Mick as his deputy. In my opinion, he’s fabulous! He has this understated leadership quality that he hasn’t quite figured out yet and Offutt is giving him a chance to develop it.
I also love Mick’s straightforward demeanor and that he understands that he’s only good with people when he’s toting a gun or getting into a fight. Mick is hard-nosed when he needs to be with a huge soft heart that truly wants to connect with the people he loves and that just may get him in trouble when and if Offutt produces the next book. (Yes, Please!!) Mick is like most of us who leave home and come back - we struggle with the longing for the “home� of the past but don’t really feel like we fit in after 20 years of being away. Mick’s confusion with leaving the Army and trying to figure out where he belongs now is a beautiful storyline. Yet, Offutt has a lot of story to write with Mick and these well-formed characters. I will always go back to visit Rocksalt to see what he has in store!
“His grandfather would say Mick was following the code of the hills. Mick hoped it was true.�
Offutt’s prose is witty, humorous, and very straightforward. He’s not fussy but he definitely gets his point across. Offutt will always be a go-to writer for me and I’ll read whatever he decides to give us!
"Humans are the only animal that kills in reprisal. Been doing it since the beginning of time. What that means is, we're all descended from revenge killers. It's in us deep. We're a vengeful bunch."
Mick was going home to a place that was no longer home.
My tendency toward reading crime, mystery or thriller novels is rare; however, when Chris Offutt is writing and the protagonist is Mick Hardin, I know I’m going to be glad I read it because he’s going to take me back to my home state and very near where I grew up! The third installment, Code of the Hills has Mick returning home once again to the hills he grew up in in Rocksalt, Kentucky, a place where everyone knows your business and secrets really aren’t that secret. It’s also a place where most can’t wait to leave and once gone miss being “home�. Boy, do I understand that sentiment!
I am once again glued to the pages wanting to learn more and more about these characters he’s made me like so much. Of course with a vengeful hill country code, this one is even grittier than the others and just as suspenseful. Offutt even takes us out of the hills into the crime-ridden streets of Detroit. But what makes these thrillers A+ stories for me is the priority of characters and story over plot. Well done Mr. Offutt!
The hills were like a slipknot---the more you struggled, the tighter they held.
Mick has retired from the Army but any time he comes home, readers know to expect a couple of murders or three. Mick’s sister Linda, the new sheriff, along with her deputy, Johnny Boy are investigating three deaths and trying to find out if they are connected. Linda finds herself wounded and Johnny Boy steps up to showcase his sheriffing skills with Mick as his deputy. In my opinion, he’s fabulous! He has this understated leadership quality that he hasn’t quite figured out yet and Offutt is giving him a chance to develop it.
I also love Mick’s straightforward demeanor and that he understands that he’s only good with people when he’s toting a gun or getting into a fight. Mick is hard-nosed when he needs to be with a huge soft heart that truly wants to connect with the people he loves and that just may get him in trouble when and if Offutt produces the next book. (Yes, Please!!) Mick is like most of us who leave home and come back - we struggle with the longing for the “home� of the past but don’t really feel like we fit in after 20 years of being away. Mick’s confusion with leaving the Army and trying to figure out where he belongs now is a beautiful storyline. Yet, Offutt has a lot of story to write with Mick and these well-formed characters. I will always go back to visit Rocksalt to see what he has in store!
“His grandfather would say Mick was following the code of the hills. Mick hoped it was true.�
Offutt’s prose is witty, humorous, and very straightforward. He’s not fussy but he definitely gets his point across. Offutt will always be a go-to writer for me and I’ll read whatever he decides to give us!
"Humans are the only animal that kills in reprisal. Been doing it since the beginning of time. What that means is, we're all descended from revenge killers. It's in us deep. We're a vengeful bunch."
February 4, 2025
3.5 stars
Third book of the Mick Hardin series - Back to Rocksalt Kentucky.
For some unexplained reason I did not like this book as much as the first two in the series. The writing was just as good, the story line feasible and I loved that Shifty was back in the story - however small the part. But something did not hold my interest as well as the first two books. I know the fourth in the series is almost ready to come out and I think that with the situation we find Mick in, this upcoming book may be a bit more exciting.
Third book of the Mick Hardin series - Back to Rocksalt Kentucky.
For some unexplained reason I did not like this book as much as the first two in the series. The writing was just as good, the story line feasible and I loved that Shifty was back in the story - however small the part. But something did not hold my interest as well as the first two books. I know the fourth in the series is almost ready to come out and I think that with the situation we find Mick in, this upcoming book may be a bit more exciting.
July 18, 2023
YES! Another visit with Mick!
Code of the Hills is book 3 in Chris Offutt’s Mick Hardin series. A series, place, and character I can’t get enough of.
“I couldn’t wait to leave here. Then couldn’t wait to get back. Now I don’t know what I want.�
That’s Mick talking about his home, woods, and hills of Kentucky. Mick has a push and pull relationship with his hometown of Rocksalt. Growing up he couldn’t wait to leave, but then missed it every day he was gone. Mick’s back in town now though. Apparently, he’s retired from the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division. Can he really walk away from investigating? Maybe he won’t have to, because Mick already has his hands full with a case too close to his heart and home. A case that has him making some dangerous decisions. *points a finger at Mick* What the hell are you doing?!
“His grandfather would say Mick was following the code of the hills. Mick hoped it was true.�
Me too. I’m not entirely sure his sister, the Sheriff, will agree, but we’ll have to wait and see. I do know that owing a man like Charley a favor is not cool. Your chickens are gonna come home to roost, Mick! Big trouble is on the way. You can feel it. Detroit was my favorite part of the book actually. It all clicked into place with pitch-perfect pace and tone. I even stopped, backed up, and read it again right then and there. The humor, action, and just whatever makes Mick…well, Mick, all meshed together just right in chapter 16. It cruised on all four cylinders!
My only hiccup with the book was the development with Johnny Boy. That whole situation near the end felt very manipulated to me. Forced and too quick. Here’s hoping it all pans out in the next book.
I love spending time with Mick. I look forward to it. He has a sort of old-fashioned way about him that puts you at ease. And makes you laugh! His phone flirting skills alone will make you shake your head in awe and giggles. I loved every nod, silent moment, mind wandering thought, and ghost in these pages. And now I want more. I want more of the hills, more of Mick and Aunt Shifty and Ray-Ray and J.C. and hell…just more of everyone.
I’ll be right here re-reading and waiting for book 4. Come meet Mick and the gang. You won’t regret it!
Highly recommended.
Favorite saying in this book: “Hollis has more balls than a pool table.�
June 29, 2024
Mick Hardin book 4 WHEN??? I was a bit scared the series would end here, but in a way it feels like it's just beginning, so I hope Mr Offutt will keep writing these. I'd love to see this become a TV show too, it would be very entertaining.
May 31, 2023
Mick Hardin has retired from the military and returned to his hometown of Rocksalt, Kentucky, where his sister is the county sheriff. She and her deputy, Johnny Boy Tolliver, are investigating the murder of the local car mechanic, Pete Lowe. When she is seriously injured in the line of duty, Johnny Boy temporarily becomes sheriff and deputizes Mick, who had been a CID investigator.
These books set in the Kentucky hills just keep getting better and better. I enjoy the rural setting and the characters, who are often quite humorous in their ways and manners. It's interesting to see how 'the code of the hills' plays out in the story, giving a twist to the concept of justice and the rule of law. I'll be looking forward to many more of these books so please keep on writing them, Chris Offutt!
I received an arc of this novel from thee author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
These books set in the Kentucky hills just keep getting better and better. I enjoy the rural setting and the characters, who are often quite humorous in their ways and manners. It's interesting to see how 'the code of the hills' plays out in the story, giving a twist to the concept of justice and the rule of law. I'll be looking forward to many more of these books so please keep on writing them, Chris Offutt!
I received an arc of this novel from thee author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
August 30, 2023
CODE OF THE HILLS is a pretty good story, with some dry but sharp human observations. But three books into this series, Mick Hardin is emerging less as his own character than as a pastiche of worn parts assembled from antecedent genre characters, an off-the-rack ass-kicker with special lethal skills straight off the Jack Reacher assembly line, so reductive in his reticence that it’s hard to see where he has room to grow.
As always, I find myself wishing his sister Linda would get a turn behind the point-of-view wheel; she’s such a distinctive and dominant character that Chris Offutt had to sideline her in this book so Mick could command the spotlight. That tells me that he knows he’s got a character-development problem, and that perhaps he put his bets on the wrong Hardin as the best load-bearing protagonist going forward.
That said, I’m on board with whatever Offutt comes up with next. He’s that good with setting, observation, and secondary characters.
As always, I find myself wishing his sister Linda would get a turn behind the point-of-view wheel; she’s such a distinctive and dominant character that Chris Offutt had to sideline her in this book so Mick could command the spotlight. That tells me that he knows he’s got a character-development problem, and that perhaps he put his bets on the wrong Hardin as the best load-bearing protagonist going forward.
That said, I’m on board with whatever Offutt comes up with next. He’s that good with setting, observation, and secondary characters.
March 15, 2024
This isn't the type of book I normally choose, but was looking for something more fast-paced and "light" to read on a recent vacation. It was OK and I didn't mind spending time with it, but it wasn't as "gripping" as I expected it to be. It's a fast read.
There are multiple murders and the protagonist ends up getting involved in trying to solve them, even though he only intended a short visit to see his sister. I was surprised multiple times by the path the story took, some of which left me with pretty uncomfortable assessments of choices. Maybe that's typical of this genre.
There are multiple murders and the protagonist ends up getting involved in trying to solve them, even though he only intended a short visit to see his sister. I was surprised multiple times by the path the story took, some of which left me with pretty uncomfortable assessments of choices. Maybe that's typical of this genre.
September 5, 2023
Another excellent addition to the best new.crime series out there.
January 30, 2023
Code of the Hills is the third book in Chris Offutt's series of books featuring Mick Hardin and the series just goes from strength to strength. In this latest offering, Mick has just retired from Army service and is on a brief visit to his sister Linda, the Sheriff of Rocksalt, Kentucky, before heading off for retirement in Corsica. However while home a series of shootings take place, including his sister Linda, who is wounded and Mick finds himself deputised and investigating a series of murders which might or might not be linked. His investigation also leads him to Detroit which is a different world entirely from Kentucky hills. Ultimately Mick finds he has some difficult and unethical choices to make in order to resolve the situation to his and everyone else's satisfaction.
There is just so much to love about this series of novels, not least the character of Mick Hardin himself. Mick has a wealth of investigative knowledge from his years spent in the Army C.I.D. but he also has a conscious and an innate ability to determine the right course of action to take. He has a way of dealing with people from all walks of life and is able to read people and knows exactly when to go soft or when to go hard. However this ability doesn't seem to extend to personal relationships where Mick finds it hard, as he has one failed marriage and is struggling with his relationship with Police dispatcher Sandra, with whom he has had a brief relationship. His relationship with his sister is also complicated but their exchanges are knowing but at times also quite humorous.
All the characters in the novel are pretty much fully formed, even the ones that only make a brief appearance and Offutt has an ability to fill out these characters lives in just a few short lines of prose. A lot of the minor characters are old timers whose family has up and left the family home, leaving them isolated in their sometimes inaccessible farm or dwelling where they have minimal contact with the outside world.
I also enjoyed Offutt's description of the Kentucky landscape and the flora and fauna that occupy the countryside. There is an ongoing theme throughout the novel where in most outdoor scenes he describes the behaviour of the various birds that are present, from the smallest sparrows to the vultures feasting on a recently dead corpse.
I don't know how many novels there will eventually be in this series but I hope there are more, as Mick Hardin is really starting to grow on me and is up there with my other favourites like Matt Scudder and Harry Bosch.
There is just so much to love about this series of novels, not least the character of Mick Hardin himself. Mick has a wealth of investigative knowledge from his years spent in the Army C.I.D. but he also has a conscious and an innate ability to determine the right course of action to take. He has a way of dealing with people from all walks of life and is able to read people and knows exactly when to go soft or when to go hard. However this ability doesn't seem to extend to personal relationships where Mick finds it hard, as he has one failed marriage and is struggling with his relationship with Police dispatcher Sandra, with whom he has had a brief relationship. His relationship with his sister is also complicated but their exchanges are knowing but at times also quite humorous.
All the characters in the novel are pretty much fully formed, even the ones that only make a brief appearance and Offutt has an ability to fill out these characters lives in just a few short lines of prose. A lot of the minor characters are old timers whose family has up and left the family home, leaving them isolated in their sometimes inaccessible farm or dwelling where they have minimal contact with the outside world.
I also enjoyed Offutt's description of the Kentucky landscape and the flora and fauna that occupy the countryside. There is an ongoing theme throughout the novel where in most outdoor scenes he describes the behaviour of the various birds that are present, from the smallest sparrows to the vultures feasting on a recently dead corpse.
I don't know how many novels there will eventually be in this series but I hope there are more, as Mick Hardin is really starting to grow on me and is up there with my other favourites like Matt Scudder and Harry Bosch.
February 7, 2025
Third in a series, and my least favorite of the trio. More than a bit far fetched.
March 15, 2023
In Code of the Hills by Chris Offutt, Offutt returns to the mountains and rural area of Rocksalt, Kentucky in the third novel featuring Mick Hardin and those in his orbit.
Code of the Hills picks up two years after the second Mick Hardin novel, Shifty’s Boys. Mick has just retired from the US Army as a felony investigator focusing on violent crimes and as a trainer of new investigators. After his previous Rocksalt stay ended with an abrupt departure, he has returned to his home state of Kentucky for a short visit before heading off to France for an extended stay.
His sister Linda is still sheriff and upon his arrival, he finds her office has just opened an investigation into the murder of a local mechanic.
Soon, due to actions beyond his control and with his sister sidelined due to a work-related injury, Mick’s departure plans are put on pause. He is soon made a temporary deputy to assist in the investigation of additional committed crimes, which may or may not be related to the original killing.
While Mick struggles with a desire to always keep moving forward and a quirk of being unable to stay in one place for too long, he is also burdened with the knowledge of the importance of one’s own roots and history and the hollow feelings of what it means to neglect such ties.
As Mick and others move forward on the investigations, Mick finds himself seeking information from others away from the hills of Kentucky, which includes making Faustian bargains with men as dangerous as he and ones that may come back to haunt him later.
Mick also discovers, as the title of the novel suggests, justice comes in different forms and that includes the code of the hills, which may be different than laws made by humans.
As with his other novels and writing, Offutt’s writing is so smooth, flawless, and devoid of wasteful wordiness and equal to that of so many of the exceptional Southern writers of today.
Code of the Hills is highly recommended to fans of rural/country noir, with readers being encouraged to seek out his other books. It is also suggested readers read his Mick Hardin novels in order due to each novel continuing the further development of previously introduced characters.
Code of the Hills is set for a June 2023 release. Netgalley provided an ARC upon the promise of a fair review.
This review was originally published at MysteryandSuspense.com.
Code of the Hills picks up two years after the second Mick Hardin novel, Shifty’s Boys. Mick has just retired from the US Army as a felony investigator focusing on violent crimes and as a trainer of new investigators. After his previous Rocksalt stay ended with an abrupt departure, he has returned to his home state of Kentucky for a short visit before heading off to France for an extended stay.
His sister Linda is still sheriff and upon his arrival, he finds her office has just opened an investigation into the murder of a local mechanic.
Soon, due to actions beyond his control and with his sister sidelined due to a work-related injury, Mick’s departure plans are put on pause. He is soon made a temporary deputy to assist in the investigation of additional committed crimes, which may or may not be related to the original killing.
While Mick struggles with a desire to always keep moving forward and a quirk of being unable to stay in one place for too long, he is also burdened with the knowledge of the importance of one’s own roots and history and the hollow feelings of what it means to neglect such ties.
As Mick and others move forward on the investigations, Mick finds himself seeking information from others away from the hills of Kentucky, which includes making Faustian bargains with men as dangerous as he and ones that may come back to haunt him later.
Mick also discovers, as the title of the novel suggests, justice comes in different forms and that includes the code of the hills, which may be different than laws made by humans.
As with his other novels and writing, Offutt’s writing is so smooth, flawless, and devoid of wasteful wordiness and equal to that of so many of the exceptional Southern writers of today.
Code of the Hills is highly recommended to fans of rural/country noir, with readers being encouraged to seek out his other books. It is also suggested readers read his Mick Hardin novels in order due to each novel continuing the further development of previously introduced characters.
Code of the Hills is set for a June 2023 release. Netgalley provided an ARC upon the promise of a fair review.
This review was originally published at MysteryandSuspense.com.
July 29, 2023
My favorite of the 3 Mick Hardin books. I read these books for the atmosphere and the well drawn characters. The mystery/crime part is good enough to keep me from fixating on it and distract me from the fun and enjoyable writing.
August 15, 2024
Quizá la historia no me haya gustado tanto como la de los libros anteriores, pero sí he disfrutado mucho, una vez más, de la atmósfera de la misma, de la forma de narrar tan bonita que tiene Offutt y, sobre todo, de sus personajes. Especialmente Mick Hardin, el protagonista. El crossover con uno de sus primeros libros no lo vi venir. Aunque sí lo pensé alguna vez porque ambos libros transcurren en el mismo sitio y tendría sentido, pero aun así!! Y me ha gustado mucho, sobre todo, por el cierre que le ha dado al protagonista de aquel libro.
Ya he visto que Offutt saca el cuarto libro el año que viene y ya estoy esperando rápido.
Ya he visto que Offutt saca el cuarto libro el año que viene y ya estoy esperando rápido.
January 28, 2025
I’ll grant that there’s often a difference between the law and justice, but I’m not sure how I feel about Mick making those calls on a regular basis.
Since you apparently can't add editions anymore, here's the cover of the paperback I read:
Since you apparently can't add editions anymore, here's the cover of the paperback I read:
August 1, 2024
Nueva historia de Mick Hardin, donde, además de intentar reintegrarse en la vida civil tras abandonar el ejército, debe esclarecer no solo varios asesinatos, sino quién disparó a su hermana. No os imagináis dónde le conduce al final seguir la ley de los cerros. Como las anteriores, no defrauda.
February 13, 2025
When do people stop being a victim?
A little personal responsibility.
Just a little.
People do mature, evolve even in the Kentucky backwoods. I guess not in this part of Kentucky
Good pacing with a plot that unraveled in a hmmmm no but that's ok.
It was good spending time in the hills of despair
Gelding a hog.
OUCH!
A little personal responsibility.
Just a little.
People do mature, evolve even in the Kentucky backwoods. I guess not in this part of Kentucky
Good pacing with a plot that unraveled in a hmmmm no but that's ok.
It was good spending time in the hills of despair
Gelding a hog.
OUCH!
December 28, 2023
Regular country noir quality voice but standard police procedural this time with Mick Hardin. Looking forward to more character development and layered themes.
March 15, 2023
In Code of the Hills by Chris Offutt, Offutt returns to the mountains and rural area of Rocksalt, Kentucky in the third novel featuring Mick Hardin and those in his orbit.
Code of the Hills picks up two years after the second Mick Hardin novel, Shifty’s Boys. Mick has just retired from the US Army as a felony investigator focusing on violent crimes and as a trainer of new investigators. After his previous Rocksalt stay ended with an abrupt departure, he has returned to his home state of Kentucky for a short visit before heading off to France for an extended stay.
His sister Linda is still sheriff and upon his arrival, he finds her office has just opened an investigation into the murder of a local mechanic.
Soon, due to actions beyond his control and with his sister sidelined due to a work-related injury, Mick’s departure plans are put on pause. He is soon made a temporary deputy to assist in the investigation of additional committed crimes, which may or may not be related to the original killing.
While Mick struggles with a desire to always keep moving forward and a quirk of being unable to stay in one place for too long, he is also burdened with the knowledge of the importance of one’s own roots and history and the hollow feelings of what it means to neglect such ties.
As Mick and others move forward on the investigations, Mick finds himself seeking information from others away from the hills of Kentucky, which includes making Faustian bargains with men as dangerous as he and ones that may come back to haunt him later.
Mick also discovers, as the title of the novel suggests, justice comes in different forms and that includes the code of the hills, which may be different than laws made by humans.
As with his other novels and writing, Offutt’s writing is so smooth, flawless, and devoid of wasteful wordiness and equal to that of so many of the exceptional Southern writers of today.
Code of the Hills is highly recommended to fans of rural/country noir, with readers being encouraged to seek out his other books. It is also suggested readers read his Mick Hardin novels in order due to each novel continuing the further development of previously introduced characters.
Code of the Hills is set for a June 2023 release. Netgalley provided an ARC upon the promise of a fair review.
This review was originally published at MysteryandSuspense.com.
Code of the Hills picks up two years after the second Mick Hardin novel, Shifty’s Boys. Mick has just retired from the US Army as a felony investigator focusing on violent crimes and as a trainer of new investigators. After his previous Rocksalt stay ended with an abrupt departure, he has returned to his home state of Kentucky for a short visit before heading off to France for an extended stay.
His sister Linda is still sheriff and upon his arrival, he finds her office has just opened an investigation into the murder of a local mechanic.
Soon, due to actions beyond his control and with his sister sidelined due to a work-related injury, Mick’s departure plans are put on pause. He is soon made a temporary deputy to assist in the investigation of additional committed crimes, which may or may not be related to the original killing.
While Mick struggles with a desire to always keep moving forward and a quirk of being unable to stay in one place for too long, he is also burdened with the knowledge of the importance of one’s own roots and history and the hollow feelings of what it means to neglect such ties.
As Mick and others move forward on the investigations, Mick finds himself seeking information from others away from the hills of Kentucky, which includes making Faustian bargains with men as dangerous as he and ones that may come back to haunt him later.
Mick also discovers, as the title of the novel suggests, justice comes in different forms and that includes the code of the hills, which may be different than laws made by humans.
As with his other novels and writing, Offutt’s writing is so smooth, flawless, and devoid of wasteful wordiness and equal to that of so many of the exceptional Southern writers of today.
Code of the Hills is highly recommended to fans of rural/country noir, with readers being encouraged to seek out his other books. It is also suggested readers read his Mick Hardin novels in order due to each novel continuing the further development of previously introduced characters.
Code of the Hills is set for a June 2023 release. Netgalley provided an ARC upon the promise of a fair review.
This review was originally published at MysteryandSuspense.com.
December 28, 2022
I really enjoyed Code of the Hills even though it had a more masculine slant than books I usually read. Main character Mick Hardin is ex-Army, just retired out of the military's investigative intelligence branch CID. He returns home to Eldridge County, Kentucky for a visit before planning to leave again for Corsica and the ex-pat life.
Mick is drawn into local affairs, both past and present, after his Sheriff sister is shot on the job. The story provides a colorful background portrayal of the rough and tumble life in rural Kentucky. Despite the many inter-related stories coming together throughout Mick's investigation into his sister's shooting, the story maintains a good pace. Mick's unorthodox judgement calls also give the story a realistic air that makes you believe it could be based on a true story.
I am grateful to Chris Offutt, Grove Press and NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I recommend Code of the Hills for a good read.
Mick is drawn into local affairs, both past and present, after his Sheriff sister is shot on the job. The story provides a colorful background portrayal of the rough and tumble life in rural Kentucky. Despite the many inter-related stories coming together throughout Mick's investigation into his sister's shooting, the story maintains a good pace. Mick's unorthodox judgement calls also give the story a realistic air that makes you believe it could be based on a true story.
I am grateful to Chris Offutt, Grove Press and NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I recommend Code of the Hills for a good read.
January 8, 2023
The Code of The Hills by Chris Offutt(Mick Hardin #3)- Enjoyable Country Noir, following a series. Mick Hardin has just retired from the Army, where he was an investigator. He arrives home in Kentucky "hill country", and before he can get settled, his sister, the local Sheriff, is shot, and Mick immediately goes into action. Lots of confrontations and intrigue happen in a back-woods way. Offutt gets the country part down pat. I can testify to that. Mick is sworn in as a deputy, but a lot of what he does to get results might be considered illegal. He bends the rules when he feels he needs to and that could come back on him. The pace is comfortable and relentless at the same time. I recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
January 13, 2024
I don't have great things to say about this one. Somewhere between 2-3 stars, and I'm so disappointed.
I feel like the series should end here, but I'm sure there'll be a next one.
I feel like the series should end here, but I'm sure there'll be a next one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.