A Rude Reception
Retirement never looked so dangerous.
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When an ex-Houston homicide detective takes over as police chief in small-town Texas, he discovers some dreams are better left alone. Winner of three major literary awards including the International Impact Book Award for Crime Fiction.
About the Book
John Garrison should have known that retirement dreams rarely go as planned. Fresh from his career as a Houston homicide detective, he takes the job as police chief in sleepy Bison, Texas, hoping for quieter waters. But the Permian Basin has other plans.
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When Bison's first murder in two decades rocks the small town, Garrison finds himself neck-deep in a sophisticated conspiracy where oil money, land fraud, and murder intersect. As if unraveling this web wasn't enough, he's got a hostile council member watching his every move and a dangerous showdown with his secretary's abusive ex-husband threatening to explode.
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So much for small-town policing. Drawing from his big-city detective skills, Garrison must navigate these treacherous waters to protect his new community and prove he's still got what it takes to deliver justice—retirement be damned.
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From multiple award-winning author, John Layne comes a gripping new series that will captivate fans of Craig Johnson's Longmire novels. Winner of the Firebird Book Award for Mystery and dual International Impact Book Awards for Crime Fiction and Mystery Thriller, A Rude Reception introduces a fresh voice in crime fiction, where small towns harbor big secrets and Texas justice wears a distinctive badge.
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Awards
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Firebird Book Awards Winner Mystery​
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International Impact Book Awards Winner Crime-Fiction and Mystery Thriller
Reviews & Praise
READERS' FAVORITE
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A Rude Reception by John Layne was compelling, and I was hooked from the beginning until the end. The story was jam-packed with action, and the suspense kept me in my seat. The narrative moved along at a great pace and never had a dull moment. The plot twists and turns had me guessing until the very end. The writing style gave life to the small town and its residents, making it easy to become a part of it. The characters were original and fit well into the small town. John faced opposition as an outsider who was appointed chief instead of a familiar face in this small town, but he was not intimidated and stood his ground. The story is well-written and has all the elements of a page-turner.
READERS' FAVORITE
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The author masterfully weaves together the elements of mystery, suspense, and crime drama around Garrison, matching the mood of each setting to the emotional tone with some fantastic atmospheric descriptions. Each chapter left me eagerly anticipating the next, reminding me that, indeed, a man can dream, but reality often has other plans. Overall, I’d certainly recommend A Rude Reception by John Layne to fans of intelligently penned crime dramas everywhere.
READERS' FAVORITE
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The first book in the John Garrison Mysteries, A Rude Reception kept me turning pages and wanting to know more. John Layne takes his time to introduce us to the main characters in this story and set the stage for the rest of the narrative. Although the reader is introduced to the crime in the first chapter itself, the crime is reported only later. Each of the characters, from the resilient John Garrison to the determined Travis Cooper, are portrayed with authenticity, many of them having distinctive qualities and roles that add depth to the unfolding story. Layne added enough elements of suspense and mystery to keep me interested and eager to solve the case along with the Bison PD. I look forward to diving into more of the John Garrison Mysteries.