Review: The Code Of The Hills – Nancy Allen

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To uncover the truth, she'll have to break the code of the hills In the Missouri Ozarks, some things aren't talked about even abuse. But prosecutor Elsie Arnold is determined to change that.When she is assigned to prosecute a high-profile incest case in which a father is accused of abusing his three young daughters, Elsie is ready to become the Ozarks' avenging angel.But as Elsie sinks her teeth into the case, everything begins to turn sour. The star witness goes missing; the girls refuse to talk about their father, who terrorizes the courtroom from the moment he enters; and Elsie begins to suspect that their tough-as-nails mother has ulterior motives. To make matters worse, Elsie receives gruesome threats from local extremists, warning her to mind her own business.While Elsie swears not to let a sex offender walk, she realizes the odds and maybe the town are against her, and her life begins to crumble. But amidst all of the conflict, the safety of three young girls hangs in the balance ...A powerful debut, with the haunting atmosphere of Winter's Bone and the page-turning suspense of Alafair Burke's thrillers."

Missouri Ozarks’ prosecutor Elsie Arnold has been assigned a high-profile case that involves incest. A father is accused of molesting his three daughters. The problem though, is that the girls refuse to talk about it. From the onset, Elsie realizes that the girls’ father is going to pose as a threat to everyone in the courtroom. His presence alone is enough to scare them all.

Although the odds seemed to be stacked against Elsie, she refuses to back down, even with threats to leave this case alone. The fact that everyone seems against her continuing to prosecute this case, Elsie knows that in order for these girls to be safe, she has to push for justice.

The Code of The Hills: An Ozarks Mystery by Nancy Allen has everything one would like in a great mystery/thriller. The main character Elsie, was very outspoken, which made for a realistic read. Ms. Allen does a great job in detailing Elsie’s lawyer persona, who was tough as nails than her more quiet, shy and meek side when she was not in the courtroom. I loved how the surroundings were described and the way it all played into the roles of each character and their behaviors throughout the story. Elsie’s character gave a voice to those who had no voice and really made a difference in the lives of those she set out to help. This was all-in-all a very intriguing novel full of tension and heartache. This is a must read.

Reviewed by: Billie Jo

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