“This sensational small town crime thriller is a perfect beach read.” –Best ThrillersIt’s an unseasonably hot April night in 1965. The social revolutions rocking America have mostly bypassed Burr, a tiny rural community in western Oklahoma. Like much of the state, Burr remains as it’s always been: Religious. Conservative. And 100% white. When an unknown young African-American woman is found … 100% white. When an unknown young African-American woman is found murdered on the railroad tracks outside town, most of Burr would rather look the other way. The town’s police chief, troubled local hero and ex-Marine Emmett Hardy, doesn’t have that luxury. A lover of books and jazz in the land of football and country & western, Emmett is an outsider in a place he knows like the back of his hand. In his search for the killer, he’s forced to slice through layers of hate and hypocrisy to confront the ethical rot at the town’s core, while being haunted by the vision of a life and love that might have been.
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I never write reviews on books. Sorry!
Slow paced small town from the past lawman dealing with Town leaders clogging up justice. He overcomes injustice to solve crime.
Took a little while to get in to but turned out to be a great book
Not the Oklahoma I grew up in and I don’t like how it portrays the state. Aside that it was a fairly good story that built speed as it went along. Although he used too many Oklahoma/Southern expressions he didn’t use many that I was familiar with.
I don’t care to read this author again.
So reminiscent of the bad old days. I grew up in Texas in the late 50’s and 60’s and can remember how much bigotry was still so prevalent. This story was so good and the ending was shocking as well as satisfying.
I enjoyed this book very much.
Kelsey is smart, concise, and funny, and he makes Chief Emmett Hardy a lovable character you’ll want to follow forever.
Poignant and funny, studded with characters who haunt your imagination long after you’ve read the final page.
Where the Hurt Is is a realistic historical view of the emotions of a small midwestern town. I highly recommend this.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Couldn’t put it down
Enjoyed this a great deal. I was a teenager in 1960’s Oklahoma, so it all seemed kind of familiar.
I recommend this book. It is eye opening… shows how “privilege people” seem to believe they are untouchable. It also shows that good people can become a hero and save “the world” with their love for all people.
It has been awhile since I read this book but remember I enjoyed it and the older I get the longer it takes me to read a book (sleep interferes) but I did stay awake so it must have been entertaining.
Great writing. It recalled lots of memories for me too.
Being from Oklahoma, I knew a lot of the history in the story
not what i expected at all i found the characters very sympathetic. a good mystery with tragedy at the core.
it was okay
This book is a period piece, setting in a small Oklahoma town in the early 1960’s. The author captured the time frame completely. It features a chief of police there and the interactions with various townspeople is sometimes hilarious and laugh out loud funny. It actually is NOT a humorous book at all. It ranks right up there with the Virgil Flowers series by John Sandford. It was one of the best stories I’ve read in a long time (and I read LOTS)! Looking forward to more from Chris Kelsey.
Great characters. A rentless sheriff in a racially charged small town.
Lead character is flawed but a good lawman. He has compassion and a great sense of humor. I’m ready for another book by this author.