BEULAH FARM MURDERS (JACK GRACE MYSTERY)

A U.S. Army vet looks into a string of suspicious deaths surrounding a South Dakota ranch in O’Gannon’s thriller.

Former Army Ranger Jack Grace, who suffers from PTSD, has been wandering the U.S. Hungry and broke, he stops at Beulah Farm, a ranch just outside Beulah, South Dakota, and stumbles upon a severely injured man apparently crushed by a loader. This accident proves fatal, and local cops mark Jack as a suspect. Much more accommodating is Sister Collette, an elder at Beulah Farm who invites Jack to stay with the brethren, a religious group living there. As it turns out, Beulah Farm has seen multiple deaths in the last few years. The town sheriff asks Jack to investigate these deaths in exchange for not arresting him on outstanding warrants. Fatal accidents continue, but a possible killer isn’t Beulah Farm’s only threat. Since it’s worth considerably more than its run-down appearance suggests, some people will do anything to get their hands on it. This series opener features a sympathetic, believably flawed lead. He endures thugs who bully him when seeing physical signs of his PTSD, for example, but Jack also contemplates skimming some of that Beulah Farm wealth for himself. O’Gannon writes concise, suspenseful scenes, especially once unexplained mishaps start occurring while Jack is at the ranch. A subsequent legal battle, however, sidelines the murder mystery, at least temporarily. But as this entails a betrayal or two, the story retains a sense of unease. Many characters are striking, from sneaky and unsavory types to other veterans, some of whom also have PTSD.

An absorbing mystery with a layered, seriesworthy hero.