Samantha Jayne Allen won the Tony Hillerman Prize for her debut novel, Pay Dirt Road. Hard Rain is the sequel. Allen brings back Annie McIntyre, waitress turned apprentice in her grandfather’s private detective agency. These novels, set in a small Texas town, offer little hope. They’re atmospheric stories of desperate people.
Garnett, Texas has been in a drought. When twelve inches of rain comes down in just hours, and the Geronimo River crests at a record forty feet, the county floods, leaving broken homes and dead people behind.
Bethany Richter, a minister’s wife, was caught in the flood, and only saved by a man who was swept away. She hires Annie McIntyre from McIntyre Investigations to find the man who reminded her of pictures of Jesus.
Annie’s been training to be a PI for just six months, and she’s still restless after returning to Garnett after college. Now, after the flood, Annie’s first solo assignment leaves her unsettled. While searching for the unidentified savior, she finds a body and truck submerged in the water, although the search teams had quit looking for people. Annie’s attempts to find answers only uncovers more problems in Garnett, and problems with her own family. Annie’s investigation leads her to drug dealers, problems within a local church, and threatens her life.
Honestly, I don’t mind depressing mystery stories. But, I’m not sure I’ll read the next in the series. While the atmosphere feels dusty and depressing, Annie herself is too lost for me. Maybe, she’s just too young. I think I like a little more maturity for my private detectives. I’m going to leave Garnett, Texas behind.
Samantha Jayne Allen’s website is https://www.samallenwrites.com/
Hard Rain by Samantha Jayne Allen. Minotaur Books, 2023. ISBN 9781250863812 (hardcover), 352p.
FTC Full Disclosure - I read a galley through NetGalley, with no promise of a positive review.
Maybe that’s why most PI’s are at least 30.
It could be, Glen. They’ve had some life experience.
I felt that way about the first book. I liked the atmosphere and thought she did a good job with small town Texas, but the main character acted in a too immature fashion to be a PI. Too much “college drinking and mooning over guys” and not enough detection.
You’re right, Jeff. Because I liked the atmosphere and setting, I was willing to check out the second book. That’s enough for me, though.
I wouldn’t think a tiny town in rural Texas would generate enough business to keep a private investigation agency afloat.
Probably not, Sandra. But, the first book won the Tony Hillerman Award based on the atmosphere and setting. She did an excellent job with that. I’m giving up on the PI.
I checked for the town, but nothing on the Internet, there is a Garnett’s Bluff that is near the Oklahoma/Texas border and that was the only information about it.
I agree with you, I prefer older sleuths! I have even checked Amazon for them. I can no longer relate to the young and lost ones. Not very interested young women who long for men and forget about what they are looking for. I loved Nancy Drew as a child but the mystery was her driving interest.
You’re right, Carol. It’s been a long time since I could relate to the young, lost PIs. I was a Nancy Drew fan as well. You’re right. Mystery was the thing in those books.