Murder at the Courthouse by A. H. Gabhart, a Mysterious Review.

Review: Michael Keane is the deputy sheriff of Hidden Springs, Kentucky. He had been a police officer in Columbus for a few years but was really never happy there. He wanted to return to his small home town, where he felt he could be more effective as an officer of the law. Plus it ought to be a lot less stressful than being a cop in a big city. Not too much crime solving needs to be done in Hidden Springs because not too much ever happens, but if it did he would be there to handle it. But then one morning a man's body is found propped up against one of the pillars of the county courthouse, in Murder at the Courthouse, the first mystery in this series by A. H. Gabhart.

The man had been shot from behind. When word spread that a dead body had been found in the center of town, people ran from all around to see who it was. Except no one could identify him. He was a stranger. No wallet, no cell phone, no other obvious means of identification. Still, it isn't long before he is identified, someone who simply traveled through town on his commute to work elsewhere. But why would someone want to kill him? And why display the body so prominently? Sheriff Keane begins to look to the past for clues and what he finds takes him completely by surprise.

This first in series mystery boasts a terrific cast of characters. In addition to the well-drawn and engaging Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane there is his Aunt Liddy, who knows that God will take care of him no matter what he does; Lester, a police officer who runs errands wearing a gun though he never puts bullets in it and serves as a school crossing guard to keep the town's children safe; a loud-mouthed mayor, Keane's cranky boss, and an ever so popular gossipy lady. The murder mystery storyline is an enjoyable one, made better as the language is clean and there is no overt violence depicted on the page. Definitely recommended.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Murder at the Courthouse.

Acknowledgment: Revell provided a copy of Murder at the Courthouse for this review.

Murder Comes by Mail
Revell (Trade Paperback), May 2016
ISBN-13: 9780800727055; ISBN-10: 0800727053

Murder at the Courthouse

A Hidden Springs Mystery by A. H. Gabhart