The Devil's Country

Arlo Baines, Book 1

By: Harry Hunsicker

Narrated by: Eric G. Dove

Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Former Texas Ranger Arlo Baines didn't come to the tiny West Texas town of Piedra Springs to cause trouble. After his wife and children were murdered, Arlo just wants to be left alone. Moving from place to place seems to be the only thing that eases the pain of his family's violent end.

But a chance encounter outside a bar forces him to rescue a terrified woman and her children from mysterious attackers. When the woman turns up murdered the next day - her children missing - Arlo becomes the primary suspect in exactly the same type of crime he is trying desperately to forget.

Haunted by the fate of his family, and with the police questioning the existence of the dead woman's children, Arlo decides it's his duty to find them. The question is, just how deep will he have to sink into the dusty secrets of Piedra Springs to save them and clear his name?

©2017 Harry Hunsicker (P)2016 Brilliance Audio

Jack Reacher in Texas.

Basic theme borrowed from Lee Child but still a good listen. I recommend it. Enjoy.

interesting enough to keep me listening

the part of the story has been told in other books and movies with this one adding a more sordid twist. it took awhile for me to get into it because the protagonist did some stupid things that one would suppose a Texas Ranger would not do. for instance not immediately making a connection to the woman's clothing and some sort of religious connection. also when the other Texas Ranger made an insult referring to his grandchildren, I found it hard to believe that he wouldn't have retorted that he wasn't going to have any considering his have been killed

Start of the Arlo Baines series?

Arlo Baines is an ex-Texas Ranger whose wife and two young children were murdered 9 years ago in Dallas. The murderers, crooked Dallas cops, are dead by his own hand and his father-in-law, a banker whose illegal activities resulted in the deaths of his daughter and grandchildren, is serving a life sentence in prison. Arlo has for 9 years thumbed and ridden buses around Texas. He finds himself in the small west Texas town of Piedra Springs when he meets a woman and her two children who are attempting to escape a religious cult which has branches throughout the US but is headquartered outside Piedra Springs. That night the woman is murdered and her children disappear. Arlo then runs into a female NY Times reporter whose sister and niece are trapped in the cult.

Along the way Arlo and the reporter find that the religion is a front for the cults huge illegal money making operations.

Arlo Baines is a very empathetic and likable protagonist! I hope this is the start of a series. Eric G Dove narrates beautifully.

Thanks to Audible listener Shelley whose review led me to this novel and this author.

Old story, new twist.

Same story again, with a new twist and different place. Good read and can't put it down until the end.

Great thriller

A twist around every corner that kept you waiting more. It was easy to lose track of time.

A new hitchhiking Knight in Blue Jeans...

I have just fallen for a new author! I have never read anything by Harry Hunsicker before but decided to give this one a try and I am so glad I did...
This book is very Reacher-ish in that the protagonist, Arlo Baines is a former Texas ranger turned traveler. Going from one town to the next, spending up to three days and then moving on. He gets around by either hitching rides or taking a bus, only wanting to keep on the move, read books and forget about a heinous act that took his wife and children. He's also a "knight" righting wrongs perpetrated on the weaker by those with power.
In this book he arrives in a new town and is approached shortly after by a woman dressed in a prairie dress begging for help to escape. She says the people chasing her will kill her and her children. Because of a fight with two men coming to retrieve her and a storm he looses track of her and the next day she is found murdered and her two children are missing. The rest of the book deals with Arlo looking for the children and trying to find out why this woman was killed.
Eric G. Dove does an excellent job narrating. He is perfect for this book.
Very HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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Thank You.

Great Story, better ending!

Enjoyed listening to this book on my 8 hour drive. Kept me interested and engaged, had to slow down so I could finish it before I got to my destination.