Julia Keller has written six novels that take place in the fictional town of Ackers Gap, West Virginia. This small town made its money in the past from a coal mining operation, which has closed and with it the good paying jobs. Drugs are rampant and this book showcases a twenty-four hour period where sheriff deputies, EMTs and the prosecuting attorneys office try to stop the deaths from heroin which has been tainted with a deadly tranquilizer.
The first death takes place in a small bathroom in a gas station convenience store and after that it is a struggle to keep up with the overdoses.
While the deputies are busy tracking the dealer, Bell Elkins and her staff at the prosecuting attorney's office spend their time comforting the grieving relatives and tracking down a missing child. Each chapter tells the story from the viewpoint of someone involved, the missing child's mother, Jake the deputy, Bell and her assistant Rhonda and others. They all have evolving discussions and feelings about rescuing those who over dose repeatedly with nary a thank you for saving their lives.
As the clock ticks and the count rises, so does the sense of urgency. This drug must be stopped before there are more overdoses and deaths. It ends with a deadly cliff hanger so hopefully there will be another book soon. This book is based on an incident in Huntington, West Virginia where Julia Keller was born. She is a Pulitzer Prize winner for writing feature articles for the Chicago Tribune. To get the full story of Bell Elkins and Ackers Gap, you should start with the first book "A Killing in the Hills".
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