{"product_id":"paradise-wv-9781684426713","title":"Paradise, WV","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn a poor West Virginia town decimated by the opioid epidemic, teenagers Henry and Jane have it worse than most. Their father is Hollis Lusher, a convicted serial killer known as “the Blind Spot Slasher.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite being bullied and ostracized, the siblings maintain their father’s innocence. But now, a popular true-crime podcast is coming to town, and their presence turns all eyes to the Blind Spot Slasher’s case . . . and Henry and Jane.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, an eager young officer, Lieutenant Elena Garcia, is put on the case of a missing girl. Despite warnings from her superiors, Garcia begins to dig deeper into the case and realizes there may be other mysteries buried in the flood of opioid-related crimes. With many deaths quickly labeled as overdoses, or “No Human Involved,” she fears the drug epidemic has created the perfect storm for a Blind Spot Slasher copycat to thrive. Unless that is, they never caught the real Blind Spot Slasher.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn amateur private investigator is also on the case: Henry’s new friend, Otis. A home-schooled genius with his own family issues and a suspicion their father might be innocent, Otis makes it his mission to help Henry and Jane find the real killer. As the three probe into the evidence, they discover a possible connection between the killings and a doomsday, snake-handling cult—propelling them all down the dark backroads of Appalachia to find justice for Hollis and themselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An infectious mix of thriller and social commentary... brilliant.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Unsettling and unforgettable, Paradise, WV walks a line between pulp fiction and compassionate storytelling.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eForeword Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003eParadise, WV\u003c\/i\u003e is chock-full of transient characters seeking truth and belonging amid bleak circumstances. Rufus adeptly explores the often-overlooked angles of the opioid epidemic and true crime fascination: empathy and hope. Between the eerie backroads, disturbing killings, and a snake-handling cult—I couldn’t look away! If Flannery O’Connor’s fiction and Metallica’s music had a baby, it would be this book.” \u003cb\u003e—Jennifer Moffett, author of \u003ci\u003eThose Who Prey\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003eParadise, WV\u003c\/i\u003e takes readers on a heart-pounding thrill ride that exposes the dark underbelly of humanity. In it, the opioid crisis, cults, and family dysfunction counterpoint a complex mystery about a serial killer haunting a West Virginia town and the children of a wrongfully-convicted murderer who'll do anything to prove their father's innocence. Rufus's prose is sharp and cutting; his damaged characters painfully realistic and memorable. Lovers of both the horror and mystery genres will find much to enjoy in this macabre thriller.”\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eD.K. Stone, Giller Prize nominated author of \u003ci\u003eEdge of Wild\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Dark Divide\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFall of Night\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Rufus's thriller was an atmospheric ride that started quick, had me holding on for dear life through the twists and turns, and swept me up to a stunning and surprising end. Excellent.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eCL Walters, author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Stories Stars Tell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Paradise, WV\u003c\/i\u003e strikes like a copperhead, filled with dark hilarity, crackling Appalachian gothic mystery, and buzzsaw punk rock energy. Fans of Elmore Leonard, Harry Crews, and Daniel Woodrell, take note.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eJeff Zentner, award-winning author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Serpent King\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What do you get when you have a story about friendship, family and hope intertwined with a town overridden with drug addiction, a cult and a serial killer? Rufus' seamlessly-told tale \u003ci\u003eParadise, WV\u003c\/i\u003e.  Rufus' exceptional storytelling showcases the novel's distinctive characters through their flaws, their actions and their motivations.  Always engaging and never lacking in satisfaction, \u003ci\u003eParadise, WV\u003c\/i\u003e is a literary pleasure.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eCyn Vargas, author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eOn The Way\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Rufus's multi-layered page-turner about cults, murder, and deep, dark secrets is a thrilling, creeptastic ride from the punch-you-in-the-gut beginning to an EPIC ending you won't see coming.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eCandace Ganger Powell, author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSix Goodbyes We Never Said\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Turner Publishing Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51020296520023,"sku":"9781684426713","price":11.04,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781684426713.jpg?v=1750783015","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/paradise-wv-9781684426713","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}