The Devil's Country by Harry Hunsicker

He just got off the bus because the town's name was interesting and he thought he'd snoop around for a bit and then catch one the next day.  Drinking a beer at the local bar shouldn't cause any trouble.  But it did...

Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 11th.

This is a tale of a man who had nothing to lose.  He's traveling because his whole family was murdered by dirty cops.  It was his father-in-law's fault but it was his fault, too.  He didn't intend to get involved in bad things but he didn't want to tell his father-in-law no.  Now the bad cops are dead,  the father-in-law is in jail and he's no longer a Texas Ranger.  He's still angry, though.

A woman asks for help in the parking lot.  She has two children with her.  The cowboys from the bar come out and try to take her way.  He objects and fights them both.  She and the kids disappear and he ends up in jail.  When she shows up dead and the children are missing, he gets concerned.  The cop dismisses her as a prostitute and doesn't pursue it.

Arlo isn't happy with that solution.  She was wearing simple plain clothes and was in fear of her and her children's lives.  He wants to find the children.  However, nobody in town will answer any questions or tell him anything.  When he runs across a lady journalist, she's looking for her niece.  They decide to look together.

They have a religious cult compound in town and no one is allowed to leave it.  If they try, they are disfigured and required to stay in the town.  No one sees any hope for the future.  But Arlo has already lost everything.  They can't take anymore from him and dying doesn't scare him...

This a well written book about an ugly subject.  There's plenty of action, death, and a surprising friendship built in the story.  Arlo survives to fight another war.  I wonder where the author will take him next...