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  • Buried in the Backwater

  • A Sheriff Elven Hallie Mystery, Book 1
  • By: Drew Strickland
  • Narrated by: Madison Niederhauser
  • Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (105 ratings)

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Buried in the Backwater  By  cover art

Buried in the Backwater

By: Drew Strickland
Narrated by: Madison Niederhauser
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Publisher's summary

A lifeless girl slips into the river, cold and crumpled.

Her body washes away with the rain. Her killer remains a mystery.

Sheriff Elven Hallie has been longing for a new case that would add some excitement to his small-town life.

But a dead girl wasn’t what he expected.

On the last murder case he worked, he was just a deputy with an experienced Sheriff to guide him and they were looking for an outsider.

This time, he’s in charge, and the killer is part of their community.

Short-staffed, and newly elected, Elven has an entire West Virginia county to police. With the help of his new deputy, Maddison Cook, Elven must navigate between Dupray’s rich and poor.

It’s an uphill battle the entire way.

With pressures mounting from the townspeople, county officials, and his own sense of duty, will he be able to catch the killer? Or will another body surface, pulling Elven in over his head?

If you’re a fan of C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett, Craig Johnson’s Longmire, and Jeff Carson’s David Wolf, then you will be sucked into this thrilling mystery with an ending that you’ll never see coming!

©2021 Drew Strickland (P)2023 Drew Strickland

What listeners say about Buried in the Backwater

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story

Can’t wait to read the second book hope it is as good. Very interesting ending and surprising

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Predictable for the most part

Not as deep a story line as I would have liked. The characters were interesting and the story unfolded well. Nice twist at the end which makes me want to know what happens next . . .

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Storyline

Some narration lame and incorrect but twist draws you to book 2! Guess that’s what I’ll do next. Characters basic but sort of interesting not deep. Easy to follow and pick up where you left off

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, but…

Loved the story! Suspense and true mystery! However, the narrator’s heavily nasal voice nearly made me quit the book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great way to start the series

This is book one in a series and I cannot wait to dive into the next book. The performance was amazing!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Juvenile..

If you're out of 8th grade, I don't recommend this book. Story could have been decent but the writing is juvenile.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Gripping page turner is misleading. Errors throughout with predictable plot and characters.

Story had potential but defeated by events, era and area errors, stereotype evil with weak/insufficient character build and predictable plot.
WV moonshiners? mid 30’s secretive & chauvinist, Sheriff Elvin, if served in Vietnam, investigating elementary grade child’s murder with smart phone selfies and social media?
Convenient new deputy placed in investigation.
Tried to like it but Not good Audible value for bus station paperback quality.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story!

Particularly loved the ending! Can’t wait for the next one! Looking forward to more from Elven and Maddie!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great book

it's a book that keeps you guessing all the way to the end a very good book

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting

The reader’s voice was annoying when he said…he said..she said. Just dropped and there were too many.. really no necessary.

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