★★★½
Genre: mystery
Subject: Federal subsidies, fraud, extortion
Setting: Contrary , West Virginia
Main Characters: Owen Allison, Mary Beth Hobbs, Stony Hobbs, Stuart Hobbs, Purvis Jenkins, Dwight Armitage
Series: yes, #1
Dates Read: June 4 - June 17
Number of pages: 278
Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: no , Public Library
Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Geography Class
Okay, it's filled with stereotypes - hillbillies, moonshine, less than smart individuals, revenue runners, etc. but it was still fun!
Contrary, West Virginia has been receiving a federal grant for 4 years for buses to run in their town, but this year when the DOT sends an auditor he ends up dead. Well, the audit has to be finished so DOT sends another - Owen Allison - to Contrary to finish up and he ends up un the middle of a can of worms that nearly gets him killed too.
The problem is just a "small clerical error" on the request changing 2 buses to 20 buses and the DOT didn't notice so they been sending $500,000 a year. Well, the town of Contrary didn't want to live up to its name so they kept the extra funds and used them for other things. Trouble comes when a "disabled" veteran wants a bus ride to his "job" of guarding the local still.
Well, you can see how this is filled with the stereotypes but they are woven in so humorously, you just keep going with a smile on your face.
An absolutely entertaining read - and perfect for my West Virginia state visit!
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