Because the Night

Backed with campaign funds from the owner of the local strip club, ex-state trooper and recovering alcoholic Henry Malone’s running for sheriff. But because he can’t say no to a bad idea, he also agrees to look for a pregnant woman’s missing ex-con boyfriend. With his well-armed AA sponsor Woody in tow, Henry’s search for the boyfriend soon connects with a homicide investigation run by Lt. Jackie Hall—probably the last cop in West Virginia who still likes Henry.

A violent confrontation leaves Jackie near-death and Henry determined to find justice. Except vengeance isn’t simple for Henry, especially when an old enemy appears out of nowhere, more bodies stack up, and a series of betrayals and double crosses climax with a morning assault on a farm house that pits Henry and Woody against a deadly band of criminals with nothing to lose.

Critical Acclaim for Because the Night:

“Henry Malone deserves to be up there with Matt Scudder and Harry Hole among our best, funniest, toughest detectives, and James D. F. Hannah is among our best chroniclers of America’s sketchy underside.” —Nick Kolakowski, author of Love & Bullets and Boise Longpig Hunting Club

“James D.F. Hannah delivers another dose of heart, humor, and haymakers to the Henry Malone series with Because the Night, leaving us clawing at the pages, and proving why he’s one of the best writers working today.” —Eryk Pruitt, author of Something Bad Wrong

“Private eye Henry Malone is a worthy descendant of both Robert B. Parker’s Spenser and Elmore Leonard’s Raylan Givens, and he carries on the family tradition in style in Because the Night. James D.F. Hannah delivers a backwoods barroom brawl of a novel that will leave you bloodied and ready for more.” —Scott Von Doviak, author of Lowdown Road and Charlesgate Confidential

“James D.F. Hannah solidified himself among the greats of mystery fiction long ago. With Because the Night he sets himself apart. It’s a well written page turner reminiscent of Dave Robicheaux but has a smart-assery that will keep you laughing.” —Mark Westmoreland, author of A Violent Gospel and A Mourning Song

“Quick-witted and light on its feet. If Ace Atkins and Chris Offutt had a child it would be James D.F. Hannah.” —Colin Campbell, acclaimed author of the Jim Grant thrillers

“Hannah is the redneck Raymond Chandler. He needs to clear room on the shelf where he keeps his Shamus awards if this is the level he intends to maintain.” —Dana King, two time Shamus Award nominee for his Nick Forte Novels, and author of the Penns River series

“Brilliantly violent, some of that violence internal, the story blasts its way to a climax that destroys multiple lives, one riveting page after another.” —Rob Pierce, author of Snake Slayer and The Uncle Dust Trilogy

“Henry Malone’s beat is the dark country roads, literally and metaphorically, of rural West Virginia. Hannah’s plot is gripping and fast paced. His prose evokes Chandler and Parker. He honors the private eye genre by expanding its frontier and creating an unforgettable detective you will want to follow down the darkest of country roads.” —Mark Troy, author of Splintered Loyalty, an Ava Rome mystery

“In Because the Night, James Hannah has brewed the perfect pot of West Virginia action, humor, sarcasm, lust, violence, and rat-a-tat dialogue. His colorful characters pop off the page, so thank goodness Henry Malone is back, because someone’s gotta protect and suffer for the sins of the rest of us.” —Charles Salzberg, multiple Shamus Award-nominated author