Hazard

When a block of coal the size of a stove shoots out of the wall, miner Amos Blevins barely has time to react before the entire area is flooded with water. He frantically tries to rescue his crewmates, but in an underground space that is pitch black and too cramped to even stand up, he can barely crawl to safety himself. Inspector Will Murphy is sent to investigate, ordered by his superiors to clear things up quickly so the mine can reopen. After all, if the mine closes, then miners lose their jobs, and so do mine inspectors. It seems to be a straight forward accident, but Will senses something suspicious about this case or maybe he's just lashing out at his older brother, who has usurped his place as heir to the largest mining company in Eastern Kentucky and owner of the flooded mine but Will has decided he won't let this one go, whatever it might cost him. Before he can get far, Will's witnesses start turning up dead. And Amos, who refuses to follow his boss's orders to lie to Will about conditions in the mine, finds the little he has threatened. Together, these two men will learn that in the mines, life, family, money, and power all come from one thing coal. Drawing on his four years of reporting on the coal mines of Kentucky, Harris has painted a vivid portrait of rural Appalachia, beautifully capturing the place and culture of the mining community while weaving a complex and taut story of murder and corruption. "

About the Author :
Gardiner Harris is the public health reporter for The New York Times. Before working at the Times, he worked at The Wall Street Journal and lived for four years in Hazard, Kentucky, as the Eastern Kentucky bureau chief for The Louisville, Kentucky Courier-Journal. His reporting in Kentucky led to broad changes in laws governing coal-mine safety and black-lung compensation, and it earned him national journalism awards, including a George Polk Award and the Worth Bingham Prize for investigative journalism. As a child, he and his brothers spent summers cutting and hanging tobacco on his family's farm in Todd County, Kentucky. Hazard is his first novel.

Review :
A truly unique thriller, HAZARD unfolds like cave itself: it's a dark, fascinating journey full of twists and turns--leaving you breathlessly unaware that the bottom might drop out from under you at any moment.--Jason Pinter, Bestselling author of THE FURY Gardiner Harris, an expert on Kentucky coal mines, does a masterful job digging for the truth in the darkest most dangerous place imaginable -- one family's labyrinth of secrets.--Chris Grabenstein, Anthony-Award Winning author of Mind Scrambler The quiet authority of Harris' prose and his singular knowledge of an esoteric subject make this a suspenseful and informative debut. Kirkus Reviews A truly unique thriller, HAZARD unfolds like cave itself: it's a dark, fascinating journey full of twists and turns--leaving you breathlessly unaware that the bottom might drop out from under you at any moment. Jason Pinter, Bestselling author of THE FURY Gardiner Harris, an expert on Kentucky coal mines, does a masterful job digging for the truth in the darkest most dangerous place imaginable -- one family s labyrinth of secrets. Chris Grabenstein, Anthony-Award Winning author of Mind Scrambler Gardiner Harris writes with smarts, authenticity and muscle making HAZARD a thinking mans mystery both twisty and relevant. Gregg Olsen, New York Times Bestselling Author Gardiner Harris piles intrigue upon intrigue in this fascinating novel about corruption and redemption in the mining communities of Eastern Kentucky. The writer captures the character of the dual protagonists and their world in pitch perfect language and dialogue, impressively realizing an expansive plot that satisfies on visceral and intellectual levels alike. Equal parts taut thriller, family drama, and an examination of the political and corporate exploitation that pits brother against brother and corrodes the deep bonds of the people who give their lives to the mines, HAZARD is a revealing and lyrical journey into the complex heart of America's all-too-often abstracted energy dependence, and the human toll it exacts. Bill Floyd, author of THE KILLER'S WIFE " The quiet authority of Harris' prose and his singular knowledge of an esoteric subject make this a suspenseful and informative debut. "Kirkus Reviews" A truly unique thriller, HAZARD unfolds like cave itself: it's a dark, fascinating journey full of twists and turns--leaving you breathlessly unaware that the bottom might drop out from under you at any moment. Jason Pinter, Bestselling author of THE FURY Gardiner Harris, an expert on Kentucky coal mines, does a masterful job digging for the truth in the darkest most dangerous place imaginable -- one family s labyrinth of secrets. Chris Grabenstein, Anthony-Award Winning author of Mind Scrambler Gardiner Harris writes with smarts, authenticity and muscle making HAZARD a thinking mans mystery both twisty "and" relevant. "Gregg Olsen, New York Times Bestselling Author" Gardiner Harris piles intrigue upon intrigue in this fascinating novel about corruption and redemption in the mining communities of Eastern Kentucky. The writer captures the character of the dual protagonists and their world in pitch perfect language and dialogue, impressively realizing an expansive plot that satisfies on visceral and intellectual levels alike. Equal parts taut thriller, family drama, and an examination of the political and corporate exploitation that pits brother against brother and corrodes the deep bonds of the people who give their lives to the mines, HAZARD is a revealing and lyrical journey into the complex heart of America's all-too-often abstracted energy dependence, and the human toll it exacts. "Bill Floyd, author of THE KILLER'S WIFE"" "The quiet authority of Harris' prose and his singular knowledge of an esoteric subject make this a suspenseful and informative debut." - Kirkus Reviews "A truly unique thriller, HAZARD unfolds like cave itself: it's a dark, fascinating journey full of twists and turns--leaving you breathlessly unaware that the bottom might drop out from under you at any moment."- Jason Pinter, Bestselling author of THE FURY "Gardiner Harris, an expert on Kentucky coal mines, does a masterful job digging for the truth in the darkest most dangerous place imaginable -- one family's labyrinth of secrets." - Chris Grabenstein, Anthony-Award Winning author of Mind Scrambler "Gardiner Harris writes with smarts, authenticity and muscle making HAZARD a thinking mans mystery both twisty "and" relevant." - Gregg Olsen, New York Times Bestselling Author "Gardiner Harris piles intrigue upon intrigue in this fascinating novel about corruption and redemption in the mining communities of Eastern Kentucky. The writer captures the character of the dual protagonists and their world in pitch perfect language and dialogue, impressively realizing an expansive plot that satisfies on visceral and intellectual levels alike. Equal parts taut thriller, family drama, and an examination of the political and corporate exploitation that pits brother against brother and corrodes the deep bonds of the people who give their lives to the mines, HAZARD is a revealing and lyrical journey into the complex heart of America's all-too-often abstracted energy dependence, and the human toll it exacts." -Bill Floyd, author of THE KILLER'S WIFE