A Season to Kill

Sheriff Holbrook of Macon, Pennsylvania has died suddenly and the town is distraught and wary that Deputy Chris DeAngelo can fill the enormous shoes Sheriff Holbrook has left behind. The rookie sheriff has been known to drink too much in public and discovers nearly the entire town, including the mayor, believes he is ill-equipped to handle his new position. Unprepared or not, Chris is about to be tested on his ability as sheriff.

Days after Sheriff Holbrook’s funeral, simpleton Louella frantically rushes into Chris’ office claiming her boyfriend, Roger Sharpe—rumored drug dealer, has gone missing. On top of Roger’s disappearance, Chris believes the police department may have been misappropriating funds, but he’s skeptical to believe that the respectable Sheriff Holbrook would be capable of embezzling. But, Jake Ranser, local newspaper reporter, piques Chris’ interest with a theory called, “The Curse of December”, that for the past eleven years each December a person goes missing, never to be seen or heard from again.

Throughout the investigation, Chris continues to have a nagging feeling that there’s a larger picture and something is terribly wrong in the town of Macon, but his friends the “Deerbusters” (Phil, Michael, and Cindy) as they’ve termed themselves, ease his anxieties of “The Curse of December” and sum up Jake Ranser as a nosy, pot-stirring reporter looking for a good story.

The prologue of Michael Mucci’s debut novel, A Season to Kill, immediately sets the tone for the entirety of the book, with a hunt ensuing in the woods, although the prey and hunter are both human. The story of an underdog was an overall easy read with well-developed characters and storyline. In this page-turning thriller, Michael Mucci will gratifyingly delight your senses, make you question conspiracy or coincidence, and intrigue your curiosity, while whetting the appetite for a chilling well told narrative. A Season to Kill left the reader championing the new sheriff in town.