Nail’s Crossing

Critics Review

• “As fine a mystery series debut as I’ve read in a long time—you’re going to want more of tribal Lighthorse Policeman Bill Maytubby and Deputy Hannah Bond.”

  Craig Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of the Longmire series

• “Kris Lackey brings to vivid life a unique and fascinating part of the country. With two appealing main characters and a sinuously intriguing plot, Nail’s Crossing marks a terrific debut.”

  Lou Berney, Edgar Award–winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone

• “Aside from being a top-notch mystery novel, Nail’s Crossing describes the region of south-central Oklahoma, including the Chickasaw Nation, as few Oklahoma-based writings have ever done. This is a novel in which the reader really feels where he or she is taken. And the whodunit part of it is exceptional as well.”

  Geary Hobson, author of Plain of Jars

• “With his thrilling, heartfelt debut, Lackey accomplishes a rare feat in contemporary crime fiction…he takes us someplace new, bringing to vivid life the dusty plains of Oklahoma and the tough folks who live there. His Maytubby and Bond are witty and well-matched— the perfect guides through the dry and dark places where Lackey’s exciting story unwinds like a rattlesnake.”

  Bill Loehfelm, author of The Devil's Muse

• “A captivating look at a little-known corner of rural Oklahoma burning up in a drought, rife with drug problems, yet peopled by tenacious, idiosyncratic characters you can’t help rooting for.”

  Kirkus Reviews

• “Nail’s Crossing is that rare hybrid of mystery novels: gritty and artful, compelling and beautifully crafted. These characters are tough, flawed, and oh-so human, and they move through a part of the world rarely seen or described in such fetching detail. Kris Lackey has landed squarely in a category all his own. I cannot wait for the next in the series.”

  Amanda Boyden, author of Babylon Rolling

• “You’ll want to make a sandwich before you start this book, but don’t wear your good shirt because while chasing down criminals, Bill Maytubby, a vegetarian, music-loving, poetry-reading, vintage truck–driving detective takes us across the arid plains of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, over into Arkansas and Texas and then down into the swamps of Cajun Louisiana, going deep into the compelling landscapes of tiny towns, and while he’s got you trying to connect the dots, Maytubby is likely to say something food-spitting funny. A visually delicious read.”

  Barb Johnson, award-winning author of More of This World or Maybe Another

• “Well written and imaginative, the novel features a pair of strong leads…and a plot that covers a lot of ground, thematically and geographically. Reader Bramhall does a fine job with the characters’ voices, distinguishing Bill and Hannah from each other by verbal mannerisms and tone of voice…His reading is steadily paced throughout, suiting this story, which builds its own suspense at a steady pace. For fans of mystery on audio, this is a nice introduction to a new writer.”

  Booklist (audio review)

• “This police procedural has much to recommend it—intriguing characters, vivid landscape descriptions, and…witty dialogue.”

  Publishers Weekly

• “An intriguing procedural with humorous characters that balance out the noir-ish plot.”

  Mystery People bookstore (a Top Debut Novel of 2017 selection)