Shooting Crows At Dawn
About this eBook
Jubal Dark has been the Sheriff of Francine County, Texas for twenty years, but Dark's enemy, Texas Ranger Buck Nevins, has convinced a Houston homicide detective to run against him. Dark's failure to solve a two-year-old rape and murder, coupled with his approaching sixtieth birthday, have led many voters to decide that Jubal should be replaced.
Four years earlier Dark had captured the wanted killer, Carl Alvin Spence, and shown him up for the back-stabbing coward he was. Spence vowed revenge. Now, two weeks before the election, Spence and two other murders have escaped from prison and are heading across Texas running for the Mexican border. On their way through Francine County they make an unsuccessful attack on the Sheriff and then brutally kill a local family and flee in their stolen car.
Holly Sharps, one of Buck Nevins' crime scene techs, shows up at the horrific murder scene but Buck tells her to go back to the office and file papers, make coffee, and pick up his dry cleaning on her way home. Holly quits and begs Sheriff Dark to let her join him in the hunt for the three escaped killers. Initially, Jubal says "no" even though he needs all the help he can get. With these fugitives on the loose, Dark no longer has any time or energy to worry about losing the election, which is now only days away. Looking down at the bodies of his murdered friends, Dark resolves to trade his star, and even his life, if that's what it will take to bring these killers to Texas Justice.
About the author
David Grace has written seventeen novels, almost entirely in the area of crime fiction.
Some of his favorite crime novels are The Concrete Kiss, Death Never Sleeps, Death Never Lies, Shooting Crows At Dawn, Doll's Eyes, Easy Target, True Faith and Stolen Angel.
Most of his books fall into the broad categories of police procedurals, detective stories, serial-killer novels, and suspense thrillers. Most of his novels are based on a strong emotional foundation, fleeing killers, disappeared children, courageous heroes and vicious criminals.
Shelf Unbound named Death Never Lies as the best independently published novel of 2014
The Concrete Kiss earned a Kirkus Reviews "Critic's Pick":
"Set in the modern day, this straightforward, fast-paced detective novel cages a truly twisted villain."
"The reader is thrust into a page-turning, clever narrative that continually morphs from police procedural, thriller, courtroom drama, and gritty evaluation of a serial rapist and killer."
"...the relentless pace allows for little introspection."
"Grace relishes the accurate and disturbing details, providing top-quality entertainment...."
"...a relentless story."
"Well-written, engaging and sure to keep you up."
--- Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews said this about Shooting Crows At Dawn:
"Revenge and justice burn across Texas in this gripping, grisly shootout."
David Grace's crime short stories have been published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and he shares the story credit on The Outer Limits episode, Joy Ride, starring Cliff Robertson.
David Grace has also written one fantasy novel, The Accidental Magician, originally published by Pocket Books as Fane.
