Throwing Shadows

Among other things, a good fiction book makes me feel something and takes me on a journey of discovery. Claire Booth does both in Throwing Shadows, the seventh book in the Sheriff Hank Worth series.

When a man stumbles from the woods hysterical and talking about a dead man, Hank launches a search near the infamous landmark of Murder Rocks. This is the site of an 1860’s hideout for ambushers who robbed and killed passing travelers. What the search reveals is more than one dead body.

A local legend says there’s caches of gold, silver, and other valuables buried in the area. When a podcaster reveals this, the Ozark backwoods near Forsyth, Missouri are swarming with treasure hunters who don’t care about a murder investigation or private property. Can Hank find the killer? Is there really treasure to be found?

As if this isn’t enough, secrets in Hank’s personal life are taking a toll on him, his wife Dr. Maggie McCleary, and their marriage. Can he resolve this and solve the case without everything falling to pieces?

Hank, Maggie, and Hank’s chief deputy Sheila Turley are well-developed characters. Hank is especially dynamic and grows as the story unfolds. He may be directionally challenged, but he’s also a great investigator. I especially liked that he praises and builds up his employees in private and in front of others. Maggie is an emergency room doctor and is only biased towards an accurate diagnosis. She puts patients first and can come home after a fourteen-hour shift and still have energy for their two children. However, a school supply trip of a few hours with two children can wipe her out after just a few hours. Sheila was injured in a previous book in the series and is still recovering, but she pushes herself hard to do her job. There are a lot of other characters, but they’re introduced gradually and I didn’t have any trouble distinguishing between them.

A fascinating story and good character development drew me into the book and kept my attention. The world-building is excellent as much of the activity takes place with fall rain and mud and in the woods. The interpersonal dynamics of the characters is excellent and the author is effective in showing readers how each character connect to the story and the others. Information about the legend is included throughout the novel. The story gradually builds momentum with twists and turns and a surprising conclusion. My biggest quibble is that the ending didn’t quite conclude one aspect of the personal dilemma faced by Hank and Maggie. Hopefully, this will be resolved in the next book. Themes include greed, pride, murder, relationships, and much more.

Overall, this is a solid police procedural with excellent world-building and compelling characters. The author does a great job of interspersing events in the character’s personal lives as they work to solve the case, bringing them together effortlessly. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Severn House and Claire Booth provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 05, 2025.