Contrary, West Virginia, a sleepy town with failing coal mines, has an urgent need for revenue. A federal grant for a non-existent bus system meets that need, until a government auditor consumes too much white lightning and dies under mysterious circumstances. When the Department of Transportation sends Owen Allison to sort things out, Owen decides to let the phony bus subsidy continue until another body surfaces and Owen fears that he may be the next to die.

This Mystery Company edition restores to print the first novel in the Owen Allison series.

Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-932325-39-3 | 2014

“Billheimer’s first novel is a well-written, tough-to-solve mystery. This impressive debut bodes well for a strong series.” – Booklist

“Funny, irreverent, written with an ear well-tuned to authentic West Virginia dialogue and an eye for small, accumulating scenes.” – The Boston Globe