Dry County

“Dry County packs a wallop in the inaugural chapter and doesn’t pull punches throughout. The story is relatable, compelling, and possesses an emotional intensity that will resonate with the reader well after the words have been consumed.”

“Dry County will hopefully earn Jake Hinkson the fanbase he deserves. He’s subtle in his preciseness, revealing an evil that doesn’t seem so threatening at first glance. By the time we’ve reached that last line, we’ve stared straight in the eye, and maybe chuckled.”

“Set against the backdrop of the 2016 election, Hinkson’s darkly satirical take on power and hypocrisy closes with a shocking but fitting twist.”

“Set in rural Arkansas, this unapologetically bleak noir explores the effects of existential and spiritual despair in an economically depressed town where the influence of religious fundamentalism is stifling. Powered by raw emotional intensity and a disturbingly realistic portrayal of small-town America, this story is unforgettable.”

“As the principals take turns plotting their next moves, things predictably spiral out of control with all the horrifyingly matter-of-fact force of Scott Smith’s parable A Simple Plan as Hinkson leads his all-too-human hero step by step into a monstrous pool of corruption. The whole sad carnival comes crashing to an unforgettable halt.” 

“Dry County is a hillbilly noir jewel. Jake Hinkson reveals the underbelly of small town life in this gritty thriller as he depicts the fall of a Southern preacher. An absorbing tale.”

“Jake Hinkson’s Dry County breathlessly propels readers through the noir landscape of small-town Arkansas, laying bare its hypocrisies and baser impulses. Imagine Breaking Bad’s Walter White as the pastor of a Baptist Church; Hinkson’s Brother Weatherford’s fall is as far, as dark, and as deep.”

“From its gripping first pages, the reader knows he or she is in the hands of an expert storyteller. Dry County is a dark, noir-ish tale that weaves religion, politics, family betrayals, and violence, all centered around the forgotten small towns of rural Arkansas.   Jake Hinkson spins a story that just holds onto you and doesn’t let go. Highly recommended.”

“A day in a small town with big secrets is the setting for this perfect storm of a book. Jake Hinkson takes the reader on a white-knuckle ride in a world where good people have done bad things. I couldn’t put it down.”

“Desire, desperation, and despair collide in Jake Hinkson's bleakly imagined and perfectly rendered vision of small-town Arkansas. Religion, respectability, hope for the future—virtue is the flip side of vice and Hinkson drives that truth sharply home. ”