Chip Ballard of Zolfo Springs, Florida in Peace River, a murder mystery, delves into a fictional rural Florida county which’s conservative’s culture is undermined by a black rain of drugs, sex and depravity.

When the body of Sandy Carlton, the popular senior class president, is found with a bullet wound in the back of her head on the riverbank of the Peace River, the ensuing investigation by Pinewood County Sheriff Charlie Morris uncovers that Flowing Wells, his small, rural Central Florida town, and county have lost its innocence.

Morris’ methodical detective work, assisted by Tom Wilson, his deputy, leads him for clues to Sandy’s best friends, Diana Matthews, who loved only her father more than Sandy, and Kara Mendel, who is mentally ill and frequently off her meds, but a “fly on the wall” and a keen observer.

Suspects and diverse characters are presented including Jim Pratt, the too handsome teacher; Leon Walker, the principal at the high school; John Matthews, the banker with wide-ranging interests; Gilbert Vancini, a college student, whose folks owned Vancini Pepper Plant, the largest employer in Flowing Wells; Ed Pace, Sandy’s former boyfriend; Roy Jenkins, known as Elvis for his resemblance to the King as a young man; Carlo Scarlett, a Los Angeles gangster, whose soldiers visit; and the Zebra, a Tampa hit-man, whose services are on call.

Ballard skillfully draws out the suspense with twists and turns and a few red herrings. Well crafted, it will keep the reader intrigued, and is a page turner that you will want to finish in one read. But I suggest that you resist the temptation and savor it in several readings.

Peace River contains profanity, sexual scenes, and graphic descriptions of illicit drug use. It has 223 pages and is available from Amazon.com or for an autographed copy, e-mail Chip at chipballard@gmail.com for instructions as how to order directly from him.

August 4, 6, 2009