In Dead Man Dancing, John Galligan has once again found the perfect mix of characters, setting, story, and action to keep me absorbed from first page to last. These harder-edged Bad Axe County books show how no part of the country is safe from crime-- even rural areas with rugged and remote terrain. In this second book, readers are confronted with White Nationalists and the resulting rhetoric these people like to spout as well as the senseless hate crimes that follow them.

Dead Man Dancing isn't always an easy book to read. White Nationalists can make my blood pressure spike faster than almost anything else, but Galligan's characters and story-telling ability are so good that I had to keep reading to find out how everything would be resolved.

Now about these characters... Sheriff Heidi Kick has a new deputy from Texas who's slowly teaching her Spanish. I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in future books. On the surface, Heidi's husband, Harley, seems to be the usual spouse who hates sharing his partner with the demands of law enforcement, but readers get to see him in a different light in this book. He is not a two-dimensional man. Neither are his and Heidi's reactions to the demands of their daughter, Opie, and that's another situation I'm looking forward to seeing move along in the next book.

Even secondary characters have lives of their own in Dead Man Dancing. Some residents show us how some people can live their lives wearing blinders while others show us how-- after being kicked over and over again while they're down-- they can make one bad decision after another. The real question for these people is-- will they always make the wrong choice?

One of my favorite quotes in the book came when Heidi-- almost dead on her feet from exhaustion-- is told by her dispatcher to go home and get some rest. Heidi's response? "You know what happens if I go home? As soon as I get there, right about the time I get this uniform off, you call me." This is just one of the many reasons why I was never cut out for a life in law enforcement, and it was good to see the sheriff spell it out so bluntly and truthfully.

There are so many reasons to like this book, and one of them is how skillfully Galligan weaves area history into the narrative. This part of Wisconsin had former slaves move in, and one of them was known for building round barns. Not only was this bit of history fascinating but it added depth to both the story and one of Galligan's characters.

John Galligan's Bad Axe County mysteries may tackle uncomfortable subjects, but his story-telling abilities and the characters he populates the county with will always keep me coming back for more. I've encountered few law enforcement officers as dedicated as Heidi Kick to keeping their jurisdictions safe, and that's just the sort of character I like to read about.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley) ( )

[b:Bad Axe County|43218140|Bad Axe County|John Galligan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561293832l/43218140._SX50_.jpg|67061750] was one of the best mystery/thrillers I read last year, and this one is even better: dark, gritty, and tense. The novel reflects the hollowing-out of rural America, with the left-behind consumed by hatred, bitterness, grievances, and despair. The communities I know well, not so different from Farmstead WI, are populated by some good people, for sure, but there is a yawning darkness just under the surface, as we can see reflected in recent national politics. The white nationalism and racial animus depicted in Dead Man Dancing are very real, and very dangerous, as is the reluctance of many rural residents to recognize and confront those ugly realities. But despite the dark characters and themes, there is some brightness as well: small-town traditions, the simple joy of polka, even an unexpected and heartwarming LGBTQ subplot. This is simply a terrific book. ( )

A great sequel for what I hope will be a long-running series! Galligan skillfully provides readers with another well-paced suspense-filled story, this time tackling hot topics of racism, white supremacists, illegal fight clubs, gender identity and the always intriguing mystery of family secrets. Galligan's Bad Axe world is a gritty one. A world where some residents find it easier to not acknowledge the evil that lurks within the community. With Heidi, we get a heroine who does not turn a blind eye, does not back down and is determined to fight against insurmountable odds. Yes, she lets her heart drive her decisions to act, even if it means sometimes deciding to operate outside of her job's mandate as county sheriff. As with the first book in the series, Galligan brings us real complex characters, some facing internal struggles but each comes to the story with their own flaws, biases and problems.

This gritty, crime novel is not for the faint of heart. It is a story about a community with a heart where some disturbing, deep-seated tensions and prejudices are found simmering below the surface. I should note that there are some disturbing scenes that may trigger some readers. As the saying goes, "Forewarned is forearmed."

I received an unedited proof copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Dead Man Dancing is John Galligan's follow up to last year's intro to Bad Axe County - and Sheriff Heidi Kick. If you're a 'grit-lit' fan, you're going to enjoy this series.

The underbelly of Bad Axe County is a scary place. Kick is determined to clean up the town, but she's got her work cut out. White supremacists think the town is just ripe for their attention - as do a number of the residents. Beatings of migrant workers and the murder of a local author have Heidi working twenty four seven. And then her husband Harley goes missing...

Galligan's prose are definitely dark and gritty. The book hums with undercurrents of hate and danger that are not just an author's imaginings. Instead they are real and present day events.

Heidi doesn't hesitate to wade into the fray. I think bad a** when I think of Sheriff Kick. Her calm approach is much more effective as she tries to deal with the corruption in the department and the lack of support from the town council in addition to the crime. Now, that's not to say she's a pushover. Far from it.

Neon, a young Black man is in Bad Axe County tracing his ancestry. He is given a voice in the book as well. His timeline runs parallel to Heidi's investigation - and the listener can only hope what might happen - doesn't.

The plotting is very good. There's a lot going on and I wondered how things would tie in together by the end. The reader is privy to more information than the Sheriff and can only hope she puts the pieces together before it's too late.

Bad Axe County isn't somewhere I'd stop - to me, it says keep on driving. But.....I'll be back for the next entry in this series for sure!

I chose to listen to Dead Man Dancing. Much of that is down to the reader. Samantha Desz read the first book and this follow up. I appreciate the continuity. Desz's voice is perfect for this character. It has a nice gravelly tone, is clear and is easy to understand. Her tone completely matched the mental image I've created for Heidi. She rarely raises her voice which is right for this character. The calm way of speaking belies her determination. It's well paced, never rushed and perfectly modulated. The voices employed for other characters are really good as well, especially the 'baddies'.

Gentle listeners - this one may not be for you - there are a number of trigger situations. ( )