THE NIGHT OF THE DANCE Some folks think the big-bellied sheriff of Brenham, Texas, isn't smart enough to get reelected. But he's savvy enough to ask retired Texas Ranger Jeremiah Spur for help when Sissy Fletcher is dug up in a pasture outside of town. The hell-raising daughter of a popular preacher, Sissy disappeared ten years ago after a rodeo dance. Everybody thought she ran off with a cowboy. Everybody was dead wrong, and now the Houston TV stations are spotlighting the case. Joining up with deputy Clyde Thomas, a black cop with an attitude problem and the best investigative skills south of Dallas, ex-Ranger Spur figures unearthing Sissy will open a whole can of worms-since some fine upstanding citizen is probably a killer. He just doesn't know how deep secrets are buried in Brenham or how deadly, like prodding a rattler with a short stick, poking into the past will be... (Book 1 in the Jeremiah Spur series) * Nominated for the MWA's Edgar Award for Best First Mystery * * Nominated for the Macavity Award * Rights Information Publisher: St. Martin's, Mass market paperback (August 26, 2004) St. Martin's Minotaur, Hardcover (May 21, 2003) Territory: North American Rights Available: Translation; Film/TV Reviews: "Hime's remarkable debut is a disturbing and richly textured tale of a young woman's murder that takes 10 years to unearth (literally). An incorruptible Texas Ranger teams with a local big-bellied sheriff and a prickly black deputy from the city in a crusade against evil in a dusty small town; the author, however, reworks such staples from central casting in surprising and thoroughly satisfying ways. He cuts between the viewpoints of these and other characters like a master film editor. Each cut ratchets up the suspense. Each character shows distinctive diction, foibles and personal morality (or lack thereof). Each viewpoint offers a different lens on the novel's complex, rapidly unfolding events. No less assured is Hime's use of the present tense, which grips the reader throughout with you-are-there immediacy. Hime stokes the embers of Lone Star crime to white hot intensity, while ladling the grill with his distinctive home-brewed dressing. He's a first novelist to bet the ranch on." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Rangy, shrewd, and heartfelt: an oversized debut" - Kirkus "A choice first crime novel, then, full of plot complexities, local color, political subterfuge, and compelling detail." - Library Journal "Colorfully written and marked by a compassionate knowledge of small towns operate, Mr. Hime's debut novel is enjoyable and exciting, filled with Texas lore and obvious affection for the state." - Dallas Morning News "The first novel by Hime is surprisingly polished; it reads like the work of a seasoned, capable pro. The primary characters are carefully drawn, without gimmicks, and each is driven by unique, realistic motives. Top it off with a conclusion that is unexpected but so damn right, and you have one of the most impressive mystery debuts in years." - Booklist (starred review) Blurbs: "There's a new sheriff in town when it comes to Texas crime writing, and his name is James Hime. The Night of the Dance is a fine debut and destined to be both a mystery lover and Lone Star favorite." - Harlan Coben Purchase at Amazon.com

THE NIGHT OF THE DANCE

Some folks think the big-bellied sheriff of Brenham, Texas, isn't smart enough to get reelected. But he's savvy enough to ask retired Texas Ranger Jeremiah Spur for help when Sissy Fletcher is dug up in a pasture outside of town. The hell-raising daughter of a popular preacher, Sissy disappeared ten years ago after a rodeo dance. Everybody thought she ran off with a cowboy. Everybody was dead wrong, and now the Houston TV stations are spotlighting the case. Joining up with deputy Clyde Thomas, a black cop with an attitude problem and the best investigative skills south of Dallas, ex-Ranger Spur figures unearthing Sissy will open a whole can of worms-since some fine upstanding citizen is probably a killer. He just doesn't know how deep secrets are buried in Brenham or how deadly, like prodding a rattler with a short stick, poking into the past will be...

(Book 1 in the Jeremiah Spur series)

* Nominated for the MWA's Edgar Award for Best First Mystery *
* Nominated for the Macavity Award *

Rights Information

Publisher: St. Martin's, Mass market paperback (August 26, 2004)
St. Martin's Minotaur, Hardcover (May 21, 2003)

Territory: North American

Rights Available: Translation; Film/TV

Reviews:
"Hime's remarkable debut is a disturbing and richly textured tale of a young woman's murder that takes 10 years to unearth (literally). An incorruptible Texas Ranger teams with a local big-bellied sheriff and a prickly black deputy from the city in a crusade against evil in a dusty small town; the author, however, reworks such staples from central casting in surprising and thoroughly satisfying ways. He cuts between the viewpoints of these and other characters like a master film editor. Each cut ratchets up the suspense. Each character shows distinctive diction, foibles and personal morality (or lack thereof). Each viewpoint offers a different lens on the novel's complex, rapidly unfolding events. No less assured is Hime's use of the present tense, which grips the reader throughout with you-are-there immediacy. Hime stokes the embers of Lone Star crime to white hot intensity, while ladling the grill with his distinctive home-brewed dressing. He's a first novelist to bet the ranch on." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Rangy, shrewd, and heartfelt: an oversized debut" - Kirkus

"A choice first crime novel, then, full of plot complexities, local color, political subterfuge, and compelling detail." - Library Journal

"Colorfully written and marked by a compassionate knowledge of small towns operate, Mr. Hime's debut novel is enjoyable and exciting, filled with Texas lore and obvious affection for the state." - Dallas Morning News

"The first novel by Hime is surprisingly polished; it reads like the work of a seasoned, capable pro. The primary characters are carefully drawn, without gimmicks, and each is driven by unique, realistic motives. Top it off with a conclusion that is unexpected but so damn right, and you have one of the most impressive mystery debuts in years." - Booklist (starred review)

Blurbs:
"There's a new sheriff in town when it comes to Texas crime writing, and his name is James Hime. The Night of the Dance is a fine debut and destined to be both a mystery lover and Lone Star favorite." - Harlan Coben

Purchase at Amazon.com