pamela haley

When Damares Mutch thought about it, Shakespeare was right, “Hell is empty, and all the devils are here”—right in her community.

Welcome to Shambles County, a place where the people would rather eat the arse end of a skunk than change. Librarian Damares Mutch has learned this all too well. Hired to modernise the county library, she is faced daily with a libellous press, hostile county council, and underhanded tactics by the vengeful Friends of the Library. Her mantra, “Don’t let the bastards grind you down”, bags of potato chips (lots of bags of potato chips), and her large black German shepherd, Goudron, keep her going--just. When Harold Lambert her chief adversary is murdered, things really go off the rails.  She decides she’s outta here when a job opportunity opens up. Her plans hit the skids when she is kidnapped by a serial killer who has another exit strategy in mind.  Damares always knew this job would kill her.