A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery: Book 7
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
When a hiker stumbles from the woods raving about a dead man, Sheriff Hank Worth launches a search. Near the infamous landmark of Murder Rocks – a Civil War era hideout for ambushers who robbed and killed passing travelers – they unearth two bodies and a skeleton.
Local legend says there’s caches of stolen gold buried in the area. And – thanks to some recent nationwide publicity – the Ozark backwoods are now swarming with out-of-town treasure hunters, who have little concern for Hank’s murder investigation. With the clock ticking, Hank must identify the victims . . . and the killer. But could the new pursuit of long-lost plunder really have led to multiple deaths?
Sheriff Hank Worth faces dead bodies in the Ozarks on top of his already busy caseload.
Throwing Shadows is the latest installment in the mystery series by Claire Booth. Easily read as a standalone, the story offers plenty of details for readers who enjoy slipping into investigative mode.
At the center of the story are two dead bodies and a skeleton discovered in the woods. The author adds a nice bit of foreshadowing, so we have some clues. Adding in a buried treasure component offers an intriguing aspect, mainly when it is sparked by a podcast series highlighting hidden Civil War gold.
From a character standpoint, Worth comes across as dedicated although his personal life could use some work. Thanks to the author’s effective character development, we see how problems in his marriage serve as a distraction. Sheila’s legal case offers all sorts of juicy angles while Sam gains needed experience. I can see why readers would want to read the stories in sequence for a better perspective of the backstories.
The historical research is solid, with the author making some minor modifications. On a side note, I did a little cheer when I reached Chapter 23 and noticed the mention of Rolla, Missouri, which is my city.
Throwing Shadows offers an action-packed mystery that feeds off the frenzy of hidden treasure.
Claire Booth is a former newspaper reporter whose writing career has taken her from Missouri to Washington, D.C., South Florida, the Seattle area, and the Bay Area. She’s reported on many high-profile cases, including the Laci Peterson murder and the San Francisco dog mauling case. The case of a deadly cult leader became the subject of her nonfiction book, The False Prophet: Conspiracy, Extortion and Murder in the Name of God. After spending so much time covering crimes so strange and convoluted they seemed more like fiction than reality, she had enough of the real world and decided to write novels instead. Her acclaimed Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series takes place in Branson, Missouri, where the small-town Ozarks meet big-city country music tourism.
Nice review, thanks! This sounds like a great read!
Thanks, Amy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!