The Prairie Chicken Kill

In the fourth installment of the series, private investigator Truman Smith is drawn into an unusual case involving the shooting of a prairie chicken on his wealthy high school classmate Lance Garrison's protected land in Picketville, Texas. Initially reluctant, Smith agrees to take the job partly for the monetary reward and partly to reconnect with his high school sweetheart, Anne Lindeman, who now lives nearby. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes intertwined with local tensions, including threats from an antigovernment talk-radio host and a shocking murder that complicates matters further. Author Bill Crider masterfully blends humor and mystery, featuring Smith's methodical approach against a backdrop of quirky East Texas characters.