County Line [Paperback]

Bill Cameron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2011

When the steadfast Ruby Jane Whittaker drops out of sight, dogged ex-cop Skin Kadash sets out to discover what drove the woman he loves to leave her life behind so suddenly and without explanation. The discovery of a dead man in her apartment, followed by an attack by a mysterious stalker, leads Skin first to California, then across the country on a desperate journey deep into Ruby Jane?s haunted past--and toward an explosive confrontation which will determine if either has a future.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Contemporary sharp-edged noir doesn't get much better than Cameron's mournful novel featuring ex-cop Skin Kadash." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Bill Cameron lives with his wife and a menagerie of critters in Portland, Oregon. His stories have appeared in Spinetingler, Portland Noir, and the forthcoming First Thrills. He is a member of Friends of Mystery, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Tyrus Books; 1 edition (June 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935562525
• ISBN-13: 978-1935562528
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,040,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Critically-acclaimed mystery novelist Bill Cameron is the author of the dark, gritty mysteries COUNTY LINE, DAY ONE, CHASING SMOKE and LOST DOG--featuring irascible Portland homicide cop Skin Kadash. In a starred-review of COUNTY LINE, Publishers Weekly said, "Contemporary sharp-edged noir doesn't get much better than Cameron's mournful novel featuring ex-cop Skin Kadash." And Library Journal called COUNTY LINE, "A perfect fit for Archie Mayor and William Kent Krueger fans."

New York Times Bestselling Portland author Chelsea Cain described DAY ONE as "an utterly engrossing page-turner." In the Vancouver Voice, Carolyn Schultz-Rathbun said, "The body count is positively Shakespearean, but in Cameron's vision of P-town's dark underbelly, love really is strong as death. Maybe stronger." DAY ONE was a finalist for the 2011 Spotted Owl Award for best Northwest mystery.

CHASING SMOKE received a starred review from Library Journal, and Booklist declared, "it engages the reader on an emotional as well as literary level." It was a finalist for the 2009 Spotted Owl Award. LOST DOG was nominated for the 2008 Rocky Award and was a finalist for the 2008 Spotted Owl Award. His short story, "The Princess of Felony Flats," was nominated for a 2011 CWA Short Story Dagger Award.

Cameron's short fiction has appeared in PORTLAND NOIR, SPINETINGLER MAGAZINE, the KILLER YEAR and FIRST THRILLS anthologies, as well as on Lit 103.3: Fiction for the Ears. In 2011, a pair of Skin Kadash stories appeared in the anthologies WEST COAST CRIME WAVE and DEADLY TREATS.

Bill lives with his wife and poodle in Portland, Oregon, where he also serves as staff to a charming, yet imperious cat. He is an eager traveler and avid bird-watcher, and likes to write near a window so he can meditate on whatever happens to fly by during intractable passages. He is currently at work on his next mystery.

Bill tweets at twitter.com/bcmystery. You can learn more at www.billcameronmysteries.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cameron's writing is commanding and unflinchingly authentic, June 12, 2011

By 

KD James - See all my reviews

This review is from: County Line (Hardcover)

COUNTY LINE is a masterpiece of storytelling. Some critics have described it as "crime noir" -- I'm not entirely certain what that means, but it seems to fit: the book has an undeniably dark tone and crimes are committed. It's a genre in which I'm not well read. But I know good writing when I see it, regardless of genre, and in reading this book it became patently obvious very early on that Cameron is a fiercely talented writer.

The protagonist, Skin Kadash, a homicide cop for 25 years, is now retired and living in Portland, OR. Ruby Jane, the woman he cares about -- even he seems reluctant to define her as something more serious, given that he's not quite sure his feelings are reciprocated -- has gone missing. And there's a dead guy in her bathtub. So Kadash sets out on a mission to find her. This book is about his relentless journey halfway across the country and back, and deep into Ruby Jane's painful past, to find a woman who seems determined not to let anyone discover where, or who, she really is.

Kadash is smart and also a bit of a smart-ass. He's wryly self-deprecating while at the same time projecting a tough quiet confidence in his knowledge and experience as a cop. He's not afraid of physical pain, in fact seems to expect it, but is vulnerable to emotional anguish -- his own, but especially that of others. It's a delicate balance and Cameron draws that line with finesse.

Ruby Jane is a pure mess. We see her primarily though the hellish yet oddly matter-of-fact first hand account of events from her distant past. She's a character featured in earlier books, but I haven't read those so my first impressions are not of her as a grown woman but as a teen, a girl with experiences and responsibilities beyond her years. Her story is heartbreaking without being maudlin. Her strength and resilience stand as defiant affirmation without the lecture. Again, an incredibly difficult but brilliant characterization.

In fact, the depictions of Ruby Jane's horribly dysfunctional home life and of teenage girls with their capacity for cliquish cruelty are handled so well, with such simple unflinching authenticity, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend COUNTY LINE as a YA selection.

Cameron employs a complicated and potentially disjointed method of telling this story, switching between present and past events and offering narrative from diverse alternate points of view, but he pulls it all together seamlessly. There's just enough wry humour to keep it from being too dark, just enough sensitivity to serve as a salve to the brutality, and definitely enough "what the heck is going on?" to make it gripping and unpredictable all the way to the end.

I highly recommend COUNTY LINE to anyone who loves a darkly compelling story with flawed yet fascinating characters and appreciates a writer who demonstrates a commanding facility with language. Not to mention a deft hand with a dedication.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Have To Get This Book!, June 6, 2011

By 

Crystal Posey (Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: County Line (Hardcover)

Bill Cameron is a writer who knows when to slow down, speed up, and carry you along at just the right pace that you can't help but yearn to finish his books, and County Line is no different. With an intriguing opening, killer chapter endings, no mercy for his characters, twists that will spin you like a wheel, and shocks that come like punches this is a book that delivers.

The characters are nailed to the wall. Cameron portrays, to a painfully real degree, a young girl trapped in the weaknesses and mistake of those meant to protect and love her. You will feel as though you have walked through hell holding Ruby Jane's hand. You'll want to kill for her, hold her, cheer her on and in return she will entertain and amuse you with plenty of wit. Ruby Jane is impossible not to love. The heroes of the story, Pete and Skin, make for quite the grumpy team providing great tension, awkwardness, and light laghter throughout the entire story. You will love, hate, hurt. What more can you ask for in a story?

Having read most of Bill Cameron's books, I can say that he meets all my expectation as a reader. His books have become an automatic buy for me. The icing on the cake is that with every book his edge gets just a little sharper. You will want more.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Excellent Novel by Bill Cameron, July 9, 2011

By 

B. Battles (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: County Line (Paperback)

If you are a crime fiction fan then you will love COUNTY LINE. Cameron is one of the masters of the genre as far as I'm concerned. You can't go wrong reading any of his novels, they are all extremely well written and engaging. There are no cardboard characters here. Cameron is great at creating characters that you wouldn't be surprised to find in the real world. COUNTY LINE is an example of a talented writer at the top of his game. I highly recommend this novel!