Some feuds hide darker secrets

In Chattanooga's oldest families, blood runs thicker than water - and darker than anyone suspected.

When Elizabeth Rawlings is murdered moments before revealing a controversial development project, private investigator Harry Starke and his partner Kate Gazzara are drawn into a web of generational deceit. The investigation leads them from a poisoning at an exclusive country club to a devastating 1947 mill fire, uncovering evidence of wartime Nazi collaboration, international smuggling, and a criminal empire hidden behind one of the South's most famous family feuds.

As Harry and Kate dig deeper, they discover the rivalry between the Rawlings and Mason dynasties isn't what it seems. Beneath the surface of polite society lies a sinister truth.

Both families have worked together for three generations, using their feud to mask a joint criminal enterprise.

With a rising body count and evidence going up in flames across Chattanooga, Harry and Kate race to protect elderly witnesses while dodging professional killers. The investigation leads them through the historic streets buried beneath the city, to sunken riverboats holding decades-old secrets, and finally to a confrontation with young family members desperate to preserve their criminal inheritance.

From the historic heights of Cameron Hill to the shadowy banks of the Tennessee River, "Blood in the Valley" weaves together murder mystery, historical thriller, and family drama into a dark story of Southern power and generational sin.

Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, Greg Iles, James Lee Burke, and John Hart, this gripping thriller explores how history shapes the present, and how some secrets refuse to stay buried.