James Lee Burke Texas Sheriff Hackberry Holland is a former ACLU attorney and Korean War prisoner and the cousin of none other than beloved Burke character Billy Bob Holland. Running from a traumatic and chequered past to become sheriff of a dried-out, broken-down border town in south Texas, Hackberry soon finds himself dealing with more than just his own demons after nine dead prostitutes are dug up in the desert. The page-turner that ensues, told with characteristic Burkian panache, pits Hack against hired guns, unscrupulous skin bar owners, drug dealers who operate on both sides of the border and more. Burke deftly combines intricate, engaging plotlines and original, compelling characters with his uniquely graceful prose.