Redemption

Beginning somewhat unpromisingly with a big-city-cop-in-the-hostile-boondocks cliche, Hagan's (The Dewey Annals) latest eventually segues into a multigenerational murder mystery that becomes quite interesting. Chicago Lt. Casey Ballard inherits a house and land in Tennessee from a grandfather he never knew. After Ballard is forced into early retirement (for the ""vigilante'' killing of a vicious crook) he travels to Mountain County to look over his inheritance. His grandfather's ``roadhouse'' (brothel), one of the biggest in the state, is run by hugely obese Lulubelle Staley and her five violent ``boys.'' When Ballard refuses to sell the place to Lulubelle, he is pressured to do so by corrupt, sadistic Sheriff Foster. A staged ``holdup'' in which Ballard is almost killed just makes him dig in his heels and start to work on his newest ``case.'' His obstinacy angers the sheriff, the town's leading citizens, Lulubelle and Ballard's wife back in Chicago. There are more threats and several murders before Ballard works through the tangle. Although Hagan unfairly withholds some facts from readers, most will enjoy the rich plot and large cast of colorful characters. (December 10)