Dry County

A dark vision of American religion and politics, Dry County is a portrait of a man willing to do anything to hold on to his power--including murder.

Richard Weatherford is a successful small-town preacher in the Arkansas Ozarks. He's a proud husband and father of five, and has worked hard to grow his loyal flock with strong sermons and smart community outreach. But while Weatherford is a man of influence and power--including a big force in local politics--he's also a man with secrets.

In the lead up to the 2016 presidential election, Weatherford's world is threatened when he's blackmailed by a former lover. Collecting the money the blackmailer demands will be a nearly impossible feat, especially over Easter weekend, when all eyes are on him. So Weatherford will have to turn to the darkest corners of their small town in a desperate attempt to keep his world from falling apart.

Exploring a divided country and a cracked façade through the alternating perspectives of Weatherford, his wife, his lover, and other town residents, Dry County is a powerful story about how far some will go to keep hold of all they know--and all that others think them to be.


About the Author
Jake Hinkson received an MFA in Creative Writing from UNC-Wilmington. His novel Hell on Church Street was awarded the French Prix Mystère de la Critique in 2016, and No Tomorrow was awarded the Grand Prix des Littératures Policières in 2018. He now lives in Chicago, where he teaches creative writing at the Chicago Academy for the Arts.