Paradise, WV - by Rob Rufus (Paperback)

About the Book

In a poor West Virginia town decimated by the opioid epidemic, teenagers Henry and Jane have it worse than most. Their father is Hollis Lusher, a convicted serial killer known as "the Blind Spot Slasher." The siblings maintain their father's innocence, but now a popular true-crime podcast is coming to town, and their presence turns all eyes to the Blind Spot Slasher's case... and Henry and Jane. Meanwhile Lieutenant Elena Garcia is put on the case of a missing girl, and realizes there may be other mysteries buried in the flood of opioid-related crimes. Henry's new friend, Otis, makes it his mission to help Henry and Jane find the real killer. -- adapted from jacket

Book Synopsis

The teenage children of a convicted serial killer try to prove his innocence when a true-crime podcast reinvigorates interest in the case. Their fate intersects with cults, killers, cops, and convicts on the backroads of West Virginia in one brutal, unforgettable crash.

Review Quotes

"An infectious mix of thriller and social commentary... brilliant." -Publishers Weekly

"Unsettling and unforgettable, Paradise, WV walks a line between pulp fiction and compassionate storytelling." --Foreword Reviews

"Paradise, WV is chock-full of transient characters seeking truth and belonging amid bleak circumstances. Rufus adeptly explores the often-overlooked angles of the opioid epidemic and true crime fascination: empathy and hope. Between the eerie backroads, disturbing killings, and a snake-handling cult--I couldn't look away! If Flannery O'Connor's fiction and Metallica's music had a baby, it would be this book." --Jennifer Moffett, author of Those Who Prey

"Paradise, WV takes readers on a heart-pounding thrill ride that exposes the dark underbelly of humanity. In it, the opioid crisis, cults, and family dysfunction counterpoint a complex mystery about a serial killer haunting a West Virginia town and the children of a wrongfully-convicted murderer who'll do anything to prove their father's innocence. Rufus's prose is sharp and cutting; his damaged characters painfully realistic and memorable. Lovers of both the horror and mystery genres will find much to enjoy in this macabre thriller." --D.K. Stone, Giller Prize nominated author of Edge of Wild, The Dark Divide, and Fall of Night

"Rufus's thriller was an atmospheric ride that started quick, had me holding on for dear life through the twists and turns, and swept me up to a stunning and surprising end. Excellent." --CL Walters, author of The Stories Stars Tell

"Paradise, WV strikes like a copperhead, filled with dark hilarity, crackling Appalachian gothic mystery, and buzzsaw punk rock energy. Fans of Elmore Leonard, Harry Crews, and Daniel Woodrell, take note." --Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of The Serpent King

"What do you get when you have a story about friendship, family and hope intertwined with a town overridden with drug addiction, a cult and a serial killer? Rufus' seamlessly-told tale Paradise, WV. Rufus' exceptional storytelling showcases the novel's distinctive characters through their flaws, their actions and their motivations. Always engaging and never lacking in satisfaction, Paradise, WV is a literary pleasure." --Cyn Vargas, author of On The Way

"Rufus's multi-layered page-turner about cults, murder, and deep, dark secrets is a thrilling, creeptastic ride from the punch-you-in-the-gut beginning to an EPIC ending you won't see coming." --Candace Ganger Powell, author of Six Goodbyes We Never Said

"Paradise, WV is perfect for YA mystery and thriller fans. ... With themes of opioid addiction and bullying mixed with the threat of a serial killer still on the loose this book packs a punch and makes it hard to put down until you know the truth." --YA Books Central