This was a great story. I loved Dalton’s character, his grit and determination to solve the mystery. This felt like “where the crawdads sing.” If you love great story telling and a narrative dripping with clues that keep you turning the page, you’ll love this book.

This story drew me right in. It centers on a massacre that is based on actual events but it's still fiction, of course. The whole story feels very real, though. I think Smith nails the dialogue and culture of the community she writes about and the story itself is quite the page-turner. She gives enough story but doesn't let things stand still long enough to be boring. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially the ending. Very well-done!!

This well-written murder mystery will keep you turning pages to the very end. Dalton, the main character spends a year in a poverty-ridden county in southern Ohio trying to solve the murder of eight family members. (BTW: This is based upon an actual mass killing that has yet to be solved.) Kudos to the author!

This is an excellent crime drama murder mystery. I am a huge fan of Andrea Smith’s work, she is a gifted author, I enjoy her writing style and the stories and characters she creates. This book shows another side of her creative mind and I must say she did a superb job writing a novel in this genre. It is fiction based on true events and I just love how she keeps it all real. Dalton Edwards next undercover assignment takes him to Briarton, a small town in Briar County, Ohio. It is believed that there are illegal activities going on, possible links to drug cartels. Posing as a drifter he applies for and gets a job at the East Fork Ranch. His investigation is grabbing some intel which he relays back to his handler but only a month in he stumbles on the scene of a mass murder, 8 members of the Hatfield family, one whom he worked with and befriended. When the investigation he is working on gets halted he continues to stay on with is job working with the McCoys, whom happen to be rivals of the Hatfields. He is hoping to get to the bottom of everything including the murder case. Not trusting local law enforcement he is pretty much on his own, though he does find an unexpected ally or two amongst the locals. This story is cleverly plotted and detailed, it keeps you wondering what is going on, how will Dalton get what he needs to uncover the truths of not only the murders but what they are up to on that ranch. It has been a while since I enjoyed a crime drama murder mystery and it is definitely a winner, I could see this story become a blockbuster movie, with a great leading man playing Dalton’s role. Andrea Smith, thank you for another awesome book!

I listened to the audiobook edition, Alexander Cendese is a fabulously talented narrator and voice artist. He was perfectly casted to bring these character to life, giving each their own distinct voice and personality. His portrayal of the characters is spot on, sounding just as I picture them to sound, especially Dalton, he fell into his role with natural ease. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for the awesome listen.

This book was inspired by a true crime drama from 2016. I went into this book not remembering the facts of that story so it all was new to me. It was fast paced and held my interest throughout the entire book. I couldn't stop listening and had to finish this book as quickly as I could so I could find out what happened. The story will keep you guessing through all the twists and turns. Narration was great. Alexander did a great job with the different voices and even the female voices. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it!

Andrea Smith's thriller based on a true event is one of those books where you can't blink or you miss it - and that automatically gets the highest rating from me. There are no repetitions here, nothing is drawn out. The storytelling is tight, although you need to get past the first couple of chapters in order to understand who the narrator is and who is who. But that adds to the flavour of the book: the reader is made to feel as lost in a new environment as the protagonist feels and the more the protagonist gets a grip, the more the reader does. Excellently done. Recommend.

Undercover DEA agent Dalton Edwards is utterly believable as he struggles to penetrate the underworld of rural 'Briar County'. Most of the time he doesn't know what's really going on, but slowly, too slowly, he pieces the clues together. He's scarred by the discovery of the massacre, and his relationship with his agency is brilliantly realistically portrayed. His bosses' concerns are largely political, while Dalton's focus is on justice. This is a great crime novel based on a historical case. It is relentlessly gripping, fascinating, horrifying, and chillingly realistic. The characters are great, the pace perfect, the plot sensible, plausible, and impenetrable; the tension draws tighter and tighter throughout the book, and the denouement is excellent. Unequivocal five stars from me, and highly recommended to any readers of crime fiction. Great work!

I’m a huge fan of thrillers and mystery fiction, tend to read a lot of this genre, and let me tell you they are not always the most original. Not this one! Andrea Smith takes a real-life tragedy and pulls the reader right in to the fictionalized drama surrounding it, quickly engrossing you in the characters and community of this Appalachian town. Agent Dalton is very realistic, the dialogue throughout is well-written, and the pace of the book is well judged to build tension in just the right places. I highly recommend this book to other fans of the genre!

I knew nothing about the history of the massacre in Ohio, so after reading the synopsis I was interested. It's a fictional book, but the author researched the murders well and injected that nonfictional information into the book. Personally, I think that always makes for a more engaging and interesting fictional book. Smith nicely weaves together scenes and has the ability to pen articulate and easy-to-follow sentences that both engage and paint a vivid description for the reader.

Some books don't have it - you know what I mean right? That all but intangible something that drives it past others of its kind into something truly unique ? Well this book definitely does have "it" , in excess! And I have to say it was a delight to read. Ripping a brutal string of real murder's from the historic headlines of Pike County, Ohio - and delivering a masterpiece of storytelling that is a diamond in the proverbial rough of the literary world of suspense.

Inspired by a true crime in Ohio in 2016, the same-day massacre of all the members of a family in a number of separate residences near each other, this engaging mystery hooked me from the very first sentence. Told through the eyes of wet-behind-the-ears undercover DEA agent Dalton Edwards, I found this a fast-paced, entertaining read that kept me compulsively turning the pages.

This fictional account of what led an entire family to their doom has an intriguing plot that appears to be based on solid research. It’s filled with colorful characters, and flavored with a small Midwest town ambiance that rings true.

Chilling and compelling. Recommended.

Very exciting mystery/crime novel that has you on the edge of your seat often. A sophisticated crime that has lots of twists and turns. You really are questioning who did it and I think this is a good depiction of the tragedies in southern ohio. Great novel, would recommend if you love crime.

I am a big fan of ripped from headlines type novel. Andrea Smith seriously did her homework in putting this piece of fiction together. Starting with the bureaucracy of the alphabet divisions investigating the case and their mess of red tape, the way the mystery unravels is tremendous. Kudos to this new author.

Murders on the Ridge may be based on real events but it was easy to forget that it's not all factual as you get involved in the characters and plot. The writing is excellent and you find yourself rooting for Dalton Edwards as he takes the reader with him in uncovering the truth, layer by layer. A thoroughly entertaining reading experience.

Gosh, I absolutely loved this short murder mystery, a bit of a segue from my normal romance reads. Big city guy, Dalton Edwards has fun and games with the locals in Briar County as he tries his best to uncover the goings on in this small hill billy town where everyone knows everything, but no-one says anything. 8 bodies found dead, murdered execution style, and Dalton is determined to get to the bottom of it, the question is, who to trust? The fact that the story was based on real life events in Ohio in 2016 made it even more intriguing. I listened to the audio version with Alexander Cendese, who may now be a new favourite for me. I loved his voice and his accents, add in too, his singing voice (it was only a few lines, but still). I would love more of the same from both author and narrator. A great addition to my audio library.

“Murders on the Ridge,” by Andrea Smith, caught my eye because I remember when this incident happened a few years ago in Ohio. Undercover DEA agent Dalton Edwards, the main character, is well-developed and spends nearly a year in poverty-stricken Pike County trying to solve the murders. The suspense was strong throughout the story as I felt that Edwards’ cover would be blown at any time.

In the end, you will find the method of the drug transfers quite unusual as the story unfolds. All in all, this is an outstanding mystery/thriller which is fast-paced and the development of its characters throughout will keep you turning the page. I kept waiting and waiting for the relationship between Edwards and B.C.I. undercover agent Courtney to blossom. But I’ll leave that to you to find out. Great story, excellent writing. I read it two in long sessions. It was that good. I highly recommend “Murders on the Ridge.”