Official Review: South of good by Randall Reneau

[Jorge Leon Salazar]

This novel by award-winning author Randall Reneau presents an appealing plot in which an experienced sheriff pursues a major drug trafficker. It seems that the plot development is enthralling and unpredictable and includes twists and an unexpected ending. Sounds intriguing.

[NetMassimo]

A crime thriller in which Hardin Steel changes his life, or at least he thinks he's doing that after he switches from working for the DEA to being a small-town sheriff. Of course, things go sideways starting an action-packed story. Thank you for your great review!

[tarafarah7]

Today's BOTD is an action-packed, suspenseful thriller full of twists-and-turns that'll keep you guessing throughout! Readers of the genre love the well-developed characters and unpredictable storyline. I definitely want to give this one a try! Thank you so much!

[Isaac Ozo-okafor]

It's quite a delight to encounter and well-written book, and at the same time, you want to hang around to find out what the outcome of the story is.

[Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis]

Your review was very entertaining. The book has piqued my interest as I live in Cameron County, Texas and reading about the places where I live is fun. It sounds like this book needs another round of editing and it will be fine.

[Marcela Gurrola]

South of good offers an entertaining story with an actual plot, the smuggling of drugs trough the south border. The tale is full of details, about the food, that it feels like a gangster’s tale, now narcos, through the eyes of a tourist.
Smuggling, now of drugs, has been always present in every existing border in the world and its roots go deep in the culture and economy of each place. Same happens with crime organization, at the end, there´s no good or bad guys, just a business, a good one, ant the players are up to keep it going no matter the price.

[williams Emerald]

The depth of character development in “South of Good” is remarkable. Hardin Steel’s crazy schemes and unpredictable plans create a rollercoaster of emotions, making this novel a thrilling read from start to finish.

[Julius Peters]

I appreciate your honest critique about the initial pacing and how your enjoyment grew as the plot thickened. It’s reassuring to know that despite a slow beginning, the book manages to enthrall readers with its unpredictable narrative and complex characters.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

"South of Good" by Randall Reneau is a gripping crime novel with unpredictable twists and turns. Sheriff Hardin Steel's wild schemes and the constant suspense make it a must-read for fans of crime thrillers. Congratulations on being BOTD!

[T V Dharani]

Great review! I am a huge fan of the CMTS genre. This one sounds like just the book I need. I love the unpredictability of my books. Some of my favorite authors write books where you cannot do anything until the end but read in awe.

[Rupali Mishra]

Congrats on BOTD! Readers are given a thorough understanding of both the protagonists and adversaries thanks to Reneau's skillful weaving together of first- and third-person perspectives, which gives the narrative a distinctive depth. This strategy heightens the mystery and tension.

[Magdalyne chebet]

Randall Reneau's "South of Good" is a gripping crime novel about Sheriff Hardin Steel's unpredictable fight against a drug lord near the Mexico-Texas border. The story starts slow but becomes increasingly engaging, with twists that keep you guessing until the end. The mix of first and third-person perspectives adds depth. This sounds like a thrilling read! Thanks for the review!

[Hamsapriya Krishnamurthy]

Awesome review which makes anyone to be interested to read the book. Being a fan of CTMS genre, I loved the storyline and is definitely in my to-do list for reading. While sampling, I did chuckle at how Steel's nickname is Stainless. Lol!

[Chi Chiu Michael Mak]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "South of good" by Randall Reneau.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Randall Reneau has written something unlike I have ever read in his most recent crime novel South of Good. Reneau is no stranger to well-written books. Some of his pieces have turned into award-winning novels. South of Good is a contender to be another award winner.

Hardin Steel, also known as "Stainless" by old friends, is the Sheriff of Cameron County, located near the Mexico - Texas border. Sheriff Steel is no stranger to drug busts, but things quickly head south when his buddy Wes bites off more than he can chew. Against their better judgment, they find themselves pursuing a major drug lord. From that point on the reader is always left guessing whether a scheme is going to work out, who is on what side, and whether Wes and Stainless are ever going to be free from worry.

My opinion of this book was all over the place as I read. In the beginning it seemed a bit slow and boring. As the plot thickened, I became more intrigued, but still wasn't impressed. About halfway through I can say I was honestly enjoying the book. By the end I was hooked! As a fan of CMTS novels, I like to predict where things are going to go. Reneau constantly changes the game, so the reader has no idea how things are going to turn out. Hardin is one crazy Sheriff with crazy schemes to try to get out of trouble. The reader never knows if plans are going to work in his favor or not. The ending is completely unpredictable!

Reneau uses a mixture of first and third person writing. He offers insight to what is going on with other characters "behind the scenes" as the bad guys and the good guys are plotting against each other.

I would suggest some reformatting of paragraph spacing. Sometimes larger spaces indicate the passage of time. Other times large spaces indicate a change of setting or character. Sometimes they mean nothing significant at all. I would also suggest justifying paragraphs so things fit better on the pages.

I noted two major typographical errors while reading when an incorrect word was used (things -> think, head -> heard). Aside from those, I didn't notice any errors as I read. I would expect this high level of precision from an award-winning author.

Overall, South of Good by Randall Reneau has earned 4 out of 4 stars for the amazing plot twists and exceptional writing. This book will definitely keep you on your toes!

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South of good
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Like rachel_jacks's review? Post a comment saying so!

From the review, it looks like South of Good has an unpredictable plotline. That got me hooked. Even thought I just finished reading a crime story, I am interested in reading more about Stainless and Wes's tales, as well as what will happen to them in the end. Congratulations on winning the Book of the Day award!

[Annabell Samuel]

Everything is nice and dandy for a sheriff until they become the target of a drug cartel. Well, in this case, I think the drug cartel is the target of Sheriff Steel. This promises to be action-packed.