THE SUBSTANCE OF FEAR

A small-town shopkeeper is found bleeding and unconscious. A former police officer goes missing.

Francis Hood, a sheriff in Central Missouri, steps into a quagmire of small-town secrets when he begins to look into these seemingly unrelated cases. He seeks assistance from Sandra Brondel, a crime lab analyst, who suffers from a severe form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She is aided by the missing man's brother, Brian Rakestraw, who battles his own debilitating social anxiety.

As the investigation unfolds, the threesome form an unlikely alliance, confronting their individual fears while pursuing leads—sometimes together and sometimes at cross-purposes.

When Brian’s car is run off the road, and Sandra is found in possession of incriminating evidence, events take a deadly turn. Hood must separate allies from adversaries in his quest to learn the truth.

. . .

“The Substance of Fear by Richard McGonegal combines the intricate plotting of Agatha Christie with the human, small town characters from the Longmire series. A story of justice, search for truth, and redemption. As McGonegal's characters show, redemption is an ongoing process for us all.” 

~ Bradley Harper, Edgar-nominated author of A Knife in the Fog

“Sheriff Francis Hood is back, digging for the truth in this introspective tale of theft, murder, and deadly small-town secrets.” 

~ M. A. Monnin, Agatha Award-nominated author

of the Intrepid Traveler Mysteries

“A solid investigative thriller with an everyman hero every reader can relate to and cheer for Amid zigs and zags, the plot never bogs down, the investigative pace stays steady, and the writing is crisp throughout.” 

~Carmen Amato, author of the Detective Emilia Cruz Series