A Lonesome Place for Murder: An Ethan Brand Mystery

by Nolan Chase

Overview

In this dark mystery, perfect for fans of C. J. Box, one wrong step leads Ethan Brand to the most dangerous case of his career...and the most personal.

Hoping to surprise his sons, Ethan Brand, the chief of police of a small town in northern Washington state, is contemplating buying a horse. But when the horse literally stumbles upon an abandoned smuggling tunnel, Ethan and his lead investigator Brenda Lee Page discover a dead body connected to a decade-old mystery.

Ten years ago, Tyler Rash, a troubled friend of Ethan’s, vanished without a trace. The body in the tunnel has Tyler’s ID and personal effects.

As Ethan and Brenda Lee investigate Tyler’s disappearance, they follow a trail that leads them to a cross-border smuggling operation connected to the town’s notorious family of smugglers. And when a bomb is sent to Ethan’s own house, the case takes a deadly and personal turn. A killer is stalking Ethan Brand–a killer he’ll have to face if he wants to see his family again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798892423021
Publisher:	CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date:	08/26/2025
Series:	An Ethan Brand Mystery , #2
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.74(w) x 8.56(h) x 0.96(d)

About the Author

Nolan Chase lives and works in the Pacific Northwest. A Lonesome Place for Murder is his second book featuring Ethan Brand.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for A Lonesome Place for Murder:
“Engrossing . . . Chase makes Ethan’s inner conflict deeply relatable, and peppers the investigation with a handful of welcome surprises. This series continues to impress.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Subtly builds to an explosive climax . . . A masterfully muted crime yarn with a compelling protagonist.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“The characters are well-written, and the story is engaging.”
—Red Carpet Crash

Praise for A Lonesome Place for Dying:
“[A] standout procedural . . . Chase throws a lot of balls in the air, and he juggles them like a seasoned pro, managing to carve out a distinctly memorable protagonist in the process.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Chase debuts his lonesome, reflective lawman with this well-written, complex case. Fans of Craig Johnson’s Longmire will enjoy.”
—Library Journal, starred review

“Fans of Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher will find much to like.”
—Booklist

“A Lonesome Place for Dying showcases author Nolan Chase's impressive and narrative driven storytelling style and master of the suspense thriller genre.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Chase gives the reader a cleverly-plotted murder mystery/police procedural with twists and surprises, a dramatic climax and a satisfactory resolution.”
—Deadly Pleasures

“Outstanding . . . A thoughtful, action-packed police procedural.”
—Shelf Awareness

“A perfect example of Pacific Northwest (PNW) noir. The writing is tight, lean, and concise.”
—Gumshoe Review

“Nolan Chase (the pen name for acclaimed author Sam Wiebe) does a masterful job of introducing readers to Ethan Brand . . . A Lonesome Place for Dying captures the imagination right from the start with a complex tale that will only leave readers wanting more.”
—Mystery Scene Magazine

“An intriguing police procedural that pulls readers into the action in Blaine, Oregon.”
—Fresh Fiction

“Fans of Craig Johnson and CJ Box will enjoy Nolan Chase’s debut novel. A Lonesome Place for Dying is a slow burn mystery that builds to an explosive finish.”
—Melinda Leigh, #1 WSJ bestselling author

“A cat-and-mouse game . . . Exciting and realistically drawn.”
—Steve Aberle, Great Mysteries and Thrillers

“A Lonesome Place for Dying is a stunning first novel introducing a new, badass, hunk of a hero in Ethan Brand, the PNW heartthrob you didn’t know you needed. This book is chock full of deadly characters, salt-water-soaked secrets, and... a twist that made me gasp out loud.”
—Meredith Hambrock, author of Other People’s Secrets

From the Publisher

2025-07-04
The discovery of an unidentified corpse leads to a complex investigation and a slew of painful memories for a solitary lawman.

In the little border town of Blaine, Washington, police Chief Ethan Brand and his most senior officer, Brenda Lee Page, are out looking for a missing chestnut horse when they come upon a body in a tunnel. An old photo found in the victim’s pocket features Tyler Rash and Ethan’s disreputable father, Jack. Many people jump to the conclusion that the victim is Rash, but Ethan’s not so sure. In balanced prose as straightforward as its protagonist, Ethan’s second case unfolds as a detailed police procedural with a large cast of supporting characters, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police and state border patrol agents as well as Ethan’s own small team of officers. The investigation proceeds step by measured step as Ethan and Brenda Lee question many in Rash’s orbit, putting together a picture of a troubled past. If he’s not the dead man, it’s very possible that he’s the killer. An interview with Rash’s mother, Emily Heller, who bitterly blames Jack Brand for most of her son’s troubles, complicates the case further. Flashbacks paint an increasingly vivid picture of Ethan’s scarring past with Jack. The investigation answers baffling questions about both Rash and Jack as it subtly builds to an explosive climax. Chase’s nuanced portrait of a small, intricately interwoven community draws the reader into both the lives of its inhabitants and the solution to the puzzle.

A masterfully muted crime yarn with a compelling protagonist.

Kirkus Reviews