
A Killing in the Hills
A Novel (Bell Elkins, Book 1)
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $25.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Shannon McManus
-
By:
-
Julia Keller
About this listen
What’s happening in Acker’s Gap, West Virginia? Three elderly men are gunned down over their coffee at a local diner, and seemingly half the town is there to witness the act. Still, it happened so fast, and no one seems to have gotten a good look at the shooter. Was it random? Was it connected to the spate of drug violence plaguing poor areas of the country just like Acker’s Gap? Or were Dean Streeter, Shorty McClurg, and Lee Rader targeted somehow?
One of the witnesses to the brutal incident was Carla Elkins, teenaged daughter of Bell Elkins, the prosecuting attorney for Raythune County, West Virginia. Carla was shocked and horrified by what she saw, but after a few days, she begins to recover enough to believe that she might be uniquely placed to help her mother do her job. After all, what better way to repair their fragile, damaged relationship? But could Carla also end up doing more harm than good - in fact, putting her own life in danger?
In this powerful, intricate debut from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Julia Keller, a mother and a daughter try to do right by a town and each other before it’s too late.
©2012 Julia Keller (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Sorority Murder
- A Novel
- By: Allison Brennan
- Narrated by: Amy McFadden
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lucas Vega is obsessed with the death of Candace Swain, who left a sorority party one night and never came back. Her body was found after two weeks, but the case has grown cold. Three years later while interning at the medical examiner's, Lucas discovers new information, but the police are not interested.
-
-
The tone…I almost quit
- By Jess M on 10-04-22
By: Allison Brennan
-
No Darker Place
- A Thriller (Shades of Death, Book 1)
- By: Debra Webb
- Narrated by: Shannon McManus
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective Bobbie Gentry has one objective: to stop the serial killer who robbed her of her husband, her child, and her life. Nick Shade understands Bobbie's pain - and her desire for vengeance. He's on a mission of his own, and the murderer known as the Storyteller is next on his list. Nick knows that the best way to find his target is to stick close to Bobbie. But as she becomes more and more reckless in her attempts to lure the Storyteller out of hiding, he has to make a choice.
-
-
Gratuitous torture of women & children
- By tuckershops on 08-10-21
By: Debra Webb
-
Happiness Falls (Good Morning America Book Club)
- A Novel
- By: Angie Kim
- Narrated by: Shannon Tyo, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Thomas Pruyn, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical twenty-year-old daughter, has an explanation for everything—which is why she isn’t initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene don’t return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia’s brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tight-knit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak.
-
-
A mixed review, but recommend
- By Andrea B. on 09-07-23
By: Angie Kim
-
The Murphy Shepherd Starter Set: Books 1-2
- The Water Keeper and The Letter Keeper
- By: Charles Martin
- Narrated by: Jonathan K. Riggs
- Length: 21 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Now packaged together in an exclusive audio bundle, discover the first two books in the riveting Murphy Shepherd series from New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin. Combining the heart-wrenching emotion of Nicholas Sparks with the edge-of-your-seat tension of John Grisham, The Water Keeper and The Letter Keeper explore the true power of sacrificial love to heal all wounds.
-
-
A great series by Charles Martin
- By Ronda on 04-14-25
By: Charles Martin
-
Before She Was Found
- By: Heather Gudenkauf
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 12-year-old Cora Landry and her friends Violet and Jordyn, it was supposed to be an ordinary sleepover - movies and Ouija and talking about boys. But when they decide to sneak out to go to the abandoned rail yard on the outskirts of town, little do they know that their innocent games will have dangerous consequences. Later that night, Cora Landry is discovered on the tracks, bloody and clinging to life, her friends nowhere to be found. Soon, their small rural town is thrust into a maelstrom. Who would want to hurt a young girl like Cora - and why?
-
-
Bad Bad Ending
- By Sue on 05-12-19
-
The Downstairs Girl
- By: Stacey Lee
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By day, 17-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie". When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender.
-
-
inaccurate historic details
- By kmh on 12-31-19
By: Stacey Lee
-
The Sorority Murder
- A Novel
- By: Allison Brennan
- Narrated by: Amy McFadden
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lucas Vega is obsessed with the death of Candace Swain, who left a sorority party one night and never came back. Her body was found after two weeks, but the case has grown cold. Three years later while interning at the medical examiner's, Lucas discovers new information, but the police are not interested.
-
-
The tone…I almost quit
- By Jess M on 10-04-22
By: Allison Brennan
-
No Darker Place
- A Thriller (Shades of Death, Book 1)
- By: Debra Webb
- Narrated by: Shannon McManus
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective Bobbie Gentry has one objective: to stop the serial killer who robbed her of her husband, her child, and her life. Nick Shade understands Bobbie's pain - and her desire for vengeance. He's on a mission of his own, and the murderer known as the Storyteller is next on his list. Nick knows that the best way to find his target is to stick close to Bobbie. But as she becomes more and more reckless in her attempts to lure the Storyteller out of hiding, he has to make a choice.
-
-
Gratuitous torture of women & children
- By tuckershops on 08-10-21
By: Debra Webb
-
Happiness Falls (Good Morning America Book Club)
- A Novel
- By: Angie Kim
- Narrated by: Shannon Tyo, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Thomas Pruyn, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical twenty-year-old daughter, has an explanation for everything—which is why she isn’t initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene don’t return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia’s brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tight-knit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak.
-
-
A mixed review, but recommend
- By Andrea B. on 09-07-23
By: Angie Kim
-
The Murphy Shepherd Starter Set: Books 1-2
- The Water Keeper and The Letter Keeper
- By: Charles Martin
- Narrated by: Jonathan K. Riggs
- Length: 21 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Now packaged together in an exclusive audio bundle, discover the first two books in the riveting Murphy Shepherd series from New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin. Combining the heart-wrenching emotion of Nicholas Sparks with the edge-of-your-seat tension of John Grisham, The Water Keeper and The Letter Keeper explore the true power of sacrificial love to heal all wounds.
-
-
A great series by Charles Martin
- By Ronda on 04-14-25
By: Charles Martin
-
Before She Was Found
- By: Heather Gudenkauf
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 12-year-old Cora Landry and her friends Violet and Jordyn, it was supposed to be an ordinary sleepover - movies and Ouija and talking about boys. But when they decide to sneak out to go to the abandoned rail yard on the outskirts of town, little do they know that their innocent games will have dangerous consequences. Later that night, Cora Landry is discovered on the tracks, bloody and clinging to life, her friends nowhere to be found. Soon, their small rural town is thrust into a maelstrom. Who would want to hurt a young girl like Cora - and why?
-
-
Bad Bad Ending
- By Sue on 05-12-19
-
The Downstairs Girl
- By: Stacey Lee
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By day, 17-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie". When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender.
-
-
inaccurate historic details
- By kmh on 12-31-19
By: Stacey Lee
-
This Is How I Lied
- By: Heather Gudenkauf
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twenty-five years ago, the body of 16-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa - discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.
-
-
Non stop animal torture...
- By Kelly on 05-31-20
-
A Merciful Death
- Mercy Kilpatrick, Book 1
- By: Kendra Elliot
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
FBI special agent Mercy Kilpatrick has been waiting her whole life for disaster to strike. A prepper since childhood, Mercy grew up living off the land — and off the grid — in rural Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. Until a shocking tragedy tore her family apart and forced her to leave home. Now a predator known as the cave man is targeting the survivalists in her hometown, murdering them in their homes, stealing huge numbers of weapons, and creating federal suspicion of a possible domestic terrorism event.
-
-
This was not a well written book.
- By Jacque on 02-02-17
By: Kendra Elliot
-
Sharp Objects
- A Novel
- By: Gillian Flynn
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: She must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful 13-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims - a bit too strongly.
-
-
I agree with Stephen King
- By Kelley on 01-26-08
By: Gillian Flynn
-
The Girls in the Snow
- Nikki Hunt, Book 1
- By: Stacy Green
- Narrated by: Kate Handford
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two 15-year-old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local: Someone knew where to hide the girls and thought they would never be found. Though Nikki hasn’t been home in 20 years, she knows she must take over the case.
-
-
Everything was just...bad
- By Theotokos on 03-27-21
By: Stacy Green
-
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Lisette Lecat
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mma "Precious" Ramotswe sets up a detective agency in Botswana on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, making her the only female detective in the country. At first, cases are hard to come by. But eventually, troubled people come to Precious with a variety of concerns. Potentially philandering husbands, seemingly schizophrenic doctors, and a missing boy who may have been killed by witch doctors all compel Precious to roam about in her tiny van, searching for clues.
-
-
Transcends its Genre
- By Gene on 12-07-03
-
And the Mountains Echoed
- By: Khaled Hosseini
- Narrated by: Khaled Hosseini, Navid Negahban, Shohreh Aghdashloo
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Khaled Hosseini, the number-one New York Times best-selling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations.
-
-
Does the End Justify the Means
- By FanB14 on 05-24-13
By: Khaled Hosseini
-
Alone
- By: Lisa Gardner
- Narrated by: Anna Fields
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a sniper with the elite Massachusetts State Police SWAT Team, Bobby Dodge saved a woman and her young son by shooting her armed husband. But vicious rumors begin to circulate the next morning when Bobby loses his gun and his privileges. It turns out the dead man was the son of a prominent Boston judge and had accused his wife of poisoning their son.
-
-
I know I'm not Alone . . .
- By Sherry on 02-06-05
By: Lisa Gardner
-
Blindsighted
- By: Karin Slaughter
- Narrated by: Kathleen Early
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A small Georgia town erupts in panic when a young college professor is found brutally mutilated in the local diner. But it's only when town pediatrician and coroner Sara Linton does the autopsy that the full extent of the killer's twisted work becomes clear. Sara's ex-husband, Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver, leads the investigation - a trail of terror that grows increasingly macabre when another local woman is found crucified a few days later.
-
-
Start here first...
- By Becka1310 on 02-01-18
By: Karin Slaughter
-
Cash City
- By: Jonathan Fredrick
- Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is an obsession that has haunted Nick Malick for seven years - to avenge the murder of his young son. In his gut Malick knows who did it. But the psychopath is in prison for another crime, scheduled to be released in a year. All Malick has to do is wait...and survive.
-
-
Great New Series
- By Lia on 08-21-17
-
War Brides
- By: Helen Bryan
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As war moves ever closer, the sleepy English village of Crowmarsh Priors settles into a new sort of normal: Evacuees from London are billeted in local homes. The nightly German air raids become grimly mundane. Rationing curtails every comfort. Men leave to fight and die. And five women forge a bond of friendship that will change their lives forever in this engrossing novel of loyalty, loss, and love in the shadow of World War II.With the hardships of war intensifying every day, the women band together to defeat formidable enemies and find remarkable strength within themselves to help one another. It is a war-forged loyalty certain to endure years and distance. When four of the women return for a celebration fifty years later, their mission is not simply to commemorate or remember. They’ve returned to confront a traitor whose actions cost countless lives — and to avenge one of their own at last.
-
-
Ruined by Narration
- By Sara on 08-28-14
By: Helen Bryan
-
The Cater Street Hangman
- By: Anne Perry
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a maid in the upper class Ellison household is strangled, Inspector Pitt is called in to investigate. He finds a world ruled by strict manners and social customs, where the inhabitants of the Ellison's neighborhood appear to be more outraged by the thought of scandal than they are by murder. Inspector Pitt finds a most unlikely ally in Charlotte, the Ellison's spirited daughter. But as the murders continue, Charlotte and Pitt find themselves drawn together by more than the investigation.
-
-
I really like this book but it's not for everone
- By Ancient Warrior on 03-14-11
By: Anne Perry
-
The Red Badge of Courage
- By: Stephen Crane
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following its initial appearance in serial form, Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage was published as a complete work in 1895 and quickly became the benchmark for modern antiwar literature. In the character of Henry Flemming, Stephen Crane provides a great and realistic study of the mind of an inexperienced soldier trapped in the fury and turmoil of war. Flemming dashes into battle, at first tormented by fear, then bolstered with courage in time for the final confrontation.
-
-
A Powerful, Moving Classic
- By David P on 09-03-15
By: Stephen Crane
What listeners say about A Killing in the Hills
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephanie
- 05-07-18
Riveting
If you enjoy murder, mystery, decete, and betrayal you will surely love this book. I know I did!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lifeisshort
- 10-09-13
Liked it; but...
This one was a tough call for me. As a mountain born child who moved to the city; then returned to the mountains I relate to both the plot and the character. The characterizations of the townspeople was spot on, as was the lack of expectations for the majority of the area youth.
Now for the negatives. Belle Elkins was not a very likable main character and her daughter was even less so. The ending did not ring true either. it seemed almost as if she decided to redirect the narrative at the last moment. Hopefully Julia Keller's characters will become better as she continues the series. Though I was somewhat disappointed by this selection I will probably give the next book in the series a shot.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mary H. Crockett
- 03-31-19
Mystery merges with social conscience
Loved this first time effort about the new DA and her daughter, and her pull to her past. Written with literary skill, the writer brought to the forefront the heart-breaking challenges of a WV mountain town and its people left behind by the economy, then ravaged by the tragedy of opiate addiction. Can't wait to read her next book and see where her promising characters take her. Impressive and moving first book. I am inspired to go re-read Red Badge of Courage...and read some lines of John Donne. Well worth the listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephanie
- 08-02-14
Accurate tale of small southern towns
Any additional comments?
It's slow to start in action after the killing, but all the information that takes so long to get across is necessary to really understand the characters and from where they come. Very insightful. Again not as action packed as I thought it would be but still a good read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sarah
- 07-31-23
It's okay......
The story is good for the most part. The many metaphors and analogies were not bad at first and helped to set the story, but they quickly became redundant. The overall crime mysteries were interesting enough, but Belfa's past and characterization could use some work. Overall, it was an okay listen, but when it ended I just felt disappointed.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Churchill
- 12-01-12
Compelling
West Virginia unvarnished, the communities ravaged by poverty and a meth invasion coupled with prescription drugs rampant. Compelling characters, narrator, two stories
intertwining. Unexpected ending and overall job welldone.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Catherine
- 03-28-16
Very well written mystery
Good mystery with beautiful descriptive prose. Interesting main characters with real world problems, thoughtfully handled.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- E. Arthur
- 09-18-17
Great Book
If you could sum up A Killing in the Hills in three words, what would they be?
Beautifully written stunner.
What was one of the most memorable moments of A Killing in the Hills?
The last twist.
What about Shannon McManus’s performance did you like?
When I started the book, I thought she sounded too young, but after the first chapter I realized I was wrong. She did a great job defining the characters and her voice is very pleasing to the ear.
Any additional comments?
I purchased the first three books and forgot I had them. Starting the series was like finding a precious gem.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joanne
- 09-11-12
A wonderful treat!
I love mysteries for the suspense and the puzzles that are solved by the end of the book. The mysteries I enjoy the most contain multi-dimensional characters with plots being used to develop these characters. Even better, a story that explores a place I have never been and that leaves me with a sense of the smells, the sounds and the colours is a treat. Ms. Keller combines a tightly woven story with characters and a place I became deeply interested in. I don't feel that I have words that can express how much I enjoyed both the prose and the story itself. West Virginia now "lives" in my imagination, in the same way that James Lee Burke's St. John's Parish and Timothy Hallinan's Bangkok have come alive for me. Shannon McManus is superb. I highly recommend this book. Please write more stories about Bell, Ms. Keller.
P.S. I enjoyed the prose so much that I bought a Kindle copy of the book so that I could re-read certain passages. It really doesn't get much better than this!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Paula
- 12-19-12
A Plot, Prose and Metaphors Galore. . .
I can't bring myself to rave about this book, but I will give it a thumbs up. It is a good read, as opposed to a really great read. While some might find the countless metaphors and analogies the author used as great prose, at some point, they became redundant and predictable as you couldn't help but anticipate that another would be uttered. My favorite? ". . . (was) like grout oozing between ceramic tiles." Oh well. Good plot, interesting characters and a fine finish. Consider that my rave!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful