A bookish police detective and his roller derby star partner investigate a quirky mystery involving superintelligent animals, military conspiracy ... and murder. When a body is found in the River Arts District of Asheville, North Carolina, the man on the case is police lieutenant Ira Segal, recently returned to semi-active status after being shot in the line of duty. Segal, who carries Elmore Leonard paperbacks as security blankets, isn't sure he's up to investigating a murder, and neither is his partner, military veteran and local roller derby star Sgt. Dinah "Dinosaur" Rudisill. Segal discovers that the victim worked for the mysterious start-up company Creatures 2.0, which trains animals to acquire uncanny capabilities. Creature 2.0's eccentric founder, Francis Elah, has gone missing, and no one can find him, not even Elah's top client, the Office of Naval Intelligence. As Segal and Rudisill investigate the murder and Elah's disappearance, they meet the bizarre animals Elah trained, including a raccoon who rolls cigarettes, pigeons who follow a priest to church, and a superintelligent crow who keeps bringing evidence to the detectives' attention. When the trail leads to a shadowy military contractor, more murders, and a threat to national security, Segal and Rudisill face a dangerous confrontation, and the only thing they can trust is each other. Witty, engaging and fast-paced, As the Crow Dies is a mystery that veers from the norm in unexpectedly delightful ways. "In As The Crow Dies , Ken Butcher creates an intriguing mystery that combines a fresh, charming detective duo, the free-spirited vibe of Asheville, NC, and an original plot following a trail of bodies in a race to prevent a crime of international consequence. As The Crow Dies takes readers on an exciting ride with more twists and turns than the mountain roads of its setting." ― Mark de Castrique , author of Murder in Rat Alley , Secret Undertaking , and Hidden Scars "Kenneth Butcher's As the Crow Dies gives us a crackerjack mystery that begins, like all good murder mysteries, with the discovery of a body -- an apparent accident. But the plot then takes us into remarkable territory in which the fantastical becomes true and the detectives find themselves confronting a deadly conspiracy that spreads far beyond the picturesque mountain town of Asheville, N.C. Segal, the seasoned lead detective, is recovering from a gunshot wound. In a turnabout of the usual roles, it falls to his partner, Dinah Rudisill, to handle the rough stuff. One of the joys of this fast-paced mystery is watching their friendship develop, as Segal regains his old confidence and Rudisill sharpens her skills, rising to an extraordinary challenge. Both detectives live into the honorable tradition of restoring justice and meaning to a world often lacking in both, and doing so with style and humor. The perfect book to get a smart reader through the pandemic." ― Philip Gerard , author of Cape Fear Rising and The Last Battleground "Satisfying ... no-frills crime drama with action and character ... and more than a little dry humor." ― Ben Steelman , Wilmington Star-News "No living author writes police procedurals that are sharper or funnier than Kenneth Butcher and As The Crow Dies serves up madcap mystery at its most gripping. He sets loose his two military-trained detectives in the foothills of Western North Carolina where they encounter would-be assassins, international intrigue and a menagerie of uniquely gifted animals. Who other than Butcher can introduce cigarette-rolling raccoons, lothario crows and alphabet-reciting mule deer into a murder investigation ― and never have readers doubt the truth of every word? As The Crow Dies proves as suspenseful as it is entertaining, Appalachia's rollicking rejoinder to Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade: A novel as brilliant and rare as the zany animals that populate its pages." ― Jacob M. Appel , author of Millard Salter's Last Day " As the Crow Dies is a charming, vibrant mystery filled with intrigue that hooks the reader from page one. Kenneth Butcher tells a fascinating tale of murder, animal intelligence, and human foolishness in this wonderful novel that brings the city of Asheville to life. I love this book." ― Christy English , author of The Queen's Pawn and Waking Sarah Ann "A genuine treat for the dedicated mystery buff, As the Crow Dies takes readers on a hectic ride with more entertaining plot twists and turns than a Coney Island roller coaster. Thoroughly entertaining and unreservedly recommended." -- Wisconsin Bookwatch "I really enjoyed reading this suspenseful and exciting tale. The animals were amazing and the action never quits. I highly recommend it for all mystery loving fans." ― Doward Wilson , Kings River Life "An engagingly different, fun police procedural designed to keep mystery readers guessing on many different levels." ― Midwest Book Review "Beginning with a body face