"I want to bust some heads and crap down some necks."

God, I've missed these guys!

Hap n' Leonard are called to help corral a murderous pig. That little escapade leads to a meth lab, which leads to burned bodies in a truck, which, naturally, leads to an elite squad of angry gals lookin' to bury the hatchet.

Makes perfect sense to me, and it will to you if you've been down the road a time or two with this dynamic duo.

There's a very large body count in this one, but an equal number of laugh-out-loud moments. Somehow Leonard always gets the best lines. One of my favorites was, "So good to see you again, you hunk of pig shit." (It's the perfect thing to say when the right words seem to escape you . . . )

Everyone is getting older . . . even Hap n' Leonard, and much as they'd like to ease into retirement, I suspect this will not be their last shady adventure.

It all starts with a giant hog with a meth addiction. Yeah that might sound a bit crazy, but when it comes to Hap and Leonard crazy is pretty much par for the course. This long running series (25 years and counting) continues to entertain. And don’t worry if you haven’t read all the previous books, you can still enjoy this on regardless, though you’ll really want to go back and read this wonderfully twisted series. As I said, it starts with a meth addicted hog, but spirals out from there. Loaded with plenty of Lansdale’s dark twisted humor and plenty of violence, this is classic Hap & Leonard. And while I’m not sure how many more adventures we can expect from this aging duo as long as Lansdale keeps writing them, I’ll keep reading them. Thanks so much to Mulholland Books for the ARC.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hatchet-girls-joe-r-lansdale/1146621149?ean=9780316514019&bvnotificationId=da1c896f-7d0f-11f0-8854-0affd426641b&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/354647771

What did I just read? Honestly this might be the craziest book I have ever read in the best way possible. The wild plot and unhinged characters were so entertaining. I couldn't put this down. It's a short novella so it's easy to binge in one sitting. I laughed out loud so many times....i never thought I'd be laughing while reading a book called Hatchet Girls. Surprises like this are why I randomly request oddball books i normally wouldn't read. This one did not disappoint. Look forward to reading more from this author because this was very entertaining.

This was a a wild, weird, and wickedly funny read. It’s chaotic, dark, and full of Lansdale’s signature grit and humour.

*Hatchet Girls* by Joe R. Lansdale is a gritty, fast-paced thriller with the kind of dark humor and sharp dialogue Lansdale is known for. The plot kicks off quick and doesn’t let up, mixing murder, small-town secrets, and a touch of Southern gothic weirdness. The characters are bold, rough around the edges, and totally unforgettable — you never quite know what they’ll do next. It’s violent, tense, and occasionally unhinged in the best way. If you like your crime fiction with attitude and bite, this one’s a wild ride worth taking.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the eARC.

I did not realize Hatchet Girls was part of a series. I don't necessarily feel that it took away from the story, but I felt like I was missing some background on our main characters. This book was still enjoyable!

Reading a new Hap and Leonard book is like reuniting with old friends you haven't seen in a year or two.

This time around our aging team is trying to handle a giant hog bezerk on meth, which as so often happens in this series, leads to other things. The banter and the dark jokes are still here and it was fun to immerse myself in their Texan lifestyles.

Is it actually possible that I might have picked up the scent of a series that is winding down? Perhaps. It's probably the fact that this book talks about real life aging, something that most long running series' never even mention. Our favorite team is getting old and age brings consequences. I can't really speak about the other things that led my thoughts down this path without spoilers, but make no mistake, there are changes in the air.

I can't honestly say this is one of my favorites in the series, but it was fun, packed with laughs and some action as well. I always enjoy meeting up with my old friends and perhaps you do too?

Recommended!

*ARC from publisher

Jumping into book 14 of a series with Hap and Leonard is a bit like crashing a reunion where everyone already knows the dirt, the punchlines, and who’s definitely going to get their ass kicked next. But here I am, freshly bingeing on "Hatchet Girls" and honestly? I had a damn good time watching Lansdale’s ragtag duo stumble into a rather glorious mess. It’s like slipping into your favorite pair of beat-up boots. Comfortable, a little rough around the edges, and guaranteed to kick some serious ass... even if those boots are starting to show their age.

Now, if you don’t know Hap Collins and Leonard Pine (oops!), these two are the literary equivalent of your cranky but lovable oddball best friends who keep finding themselves in escalatingly ridiculous situations. This time? They’re tasked with wrangling a meth-addicted hog. Yes, a hog on meth. You can’t make this stuff up, people. But the hog is just the opening act in a circus featuring a fringe group called "The Hatchet Girls," a motley crew of vengeance-fueled women who have a taste for gas, hatchets, and general chaos. Basically, your classic “I’m mad at the world and here’s how I’ll fix it” vibe, but dialed up to pure mayhem.

The plot zips by faster than Leonard’s exasperated side-eye as the boys get pulled deeper into a wild, violent mess of meth labs, bloodied body parts, and social revenge schemes. Lansdale’s trademark sharp and salty banter is on full display, these two don’t flirt, they spar like two old dogs bickering over the last scrap of meat. It’s buddy-cop chemistry with a side of “Did he really just say that?” and a healthy helping of heart under the snark.

That said, I’m gonna be real: jumping into the series this far in means you miss out on some backstory and nuance. Characters pop in with little intro and references to long-buried scars that probably hit longtime readers like old friends dropping by, but for newbies? A little disorienting. The plot doesn’t always slow down to give you a breather, and at times the story feels a little rushed or crammed, like Lansdale was just eager to get to the next absurd showdown. But honestly, the weirdness of a meth-fueled hog to start? Sold me immediately.

There’s a grittiness and darkness simmering beneath the comedy that hits unexpectedly hard. Hap and Leonard aren’t just older dudes throwing wisecracks; they’re grappling with the weight of years, changing lives, and the question of how much chaos they’re willing to endure before calling it quits. It adds a bittersweet layer to the madness, a reminder that even the funniest, most volatile friendships have cracks and Lansdale lets those cracks show with brutal honesty.

Also, shoutout to Brett and Pookie, because what are Hap and Leonard without their respective partners adding emotional texture and grounding the boys’ wild escapades? Their presence keeps the chaos from tipping too far into “comedy-only” territory and gives this rollicking ride a touch of domestic reality. Which makes the violent, hatchet-wielding women all the more jarring and hilarious.

Bottom line: "Hatchet Girls" is a wild, messy, sometimes frustrating, but overall satisfying romp through Lansdale’s twisted East Texas universe. If you're like me and starting with this book, it's a little like binge-watching a cult TV show late into its run, you might miss some references, the plot can get weird, but you can’t help rooting for the main characters. In other news, I will be going back and starting with book one.

An enthusiastic thumbs-up and 3.5 stars to the meth hog for stealing the whole damn show.

Whodunity Award: For Making Me Root for a Meth-Addicted Hog More Than Most Humans

Huge thanks to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for hooking me up with the ARC. I couldn’t have wrestled that meth-crazed hog without you. Now if only they could send me a hatchet and some gasoline, I’d be fully prepared for the next wild ride.

I didn't realize that this was part of a lengthy series. The cover really caught me on this one. While I believe that you can read this standalone there are references to past situations from other books that you do feel like you are missing some of the context on. This was fairly fast paced partly because it was on the shorter side. It's really funny. The main characters are a little over the top but in the best way. They have really good banter - friendly not flirting. The way the book starts out with the hog is hilarious. I was laughing so hard. It also has the fun of a mystery/thriller throughout. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A new Hap and Leonard story is always a pleasure. Though Hatchet Girls isn't the most memorable entry in the series, the banter between the two titular characters is as delightful as ever, and Lansdale's pacing never fails to keep me turning pages. More straightforward story than mystery, this book brings the violence and camaraderie that longtime readers keep coming back for.

thank you to netgalley for this arc! right off the bat, i do have to preface that this book is the first in the series that i have read, so i’m sure that made a difference in my opinion of the book.
there are some book series’ where you really don’t have to read the books that come before it to understand it, but this didn’t feel like that to me. maybe you don’t absolutely HAVE to, but there are characters mentioned almost immediately that are not introduced, so reading the other books before this one would definitely be beneficial. the writing style is also just not for me at all. i can see how other people may be entertained by it and find this book really funny, but the overall tone of the book was just not my cup of tea. the way the characters speak is just very crass and kind of dense to me, but in a way that really distracted me from the actual plot. again, maybe if i would have read the other books first, i would be more used to the writing style and the way the characters talk and interact with each other, but the reading experience with this one was just not for me.

Like all the Hap and Leonard books, this one is filled with the dark humor and the action we are accustomed to. Starts out with a meth addicted Hog and ends with some crazy hatchet girls......
loved it, only thing about it that makes me sad is the fact that it seems Lansdale is coming to an end to this series, Hap and Leonard have aged with the books and now seem to want to settle down into the sunset. im pretty sure ive read somewhere that Joe said he had two books to go, this one and one more.

Nothing beats a good whodonit with Hap and Leonard. This one did not disappoint. There was tons of action but also a bit of compassion.

Intriguing Premise, Uneven Execution

The Hatchet Girls starts off with a chilling hook and a compelling mystery that promises a dark, twisty ride. The atmosphere is moody and suspenseful, and the small-town setting adds a layer of claustrophobia that works well for the genre. The central murder mystery, with its echoes of urban legend and family trauma, is genuinely intriguing.

However, the pacing falters midway through, and some of the character development feels rushed or inconsistent. While the protagonist has moments of depth, supporting characters often fall into clichés, making it harder to stay emotionally invested. The twists, though surprising, sometimes feel more shocking for shock’s sake than truly earned.

Overall, it’s a decent read with flashes of brilliance, but it doesn’t quite live up to its full potential. Worth picking up if you enjoy YA thrillers with a gothic edge, but temper your expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Joe R. Lansdale and Mulholland Books for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. I kindly rounded up to a 3 star review from the 2.5 it deserves.

When I read the blurb, I was intrigued by the description and was expecting a mystery along the lines of an Elmore Leonard or Carl Hiaasen romp, instead what you get is a rather forced attempt at humor that is both crude and vulgar as Hap and Leonard try to track down the "Hatchet Girls" of the title.

This starts off with a wild and unexpectedly difficult "case" where our heroes try to wrangle a 400 pound hog hopped up on meth. They soon learn there is more to meet the eye as they discover a Meth Lab and soon bodies start piling up around them.

The "Hatchet Girls" do not turn up until we are well into the confusing and convoluted plot involving cousins who are working together despite being on different sides of the law. Somehow one of the jilted ex-wives of these cousins becomes a "cult leader" teaching battered women to maim, kill, carve up and skin meth dealers alive with a hatchet and gasoline to prove some "point?"

There is very little character development as I guess Landsdale assumes we know his main characters back story as this is somehow their 14th book together.

I was sadly disappointed in this once promising mystery which falls way short of my expectations. I will be skipping the other 13 installments of this serial.

This book started very differently than it ended. The twists and turns were something that was a breath of fresh air!

From Porky the Meth Pig to the final scene, there was few moments that I could have guessed were coming!

I laughed out loud at many parts, the author really knows how to paint a scene.

𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟.2
O.M.G. what did I just read? I shouldn't have laughed at this book the way I did, and the fact that it took place in my small hometown, and the author lives maybe 30 minutes from my hometown. Easily a 4.2-star read.
Hatchet Girls is my first book by Joe R. Lansdale and will truly not be my last! I'm a new fan.
When Hap and Leonard are called in on a strange request (subduing a meth-hopped hog) by a desperate young lady, they quickly learn this woman is part of a fringe group: The Hatchet Girls, who have pledged their allegiance to a crazed and grudge-bearing leader bent on bloody societal revenge.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Mulholland Books for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Joe R. Lansdale for an ARC of The Hatchet Girls which comes out in August 2025!

The cover reminds me of an old school 70s slasher movie which is what caught my attention. I am a sucker for picking books out purely based on the cover.

We follow two detectives on the verge of retirement as they work to solve a wacky case involving bloody hacked up bodies. This book is actually the 14th in a series but definitely can be read as a stand alone. It’s filled with quirky dark humor and fairly entertaining from start to finish.

I didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did at this! Admittedly my first Hap & Leonard and I was not disappointed. Mystery, mischief and a methed up pig. Super fun and quirky read!

Hap and Leonard are my absolute favorite characters and their newest adventure does not disappoint.
Like the rest of the books in this series, it is full of violent mayhem and witty dialogue with a distinct East Texas flavor. Joe R. Lansdale is a master storyteller and no one else writes dialogue quite like him! Despite their contrasting personalities and ideologies, Hap and Leonard's unlikely friendship is truly touching. I highly recommend you give this series a try! Thank you to Mulholland Books and Netgalley for the ARC.