The Deadly Cotton Heart, Paperback

"Exceptional characterization, strong and vigorous prose, and a glimpse into a place and time that has long since disappeared." Mystery Scene Magazine

"Dennis may not have made literature of Hardman, but he damn sure touched on it more than a time or two," Joe R. Lansdale, New York Times author of the Hap & Leonard series

The eighth novel in the legendary Hardman series. Ex-cop Jim Hardman and ex-NFL player Hump Evans will do anything for a buck, short of murder. But this time, that's exactly the service that Hardman is offering. He's posing as a hitman in a sting being run by his only friend left on the Atlanta PD. The scam goes fatally wrong and Hardman becomes the guy with the target on his back...

"A lightning-paced crime story packed with irreverence and loads of action." Publishers Weekly

"Among the best series books around. The dialogue is marvelously realistic." Philadelphia Daily News

"Ralph Dennis has mastered the genre and supplied top entertainment." The New York Times

"Hardman is not your typical PI. He is not that good looking; a bit on the pudgy side in fact. His methods are unorthodox, and he often plays both sides of the law when working a case. But these and other genre-defying characteristics are what captures and holds our fascination." Bookgasm

This new edition includes an Afterword from author Robert J. Randisi, founder of the Private Eye Writers of America