Another Southern Gothic nominee, This Dark Road To Mercy , the second novel by Wiley Cash, author of A Land More Kind Than Home.  This is a wonderful novel about two little girls who are rescued from foster care by their deadbeat dad after he steals a  LOAD of money from the kind of man you don't steal from (local Dixie Mafia boss). The point of view alternates between their guardian ad litem, an ex-cop named Will Brady, and the oldest (age 12) girl (Easter). A psychotic hit man and the FBI are also involved. All packed into 230 pages! Best bet of the year.