We are going on a summer vacation with stops along the way to visit some of our favorite authors, characters and places. Pack your bags and your reading glasses. Its free and we'll even do the driving.
First stop is Valentine, Oklahoma, home to 5,700 good people and one old coot. Its a small town populated with the likes of Winston Valentine who tools around town on his riding lawnmower and hosts his own radio show. His able assistants are Willie Lee with his faithful dog, Munro. Many other good folk live in the imagination of author Curtiss Ann Matlock and her latest novel, Little Town, Great Big Life. You will find yourself chuckling and tut-tutting at the goings on in Valentine, and wanting to visit just as soon as you can.
Now, we'll head east to Ohio and Amish country with the new thriller from Linda Castillo, Pray for Silence. Chief of Police, Kate Burkholder must balance the work and world she has chosen to do within the world she was raised. An Amish family is murdered and Kate holds the criminal case and the religious community in an uneven balance. Kates ally, big city cop John Tomasetti provides a sounding board and purpose with the investigation. The scenery may be beautiful and the culture fascinating, but this little stopover proves the modern world cannot be held at bay.
Anyone up for a visit to Rocky Mountain country? Then lets proceed west to Wyoming and Absaroka County. Sheriff Walt Longmire has another puzzling case on his hands in Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson. When body parts start showing up in the Durant dump, Walt and his deputies take the investigation seriously and the owners of the dump don't make it easy. Much like other characters we are meeting along this trip, Walt gives you a sense of comfort as well as good guffaw. It's a guarantee that you will be back here for a visit.
Continuing westward, we eventually come to the shore of the Pacific in Central California. Just like the family who comes for an indefinite visit, well be meeting up with Benni Harper and her many friends and family in State Fair. Earlene Fowler never puts a wrong foot forward with any of her mysteries or stand-alone novels. Benni, a museum curator, always lands in the middle of some criminal curiosity and this time she is aided by her great-aunt Garnet who has been watching too much CSI. The situations are serious, but Fowler injects just enough light to keep the characters honest and the plot evolving.
May any road trip you take be filled with interesting places, real characters and enough adventure to keep stories flowing when you return.
Happy Reading!
Janet
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