- Perfect Paperback: 220 pages
- Publisher: Oak Tree Press (April 29, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1610090144
- ISBN-13: 978-1610090148
Product Description
While traveling a northern Arizona highway, Senior Sleuths Dana Logan and Sarah Cafferty watch in horror as a pick up truck chases a Mercedes convertible past their motorhome, ultimately forcing the car off the roadway and into a ravine. Dana applies the brakes and pulls over to offer aid. She discovers the body of a beautiful young woman in the Mercedes when gunshots ring out. Stunned, she and Sarah realize they're the targets! The bullets disable their motorhome and a long-haul driver comes to their rescue, giving them a lift into Flagstaff, where they can arrange for repairs to their RV. The idea of resuming their trip home is back-burnered, however, when the first person they spot at the truckstop is their shooter. Coincidence? Dana thinks not. Quickly, the women scheme to turn the tables on the woman's killer, and the chase is on… Sometimes hunters, sometimes the hunted, Dana and Sarah delve into the shooter’s identity and activities. They find more than a few surprises, and soon realize they have stumbled into a plot that not only endangers them, but puts national security in the crosshairs.
About The Author
Jean Henry Mead is a mystery/suspense and western historical novelist. She's also an award-winning photojournalist. One of her fortes is interviewing writers, actors, politicians, artists and ordinary people who have accomplished extraordinary things. She began her writing career as a California news reporter/editor/photographer, first in Central California and later in San Diego. Mead then transferred to Casper, Wyoming, to serve as a staff writer for the statewide newspaper. While there she served as editor of In Wyoming Magazine and two small presses. She also freelanced for other magazines, both domestically and abroad, among them the Denver Post's Empire Magazine. Her first book was published in 1981. She's since published thirteen novels and nonfiction books.
She currently writes the Hamilton Kids children’s mystery series as well as the Logan & Cafferty mystery/suspense series. Her latest release in the Logan & Cafferty series is Murder on the Interstate.
Visit Jean online at www.jeanhenrymead.com. She also blogs at:
View The Book Trailer Here:
My Review:
This is the third book in the Logan & Cafferty mystery/suspense series written by Jean Henry Mead. It is the first book that I've read in the series and I found it was not essential to have read the first two. The first thing about this book that caught my interest was the setting of Arizona which is an area that I love to travel in. The two ladies, Dana Logan and Sarah Cafferty, are originally traveling on Interstate 40 in their motor home when they come upon the accident site where a young woman has been killed and most likely murdered. Shots are fired at them at the scene and the story is off to a roaring start.
I love that the book focuses on the friendship between the two women instead of the usual focus of books which is typically on a romantic relationship between two people. Actually there is a lovesick sheriff, a character from a previous adventure, who is chasing after Dana but she would rather he stays back home! Dana's daughter Kerrie, who is a magazine writer in Denver does come to assist with the investigation. Never do you see these "older" women being frail. In fact, Dana rolls the recreational vehicle purposely at one point. They are technologically resourceful which is refreshing to see. And, it is wonderful to see these older women being portrayed as active adults. Life is not over at 60! I enjoyed the plot and the characters. What a great tale of real friendship between women. And I found the ending to be very fulfilling.
I did find this novel to be very fast paced, not only in the story but also in the writing style. So you'll need to hang on tight for the ride!
Great story...great characters...great settings...what more can you ask for!
Leave a comment at any of the tour stops during Jean Henry Mead's Murder on the Interstate VBT to be entered for your chance to win one of three free copies of the book. One of the winners will be a character in her next book.
Deadline to enter is May 27, 2011.
Deadline to enter is May 27, 2011.
Read the excerpt!
Lulled by a lack of traffic and the steady beat of rain, Dana was in danger of nodding off when a convertible roared past, followed by a late model pickup. The heavy downpour obscured her view, but they appeared to be coupled like boxcars. Why were they driving that dangerously close, and why so fast in the rain?
An I-40 highway sign signaled an approaching curve so she clicked off the cruise control and slowed to forty-five. Taillights had vanished and she glanced in both side mirrors. The earlier truck traffic had also disappeared and no headlights were visible in either direction. Darkness was closing in on her.
Sarah groaned from the passenger seat, apparently still asleep. Must be the anchovies. Her friend had insisted on stopping for pizza at a Kingman roadside cafe. Dana groped for the Tums. As she rounded the curve, she noticed two sets of brake lights not far ahead. The motorhome swayed as she stepped into her own brakes and skidded on the pavement. Road signs had warned of animal crossings. The convertible might have swerved to avoid hitting a deer and gone off the mountain road. Dana pulled onto the shoulder as the pickup following the convertible screeched back on the pavement. Why hadn’t the driver stopped to help?
Bolting upright in the passenger seat, Sarah said, “What’s happening?” Her voice was thick with sleep.
“We’re about to find out.”
Headlights angled upward from somewhere off the road, illuminating a huge digger pine. It had to be the convertible. Dana opened her door and climbed down. The steps were slick with rain and she nearly lost her balance. She heard the passenger door slam as she started down the embankment. Chilled and miserably wet, she slipped and landed in a bed of pine needles. Why hadn’t she grabbed the flashlight? Dana glanced up at her friend, who stood shivering on the shoulder. “Sarah,” she yelled, “Call 911 and hurry.”
The smell of gasoline was strong, despite the heavy rain. The convertible had missed several pine trees but a boulder had stopped its forward motion. Both doors were locked. Peering through the driver’s window, she could see nothing more than shattered glass, a dime-sized hole centering the web design. She then heard several backfires and a ping of metal as though the convertible had been struck by a rock. Realizing it was a gunshot, she dropped to her knees in the mud.
Sarah!
Slipping and clawing her way up the slope, she crawled onto the shoulder. A pickup was parked behind the RV. The driver had a nervous foot. A moment later another set of headlights emerged from the curve down the road. Tires squealed as the pickup roared off. As it passed, the RV’s headlights caught a dark red truck, which appeared to be a newer model. When Dana glanced in the passenger window, Sarah was crouched between the seats, the cell phone clutched in her hand. She took her time unlocking the passenger door.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m not sure.” Sarah patted her chest, breathing heavily.
“What happened?”
“He shot up the motorhome.”
“Did he shoot at you?”
“I don’t think he saw me. He only seemed interested in wounding Matilda.”
Dana hated the name Sarah had christened the RV, but that was the least of her worries. Grabbing a flashlight, she climbed back down the steps. A quick inspection revealed inside tires still inflated but the outer ones in the back were flat. She heard an engine shift down and was caught in the glare of headlights. Signaling with her flashlight, she was relieved when the big truck slowed and pulled in behind the motorhome. The driver seemed to be endlessly checking gauges before descending from the cab. Once on the ground, a warm, plump hand gripped hers in greeting.
“The name’s McCurdy,” the husky voice said. ”Everybody calls me Big Ruby.”
At nearly six feet, she was Dana’s height although nearly twice her girth.
An I-40 highway sign signaled an approaching curve so she clicked off the cruise control and slowed to forty-five. Taillights had vanished and she glanced in both side mirrors. The earlier truck traffic had also disappeared and no headlights were visible in either direction. Darkness was closing in on her.
Sarah groaned from the passenger seat, apparently still asleep. Must be the anchovies. Her friend had insisted on stopping for pizza at a Kingman roadside cafe. Dana groped for the Tums. As she rounded the curve, she noticed two sets of brake lights not far ahead. The motorhome swayed as she stepped into her own brakes and skidded on the pavement. Road signs had warned of animal crossings. The convertible might have swerved to avoid hitting a deer and gone off the mountain road. Dana pulled onto the shoulder as the pickup following the convertible screeched back on the pavement. Why hadn’t the driver stopped to help?
Bolting upright in the passenger seat, Sarah said, “What’s happening?” Her voice was thick with sleep.
“We’re about to find out.”
Headlights angled upward from somewhere off the road, illuminating a huge digger pine. It had to be the convertible. Dana opened her door and climbed down. The steps were slick with rain and she nearly lost her balance. She heard the passenger door slam as she started down the embankment. Chilled and miserably wet, she slipped and landed in a bed of pine needles. Why hadn’t she grabbed the flashlight? Dana glanced up at her friend, who stood shivering on the shoulder. “Sarah,” she yelled, “Call 911 and hurry.”
The smell of gasoline was strong, despite the heavy rain. The convertible had missed several pine trees but a boulder had stopped its forward motion. Both doors were locked. Peering through the driver’s window, she could see nothing more than shattered glass, a dime-sized hole centering the web design. She then heard several backfires and a ping of metal as though the convertible had been struck by a rock. Realizing it was a gunshot, she dropped to her knees in the mud.
Sarah!
Slipping and clawing her way up the slope, she crawled onto the shoulder. A pickup was parked behind the RV. The driver had a nervous foot. A moment later another set of headlights emerged from the curve down the road. Tires squealed as the pickup roared off. As it passed, the RV’s headlights caught a dark red truck, which appeared to be a newer model. When Dana glanced in the passenger window, Sarah was crouched between the seats, the cell phone clutched in her hand. She took her time unlocking the passenger door.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m not sure.” Sarah patted her chest, breathing heavily.
“What happened?”
“He shot up the motorhome.”
“Did he shoot at you?”
“I don’t think he saw me. He only seemed interested in wounding Matilda.”
Dana hated the name Sarah had christened the RV, but that was the least of her worries. Grabbing a flashlight, she climbed back down the steps. A quick inspection revealed inside tires still inflated but the outer ones in the back were flat. She heard an engine shift down and was caught in the glare of headlights. Signaling with her flashlight, she was relieved when the big truck slowed and pulled in behind the motorhome. The driver seemed to be endlessly checking gauges before descending from the cab. Once on the ground, a warm, plump hand gripped hers in greeting.
“The name’s McCurdy,” the husky voice said. ”Everybody calls me Big Ruby.”
At nearly six feet, she was Dana’s height although nearly twice her girth.
Murder on the Interstate Virtual Book Tour Schedule
May 2nd
Book spotlighted at Books, Products and More!
May 3rd
Book spotlighted at Broowaha
May 4th
Guest blogging at Marilyn’s Musings
May 5th
Guest blogging at Paperback Writer
Guest blogging at Dog Blog
Series spotlighted at Broowaha
May 6th
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book!
May 9th
Book reviewed at The Book Connection
Guest blogging at Living, writing and other stuff
May 10th
Guest blogging at Review from Here
May 11th
Interviewed at As the Pages Turn
Guest blogging at Authors and Appetizers
May 12th
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Guest blogging at Marian Allen: Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes
May 13th
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking
May 16th
Book spotlighted at American Chronicle
Guest blogging at Thoughts in Progress
May 17th
Interviewed at Examiner
Book reviewed at A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye
May 18th
Book trailer featured at If Books Could Talk
May 19th
Book spotlighted at The Plot
May 20th
Character interviewed at The Plot
May 22nd
Guest blogging at Type M for Murder
May 23rd
Guest blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner
Guest blogging at Straight from Hel
Book reviewed and guest blogging at Sheila Deeth’s Visit My Refracted Muse
May 24th
Book reviewed at MysteriesEtc
Book reviewed at Another Draught
May 25th
Book reviewed at Marilyn’s Musings
Guest blogging at Acme Authors Link
May 26th
Book reviewed at Reviews by Molly
Book reviewed by June Shaw at Pump Up Your Book!
May 27th
Guest blogging at Murder By 4
Book reviewed by Earl Staggs at Pump Up Your Book!
TBD:
Guest blogging at Monoblog
Guest blogging at Dog Blog
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