Deadly Trail [Paperback]

Marilyn Meredith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2001

Mystery/Suspense: Book 1: Tempte Crabtree Series

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Hard Shell Word Factory (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0759904618
• ISBN-13: 978-0759904613
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,028,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Sequel and a Prequel All in One!, September 6, 2003

By 

Kevin Tipple (Plano, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Deadly Trail (Paperback)

Greed, adultery and murder in a small town have long been mystery and literary themes. The fact that these concepts have been done before does not diminish the enjoyment of this light mystery by Marilyn Meredith. This novel is an installment of the series featuring Deputy Tempe Crabtree and the people of Bear Creek, California that began with the novel "Deadly Omen." This is my first experience with this author and for the most part, I enjoyed the work.

As the novel opens, Deputy Crabtree is forced to arrest Nick Two John after she witnesses him slashing the tires of a logging truck during a protest. Nick Two John thinks that as a fellow Native American, Deputy Crabtree should understand what the loggers represent and not arrest him. Instead, she arrests him and takes him to the station despite his begging for freedom every mile of the way. As they get closer to the station, his begging turns into promises of secret information if she grants him his freedom. She does not accept his offer and he does not like it.

"He climbed out slowly. She took hold of his arm and guided him toward the stairs that led to the back door of the plain, boxy building. His face sullen, his black eyes flashed with anger. "' You're going to remember that I gave you the opportunity to prevent what's about to happen in Bear Creek. You're going to be real, real sorry you didn't listen.'"

His comment seems to ring true as in a matter of hours during a dinner with her Minister boyfriend, Hutch, the owner of the Bear Creek Inn, Andre Donato collapses and dies in the kitchen. It at first looks like death by natural causes, but then another worker at the Inn falls gravely ill with the same symptoms and is rushed to the hospital. She is saved and recovers as an investigation begins. It quickly becomes clear that both victims ingested poison, which makes Andre's death a murder.

While the clues seem to pint to Nick Two John, Deputy Crabtree believes that he is innocent for a variety of reasons. She quickly determines that the suspect list is very long and that a number of people had reason to kill him. Pushed to the periphery of the investigation by the detectives on the case that discount her theories, Deputy Crabtree investigates on her own. Rarely does she rely on her position and instead uses various subterfuges to question people who had their own reasons to kill him. Soon, she finds herself a target of a killer, but she does not know which of her suspects is the killer.
While overall fairly enjoyable, this is a light read. The characters are for the most part, stereotypical with limited development, even in the case of the major character, Deputy Crabtree. She is of mixed heritage and partly Native American and has very little knowledge of her ancestry. The reader is told repeatedly that she has guilt over her lack of knowledge, but the character does not seem to show such internal emotional conflict except for a couple of very minor instances. Instead, the character recites pat answers and does nothing to rectify her knowledge base.

What is more annoying for the reader is the author's reliance on artificial drama at the end of most chapters. She has fallen into the advice trap advocated in many writing magazines today of manufacturing danger or excitement at the end of the chapter to theoretically push the short attention span reader into turning the page and continuing to read. When done occasionally, the technique may work and have some use. However, in this case, with so many chapters ending the same "Oh my god!" way, the reader is left waiting for the swelling mood music and commercial teases.

Having said that, this novel overall is above average and enjoyable. It is a light mystery and a fast read at 140 pages, but has several twists and turns to keep the reader engaged beyond the chapter endings. While it is a short work, it still has more reading enjoyment packed into it than many of the current bestsellers that are triple or more its length.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As exciting as it is original, March 4, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Trail (Paperback)

Marilyn Meredith is an extremely accomplished writer, having produced pieces for local newspapers, and national magazines, as well as writing several how-to books. Her career spans more than twenty-five years, and in that time she has covered such topics as: community care issues; genealogy; and now mysteries. She is also an instructor for the renowned Writer's Digest School, which is known to most mystery writers. Marilyn has published two books on the genealogical roots of her family, plus a mystery called The Astral Gift. She is a member of several writing groups.

Tempe Crabtree is a Deputy for the village of Bear Creek, nestled in the Southern Sierra. She is engaged to be married to Pastor Hutch Hutchinson, and life seems idyllic until the owner of a local inn, Andre Donato, is apparently poisoned. Although it technically isn't Tempe's job to investigate the homicide, she feels compelled to get to the bottom of who would murder the unpopular Donato. Particularly when Nick Two John has an extensive knowledge of botany and a motive for getting Andre Donato out of the way. Tempe isn't so sure, and sets off to find the real killer:

"'I'm not supposed to be investigating the murder," Tempe said. "That's the detectives' job. Sergeant Guthrie reminded me quiet emphatically.' Hutch squeezed her shoulder. 'But I know you, sweetheart. You've been busily asking questions. I saw you with Wilbur Carmony. It didn't look like you were having a casual conversation.'"

Meredith entices the reader with this short what she calls "prequel" to the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. As always, a female in the role of deputy in a beautiful mountain setting mixed with Indian ancestry is a sure recipe for a thrilling mystery. Of course Tempe sticks her nose where it doesn't really belong, which only endears her to the reader. Tempe is an upstanding woman, a mother, and a soon-to-be bride. She is likeable and interesting, as is the plot. Meredith presents the reader with all the usual suspects, but throws in an unexpected twist and denouement, which is as exciting as it is original. Deputy Tempe will hopefully return soon!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful Whodunit!, July 19, 2002

By 

phillip tomasso III (rochester, new york United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Trail (Paperback)

A prequel to the popular series featuring female Deputy Officer, Tempe Crabtree, Deadly Trail proves to be a solid and clever, cozy-mystery. Marilyn Meredith style is poised and efficient, and her storytelling ability is comparable to anyone writing in the genre.



Bear Creek is a backwoods town. Quiet. But just because everyone knows everyone else, does not mean that everyone likes everyone else. This becomes obvious when Andre Donato, owner of the town's main restaurant, is murdered.



Deputy Crabtree, aside from being the only female officer in the department, is also a single mother of a teenaged boy and engaged to marry the town's pastor. When she learns the detectives assigned to the case follow a close-minded approach and plan to arrest Nick Two John, a local Native American, Crabtree conducts an investigation of her own.



Tempe Crabtree quickly learns that, aside from Two John, there are a host of suspects who could benefit, financially and physically, from Donato's death. As her hunt for answers leads her closer to the truth, she winds up placing her own life and lives of others in jeopardy.



Meredith has written a taut, compact mystery with three-dimensional characters. She knows how to draw her readers in with short chapters and tension-building scenes. A true puzzle with all of the pieces for the reading-sleuth to gather. I look forward to reading the other titles in the series.


--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Johnny Blade & Third Ring