Five Star First Edition Mystery - Bad Trip South [Hardcover]

Billie Sue Mosiman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1594141053 | ISBN-13: 978-1594141058 | Publication Date: February 2, 2004 | Edition: 1

An Edgar Award-nominee Author

Jay and Carrie Anderson are in a troubled marriage. Jay is a police officer in a small town and Carrie, a school teacher. Carrie has a decision to make. Either she stays with Jay and takes his abuse, allowing their ten-year-old daughter, Emily, a glimpse of what marriage is not supposed to be like, or she leaves him. Emily, who isn't like other children, is telepathic, and can hear the thoughts of those around her. While on vacation, an escaped convict and his accomplice kidnap the Andersons, needing a way to make it south . . . to the border of Mexico. Jay battles with himself, fighting the urge to go over to the dark side, forsaking his vows with his wife and those of a police officer. Carrie searches for the strength to face the truth about herself and her marriage. And Emily, beset by the thoughts of her captors, tries to keep her family together and safe. All in all it's going to be one bad trip south.

Edgar-nominee Billie Sue Mosiman lives in East Texas.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

"Bad trip" hardly does justice to the hellish journey undertaken by the Anderson family in this gripping thriller. Leaving their North Carolina home to visit Long Horn Caverns outside of St. Louis, police officer Jay Anderson, wife Carrie, and 10-year-old daughter Emily are attempting to rebuild familial bonds. Consumed by job-related stress, Jay has taken to beating Carrie. Emily, who has a telepathic ability, is confused and frightened by her parents' angry thoughts. When escaped convict Crow and his amoral girlfriend, Heddy, kidnap the family to provide cover for their escape to Mexico, it looks as though things are going from bad to worse for the beleaguered Andersons. Told partially through Emily's narration to a police psychologist and partially through the viewpoints of the convicts, Mosiman's story is ugly and violent--and utterly compelling. Perhaps most disturbing is Jay's slow but steady move to the dark side, as he begins to fall for Heddy's dangerous allure. Top-notch suspense for mature readers. Jenny McLarin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 202 pages
• Publisher: Five Star; 1 edition (February 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594141053
• ISBN-13: 978-1594141058
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,247,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a thriller, suspense, and horror novelist. My books were first published in 1984 and two of them received an Edgar Award Nomination for best novel and a Bram Stoker Award Nomination for most superior novel. I was represented by the William Morris Agency, belonged to many professional writing organizations, and even wrote columns and reviews in magazines. When anthologies were big, I was a regular contributor and have more than 150 short stories published. For a spell I taught writing for Writer's Digest and for AOL online. I was born in Alabama and live now in Texas on a small ranch.

My work has been predominately suspense thrillers, but I also wrote a western historical, a trilogy of vampire novels, a travel memoir, and, of course, many short stories. My latest novel is BANISHED, a dark fantasy horror novel involving fallen angels. Most of my work has been made available at kindle.com for the e-book reader, including my Stoker-nominated novel, WIDOW, and my Edgar-nominated novel, NIGHT CRUISING.

I love to read (especially on my Kindle), paint, take photographs, and travel. I can name two inspiring persons in my life. One was my grandmother, Naomi. And, every day and forever, my husband, who has lived this adventure with me.

Because of a lifelong love of storytelling, I've been able to make a lifelong investment in writing those stories and novels.

News of my e-book publications can be found at: http://peculiarwriter.blogspot.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars deep dark character study inside a terse crime thriller, March 21, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Star First Edition Mystery - Bad Trip South (Hardcover)

North Carolina police officer Jay Anderson knew he was doing wrong, but could not stop himself from beating up his wife Carrie. To help him with his anger management, Jay was seeing police psychiatrist Frank Hawkins, but in the middle of their sessions, he tells the shrink that he, his wife, and his ten year old daughter Emily were taking a vacation in Missouri over the concern of Frank.

On the trip Jay learns that Carrie plans to leave him for fear he will start abusing their child. They stop at Long Horn Caverns near St. Louis where Emily who can hear thoughts notices two evil people. Her father is preoccupied and ignores her warning. When the leave the caverns, Crow, who just escaped from Leavenworth and his girlfriend Heddy who abetted his escape, carjack the Anderson vehicle with the family taken as hostages. On the murderous trek to Mexico, relationships change as double crossings occur. None of the five seem like they will walk away and if by some miracle if one does he or she will be haunted by this deadly road trip forever.

Though a crime thriller, BAD TRIP SOUTH is also a deep character study through Emily's adult like perspective. The story line is action-packed, but will feel strange as readers hear what Emily hears inside the heads of the other four people. Fans will be shocked by what happens, yet believe what happens could have occurred (just not expecting it), but will also appreciate this well written protagonist driven dark suspense thriller that never slows down until the final confrontation.

Harriet Klausner