The Refuge: A Maxine and Stretch Mystery (Maxie and Stretch Mystery) [Hardcover]

Sue Henry (Author)

Book Description

Series: Maxie and Stretch Mystery | Publication Date: April 3, 2007

After nine months on the road, Maxie McNabb is ready for some R&R, Alaska-style, with her miniature dachshund, Stretch. But no sooner has the sixty-something RVer parked the Mini-Winnie than a pleading phone call sends her flying to Hawaii. Because Karen Bailey, hobbled by an accident, needs Maxie's help packing up her house.

But within hours of Maxie's arrival, a prowler tries to break in and someone sabotages the plumbing. And when she hears Karen whispering into the phone-don't call here...I'll call you when it's safe, when she's...-Maxie suspects that Karen is hiding something. Far from home and no longer behind the wheel, Maxie feels as though the ice is melting around her.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of Henry's intriguing third mystery to feature Maxie McNabb (after 2006's The Tooth of Time), the 64-year-old Alaskan leaves home—and her mini-dachshund Stretch—to help a widowed, injured acquaintance, Karen Parker Bailey, in Hawaii. Hobbling on crutches, Karen needs Maxie's assistance packing up to move back to Alaska, but Maxie's reluctant good Samaritan work turns hazardous: the first night a prowler almost breaks in, the next day Karen's plumbing is sabotaged. Maxie senses Karen is concealing something when she overhears a whispered phone call. Maxie hires Jerry, the conveniently just-fired plumber's assistant, to help with the move. When Karen goes on ahead to Alaska, Maxie rents an RV so she can tour the island with Jerry until their flight home. But the real danger closes in as they travel to a park, the Refuge, which, of course, turns out to be anything but. Despite a touch of cuteness, Maxie is good company, and she teams with Jerry to entertaining effect. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Anthony and McCavity awards winner Henry's adventurous senior, Maxie McNab, is looking forward to a relaxing stay at her home in Homer, Alaska. After nine months on the road with her faithful companion, miniature dachshund Stretch, Maxie wants to spend some time gardening, but a phone call from Karen Bailey, a former neighbor who has retired to Hawaii, has her on the road again. It seems that someone wants Karen out of her rental home. Maxie arrives in time to deal with mysterious prowlers, sabotaged plumbing, and scary stalkers. As Maxie works to find out what is going on, she manages to get a tour of the Big Island's natural wonders. Cozy readers will enjoy the surprise ending and the Hawaiian locale (quite a change of pace from Henry's usual Alaska setting). Maxie is an engaging sleuth who proves that seniors make excellent detectives. Barbara Bibel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover (April 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451220471
• ISBN-13: 978-0451220479
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,393,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What's Not to Like?, May 3, 2007

By 

Wendy Kaplan (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Refuge: A Maxine and Stretch Mystery (Maxie and Stretch Mystery) (Hardcover)

Sue Henry, better known for her fabulous Alaskan/sled racing mysteries featuring Iditarod champion Jesse Arnold, has created another classic character (or should I say characters?) in Maxie McNabb and her wonderful dachshund Stretch.

In this third book in the series, Maxie is sans Stretch, but he's never out of her mind, or ours. Having just returned from her last New Mexico adventure to her beloved home in Homer, Alaska, Maxie reluctantly turns right back out the door to help a friend, Karen, in Hawaii.

Karen, who is really more an acquaintance than a friend, is one of those helpless females whom 64-year-old Maxie abhors. But a plea for help is something Maxie can't ignore, so she flies into Hilo, rents herself a camper truck (we know her from her Winebago) and goes to help Karen, who has a broken arm and leg from a fall, sort out her household goods to be returned to Alaska.

Short on plot and long on fabulous descriptions of Hawaii, this bit of fluff moves along quickly until it reaches its surprising conclusion. If you are looking for a good mystery, this isn't the book. If you love quirky, larger-than-life characters and descriptions that place you right into the story, grab this book.

Can't wait for the next one!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Maxie goes to Hawaii, May 1, 2007

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Refuge: A Maxine and Stretch Mystery (Maxie and Stretch Mystery) (Hardcover)

After being away from home for an extended period of time, Maxie wants nothing more than to return to her cabin in Homer, Alaska. Shortly after her return, she receives a phone call from Karen Bailey, an acquaintance of hers who has gone to live in Hawaii. Karen has decided to move back to Alaska and she needs Maxie's help to pack her household, because she has been in an accident and is now in several casts. Maxie reluctantly agrees and is chagrined with the huge task before her. She begins to help Karen, but soon some mysterious things begin to take place. Maxie hires a young man named Jerry who moves in and helps with the packing. Although she is very busy with the packing, Maxie manages to fit in some sightseeing and she takes Jerry as her traveling companion. Author Sue Henry describes the landscape in Hawaii as well as she does that of Maxie's native Alaska. Maxie is a delightful heroine and her friendly nature always serves to introduce new characters in every book. This is a very enjoyable addition to the Maxie and Stetch series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great main character in Maxie, April 26, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Refuge: A Maxine and Stretch Mystery (Maxie and Stretch Mystery) (Hardcover)

The sixty-four year old Alaskan, Maxie McNabb, has been on the road in her RV with her dachshund Stretch for nine months. Shortly after her return home, Maxie receives a telephone call from Hawaii. A friend, Karen Bailey suffered an accident and she's out of commission for awhile. Karen is moving and needs Maxie to help pack up her house.

Maxie heads to Hawaii and into a mystery. A burglar attempts to break into Karen's home, the plumbing is sabotaged, Maxie overhears a conversation that leads her to believe Karen has her own secrets, and Jerry, the plumber's helper is kidnapped.

Some bad dudes want something and they'll stop at nothing, even murder, to get what they want. It's up to Maxie to solve the mystery.

I love Maxie. She's a bright, independent, high-energy senior who gives the reader a glimpse of the glorious world through her eyes. The plot sizzles, the cast of characters is well-developed and after reading The Refuge, I want more of Sue Henry's loveable Maxie. No, what I really want is to be Maxie.

Armchair Interviews says: The Refuge is a cozy mystery at its best.