Swapping Paint (Stock Car Racing Mysteries) [Paperback]

Jim Lavene (Author), Joyce Lavene (Author)

Book Description

Series: Stock Car Racing Mysteries | Publication Date: May 8, 2007

Glad Wyczhewski lives for three things: NASCAR, cold beer, and his passionate wife, Ruby. Tailing the race circuit in an RV, the newlyweds stop in Concord, North Carolina-just down the road from Ruby's hometown-for the Coca-Cola 600. But the excitement of race week stalls when a driver, Ricky Sanders, is found murdered. And to everyone's shock, the prime suspect is another rookie driver, Ruby's brother Bobby! A forty-two-year-old ex-cop from Chicago, Glad would rather party on the infield than get mixed up in a murder investigation. But there's no way he can hold back Ruby-as stubborn as she is beautiful-from trying to clear Bobby's name. High on adrenaline and exhaust fumes, Glad kicks his detective instincts into overdrive before Ruby's good intentions put them on a collision course with the killer.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Swapping Paint is a breezy, folksy murder mystery... [a] winning debut..."

About the Author

Bestselling authors and award-winning photojournalists, Joyce and Jim Lavene, are a husband and wife team who started writing novels in 1999 and have had more than 40 books published to date. In addition to their books, the Lavenes have published hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, including a syndicated garden column for their local North Carolina papers. Somewhere along the way, they decided to write mysteries and since then, they have been hooked on the genre. 

They currently write four mystery series and work for a small newspaper in Stanly County, North Carolina. When they aren't promoting their books, coming up with new ideas for books, or taking photos of sweet potatoes that look like guinea pigs and congressmen who look like sweet potatoes, they spend time with their family (3 children, 5 grandchildren), their dog (Bear) and their cat (Quincy) who “help” them write.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK (May 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738710202
• ISBN-13: 978-0738710204
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #685,028 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!, May 22, 2007

By 

Shirley Priscilla Johnson "Author/Reviewer -... (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Swapping Paint (Stock Car Racing Mysteries) (Paperback)

Starting out this read, we find ourselves in a campground on the infield of a race track speedway with our two main characters Ruby and her husband Glad, a retired Polish police office and several years Ruby's senior. .....Glad and Ruby are no strangers to the world of racing as Ruby's entire family has been involved in it for years. Her younger brother Bobby is planning to try his hand at qualifying to drive in The Coca Cola 600; which would really be a notch in his racing belt. However the day before his qualifying race tragedy happens at the speedway as another driver, Ricky Sanders, who also was planning to race to qualify, turns up dead and all clues seem to point to young Bobby as the soul suspect. It doesn't help matter when Detective Frishburn, who is in charge of the case, finds out there is some bad blood between Ruby, who was once Ricky's boyfriend, their families and that Ricky and Bobby swapped paint the night before in a heated argument. The fact that Bobby is hiding out from being questioned by the detective only intensifies the situation and cast more suspicision his way and Bobby is in real trouble with the law. Perhaps he is the killer!
Ruby is determined to prove her brother's innocence and enlists the help of her now retired police officer husband Glad, but with or without his help she warns him that she won't stop until Bobby's innocence is proven. Ah, now the games begin as the two of them get themselves deeper and deeper into a mystery of murder and the truth behind it that hangs as a shroud of more questions than answers surface to baffle them. Add to this the ever present presence of Detective Frishburn who is just as determined to run the investigation without their interference, and is sure Bobby is the killer, and your in for a ride on a barreling freight train heading towards the end of the tracks. The outcome is anyone's guess. I'll never tell.
Our authors, Jim and Joyce Lavene have pulled off yet another great murder mystery. Aside from all the normal 'who done it ' you have a great backdrop of racing world characters that spice up this read with just the right amount of ingredients. It was also a fun read, as Glad not only has his hands full with trying to prove Bobby's innocence but also keeping his overzealous young wife from landing them both either in the brig or dead. You'll enjoy this one; a mystery with a new twist but still full of the elements that make it what it should be.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable mystery filled with entertaining characters and a great plot, November 9, 2009

By 

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

This review is from: Swapping Paint (Stock Car Racing Mysteries) (Paperback)

There's an old saying that working together can break up marriages, but many people do it successfully. Joyce and Jim Lavene fall into that category, producing the Sharyn Howard mysteries; the Peggy Lee Garden mysteries; and their latest, the Glad and Ruby Wycznewski mysteries. The Levenes live close to Charlotte, North Carolina. Their home is close to the legendary Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Glad Wycznewski is a retired homicide detective from Chicago. His retired life consists of following NASCAR with his pretty young wife, Ruby. But when one of Ruby's ex-boyfriends is murdered and Ruby's brother Bobby, an aspiring driver, is tagged as the probable murderer, Glad and Ruby swing into action. Or rather, Ruby drags Glad kicking and screaming into the investigation:

"'But they have the wrong person,' David protests. 'They'll have to find that out, right?'

'I hope so. Do you realize how many unsolved homicides are on most detectives' desks? It could take a lifetime to go through a cold case file. Some detectives work twenty years on one case and never solve it. It's like a blessing from God when you have a suspect and good evidence. You can go home, put your feet up, and watch the Speed Channel without thinking about all those people out there looking for an answer to who killed their loved ones.'"

Glad and Ruby have a December/May marriage, but it suits them perfectly. Ruby charges in to investigate, and Glad hangs back until the action begins. Their relationship is sweet, loving, and filled with comedic moments. The Lavenes do a great job of portraying the NASCAR culture, complete with groupies who live in their RV's and follow the drivers around. There is lots of partying and therefore many suspects that the Glad and Ruby detective team need to sort through to find the culprit. SWAPPING PAINT is an enjoyable mystery filled with entertaining characters and a great plot.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

4.0 out of 5 stars easy reading, funny mystery, July 3, 2007

By 

Pamela K. Lenhart "travel photog" (Mt Penn, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Swapping Paint (Stock Car Racing Mysteries) (Paperback)

I like the writing style, reminded me of Janet Evanovich in some ways. Not exactly true to Nascar procedures, but a fun read if you don't look for the flaws.