Customer Reviews

Trail of Murder

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I've seen this setting somewhere before, wilderness trek with the heroine the cook who whips up quick meals inbetween murders and accidents. What saves the book from a mediocre plot is the writing- the description of the Montana wilderness; the details of outfitting, packing, unpacking, loading mules and horses for a wilderness trek; and cooking under a cook fly with limited equipment and ingredients.

The heroine of the book is an erstwhile poet, so her descriptive writing of the surroundings and the people on the trip are interesting and new,though sometimes very detailed.

A "woman's" book, too slow for those who want a fast paced thriller. But it's a how-to for those who want to trek the wilderness.

Compared to many mass-market mysteries, I thought this author far more literate than average. The writing was crisp, witty and enjoyable. While hard-core mystery fans may be disappointed with some of the plot, I found the book gripping. I enjoyed the evocative descriptions of Montana scenery, and for once, an author describes equestrian activities and accoutrements with the accuracy of someone who has either been there, or been briefed well. (Too many fictional works that rely on horsey settings contain inaccuracies that annoy people who really know horses.) A commendable first effort and worth the read.

I don't know who annoyed me more--the main character, who needs a stiff kick in the butt and a verbal urging to "get a life"; or the author, who can't seem to write a page of copy without trying to cram in every idea used by mystery writers during the past 100 years.