Under the Beetle's Cellar [Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Mary Willis Walker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1995

Kidnapped by a cult of secretive and dangerous religious extremists calling themselves the Hearth Nazarenes, Vietnam vet Walter Demming, an Austin, Texas school bus driver, and eleven of his young charges have been held underground in the cult's highly-fortified compound for forty-six days. The team of federal negotiators assigned to the case makes little progress, and little by little all hope of rescuing the hostages ebbs away.

Under The Beetle's Cellar

Two years prior to the school bus hijacking, Molly Cates, crime reporter for the Lone Star Monthly, had the bad luck to interview the leader of the fanatical cult, Samuel Mordecai -- an interview straight from the lower reaches of Hell. Mordecai was fascinatingly charismatic, and Molly left the interview having felt trapped, abused and mesmerized by a madman who kept her literally pinned to her chair while he ranted on about his apocalyptic visions for the demise of mankind.

The experience left Molly feeling haunted, but as time passes and hope for the children dims, it seems Molly is the only one with enough information about the maniacal Mordecai to serve as the conduit between him and the hostage negotiators.

Culminating in an explosive psychological confrontation so harrowing, you'll race to the terrifying finish, Under The Beetle's Cellar is a bone-chilling tale tipped from today's headlines, and more frightening than our worst nightmares.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Again featuring journalist Molly Cates, Walker's latest suspense tale concerns a religious fanatic who abducts a busload of schoolchildren.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

One would think that Walker's The Red Scream (Doubleday, 1994), which won an Edgar Award, would be a tough act to follow. The intrepid author, however, exhibits no signs of sophomore jinx in this spectacular sequel featuring Texas journalist Molly Cates. Samuel Mordecai, a fanatical, self-proclaimed prophet, kidnaps a busload of schoolchildren and their driver, a detached Vietnam veteran, and holds them beneath a heavily armed compound. While Cates delves into Mordecai's bizarre past and federal authorities attempt to negotiate with him, it becomes clear that the hostages are doomed. The final 30 minutes of Under the Beetle's Cellar are almost painfully suspenseful, and listeners will surely draw parallels with the horrifying incidents in Waco, TX, involving David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. Judith Ivey reads well, and the hokey music is used sparingly. The abridgment is adequate, but listeners may find the nonstop action a bit disconcerting. All in all, this is a good addition to the suspense collections of libraries that can't wait for an unabridged edition.?Mark Annichiarico, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553476769
• ISBN-13: 978-0553476767
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,266,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Logical, coherent and thrilling, September 2, 2000

By 

Mamalinde "mamalinde" (Dallas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under the Beetle's Cellar (Paperback)

Anna Fields does an amazing job of reading the unabridged version of this Texas-based thriller. Actually, I suspect a born storyteller. The cast of characters is a most unlikely arrangement - our "Lone Star Monthly" reporter, involved with policeman ex-husband, a pyscho dog, a double amputee Veteran, an artist/poet/busdriver, a David Koresh style fundamentalist lunatic, a nun turned assassin, a homeless alcoholic, pregnant sorority girl, a requiste number of men in suits and some incredibly strong children -- somehow it works. The school bus is highjacked, and the clock is ticking. Suspenseful and very believable, full of Austin area landmarks, thoughtful commentary on religion (IMPORTANT, if true), and a bit of middle aged romance, this especially clever novel will not disappoint. I will definitely hunt down the other books written by this author. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Note: I really did not care for the name of the book, which surprisingly evolves from an Emily Dickinson poem - it seemed trite or silly until I got into the story.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing and scary., June 14, 2000

By 

Meg Brunner (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under the Beetle's Cellar (Paperback)

Mesmerizing thriller about a crazy cult leader and his followers who kidnap a bus driver and 11 of his young passengers (all under the age of 11) and bury them underground in a school bus for 50 days. The story has two setttings -- the outside world, featuring a reporter who is trying to find out as much as possible about the cult leader's past so she can figure out a way to convince him to let the children go -- and the world inside the bus, where the bus driver, a Vietnam vet with no experience with children, overcomes his own fear to try to keep the kids calm and safe. He starts telling them a story in installments, one chapter a day, and also begins working on a way to barracade themselves in the bus in preparation for the day he knows is coming, the day the cult leader will try to sacrifice them all. Something about these kids and that bus driver's story (about a turkey vulture named Jacksonville) really drew me in. This is probably the first time a stock thriller has ever reduced me to tears by the end (of course, I did have a fever of 102 at the time). Highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put it down!!, October 2, 2000

By 

Tate (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under the Beetle's Cellar (Paperback)

This books amazing. The plot was original and the characters engrossing.

Molly Cates is back on the scene when her connection with Samuel Mordecai, a fanatical cult leader, becomes known. Molly, a reporter in Texas, wrote about Mordecai for her piece on religious cults. Now Mordecai has kidnapped a school bus with children, and the bus driver, and is holding them hostage on his compound.

This book should be read by all mystery and thriller fans. Mary Willis Walker has no parallel when it comes to involved plots that could become convoluted and ridiculous in less capable hands. She tells the story of a boy turned cult leader who was terribly abused as a child, but never uses that fact to excuse his behavior, rather to understand how a boy emotionally and physically abadoned comes to such a horrific and devastating point. The scences between the bus driver and the school children are some of the best in fiction. You feel their terror and resentment of Mordecai and cheer when they outwit him.

A great read!