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Hook Runyon Mystery #4
The Hanging of Samuel Ash
Railroad bull Hook Runyon and his dog, Mixer, are chasing persistent pickpockets on the Santa Fe line, when Hook is called to investigate a malfunctioning wigwag signal in the middle of nowhere. A young man has been strung up there, hung from the signal, and left strangled to death. Hook finds no identification on the body, other than a bronze hero's medal around the corpse's neck, with the name Samuel Ash engraved on it. Refusing to bury what seems to be a World War II hero in a pauper's grave, Hook vows to find the dead boy's family, as well as his killer.
With the casket in tow, and slowed down by an over-educated sidekick, Junior Monroe, and a stream of new tasks from the head of division, Hook finally finds his way to Carmen, Oklahoma. But no one there has ever heard of anyone named Samuel Ash. There are secrets in Carmen, most of them associated with the local orphanage and its disliked director, and Hook is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of the hanging of Samuel Ash.
Vivid characterizations, searing descriptions, and a twisty plot make Sheldon Russell's The Hanging of Samuel Ash a gripping read.
With the casket in tow, and slowed down by an over-educated sidekick, Junior Monroe, and a stream of new tasks from the head of division, Hook finally finds his way to Carmen, Oklahoma. But no one there has ever heard of anyone named Samuel Ash. There are secrets in Carmen, most of them associated with the local orphanage and its disliked director, and Hook is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of the hanging of Samuel Ash.
Vivid characterizations, searing descriptions, and a twisty plot make Sheldon Russell's The Hanging of Samuel Ash a gripping read.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
Sheldon Russell
18 books73 followersMy biography is available on my website: http://www.sheldonrussell.com
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 31, 2015
It's more than a little insane that 50 Shades of Awful Writing has a million ratings here and a solid series like this is sputtering along on book four with eight reviews. (Nine, now.) It's a mystery series, about a one-armed train detective or "yard dog" in the 1940's. You can tell how well-researched it is, and yet you never feel lost in the railway slang of the era. You are there, among the clanking and soot and clever pickpockets and angry wildcat strikers.
The second half of this one is far better than the first half, which focuses on two subplots while the main plot has to wait its turn. The townsfolk in the second half are wonderful, particularly the shoe repair guy, the former nun, and the sheriff who also has to paint houses to make ends meet.
Some of the problems I had with it are the running gags about Hook making excuses for his dog. Probably three of those jokes would have been sufficient, and there are more like twenty of them. And his boss, Eddie, is obstructionist for the author's convenience, not because he has a reason to be that way (or no reason I could guess).
Maybe a 3.5, but a pity bump because of the low number of reviews and ratings. He's a good writer. He deserves better. Give his series a chance.
The second half of this one is far better than the first half, which focuses on two subplots while the main plot has to wait its turn. The townsfolk in the second half are wonderful, particularly the shoe repair guy, the former nun, and the sheriff who also has to paint houses to make ends meet.
Some of the problems I had with it are the running gags about Hook making excuses for his dog. Probably three of those jokes would have been sufficient, and there are more like twenty of them. And his boss, Eddie, is obstructionist for the author's convenience, not because he has a reason to be that way (or no reason I could guess).
Maybe a 3.5, but a pity bump because of the low number of reviews and ratings. He's a good writer. He deserves better. Give his series a chance.
October 30, 2013
As I said in another review, it's pretty rare to find a series that continues to impress and keeps up the level of intensity and great writing throughout. This is certainly one of those series.
For a one armed man, Hook Runyon, is the consummate juggler as he handles multiple investigations, a new trainee, Eddie Preston (his boss), rough traveling conditions, money woes, and his burning desire to add to his book collection. Oh, and let's not forget, the crummy railway equipment that plagues his work.
Dialog, history, and characters make this another great addition to the series. I love having the Harvey Houses in the story. Russell's descriptions of the depots and roundhouses as well as the trains themselves puts you right there in the time and the moment.
And he knows how tell a good story too. If you aren't reading this series then give it a try. You won't be sorry.
For a one armed man, Hook Runyon, is the consummate juggler as he handles multiple investigations, a new trainee, Eddie Preston (his boss), rough traveling conditions, money woes, and his burning desire to add to his book collection. Oh, and let's not forget, the crummy railway equipment that plagues his work.
Dialog, history, and characters make this another great addition to the series. I love having the Harvey Houses in the story. Russell's descriptions of the depots and roundhouses as well as the trains themselves puts you right there in the time and the moment.
And he knows how tell a good story too. If you aren't reading this series then give it a try. You won't be sorry.
December 20, 2018
The Hook Runyon mysteries seem quite atypical to me. Though they often involve finding a murderer, the bizarre situations which instigate the investigations are quite intriguing. I also enjoy the way Runyon doggedly pursues the mysteries, even with negligible progress, despite law enforcement’s and his immediate superior’s nonchalance concerning eventual justice. In The Hanging of Samuel Ash, Runyon is set off by the possible suicide or lynching of a military hero hanging from a railroad “wig-wag” signal. It is also significant in that Hook doesn’t seduce the inevitable young woman character (I say that, even though I read this one ahead of reading Dead Man’s Tunnel, which should have been the third in the series. There may not be a beautiful young woman in that one.) in the story.
The lack of seduction might be because this woman is a former novice in a nunnery. But it may not be because she left the nunnery and indicates that it didn’t go well for her in the following exchange in which Hook admits that his life was significantly affected by the loss of his arm. “’We’re all shaped by something,’ she said. ‘My handicap came in the form of religion, large doses of it. At least your disability is out there where you can see it.’
‘Along with everyone else,’ he said. ‘But it’s only something I have to contend with so long as I’m alive.’ He held the prosthesis up. ‘I’ll be leaving this behind when I die, while you’re going right into the hereafter with yours.’” (p. 271) Hook’s belief about eternity may not be entirely clear in that exchange, but it was an interesting juxtaposition, nonetheless.
One of my favorite lines occurred after a supporting character provided Hook with a clue due to following an intuitive feeling. It reads: “’…intuition only whispers, but if often speaks the truth.’” (p. 233) The Hanging of Samuel Ash also has its lighter moments along with the usual number of near-misses and concussion-rousing blows to the head. Of course, that would even be the case if Hook were a Raymond Chandler character (or, perhaps, Stuart Kaminsky’s Toby Peters?). Hook doesn’t get any respect. Though he doesn’t have to deal with Koko the Clown after his head is bashed, he has to deal with telegraph operators, an unsympathetic supervisor, pickpockets, and wildcat strikers (as well as looters). Even the pugnacious (and sometimes, larcenous) mutt he calls “Mixer” makes multiple appearances.
There are comedic scenes involving accosting the wrong individual(s), having to train a highly educated young man (my dad would have called him an educated ignoramus, in many ways), borrowing money and trying to weasel out of it, and significant adventures aboard an unreliable road-rail (vehicle that travels on both roads (barely) and rails). My favorite scene of comedy relief came when Hook tried to teach his young charge how to hop a moving freight. “Junior,” the young trainee, grabs Hook’s pants instead of the grab iron. “Hook’s pants slipped low on his hips from Junior’s hold, and his arm went dead with fatigue. When he could hang on no longer, he shoved off hard, his pants now around his ankles, and they tumbled off down the right-of-way in a cloud of dust.” (p.239) Of course, if that type of slapstick in the middle of an intriguing mystery doesn’t tickle you, you won’t enjoy several scenes in this novel.
Truth be told, more than the other Hook Runyon novels I’ve read, The Hanging of Samuel Ash reads like an intriguing television pilot. Some of the frivolous portions overshadow the fact that the motive for the murder in this book was entirely different than one would expect. One senses the culprit behind the hanging at first meeting, but it takes the last third of the book to get the “honda knot” of the motive figured out.
The lack of seduction might be because this woman is a former novice in a nunnery. But it may not be because she left the nunnery and indicates that it didn’t go well for her in the following exchange in which Hook admits that his life was significantly affected by the loss of his arm. “’We’re all shaped by something,’ she said. ‘My handicap came in the form of religion, large doses of it. At least your disability is out there where you can see it.’
‘Along with everyone else,’ he said. ‘But it’s only something I have to contend with so long as I’m alive.’ He held the prosthesis up. ‘I’ll be leaving this behind when I die, while you’re going right into the hereafter with yours.’” (p. 271) Hook’s belief about eternity may not be entirely clear in that exchange, but it was an interesting juxtaposition, nonetheless.
One of my favorite lines occurred after a supporting character provided Hook with a clue due to following an intuitive feeling. It reads: “’…intuition only whispers, but if often speaks the truth.’” (p. 233) The Hanging of Samuel Ash also has its lighter moments along with the usual number of near-misses and concussion-rousing blows to the head. Of course, that would even be the case if Hook were a Raymond Chandler character (or, perhaps, Stuart Kaminsky’s Toby Peters?). Hook doesn’t get any respect. Though he doesn’t have to deal with Koko the Clown after his head is bashed, he has to deal with telegraph operators, an unsympathetic supervisor, pickpockets, and wildcat strikers (as well as looters). Even the pugnacious (and sometimes, larcenous) mutt he calls “Mixer” makes multiple appearances.
There are comedic scenes involving accosting the wrong individual(s), having to train a highly educated young man (my dad would have called him an educated ignoramus, in many ways), borrowing money and trying to weasel out of it, and significant adventures aboard an unreliable road-rail (vehicle that travels on both roads (barely) and rails). My favorite scene of comedy relief came when Hook tried to teach his young charge how to hop a moving freight. “Junior,” the young trainee, grabs Hook’s pants instead of the grab iron. “Hook’s pants slipped low on his hips from Junior’s hold, and his arm went dead with fatigue. When he could hang on no longer, he shoved off hard, his pants now around his ankles, and they tumbled off down the right-of-way in a cloud of dust.” (p.239) Of course, if that type of slapstick in the middle of an intriguing mystery doesn’t tickle you, you won’t enjoy several scenes in this novel.
Truth be told, more than the other Hook Runyon novels I’ve read, The Hanging of Samuel Ash reads like an intriguing television pilot. Some of the frivolous portions overshadow the fact that the motive for the murder in this book was entirely different than one would expect. One senses the culprit behind the hanging at first meeting, but it takes the last third of the book to get the “honda knot” of the motive figured out.
August 26, 2018
When Railroad Detective (Bull) Hook Runyon is sent to examine something blocking a "wig-wag" signal he is shocked to discover a man's body hanging there. Is it suicide or homocide? Does it relate to the post world war II wildcat strikes or is there another issue? Of Course, Runyon feels obligated to investigate the man's death, especially after he finds that the dead man is a decorated war veteran.
Russell is an excellent writer. He does a great job of recreating the time period and railroad logo. Runyon is a scoundrel of sorts and in this particular work- Runyon has his own moral conflict to resolve. The characters are interesting and offer a rather interesting view of small town life.
Beyond that, Russell manages to build an intriguing mystery inquiring a great deal of legwork and conversations in order to resolve. The clues are there, even if often we get a hint of the ugly naughty people long before Runyon finds evidence to point in their general direction. Still the writing is fun and the railroad stuff makes it even more interesting.
Russell is an excellent writer. He does a great job of recreating the time period and railroad logo. Runyon is a scoundrel of sorts and in this particular work- Runyon has his own moral conflict to resolve. The characters are interesting and offer a rather interesting view of small town life.
Beyond that, Russell manages to build an intriguing mystery inquiring a great deal of legwork and conversations in order to resolve. The clues are there, even if often we get a hint of the ugly naughty people long before Runyon finds evidence to point in their general direction. Still the writing is fun and the railroad stuff makes it even more interesting.
November 9, 2024
I won this book in a giveaway. I'll admit, I wasn't thrilled at the prospect of reading this book. I have zero interest in trains and railroads, but the writing made it easy reading. The plot and characters flowed smoothly and managed to hold my interest! I look forward to reading more from this author. I recommend this book for any readers 16+.
November 16, 2019
One of best in the series. Moves along at a fast pace. Mystery and action...still with nice humor.
A Good One!
A Good One!
October 20, 2014
4/5 stars
I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks!
I had not read any of the Hook Runyon series before this, but no need – this stands alone well, telling about a month in the life of a yard dog (railroad security agent), centered around a mysterious hanging in the hot summer of 1947. There are also other cases happening along the way, taking him across the small towns and railways of eastern New Mexico, the Texas panhandle, and northwestern Oklahoma.
Sheldon Russell spins a good yarn, keeping me engaged throughout. The main mystery didn’t seem too complicated, but did have some twists that held together well in the end. His device of giving Hook a greenhorn to show the ropes works well for the reader – you get to listen to Hook’s thinking and enjoy the humor of how Hook strings the kid along and banters with others.
Russell is great at setting the mood and the times – giving descriptive details of the railroads and surroundings, using the regional slang and down-to-earth banter between working folks, all giving you the sense of being there. The set of characters are also well drawn, especially Hook, but the other main ones as well. Without giving too much away, I will say that I think the villain could have been more richly drawn. But overall, I could picture how everyone looked, sounded and behaved, all of it believable.
This is exactly why I like a historical crime novel – it gives you a feel of what it was like to live in those times, with a good story that ends with riding into the sunset, on a short haul.
I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks!
I had not read any of the Hook Runyon series before this, but no need – this stands alone well, telling about a month in the life of a yard dog (railroad security agent), centered around a mysterious hanging in the hot summer of 1947. There are also other cases happening along the way, taking him across the small towns and railways of eastern New Mexico, the Texas panhandle, and northwestern Oklahoma.
Sheldon Russell spins a good yarn, keeping me engaged throughout. The main mystery didn’t seem too complicated, but did have some twists that held together well in the end. His device of giving Hook a greenhorn to show the ropes works well for the reader – you get to listen to Hook’s thinking and enjoy the humor of how Hook strings the kid along and banters with others.
Russell is great at setting the mood and the times – giving descriptive details of the railroads and surroundings, using the regional slang and down-to-earth banter between working folks, all giving you the sense of being there. The set of characters are also well drawn, especially Hook, but the other main ones as well. Without giving too much away, I will say that I think the villain could have been more richly drawn. But overall, I could picture how everyone looked, sounded and behaved, all of it believable.
This is exactly why I like a historical crime novel – it gives you a feel of what it was like to live in those times, with a good story that ends with riding into the sunset, on a short haul.
November 11, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, I think Russell's humor is growing on me. One armed Hook has a way of plowing through problems of his own making, and his borrowing of money from some of the other RR employees and the way he manipulates the memory of some of them is hilarious. Talks down the amount he borrowed to the point that one thinks he owes Hook money. The new rookie he has working for him added another twist, and you have to admire the way Hook keeps going, no matter how many scrapes he gets into. I wonder that people know what he means when he says he is the railroad bull, would expect it to be understood among the railroaders, but not the general populace. Don't want to give away any spoilers, so I will leave it at that.
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February 2, 2014I'd have to say that this book was "okay". It sounded like a really good concept for a story, and it read quickly, but it wasn't very exciting. There were a lot of redundant themes, as well. I understand that you want to establish habits in a character sometimes, but there are only so many times of: hopped a train, borrowed money, and drank Jim Beam that one wants to read. I will say, that I DID like the attitude of the main character. He was very sarcastic, and I find that type of wit quite funny. That being said, I might give another of the books in this series a chance sometime. Perhaps the action will be more attention-getting than it was in this book. Characters quite likeable, idea behind the book was good, but the action going on in the book, not so much.
September 14, 2013
Better & better. With this Hook Runyon book, I'm qualified to work for the railroad, 60 years younger, maybe as a Yard Bull. Enjoyed it, kind'a a vacation from my non-fiction Greenland Icecap studies. Clovis-Carlsbad RR run quite different from glaciers.
October 1, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed the humor, the characters, and Mr. Russell's ability to hold my interest throughout the entire story.
January 29, 2014
I think this is the strongest book in the series. I had almost lost hope after the last book but this is a nice rebound. Looking forward to the next one.
November 13, 2014
Not as good as the first two Hook Runyon books but worth reading
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June 8, 2017Miniseries: A Hook Runyon Mystery
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews