A Rocky Road

by Glen Ebisch

When Susan Cantwell leaves her suburban teaching job and travels to Colorado to become a guide on a bus tour of the Rocky Mountains, she expects her life will be a little more exciting. What she does not expect is that a female passenger will die mysteriously at the beginning of her first solo tour. When another death occurs soon after, Susan knows she is in for a dangerous ride. Teaming up with a handsome but intimidating private detective, Susan is determined to smoke out the killer. It is obvious that one of the passengers is picking off the others---one by one. As the tour bus winds its way through the mountains, it seems like time is running out to stop the murderer. Can Susan and Detective James Alston put an end to the killings before the final curtain call?

186 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Glen Albert Ebisch lives with his wife in western Massachusetts. His interests include philosophy, yoga, and reading mysteries..

Reviews

[AmyKatherine1974 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have been reading a lot of mysteries, suspense novels and thrillers lately so I thought this book would be right up my alley and I couldn't wait to receive it. Boy was I severely disappointed.

My first issue was that I just could not find a way to get into the characters in this book. They seemed extremely flat, one dimensional characters- ALL OF THEM. It's not that I disliked the characters- there wasn't enough subsistence in them to dislike or like. The majority of the book takes place on a tour- so you would think that you would have plenty of time to get into the characters and their inner workings. But no.

My second issue is that the plot was a very predictable whodunit type story line with not one twist, not one surprise. None of the characters had any sort of epiphany, moral challenge, nothing to pull me in. I hate to say it but it seemed almost cartoonish. I seriously expected to find out at the end that they were all part of some murder-mystery tour group and were acting in some sort of silly plot. Unfortunately this is not the case.

I most definitely do not recommend this book.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

"A Rocky Road" by Glen Ebisch is a "light" murder mystery and a quick read at only 186 pages. The setting is interesting; a bus tour through the Rocky Mountains. The heroine/amatuer sleuth in Susan Cantrell, a young school teacher who has taken a leave of absence from her job after the death of her father and who is looking for a change in her life situation. A small cast of pretty stereotypical characters, including an undercover detective (handsome and Susan's love interest of course) are on the tour. Shortly after telling Susan that she needs to speak to her, and predictably, before she can do so, an elderly woman is murdered. There is an attempt made on Susan's life and a second murder follows. There is a surprise twist before the killer is revealed, but as the author played fair and left clues for the reader, I figured out "whodunnit" very early in the book.

This is a short, easy read for people who enjoy mysteries that are not very complex.


I received this book from the Amazon Vine Program for my honest review.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder on a Bus Tour in the Rocky Mountains

Susan Cantwell is on her first solo trip as a tour guide on a bus tour of the Rocky Mountains. She left her overbearing family and teaching job in New Jersey to try to become her own person. On the tour, she gets more than she bargained for when the passengers start to die. One of the passengers, a handome detective named James Alston, has been hired by the bus company because of a series of identity thefts. Together they try to solve the first murder before more occur.

This novel is reminiscent of a country house mystery where there are a limited number of guests from which to choose the murderer. Unfortunately, for anyone who reads a lot of mysteries, it makes it rather easy to guess who-done-it.

The novel is also a traditional boy meets girl romance. Susan and James are the only young people on the bus tour and predictably they find each other interesting. This is enhanced when they work together to solve the mystery of why the passengers are being murdered.

The novel is a quick read. If you like your mystery laced with romance, you may enjoy this book. If you're a serious mystery fan, give it a miss.

I reviewed this book for the Amazon Vine Program.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced clean mystery

"A Rocky Road" was actually copyrighted in 2004 by Avalon Books and was reproduced from the Avalon book archive files (per a blurb at the start of the book).

I liked that this book took place in Colorado, one of my favorite places and the tour depicted in the book actually went to many of my favorite places within the state - Air Force Academy, Mesa Verde, Durango-Silverton Railroad, Ouray - and while not overly descriptive, it was accurate in the descriptions.

This is a short mystery that most people will figure out pretty quickly but it was written well and there was no foul language or sex in the book.

If you want a quick, decent read, try this one.

[Jessica Hartzell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I waited quite a while for this one and about 1 1/2 months later it came from Coos Bay. It was a fun read all in all, but it was quite silly (good word for it Mandy). The storyline made me laugh, especially in the view of the killer, but I still enjoyed it.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather a nice little mystery with a sweet romance on the side. I always like a book that takes me travelling and this one provides a nice tour through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. An easy summer beach read.

[Jeannine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I figured out the plot before I was a third of the way through the book. That was not a result of any superior brain function on my part, it was more of a reflection of the dimness of the plot.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is silly. It is a clean read though. It is a no brainer, simple murder mystery, however, the murderer is easy to detect (by the 4th chapter and that is pushing it.)

[Malia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read but not a lot of depth to it. I liked how it was a clean murder mystery.

[Kaylynn Johnsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was juvenile. I knew who dunnit by page 11 and they really wasn't anything else to keep my interest.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my Amazon review.