Review of Rough Way to the High Way

[Lara Keir]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Rough Way to the High Way" by Kelly Mack McCoy.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Rough Way to the High Way by Kelly Mack McCoy is an inspirational novel about a pastor-turned-trucker who goes on the road after his wife’s death. The author is uniquely qualified to speak on this topic, as he spent a significant portion of his life on the highways and decided to finish the project of writing this book after the death of John Floyd Mills, the author with whom he wanted to team up with to write this book. I found that knowing about this background gave the book even more depth since it includes the topic of dealing with grief.

The book is full of action, suspense, and mystery. The main goal of Mack, the protagonist, is to get the truck's load to Chicago. This simple task turns into a series of unexpected events, including a police investigation and the FBI. The story starts as Mack picks up a hitchhiker since he reminds him of his father, who died in prison, and gets a feeling it is something God wants him to do. Mack soon discovers that the hitchhiker indeed just got out of jail, and his presence turns to change the story’s direction and transforms both characters.

I loved how the story progressed from seemingly unimportant events, such as seeing the hitchhiker on the road or meeting a talkative waitress at the first stop. Mack’s openness to give others a chance and see them as more than their past made him a highly relatable and likable character. As the story progresses, the author masterfully showcases that this simple act of kindness towards others saved Mack time and time again on the road.

I immensely enjoyed reading this book and found it to be done with great care and quality. The only negative I can point out is that the ending felt a bit dramatic and unrealistic. I would not reveal more details, but I hope those interested will be curious to see how the story ends and form their opinions. Overall, the book was exceptionally well-edited; I found no mistakes. Since the positives greatly overweight the negatives, I give the book 4 out of 4 stars.

The book includes Christian teachings, and Mack, as an ex-pastor, often refers to Bible verses of faith throughout his journey. For this reason, the target audience may be swayed towards Christians; however, due to its suspenseful and relatable style, I wouldn’t necessarily limit it there.

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Rough Way to the High Way
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