Review of Rough Way to the High Way
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Carol McCoy Phelps
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Review of Rough Way to the High Way
[Following is a volunteer review of "Rough Way to the High Way" by Kelly Mack McCoy.]
“Are you a driver or a preacher?”
“Yes, I am. Or was. A preacher, I mean. And a driver.”
Kelly Mack McCoy chronicles the misadventures of Robert “Mack” McClain, a disillusioned preacher who steps down from his pulpit and climbs up into the driver’s seat of a Peterbilt semi in Rough Way to the High Way. Mack finds himself accompanied by a mysterious hitchhiker—and way over his head—when his long haul to Chicago takes a detour through danger. Killers, smugglers, and terrorists litter the highway, challenging and stalling his progress.
In Chapter 1, Mack passes a “DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS” sign just beyond Jordan Prison in Pampas, Texas. Mack senses a fleeting memory of his father, who died in prison. Was that his ghost leaning against that sign? Mack shakes off the feeling and keeps driving until he sees the figure of a man walking along the roadside. Despite the sign, Mack pulls over and offers him a ride.
Pampas is Mack’s hometown, so he decides to turn the truck around and go back up the road to visit the old truck stop to see if it is still in business. A lot happens at the truck stop. Mack meets a bubbly, babbling waitress who brings some comic relief while also serving as a pivotal character for information. Some truckers notice a suspicious couple tampering with Mack’s trailer and call the police. A lot of drama ensues but the author refrains from giving away too much of the plot at this early point in the novel. I found this part quite interesting, and it motivated me to keep reading.
Why are people tampering with Mack’s trailer? There is nothing there to steal. His load consists of sides of beef. Since the man and woman are in a car, it is unlikely that they can handle that. Who are they? Why did they target Mack’s rig?
Without throwing out any spoilers, it’s necessary to mention that Mack is a widower. He believes that his wife was murdered even though her death was ruled a suicide. He and a Texas Ranger believe that they know who killed her. Is this related to the trouble Mack experiences on his run to Chicago? Who could want to make trouble for a former preacher?
I like McCoy’s writing style. The narrative style reminds me of a little bit of the old Philip Marlowe novels from the 1940s, particularly the nicknames he gives to people, including “Officer Pipe Cleaner” and “Round Face.” McCoy sometimes doles out metaphors like eye candy for readers to devour: “He shook the memories off with humor, like he always did, driving them back into a forgotten graveyard in his mind.” The novel is short, and easily readable in an evening or a weekend. Don’t look for complicated, convoluted character arcs. McCoy has a story to tell, and he does exactly that in fine form.
I have no complaints to register about this novel. It is exceptionally well-edited and refreshingly devoid of coarse language. For these reasons, I rate this interesting novel 5 out of 5 stars. The book contains references to gun violence and murder, so I recommend it to adults and mature teens.
******
Rough Way to the High Way
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
“Are you a driver or a preacher?”
“Yes, I am. Or was. A preacher, I mean. And a driver.”
Kelly Mack McCoy chronicles the misadventures of Robert “Mack” McClain, a disillusioned preacher who steps down from his pulpit and climbs up into the driver’s seat of a Peterbilt semi in Rough Way to the High Way. Mack finds himself accompanied by a mysterious hitchhiker—and way over his head—when his long haul to Chicago takes a detour through danger. Killers, smugglers, and terrorists litter the highway, challenging and stalling his progress.
In Chapter 1, Mack passes a “DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS” sign just beyond Jordan Prison in Pampas, Texas. Mack senses a fleeting memory of his father, who died in prison. Was that his ghost leaning against that sign? Mack shakes off the feeling and keeps driving until he sees the figure of a man walking along the roadside. Despite the sign, Mack pulls over and offers him a ride.
Pampas is Mack’s hometown, so he decides to turn the truck around and go back up the road to visit the old truck stop to see if it is still in business. A lot happens at the truck stop. Mack meets a bubbly, babbling waitress who brings some comic relief while also serving as a pivotal character for information. Some truckers notice a suspicious couple tampering with Mack’s trailer and call the police. A lot of drama ensues but the author refrains from giving away too much of the plot at this early point in the novel. I found this part quite interesting, and it motivated me to keep reading.
Why are people tampering with Mack’s trailer? There is nothing there to steal. His load consists of sides of beef. Since the man and woman are in a car, it is unlikely that they can handle that. Who are they? Why did they target Mack’s rig?
Without throwing out any spoilers, it’s necessary to mention that Mack is a widower. He believes that his wife was murdered even though her death was ruled a suicide. He and a Texas Ranger believe that they know who killed her. Is this related to the trouble Mack experiences on his run to Chicago? Who could want to make trouble for a former preacher?
I like McCoy’s writing style. The narrative style reminds me of a little bit of the old Philip Marlowe novels from the 1940s, particularly the nicknames he gives to people, including “Officer Pipe Cleaner” and “Round Face.” McCoy sometimes doles out metaphors like eye candy for readers to devour: “He shook the memories off with humor, like he always did, driving them back into a forgotten graveyard in his mind.” The novel is short, and easily readable in an evening or a weekend. Don’t look for complicated, convoluted character arcs. McCoy has a story to tell, and he does exactly that in fine form.
I have no complaints to register about this novel. It is exceptionally well-edited and refreshingly devoid of coarse language. For these reasons, I rate this interesting novel 5 out of 5 stars. The book contains references to gun violence and murder, so I recommend it to adults and mature teens.
******
Rough Way to the High Way
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
J. Carol McCoy-Phelps
