ONE FOR THE ROAD by Mary Ellis will be published on January 5th, 2021 by Severn House Publishers.
When travel writer Jill Curtis is sent to rural Kentucky to write a piece on the rising popularity of bourbon distillers and tours of the distilleries, she finds herself caught up in an old family feud. While touring one of the distilleries, Jill stumbles across the dead body of the owner. Despite looking like a tragic accident, it is soon determined that the man was murdered. Because she is distantly related to the victim’s wife—and because she hopes to expand her career beyond writing fluffy travel pieces—Jill makes it her mission to delve into the family feud and help the police uncover the killer.
I was excited about the premise of ONE FOR THE ROAD, but the book almost immediately let me down. I hate to speak badly of a fellow writer, but the writing was subpar at best. It felt like a first draft that was never revised or edited. There was no depth to the novel. It lacked description and transitions. None of the characters were likable or realistic—the main character acts like a person half her age and probably shouldn’t be allowed out of the house without adult supervision. The police seem to have no idea what they are doing and basically let a travel writer take over their investigation. The author also uses stereotypes of rural Appalachia that I found distasteful. And the murderer was obvious even before the murder took place. Overall, I was not a fan of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.