Carolyn Wheat

Route 66 is that famous US highway that ran nearly 2500 miles across the continent, from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. As one of the original highways of the US Highway system, it was established in 1926, and provided the route for the Dust Bowl travelers during the Depression. The highway has been much mythologized in fiction (e.g., Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath) and in song (as in Nat King Cole's recording that urged listeners to “get your kicks on Route 66.)"

This anthology contains 18 mystery/ crime stories have two things in common. All take place on Route 66, and all were written by authors that themselves had lived along that famous highway at some point in their lives.

The concept was intriguing; however, in audio format, I found the stories to be spotty in quality and interest. In listening to them, I did not find any of the stories that stood out in particular. However, two readers at Amazon especially liked “Motel 6” and “Rappin Dog.” Other stories that sparked reader interest include “Spooked,” “Willing to Work,” and “Blue Time.” Below is a list of all 16 stories, with their authors:

Canasta Club (Eleanor Taylor Bland)
Motel 66 (Barbara D’Amato)
Shades of ’66 (Michael Allen Dimoch)
Blue Time (Earlene Fowler)
Dead Man’s Curve (Judith van Gieson)
Spooked (Carolyn G. Hart)
A Flash of Chrysanthemums (JA Jance)
...Hell (Charles Knief)
Blind Corner (David Linzee)
Endless Road (John Lutz)
Incident on Sixth Street (D.R. Meredith)
53 Buick (Gary Philips)
Rappin Dog (Dick Lochte)
Willing to Work (Les Roberts)
Endless Road (John Lutz)
Too Many Midnights (Carolyn Wheat)… (more)

I didn’t exactly read this cover to cover, but it gave me a lot to think about when it comes to mystery and suspense and the differences between them. It contained some of the best explanation and examples of different genres that I’ve seen. I’m always on the lookout for some sort of definitive list of genres to use as categories on my blog, and this gave me a good place to start. (By the way, if anyone has a list of genres that *they* use, please share!) It also helped me narrow down what exactly I’m trying to write. This was a good Kindle purchase, and I’m sure I will use it as a reference in years to come.… (more)