Big Easy Backroad

As a South Louisiana native, and a big J.L. Burke fan, I have to say I rather enjoyed the "trip" to the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a refreshing change of pace! Lots of familiar locales, esp. the reference to the "White Kitchen". part of my childhood! While Hegwood does not have the fluid, descriptive passages that are so much a part of Burke's writing, I enjoyed his fast-paced story, and apparent knowledge of all things "New Orleans" and the area around it!! I haven't heard "Chef Mentour Hwy" in YEARS!!!! A good read!!!

If you like James Lee Burke, you will love Martin Hegwood. His descriptions are just as wonderful, even more to the point. A really delightful read, a must.

This first time novelist is a "MUST-READ"! Written with humor, excitement, and real characters, this intricate plot is kind of like Magnum PI hits the Deep South. Hopefully, Martin Hegwood's first mystery novel is only the beginning of a delightful series of well-written and thought-out bonuses for mystery lovers. This one's "movie material"!

In Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, private investigator Jack Delmas feels pretty good about completing his latest case. He stops to celebrate with a few bottles of Dixie beer at the Comus Bar near the docks. The bartender, Barb, asks Jack to find a missing trucker. Unable to resist a pretty face even if she has a boy friend, Jack agrees to locate her beloved. However, being a knight in shining armor backfires on Jack who was planning to renege on his previous night's promise. The police think he is the prime suspect in the murder of Barb. Worse yet, Jack finds himself being chased by the local mob as the bartender's boy friend had connections with mobster Ricky Dee McCoy. As he flees from the law and the mob, all Jack wants to do is kick back, go sailing, and have a beer. BIG EASY BACKROAD is an engaging regional mystery that works due to the genuine detail that make the characters seem so real. The story line is fun as Jack seems to plunge deeper into Bayou trouble with every page. However, what makes this novel easy to like is the feel of the area as if Martin Hegwood is taking readers on a tour (by pickup truck) of the Bayou. Sub-genre fans will want more backroad tales starring Jack.Harriet Klausner

I thought this book was an excellently written example of a well-thought out murder mystery that has a lot of real-life humor and characters. The characters are as diverse and entertaining as you would meet in any well-known author's novels. Hegwood is a must read !!!