Mary H. (Ladyhawke) -
Helpful Score: 6
This is the first Maxie McNabb mystery. Maxie and her dog Stretch head to Colorado to visit a very old friend who is dying. She has something important to tell Maxie, but by the time Maxie reaches her, she is in the hospital, and is too weak to give Maxie all the information she needs. So Maxie heads to her house to find hidden secrets.
Rachel P. (Retrogram) -
Helpful Score: 6
Wonderful Maxie and Stretch story. Love these characters. We need more Maxie books!!!
Helpful Score: 4
The first of the Maxie & Stretch Alaskan series. Very enjoyable mystery.
Stephanie S. (punkinema) -
Helpful Score: 4
My first Sue Henry book. The location is Grand Junction, Colorado where Maxie and her dog, Stretch, drive to help out an old friend. A bit too much detail of everything Maxie sees, but her characters are well-defined and I liked Maxie's spirit and courage. I will definitely read another one!
Erin S. (ErinMireille) reviewed The Serpents Trail (Maxie and Stretch, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Lots of fun. I love the characters of Maxie and Stretch. I love the way she keeps Maxie human and so believable. It is great fun. Makes me want to look at getting myself a Minnie Winnie!
Helpful Score: 2
Kept me guessing more than the usual cozy mystery. Maxie and Stretch are very endearing characters.
Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
Helpful Score: 1
I was in the mood for a soft-edged, intriguing mystery filled with excellent characters, and that's exactly what I found in The Serpents Trail. Already familiar with Sue Henry's Jessie Arnold mysteries set in Alaska, I wanted to see what a wandering sixtysomething widow with a small dog and an RV could do.
Maxie McNabb is in the minority in the crime fiction community of characters. She's in her sixties. She's widowed after two happy and fulfilling marriages and has no inclination to go that route again. Her friends and her dog Stretch supply all the companionship she needs. She's also got itchy feet and loves to travel all over the continent in her Winnebago. I rapidly fell in love with her independent spirit and level-headedness. Another aspect of her character that I deeply appreciated was that she possesses no desire to be either a victim or a hero. She's smart; she knows her capabilities; and she gets help when she needs it. We need more characters like Maxie McNabb in crime fiction.
In many ways, the mystery is a treat, with Sarah's habit of creating secret hiding places all over her house and having a will that creates altogether too much interest amongst those who may inherit. People aren't always who they seem either, and that will and those suspicious characters are the deciding factors in Maxie's little trip to Salt Lake City to do a little sleuthing in Sarah's family tree. The only jarring note in the entire book was the fact that the ending wasn't quite convincing-- but that doesn't bother me much. I've already ordered other books in this Maxie and Stretch series!
Maxie McNabb is in the minority in the crime fiction community of characters. She's in her sixties. She's widowed after two happy and fulfilling marriages and has no inclination to go that route again. Her friends and her dog Stretch supply all the companionship she needs. She's also got itchy feet and loves to travel all over the continent in her Winnebago. I rapidly fell in love with her independent spirit and level-headedness. Another aspect of her character that I deeply appreciated was that she possesses no desire to be either a victim or a hero. She's smart; she knows her capabilities; and she gets help when she needs it. We need more characters like Maxie McNabb in crime fiction.
In many ways, the mystery is a treat, with Sarah's habit of creating secret hiding places all over her house and having a will that creates altogether too much interest amongst those who may inherit. People aren't always who they seem either, and that will and those suspicious characters are the deciding factors in Maxie's little trip to Salt Lake City to do a little sleuthing in Sarah's family tree. The only jarring note in the entire book was the fact that the ending wasn't quite convincing-- but that doesn't bother me much. I've already ordered other books in this Maxie and Stretch series!
Jennifer V. (jenvince) reviewed The Serpents Trail (Maxie and Stretch, Bk 1) on + 136 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was good! I would definitely read more Maxie McNabb stories. Well written.
Helpful Score: 1
This was the first Maxie McNabb book I read, and I will read more. We have an RV, so it is fun to read about a lady who travels.
Deborah H. (littlepine) -
Helpful Score: 1
The first book in a mystery series starring Maxie McNabb who is an independent retiree whose adventures across the country in her motor home and with her mini-dachshund "Stretch" are destined for murderous roadblocks....I enjoyed this first book a lot and will be looking for the next one in the series.. I highly recommend this book for a quick read.
ANNE B. (prairiegrass1) reviewed The Serpents Trail (Maxie and Stretch, Bk 1) on + 29 more book reviews
A likable character and likable dog. A good read.
This is the start of a whole new series by Sue Henry and great writing, learned a lot about Colorado --- characters most enjoyable and story more then believable!
Connie A. (jazzysmom) -
This is the first Maxie and Stretch mystery. I hope there will be lots more. When i picked out this book it was a new author for me, but as you read her Thank you's, she has one for J. A. Jance. I very much enjoy this author---so i read. This is not a fluffy chic lit mystery. It has depth and is very interesting I also hesitate when there are animals in a story as i can't stand to have an animal hurt, but it is not this way. Stretch stays safe and well taken care of. A fast read as you won't be able to find a place to stop to go to bed. It is had to put this book down. I am truely waiting for the next. Ms Henry rocks!
Super great book as all of Sue Henry's are Would love a list of all she has wrote Can't put them down
Kimberly N. (kimberlyrav) -
First line: "A partially open door, always has a question in it".
I LOVED THIS! I got the whole set, books 1-4 here on PBS and thought Id read the whole series this summer as I am not able to vacation this year and since "Maxie and Stretch" take the road vacationing from Alaska to New Mexico and beyond I thought Id go with them in my mind instead.
Well its working I feel like I am on vacation for sure. Sue Henry does an amazing job at describing the surroundings of each place that Maxie visits and I love the mystery and mayhem that follow her adventures along the way. This book made me cry, made me yell out loud at Maxie and made me feel all the things a good book can pull out of you. I am on book 2 now where they arrive in New Mexico and am loving it. The author, Sue Henry, is 84 now and in declining health. Her last book written is called, "Cold as Ice" in 2010 was NEVER published. You will see the cover here on PBS but the book was never released, none of us are sure why. You can not get it anywhere. So I guess it was ironic "The End of the Road" was her last book. This is a wonderful series and I have just posted book 1 and it is the only copy avail on PBS so far. Get all 4 books, I know you'll love these! People are suggested a lady named, Dana Stabenow, if you are into Alaskan mysteries, since Sue Henry is MIA.
I LOVED THIS! I got the whole set, books 1-4 here on PBS and thought Id read the whole series this summer as I am not able to vacation this year and since "Maxie and Stretch" take the road vacationing from Alaska to New Mexico and beyond I thought Id go with them in my mind instead.
Well its working I feel like I am on vacation for sure. Sue Henry does an amazing job at describing the surroundings of each place that Maxie visits and I love the mystery and mayhem that follow her adventures along the way. This book made me cry, made me yell out loud at Maxie and made me feel all the things a good book can pull out of you. I am on book 2 now where they arrive in New Mexico and am loving it. The author, Sue Henry, is 84 now and in declining health. Her last book written is called, "Cold as Ice" in 2010 was NEVER published. You will see the cover here on PBS but the book was never released, none of us are sure why. You can not get it anywhere. So I guess it was ironic "The End of the Road" was her last book. This is a wonderful series and I have just posted book 1 and it is the only copy avail on PBS so far. Get all 4 books, I know you'll love these! People are suggested a lady named, Dana Stabenow, if you are into Alaskan mysteries, since Sue Henry is MIA.
