Type of bind: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 288
Printing Date: April 01, 2004
Sale Popularity Level: 924277
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Product Description:
Multiple-award winning author Sue Henry introduces a new series starring Maxie McNabb-an independent retiree whose adventures across the country in her motor home are destined for murderous roadblocks...
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Rated by buyers 
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"The Serpent's Trail," by Sue Henry, Anthony and Macavity Award-winning American author, is another in the author's series of Alaska-based cozy mysteries. But this time, she takes independent 63-year old widow Maxine (Maxie) McNabb, and her short-legged mini-dachshund companion Stretch, introduced in "Dead North," and gives them their own book, as, apparently, her readers have been requesting. She plops Maxie and Stretch into a Winnebago, sends them to Grand Junction Colorado, and several adjoining Western states, to visit a terminally ill dear old friend of Maxie's who has called her for assistance, but has been murdered before she can confide her suspicions in her old friend.
Loved all the detail of driving and caring for a recreational vehicle; and the nature writing: the author's descriptions of the beauties of these western states are excellent. The dialog is fine, and all those cups of tea give the Winnebago a homey atmosphere. But this book, older woman's chick lit if ever there was, gives us an anemic mystery. Suspects are thin on the ground, actual events are few and pale,and the McGuffin, as Alfred Hitchcock used to call it, that thing that everyone is seeking and you build a suspense story around, is ill-nourished. Not for the heavy-weight mystery buff.
Rated by buyers 
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I've listened to the 3 books in this series. Not in order but it hardly matters. Each book could stand on its own. I could have enjoyed any one of them much more if I hadn't listened to the other two.
The story line is the same in each book. Someone is ransacking at least one place, the person or persons is looking for something that Maxie has no idea of what it might be. Never mind she overlooks the clues under her nose. I've know who the the villain was very soon in each book. I am not usually listening to any mystery with trying to solve it like so many people do. The plot is ok for one book but not 3.
Maxie doesn't really flesh out well into a character of any interest. She seems flat and with out dimensions. Maxie lacks in human emotion. There are spurts of where she is given some lines that try to make her seem warmer. Fact is she is cold, flat, uninteresting and not to bright. If I read another book where the clue is just out of reach of the memory, I think I'll have to....well you fill it in. After 3 books I have no connection with her. She seems low on emotional feelings or even average intellect. If it's going to take 20 more books to flesh her out with the same ho hum plot then I'll probably not be listening.
I don't care for the amount of time she leaves her dog alone. I do like that she is taking him for lots of walks though. The snake incidence in this particular book was kind of dumb because no dog lover would have let that dog run around off a leash like that.
I don't personally know any woman of purse carrying age that would carelessly leave it setting on a chair while going into an office. Not even the incident over dinner when she went to the bathroom. Pretty much, most all the women I know have that handbag glued to them like an extra limb. Without saying what she had in her purse, a normal person would not have left it unattended.
Maxie was kind of blase in my opinion about her friend being murdered and horribly careless in her own actions after she learned of it. Not at all cautious. Going for the hike in the last bit was kind of over the top of my credulity. She knows her friend was murdered. She knows people have been getting into the house and ransacking it. She knows she was almost killed when someone tried to run her and her friend off that same trail and plunge their car over the cliff. Yet, she goes at an odd hour to (at least to me an odd hour) alone to take that hike on a treacherous sounding trail. Sigh!
I think the days of the smart but stupid woman are over. I think Maxie could be a much more fun and interesting person. In J. D. Robbs In Death series, I can say that Eve is controlling, hasn't got many soft edges. Is curt, is trying to find her own emotional depth. She's smart, capable and competent and finding herself. In M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin books, I can say that Agatha is lonely, a total *itch, shallow, fun and outspoken. All these things make her a fun read. She is very human. But Maxie, all I can say is she lives in Alaska, likes to travel and has a cute dog. Oh and tries new things out like rug making. But even that seems thin. She just doesn't have any human connection to men or women. The most emotional connection that seems genuine is with Stretch.
I listened to all 3 because they were not totally boring and moved along a good pace. If a book is really bad, I don't bother finishing it. It makes me less inclined to listen to her other series.
I would recommend these books for young teens and up. Or a person who just wants a light, fast read.
Rated by buyers 
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Delivery was fast, condition of book excellent. I haven't yet read it, but I've loved every other one of the several Sue Henry books I've read - interesting characters, good mystery, with very interesting historical facts about the areas of Alaska involved, great details about mushing sled dogs, Iditarod info, gold rush info (although the stories are modern day), Alaska State Troopers, Canadian Mounties. Great reads.
Rated by buyers 
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While maybe not as meaty as the Jesse Arnold/Iditarod Alaskan mysteries, this new series by Sue Henry is nevertheless a delight. It features indominatable 60-something widow Maxie McNabb, whom we met in Alaska, and her wonderful mini-dachshund Stretch. The two are traveling companions in a small winebago, and if this doesn't make you want to run out and buy one immediately, nothing will.
In this very first in the three-book series (so far), Maxie and Stretch travel down to Colorado (much interesting travel lore among the way) to visit Maxie's oldest and dearest friend Sarah, who is dying of a heart ailment. Not only is it to be a goodbye visit, but Sarah urgently needs to confide something important to Maxie--what, Maxie does not know.
When Maxie reaches her friend's house, she finds to her great sadness that Sarah is comatose in the hospital; apparently, her illness was quicker than expected. Sarah is able to briefly wake up and try to communicate, but her words do not make sense--and she does not last long enough to explain.
Grief-stricken and confused, Maxie is left to put together the pieces--especially when it is found that the death was not natural.
A delicious story, light on mystery but simply a delight to read.
Rated by buyers -
Sixty-three-year-old Maxie McNabb leaves Alaska in her new Winnebago RV with her mini-dachshund, Stretch, to go see her friend Sarah Nunamaker in Grand Junction, Colorado.
When she arrives, she finds her friend in the hospital and barely conscious and Sarah's house broken into with her bedroom being the worst. When she came, she knew Sarah was on her last days, but is still heartbroken when Sarah dies without Maxie really being able to speak to her. Sarah had tried to talk, but most of it didn't make sense.
Unbeknownst to Maxie, Sarah, her best friend since college, had a baby during college. Maxie just can't believe it, but once she sets eyes on this newfound child of Sarah's she knows it is true. Plus an old flame of Sarah's and Maxie's appears on the scene. Sarah's son, Alan, is very angry and often causes an uproar.
Maxie knows that Sarah was good at hiding things and must find the document she told Maxie she'd written to explain everything. Can she find this document and figure out what is going on before she finds herself needing help?
I have never read anything else by this author. I really liked the characters and the fact that the protagonist travels in an RV. Great idea. Hopefully I will get to read more in this series to see how Maxie develops over time. I enjoyed her spunk and adventure! I recommend this book.
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