Description
Nice young ladies from the Garden State really shouldn’t be dumping
bodies at sea. Then again, 20 year-old Hazel Moran is anything but your
typical Jersey girl. Raised aboard a schooner and riding shotgun beside
her father in their old tractor-trailer truck, there's little on the
road or water that she can't handle; it's her people skills that need
work. Normally that isn’t an issue – behind the wheel of a Kenworth most
people tend to leave her alone. But when Hazel and her father become
the targets of some unsavory characters hunting for her blue-haired
cousin, their stolen tractor-trailer truck and a delivery that never
arrived, she knows it's time to heed a lesson learned from her favorite
hardboiled paperbacks: playing nice will only end in tears.
For
ten sweltering days Hazel navigates the Garden State's highways and
shorelines, contending with a suspiciously wealthy stranger, white
trash, Born Agains, appliance salesmen, an unstable stalker and his
curiously troublesome companion. It'll take all her ingenuity, not to
mention some fishing tackle and high voltage, if Hazel hopes to protect
her family and unravel this tangle of greed and betrayal. And anyone who
gets too close, no matter their intent, will discover just how
dangerous shy little Hazel truly can be as she sets in motion a twisted
plan to uncover the truth, settle some scores, and if possible not wind
up dead in the process.
The Story Behind This Book
For each copy of Last Exit In New Jersey sold from December 1, 2010 through January 31, $1.00 will be donated to the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (www.njspca.org).
The NJSPCA, a non-profit organization, receives no government aid or tax dollars. It is funded solely by donations, grants, bequests and fines levied. My goal is to raise not only funds, but public awareness for the NJSPCA as they aid the welfare of animals throughout the state. Donations can also be made directly to the NJSPCA through their website: www.njspca.org
For more information, please visit the author’s website: http://www.cegrundler.com/works.htm
Or www.njspca.org
Praise and Reviews
Red Adept Reviews gave Last Exit In New Jersey 5 Stars and named it one of the three best mysteries of 2010. She said:
This is one of the best books I have read in quite awhile. And, with as
many books as I read, that's saying something. The plot was a winding
road leading across a vast coastline of mayhem. The storyline had me
guessing right up until the last chapter.
The narrative was fast paced and nerve wracking. From the rather
passive opening to the nail -biting action scenes, I was held
enthralled.
The tale opened with the main character, Hazel, disposing of a dead
body, along with her father and friend. The story climbed to several
crescendos from there. The chapters alternated between being told from
the point of view of Hazel to the viewpoint of Hammon, the other main
character. Each chapter left me unable to stop reading until I had
started the next.
Expertly composed, this novel kept me glued to my Kindle. I had
question upon question about what was going on and how it was going to
end. There was zero disappointment as the ending tied up everything
neatly.
Character Development: 5 Stars
As noteworthy as the plot, the characters were terrific. Hazel was
sassy and strong, yet with a compelling hint of vulnerability. She was
completely believable.
Hammon was my favorite character. He was insane and confused, but
that made him the most fun. His friend Annabelle was my second favorite
character. They played off of each other with humor and melancholy in a
wonderful mix.
Writing Style: 5 Stars
The composition style worked perfectly for this story. I loved the
switching of viewpoints and the way it kept me guessing without
contrived cliff-hangers. The dialogue was crisp and completely
realistic. There was just the right amount of humor injected to give the
tale a little lift, without downplaying the gravity of the situations.
The descriptions were vivid enough to make me feel like I was watching
this book on a movie screen.
