Murder on the Mother Road by Glenn Nilson – Review, Interview + Giveaway

I received this book for free from . This review is voluntary. My opinion is not influenced in any way.

Murder on the Mother Road on March 8, 2016
Pages: 227
Format: eARC
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Bobby Navarro rides his Harley into another adventure when he discovers the body of a young woman in the trunk of a parked car in Williams, Arizona, on old Route 66.

Who would leave a car, with a body in it, parked on the main street of town? And, who told the police Bobby had been the driver of the car, because they soon take him to the police station to conduct an “interview”.

Then, to make matters worse, Bobby realizes one of the police officers is a woman he had a crush on in high school. And, that’s just his first night in town. Next morning, Bobby has breakfast at a local diner, where everyone is talking about the murder and the arrest of one of the diner’s cooks. The staff don’t think the suspect is guilty of the crime, and one of the locals, Daryl King, lets slip to Bobby that he knows who the guilty party really is. Trouble is, Daryl won’t tell the police whatever it is he knows. In fact, Daryl has trouble talking with anyone. The fact that he made an exception in Bobby’s case, leads to Bobby agreeing to work with the police to find out if Daryl does know who the killer is. Bobby’s part in the investigation takes him to the Holiness Pentecostal Church of the Brethren, a church run by an ex-biker and two of his former gang members. There, he discovers a host of suspects, leaving Bobby to wonder whether he will have to “get religion” in order to help solve this Murder on the Mother Road.

1) Describe your writing space.

I write on a laptop in order to be able to write any where. I have an upstairs office in our home in New York, but I often set up my laptop on a table on the porch or back deck downstairs. We have a big maple tree in our yard and our house sits on a trout stream. I enjoy glancing at the wildlife from time to time. I do pretty much the same thing in Florida. I can often look up and discover a tall heron or a couple of limpkins walking along the canal or perching on our patio furniture.

2) What influences your writing?

I was a sociologist in one of my former professional lives, and I’m always fascinated by social issues, settings and interaction. I’m a people-watcher, too. I love imagining the possible story behind some scene I come across on a trip or in daily life. As to my story settings, I made a number of motorcycle trips to the Southwest when I was teaching sociology, and eventually moved to New Mexico. Those trips have provided a great influence on my series. I feel a sense of being home, and of wellbeing in the great open spaces of the Southwest, as does my protagonist Bobby Navarro.

3) Where did the idea for the Bobby Navarro Mystery series come from?

That’s a fun question. I was trying to figure out what I could write about, and my wife, Lesley Diehl, said with my background of having ridden a motorcycle so much it was obvious that I should write about a biker. I liked the idea. I still had to play around with the character a while, but eventually Bobby emerged and I got to know him. It’s been a fun ride.

4) Do you have any special drinks and/or snacks while you’re writing?

I’m a coffee or tea drinker, and usually have a half-empty mug beside me while I work. I prefer the coffee or tea to be hot, but it’s usually cold because I get caught up in the writing. No snacks, though. I’m afraid I’d get crumbs in my keyboard if I tried that.

5) Do you write on a schedule or whenever inspiration strikes?

I do best if I write on a regular schedule. Watching the story unfold on my computer screen provides pretty good inspiration to keep writing. Trouble is, home renovation projects make it very difficult to keep the writing schedule I’d like to maintain.

6) If you could write from anywhere in the world, where would you write from, and why?

As a kid, I went on a ride along the Seventeen Mile Drive near Carmel, California and fell in love with one of the homes I saw on the beach there. I always wanted to be a writer and live on the Pacific Ocean in that place. I don’t know if I could write there, but it would be fun to try.

7) Do any of your characters remind you of yourself?

No. I certainly draw from my experiences, but my writing is not autobiographical and my characters have their own backgrounds. I have gotten to know them for who they are, but they don’t remind me of myself.

8) What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I’m an outdoor person, and I enjoy working with my hands, hence the building projects. I love a motorcycle on an open road as much as Bobby does, and we share a love of cooking. Like Bobby, I enjoy keeping and using sourdough, and cooking over a campfire is terrific. Although, when I’m not actually writing, talking about writing with Lesley is a favorite pastime.

9) Do you listen to music while your write, have silence or just ambient noise?

I’m perfectly happy with ambient noise. Most music is too distracting for me to write. In college, I did a lot of my studying in my favorite café and liked the background of noise I got there. I can still work in a restaurant, or some hidden nook in a hotel but at home I like to work with the ambient noise I get there.

10) Finally, what are you currently working on?

I’m working on another novel in the series with Bobby Navarro. I am setting it in a very different location, though- Florida. I want to keep Bobby on the road, but let some of the larger part of the country I’ve traveled provide some canvas for Bobby’s Murder on the Road adventures.

Thank you so much for visiting Brooke Blogs and answering some interview questions. I really appreciate it, and I’m sure my readers have enjoyed it as much as I have. I can’t wait for the next Bobby Navarro book!

Murder on the Mother Road by Glenn Nilson is the second book in the Bobby Navarro mystery series. I really enjoyed the first book, Murder on Route 66, and I loved this one as well. In this installment, Bobby Navarro is on the road to see the Grand Canyon. He is in a town near the Canyon when he witnesses a hit and run. After he tries to gather info on the driver leaving the scene, he notices the car they hit has some cloth hanging out of the trunk. Upon further investigation, the trunk pops open and there is the body of a young girl inside. Bobby calls the police and winds up as a suspect.

Trying to make sure his name stays cleared, and the right people are held responsible for the murder, Bobby starts asking questions around town. This was a mystery that had me thinking I might know how it was going to turn out, but still being surprised at the end. I love the characters and the setting. I really like that Bobby is a character who isn’t in the same place for very long, and we get to follow him on his travels. I am looking forward to reading more in this series. The Bobby Navarro mysteries are on my must-read list.

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