Review Summaries

• The book is praised for its brisk road-trip energy and warm character writing, giving it an approachable feel even though it centers on crime. Readers tend to value the changing relationship between the two leads and the pleasure of the detours along the way more than any hard-edged suspense.

Reviews

• More to the story than it first appears

  Although each of the stories succeeds as a stand-alone, together they weave seamlessly into a poignant tale about choices, starting over, and forgiveness. The writing is crisp and clean; the plot is well-paced and engaging throughout. It is the author's subtle attention to detail that captures these endearing but morally compromised characters. Louise lacks refinement, but her spot-on observations land with unapologetic honesty. She meets her principled but ethically ambiguous boyfriend, Del, when he robs the convenience store where she works. Their cross-country pursuit of lofty dreams is punctuated with moments that are sometimes tender, often painful, but always rescued by love. This is a delightful story about growing up, letting go, and looking in the same direction. I look forward to more from this author.

• A joy from start to finish

  It's not the sort of crime novel I usually read, but I loved this! Funny, beautifully observed and insightful. Del and Louise are anti-heroes who will long live on in my mind.

• Come along for the ride

  Art Taylor is one of the best short story writers creating mystery stories today. He has a list of awards and nominations to prove it, and this novel of linked short stories is simply further delightful proof. Plot isn't enough to keep me interested in a book. I take well-developed characters as a given, if I'm going to spend time with them. So what really determines whether I'll keep reading is beautiful, interesting, complex, funny writing, along with characters that interest me and a plot that keeps me guessing. Art Taylor delivers that. Del and Louise are unexpected, from the first story to the last, as they themselves discover who they are: crooks or heroes? And the writing is rich and engaging.

• Pretty darned good book

  I read the first chapter of On the Road with Del and Louise in The Best American Mystery Stories of 2016, edited by Elizabeth George (which, by the way, is a good book). The end of the story was unexpected in this context, as it finished with some real feeling for the main characters, Louise, who narrates the story, and Del, who Louise met Del when he held up the Convenience Store where she worked. I was surprised enough by what I'd call a curiously happy ending and the fact that I cared enough about the characters to order the book from which the story came. The writer, Art Taylor, has called this a novel in stories, and I suppose that's what it is, though the stories are pretty continuous. I'd almost rather think of this as a novel in episodes, but I did finish each episode as I would finish a story. I remained interested enough in the characters to read the next one and the next one. This is a well handled book, pleasant, and purely enjoyable to read. It's thoughtful and sensitive and kindly, in a mildly dark way. And it is satisfying overall, and in its chunks, of which there are five. I'm the sort of reader who gets wildly impatient with bad writing or bad storytelling, and though there were some quieter passages where tension lags just a bit, I always knew something interesting was coming. Del and Louise travel over the country, each episode taking place in a different American locale, and that in itself is handled well. The writer doesn't go too far overboard using recognizable locations or even exotic occurrences, and he always keeps us a little off-kilter and often amused. I think this was a pretty good book, and I also think a lot of people would enjoy it. I would be surprised if someone wasn't considering making a movie of the book, because it would be just as enjoyable on the big screen. It's a good book.

• A Novel in Stories - Love it!

  A study in contrasts, the author uses the setting for each of the stories to take readers across the country. From the initial holdup at the convenience store to the Vegas wedding gone wrong, to the babies, to annoying in-laws on both sides, to the final scene, I was captivated. When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure what to make of the bold, sassy Louise and the quiet, contemplative Del. By the time I finished, I didn't want their stories to end. Their banter was realistic and they felt like people I could actually know. The descriptions added to the story, adding just enough detail to enhance the other elements. When they return to Louise's childhood home where they stay with her mother, for example, there's a scene where Louise reflects on the distance between the house and town, comparing her childhood perspective to how she sees it through adult eyes. I recommend this book because it contains a bit of everything - lighthearted comedy, realistic drama, and thrilling scenes that will leave you on the edge of your seat, wondering what comes next.

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