Resurrection Road

Bay Tanner #5

by Kathryn R. Wall

In the South, the past can never be forgotten . . . or forgiven.

When Alain Darnay suddenly reappears on Hilton Head, Bay Tanner believes she and her former lover can finally settle into something resembling a normal life. But her tenuous peace is shattered by an innocent-looking boy with cold blue eyes who will force her to relive the nightmare of her husband's murder, to face that terrifying summer of treachery, deceit, and death.

Cart Anderson, a recently orphaned teenager burning with resentment, wants to know how and why his father, Geoffrey, died, and he's convinced Bay has the answers. But shortly after a confrontation with her in the parking lot of a glitzy resort hotel, the boy disappears. His empty car is found splattered with blood at an abandoned fort on nearby St. Helena Island, and suddenly Bay and her lover find themselves the chief suspects. When retired New York homicide detective Ben Wyler enters the case, the web of circumstantial evidence against them begins to pile up.

But what does the ancient black woman, whose ramshackle cottage sits next to the old fort, know about the boy's disappearance? And why is the entire county so willing to believe Bay is guilty? Enlisting the aid of her former partner, Erik Whiteside, and an ambitious local reporter, Bay begins to unravel a plot so intricate, so devious, it could shatter not only her own life but those of everyone she holds dear.

From the gated enclaves of the Southern aristocracy to the dusty, echoing passageways of an abandoned fort, from the secret vaults of an offshore bank to the twisted mind of a vengeful child, Resurrection Road speeds to a deadly confrontation that will alter Bay Tanner's world forever.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Southern

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2001

About the author

Kathy wrote her first story at the age of six, then decided to take a few decades off. She grew up in a small town in northeastern Ohio and attended college in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. For twenty-five years she practiced her profession as an accountant in both public and private practice. In 1994 she and her husband Norman retired to Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Her road to publishing success has taken many twists and turns. She self-published her first Bay Tanner mystery, In For a Penny, in 2001 using the innovative print-on-demand technology. Its success led to an offer from a small, regional publisher who reissued the first novel along with its sequel, And Not a Penny More, on Valentine's Day of 2002. A reprint of both books had to be ordered within six weeks.

Then serendipity struck. An editor for St. Martin's Press, visiting relatives in nearby Beaufort, was introduced to the Bay Tanner mysteries. A month later she called to offer Kathy a hardcover contract. They have since published Perdition House, Judas Island, Resurrection Road, Bishop's Reach and Sanctuary Hill in both hardcover and paperback. The eighth Bay Tanner novel, The Mercy Oak, is slated for release April, 2008.

Kathy is a founding member of Island Writers' Network and serves as treasurer for both the Sisters in Crime National Board and the Southeast Chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

Kathy has been a mentor in the Hilton Head schools and participates as a Friend of Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry. When not writing and touring for her books, Kathy and Norman play tennis, share long walks on the beach, and enjoy the lush beauty of the tidal marsh from the decks of their Hilton Head condominium. She has two stepsons and four grandchildren.

Series:
* Bay Tanner

Reviews

[Nancy M · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2**

[Caryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite of the series. There wasn't really a true mystery to solve. I agree with one of the other reviewers- Bay was just mean in this book and (my opinion) way too narcissistic. I felt like it was a long book full of hostility. Maybe it was the intense summertime heat. :)

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting series best read in order. This one, in particular, harks back to previous books and won't make a lot of sense without having read those.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 is more accurate. The novel is fast-paced; Bay's dilemmas are frustrating and maddening to read about, but in a fascinating way. The reader constantly questions, "How does this happen in America?" The problem underlying the exceptionally good story is Bay's seeming growth and maturity developed carefully over the previous four novels appear to have suffered a massive setback. Certainly, there is a major plot point that sends her spiraling, but sometimes Bay is just flat-out mean to people who are trying to help her, then only begrudgingly grateful when someone comes through for her. In this novel, it becomes more and more difficult to root for her.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series!

[Pcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

.5 really pulled the past 4 books together

[Ginger Hudock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading most of this series. This would be a difficult book to follow if you haven’t read the previous ones.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written but too fast and tense for my taste. I do think the rattlesnake against the back of her knees as she stands in the dark, is gratuitous.

[Mary Mcintyre]

I started this book twice. Got to about page 80 and didn't go back to it. The second time I got to page 26 and just didn't want to read it any more.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book enjoyable in the beginning and far-fetched after that. It starts with Bay and her Interpol boyfriend Alain Darnay being followed and Darnay roughing up a teenage boy, who reveals he was following Bay, to find out why she killed his father. I am not spoiling anything, what I am saying now is basically on the inside of the cover. When the boy goes missing the police have two suspects: Bay and Alain. So not only does Bay have a new case, she is her own client. This book starts off great and then gets all twisted and to be honest, Bay doesn't seen to really get it, until someone she loves is kidnapped.
It has all the good stuff, like who did it and why, but its get so far-fetched it loses credibility. For example, why not just kill Bay? That would be a lot easier than what they do in this book.
Granted Bay needs to live in order to write more books, so you know she is going to live, but still this book really doesn't end well in my opinion.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bay and Alain are falsely accused and setup for a murder with no body and shoddy evidence...and on that note, Alain skips town with a note just saying sorry...seriously! WIMP!!! bye-bye we won't miss you!

In the end, almost losing her dad when he is kidnapped, Red comes to the rescue and finally, all the people behind her husband's murder are arrested... I hope they stay there because we have to move on to the next phase of Bay's life...however, I am beginning to wonder if investigation is safe for her? Good news, Erik is back in the business. At least she has someone covering her back :-)

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I vacation often on Hilton Head Island, I particularly enjoyed this because of its setting on the island and in nearby Beaufort. I enjoy mystery series featuring women and will definitely look for other titles in the series.

[Mary Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

This was my favorite Bay Tanner mystery so far. Love the way Kathryn Wall weaves the story together. Her characters are great. I'm glad she brought back Erik. He adds to a great list of characters

[Allison Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good series

Always enjoy the Bay Tanner books by Wall. Can't wait to see where they go from here now that the husband's death is wrapped up

[Diane L. Sampson]

I like the development of her characters. You need to read the series in order.