Scratchgravel Road: A Mystery

Josie Gray Mysteries #2

by Tricia Fields, Nicole Poole (Narrator)

It was pure luck that police chief Josie Gray spotted the car, abandoned out in the desert off Scratchgravel Road. If she hadn't stopped to investigate, then she'd never have found the young woman, lying nearly dead of heatstroke on the sand - and the corpse of an older, Mexican man beside her. Cassidy Harper may be grateful to Josie for saving her life, but she still can't explain why she was out for a walk in the midday desert heat, let alone how she happened upon the body. And once Josie sees the ominous wounds on the man's arms, she knows she needs to find the answer fast, because the evidence points to a death that is not only unnatural, but could be the first of many. Set in the unique world of small-town Texas, Scratchgravel Road confirms Tricia Fields's place as a talented new mystery author and chronicler of the Southwest.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Westerns, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Crime

Audio CD

First published March 5, 2013

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
A solid addition to the Josie Gray series. Josie is the police chief in fictional Artemis, Texas, located on the Rio Grande border with Mexico. She is out on patrol when she notices an abandoned car. She discovers Cassidy Harper, passed out from heatstroke, lying next to a dead man. Cassidy survives, but won't tell what she knows about the dead man. The dead man has large, open sores on his arms. He is eventually identified as a worker at a radioactive decontamination site. Faced with what could be radiation poisoning or murder, Josie confronts a complex case that requires all of her abilities and those of her 2 additional officer police force. She does solve the case. There are some subplots, including Marta Cruz' problems with her teenage daughter and Josie's personal life.
One quote:
Artemis restaurant sign "The Hot Tamale: Quick Service, Authentic recipes, and the most accurate gossip in Texas."
I read this library book in 2 days. My wife also likes this series.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first novel by this author and it is the second book in a series. I liked that this one fell into the crime/mystery genre (it's one of my favorite genres.)

I liked this one. It started off strong with a dead body found in the desert along with a young girl who was found next to it, but she was alive.

Then the story slowed considerably in the middle, but I really liked the characters by then. That was enough to keep me in the story. The plot had more than a few tangents that seemed to just spin in circles, but the ending was satisfying. So 3 stars.

[Peter Giorno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won my copy of Scratchgravel Road from Goodreads.com and as soon as I started to read it I knew I had a wonderful suspense story in my hands, and there was no way that I would put this book down, and sure enough I read it all in one sitting. Right from the first page I was enthralled with the story that was set in Texas. The book is full of action, twists and turns, and each has the right amount to keep you going and wanting more. The author Tricia Fields has written an excellent story where she takes suspense to a whole new level, and I can't wait to read her other book The Territory.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series. This second book in the series has multiple story lines, one of which involves an old factory near Artemis, Texas that is being used as a decontamination area for radioactive materials. A man found dead in the desert near Artemis has links to that facility, but it's not clear what role his job may play in his death. The author continues to grow the characters, and we learn more about this small community on the border.

[Graeme · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author Tricia Fields further develops her appealing characters in clear, descriptive prose and dialogue that rings true in Scratchgravel Road, the second of the Josie Gray mysteries, but the storyline was convoluted and outrageously implausible. If her later book, Midnight Crossing, the fifth in the series, is any guide, she has gained a great deal in finesse and confidence, and no longer seems to feel the need for clichéd topical drama to satisfy readers. I am angry with myself for finishing it and giving it two stars when it deserved one.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Two finds Chief Josie Gray investigating a murder with an uncooperative witness. It soon morphs into a possible environmental catastrophe with hints of bio terrorism. Meanwhile a colleague’s daughter who favors bad boys runs away to Mexico during the worst storm that locals have ever experienced. Lots happening in a nicely paced narrative, although I thought the side plot with the runaway wasn’t necessary. Josie has a new admirer too. Looking forward to book three. Five total but she hasn’t written another installment in over two years.

[David Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy on Goodreads Firstreads.

This is the second in the Josie Gray mystery series.Josie Gray decides to look around when she sees a car left by the road on one of the hottest days of the year.She finds local Cassidy Harper collapsed from heatstroke next to a body of an unidentified man.Cassidy can't seem to explain why she went for a hike in the desert when the temperature was over 100 degrees or how she ended up next to a dead man.With almost no leads,Josie must try to figure out not only who the dead man was,but also what killed him and who did it.Things become even more complicated from torrential rains causing severe flooding and the runaway daughter of one of her deputies.

This was an excellent mystery with a lot of suspense from the very beginning until the end.The characters are entertaining and well-developed.A very believable story with several twists. to keep you guessing.

I have not read the first book in the series but did not feel lost.It will definitely be worth checking the first book out to see if it is as good as this one.A nice police procedural story set on the Texas and Mexico border.

[Lisa Havards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the first book in the series, but I actually thought this was a better mystery. She defines herself as a first rate writer in this second book in the series. The West Texas desert once again plays heavily in this book. The book opens with the daughter of one of Josie's officers hanging out past curfew with a boy her mother forbid her from seeing. While sneaking out to the local kids' secret hangout in the desert she and her doper boyfriend witness a dead body being dumped into the desert. I love that the author weaves this conflicted girl's drama through the rest of the book.

Turns out, the dead body has mysterious open wounds that keep the coroner guessing. It isn't until Josie tracks down the body as being a man who worked at an old ------ (spoiler) that is now going under cleanup that the case begins to come together. Mudslides and chemicals ratchet up the tension in this page turner. She gets the details and the police work just right. Already looking forward to the next one!

[Carole Barrowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fields' captivating "Scratchgravel Road"(Minotaur, $24.99) is the second in her series featuring Artemis, Texas, Police Chief Josie Gray. One morning Josie finds a young woman unconscious from heat stroke lying near the body of a Mexican immigrant with unusual wounds on his arms and a bizarre deterioration of his internal organs. Is he the victim of the drug wars raging in this part of the desert, or something more sinister happening in a nearby "Feed Plant"?

Fields deftly balances the intriguing intimate relationships among her characters with the broader themes of industrial corruption and greed. With her wild desert settings and her thrilling plot, Fields' novel is situated somewhere between Western terrain and mystery territory.

This review first appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fairly well-written mystery. I would say it is stronger on plot than characterization, but it could just be that I didn't warm to the characters, who are all members of a small Texas town. There is a lot of wasted potential and exhausted people going through the motions as the police chief of a small 3-person force tries to solve the mystery of an abandoned body with mysterious lesions on it that was dumped way out of town on Scratchgravel Road. Add a Hispanic mother who fled an abusive relationship, her rebellious daughter, a loyal male cop, and an attractive accountant, and you have the basics.

[Lucia Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book a few weeks back and took it with me today as we travelled up north to see my son in his Karate match. OMG, I love this book. The story is awesome. I didn't read the first Book about Josie, but I will go and buy it. Half of the characters in this novel, I want to choke. Cassidy and Teresa are dim wits, Their boyfriends are close behind. I'm not going to spoil it, but I don't trust any one in this story But Josie and the other Officers. I highly recommend this book to any Lover of Mysteries. Two thumbs way up. Thank you Tricia Fields for writing such a great novel.

[JJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. There's a narrative distance in this book that means no matter how dramatic anyone's problems, there's never a place to really connect with the characters or be in their feelings. And the continuously changing POV makes that even worse. And it's SLOW for a murder mystery. Like besides someone finding a body pretty nothing happens. Like just more investigating and lots of talking, but there's no real conflict, suspense, or even drama. The mystery was okay but by the time anything happened (at about 75% the way through) I was so bored and irritated that even that didn't seem interesting.

[Mel Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my friends won this from goodreads, and she let me borrow it. Really good book, keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Strong female lead character.

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably would have been a 3 star review if the story line stuck with the murder mystery and did not resort to a "big bang" overly dramatic conclusion.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The isolated town of Artemis in the south of Texas, is close to the Mexican border and surrounded by desert and mountains.
It makes it ideal for crime fiction as the land around it can contain anything the author wishes to place there - in this case a nuclear weapons plant currently being decommissioned by a private company with questionable ethics.
When a body is found in an inaccessible desert area there are few clues but his work boots provide a link to the Feed Plant.
The medical examiner is concerned that he may have received a large dose of radiation.
And then the rains start, a deluge lasting several days. The plant finds itself in danger of being overrun by mudslides.
It's at this point that the plot moves into overdrive as Sheriff Josie Gray closes in on the killer.
"Scratchgravel Road" is a very solid police procedural and Josie is a memorable character. A subplot involving Marta's teenage daughter, Teresa, sees Josie taking her life in her hands. Her relationship with Dillon doesn't seem to be going anywhere and she's not entirely sure that she want it to.
A very enjoyable read.
3.5 Stars raised to 4 Stars.

[Debbie T · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those looking for a new mystery series, you couldn't do much better than Tricia Field's series about the Texas police chief, Josie Gray. The series brings to mind the writing of William Kent Krueger or Craig Johnson, where the setting seems like a character and the protagonist is a serious, no nonsense lawman. Josie's small town of Artemis is a desert town right on the border between Mexico and the US, so Fields writes of many of the current problems that a border town has. I've read this book, which deals with a murder, a runaway, and a closed nuclear weapons plant, and her first book, The Territory, which won the Tony Hillerman award. I'll be reading more of this series.

[Jovdb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book in the series.

This novel follows Chief Josie Gray and her Unit as they try to solve the murder of a man found in the desert. The story outlines the clues the Unit follows but also touches on issues that are personal and those that impact the town.

Living in a town with a nuclear plant, I was very interested in the information about the handling of the defunct nuclear bomb facility.

The characters continue to evolve and the plot, overall, was well done.

[Patricia Stoltey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Territory and Scratchgravel Road, the first two books in the Josie Gray series, and am looking forward to book three. I like the characters, the thriller-like pacing, and the southwestern close-to-the Texas border setting. This is good writing which makes for good reading.

[Amber Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book in the Josie Gray series. Always so much going on in West Texas. I feel like expect the unexpected is the best way to describe this whole series!

And I love that, it keeps me engaged and waiting to keep reading!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Police chief Josie see an abandoned car in the desert and finds a woman almost dead of heat stroke and a dead man. There is also upsetting news about a plant that could be caught in a mudslide spreading radiation over the whole county.

[Barbara Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it enough to read more of this series. I loved the West Texas setting. I feel the author will hone her writing skills and her books will get better. For me, there was enough in this book to promise that.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Female LEO in small town Texas, young girl finds a dead body-his wallet is in her car? A closed nuclear plant being cleaned up -drug cartel - a run away and trip into Mexico, and now a 100 year rain and flood.

[Margo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well plotted and written mystery. It falls about half-way between a cosy and hard-boiled. Recommended for fans of J.A. Jance.

[Jodie Molzahn-Brunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a slower start but the ending had enough unexpected plot twists to keep me up all night finishing it.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the characters but this needed editing. It went on too long.

[Tricia Reuss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first got this book when I was in high school, purely because the author spells her first name the same way that I do. I remember being captivated by it then, and even more so now. I was quite excited to find out that there are more books to the series!

“Scratchgravel Road” is set in western Texas along the Rio Grande, an area locally called “the territory”. We follow Chief of Police Josie Gray as she works to solve the murder of a man dumped in the desert, while also protecting the town of Artemis from drug cartel activity across the border. Josie is an interesting character to follow, because she seems like her growth as a person is flawless, and not necessarily the main point of a story. She cares for her coworkers, her town, and her partner, and focuses on keeping everyone safe. This book also is good at showing the connection between the members of a small community, and how everybody works together well in crisis. Of course, my favorite part about this style of murder mystery is that the solution is found by the very last couple of chapters. It is absolutely well worth the read, every time.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program has introduced me to an author I will be following for a long time to come. I am not going to sketch out the plot for you on this one. Just take my word for it: This book is excellent!!

Scratchgravel Road didn't just top the first in the Josie Gray series. It rocketed over The Territory! It's one of those books that evokes a sensory response. I could feel the desert heat and could smell rain on dirt. I could hear the water beating down on the roof of Josie's jeep. The little town of Artemis, TX and the Chihuahuan desert definitely come to life.

The plot is multilevelled and intertwines on itself with ease. The tension builds like nobody's business and it does not let up until the very conclusion. The characters are very real and very likeable. I am so impressed by this series- I'll be looking for the next in the series and this one will be going up as my staff rec just as soon as I can get copies into the store.

Excellent read- recommended!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sophomore novel about Police Chief Josie Gray certainly did not disappoint. Fields spends just enough time describing without getting pedantic. The stories seem to move themselves forward of their own accord - a characteristic that other authors could/should take to heart and try to emulate. Perhaps one of my favorite things about Tricia's books (including The Territory) is that although there is action, the action makes sense to the story and doesn't force its way in and demand attention. My only beef with Josie Gray is her relationship with the accountant (Dillon? Collin? I don't know and don't care. He's nice but I still don't like him). It makes my general respect for Josie drop a notch or two because of a safe/vanilla relationship that she keeps at arm's length. It seems like a waste of time for her and us (the readers). I was desperately hoping there would be a date with Diego. Maybe in the next book.

And, in case you're wondering, I'll definitely be reading Fields' next book (maybe I can get an Advanced Reader's Copy?).

[Sheila Paigly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this Book on goodreads.

I enjoyed reading Scratchgravel Road. Once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. It is actually a second book in a series but it was able to stand alone. There was plenty of character and setting descriptions that I did not feel like I was missing something without reading the first book. I would enjoy going back and reading the first book,though since I enjoyed this one so much.

Josie Gray is the chef of police in a small town in Texas. She has her hands full while trying to solve the murder of an unknown man found in the middle of the dessert and why a former temp employee of the police department is found passed out next to him, while trying to deal with weather extremes from one spectrum to another. Just when you think you have the murder figured out, there's a twist to keep you on your toes.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Goodreads for my free ARC of this novel.

All in all this was a fairly good story. At times it seemed to get bogged down in some of the subplots. Some of it just seemed to be filler and that became somewhat distracting from the main plot. That being said, I did enjoy this book and it certainly kept me guessing as to "whodunnit".

Chief Gray is a likeable character and I would certainly like to read the novel in which she makes her first appearance in order to get to know her better. She seems to be the perfect representation of a small town Texas cop.

An enjoyable, short read and would certainly recommend it to fans of straightforward mysteries.