Hooked Up

Stockcar Racing Mystery #2

by Joyce Lavene, Jim Lavene

On the road to the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway, NASCAR fan and ex-cop Glad Wycznewski is expecting nothing more than speed on the raceway, a cold beer in his hand, and love in the RV with his beautiful wife, Ruby. So when Glad finds a strange man in his bed wearing his favorite PJs, he's ready to get pretty upset. But who can be angry with a wife like Ruby? Her sweet compassion and melt-your-heart blue eyes diffuse his anger when she tells him the sleeping man is just a weary hitchhiker with his bedraggled cat. But things only get stranger – twins switching identities, brothers committing suicide, and rumors that 20 million in cash is missing. Glad rather enjoys the smell of gasoline over breakfast, but Ruby's strong will and big heart have her wrenching the French toast right out of his mouth so they can get to the bottom of things. She is seeking the truth and nothing is going to stop her.

Genres: Mystery

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

aka Elyssa Henry and Joye Ames, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant

Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene are a wife and husband team who have written and published more than 70 books since 1999. They live in North Carolina with their family and enjoy cooking, photography and ghost hunting.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this better than the 1st in this series I think. Maybe the married couple, Ruby and Glad are growing on me. Quite confusing with the 3 brothers, changing identities, etc but really a fun read. After all who wouldn't like to go on an adventure to find $10 million dollars? Add NASCAR racing and I'm there!

[Karen Holman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is set in Dover, Delaware. The mystery involves the car racing circuit so the reader needs to be a fan to understand the book. The ending was easy to calculate with the clues given in the tale. copy right 2008

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad and Ruby are back and Ruby's parents are going with them to the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware. Ruby and her mom are traveling in one RV and Glad and Zeke are in another. They arrive at the campground and Glad is shocked when he finds a strange man in his bed wearing his pajamas. Ruby quickly tries to defuse the situation by explaining that they picked up the man and his cat hitchhiking along the road. Glad is not happy but what can he do? While they are discussing the situation the man has disappeared from the bedroom but has left behind his cat.

Then there is a commotion on the track. Someone has fallen from the Monster Bridge onto the raceway. Glad and Ruby follow the crowd and Ruby soon identifies the victim as her hitchhiker. We soon learn that the man is the twin brother of the man who owns the nearby Casino and Hotel. The rumors start to circle the track that there was a story of 10 million dollars disappearing some years back and the casino owner was involved.

Ruby starts to jump to some conclusions and thinks because of their past success they need to investigate even after the local police have classified the death as a suicide. Glad wants to sit back and enjoy the race festivities but he can't let Ruby race off by herself. They are again chasing down the crooks when all Glad wants to see which drivers make the chase.

Dollycas's Thoughts

Another trip to the Winner's Circle for Joyce and Jim Lavene!

I am so happy my favorite NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth made this installment. Glad is a Joe Nemecheck fan and Ruby cheers for Jimmy Johnson. Ruby and I would probably come to blows over our drivers. Johnson is boo'd regularly and heavily this house.

I also need to say that Zeke coming to the racetrack in this story put a huge smile on my face. Now if Ruby's mom would just call Glad by his name instead of "Ruby's husband". You will notice in both my reviews I have not used Ruby's mom, Zeke's wife or Glad's mother-in-law's name. :)

Both of the Stock Car Mysteries are full with track details including Glad and Ruby's Track Logs. The settings are described perfectly, you feel like you are out to the track. I am really sad there was not more installments in this series. It would be great fun to travel around the country with Glad and Ruby. Keeping my fingers crossed The Lavene's have more of these stories under the hood. Hooked Up is another keeper!

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't seem to reclaim any interest in this book after the falling out of the airplane scene. It was so unrealistic. Ruby who is leaning out of the plane doesn't have a parachute on, but Glad who is safely inside the plane does. He grabs a parachute for Ruby and jumps out after her. Then they have a whole conversation as they are falling, Ruby puts her parachute on, mid-air, and they are able to still land unhurt. Then the suitcases that Ruby was dumping out of the plane have landed just a little ways away and someone has already come and gotten the cases and driven away with them. Really? How long were they falling??? Was the plane not moving but just hovering over the spot?? If I wasn't using this book for a book challenge I wouldn't have even finished it after that.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll admit it, I like NASCAR. And mysteries.

[Kaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Characters not fleshed out enough.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid story with good characters and a satisfying ending.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a NASCAR fan but this was a quick fun read.