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Hook Runyon Mystery #2
The Insane Train
After a devastating fire at an insane asylum in California, Hook Runyon has been put in charge of security for a train that is to transport the survivors, alongside the head of the asylum, Dr. Baldwin, the attending doctor, taciturn Dr. Helms, and a self-sacrificing nurse named Andrea, to a new location in Oklahoma. Hook hires a motley crew of WW II veterans to help, and they set out for the new destination. But things go awry on the Insane Train, as several inmates and attendants are found dead, and Dr. Baldwin seems increasingly disoriented and incapable of running operations. With Andrea's help, Hook begins investigating the suspicious deaths, and uncovers a trail of revenge that has been a long time in the planning...by a person as mentally disturbed as her charges.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2010
9 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Sheldon Russell
18 books73 followersMy biography is available on my website: http://www.sheldonrussell.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 9, 2011
The Insane Train (Minotaur 2010), set at the end of WWII, finds one-armed railroad security agent Hook Runyon banished to Barstow after leaving a company truck parked on the rails while pursuing a thief. When the Baldwin Insane Asylum is burned, killing 30 inmates, Hook is given the task of moving the rest of the patients to Oklahoma. Hook’s observations of the insane asylum and its patients reveal the inadequate treatment and limited understanding of mental illness in the 1940s. The low-security women and men aren’t much of a problem, but the secure ward for the criminally insane contains some very scary psychopaths, including a sexual sadist and a pyromaniac. Only four of the staff members are willing to relocate to Oklahoma, so Hook rounds up some homeless WWII vets and a railroad hooker to fill in. Hook suspects that the fire may have been arson, and when a patient is murdered on the train he is convinced that someone has a grudge against the asylum. The lingering effects of the Great Depression plus the psychological and physical effects of the war on the returning soldiers provide a background of quiet desperation that highlights Hook’s own tendency to make the best of a bad situation.
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March 10, 2011
On this, my first outing with Sheldon Russell, I expected to find myself aboard the caboose on a thrilling non-stop ride with great characters careening through an insane plot, as my fellow reviewers had assured me. The story tracks a motley assortment of homeless vets and asylum staff members in the 1940s, including "Hook", the one-armed hero hired by the railroad to cuff hoboes for a living; all are escorting criminally insane patients from a burned-out asylum in one state to a new one in another -- on the ricketiest train in U.S. History, of course.
I didn't envision myself belly-laughing in the process. Not enough tribute has been paid to Russell's wit, to wit, the scene with the vets as they sample the strength of their still products. I don't usually find liquid scenes funny for personal reasons, but this one was hilarious. Many witty echanges of insults preceded and followed it. I'll be chugging backwards to meet up with Russell's first books, hoping for more of the same. I agree with those who gave this a 4-1/2, but in my time of crisis I've got to give it a 5 for pure enjoyment.
I didn't envision myself belly-laughing in the process. Not enough tribute has been paid to Russell's wit, to wit, the scene with the vets as they sample the strength of their still products. I don't usually find liquid scenes funny for personal reasons, but this one was hilarious. Many witty echanges of insults preceded and followed it. I'll be chugging backwards to meet up with Russell's first books, hoping for more of the same. I agree with those who gave this a 4-1/2, but in my time of crisis I've got to give it a 5 for pure enjoyment.
March 16, 2011
Okay, another niche mystery series: A railroad security agent solves crimes. But its good writing, full of train details, and set in the 1940's when vets were trying to recover from the war.
September 22, 2011
This is my kind of book. Quirky, quirky, quirky! 'The Insane Train’ will have a special place on my bookshelf. I know that I will re-read it in the future.
Yard Dog Hoot Runyon lives in a caboose that teeters from his passion of rare books. You can see his experiences written across his face. He also has a weird type of philosophy. His dog, Mixer loves to chew whatever he chooses, man or creature destroyed or he is stopped by Hoot. Yet he is gentle too.
Andrea Rose is sweet nurse who had wanted to be a doctor but that dream did not come true. She deeply cares about the inmates of the Baldwin Insane Asylum. The people she cares for all so memorable. From the lady who loves to eat bugs to the ultra-dangerous arsonist, you will be entertained.
The rest of the staff will not fade from your memory either, especially the assistant who plays Frankie Lane records all day long. Another group of characters, yes that description fits in more than one way are the hobos living under the bridge who decide to help with the mission given to Hook.
The asylum catches fire and the inmates can no longer live there. The patients need to be moved to their new living quarters. Come ride the Insane Train to find out what happens along the way!
I highly recommend this book to people who love quirkiness, humor and mystery. Don't miss this train!
Yard Dog Hoot Runyon lives in a caboose that teeters from his passion of rare books. You can see his experiences written across his face. He also has a weird type of philosophy. His dog, Mixer loves to chew whatever he chooses, man or creature destroyed or he is stopped by Hoot. Yet he is gentle too.
Andrea Rose is sweet nurse who had wanted to be a doctor but that dream did not come true. She deeply cares about the inmates of the Baldwin Insane Asylum. The people she cares for all so memorable. From the lady who loves to eat bugs to the ultra-dangerous arsonist, you will be entertained.
The rest of the staff will not fade from your memory either, especially the assistant who plays Frankie Lane records all day long. Another group of characters, yes that description fits in more than one way are the hobos living under the bridge who decide to help with the mission given to Hook.
The asylum catches fire and the inmates can no longer live there. The patients need to be moved to their new living quarters. Come ride the Insane Train to find out what happens along the way!
I highly recommend this book to people who love quirkiness, humor and mystery. Don't miss this train!
February 21, 2011
I really like these characters! Hook Runyon, to whom we were introduced in "Yard Dog", lives in a boxcar, works for the railroad, and has a hook on the end of one arm--a result of a car accident. All the good guys, as in the previous book, are flawed in some way (aren't we all?) but they manage to solve the crimes and catch the villians in the end. Mixer, the dog, is a new character in this novel and is a great addition to the team.
August 24, 2013
Wonderful to discover this new series! A fascinating trip back in time to the railroads and hobo jungles of the '30s. Excellent descriptive writing, characterization, and vernacular. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
September 24, 2011
After a quick start I was all set for this to be a great book. Epic FAIL! I stopped reading it after the 3rd chapter.
October 24, 2018
The Insane Train may sound like the train itself, or at least a member of the train crew, is crazy, but that’s not what it’s about. When I first saw the title, I thought maybe this Hook Runyon novel was about a runaway train and Hook, the protagonist “yard dog” or railroad security man, was going to have to find out the reason it had derailed. But as I read the back cover of the paperback, I found out that Hook was being disciplined by having to work the California desert (Barstow, not that far from the home of Death Valley Scottie in the old days, and not far from the Calico Ghost Town that Walter Knott restored as a tourist attraction). In Barstow, an entire mental institution (including the criminally insane) needs to be transported to an old army post in Oklahoma (Hook’s usual stomping grounds), and Hook is responsible for security.
The transporting of the asylum to Oklahoma is a combination of financial trouble and an unexplained fire that killed a full dormitory wing of inmates. But that is just the first of the many mysteries that Hook Runyon must solve in order to get himself and the bulk of his charges safely to the old military base. There are multiple suspects in this case, including one suspect that screams out at the reader from the beginning. But the relationship that suspect has with another suspect makes the plot fascinating. While aspects of the accumulating disasters may seem like a “B” horror movie (as does the climactic scene), the motivations behind the mysteries are intriguing beyond what I expected.
There is a side plot about a stray dog that Hook has befriended. For much of the novel, this dog which will wade in and fight most anything, provides a bit of comic relief. But there are some interesting emotional lessons to be learned by watching Hook and his dog. Indeed, it sometimes seems like the dog is a metaphor for Hook himself (especially when he’s been into the ‘shine), but the dog offers a key clue late in the novel.
As in The Yard Dog, there is a romantic interest in this story. It’s ironic that Hook, who lost a woman because of the appearance of his prosthesis seems to be finding women who are intelligent, sensitive, and competent despite his appearance. It looks like there is going to be a pattern with these romances in the series, but I’m only speculating. Two books is too small of a sample size to proffer my hypothesis here.
The Insane Train hasn’t sated my appetite for these mysteries. I like the era of railroading that is covered in this series and I like the way the stories are structured. So, you can bet that I’ll hitch my caboose to this train, just like Hook does.
The transporting of the asylum to Oklahoma is a combination of financial trouble and an unexplained fire that killed a full dormitory wing of inmates. But that is just the first of the many mysteries that Hook Runyon must solve in order to get himself and the bulk of his charges safely to the old military base. There are multiple suspects in this case, including one suspect that screams out at the reader from the beginning. But the relationship that suspect has with another suspect makes the plot fascinating. While aspects of the accumulating disasters may seem like a “B” horror movie (as does the climactic scene), the motivations behind the mysteries are intriguing beyond what I expected.
There is a side plot about a stray dog that Hook has befriended. For much of the novel, this dog which will wade in and fight most anything, provides a bit of comic relief. But there are some interesting emotional lessons to be learned by watching Hook and his dog. Indeed, it sometimes seems like the dog is a metaphor for Hook himself (especially when he’s been into the ‘shine), but the dog offers a key clue late in the novel.
As in The Yard Dog, there is a romantic interest in this story. It’s ironic that Hook, who lost a woman because of the appearance of his prosthesis seems to be finding women who are intelligent, sensitive, and competent despite his appearance. It looks like there is going to be a pattern with these romances in the series, but I’m only speculating. Two books is too small of a sample size to proffer my hypothesis here.
The Insane Train hasn’t sated my appetite for these mysteries. I like the era of railroading that is covered in this series and I like the way the stories are structured. So, you can bet that I’ll hitch my caboose to this train, just like Hook does.
November 9, 2025
The Insane Train is the second in Sheldon Russell's Hook Runyon series, set near the end of WWII. An accident resulted in the amputation of one arm made Hook ineligible for military service, so he takes a job as a "yard dog" a railroad security officer whose main job is checking the condition of the tracks and ousting hobos from the railroad cars. Hook is a complex character - a loner whose sole companion is his mutt, Mixer, who drinks too much, collects rare books and makes his home in a caboose.
When a mental asylum in Barstow, CA is destroyed by fire, Hook is tasked with facilitating transport of the inmates - male and female, some violent, one who may have set the fire that destroyed the asylum - from Barstow to Oklahoma. The transport is overseen by two doctors and a compassionate nurse, a shady attendant and the crew of hobos Hook recruits to provide supervision of the inmates.
Though it's billed as a mystery, it's really more of an odyssey, with the bulk of the tale a chronicle of the obstacles, so that a couple of mysterious deaths, a couple of mysterious disappearances - almost take a back seat to the breakdowns, the precarious condition of the tracks, the heat, the complexities of wrangling a train load of mentally ill passengers. The actual who- and why-dun-it is crammed into the end, with the guilty party quite obvious from the beginning.
The writing is first rate, with well fleshed out characters, a real insight into the hobo fraternity and a tone and setting so authentic to the era that I was surprised the book was published in 2010 - I would have thought it was written in the 50s - I mean this in a very complimentary sense - and perhaps optioned for a film with Humphrey Bogart or Robert Mitchum cast as Hook. There is perhaps a bit too much railway jargon and a glossary definitely would have been helpful - readers may find themselves googling a lot, but overall worth checking out.
When a mental asylum in Barstow, CA is destroyed by fire, Hook is tasked with facilitating transport of the inmates - male and female, some violent, one who may have set the fire that destroyed the asylum - from Barstow to Oklahoma. The transport is overseen by two doctors and a compassionate nurse, a shady attendant and the crew of hobos Hook recruits to provide supervision of the inmates.
Though it's billed as a mystery, it's really more of an odyssey, with the bulk of the tale a chronicle of the obstacles, so that a couple of mysterious deaths, a couple of mysterious disappearances - almost take a back seat to the breakdowns, the precarious condition of the tracks, the heat, the complexities of wrangling a train load of mentally ill passengers. The actual who- and why-dun-it is crammed into the end, with the guilty party quite obvious from the beginning.
The writing is first rate, with well fleshed out characters, a real insight into the hobo fraternity and a tone and setting so authentic to the era that I was surprised the book was published in 2010 - I would have thought it was written in the 50s - I mean this in a very complimentary sense - and perhaps optioned for a film with Humphrey Bogart or Robert Mitchum cast as Hook. There is perhaps a bit too much railway jargon and a glossary definitely would have been helpful - readers may find themselves googling a lot, but overall worth checking out.
December 18, 2017
Hook Runyon is one of the most interesting characters one will ever meet. Maybe I felt a bit of empathy having a crippled left elbow (somewhat) and a love for books. He's more selective than I am, but like the 1940's railroad detective I find myself searching the thrift stores and used book stores looking for that special book to read-- which is how I discovered this interesting series about a one-armed railroad detective.
I'll be honest that beyond Runyon, our hero, I wasn't overly impressed with the depth of characterization of any others-- The bad guy is easily discerned because the author doesn't hide the fact that the bad guy is the most unlikeable character in the book. I knew early on the identity of the killer, but watching Runyon deal with railroad problems, railroad red tape, and I could almost feel him sitting up in his caboose, watching the smoke stream by and bemoaning the Diesel age's encroachment on the closing era of steam locomotives. The railroad flavor in this one was a whole lot of fun.
The mystery wasn't as closely related to the railroad's area of responsibility as one would expect, but that doesn't stop Runyon from seeking to puzzle it all out. Which he does in due time.
A great period piece.
I'll be honest that beyond Runyon, our hero, I wasn't overly impressed with the depth of characterization of any others-- The bad guy is easily discerned because the author doesn't hide the fact that the bad guy is the most unlikeable character in the book. I knew early on the identity of the killer, but watching Runyon deal with railroad problems, railroad red tape, and I could almost feel him sitting up in his caboose, watching the smoke stream by and bemoaning the Diesel age's encroachment on the closing era of steam locomotives. The railroad flavor in this one was a whole lot of fun.
The mystery wasn't as closely related to the railroad's area of responsibility as one would expect, but that doesn't stop Runyon from seeking to puzzle it all out. Which he does in due time.
A great period piece.
January 17, 2019
I'm liking this series. Set during the 40's, with a unique protagonist, a train detective (known as a yard dog back then), who lost an arm in an accident (hence the nickname, Hook). A wonderful sense of place, this is nice twist on 40's noir.
June 14, 2018
The book was alright. The story was good, but the writing was average, and the formatting was awful. Nothing to make the book more than a 3, and nothing to make it less.
October 17, 2018
Excellent but loses a star because the author takes liberties with railroad terms and operating situations.
February 24, 2020
This book was not as much of a mystery as I expected. The first half was slow but the last 50 pages was great. I wish the whole book had faster pacing and more mystery
March 19, 2024
Interesting period and locals, interesting characters and an interesting story. Overall, a good read.
May 5, 2014
I'm going to be honest right up front, the only reason I agreed to read this was because it took place on a train. I'm a sucker for anything mysterious happening on trains. I blame it all on Agatha Christie. After reading Murder On The Orient Express, The Mystery of the Blue Train, and 4:50 From Padington, I was hooked. Throw in the movie, "Strangers on a Train", from Alfred Hitchcock and nothing could turn me off of a good mystery set on a train.
So needless to say I awaited the arrival of this book with quite a bit of anticipation. Bad news, I got sidetracked by others things so I didn't get to read the book until recently. Good news, once I finally got a chance to get started on it, I loved it. I can't put it into the same league as the Agatha Christie books, but that's not a bad thing. I'm not sure there are many authors out there that I would put in her league, if any. What I will say about this particular book though is that it's author knows how to tell a good story.
I haven't read a lot of mystery books set in the United States during the 1940s. For the most part, the books I read in that time period tend to take place in the United Kingdom or other such European local. What this means, is that I got to discover a setting and a culture I really never knew existed, but if I ever stopped to think about it, I would have realized that it had to exist. It should have been obvious that certain occupations have their own vernacular, customs, and overall attitudes towards life. I know that such distinctness exists, I just never really stop and think about it. This culture, I guess that's what you would call it, is personified in it's main character.
Hook Runyon is what they call a yard dog. In simple terms he is a security guard for the railroad. His main job it to catch hobos and other criminals from jumping trains or performing illegal activities (prostitution for example) on company property. What I found fascinating about him as a character was the obvious research the author did (at least I assume he did) to make the character sound and act as if he truly belonged in that era. He is a handicapped man, though he wasn't injured in the war, who is trying the best he can to make it in a world that maybe doesn't give him enough credit. This man is smarter than I think people really thought of him as. He is a voracious reader who collects books the way I think most of us would be impressed by. But most of all he is a quiet caring man who wants to do right by others and is always willing to look for the best possible trait in someone or a stray dog, Mixer. He is all this but he's rough as well. He can be abrasive and isn't afraid of getting physical. He isn't a man to back down from a fight, even with a cop. I'm going to shut up about him now so I can move onto the story itself, but I can honestly say without this character, I'm not sure I would have liked the books as much as I did.
When that dormitory at the asylum burnt down it killed scores of young men that were being housed in it. When the director of the asylum decides to move the surviving patients and the staff that is willing to move from Barstow, CA to an abandoned fort in Oklahoma, the railroad sends Hook to assess the situation and escort them to their new home. Needless to say, Hook is quickly sucked into the drama surrounding the fire, which may not have been accidental. When other incidents start happening Hook becomes more convinced that something else is going on. With the help and some loving from Andrea Delven, the nurse in charge of the women's dormitory, Hook begins to investigate to find out what truly happens. Along the way other bodies start appearing, doctors are drugged, cases of food poisoning break out, and some colorful characters hop aboard for the ride as well.
Now this is the second book in a series but you don't need to read the first book to understand what's going on in this one. This one at least, though there are a few references to past events, reads as a stand alone novel and I dont' think I missed anything by not reading the first one. Overall this was an engaging mystery that deals with the way the past can come back and haunt you in ways you would never be able to anticipate.
So needless to say I awaited the arrival of this book with quite a bit of anticipation. Bad news, I got sidetracked by others things so I didn't get to read the book until recently. Good news, once I finally got a chance to get started on it, I loved it. I can't put it into the same league as the Agatha Christie books, but that's not a bad thing. I'm not sure there are many authors out there that I would put in her league, if any. What I will say about this particular book though is that it's author knows how to tell a good story.
I haven't read a lot of mystery books set in the United States during the 1940s. For the most part, the books I read in that time period tend to take place in the United Kingdom or other such European local. What this means, is that I got to discover a setting and a culture I really never knew existed, but if I ever stopped to think about it, I would have realized that it had to exist. It should have been obvious that certain occupations have their own vernacular, customs, and overall attitudes towards life. I know that such distinctness exists, I just never really stop and think about it. This culture, I guess that's what you would call it, is personified in it's main character.
Hook Runyon is what they call a yard dog. In simple terms he is a security guard for the railroad. His main job it to catch hobos and other criminals from jumping trains or performing illegal activities (prostitution for example) on company property. What I found fascinating about him as a character was the obvious research the author did (at least I assume he did) to make the character sound and act as if he truly belonged in that era. He is a handicapped man, though he wasn't injured in the war, who is trying the best he can to make it in a world that maybe doesn't give him enough credit. This man is smarter than I think people really thought of him as. He is a voracious reader who collects books the way I think most of us would be impressed by. But most of all he is a quiet caring man who wants to do right by others and is always willing to look for the best possible trait in someone or a stray dog, Mixer. He is all this but he's rough as well. He can be abrasive and isn't afraid of getting physical. He isn't a man to back down from a fight, even with a cop. I'm going to shut up about him now so I can move onto the story itself, but I can honestly say without this character, I'm not sure I would have liked the books as much as I did.
When that dormitory at the asylum burnt down it killed scores of young men that were being housed in it. When the director of the asylum decides to move the surviving patients and the staff that is willing to move from Barstow, CA to an abandoned fort in Oklahoma, the railroad sends Hook to assess the situation and escort them to their new home. Needless to say, Hook is quickly sucked into the drama surrounding the fire, which may not have been accidental. When other incidents start happening Hook becomes more convinced that something else is going on. With the help and some loving from Andrea Delven, the nurse in charge of the women's dormitory, Hook begins to investigate to find out what truly happens. Along the way other bodies start appearing, doctors are drugged, cases of food poisoning break out, and some colorful characters hop aboard for the ride as well.
Now this is the second book in a series but you don't need to read the first book to understand what's going on in this one. This one at least, though there are a few references to past events, reads as a stand alone novel and I dont' think I missed anything by not reading the first one. Overall this was an engaging mystery that deals with the way the past can come back and haunt you in ways you would never be able to anticipate.
July 29, 2014
Hook Runyon has one arm and works as railroad security (a.k.a. a yard dog) in Barstow, California in the late 1940s. He’s under constant scrutiny from bosses for his effective, if unorthodox, methods of solving problems—usually at the railroad’s great expense. In his second adventure after The Yard Dog (2009), Hook is assigned to provide assistance to an insane asylum transporting its patients to Oklahoma via the railroad. The asylum has just had a massive fire that killed 30 inmates, so the pressure is on to get staff and patients relocated. For helpers, Hook enlists four friendly Army vets-turned-hobos. A motley, cheerful mob, they nobly deal with the patients as best they can. At one point these ex-soldiers have trouble getting the female patients to lunch, so they line the women up P.O.W. style, hands behind heads, and march them there—to the enjoyment of all. While the women patients are tame (except perhaps that one exhibitionist), most of the men are criminally insane and must be handled carefully, even after being drugged to the gills to ensure docility. The trouble is, staff and patients start getting knocked off one by one, and it soon becomes clear to Hook that the murderer must also be the arsonist. Hook also meets a romantic interest, a pretty nurse who doesn’t mind that he lives in a caboose with a ferocious, loyal guard dog named Mixer. Best aspect: wiseass characters constantly mouthing off. Worst: even though it’s fiction, it’s painful to read the keen depictions of the plights of the patients and the hobos. Hard-boiled, tired, and gruff as they are, the characters carry the ring of truth and are all strikingly, optimistic. VERDICT Imaginative, very fast paced, lively, and LOL funny, there is a lot to enjoy in this outstanding novel.
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal
June 27, 2013
When I first saw the title of this book, I had to read it. Who wants to ride on a train with bunch of crazies?
Yard dog Hook Runyon returns in his second book of Sheldon Russell's 1940's mystery series. Hook only has one arm, one dog, and is currently up at the disciplinary hearing from something that happened back in book one. But regardless of the impending hearing, someone is needed for a new job, and it seems Hank's number has come up.
The Baldwin Insane Asylum in Barstow, California burned down. Tragically, thirty people were killed, and the survivors are currently living in tents. There's a new facility for them to be transported to, but unfortunately, not much crew to help get them there. Most of the current workers don't want to move. It's up to Hank to find a team to help him secure the train. However, it is against the law for them to be armed.
Along with Hank and a bevy of WWII Vets, the head of the Asylum, Dr. Baldwin, as well as Dr. Helms and a nurse named Andrea lead the train on it's new destination. Andrea's hands are still healing from the bad burns she received from the fire, but she does what she can to help. But when bodies end up dead, Hank has more than he bargained for. Can he figure out who is the killer before the train arrives at it's destination with nothing but dead bodies?
The Insane Train may be the second in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone book. I didn't feel like I was missing anything imperative with the main character or story line. Russell does an excellent job of painting the backdrop in the 1940's. No cellphones there!! His writing is superb and smooth and his character development was outstanding. I could just envision these characters in true form. With a unique and engaging story line and an intriguing and stellar mystery, The Insane Train is a must read!
Yard dog Hook Runyon returns in his second book of Sheldon Russell's 1940's mystery series. Hook only has one arm, one dog, and is currently up at the disciplinary hearing from something that happened back in book one. But regardless of the impending hearing, someone is needed for a new job, and it seems Hank's number has come up.
The Baldwin Insane Asylum in Barstow, California burned down. Tragically, thirty people were killed, and the survivors are currently living in tents. There's a new facility for them to be transported to, but unfortunately, not much crew to help get them there. Most of the current workers don't want to move. It's up to Hank to find a team to help him secure the train. However, it is against the law for them to be armed.
Along with Hank and a bevy of WWII Vets, the head of the Asylum, Dr. Baldwin, as well as Dr. Helms and a nurse named Andrea lead the train on it's new destination. Andrea's hands are still healing from the bad burns she received from the fire, but she does what she can to help. But when bodies end up dead, Hank has more than he bargained for. Can he figure out who is the killer before the train arrives at it's destination with nothing but dead bodies?
The Insane Train may be the second in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone book. I didn't feel like I was missing anything imperative with the main character or story line. Russell does an excellent job of painting the backdrop in the 1940's. No cellphones there!! His writing is superb and smooth and his character development was outstanding. I could just envision these characters in true form. With a unique and engaging story line and an intriguing and stellar mystery, The Insane Train is a must read!
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May 14, 2015
Synopsis of The Insane Train
Written by Sheldon Russell, the book The Insane Train about a mystery case that surrounds a fire at the Baldwin Insane Asylum located in Barstow, California and Hook Runyon must transfer the patients to another facility due to the damage to the previous facility. In the midst of doing so, Hook must figure out if someone is behind this fire and why they would do so. Throughout the story, Hook must cooperate with the employees at the asylum and gather as much information as he can about the patients. At first, Hook encountered Seth, a veteran soldier and together they worked on transferring the patients. While working alongside the employees, Hook met Andrea Delven, a nurse that works at the asylum. The three people helped each other out when the other are in trouble figured out who was behind the crime. Dr. Bria Helms and Frankie Yager were the culprits but in between transferring the mental patients to a military fort in Oklahoma, Hook’s suspicion of Frankie had caused him to die by a mental patient named Smith. Afterwards, Dr. Helms burned the new facility, causing minimal damage, and she was judged innocent of insanity. Overall, this book was interesting and I enjoyed reading it because of the crimes, and I would surely recommend this to a friend.
August 8, 2011
This was the first book I reviewed for The Historical Novel Society's quarterly review, a great publication you can hold in your hands and mark up, with literally hundreds of reviews of upcoming historical novels. Free with membership....
Like an old Humphrey Bogart movie, this second Hook Runyon mystery features wisecracking tough guys making their way through a gritty, mid-1940s West. A California asylum for the criminally insane has suspiciously burned and Hook, a one-armed railroad cop, must provide security for patients and staff – including the arsonist? – as they travel to a new facility in Oklahoma.
Hook is an appealing character who loves his dog, rare books, moonshine, and Nurse Andrea. Inexplicably, he must not only talk his bosses into providing the train for the trip but also provide staffing, something he accomplishes by hiring homeless vets and a prostitute. Hook is also juggling a disciplinary charge for having disastrously left his truck on a track while chasing down a hobo.
Although the plot offers no surprises, the stylized corniness (“Who knew better than a railroad dog that crime respected neither time nor place, that evil thrived on complacency and overconfidence and sought out weakness like a pack wolf?”), provides a fun read about how bad those good ol’ days could be.
Like an old Humphrey Bogart movie, this second Hook Runyon mystery features wisecracking tough guys making their way through a gritty, mid-1940s West. A California asylum for the criminally insane has suspiciously burned and Hook, a one-armed railroad cop, must provide security for patients and staff – including the arsonist? – as they travel to a new facility in Oklahoma.
Hook is an appealing character who loves his dog, rare books, moonshine, and Nurse Andrea. Inexplicably, he must not only talk his bosses into providing the train for the trip but also provide staffing, something he accomplishes by hiring homeless vets and a prostitute. Hook is also juggling a disciplinary charge for having disastrously left his truck on a track while chasing down a hobo.
Although the plot offers no surprises, the stylized corniness (“Who knew better than a railroad dog that crime respected neither time nor place, that evil thrived on complacency and overconfidence and sought out weakness like a pack wolf?”), provides a fun read about how bad those good ol’ days could be.
January 9, 2015
Publication summary: "After a devastating fire at an insane asylum in California, Hook Runyon has been put in charge of security for a train that is to transport the survivors, alongside the head of the asylum, Dr. Baldwin, the attending doctor, taciturn Dr. Helms, and a self-sacrificing nurse named Andrea, to a new location in Oklahoma. Hook hires a motley crew of WW II veterans to help, and they set out for the new destination. But things go awry on the Insane Train, as several inmates and attendants are found dead, and Dr. Baldwin seems increasingly disoriented and incapable of running operations. With Andrea's help, Hook begins investigating the suspicious deaths, and uncovers a trail of revenge that has been a long time in the planning...by a person as mentally disturbed as her charges."
This is the second in the "rail yard dog" series with Hook Runyon, so called because he only has one arm. I wish I could better describe Hook, because if I could, I could tell you why this series is so compelling. Hook seems like billowing sagebrush; alone, but not lonely; rugged and a bit wild, but literary and compassionate--he knows the score, is streetwise and weary, but always looking for the good underside of things and willing to give second chances. If you're looking for something a bit different, give this series a try. The first in the series is THE YARD DOG.
This is the second in the "rail yard dog" series with Hook Runyon, so called because he only has one arm. I wish I could better describe Hook, because if I could, I could tell you why this series is so compelling. Hook seems like billowing sagebrush; alone, but not lonely; rugged and a bit wild, but literary and compassionate--he knows the score, is streetwise and weary, but always looking for the good underside of things and willing to give second chances. If you're looking for something a bit different, give this series a try. The first in the series is THE YARD DOG.
March 1, 2015
I enjoy books dealing with railroad history and especially those focusing on the World War II era. This one fits the bill with the main character being a one-armed Santa Fe Railroad detective (Hook Runyon) working out of Barstow, California. Hook and a ragtag bunch of homeless army vets assist in the transport of inmates of an insane asylum from California to Oklahoma following a disastrous fire. As you might imagine, this sets the stage for much intrigue, mystery, and mayhem. Throw in some romance, a little sex, and a lot of humor; and you have a fun and interesting story with some likeable characters.
My only problem with this book (and with the first book in the series) is the author's descriptions of railroad operations, employees, and equipment. While some of what he writes is accurate and employs correct railroad lexicon, a lot of it is not. I kept thinking to myself that railroads don't operate this way or I have never heard a piece of railroad equipment referred to in that way. However, that is my problem and others probably wouldn't notice even care.
My only problem with this book (and with the first book in the series) is the author's descriptions of railroad operations, employees, and equipment. While some of what he writes is accurate and employs correct railroad lexicon, a lot of it is not. I kept thinking to myself that railroads don't operate this way or I have never heard a piece of railroad equipment referred to in that way. However, that is my problem and others probably wouldn't notice even care.
December 17, 2015
This the second book with the Hook Runyon main character that I have read, and it was even better than the first. The cast of characters was interesting, and the author's strategy of fleshing out both the characters and the plot bit by bit was more effective in this story. I am one of those readers who keeps trying to guess who "did it" and what will happen. Russell kept me wondering without any of the contrived cheats that some authors use and without overwhelming amounts of last minute information.
It was intriguing to see how each character's demons would influence his/her mistakes. Similarly, it was nice to read a book where all the people weren't exceptionally good-looking, great cooks (although a pot of beans does get mentioned), or fashionably dressed. The descriptions of 1940's psychiatry seemed accurate without being mired in detail. To top it all off, the book mentions my alma mater. This book is definitely worth reading.
It was intriguing to see how each character's demons would influence his/her mistakes. Similarly, it was nice to read a book where all the people weren't exceptionally good-looking, great cooks (although a pot of beans does get mentioned), or fashionably dressed. The descriptions of 1940's psychiatry seemed accurate without being mired in detail. To top it all off, the book mentions my alma mater. This book is definitely worth reading.
January 3, 2011
Hook Runyon just can't catch a break. He might lose his job. He picks up a stray mutt. And now he has to figure out how to move a train load of inmates from the Baldwin Insane Asylum in Barstow, California to Oklahoma. Along an old track. With an old train...
And then people start dying. Actually, they started that before he got pulled into doing the insane train thing. But that wasn't on his watch, like these new ones are... But to find out what's going on, Hook has to start at the beginning.
The cast of characters in The Insane Train are pretty neat, especially the motley crew he finds and hires to help out on the train. The language is what I'd imagine for the time. And the ending, while not completely surprising (there are only so many characters, after all), is still satisfying. A good read from Sheldon Russell!
And then people start dying. Actually, they started that before he got pulled into doing the insane train thing. But that wasn't on his watch, like these new ones are... But to find out what's going on, Hook has to start at the beginning.
The cast of characters in The Insane Train are pretty neat, especially the motley crew he finds and hires to help out on the train. The language is what I'd imagine for the time. And the ending, while not completely surprising (there are only so many characters, after all), is still satisfying. A good read from Sheldon Russell!
August 31, 2011
A stolidly constructed hard-boiled with a winning one-armed protagonist and plenty of zippy dialog. It's a fun train ride, don't get me wrong, but the insane asylum milieu wasn't all that compelling, and now I've got to put off reading that Denis Lehane book for another couple of months. The real reason I was attracted to the novel was the setting -- or should I say environment? It's a road movie of a book, so the setting is constantly changing. Anyway, the protagonist, Hook Runyon, is a railroad cop, a "yard dog" with a wicked prosthesis and lots of lady friends. I was hoping that the whole thing would really help me get submerged in the world of the rail yard in the early 20th century, but I really only felt dipped.
December 7, 2011
The main character was a little too flip for my taste and many of the characters seemed to have the same way of talking, so it was hard to differentiate one from the other. There was no real sense of menace. I liked the atmosphere, though, and the descriptions of insanity and insane asylums, trains and railroads, and police and law enforcement in the post-WWII years. The mystery itself was passable and the main character, while suspicious of what was going on, seemed a little too slow on the uptake. Just my opinion.
July 17, 2016
"The Insane Train" is the first book I have read by Sheldon Russell, and I was not disappointed. What a story it was! Without doubt, it was one the most unique murder mysteries I have ever read. What phrases could describe it? One of a kind? Unexpected happenings? Bizarre twists?
I highly recommend this book for connoisseurs of murder mysteries. Just when you think you've seen it all, you run across this book, I promise you will enjoy the ride - I certainly did.
Gary D. Conrad
Author of "Murder on Easter Island," "Oklahoma Is Where I Live" and "The Lhasa Trilogy."
I highly recommend this book for connoisseurs of murder mysteries. Just when you think you've seen it all, you run across this book, I promise you will enjoy the ride - I certainly did.
Gary D. Conrad
Author of "Murder on Easter Island," "Oklahoma Is Where I Live" and "The Lhasa Trilogy."
November 2, 2014
In Russell’s mystery novel, one-armed railroad detective Hook Runyan is tasked with transporting fifty dangerous inmates across the country after their insane asylum burns down. With no local security team in place, the seasoned detective assembles a crew of homeless WW II vets to assist him.
A series of unexplained deaths follow as he tries to safeguard the patients as well as Hook’s own team, while he searches for answers. But insanity is just the beginning as a killer is determined to finish what he has started.
An intelligent addition to the A Hook Runyon Mystery series.
A series of unexplained deaths follow as he tries to safeguard the patients as well as Hook’s own team, while he searches for answers. But insanity is just the beginning as a killer is determined to finish what he has started.
An intelligent addition to the A Hook Runyon Mystery series.
January 22, 2011
Solid 4. verging on 4.5. This HOOK mystery is an excellent follow-up to book 1 and worthy of a read. Found the Hook character has developed strength & confidence giving him an ease in his own skin thus allowing him to work with the Baldwin Insane crew,jungle crew and RR company with empathy. Enjoyed the story while exposing the ugliness of early US mental care, care/recycling of vets & non-rippling, invisible peoples. Good Job Mr Russell, we await Hook 3
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