George H. (space-ranger04) reviewed The Yard Dog: A Mystery (A Hook Runyon Mystery) on + 11 more book reviews
The Yard Dog by Sheldon Russell is a fun read that won't take you to long to complete. The main character here is Hook Runyan a railroad bull (detective) for the Santa Fe railroad, or as some people refer to him, the yard dog. This is due to the way the railroad has police the rail yards and railways across the country to keep people from stealing cargo or from hopping the rail cars for a free ride.
When a homeless man who is a friend of Hook's is found dead underneath an ice car full of vegetables, he is naturally suspicious. His investiation takes him from the Waynoka rail yards to the POW camp in Alva and a few other locations scattered across northwest oklahoma. Hook is a wondefull main character and Russel surrounds him with a number of great other supporting characters, both minor and major. The mystery surrounding the murder and the POW's at the camp naturally deepens the more Hook looks into it. With the help of a local moonshiner named Runt Wallace and Dr. Reina Kaplan, a good looking young woman of education working at the the POW camp, Hook is determined to find out what is going on. It's an especially enjoyable tale for anyone who lives in the area where the story is set, but you don't have to be from there to enjoy it. Anyone who enjoys mystery, historical fiction, or even a minor romance story with some humor should find something to enjoy.
When a homeless man who is a friend of Hook's is found dead underneath an ice car full of vegetables, he is naturally suspicious. His investiation takes him from the Waynoka rail yards to the POW camp in Alva and a few other locations scattered across northwest oklahoma. Hook is a wondefull main character and Russel surrounds him with a number of great other supporting characters, both minor and major. The mystery surrounding the murder and the POW's at the camp naturally deepens the more Hook looks into it. With the help of a local moonshiner named Runt Wallace and Dr. Reina Kaplan, a good looking young woman of education working at the the POW camp, Hook is determined to find out what is going on. It's an especially enjoyable tale for anyone who lives in the area where the story is set, but you don't have to be from there to enjoy it. Anyone who enjoys mystery, historical fiction, or even a minor romance story with some humor should find something to enjoy.
