Official Review: Section Roads by Mike Murphey
204 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Section Roads" by Mike Murphey.]
Cullen and Shelby formed a bond from the very start of their relationship, drawn together by their shared nerdiness. They both played saxophone in the school band and wore glasses, granted Shelby's of the much larger bottle variety. Cullen took an interest in Shelby and saw the beauty in her that others could not. They soon became inseparable and formed meaningful relationships with other school castoffs like Buddy, the football player who found it hard to fit in with the jock mentality and Weard, the genius who had skipped a few grades.
Forty years later, at their high school reunion, these old friends come together under not-so-happy circumstances. Cullen, now a lawyer, finds his services needed as his friends are being accused of a murder that took place during the reunion. On top of the commotion caused by these events, old crimes are dredged up, and along with them, old feelings and heartaches.
I absolutely loved Section Roads by Mike Murphey. It is such a well-crafted story full of an appropriate amount of romance and intrigue. This is the type of book that should appeal to a multitude of readers. I really enjoyed reading about Cullen and Shelby's developing relationship. I found that part of the story sweet and touching. At the same time, I was pulled into the gripping mystery of who committed which murders and the motives behind the crimes. That part of the story kept me guessing and played a nice balancing act with the more emotional side of the coming-of-age tale. I think the author did an excellent job of telling these stories side-by-side as he moved back and forth between present day and various years in Cullen and Shelby's past.
What I liked most about this book was the character development. I really got to know all of the characters, and because of that, felt for them. I cheered Cullen on in his pursuit of Shelby. I grew angry with the other students when they made fun of the main characters. I worried about Cullen and the gang when some of the group found themselves convicted of crimes, and I genuinely wished all of the characters full and happy lives, well, most of the characters anyway.
It's very hard to think of something that I didn't like about this book. If I had to choose a least favorite part, it would be the ending. However, that is only because it didn't come to the conclusion I had hoped for. That's my personal preference and nothing to do with poor writing or bad plot. Overall, it was a nearly flawless read.
For that reason, I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was impeccably written with almost no grammar errors that I could find. Once I started reading, I wanted to finish. It was very hard to put down. I am confident that this book could be enjoyed by a variety of readers. If you like mystery, suspense, romance, or coming-of-age tales, this is for you. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has zero desire to read at least a little bit of a love story. However, romance is not a genre I typically read, and this book really tugged at my heartstrings. It was just such a good story that I think it deserves a read anyway. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised.
******
Section Roads
View: on Bookshelves
Cullen and Shelby formed a bond from the very start of their relationship, drawn together by their shared nerdiness. They both played saxophone in the school band and wore glasses, granted Shelby's of the much larger bottle variety. Cullen took an interest in Shelby and saw the beauty in her that others could not. They soon became inseparable and formed meaningful relationships with other school castoffs like Buddy, the football player who found it hard to fit in with the jock mentality and Weard, the genius who had skipped a few grades.
Forty years later, at their high school reunion, these old friends come together under not-so-happy circumstances. Cullen, now a lawyer, finds his services needed as his friends are being accused of a murder that took place during the reunion. On top of the commotion caused by these events, old crimes are dredged up, and along with them, old feelings and heartaches.
I absolutely loved Section Roads by Mike Murphey. It is such a well-crafted story full of an appropriate amount of romance and intrigue. This is the type of book that should appeal to a multitude of readers. I really enjoyed reading about Cullen and Shelby's developing relationship. I found that part of the story sweet and touching. At the same time, I was pulled into the gripping mystery of who committed which murders and the motives behind the crimes. That part of the story kept me guessing and played a nice balancing act with the more emotional side of the coming-of-age tale. I think the author did an excellent job of telling these stories side-by-side as he moved back and forth between present day and various years in Cullen and Shelby's past.
What I liked most about this book was the character development. I really got to know all of the characters, and because of that, felt for them. I cheered Cullen on in his pursuit of Shelby. I grew angry with the other students when they made fun of the main characters. I worried about Cullen and the gang when some of the group found themselves convicted of crimes, and I genuinely wished all of the characters full and happy lives, well, most of the characters anyway.
It's very hard to think of something that I didn't like about this book. If I had to choose a least favorite part, it would be the ending. However, that is only because it didn't come to the conclusion I had hoped for. That's my personal preference and nothing to do with poor writing or bad plot. Overall, it was a nearly flawless read.
For that reason, I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was impeccably written with almost no grammar errors that I could find. Once I started reading, I wanted to finish. It was very hard to put down. I am confident that this book could be enjoyed by a variety of readers. If you like mystery, suspense, romance, or coming-of-age tales, this is for you. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has zero desire to read at least a little bit of a love story. However, romance is not a genre I typically read, and this book really tugged at my heartstrings. It was just such a good story that I think it deserves a read anyway. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised.
******
Section Roads
View: on Bookshelves
You are not logged in. Please log in or sign up to view members replies, participate in the discussion, and access more features.
