Review of HIGHWAY 61 RESURFACED by Bill Fitzhugh (see his website)

William Morrow, April 2005

Private Investigator and part-time disk jockey Rick Shannon gets a call hiring him to find an old man formerly connected with the radio. But when he and his client show up, the old man has been murdered. Rick's investigation soon takes him into the world of the blues. Fifty years earlier, in a legendary all-night blues session, three legends played together for the first and only time, creating music that people still talk about--and possibly a recording. The three never played again because one of them was arrested the next day for murder--and has been in jail for the past fifty years.

Rick follows the blues angle, finding more death. Could the convicted killer, recently released, be taking his revenge?

Author Bill Fitzhugh (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by Fitzhugh) mixes music with murder in a fascinating look at the new south, the old south, and a dying form of music. Someone is willing to kill to keep the secret of the blues recording from falling into the wrong hands and Rick seems to have a knack for getting in the way of trouble. A pair of beautiful women, both claiming to be the dead man's granddaughter, add to the plot.

HIGHWAY 61 RESURFACED does a great job mixing humor, history, and suspense. Rick is an interesting character, with enough complexity to sustain the story. Fans of music, both classic rock and the blues, will enjoy the way Fitzhugh ties together these two musical traditions. His observations on the sunset of the blues actually started tears in my eyes.

I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending HIGHWAY 61 RESURFACED.

Four Stars

Reviewed 2/20/05

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