The Trail (An Awol Thriller, 1)

I heard about this book when the author's daughter-in-law called into a local morning radio show & talked about it. The author has hiked thru the Appalachian Trail(AT) and now had written a novel about a serial killer stalking people there. I love a good suspense story, so I checked it out. Thanks for the tip!A serial killer,on the run from the police, tries to avoid capture by heading up the AT. Once he's there, he finds a many other potential victims hiking along thru the beautifully described wilderness. The other main character is a Iraq war vet looking for some relief from his PTSD. Once he catches onto the suspicious behavior of the killer, the cat & mouse game continues between them all along the trail. While there is some violence (it is a book about a serial killer remember) it isn't terribly graphic.I wouldn't mind seeing the main character in another story. "Awol goes to Yellowstone" maybe?

Ray Anderson's debut novel THE TRAIL is an excellent read. Ray is an accomplished hiker and mountaineer, and he blends those skills with a truly suspenseful tale about the hunt for a serial killer loose on the Appalachian Trail. I learned a great deal about the techniques and traditions of the "through hikers", the people who are walking the entire AT from Georgia to Maine (or Maine to Georgia) and found it all fascinating.Anderson's ability to vividly describe the terrain and the scenery adds a great deal to the story without losing the suspense. Speaking as someone who's carried a pack and hiked some tough ground over the years, I found myself reliving many of those experiences as I was enjoying this book. If you've ever walked on blisters, strung up a temporary shelter, or cooked a meal on a pocket stove, this is for you.

Somehow, when I saw the title, I "knew" this was going to be a sleep-losing read. And it was just that. That there would be a clash between the two main characters at some point was unsaid, but obvious. The great way that Anderson would edge toward that confrontation and then ease off the throttle kept the suspense racheted up all the way. This, mixed with a wealth of history, facts, trail names and other A.T. info and characters, made this one of the best novels I've read since the early books by Harlan Coben. If you like suspense with outdoor adventure, you will enjoy The Trail!

I did not enjoy reading this book because it is about a serial killer and I find any killer repulsive, even in fiction. The information about the Appalachian Trail was okay to read about, but the story with the serial killer in it made the beautiful trail ugly.

A pleasing and quick paced story. The author did well at developing the two main characters and, I thought, showed a better ability to develop the antagonist's mindset. Very nice blend of the author's passion for the AT coupled with a fast paced hike of cat and mouse.

Nicely done suspense novel with hiking do's and don'ts woven throughout. Innovative look at trail life - from the perspective of the killer (an inexperienced hiker) and the pursuer (an experienced hiker). Entertaining. Glad I read it.

This should have been a winner for me. But turned out only to be passable. The whole Appalachian Trail hiking thing was enjoyable for awhile, but lacked tension. AWOL should have been an excellent hero, but was lacking too. The killer wasn't frightening enough. This was readable, just not thrilling enough to keep me from putting it down. I suspect I won't read another awol "thriller".

It has been a while since I read I book that made me want to ignore life & keep reading but The Trail did this for me. I miss the characters & story now that I have finished which is always the sign of a good read. Definitely a story to become immersed in. Great first novel & I look forward to reading Ray's next book.

Really good read. I look forward to more books buy Ray. Thanks for taking me on the AT and making it more treacherous by adding an unstable personality. I don't trust a lot of people, but I always help when I can. Love this book.