Gandy Dancer by Doc Richter

Rating: 4 star rating

I read Gandy Dancer by Doc Richter, but this type of story is just not for me. I am giving it 4 stars because the writing itself is actually good, but the actual content was tough to get through.

The story follows a 17 year old kid named Josh Spark during World War II. He takes a tough job fixing railroad tracks in the freezing Alaska wilderness. A "gandy dancer" is old slang for these track workers. 

While Josh is working, a serial killer called "The Wolf" starts murdering local women in the small towns along the line.The main reason I struggled with the book is the intense violence against the women, including graphic details about the butchering of the victims. It also features a lot of harsh cursing, including language and using God's name in vain.  

Josh eventually fights the killer, and everything wraps up at the end. The mystery is solved, the bad guy gets what he deserves, and Josh survives. The crew finishes the railroad for the war, and Josh ends up finding love and friendship.

The author is a talented writer, and the book gives complete closure with zero cliffhangers. However, due to the heavy subject matter and the violence, it just wasn't the right book for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, Atmosphere Press, the author Doc Richter, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.

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