Roll Me Away – Alan N. Webber

Archway Publishing, 320 pages, (paperback) $24.99, 978-1-6657-4976-3

(Reviewed: October 2024)

Roll Me Away, the second in a series about—and by—a veteran trucker, is part detective story, part romance, and part travelogue, seasoned with insights about the trucking industry from an author grounded in the trade.

The opening imagery and language quickly set the tone (and ominous direction) of the story and its protagonist, Tim Harrison: “Dusk descended on the Arizona skyline…It seemed the sun was slurping up the highway like spaghetti. As the black eighteen-wheeled Peterbilt semi hurtled westward, would it, too, find itself swallowed up?”

After dispatching backstory from his prior book, author Alan N. Webber sends Harrison—and hisappealing dog Rory—on an adventure that begins as a search for the killer of a fellow trucker but turns into a battle for his own life. Along the way, Harrison becomes romantically involved and delves into his personal demons while relishing the natural beauty along his southwestern route.

The story pauses often to describe these scenic and historic venues; although interesting, these scenes don’t move the plot forward and would be more appropriate in a nonfiction travel book.

The language is serviceable but uninspired, and the writing suffers from frequent over-explaining (“After navigating the one-way frontage road system that advances parallel to bothsides of Interstate 10 for miles through the outskirts of El Paso…”). Additionally, stereotypical character tropes, including hotheaded bad guys and fantasy women who happily prepare meals for their men before or after sex that they’ve begged for.

Still, fans of Bob Segar and others of his ilk will enjoy the book’s use of song titles as chapter headings and other sly references and the overall storyline is compelling enough to hold the reader’s interest. Meanwhile, an exciting ending and quick tie-up of loose ends make for a satisfying, if sometimes bumpy, ride.

Also available in hardcover, ebook and audio book.

The Unforgiven

If you have read the first 2 books of the trilogy you will certainly enjoy this final edition. Following Tim Harrison’s life has been nothing short of a roller coaster but that man hangs in there. Love the characters. And the writing is easy to follow….didn’t have to go back and try to figure out what is going on!!! A wild ride for sure!! – MomB (Amazon)

Roll Me Away

Very engaging and hard to put down. Suspenseful, action packed and even a little romance. Would definitely recommend. Can’t wait until Alan gets Whipping Post re-published! – Lori (Amazon)

Great writing. The story moved along with good details to visualize characters and actions so well. And it is clear that a good amount of research was done. And added nicely throughout the chapters. – Valerie Devine (Amazon)

I enjoyed so much about this book. Well written, colorful, fun, & engaging. It was also quite easy and quick to read. Highly recommend – SNE (Amazon)

Loved the book and its back and forth between characters. This write has a very good skill set. Can not wait for his next book! – Jeff Chinero (Amazon)

Wow! Roll Me Away was such a great read. It was difficult to put the book down. The ending was awesome! – Don Harioka (Amazon)

I enjoyed this book as much if not more than the the 1st book. It really kept my interest! Love the story and can’t wait for the next book! – Anonymous Amazon Customer

“Alan N Webber is excellent at creating suspenseful scenarios and realistic characters. The different points of view, backstories, and authentic details keep the reader tuned into the plot, while the ending brings redemption, forgiveness, and a bittersweet feeling.” – Beckster77 (Amazon)

“A down-to-earth story that captures the grit and grind of life on the road, with trucker camaraderie, a gripping murder mystery, and a heartfelt love story. A real and heartfelt read about resilience, love, and suspense.” – MPSchore (Amazon)

This unusual story has unique, tough characters, a great leading guy, lots of suspense and well-crafted plot lines and personalities. Overall a very good read. – K. Riemer (Amazon)

“An inspiring, soul-stirring journey across America that explores purpose, love, and self-discovery with honesty and humor. Alan Webber’s down-to-earth storytelling makes the book impossible to put down.” – Sarah Schore (Amazon)

Tim Harrison and his fellow Saxson truck drivers take you on a ride as life on road as a truck driver. The author Alan keeps you on the edge as the Saxson team faces the Mexican cartel and has twists and turns along the way. It is a great easy read and once you start you won’t want to put it down. Highly recommend! – Steve Lemon (Amazon)

I enjoyed the book. Good story about life of a trucker. – DJD (Amazon)

Excellent Book. Would highly recommend anyone read the story of Tim Harrison – Anonymous Amazon Customer

Great book. Hard to put down, easy read. – Billy Sturgis

Really great novel depicting the trials and tribulations of a long-haul trucker on the road. This book is gritty and determined to put you in the driver’s seat of a big rig, seeing first hand how life on the road can be. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like for those asphalt cowboys, give this a read! – Alyson (Amazon)

The second of the story of Saxon Bros trucker Tim Harrison. Great read. I liked the back and forth chapters of good guys and bad. Easy to follow and a nice storyline. Waiting for Alans next work. Hope Tim and Saxon Bros haven’t parked their Peterbilts just yet. – Lana Sirois (Amazon)

Loved the flow of the book. Not too heavy but kept me interested all the way to the end. – MomB (Amazon)

Great read! Felt like you were there in time. I didn’t want it to end! – Anne Hill

You’ll be singing along with Willie as you read…”On the Road Again”. – PDC (Amazon)

Loved the storyline of the book! It was a book that makes you feel happiness, sadness, and wanna kick someone’s a&& too! Will there be another book to follow? I can’t wait to find out! – Jamie Reinche (Amazon)

“Roll Me Away” is a suspense thriller written colloquial style by Alan N Weber. For the main characters, or band of brothers, there is Tim, a widower, who can sometimes be a bad ass or a teddy bear. He conveniently forgot to tell his new girlfriend about his sketchy past. A Green Beret Vietnam veteran named John. The boss’ favorite employee is named Virgil. And an Iraq veteran named JD. They chase down the guys that murdered their friend no matter the potential self-harm. I know the life of a truck drivers isn’t all roses and sunshine as the cliché goes. This is a good book, and I appreciated the colloquial style writing, and the map inserts. – Nancy Retallick, PhD (Amazon)

“Alan N Webber is excellent at creating suspenseful scenarios and realistic characters. The shifting points of view, backstories, authentic details, and map inserts keep the reader tuned into the plot, while the ending brings redemption, forgiveness, and a bittersweet feeling.” – Rebecca Reddell (Amazon)

Roll Me Away delivers a gripping and emotionally charged narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Alan Webber skillfully combines suspense, action, and deep character exploration in a story that is both thrilling and heartfelt. – Eleanor Pilcher (Amazon)