On the Wrong Track

It's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS in the Old West. The continuing saga of Otto "Big Red" and Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer (Holmes on the Range) is a genuine knee-slapper. When the brothers are hired to guard the Southern Pacific Railroad from the train-robbing Give-'em-Hell Boys, Gustav, an ardent admirer of Sherlock Holmes, begins "deducifying," with Otto providing the muscle, along with sarcastic observations. William Dufris gives an engaging performance of the likable cowpokes and the unruly assortment of scoundrels and ne'er-do-wells that surround them. His attitude is pitch-perfect to the period as are his renderings of a drunken ex-lawman, a beautiful woman, a rail-riding bum with pretensions, a Chinese doctor, a Negro porter, and many more eccentrics. Dufris brings flamboyance, charm, and hilarity to Hockensmith's wild, wild Western. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Starred review from December 18, 2006
In Hockensmith's hilarious second 1890s romp starring the cattle drovers–turned–detectives Gustav "Old Red" and Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer (after 2006's acclaimed Holmes on the Range
), the brothers are hired as guards for the Southern Pacific, a rail line bedeviled by the "Give-'em-Hell Boys" who rob gold shipments. After baggage handler Joe Pezullo's severed head bounces from the Pacific Express, Gustav, inspired by his hero Sherlock Holmes, hopes to apply his own deductive powers to the case. In the Pullman is a collection of oddballs, including seductive suffragist Miss Diana Caveo, shady Dr. Chan and boozed-up cowboy detective Burl Lockhart. The baggage car contains even stranger cargo: a crated snake, two coffins and the self-proclaimed King of the Hoboes, dubbed "Numero Uno." Otto's uproarious narration takes us to Thornton's Boiler #2, a dilapidated saloon, where the Amlingmeyers rescue Burl and Chan from the clutches of raucous cowpunchers. As this fast-moving express hurtles toward a spectacular ending, Gustav searches for ways to apply Holmes's crime-solving genius to the comic bedlam. Author tour.

June 25, 2007
When first hearing William Dufris, as the cowboy/writer Otto Amlingmeyer, narrate Hokensmith’s second mystery, listeners might initially think they are hearing a children’s book. Not because of the content, but because of the downright goofy caricature of this Dr. Watson of the old West (to his brother Gustav’s Holmes.) Dufris’s over-the-top playing of Otto (aka Big Red) is initially jarring. However, within an hour, what seemed a distraction becomes a strength. In fact, Big Red soon endears himself to the listener as he recounts the tale of his illiterate would-be Sherlock Holmes big brother. It is no surprise that hyperbolic characterizations are natural to Dufris. Astute listeners may recognize his voice as TV’s Bob the Builder. His colorful characters are all a bit cartoonish and that ends up being part of the charm of this package. His women are breathy, his Asians are Chan-like, and his newsboy is a hopped-up Jimmy Olsen. Hockensmith’s material and Dufris’s thespian silliness are a perfect complement to one another: its Watson and Holmes, meet Martin and Lewis. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin’s Minotaur hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 18).

Starred review from August 1, 2007
This delightful sequel to "Holmes on the Range" finds cowboys Gustav and Otto Amlingmeyer becoming railroad detectives to protect the Southern Pacific from the notorious outlaws known as the Give-'em-Hell Boys. No sooner have the brothers embarked on a long trip to Oakland than they discover a severed head. In addition to protecting the train and trying to solve a murder through the techniques of Gustav's hero, Sherlock Holmes, the Amlingmeyers encounter a drunken legendary lawman, a suffragette, an exotic snake, and a coffin filled with Chinese treasures. More loosely plotted than its predecessor, "On the Wrong Track" has more action and humor and is certain to entertain fans of both Westerns and mysteries. William Dufris seems comfortable with Otto's narrative voice, and his relaxed approach contributes considerably to the tale's charm. Highly recommended for popular collections.Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr.

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