rumrunners

Interview by Crime Fiction Coordinator Scott Montgomery

Eric Beetner’s Leadfoot serves as a sequel to Rumrunners, his incredibly fun ode to the the great rural car chase films of the Seventies. This one actually takes place in that decade with Calvin, the patriarch or the McGraw family of outlaw drivers, showing the ropes to his son Webb and getting into trouble that takes more than a fast car to escape. We caught up with Eric, to talk about the book and the McGraw clan.

MysteryPeople Scott: What veered you to do a prequel to Rumrunners instead of a sequel?

Eric Beetner: I had plans for two more books that took place after Rumrunners. The publisher suggested maybe a prequel since we’d both noticed that Calvin was really the breakout character. I thought it was a great idea and I enjoyed having the chance to push Calvin to the forefront of the story in Leadfoot. And also to see Webb do a little work since he got such little time in Rumrunners. Plus, if you’re going to be writing about muscle cars, the 1970s is the time to be.

Interview by Crime Fiction Coordinator Scott Montgomery

Eric Beetner’s new novel The Rumrunners is packed with fun action, perfect for those of us who grew up watching the Duke Boys and The Bandit outrun the law. The story concerns Tucker McGraw, a man from a long line of men who transport illegal goods – usually liquor or drugs – who has decided to go straight.

Soon enough, he gets pulled back into the business, when his father disappears with a mysterious shipment. The redneck ring of criminals employing the McGraw family force Tucker and the McGraw family patriarch, Calvin, to pay off the debt as drivers. Full of car chases and colorful characters, it is a fast paced, run ride. I caught up with Eric to talk about the book, its inspiration, and how he wrote a book that moves as fast as Burt Reynolds in a Trans Am.