Travel the Wicked Road: Wicked Road Series, Book 1 is a dark fantasy written by M.L. Sanford. Eaton Elvis Prescott is on his way from his home state of Kentucky to his dream job as a chemistry teacher in New Gamore, Tennessee. He had survived the harsh treatment dealt to him by his mother as he was growing up, and a decidedly poor employment situation when he finally graduated with his degree in chemistry. Eaton’s been working as a teaching assistant since graduation, a job for which, admittedly, he’s overqualified, but at least it was a teaching job. His on-again, off-again girlfriend, Ellen, finally called it quits for good as his professional shortcomings and meager income could not possibly provide a good future for her. When he received the employment letter from New Gamore, he was standing in his dismal cell of a basement studio, and he actually fainted from the shock of the good news. He arranged to meet with the school personnel and set off for his get-acquainted/final interview. Eaton never got there.

M.L. Sanford’s dark fantasy/horror novel, Travel the Wicked Road: Wicked Road Series, Book 1, is filled with characters who are living dreamlike existences, and those dreams are generally not the good kind. New Gamore, built phoenix-like over the ashes and debris of the old town destroyed in an avalanche in the 1950s, seems to be sitting directly over a temporal anomaly that will remind some readers of Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone or the television series, The Outer Limits. Sanford’s characters and their situations are compelling, and it’s quite easy to get drawn into their existences in this unsettling and somber tale. Travel the Wicked Road is a grand ride through a dark and strange world that’s well worth the price of admission. The plot is original and spooky, and the concept behind the wicked Old Gamore Road is a winner. Travel the Wicked Road: Wicked Road Series, Book 1 is highly recommended.

Travel the Wicked Road by ML Sanford is a wonderful supernatural, mystery thriller. In the 1950s the town of Gamore and most of its population perished under a landslide and, in time, New Gamore is built nearby. But the old disused road to old Gamore holds some perilous and frightening powers. Young Eaton Elvis Prescott, new to the area, falls victim to the road after his car crashes. He seems to be trapped in a weird, unreal world of 1950s Gamore – is there really no escape or is he in some kind of unconscious dream state? Meanwhile, in New Gamore, newly retired police sheriff, Bud Bustovf, gets drawn into investigating suspicious hospital happenings and missing persons. Haunted by dreams of the landslide himself, he uncovers Gamore's buried secrets and wicked deeds that affect even his own family.

Travel the Wicked Road is a very well written book with an exciting and intriguing plot. It starts with Bud’s recurring nightmare of his six-year-old self reliving the day of the landslide, which draws the reader into the world of the characters immediately. Written in third person narrative, the chapters switch from what is happening to Eaton to events unfolding in New Gamore with Bud, his deputy Lou, the dodgy Dr Dunner and others. I liked the way the spooky and unnatural happenings that Eaton experiences contrast but also intertwine with the everyday concerns and goings-on in New Gamore, and the link between past and present. ML Sanford has created very real and believable characters with ordinary concerns and hopes. They find they can never quite get away from the consequences of the past, which has a tendency to direct the path they choose - their story suggesting that sometimes it is things that are unseen that can have the most power over us. The book is a wonderful mixture of suspense, horror, supernatural happenings, buried secrets, attempted subterfuge, and will keep you turning the pages until it reaches its astonishing and curious ending.

Have you ever set a book down after reading it and thought to yourself, "Gee, I'd sure like to meet this author, just to figure out how their mind works?" Well, that's exactly how I felt after I finished reading Travel the Wicked Road, the newest book by author M.L. Sanford. In a truly unique read, the story follows the story of two major characters, Eaton Prescott and Sheriff Bud Bustovf. Young Eaton believes his life is missing just about everything that could make it good - love, money, a great personality - while Sheriff Bud seems to think his life will be over when he enters retirement. Living in New Gamore, with its checkered past and cast of odd characters certainly also lends some intrigue to the story. Follow along to see if Bud and Eaton eventually find their way among secrets, missing people, mysterious deaths, and a certain something wicked that lurks in the background!

I really enjoyed Travel the Wicked Road. This was a fun, interesting read that kept me turning the pages from start to finish. Author M.L. Sanford has done a great job in creating characters that his readers will completely enjoy. His scene setting skills and ability to make fantastic situations seem realistic are second to none. Any reader who enjoys fantasy, mystery, adventure, thrillers, or just a great book will definitely want to read Travel the Wicked Road. I enthusiastically endorse this book, and hope that author M.L. Sanford has more in store for his readers in the very near future!

Eaton Elvis Prescott’s life is going nowhere. But, for Eaton, that's about to change. Little does he know that his path is about to cross with a few other ones, something more. The something more is a path he could really do without. But for Eaton, like so many others, they often don't have much choice on what road they take.

Sheriff Bud Bustovf’s life and path is also about to change. One of four survivors of a terrible tragedy, his life has been anything but stable. Now, mandatory retirement leaves him feeling he is no longer of value to the citizens of New Gamore. But he will soon find his retirement to be anything but boring as he uncovers buried secrets, missing people and unexplained deaths, where his grasp on reality will be sorely tested.

Then of course there's the little town of Gamore, its awful end and curious rebirth as New Gamore. Here many paths cross, leading to something wicked that many, including Eaton Prescott and Sheriff Bud Bustovf, would do anything to avoid.

Travel the Wicked Road is not only a paranormal story but a mystery as well. The author has created a somewhat odd but imaginative cast of characters from the present and the past. The story line and plotting was very well done. I particularly like the way the story slowly built the suspense as strange things began to happen. Overall, a well developed and enjoyable read.