Kindle Price: $2.99

Save $5.96 (67%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Cal Sharp
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Beast From the Back of the Bus: Murder in Music City Kindle Edition

by Cal Sharp (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 19 ratings
See all formats and editions
Imagine you are an aging over-the-hill country music star on tour in Texas with a murderous ex-con White Supremist on your trail, armed and ready to kill you for past transgressions.That's the premise of The Beast From the Back of the Bus. It's a mystery/suspense story set in the country music world, but it's not the typical Nashville tale of fans and babes and pampered stars partying and winning awards. It's a gritty, existential story of murder, avarice and retribution.Country singer Hank Barnett is on tour across Texas in his Silver Eagle bus with his band. Barnett was a big star in his younger days, but now he's in his fifties and the hits have stopped coming, and he's a bitter, vituperative alcoholic who hates himself and everybody else. He doesn't know it, but he is being pursued by a tattooed, bearded ex-con named Wilson Packard who lives in a redoubt in the hill country near Austin and who wants to murder him.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    12 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    225 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    January 30, 2011
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  8. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  9. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004LX0FK2
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 30, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 929 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 225 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1796932310
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 19 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Cal Sharp

Cal Sharp

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I grew up in South Bend, IN and graduated from Heron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis in 1972. I've been a musician all my life. I played guitar in rock bands in high school and college and then took up pedal steel guitar and moved to Nashville and worked with a number of Grand Ol' Opry acts for over 20 years. I'm retired from the road now and play locally at clubs and studios around Nashville, TN while pursuing a second career as a web developer.

I've always been a writer, too. I've written articles for two Nashville newspapers, The Tennessean and The Banner, and for Country Music Magazine, Guitar Player Magazine, Music City News and a few other publications. I've had two short stories in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and I'm an active blogger. My writer site is www.calsharp.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
19 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Yum
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
An easy read about a fictional character, although I suspect it was based on a real life person. Quite entertaining.
Helpful
 Report
Vibrowhatzit
4.0 out of 5 stars A good 'un
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2012
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book, especially the 'real life experience' stuff with the band on the bus during the road trip. While I'm not the consummate 'road dog' I've done more than enough miles to know that Cal is spot on with this stuff, no surprise there. Great story line, and I hate to use the same old trite phrase, but 'I couldn't put it down' as the story spun toward an end. Highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of country music and the music biz from 'the good 'ol days'.
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Epic tale of Steinbeck Proportion
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2012
Verified Purchase
I began reading 'The Beast' with no expectations and it blew me away!

There were so many messages in the book I related to. There were great commentaries on life and I took my time reading to drink them all in. That's something that I don't get to do often. Reading is usually like driving on a straight away with nothing worthwhile to make you want to slow down to take a look. With Sharp's storytelling I got off the highway and took the back roads to take in the scenery, and it was rich.

In this modern day epic tale set in the south, two lives are fated against one another. Each breath from one, affects the life of the other. Ignorance and bliss can last so long as we, the reader stand enraptured as the acts of both men lead to their judgment day.

Rich storytelling, compelling characters, great read!
Helpful
 Report
William J. Gothard
3.0 out of 5 stars Almost there
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2011
Verified Purchase
An intriguing plot with interesting characters. Unfortunately, the book suffers from substandard editing. Cal Sharp has talent and with a little professional guidance this book could have been so much better. Still there are some great lines and the story could easily adapt as a screenplay. This is a 4-star book with 3-star execution.
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Author Takes On The Bus and Behind The Scenes!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2011
Verified Purchase
Cal Sharp is successful in his efforts to take us as readers, onto the tour bus of fictional country music artist Hank Barnett, into the motel rooms, and backstage green rooms that make up the world of country music. Packed full of silly and sad situations that Hank's musicians have to endure due to his ego and alcoholism, in order to try and earn their livings playing music. Hank, his managers, nor his band members realize that Wilson Packard, a not so nice and not so good, old boy is stalking the singer with a grudge to settle from years before.
Highly recommended!
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
jerry w.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
As an old road musician myself, it was fun to read a book about road life written by an old pro like Cal Sharp. Although the main plot was fiction, much of the little things in the book were based on real experiences
Helpful
 Report
Jonathan Light
5.0 out of 5 stars Behind the Silver Eagle glamour.
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2014
Verified Purchase
Great read. I enjoyed this tremendously. Knowing the author's credentials in the business, in the trenches, adds a huge amount to the credibility of the characters. Where you might say "that's just over the top" becomes "damn--I bet he knew folks just like this".
A good bit of story telling that looks beyond and beneath the rhinestones.
Helpful
 Report
Jesse Wayne
5.0 out of 5 stars Nashville Revisited
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2013
Verified Purchase
I moved to Nashville in 1987 and Cal Sharp's "Beast in the back of the bus" brought back many Music City memories. Though I met some "unique" characters, none were quite as dramatic as those Cal created for this compelling novel, but a few came real close. I won't divulge the ending, but you'll be on the edge of your seat. Great job, Cal.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Will C
3.0 out of 5 stars The dark side of the music business
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2013
Verified Purchase
I had to smile - the book is written by a pedal steel player, and oh yes, he comes out in the book as the wise, patient, dedicated one in the band, a man with a bit of depth. The villain of the piece, the arrogant has-been singer with a nasty secret from the past, gets his comeuppance, but not in the way you'd immediately expect, a nice twist. I liked the writing style, it was easy on the eyes, with some nice use of English. I'd buy another from this writer.
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report