Review by Ian Keogh

Devil’s Highway starts with an incident late on Christmas Eve at a rural Wisconsin diner. On Christmas Day Sharon Harrow turns up at the local police station wanting to see the file on her father’s murder, which shows a distinctive pattern carved into his chest. She’s imposing and intimidating, and men tend to underestimate her, so she rapidly puts together what the police haven’t, including tying in the pattern to several other murders. Benjamin Percy establishes Sharon’s no nonsense attitude efficiently, and that’s she’s very capable at both physical combat and finding information online.

Pretty well everything looks nicer for a covering of snow, and Brent Schoonover brings this out supplying a bleak winter beauty in Wisconsin. His is a naturalistic style, and his trucks and buildings are equally detailed, while his people are distinctive, not just variations on the same face. However, this is a grim story aimed at adults, and Schoonover doesn’t hold back with some stomach-turning scenes emphasising the depravity.

A creepy mood is instilled from the end of the opening episode as the evidence points to a serial killer with especially disturbing habits, and Percy’s not so much concerned with why he’s acting as he does, but with Sharon tracking him down, which becomes a game of cat and mouse. Details about her background are delivered in passing, leaving readers to join the dots as to how she acquired her skills, and the most telling comment is from a former military colleague noting not all scars are on the outside. She’s a dangerous enemy.

Everything proceeds swimmingly until just after halfway through, from when Percy’s unable to bring the story home. Firstly, despite Sharon doing very well on her own, she has to be rescued by a guy who then explains more of what’s going on before becoming deadweight. A more effective plot would have seen Sharon continue as a solo act. The second reservation might have greater meaning when Sharon continues her vendetta in Vol. 2. The snake motif begins as a creepy threat, but escalates into sensationalism the story didn’t really need. Aren’t trucking serial killers horrific enough?

Devil’s Highway doesn’t completely disappoint, but neither is it as good as it might have been.