Erin Hart & False Mermaid this week

I read a lot of books. That's what you might call an understatement. And I don't always remember the books I've read. That too is an understatement.

The other day someone asked me what some of my favorite books of 2010 were and I was stumped. Of course it was the end of the day on the last day of our Spring fundraiser. I'm hoping that had something to do with it.

But some books stay in my mind. Years ago I was a judge for the MN Book Awards in the genre fiction. Turns out that basically means mysteries. Though it was a lot of books to read in a short time, it tuned me in to some MN authors I had never read - like William Kent Krueger and Erin Hart. In the years since I read Erin Hart's "Lake of Sorrows" I've actually thought about the main character, Nora Gavin. And wondered if I'd ever get to hear from her again. (Yes, I wonder things about characters in books in my spare time. So sue me!)

So, as luck would have it, and by luck I mean the MN Arts & Cultural Heritage amendment - Erin Hart and her husband (Irish musician) Paddy O'Brien are doing a tour of the Kitchigami library system. For her new book. About Nora Gavin!

This one is called "False Mermaid" and the title is a connection of all the story lines in the book. A quick synopsis:

Nora Gavin remains haunted by a cold case that nearly cost her sanity five years ago: her sister Tríona's brutal murder. After failing to bring the killer to justice, Nora fled to Ireland, throwing herself into her work and taking the first tentative steps in a new relationship with Irish archaeologist Cormac Maguire. She's driven home by unwelcome news: Tríona's husband—and the prime suspect in her murder—is about to remarry. Nora is determined to succeed this time, even if it means confronting unsettling secrets. As she digs ever closer to the truth, the killer zeroes in on Tríona's young daughter, Elizabeth.

For information on the Kitchigami Regional Library tour that begins this Thursday February 24th at the Brainerd Public library at 5pm see here.

Julie Kramer is back on Realgoodwords this week

William Kent Krueger this week

Tune in for a discussion of William Kent Krueger's latest, "Red Knife".

William and I talked about the character that he writers about Cork O'Connor. Cork is half Irish-American, have Ojibwe. A former sheriff who is now a private investigator, he's a man that embodies the conflict that we often see in Northern Minnesota. As William said, "a fiction writer is always thinking where is the conflict?"

In "Red Knife" violence and how we deal with and handle it is at the core. Cork O'Connor has been called in to help with a conflict that concerns a man whose daughter has died due to meth addiction and the Ojibwe gang, Red Boyz, that supplied her with the drug.

Publishers Weekly called Red Knife "outstanding... Simply and elegantly told, this sad story of loyalty and honor, corruption and hatred, hauntingly carves utterly convincing characters, both red and white, into the consciousness."

William Kent Krueger is going to be speaking at Ironworld in Chisholm this Saturday

April 18: "For Love or Money: Six Reasons to Write," with "Cork O'Connor" series author William Kent Krueger
An Oregon native and former logger, construction worker and four-time Minnesota Book Award winner, Krueger will discuss both his work and why he chose to become a writer, including the compelling reasons for setting his novels on the Iron Range.

MN Mystery authors Brian Freeman and Julie Kramer

On this week's episode of Realgoodwords, we're talking to two Minnesota mystery/suspense authors.

Brian Freeman is back with us. Brian writes the series of books about Jonathan Stride, a detective in Duluth. In his latest, "In the Dark" Jonathan's past is back. A murder that was committed when Jonathan was young was never solved and a woman who comes to town and is writing about it is determined to get him to look into the case. Reviewers said,

"Edgar-finalist Freeman's fourth thriller to feature Duluth, Minn., police lieutenant Jonathan Stride (after Stalked) may be his most ambitious—and accomplished—work to date.... Powered by darkly poetic atmospherics and deep character development (especially Stride, whose understated intensity, dignity and resilience are emblematic of the Twin Ports area itself), this harrowing and heartrending novel will leave readers guessing until the very last pages." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Brian has also embarked on a new writing journey - writing under a pseudonym (Ally O'Brien) and with a partner (his literary agent from London). His new "chick-lit" mystery series begins with "The Agency". It's the story of a tough, funny, British literary agent with a boss who turns up dead.

With an insider's take on the book biz, and an appealingly foul-mouthed heroine, this debut is fast, funny and a bit nasty not unlike Tess. A naughty, catty good time. --Kirkus

First time mystery writer Julie Kramer is also joining us. Though it is her first novel, the world of uncovering clues and motive and crime is far from new for author Julie Kramer. Julie is a television producer who worked for WCCO's I-team for many years and now works independently for NBC News. In her first novel, her sleuth is television news reporter Riley Spartz. Riley, always looking for ratings, has uncovered some cold cases that she hopes she can link together and solve in times for sweeps month.

"STALKING SUSAN is a fantastic debut. Julie Kramer has crafted a thriller that will get your heart racing."
—Vince Flynn, PROTECT AND DEFEND

These three novels I've mentioned run the gamut in terms of mystery - Brian's Jonathan Stride books are gritty - his new alter ego of Ally O'Brien and main character Tess Drake are flippy and fun with an edge - and Julie Kramer's Riley Spartz is smart and intense and working hard to make sure she can stay in the TV game. What kind of mystery appeals to you? What are your favorites? Here's some mystery websites to check out:

Minnesota Crime Wave
Uncle Hugo's Bookstore
Once Upon a Crime Bookstore
Reviewing the Evidence
Detectives Beyond Borders
Notes from the Handbasket

How do you find a new mystery to read?

Winter Reading from Realgoodwords

Hallie Ephron's "Never Tell A Lie" kept me glued over the weekend. It's a mystery novel telling the story of a very pregnant woman who innocently holds a yard sale. When a person she barely knew in high school shows up, everything changes. I liked that even though Ivy Rose was 8+ months pregnant, she still saves the day. Hallie will be an upcoming guest on Realgoodwords...

I'll talk with Hallie not just about "Never Tell a Lie" but about her book "1001 Books for Every Mood" suggested to me by KAXE Volunteer Joan Downham. Here's an idea of what "1001 Books for Every Mood" has in it:

Books if you are interested in taking a trip:
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
The Atlas by William T. Vollmann
Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Half-Moon
Consider the Lobster: and Other Essays by David Foster Wallace
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins
The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia by Paul Theroux

I'm also reading Minnesota writers Charles Baxter's "The Soul Thief" and Julie Kramer's "Stalking Susan".