David Housewright

Rushmore McKenzie is a former police detective who became a millionaire and then a retiree. He has been an unofficial private investigator since then until his last case nearly cost him his life and left him in a coma. His wife, Nina, insisted that he fully retire. Until that is, a friend and former employee of Nina comes to her and asks for McKenzie's assistance.
Jenness Crawford funs the family castle that operates as a hotel/resort in Redding, Minnesota. Jenness's grandmother has died and now the relatives are feuding over whether to keep operating the hotel or sell the land to developers for millions. Jenness is convinced that her grandmother did not die of natural causes but the police do not agree. That's where McKenzie comes in. He finds himself trying to solve a locked-room mystery that includes a castle full of suspects. These include relatives with unique and common motives, long-serving staff, and some local troublemakers as well. McKenzie has to figure out if there was a crime and if so, how to avoid being the next victim.

Something Wicked by David Housewright was a wonderful surprise. McKenzie and his wife Nina are so damn likable their pictures should be in the dictionary next to "Minnesota nice". The setting is so richly described you feel yourself sitting on the steps of the castle and taking in the legendary sunsets. The cast of characters are all three-dimensional and have understandable motivations, even if it takes some work to uncover them. The mystery is intriguing, especially as you are not sure if a crime has been committed, let alone how and by whom. McKenzie is such an engaging character with his laid-back demeanor and sharp eye. The plot unfolds with plenty of viable suspects, a few red herrings, and a skilled detective to piece it all together.

I am so happy to discover this long-running series. It is easy to jump into the adventure as a new reader and this entry is sure to please existing fans. I look forward to reading more McKenzie adventures, both past and future.

One of my favorite reads of the year. I loved everything about this book.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.… (more)

Rushmore McKenzie was a St. Paul policeman until an unexpected event allowed him to retire as a millionaire. Now he does favors for friends as an unlicensed private investigator. When graduate students Ivy Flynn (who first appeared in Tin City) and Josh Berglund come to him and ask for help finding gold never recovered from a 1930's bank robbery in North Dakota, McKenzie is intrigued.

What follows is a wonderful combination of a classic caper story and an interesting look into the seedy underbelly of St. Paul, MN in the 1930's, when corruption was rampant and gangsters were left alone by the police as long as they did their crimes elsewhere. I love spending time with McKenzie and his friends. The characters are very well developed (including the city of St. Paul) , the stories move quickly, and the writing is snappy. McKenzie is full of snark and sarcasm, which I really enjoy.

I highly recommend this series for anyone who likes hard-boiled P.I. novels that don't take themselves too seriously. They remind me of the Nebraska mystery series by William J. Reynolds, which came out in the late 1980s (and are definitely worth checking out from your local library if you can find them). They also remind me a little of Dennis Lehane's Kenzie and Gennero mysteries, although those tend to be darker.… (more)