Tin City

April 18, 2005
In Edgar-winner Housewright's entertaining second noirish mystery starring Twin Cities ex-cop Rushmore "Mac" McKenzie (after 2004's A Hard Ticket Home
), an elderly family friend, Mr. Mosley, asks Mac to look into the mysterious deaths of some bees at his honey farm. A University of Minnesota graduate student, Ivy Flynn, identifies an insecticide as the cause, but not before Mr. Mosley's surly new neighbor, Frank Crosetti, takes a shot at Ivy while she's collecting soil samples near his property. Then someone shoots Mr. Mosley in the head gangland style, and Crosetti disappears. A bereaved and guilt-ridden Mac pulls out all stops for a full-fledged investigation, diving under deep cover when the FBI issues a Seeking Information Alert for him. The suspense builds as Mac traces a couple of dim-bulb thugs to a tiny oasis of trailer homes where resides a bent FBI man, Steve Sykora, who's protecting a dangerous mobster. Channeling Raymond Chandler with tongue-in-cheek humor, Housewright delivers plenty of action, a pinch of romance and more than a few surprises. Agent, Alison Picard.

April 15, 2005
Housewright hits his stride in this second outing for good-hearted Minnesota tough guy Rushmore McKenzie. It all begins innocently enough when an old family friend hires Mac to look into who or what is killing his honeybees, but when a routine investigation leads to assault, rape, and murder, it's payback time. As the guilty parties seem to be enjoying federal protection, Mac drops off the radar and winds up in a trailer park, where lives a lovely lass. The smooth, straightforward action comes off without a hitch, lightly seasoned with a dash of introspection from a wry, self-assured hero who is a true pal to those in need and who charms ladies and librarians alike. For those who can accept Mac's advice, "Best not to think too much about it . . . just sit back and see what happens next," this series may be seriously habit-forming. It's also a welcome selection for libraries where Robert Parker is popular, which is to say everywhere.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)