Kirjahaku

Once a police detective in St. Paul, Minnesota, Rushmore McKenzie has become not only an unlikely millionaire, but an occasional unlicensed private investigator, doing favors for friends and people in need. When his stepdaughter Erica asks him for just such a favor, McKenzie doesn't have it in him to refuse. Even though it sounds like a very bad idea right from the start. The father of Malcolm Harris, a college friend of Erica's, was found murdered a year ago in a park in New Brighton, a town just outside the Twin Cities. With no real clues and all the obvious suspects with concrete alibis, the case has long since gone cold. As McKenzie begins poking around, he soon discovers another unsolved murder that's tangentially related to this one. And all connections seem to lead back to a group of friends the victim was close with. But all McKenzie has is a series of odd, even suspicious, coincidences until someone decides to make it all that more serious and personal. Praise for What the Dead Leave Behind "Unlicensed PI Rushmore 'Mac' McKenzie tackles perhaps his most complex case yet in Edgar-winner Housewright's witty 14th Minnesota-based mystery...Housewright is such a pro at plot and character development that it's nearly impossible to put this entry down." -Publishers Weekly "It's a distinct pleasure to follow McKenzie as he uncovers layer upon layer of corporate corruption, from sexual harassment to industrial espionage, while every second woman in the cast comes on to him. The hero emerges with his virtue intact and a brace of new heads for his trophy wall. The surprising number of malefactors at the company isn't a strength of the tale, but they're all well worth your cathartic scorn." -Kirkus Reviews

Louise Wykoff is arguably the most recognizable woman living in Minnesota, known for her presence in over one hundred paintings by the late and brilliant Randolph McInnis. Louise, known better as "That Wykoff Woman," was just a young apprentice when her intimate representation and the fact of the McInnis's marriage caused rumors to fly-and Louise to hide away for decades. All of McInnis's paintings are in museums or known private collections, until Louise confesses to having three more that no one has ever heard of-and now they've been stolen. Rushmore McKenzie, an occasional unlicensed private investigator, agrees to look into the theft. As he investigates, following clues that appear far too straightforward, he finds himself on the wrong side of the bars wondering if the trail might be deeper and darker than he's been led to believe. Hours away from St. Paul, deep in the nature of Grand Marais, the truth seems murkier-and deadlier-than usual. Praise for Dead Man's Mistress "Edgar winner Housewright's enjoyable 16th novel.... Cursed with a Midwestern charm to match his nonstop patter, McKenzie is an appealing hero who comfortably operates within the hardboiled detective tradition." -Publishers Weekly "Smooth, professional work whose mounting complications... are kept under admirable control right up to the double-barreled denouement." -Kirkus Reviews "The drama is unending, with not-so-clean and not-so-smart small-town deputies investigating a local man's suicide (or it is murder?), a rich family battling for rights to the stolen artwork, and the dogged film crew intent on capitalizing on the scandalous story. It's all painted against a backdrop of greed and deceit-in short, all of the quirky antagonists and character flaws that Housewright has so much fun exploiting for his audience. If Housewright is an acquired taste, I acquired it after the first chapter of my first McKenzie novel..." -Minneapolis Star Tribune "If you are an inspiring writer, then I suggest you read David Housewright's novels. He's one of the best authors in the mystery genre... It is very fast paced. Somehow, the author condenses a four-hundred-page novel into only three-hundred pages without affecting the reader's suspension of disbelief... With its baffling mystery, intriguing plot, human drama, and unique setting, Dead Man's Mistress is highly recommended for seasoned fans as well as for new ones." -Gumshoe Review "This is a nifty little caper... Dead Man's Mistress has lots of snappy dialog in the tried and true gumshoe tradition... it has a nicely realized sense of place... I liked McKenzie, and as I was reading, I kept trying to recall who he reminded me of. Then I remembered: Robert B. Parker's Spenser, of blessed memory." -Books to the Ceiling

In David Housewright's 18th novel featuring the beloved Rushmore McKenzie What Doesn't Kill Us―McKenzie has been shot and lies in a coma while the police and his friends desperately try to find out what he was doing and who tried to kill him.Rushmore McKenzie, former St. Paul police detective and unexpected millionaire, does the occasional, unofficial private detective work―mostly favors for friends. He's faced kidnappers, domestic terrorists, art thieves, among others, and had a hand in solving some of the most perplexing mysteries of the Twin Cities. But this time, his prodigious luck and intuition may have finally failed him: He was shot in the back by an unknown assailant and lies in a coma.His childhood friend, Lt. Bobby Dunston of the St. Paul Police Department, assigns his best detective to the case while other figures―on both sides of the law―pursue the truth. What was McKenzie investigating, what did he learn that so threatened someone that they tried to kill him? What do a sketchy bar in the wrong part of town, the area's prominent tech millionaire family, drug dealers, investment bankers, and a mysterious woman who left an unknown package for McKenzie all have in common? As time slowly begins to run out, the answer to those questions might be what stands between life and death.Critical Acclaim for What Doesn't Kill Us: "Housewright, an Edgar Award winner and former president of the Private Eye Writers of America, continues to impress. Eighteen books in, his Minnesota-set neo-noir McKenzie series has yet to get stale or tired-in fact, What Doesn't Kill Us feels wonderfully fresh, thanks to the drastic narrative change-up... A rousing whodunit easily devoured in one or two sittings... The McKenzie series is one I love to recommend to friends and strangers alike. There's a delicate balance of darkness and humor in every volume, and What Doesn't Kill Us is no exception." -Criminal Element"A solid look at St. Paul and environs and snappy dialogue enhance the fast-moving plot." -Publishers Weekly"Another deftly crafted 'whodunnit' mystery novel by David Housewright. What Doesn't Kill Us is an inherently riveting read from cover to cover... certain to be an immediately and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections." -Library Bookwatch"It's inspiring to see so many people who don't much like each other rally to the cause of Housewright's hero." -Kirkus Reviews

In David Housewright's 19th hard-boiled mystery Something Wicked, Rushmore McKenzie, who promised to retire after his last nearly-fatal case, gets talked into doing an old friend a favor involving a castle, a family fighting over an inheritance, and at least one mysterious death.Rushmore McKenzie was a detective with the St. Paul, Minnesota PD until unlikely events made him first a millionaire and then a retiree. Since then, he's been an occasional unofficial private investigator-looking into things for friends and friends of friends-until his most recent case put him into a coma and nearly into a coffin. Now, at the insistence of his better half Nina Truhler, he is again retired.That is, until a friend of Nina finds herself in dire straits and in desperate need of a favor. Jenness Crawford's grandmother owned the family castle-a nineteenth century castle that has been operating as a hotel and resort for over a hundred years. Since her grandmother's death, the heirs have been squabbling over what to do with it. Some want to keep it in the family and continue running as a hotel. Some want to sell it and reap the millions a developer will pay for it. And Jenness is convinced that someone-probably in the latter group-killed her grandmother. A conclusion with which the police do not agree. Now McKenzie finds himself back in action, trapped in a castle filled with feuding relatives with conflicting agendas, long serving retainers, and a possible murderer. And if McKenzie makes one wrong move, it could be lights out.Critical Acclaim for Something Wicked: "You have to like a series in which the latest book is just as good as the first book and all the books in between. We're nineteen titles into this series, and there's no sign that Housewright is running out of stories or of the energy to tell them." -Booklist"So many inviting suspects that it really doesn't matter which of them is guilty." -Kirkus Reviews"Edgar winner Housewright's entertaining 19th novel... Housewright vividly depicts the lakeside castle and the surrounding area while nicely integrating the pandemic into the plot, addressing some of the catastrophic effects it has had on restaurants and hotels. As usual, the main draw is McKenzie, with his dry sense of humor, keen intelligence, and moral code. New and established fans will be pleased." -Publisher's Weekly"The author weaves a tale involving friends, family, romance, action, death, racism, inheritance, social justice, and divisiveness that pulls readers in and keeps one hooked from beginning to end... The writing flows so well the pages flew by... This engaging novel unleashes wit, suspense, romance, and mystery that make it a twisty read that keeps readers hooked." -Mystery & Suspense Magazine"A mystery that includes two dead people can't exactly be called a fun read. But there is something easy and quippy about Something Wicked that makes this a perfect dock/patio/porch summer read." -St. Paul Pioneer Press

Holland Taylor returns in Girl in a Dumpster, the sixth book in David Housewright's Edgar Award-winning hardboiled detective series. Party girl Henrietta Weller wakes up one morning in a dumpster behind a bar in Minneapolis' notorious north side with no memory of how she got there. She hires Taylor and his partner Sidney Poitier Fredericks to get answers. And revenge. "So there's no misunderstanding later-someone threw me away like so much garbage. Someone is going to pay for that." Taylor soon discovers that the woman was kidnapped and ransomed back to her mother. What's more, she wasn't the only victim. A sophisticated kidnapping ring has targeted the daughters of Minnesota's rich and famous-and infamous. Taylor and Freddie insist that the FBI be informed. However, a financial guru and fixer for the families demands that the incidents be dealt with and forgotten. Until there's another kidnapping. And another. And Taylor and Freddie are forced to take matters into their own hands-no matter what the cost. Critical Acclaim for Girl in a Dumpster: "Girl in a Dumpster marks the return of Holland Taylor and what a welcome return it is Not to be missed " -D.M. Barr, author of the domestic thriller Deadly When Disturbed "I wished I had written it... a riveting, edge of your seat gumshoe thriller in the tradition of Sam Spade." -Vincent Zandri, New York Times and USA Today bestselling Thriller and Shamus Award-winning author of Moonlight Weeps "A gritty but surprisingly heartfelt PI novel; the kind you thought they don't write anymore, but David Housewright does." - Scott McCrea, author of Targets West "A solid, traditional private eye story filled with plenty of twists and turns and featuring a solid, traditional private eye-the tough guy with a soft center who plays by his own rules. You won't want to put it down before the heart-stopping but satisfying finish." -Austin Camacho, Coordinator, Creatures, Crimes & Creativity Con "David Housewright belongs up there with Parker, Crais, and others who have created the private eyes we follow to the ends of the earth just to hear their singular voice." -Charles Philipp Martin, author of the Inspector Lok novels Rented Grave and Neon Panic "Despite the awards, Housewright has been crime fiction's best kept secret for years. Girl in a Dumpster is an excellent place to jump into this wonderful series." -Rick Ollerman, author of Truth Always Kills "David Housewright has done it again - weaving complex crime, in this case sophisticated kidnapping; political intrigue; and the tenaciousness of P.I. Holland Taylor and his partner, Freddie, to create a riveting story. Nothing is straight forward or as it seems, but the book rings true. A must read." -Debra H. Goldstein., award-winning crime fiction author "Holland Taylor is back. That's the main thing. But Girl in a Dumpster also offers a twisty plot and an irresistible nest-of-vipers cast. Sit back, trust no one, and enjoy the read" -Albert Tucher, author of Pele's Prerogative and The Same Mistake Twice

Rushmore McKenzie has been shot and lies in a coma, while the police and his friends desperately try to find out what McKenzie was doing and who tried to kill himRushmore McKenzie, former St. Paul police detective and unexpected millionaire, does the occasional, unofficial private detective work--mostly favors for friends. He's faced kidnappers, domestic terrorists, art thieves, among others, and had a hand in solving some of the most perplexing mysteries of the Twin Cities. But this time, his prodigious luck and intuition may have finally failed him: he was shot in the back by an unknown assailant and lies in a coma.His childhood friend, Lt. Bobby Dunston of the St. Paul Police Department, assigns his best detective to the case while other figures--on both sides of the law--pursue the truth. What was he investigating, what did he learn that so threatened someone that they tried to kill him? What does a sketchy bar in the wrong part of town, the area's prominent tech millionaire family, drug dealers, investment bankers, and a mysterious woman who left an unknown package for McKenzie all have in common? The answer to that might be what stands between life and death.

Ex-St. Paul cop Rushmore McKenzie has more time and more money than he knows what to do with. In fact, when he's willing to admit it to himself (and usually he isn't), McKenzie is downright bored. Until he decides to do a favor for a friend facing a family tragedy: nine-year-old Stacy Carlson has been diagnosed with leukemia, and the only one with the matching bone marrow that can save her is her older sister Jamie. Trouble is, Jamie ran away from home years ago. McKenzie begins combing the backstreets of the Twin Cities, tracking down Jamie's last known associates only to discover that along with the expected pimps and drug dealers, Jamie was also a favorite of a violent street gang, arms smugglers, and Minnesota's moneyed elite. And as the body-count rises, he learns that what he's looking for-and why-are nothing like he had imagined. Critical Acclaim for A HARD TICKET HOME: "I didn't so much read A Hard Ticket Home as inhale it. What a wonderful time I had. The action is superb, and the tour of the Twin Cities is a delight. I love Rushmore McKenzie. He's heroic, foolish, clever, vulnerable-and unapologetically nice. One more hardback I shall have to buy every year." -Nevada Barr, author of Hunting Season "The author has a sharp, bouncy prose style, and his story-about Mac's search for a friend's long-missing daughter who can possibly be a bone marrow donor for her younger sister-has some touching and exciting moments...A true son of Spenser." -Publishers Weekly "The hero of this action-packed novel is very human: sometimes a smart aleck, sometimes sensitive and vulnerable-and more than capable of pulling the trigger. A surprise at every turn." -Dallas Morning Star "Millionaire ex-cop rights wrongs pro-bono in an amiable throwback to Marlowe/Archer. Housewright has a keeper in McKenzie-tough, smart and sufficiently flawed to be entirely likeable." -Kirkus Review "David Housewright's McKenzie (you want his first name and the story behind it, it's in the book) is a smartaleck, wisecracking, two-fisted, soft-hearted and very human addition to the PI field. Get to know him-you'll be glad you did." -S.J. Rozan, author of Winter and Night "David Housewright has written a stunning novel. His prose is bone hard and beautiful, his story brutally dark, undeniably compelling, and in odd, unpredictable moments, quite funny. This is a guy who knows the human soul, and he lays it bare on every page." -William Kent Krueger, author of Blood Hollow "Another winner from David Housewright. Private investigator 'Mac' McKenzie is the quintessential lone crusader, and A Hard Ticket Home is the perfect example of the Great Modern American Detective Novel. Fans of Robert B. Parker, John D. McDonald, and Ross MacDonald will love this book." -Pete Hautmann, author of Doohickey

Homicide cop Bobby Dunston's daughter has been kidnapped, taken in broad daylight on a city street in the middle of September. The kidnappers demand a million dollars and force Dunston to get the ransom from his friend Rushmore McKenzie. It soon becomes apparent to both of them that one of the kidnappers is childhood pal Scottie, a once aspiring drummer now gone astray, and that the kidnapping is payback for "crimes" they committed in their past. Of course McKenzie, a former cop and now unlicensed P.I., handles the ransom drop-off and the child is returned safely. But Scottie is soon brutally murdered (maybe that's Mac's fault and maybe it isn't) and someone takes out an open contract on McKenzie, using his own money to pay for it. Dodging attempts on his life from assassins of all shapes and sizes, McKenzie now has precious little time to uncover the mastermind behind it all if he's going to survive. Critical Acclaim for MADMAN ON A DRUM: "Hate, revenge and old-fashioned greed propel Edgar-winner Housewright's stellar fifth mystery to feature former St. Paul, Minn., cop Rushmore McKenzie. Housewright's chivalric noir hero never fails to charm, whether mourning a St. Paul that's lost much of its colorful, if shady, past or busting a bestial dogfight entrepreneur out in the chilly countryside. Against a realistic Minnesota backdrop, this homage to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer raises cutting questions about crime and punishment and today's price of friendship and loyalty. Of course, McKenzie knows it's all about money, but Housewright makes it so fresh and real it hurts." - Publishers Weekly , starred review "Housewright returns with another noir-tinged mystery starring St. Paul detective Rushmore McKenzie. Lots of narrative momentum and exciting scenes." - Booklist "McKenzie's subtle humor keeps the tension from boiling over, but don't expect any breaks in the action." - Minnesota Monthly

Rushmore McKenzie is a retired cop, an unexpected millionaire and, occasionally, an unlicensed private investigator. So, it isn't the biggest surprise in the world when he's attacked and kidnapped from his home-McKenzie has more than a few enemies out there with a grudge against him. But it is a surprise when it turns out his kidnapping is a case of mistaken identity. Bounty hunters grab McKenzie and take him to the small plains town of Libbie, South Dakota which just lost pretty much everything it had to a con man masquerading under McKenzie's name. Using a scam involving a planned new shopping mall, the grifter apparently emptied out the town's bank account before disappearing, leaving behind a devastated town full of people with many reasons to hate him. To that list of enemies, he's just added McKenzie who is now determined to catch the weasel besmirching his reputation. But the stolen money is just the tip of a deadly iceberg. McKenzie's manhunt soon reveals a web corruption that holds the entire town in its grip and threatens everything he holds dear. Critical Acclaim for THE TAKING OF LIBBIE, SD: "Edgar-winner Housewright nicely confounds readers' expectations in his absorbing seventh hard-boiled mystery featuring ex-cop and millionaire Rushmore McKenzie... Crisp prose and clever plot developments help the chapters fly by and should win this deserving author a wider audience." - Publishers Weekly "McKenzie, who describes himself as a 'knight-errant doing favors for friends' (he's a retired cop with a lot of money so he doesn't need a day job), makes a fine series lead, charmingly unlikable in a likable sort of way, and the stories are solid mysteries with a hint of humor. A very enjoyable series that deserves a wider audience." - Booklist Online