Tin City

Mac McKenzie is rich. So rich that he's left his job as a Twin Cities police officer and spends his time doing favors large and small for friends. So when an old Marine buddy of his father's calls with a request Mac takes the time to help him out. And it is one of the stranger favors he's ever been asked: the elderly Mr. Mosley, a beekeeper, wants Mac to find out why his bees are suddenly dying in droves. Mac does some digging and before long turns up a hornet's nest of trouble in the person of Frank Crosetti, a new neighbor on the property abutting Mosley's bees. What started out as an innocent investigation into some unregulated pesticide quickly turns lethal. Crosetti sticks around long enough to make some very specific threats, then disappears into the wind leaving behind a vicious rape, a lifeless body, and a very angry McKenzie bursting for someone to blame. With only the faintest of trails to follow and a suspicious group of federal agents gunning for him, Mac dives underground, taking only a stash of cash and a small arsenal with him on his undercover mission. Before long Mac's deep in the forgotten corners of Minneapolis sniffing for any sign of Crosetti, unable to rest until he gets results. Praise for TIN CITY: "Channeling Raymond Chandler with tongue-in-cheek humor, Housewright delivers plenty of action, a pinch of romance and more than a few surprises." -Publisher's Weekly "This is a novel about going after the right guy for the wrong reasons, and the wrong guy for the right reasons. It's got twists and double-crosses, exciting car chases and gun battles, leavened by plenty of laughs -a noirish novel with emphasis on the ish." -Boston Globe "Housewright hits his stride in this second outing for good-hearted Minnesota tough guy Rushmore McKenzie... 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... 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." -Booklist "Some lovely cadenced writing... along with smart narrative moves and bits of unfocused excess. Housewright is at his best when he stays closest to home. It's clear he's a Minnesotan in his bones, so his depiction of everything from beekeeping to the byways of Hilltop embeds us in a location where quiet indiscretions and desires highlight daily life... The author thickens the broth with big-city crime (New York City gang wars), national issues (terrorism and a frenzied FBI agent) and more than a showoff's worth of country-western music name-dropping. The result is an amiable and appealing novel..." -Washington Post "Tin City is a nicely crafted combination of procedural and character-driven crime story... It's fun for readers to share McKenzie's travels." -St. Paul Pioneer Press "Housewright is one of a crop of Minnesota crime writers whose new books draw on the state's personality quirks and beloved landmarks to flavor spine-tingling prose. Readers beware: It's not all snow cones and mini-doughnuts. Even as you smile with familiarity, you'll be looking over your shoulder… Mac is a likable protagonist. He's normal in a refreshing way that is rare among today's angst-ridden heroes. He should wear well as this series continues." -Minneapolis Star Tribune