Dead Boyfriends
by David Housewright
Published by St. Martin's Minotaur
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Reviewed by Andrea Sisco
Rushmore McKenzie(Mac) is a former cop who resigned from the force when he received the reward money for catching Thomas Teachwell. Mac is an unlicensed PI and very wealthy. He often does favors for friends and others when he believes in the cause.
It all started when Mac gets lost while searching for a house in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. He wants to buy a dining room set. A disheveled and blood-spattered woman (Merodie Davies) appears in the street waving her arms--and being an amiable Minnesotan, Mac stops his car to help. Soon he discovers the decaying body of the woman's boyfriend in her home.
When a young rookie police officer roughs up the woman, Mac stops him. For his effort, he finds himself in jail. The next thing he knows, he's reliving his own personal nightmares, his girlfriend breaks up with him for missing an important date (never mind he was in jail), the woman he tried to help looks good for the boyfriend's murder, and Mac is planning his own revenge on the cops.
Mac joins forces (of sorts) with the jailed woman's attorney and what appears to be a case of a cheating boyfriend, ends up propelling him into a string of dead boyfriends and a secret in Merodie's past. Mac's going to have a difficult time with this case--but he'll see it through to the end. He always does.
David Housewright is one of my favorite mystery authors. I'd read a cereal box if he wrote it. I really like Mac's character and enjoy his determination and sense of loyalty. He's the guy in the white hat, seeking to preserve justice for all. And he's always willing to put himself in harm's way to accomplish his goals. No risk, no reward.
Dead Boyfriends is a fun ride with twists enough to surprise everyone. Housewright's attention to the various Twin Cities locals is spot on and tremendous fun for those of us who live here. His characters are rich and complex, his plot intriguing and satisfying.
Armchair Interviews says: Read all of Housewright's mysteries, you'll be glad you did.
Author's Web site: http://www.DavidHousewright.com