Dead Boogie

If you've read any of Victoria Houston's previous mysteries in the Loon Lake series, you know what to expect, but if you're a first-time reader of Ms. Houston's novels, you are going to be pleased. I heard Ms. Houston on an NPR show and liked her immediately--her Midwestern sensibility, her sense of humor, the way she talked about writing. So I purchased this book, and I found it a terrific, engaging, and completely enjoyable reading experience. The characters are likeable, slightly quirky, and believable. The story features a triple murder, and couple of other grisly deaths along the way, but the author loves her main characters so much, and writes so wonderfully about the locale, that the reader is almost more interested in the interactions of the cast of mostly amateur crime fighters who move from clue to clue to solve the crime. The book is well-paced and contains humor and local color--and some nicely written descriptions of fishing experiences--and the mystery unravels page by page. Ms. Houston is a skillful writer. This book is a keeper. And I recommend it to anyone who likes the Midwest, the outdoors, character-driven fiction, and a good story.

Once again I enjoyed Victoria Houston's latest Loon Lake mystery. She continues to develop her characters making them more dimensional, and her writing style has grown from the "cozy" genre she started with to a more hardboiled suspense style. I always enjoy the dental references as I am a hygienist, and applaud her accuracy in those details. She knows the Northwoods and Wisconsin and always injects a lot of local events into her tales that make them pertinent to this Northwoods dweller. Can't wait for the next one! Thanks!

Dead Boogie is another classic example of the Loon Lake series. Once you start it you just can't put it down. The characters remain strong, the plot thickens, and the book mirrors facets of life in Northern Wisconsin with a liberal dash of murder and mystery thrown in. The fishing references are a bonus for all who love to wet a line, and just the right amount of humor adds seasoning. A book for everyone who likes that sort of thing to enjoy. I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for the next one in the series, but it's well worth it. The Old Codger, River Falls, WI

This is a terrific addition to the series of Loon Lake mysteries. Have read and enjoyed them all. Love the plots and the people. Not a fisherman, but love the out-of-doors. Can't wait for the next.

Couldn't put it down. What a great visit to Loon Lake and all the memorable characters that Houston has created. Left me axiously waiting for the next book in the series.