Nordic Nights

As a mystery author, I read NORDIC NIGHTS in preparation for an author panel I was moderating at a recent Left Coast Crime mystery convention. I was glad I did. Lise McClendon has a terrific book here. It takes place in Wyoming during a winter festival. It features her strong female lead, Alix Thorssen. Norse myths even have a part in the story. Good plot. Great characters. Excellent descriptions of the unusual setting. Excellent work all around.

I sent all three of Lise's Alix Thorssen books to avid readers on my Christmas list. Everyone responded with positive comments. They were glad to have all three in their possession so they could continue the adventures non-stop. They compared them to the early Hillerman books. They thought the books were excellent gifts, which, of course, I liked hearing. Lise has the skill to keep the mystery alive throughout the book, keep the reader intrigued with the relationships among the characters, and throw in interesting, educational tidbits about the settings. After reading Nordic Nights, I was ready for the next Alix book. Unfortunately, I have to wait awhile until it comes out. Fortunately, Lise has another book soon out with a new strong, female lead character. I look forward to more of her stories.

Having read Nordic Nights, I now need to go find all the other Alix Thorssen books. She's a very likable and real character in an interesting location. McClendon has a real talent for describing people and places in an interesting manner. The book revolves around a winter festival in Wyoming -- and it made me homesick for real snow! The art gallery as the base of the plot was not "insider-ish" (something that's a turn-off for me, the whole "I know things you don't know" style of writing) but still educational. All in all, an interesting, fun read about someone I want to get to know better. (her brother too!)

If the wind is blowing, the snow is whirling, and the skies are clouding over, curl up with NORDIC NIGHTS. You'll get so involved in this story of murder, mayhem, Viking ships, runes, gorgeous Norwegian cross country skiers and family dynamics against the backdrop of Wyoming's Grand Teton mountains that you'll forget you're going to have to go out and shovel the sidewalks when this is over. And if you live in warmer climes, curl up with it and take a fun armchair journey to a different world.

After reading The Bluejay Shaman and Painted Truth by Lise McClendon, I expected to read a beautifully written and carefully crafted mystery alive with intriguing characters. Nordic Nights was all of those things plus much more. It was full of suspense, humor and a terrific sense of place. I could practically feel the cold as she described it. The twisty plot kept me glued to the book until the very end. McClendon's characters jumped off the page and told the story to me, and I was entertained throughout the book. I highly recommend Nordic Nights!