A Place for Murder

Nick Steele #4

by Dave Vizard

When the body of an undocumented worker is discovered in the back of a truck in northern Michigan, the death is barely noted. But the woman’s earlier ties to the top resort on Mackinac Island pulls news reporter Nick Steele into the case. Who killed Suzie Alvarez and why was she brutally murdered? Steele chases the story from the Straits of Mackinac to dairy farms in the Thumb and a ritzy den of sin in Traverse City. A Place for Murder shines a bright light on the dark and dangerous underground world of human trafficking.

233 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2018

About the author

Dave is a former award-winning newspaper reporter, editor, and columnist. He also edited a Northern Michigan life style magazine called True North. He is a founding member of the Huron Area Writers Group, and is a licensed Realtor to keep slobbering, drooling wolves away from his door while continuing to write and edit from his home near Lake Huron in the Thumb of Michigan.

Reviews

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing plot began with steam and rolled right along. Characters are interesting and defined. Clean, carefully structured and recommended for mystery fans and those looking for a good bed, beach, or waiting-for-my-appointment read. 👍🏼

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time reading the book because of the subject matter but it was still a good book to read.

[Michael A Kosco Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book

Such a great book, I couldn't out it down. I fell in love with all of the characters. Thank you

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dave's writing is getting better with every book. This time, Nick goes on a seemingly OK assignment and uncovers a big problem out in the thumb of Michigan. Human trafficking is buried in the farming country. A great story.

[Jenelle Compton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book on Mackinac Island a few years ago. The author was outside a book store signing his book. He was super nice and we had a nice chat. I promptly went home and put the book away, forgetting all about it.
I'm a sucker for locally placed stories, so that alone sold me on the story. I grew up around Traverse City and have spent time around the island and St. Ignace. It's fun to read about things set in that area!

I also really liked the story. The writing reminded me a little of older authors, I think. A lot of mysteries I read lately HAVE to have at least one twist, and a spicy dangerous romance and the like. This was a straightforward story, with a decent MC. I'll have to go check out the earlier books.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolute banger in the Nick Steele series. From the first page, this book doesn’t let up—pure, non-stop action with twists coming at you fast and hard. Vizard knows exactly how to keep the pace tight without losing the story, and once again, Nick Steele and the crew deliver.

What really stands out is how everything feels grounded but intense. The stakes are high, the investigation keeps evolving, and just when you think you’ve got it figured out—something shifts. It’s that constant momentum that makes this one impossible to put down.

If you’ve been following the series, this is another top-tier entry. If you’re new, you could jump in here and still get hooked immediately.

Fast, gritty, and seriously entertaining—this one’s a must-read.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illegal immigrants, abuse of alien workers, good police work, murder and disappearance of people. What more do you want in a story! Nick Steele once again on the trail of bad guys and gals makes for a interesting plot and keeps you going until the end. The area of the story is in the Thumb of Michigan plus other parts of the state to keep you guessing. Some fun characters, plus" Jesus, Mary and Joseph" from a nun keeps popping up! The topic in the story is human trafficking and really is the core issue.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow

The point of view shifted too much in the novel. Nick, the main character, was boring. He needed more characterization. The novel jumped right into the plot without introducing Nick.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast pace and entertaining!

Enjoyable read! I really like the development of the characters but you don’t have to read the books in order to appreciate them. Exciting and definitely a page turner. Can’t wait to see what Nick stumbles into next.

[Dianna Marquardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dave Vizard did it again

Totally in love with the Nick Steele series. I like the fast flow of his writing style. The story just keeps going and there's no "dead space" like in some novels. The twists and turns are fabulous and unexpected.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Northern Michigan

A seemingly extremely corrupt dairy industry is exposed by two reporters & law enforcement. Illegal immigrants and their trafficking exposed

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having visited some of the locations in this book made it all the more interesting for me. The editing was good, the characters were well-described.

[Meg Shufran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hard to put down. Very different story line. I would recommend reading it.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced and exciting

A story right out of the headlines, or it could be. Wonderful tale of mystery and suspense, thought provoking and very well written.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love michigan books. Love when I recognize the small towns mentioned. Good plot!

[Stephanie Prusak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep writing Dave. I love your stories.