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Upper Peculiar: Tales from Above the Bridge
From the author of the Woods Cop Mystery series comes a new collection of stories about life in the Upper Peninsula. Heywood offers a glimpse into the world his best loved characters came from, like Grady Service, Limpy Allerdyce, and Luticious Treebone.
From the early 1900s to present day, Heywood shows the roots of Yoopers and how their influence has spread across the peninsula. Meet 'Didit Dave' and his sudden and unexpected promotion to police chief, a dead man who doesn't make it to heaven but instead an old bar in Kate's Bay, and several military veterans who had engaged in each major US conflict and managed to return home. This collection wouldn't be complete without a couple classic Heywood mysteries featuring a new detective duo: Tribal police chief John Clash and Houghton County Sheriff Nayar Sekhar.
One thing is for certain, the characters in this collection could only come from one place. For Yoopers who are far and away (and some who are not so far away), one thing is true for them all: They all want to return above the bridge ASAP. Heywood's collection of stories shares why.
Think of what's his face, Shakespeare --
Hearts of wolves --
Dancing the Carmagnole --
Didit Dave --
Booley's gift --
Keeping secrets --
Win-win --
Alone mostly, not entirely --
St. Certain's F.C. --
Dead river rats --
Last annual --
Best baseball man ever --
Honor guard --
Kate's bay --
Sunny Italy --
Two minutes apart --
Moccasin Square Garden (Ma-ki-zin Ga-ka-kish-in Gi-ti-gan) --
Just one more plate at the table --
Judge on a copper boulder --
Food aversion
From the early 1900s to present day, Heywood shows the roots of Yoopers and how their influence has spread across the peninsula. Meet 'Didit Dave' and his sudden and unexpected promotion to police chief, a dead man who doesn't make it to heaven but instead an old bar in Kate's Bay, and several military veterans who had engaged in each major US conflict and managed to return home. This collection wouldn't be complete without a couple classic Heywood mysteries featuring a new detective duo: Tribal police chief John Clash and Houghton County Sheriff Nayar Sekhar.
One thing is for certain, the characters in this collection could only come from one place. For Yoopers who are far and away (and some who are not so far away), one thing is true for them all: They all want to return above the bridge ASAP. Heywood's collection of stories shares why.
Think of what's his face, Shakespeare --
Hearts of wolves --
Dancing the Carmagnole --
Didit Dave --
Booley's gift --
Keeping secrets --
Win-win --
Alone mostly, not entirely --
St. Certain's F.C. --
Dead river rats --
Last annual --
Best baseball man ever --
Honor guard --
Kate's bay --
Sunny Italy --
Two minutes apart --
Moccasin Square Garden (Ma-ki-zin Ga-ka-kish-in Gi-ti-gan) --
Just one more plate at the table --
Judge on a copper boulder --
Food aversion
- GenresFiction
280 pages, Hardcover
Published August 26, 2019
About the author
Joseph Heywood
49 books192 followersSee also Joe T. Heywood
Joseph Heywood is the son of a career USAF officer. His dad was from Rhinecliff, New York on the Hudson River in Dutchess County, and his mother is from Mize, Mississippi in Sullivan County. His mother’s maiden name was Hegwood and she had only to change one letter to convert to her married name.
He is a 1961 graduate of Rudyard High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (Chippewa County). Played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track.
1965 graduate of Michigan State University (BA-Journalism). Joseph played on the Michigan State Lacrosse Club for three years, crease attack, tri-captain in 1965. He was in the last class of mandatory ROTC for land grant universities and predictably chose the Air Force.
In 1965, he married Sandra V. Heywood (1943-2002) of East Lansing. Five children, one dog. Widower.
1965-1970, USAF Instructor Navigator, KC-135 tanker, honorably discharged as captain. Vietnam veteran. Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Graduate studies, Western Michigan University, 1974-75, completed course work for MA in English Literature; no degree.
Joseph worked for The Upjohn Company [now Pfizer], 1970-2000, retiring as vice president for worldwide public relations.
He walks every day in all weather conditions, and have hunted and fished Michigan since 1958, mostly alone.
Joseph Heywood's Woods Cop mysteries are based on the lives of Upper Peninsula conservation officers, and for going on seven years has spent about one month a year on patrol with officers, in all kinds of weather, all times of day and under sundry conditions. He worked in all 15 Upper Peninsula Counties as well as in another 15-16 counties BTB (Below the Bridge).
In preparation for work with COs, he often hikes alone at night (flashlight for emergencies) using only ambient light. He has spent nights alone in jungles and on mountains. Has canoe-camped in Michigan, Missouri and Arkansas, over the years he has had one close encounter with a wolf (six feet away in tag alders on the Iron River), and with a cow elk and her calf (in Idaho). Too many close meetings with black bears to count, no injuries.
He loves to take photographs while walking, hiking and fishing, and use some of the pix for his paintings.
Joseph always carry a ruck with emergency equipment, compass, etc. even for short sorties on foot in the U.P. It’s too easy to get under cedars and old growth in an overcast and get hopelessly turned around. He does not use a GPS. "When it comes to lost in the woods there seem to be two categories of people: Them that have been and them that will be. Iron ore deposits can make compass navigation interesting…."
The Upper Peninsula is not just a setting and base for Joseph Heywood but serves as a character in many of his novels. "When I write, I try to take readers to places and events in the U.P. they might not have occasion to visit or experience on their own. For me, the U.P. is a natural jewel and I am always surprised by how little people from BTB know about it."
"The day we arrived in the U.P. to report to Kinross Air Force Base (later renamed Kincheloe, and since decommissioned) my mother cried as we drove up the several-mile two-lane to the front gate; looking at all the woods passing by, I had a feeling I was coming home."
Joseph Heywood is the son of a career USAF officer. His dad was from Rhinecliff, New York on the Hudson River in Dutchess County, and his mother is from Mize, Mississippi in Sullivan County. His mother’s maiden name was Hegwood and she had only to change one letter to convert to her married name.
He is a 1961 graduate of Rudyard High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (Chippewa County). Played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track.
1965 graduate of Michigan State University (BA-Journalism). Joseph played on the Michigan State Lacrosse Club for three years, crease attack, tri-captain in 1965. He was in the last class of mandatory ROTC for land grant universities and predictably chose the Air Force.
In 1965, he married Sandra V. Heywood (1943-2002) of East Lansing. Five children, one dog. Widower.
1965-1970, USAF Instructor Navigator, KC-135 tanker, honorably discharged as captain. Vietnam veteran. Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Graduate studies, Western Michigan University, 1974-75, completed course work for MA in English Literature; no degree.
Joseph worked for The Upjohn Company [now Pfizer], 1970-2000, retiring as vice president for worldwide public relations.
He walks every day in all weather conditions, and have hunted and fished Michigan since 1958, mostly alone.
Joseph Heywood's Woods Cop mysteries are based on the lives of Upper Peninsula conservation officers, and for going on seven years has spent about one month a year on patrol with officers, in all kinds of weather, all times of day and under sundry conditions. He worked in all 15 Upper Peninsula Counties as well as in another 15-16 counties BTB (Below the Bridge).
In preparation for work with COs, he often hikes alone at night (flashlight for emergencies) using only ambient light. He has spent nights alone in jungles and on mountains. Has canoe-camped in Michigan, Missouri and Arkansas, over the years he has had one close encounter with a wolf (six feet away in tag alders on the Iron River), and with a cow elk and her calf (in Idaho). Too many close meetings with black bears to count, no injuries.
He loves to take photographs while walking, hiking and fishing, and use some of the pix for his paintings.
Joseph always carry a ruck with emergency equipment, compass, etc. even for short sorties on foot in the U.P. It’s too easy to get under cedars and old growth in an overcast and get hopelessly turned around. He does not use a GPS. "When it comes to lost in the woods there seem to be two categories of people: Them that have been and them that will be. Iron ore deposits can make compass navigation interesting…."
The Upper Peninsula is not just a setting and base for Joseph Heywood but serves as a character in many of his novels. "When I write, I try to take readers to places and events in the U.P. they might not have occasion to visit or experience on their own. For me, the U.P. is a natural jewel and I am always surprised by how little people from BTB know about it."
"The day we arrived in the U.P. to report to Kinross Air Force Base (later renamed Kincheloe, and since decommissioned) my mother cried as we drove up the several-mile two-lane to the front gate; looking at all the woods passing by, I had a feeling I was coming home."
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 17, 2020
A solid 3.75, but some of the stories were that good.
I have a hard time rating compilation books, whether they re short stories all by the same authors, or various authors writing on a common theme. I typically really enjoy some of the stories and others, not so much.
I'm also trying to balance how much of my positive rating comes from being a Michigander who has read all of Heywood's mystery novels - and that I feel I know SO many of these people.
I have a hard time rating compilation books, whether they re short stories all by the same authors, or various authors writing on a common theme. I typically really enjoy some of the stories and others, not so much.
I'm also trying to balance how much of my positive rating comes from being a Michigander who has read all of Heywood's mystery novels - and that I feel I know SO many of these people.
January 22, 2020
I never read short stories so rating this book is difficult because I have nothing to compare it to. But I wanted to try this Michigan author and the title sounded intriguing, so I picked it up. For the most part, the main characters were older male veterans of the Vietnam war, and I struggled to connect with the characters in such a short format. However, I can't say I disliked them either. I think I need to try a novel by this author instead...
January 6, 2022
I went from not liking these stories, to thinking Heywood had captured the flavor of the UP, to thinking Heywood had captured the “flavor” of the UP as Yoopers were tricking the world into seeing it, and I’m not sure which opinion is the right one. His credentials are as a retired upper level Upjohn exec who lives in Portage and was born in NY—that’s about as Troll as it gets. The stories, like my opinions, are a mixed bag.
December 30, 2019
Like most short story collections, some stories better than others. I liked "Hearts of Wolves," "Dancing the Carmagnole," "St. Certain's F.C.," and particularly "Just One More Plate at the Table," in which a wife scotches once and for all her husband's best friend's suggestion that he move in with them.
January 15, 2020
This is a light, entertaining read. Nothing really substantial. Some light humor. Most of the stories are disjointed and abstract. "Hearts Of Wolves" and "Didit Dave" are probably the two stories I enjoyed the most.
September 24, 2021
Overall I enjoyed this collection much more than Hard Ground and Harder Ground. Didit Dave would rank right up there with Keillor's best Lake Wobegone tales. The stories tended to get pretty weird as the book went along, but that's fine with me.
October 29, 2021
The short stories were unusual but the place names were familiar. I liked reading about the 2nd bridge and more about the Keweenaw Peninsula and Houghton and Copper Harbor and the idioms used by the yoopers!
June 23, 2024
I picked this up thinking it was a mystery novel. My library had a mystery label on it. It really was not. It was a collection of short stories. And I have a fondness for the UP as my sister in law is from there. But I really did not enjoy most of the stories.
October 28, 2019
Short stories--some good, some not so good. I was hoping for a stronger UP influence.
March 23, 2020
Short story UPer collection
October 3, 2020
Although his choice of character names is kind of odd, his stories are entertaining and capture the Yooper mentality. Good reading, eh?
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March 1, 2021Garbage
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews