A Driftless Murder

by Jerry McGinley

As he finishes a cup of his morning coffee, retired cop and former detective Pat Donegal gets a curious call from the Kickapoo County Chief Deputy Hennie Duggan. A gruesome discovery of human remains on a ridge portends grisly possibilities that neither man wants to consider. Donegal, physically and emotionally hungover from a rough break-up, is known for his unorthodox methods and a tendency to bend the rules. Even though Duggan chafes at his style, he knows he needs a skilled investigator like Donegal to have his back.
 
As strange details continue to emerge, the detectives enlist the help of city cop and data expert Shea Sommers. As the team crisscrosses the state to chase a few promising leads, their search expands beyond local guides and neighbors to members of a sinister, secret hunting society. When Duggan mysteriously disappears—and becomes a suspect himself—Donegal must take over the investigation. He soon realizes the case might not only be unsolvable but could land him in prison—or an early grave.

Genres: Mystery

264 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2021

Reviews

[George Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great detective story featuring my favorite curmudgeon, Pat Donegal!

Fans of McGinley’s mysteries will enjoy this novel, which I think is his best yet. His prior books consisted of a series of related short stories portraying two oddball detectives (Pat Donegal and Shea Sommers) working together to solve some equally unusual crimes. This one focuses on a single story, using the longer format of a novel to build out a complex plot that kept me in suspense right up to the final chapter.

McGinley serves up some tough situations for his detectives to deal with and does a great job showing the challenges and frustrations detectives must deal with. The background work is superb, and it’s clear the author put enormous effort into researching the characters, events, and environment for this novel, bringing them to life with terse prose that built each scene like a Rockwell painting.

This is a great read, ideal for that peaceful vacation in the backwoods of Wisconsin … just don’t read it during hunting season! ;)

[Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say this was one of the most unusual mysteries I have ever read. When my husband finished he said it really moves along quickly, there is always something new. The writer definitely keeps you on your toes as new situations redirect the readers attention. Yes, it is fast paced, Yes it is a one of a kind mystery, yes the characters are very engaging. Yes, I would recommend it. There are a lot of options proposed to keep you guessing to the end. My only minor flaw was the use of first person I by each character that made it confusing to know who was the narrater in each chapter until you got into each one chapter enough to figure it out. For me it detracted as I was focusing on knowing who was speaking rather than the story line.

[Vern Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it. Born and raised Wisconsite. The setting so vividly draws out my memories of "The Driftless"; the people, the landscape, the culture. Murder? Strange bizarre murders, in Wisconsin? Yes. Besides the Bates Motel (Ed Gein) and Jeffrey Dahmer refernces. Lessor known is a cold case murder of a small village priest murdered in his parish.
The best quote, the one I lived all my life in Wisconsin but never found such words..
"I retreat to the woods because I must.
In isolation I confront my true self.....
...Even heros, when they bath, stand naked.
In solitude I lose the self that others see.
And become a shadow or maybe a ghost
Of the creature I always wanted to be."

[Sydney Garavalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time reading this. I finished it purely because I wanted to know what happened. I think the plot was good, I think it could have been trimmed down a little bit some of the book was hard to get through. I liked the multiple pov, I wish the chapters were marked with their name it would have made it easier to follow.

[Amanda Sherer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I got it from the library not knowing the author actually lives in my town and was a teacher at my high school! Obviously I’m in Wisconsin so the setting really resonated with me. I loved how fast paced it was and the story kept me on my toes without too many over dramatic twists. The only issue I had was the switching between POV without chapter changes.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Entertaining & uncomplicated mystery novel. It's not perfect but I got a kick out of it.

[Stephanie Hook · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sub par plot, sub par writing, sub par characters. This has meh written all over it. It feels like it’s trying to be so much more riveting than what it is.

[Sarah Carpenter]

It was interesting, just moving a little too slow for what I need right now. Will likely return to at a later date.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for the setting more than the story.