Something Wicked

Mac McKenzie #19

by David Housewright

In Something Wicked, Rushmore McKenzie, who promised to retire after his last nearly-fatal case, gets talked into doing an old friend a favor involving a castle, a family fighting over an inheritance, and at least one mysterious death.

Rushmore McKenzie was a detective with the St. Paul, Minnesota PD until unlikely events made him first a millionaire and then a retiree. Since then, he's been an occasional unofficial private investigator - looking into things for friends and friends of friends - until his most recent case put him into a coma and nearly into a coffin. Now, at the insistence of his better half Nina Truhler, he is again retired.

That is, until a friend of Nina finds herself in dire straights and in desperate need of a favor. Jenness Crawford's grandmother owned the family castle - a nineteenth century castle that has been operating as a hotel and resort for over a hundred years. Since her grandmother's death, the heirs have been squabbling over what to do with it. Some want to keep it in the family and running as a hotel. Some want to sell it and reap the millions a developer will pay for it. And Jenness is convinced that someone - probably in the latter group - killed her grandmother. A conclusion with which the police do not agree. Now McKenzie finds himself back in action, trapped in a castle filled with feuding relatives with conflicting agendas, long serving retainers, and a possible murderer. And if McKenzie makes one wrong move, it could be lights out.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Book Club, Suspense, Thriller

336 pages, Hardcover

First published May 24, 2022

About the author

A past president of the Private Eye Writers of America, David Housewright has published 28 crimes novels including In A Hard Wind (June 2023 St. Martin’s Minotaur) and has contributed short stories to 15 anthologies and other publications. He has earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America, a Shamus nomination from the PWA, and three Minnesota Books Awards. A reformed newspaper reporter and ad man, he has also taught writing courses at the University of Minnesota and Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. His name and face were recently added to “Minnesota Writers on the Map” by the Minnesota Historical Society and Friends of the St. Paul Public Library.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Housewright brings readers a locked room mystery in the latest book in the Mac McKenzie series. In Something Wicked , Rushmore McKenzie agrees to help a friend of his wife’s by investigating a death at a castle turned hotel and a family fighting over the inheritance.

Rushmore McKenzie was a detective with the St. Paul, Minnesota police department until events made him a millionaire and he retired. However, he continues to take on unofficial private investigations for family, friends, and others. After nearly being killed, he’s retired again and bored when his wife, Nina Truhler, owner of Rickie’s, a restaurant and jazz club, convinces him to go to Redding, Minnesota on a vacation. However, the real reason is that Jennes Crawford believes her grandmother was murdered and the siblings who inherited Redding Castle, a hotel and resort, are going to sell it to a developer. Jennes believes someone in the family killed their mother.

McKenzie exudes wit, charm, and the occasional sarcastic remark while investigating crimes. Nina is smart, intelligent, and willing to help friends in need. She uses her business experience to give Jennes ideas on how to increase her revenue streams for the castle. McKenzie and Nina are a relatable couple who pull readers into their lives. Beside McKenzie’s relationship with his wife, his dynamic with Redding Police Chief Deidre (Dee) Gardner was one of the most compelling aspects of the story.

The author weaves a tale involving friends, family, romance, action, death, racism, inheritance, social justice, and divisiveness that pulls readers in and keeps one hooked from beginning to end. Relationships drive the investigation. Diverse characterization and great world-building details add to the depth of the story. Even the effects of the recent pandemic on peoples’ views and actions play a role in the narrative.

The writing flows so well the pages flew by. The plot is solid, absorbing, and intriguing and the historical references added a layer of interest to it. The ending has some surprises that will likely surprise some readers. The last chapter tied up most of the loose ends, but was all telling versus showing. My other quibble was that one of the key loose ends isn’t resolved.

Overall, this engaging novel unleashes wit, suspense, romance, and mystery that make it a twisty read that keeps readers hooked. If you enjoy mysteries, then I recommend that you check out this one. I am looking forward to finding out what happens in McKenzie’s next investigation. This novel works as a standalone novel, but readers will get more background if they start with book one.

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and David Housewright provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for May 24, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

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Review coming soon.

[Damo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of Rushmore ‘Mac’ McKenzie has been anything but quiet since leaving the police force (18 earlier books in the series attest to that). Since he started hiring himself out as an erstwhile PI he’s been shot at and beaten up more times than he can count. Nina Truler, Mac’s wife, has been very keen to see him give up the detective caper and settle down a bit so it rubs very much against the grain when she tricks him into taking on a possible murder investigation.

And so Mac and Nina find themselves in Redding, Minnesota staying at the hotel / resort / castle run by Jenness Crawford, a former employee of Nina’s. Jenness believes that her grandmother’s death was not natural causes as has been ruled, but murder. She thinks someone is trying to force her family to sell the property and she wants Mac to find out who.

Although there are some elements of mystery involved in Something Wicked, this is more accurately a family drama with sides drawn up over who wants to sell and who doesn’t. Mac and Nina largely play the role of intermediaries while enjoying the benefits of the luxury resort complete with the most dazzling sunset view at the end of each day.

The story features a large cast of characters in the form of the Redding siblings and their partners. Their family dynamic is quite complex and it’s a challenge keeping track of them all, not to mention their various allegiances.

It’s only when things turn bloody that Mac finds it necessary to call in the local police. As luck would have it, Mac is friends with the local police chief Dee Gardner and together they kind of bond in a sort of Abbott & Costello kind of way. It turns out that Dee is one of the more inspirational and entertaining characters introduced in this long-running series and I would welcome seeing more of her in the future. Her handling of a very volatile investigation was firm and sure-footed. Not only that, her insistence of giving Mac the moniker Jessica was a very amusing running gag.

I’ve now come back 19 times to this series and am still looking forward to more Mac exploits. The characters continue to grow and develop, the plots remain fresh and relevant and the action is tempered by healthy doses of levity.

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is part of a series, but I was able to read it as a stand alone. McKenzie is a former policeman from Minnesota, and his wife Nina asks him to look into her friend's Jenness's claim that her grandmother was murdered. (The death was ruled natural--grandmother was 80+ and had some health problems.) When Nina and McKenzie go to Redding Castle to help, they find the unlikable siblings locked in battle over whether to sell the castle or continue operating it as a hotel.There is also a problem in town with a white supremacist group that claims they are not a white supremacist group. The book had a rushed ending, and the mystery of grandmother's demise was never investigated further. Two and a half stars. I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher for an honest review.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am on a series binge of David Housewright’s Mac McKenzie collection, of which this is the nineteenth book. Housewright explores the life of Mac ‘Rushmore’ McKenzie, an amateur private investigator from St. Paul, Minnesota who is always eager to help those close to him. After agreeing to retire, Mac is pulled back into the fray to look into the death of an elderly woman and a squabbling family who are dealing with a large property. While the Redding Castle is a matter of contention, locals in this small Minnesota community have other worries to juggle. Housewright delivers a great novel for all to enjoy.


Mac ‘Rushmore’ McKenzie came into a significant amount of money years ago, which led to his abrupt retirement from the St. Paul PD. Now, he’s working as an unlicensed PI and helping those worth his while. His most recent case almost killed him, literally. While he is enjoying his official retirement, his wife, Nina, asks him to do her a favour. Actually, it's a favour for a friend of hers that sees them head to the small community of Redding, Minnesota. Jenness Crawford is sure that her grandmother, owner of the large family castle, has been murdered and only Mac can help prove it.

The elderly woman 'woke up dead' in police parlance and has since been cremated, but Jenness is sure that it was murder. Other family members had been pressuring her to sell the castle to make way for condos, but she would not budge. As Mac begins poking around, he finds some alarming things about the elderly woman’s last days on Earth and reports as much. All the while, he connects with an old friend who is now Chief of Police.

Mac ends up discovering that there are more issues at hand in Redding stemming from a local group that has been pressuring to have the castle liquidated. They take some odd pressure tactics to ensure they get some movement in their direction, which worries Mac, alongside Nina and Jenness. Something has to give and there is more pressure with each passing hour. Trouble is, Mac does not want it all to end in Redding, Minnesota!

While I have the latest novel in the series as an ARC, I wanted some context and so am binge reading the entire collection. Housewright offers up a narrative that takes things in a different direction, including mention of the recent post-COVID situation in the story. Things are also quite prickly, as series fans will remember the dire straights in which Mac found himself throughout the past novel. Mac McKenzie delivers a little backstory and flashbacks to his earlier work with some characters. Their characters flavor the narrative effectively. Plot points add intensity to the story, keeping new surprises for series fans to enjoy. I have been impressed from the outset and Housewright has yet to fall flat.

Kudos, Mr. Housewright, for a great novel that kept me hooked!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[M.L. Dunker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our April Bookclub read. David Housewright is new to me and tbh I thought jumping into the middle of a series would be confusing. (This is book #19.). But the book has a standalone format and I was able to sort out backstory, relationships, and locations. “Mac” and Nina have a solid relationship and it was fun to see their dynamic as they travel to a luxury hotel to solve what could be a potential murder. (The victim was presumed to die of old age). There are twists and red herrings but not the eye-rolling kind. The local cop is a good one and their interactions are not adversarial. I would say this book is much more about the interpersonal connections than a hard boiled procedural. For me , that was just the way I wanted it. I will be reading more of this author in the future.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other Goodreads reviewers differ from me, but I'd call this one the best yet of the series. Housewright seems to me to get rural Minnesota exactly right, right down to the index-finger wave (seeming to point at something off to the right, but not) and the Minnesota Nice nod ("We're all in this together. No need to talk about it.") It's set during Covid, with all the rural/urban differences on that, and after George Floyd, with racism, police misconduct, white supremacy, gun violence, and other hot-button issues all brought in play without preaching. It's funny, with lots of zingers between characters who actually admire each other. It has a misleading locked-room mystery, red herrings galore, and a send-up of the familiar big reveal where all the suspects are gathered before the all-knowing detective. My only complaint is the annoying repetition of "my inner voice" speaking in italics. Just do the italics: we get it.

[LJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

First Sentence: "Jenness Crawford's voice trembled with rage"

Rushmore McKenzie may have retired from the police force, but when a friend of his wife, Nina, asks for help, McKenzie can't refuse. Jenness believes someone murdered her grandmother despite a lack of evidence. However, her biggest concern is that her siblings want to sell their 1883 home, hotel, and restaurant, struggling since the pandemic, to developers. The Sons of Europa, a group calling for the preservation of white families, want her to sell so zoning laws might be changed, and no one wants that.

Housewright can be relied upon for an excellent sense of time and place, and wonderful dialogue. His realistic inclusion of life in the time of COVID was very well done. He deals with the issues of white supremacy, racism, greed, deceptiveness, infidelity, and more while being objective and non-preachy.

McKenzie, Nina, and the town's sheriff Deb are the ones who hold the story together and maintain our interest. There is a danger inherent in a plot that centers on a family rivalry; the characters tend to be unpleasant. That was certainly the case here. While Jenness avoided that curse, she was overshadowed by the other characters.

There were significant weaknesses to the book. Exposition can be interesting, but unless it moves the plot forward, it's filler. Highly dramatic points at 50 percent and 75 percent make one think of "Midsomer Murders." It becomes predictable rather than suspenseful. An ending that tells, rather than shows, seems lazy. Classifying this story as a "locked-room mystery" is deceptive, and a major loose thread, even when acknowledged in the epilogue, wonders why it was there in the first place. Housewright is usually better than this. It appeared his heart just wasn't in this book.

SOMETHING WICKED relies on the strength of its principal characters, and they don't disappoint. A protagonist with a strong, committed, supportive relationship is such a pleasure. It may not overcome everything, but serves as the core for a decent way to spend a day.

SOMETHING WICKED (UnlInv-Rushmore McKenzie-Minnesota-Contemp) – Okay
Housewright, David – 19th in series
Minotaur Books, May 2022, 336 pp.

[Carol lowkey.bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something Wicked is book number 19 in the Mac McKenzie series, but it is the first I have read. So, I expected not to get much depth for the main characters that comes with reading an entire series. However, I didn’t feel that way at all because Rushmore McKenzie is such an interesting, multi-faceted character. I wouldn’t mind reading the series to fully figure him out and his relationship with Nina Truhler.

Something Wicked takes place in Minnesota and really reflects the current times in which we live. It deals with COVID and other issues facing us today. I haven’t read any mysteries set in Minnesota so that was an interesting change of pace for me.

The mystery itself involves a castle, artwork, and family drama. There are complex relationships and intrigues that make the mystery interesting and hard to solve.

Although the mystery was interesting, my favorite part of the story was the cast of characters. I especially enjoyed Mac’s dealings with the local police chief, Dee Gardner. I think Dee deserves her own series, she is so interesting and clever.

Overall this was an engaging mystery with interesting characters.

I received a complementary eARC from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Tad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rushmore McKenzie is a former police detective who became a millionaire and then a retiree. He has been an unofficial private investigator since then until his last case nearly cost him his life and left him in a coma. His wife, Nina, insisted that he fully retire. Until that is, a friend and former employee of Nina comes to her and asks for McKenzie's assistance.
Jenness Crawford funs the family castle that operates as a hotel/resort in Redding, Minnesota. Jenness's grandmother has died and now the relatives are feuding over whether to keep operating the hotel or sell the land to developers for millions. Jenness is convinced that her grandmother did not die of natural causes but the police do not agree. That's where McKenzie comes in. He finds himself trying to solve a locked-room mystery that includes a castle full of suspects. These include relatives with unique and common motives, long-serving staff, and some local troublemakers as well. McKenzie has to figure out if there was a crime and if so, how to avoid being the next victim.

Something Wicked by David Housewright was a wonderful surprise. McKenzie and his wife Nina are so damn likable their pictures should be in the dictionary next to "Minnesota nice". The setting is so richly described you feel yourself sitting on the steps of the castle and taking in the legendary sunsets. The cast of characters are all three-dimensional and have understandable motivations, even if it takes some work to uncover them. The mystery is intriguing, especially as you are not sure if a crime has been committed, let alone how and by whom. McKenzie is such an engaging character with his laid-back demeanor and sharp eye. The plot unfolds with plenty of viable suspects, a few red herrings, and a skilled detective to piece it all together.

I am so happy to discover this long-running series. It is easy to jump into the adventure as a new reader and this entry is sure to please existing fans. I look forward to reading more McKenzie adventures, both past and future.

One of my favorite reads of the year. I loved everything about this book.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rushmore McKenzie makes his 19th appearance in SOMETHING WICKED in unfamiliar surroundings but in a story that flows in familiar directions. Rushmore comes to the aid of a friend and somehow inserts himself into an investigation that only gets bigger as pages go by; despite his lack of anything remotely like official standing, friends and adversaries afford him entry and information that move his detecting forward. As per usual, things get suddenly dangerous but McKenzie survives and prevails, though the conclusion won't be happy for everybody.

There may be a bit of a template here, but it works. McKenzie is a protagonist who can carry a story, especially when abetted by the many supporting characters that author David Housewright can call on after 19 books. Here, in a narrative set in a small southwestern Minnesota town, McKenzie finds that not only does he know the chief of police, but that he has a history and trusting friendship with her. Housewright also adds welcome depth with many fully-fleshed new characters, such as an intrepid reporter in this small town.

The initial mystery falls by the wayside early on, as McKenzie becomes enmeshed in family politics that turn bloody. New characters ring true because Housewright is good at distinguishing characteristics and he captures the obvious. A right-wing politico or a haughty academic, for two quick examples, may seem like easy stereotypes at first, but in truth the depictions are realistic if not spot on. The ultimate villain isn't obvious (though maybe he/she should have been). Housewright takes on the events of the past two plus years head on, so the COVID epidemic and contemporary politics are part of the milieu. Not all long-running series are adopting this approach but herein it adds context without overwhelming the story.

SOMETHING WICKED is a good chapter in the long Rushmore McKenzie story. Nothing really changes the course of the series in this book, no new paths for McKenzie and Nina, but that remains good enough. Looking forward to #20.

Money doesn't buy
happiness in Redding. It
helps McKenzie though.

[Larry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read all the books in this series and enjoyed them, but the last two have been real disappointments. I think it’s time for McKenzie to hang it up. His latest adventure involves assorted family member fighting over the inheritance of a castle and a “mysterious” murder. The story really drags and by the three quarters point the most exciting thing to occur was one of the family member got stung by a bee. I’m not kidding.

I didn’t appreciate all the references to COVID and other current hot topic issues. Perhaps people reading this story in the future will find it informative and curious, but after living through it - believe me it was the last thing I wanted to read about. Finally there’s some intrigue when one of the family members is murdered, but I wasn’t sure what mystery was more important to solve - who killed him or how many women he was sleeping with. In the end I was so tired of the petty family infighting that I couldn’t care less who the murderer was - I just wanted it to end.

[Sophia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Covid covid covid, masks, vaccinations, sigh. I got through much of it, Stephen Colbert, George Floyd and more Covid and masks and social distancing. Okay, I get where you're coming from but please, can you not just write your usual good mystery without social justice, social politics, your politics, and covid covid covid? If I wanted to hear about all that ad infinitum, I would just watch CNN and call it a day. I read for pleasure and as soon as I'm bombarded by the author's preachy political stance, regardless of what it is, I'm done. In this case it was before page 100. I really liked the previous 18, though...

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the first book in this series that I couldn't get in to. After taking a week to read half the book, I then skimmed to the end.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my least favorite of all of his books. It just dragged and dragged.

[Mary Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldnt finish this book. To much about racism, wokeism,covid, BLM. I want to to escape when I read, not read about what is happening now .

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something Wicked Earns 5/5 Locked Doors…Engaging & Clever!

It seems trouble in its many forms came all at once: Covid lockdowns, Nina and McKenzie’s honeymoon scrapped, Nina’s jazz club flirting with bankruptcy, and Mac getting shot. Now, however, there is a silver lining with the world opening up and Nina’s club, as well as Mac, are healing, so Nina suggests a vacation. Wink! Wink! Nine had already received a frantic call for help from friend and former employee Jenness Crawford. She is managing the family hotel and resort, Redding Castle, and suspects her grandmother’s recent death was not of natural causes. She is very excitement when Nina and McKenzie show up although Mac is surprised it’s going to be a working vacation.

Although Mac does have experience having been a retired St. Paul police detective, neither Nina or Mac are real private investigators; they just help out. After meeting Jen’s aunts and uncles, they learn her grandmother changed her mind about selling the property to developers, yet now she’s gone, the “Sibs” (siblings), are set on reaping the proposed millions. Seeing curious behaviors and hearing interesting conversations does pique Mac’s interest and brings into question…whether or not any of them resorted to murder in order to inherit control over the resort? Or was Tess’s success stopping a rezoning application for a right-wing, so-called religious group a factor? Or is a death just a death? Don’t trust coincidences!

David Housewright’s nineteenth book was wickedly good making me a fan of his Mac McKenzie series. I worried starting so far into the series I’d have too many questions about background and previous incidents, but everything needed was provided, like many standalones. I was totally engaged with the clever, complex drama with plenty of family conflicts and angst over a white separatist/supremacist group and entertained by the multi-generational characters and the shocking conclusion with its right amount of perilous predicaments. Housewright’s writing style included sensory-laden descriptions, diverse personalities, and informative banter including fascinating facts about historical events and figures and Norse mythology, discussions related to several recent headlines, and debates on policing, white supremacists, and religious freedoms to add the realism I demand. The “Just So You Know” wrap up provided plenty of satisfying closure. Using a first-person narrative from McKenzie’s perspective with his inner thoughts and witty repartee was well-developed, but different since I usually read books with female leads; I kept seeing in my mind’s eye a woman, but I sorted that out by picturing my favorite heartthrob. Oooh, yeah! However, I am a sucker for food talk, and the discussion about Sticky Toffee pudding made me drool…alas no recipe, though. Very engaging. Don’t miss this one. Candidate for one of my top 2022 reads!

Disclosure: I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.

[Mike Stafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really happy to learn David Housewright was gifting us a new "McKenzie" novel in 2022. I was even happier after reading the advanced NetGalley copy from St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books. Something Wicked is a nice twist on the locked room mystery which reminds us why McKenzie belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of private eyes. Housewright never fails to deliver marvelous mysteries. I hate to state the obvious, but he's one of the best in the genre. Of course, the book features the wit and charm we've come to expect from the author. The "Murder, She Wrote" running gag is especially good. Something Wicked is both a timely read and exceptionally entertaining! One of the best in a strong series! #SomethingWicked #NetGalley

[Tami Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another local Minnesota author I've read for years. David Housewright always throws me for a loop and makes me laugh throughout his books. I liked this one better than his last one, though I did have a little trouble keeping some of the characters straight. Met him a couple weeks ago at the Twin Cities Book Festival. Super nice guy.

[Katie Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery and humor. Loved it!

[Geoff Roznak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Mr. Housewright's novels more than this one...the last one in particular really impressed me.

The story line in this one was OK, even good in places...but I think the constant references to, and obvious pushing of a COVID theme in the story pushed me off a bit. That Mr. Housewright's perspective/opinion on COVID was overly (in my opinion) evident was particularly distracting.

I'm not an anti-vaxer, nor am I anti-mask...but the constant drone of mask this, COVID that isn't something I needed, or wanted in a book I read for entertainment and relaxation. Perhaps if it had been a useful, or interesting plot device, it would have been interesting instead of distracting.

I got plenty of that, from all kinds of sources, for the last three years. I don't want it in my escapism.

Hopefully Mr. Housewright will be back on track with his next novel.

[Pamela Lang · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not get invested in the plot or the characters. For a mystery, there was no suspense at all.

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a series or author I've read before, it was fine as a standalone. Although, I think I would've enjoyed the background of previous in the series. The setting in the Minneapolis, St. Paul area was also new, interesting and unfamiliar to me. There were atmospheric and historical facts dispersed throughout. Other than quite a few characters to keep up with, it was an easy read.
The matriarch of Redding Castle, Tess, has passed away leaving a large family of Redding descendants squabbling over keeping or selling the historic family estate.
Jenness Crawford has asked her friend, Nina Truhler, to come help her save the castle from becoming condos. Jenness does not accept that her grandmother's death was natural, she thinks she was murdered. Nina's husband, a former detective, McKenzie, is tricked into thinking this is a weekend getaway.
The eldest son, Benjamin, is executor of Tess's estate. He's married to Olivia, hard to say who has the more shocking secrets, Big Ben or Livie.
The other siblings, Carly, Eden, and Anna, all have varying reasons to want the millions to be had by selling Redding Castle.
Cassandra Boeve, (Cassie) is the owner of Boeve Luxury, LLC, a development company. She has her own agenda and secrets invested in the purchase of Redding Castle to build the new luxury condos. Her office administrator, Veronica, is another devious character entangled in the secrets.
There's also a white supremacist hate group, the Sons of Europa, nearby. They make for another possible suspect in the plot as the strange occurances, burnings and threats continue.
The Redding Police Chief, Deidre Gardner, (Dee) knows McKenzie. He gets caught up in the crimes and increasing drama at the castle. They have their hands full trying to solve the case.
It was an entertaining, enjoyable and suspenseful read. While I wouldn't call it a thriller, I wanted to know "who did it", and didn't guess early on. The characters were described well and relatable. The voice in McKenzie's head drove me a bit nuts, but I assumed the relevance is in a prior book. I would read others in this series and recommend this one as worth the read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital copy of "Something Wicked, Mac McKenzie #19", by David Housewright, and to Minotaur Books. These are my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

[Dick Aichinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I somehow fell behind in my Mac McKenzie reading. I do enjoy these books by David Housewright.

4 stars.

This is a story in the continuing adventures of Mac McKenzie, a former police officer who suddenly quick the department and successfully brought in a man wanted for fraud, then collected on the reward from the insurance company which made him an instant rich man whose riches were compounded by solid investments. Mac McKenzie, since leaving the force, became known as someone who could and would do 'favors' for friends in ways the police often couldn't. Sometimes those 'favors' put him in extreme danger; sometimes they put his wife in danger, too.

This story involves such a favor but this time brought to him by his wife, Nina. Mac is just recovered from being shot as a result of his last favor. This time he and his wife hope the favor is far less dangerous. A young woman who had been manager at Nina's St. Paul club is now managing the family's resort on a lake in Southwest Minnesota. She fears the death of her grandmother, the true owner of the resort didn't die of natural causes as the local police seem to think. That's her opinion and Mac, with Nina's firm encouragement, agrees to look into it.

What he finds immediately is that if it is a murder, it is a locked room murder mystery. Despite his doubts, he does agree to look into the case and finding that the Chief of Police of the small town is a very competent detective from Minneapolis Police who Mac respected.

A fun story even without the danger posed in many of the McKenzie books.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

336 pages

4 stars

Nina Truhler is married to former St. Paul, Minnesota Police Department detective Rushmore McKenzie. While he is officially retired, he still occasionally gets involved in investigations. Nina owns a restaurant. Her business has struggled with the COVID crisis. She is now beginning to see the light at the end of that particular tunnel.

After getting shot in his latest case, Nina insists he retire for good. Except…When Jenness “Jen” Crawford tells Nina her grandmother was murdered at the old castle she owned, Nina is intrigued. The castle was turned into a guest house long ago and sits with a beautiful vista. Nina and McKenzie travel there.

McKenzie is, of course, drawn into another mystery.

David Housewright writes a very good novel. This book is almost a cozy mystery. It is well written and plotted and the characters, especially Nina and McKenzie are engaging and likable. I especially liked the “Angela Fletcher” allusions. I was also glad to see the COVID crisis brought into the book.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions stated here are solely my own.

[Verna LaBounty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rushmore McKenzie was a detective with the St. Paul, Minnesota PD until unlikely events made him first a millionaire and then a retiree. Since then, he's been an occasional unofficial private investigator - looking into things for friends and friends of friends - until his most recent case put him into a coma and nearly into a coffin. Now, at the insistence of his better half Nina Truhler, he is again retired.

That is, until a friend of Nina finds herself in dire straights and in desperate need of a favor. Jenness Crawford's grandmother owned the family castle - a nineteenth century castle that has been operating as a hotel and resort for over a hundred years. Since her grandmother's death, the heirs have been squabbling over what to do with it. Some want to keep it in the family and running as a hotel. Some want to sell it and reap the millions a developer will pay for it. And Jenness is convinced that someone - probably in the latter group - killed her grandmother. A conclusion with which the police do not agree. Now McKenzie finds himself back in action, trapped in a castle filled with feuding relatives with conflicting agendas, long serving retainers, and a possible murderer. And if McKenzie makes one wrong move, it could be lights out.

[Sharon Grow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Rushmore McKenzie finds himself involved in an investigation. McKenzie, once a detective with the St. Paul police department, had retired after a “situation” from one of his cases made him a millionaire. If you have not read the first book in this series, you really should and you will be hooked on McKenzie, his dry sense of humor and his ability to solve the “favors” he is able to do for friends. His wife, the lovely Nina Truhler and owner of the jazz club Rickie’s, has asked him to investigate the suspicious death of an elderly woman. The woman’s granddaughter, Jenness, once worked for Nina and believes that her grandmother was murdered when she decided not to sell her Redding Mansion Hotel. Tess’s five children were set to inherit the funds from the sale…would one of them have ended their mother’s life to force a sale for the money? A locked room, no autopsy of the body before cremation and five siblings who disagree on what should be done adds up to an intriguing puzzle for McKenzie, one is he determined to solve. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

[P.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another thoroughly enjoyable novel from the Mckenzie series. Mackenzie and Nina are married now and Nina's former employee Jeness asks for help regarding her suspicion that her grandmother was murdered. While that proves not to be the case, Mckenzie, with the help of his old friend from his days as a St Paul cop who now happens to be a small town police chief, uncovers decades-old family secrets, rivalries, jealousies, and eventually murder. This story has all the best elements of a locked-door mystery combined with a gothic mystery set in an old stately home, and it keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Unlike some installments to this series, Mckenzie exercises his deductive logic and his people-reading skills here without any of the superhuman leaps or larger-than-life physical feats exhibited in previous stories. The characters are well-drawn, the dialog logical and natural, and the unanswered questions are acknowledged as such. Quite possibly my favorite book of the series - a satisfying read.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mac and Nina find themselves in the middle of a family feud-and more- when Nina convinces Mac to "vacation" in Redding, Minnesota, which just happens to be where her friend Jen's family castle (yes, castle) is located. Jen is convinced that her grandmother Cass was murdered, probably because of her turnaround on agreement to sell the castle to developers. Was that it? Well Jen's siblings (a horrid lot) and the Sons of Europa (an even worse group of white supremecists) are all tied up in this entertaining mystery. Mac's a good character, Housewright has effectively incorporated the pandemic, and you might not (I didn't) guess where this goes. And, bonus is the positive relationship between Mac and Police Chief Dee Gardner. I've only read a couple of the books in this long running series so this was a sorta standalone for me and it was fine that way. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every avid reader loves to find a new-to-them series that has a long list of books to catch up with. I found myself reading #19 and now I have 18 to binge read. When I started Something Wicked I had some trepidation because I am one of those readers who prefers to read series in order. I needn't have worried. This worked fine as a stand alone and it hooked me from the first chapter. Mac and Nina are now on my list of favorite characters.
The setting was what drew me in from the start. Who wouldn't like to investigate a mystery at a castle/resort? Add family strife, nasty family members, a possible murder and inheritance....count me in. This mystery has it all. The writing style flows well, the characters are well developed and the puzzle was very satisfying. I can't wait to dive into the previous books.
My thanks to the publisher, Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The sun was shining, the birds were singing. It was seventy-five degrees in the shade without a cloud in the sky, and the entire world seemed bright and carefree--unless you look closely. Then you could see the masks some citizens wore against the pandemic and the kid at the corner, handing out flyers promoting racism and the dueling campaign signs espousing conflicting political views that allowed for no compromise and you'd realize how deceptive appearances could be" (131).
"I flashed on my theory that Eden Redding was a victim of attempted murder by honeybees and decided that there were some things that, once spoken aloud, a guy simply could never live down; that would follow him forever" (136).
"He looked me in the eye and gave me a Minnesota Nice head nod; the one that said we're all in this together; there's no need to talk about it" (144).