Book: Mystery, suspense novels set in Minnesota are page-turners

  • “The Life We Bury” by Allen Eskens; Seventh Street Books, October 2014; 303 pp; $15.95
  • “The Guise of Another” by Allen Eskens; Seventh Street Books, October 2015; 269 pp; $15.95

By Ann Jonas

Allen Eskens, who will be the featured author at an upcoming “Book Lovers’ Night” at the College of St. Benedict, has written two mystery/suspense thrillers, both set in Minnesota, that will keep readers absorbed from start to finish.

A criminal defense lawyer in Mankato, Eskens earned degrees from the University of Minnesota and Hamline Law School. On his website, he talks about his path to becoming a writer and points to his first-grade report card from St. Peter Elementary in Jefferson City, Missouri. His teacher, Sister Ronald Marie, wrote: “Allen dreams too much when work is to be done in school.”

book lifeEskens believes he was making up stories in his head while daydreaming back then. When he wrote his first short story for a high school assignment, his teacher asked if he had thought about writing to get published. That thought stayed with him; two gripping novels, with a third one to follow in October, are the result.

In “The Life We Bury,” college student Joe Talbert has left a dysfunctional mother and autistic brother behind in southern Minnesota to attend the University of Minnesota. In his English class, he has been given a writing assignment to interview and then tell someone’s life story. Talbert randomly chooses Carl Iverson, a resident at a nearby nursing home, who is dying of cancer. Iverson happens to be a convicted murderer who has only a few months to live, having been medically paroled to die in the nursing home rather than prison.

While interviewing Iverson, Talbert becomes convinced of Iverson’s innocence and embarks on his own investigation to determine what really happened more than 30 years ago when Iverson was convicted of raping and murdering his 14-year-old neighbor girl.

Eskens does a masterful job of weaving Talbert’s family woes, Iverson’s past and the old criminal investigation with a developing romantic relationship.

The novel moves at a fast pace and has great character development and an intriguing storyline.

“The Guise of Another” opens with a fatal car crash in which James Putnam dies. Detective Alexander Rupert is asked to investigate; the real James Putnam is reported to have died a number of years ago. Rupert, a Minneapolis detective who is under suspicion of corruption and has been reassigned to the Frauds Unit, explores this case of identity theft which turns out to be complex and dangerous.

book guiseRupert ends up crossing paths with a trained assassin who has been searching for Putnam for years. Hoping to improve his reputation and status within the department, Rupert does everything he can to solve the mystery of James Putnam.

Eskens’ second novel is a little racy and edgier and more violent than his first book. Ruthless killing, blackmail, corruption and infidelity are all part of this page-turner. A number of twists keep readers wondering what will happen next. Interestingly, Max Rupert, Alexander Rupert’s brother, is the homicide detective who helps Joe Talbert in “The Life We Bury.” Max has a much bigger role in “The Guise of Another.”

Both of Eskens’ novels are compelling and smart. The suspense and drama will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

Allen Eskens will be reading and speaking at the College of Saint Benedict’s “Book Lovers’ Night” April 13 in Gorecki Conference Center, Room 204. Community reader recommendations will start at 6:45 p.m. with Eskens speaking at 7 p.m. Guests are welcome to browse books and visit with other readers after 6:15. For more information, visit www.csbsju.edu/libraries/booklovers.

Ann Jonas is the general book buyer for the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University.

Author: The Visitor

The Visitor is the official newpaper for the Diocese of Saint Cloud.

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