Something Wicked

Edgar winner Housewright’s entertaining 19th novel featuring unlicensed Twin Cities PI Rushmore McKenzie finds McKenzie, who nearly died after being shot in 2021’s What Doesn’t Kill Us, ready to retire. McKenzie’s wife, Nina Truhler, has other plans for him after a former colleague of hers, Jenness Crawford, asks for help. Jenness’s family owns a castle built in 1883 that they operate as a resort hotel in Redding, Minn. Due to the pandemic, the hotel has struggled, and the family has argued over what to do with the property. Jenness wants to keep the hotel operating, but she suspects one of the family members who want to cash out may have killed her grandmother a month earlier. McKenzie and Nina travel to Redding to investigate. Housewright vividly depicts the lakeside castle and the surrounding area while nicely integrating the pandemic into the plot, addressing some of the catastrophic effects it has had on restaurants and hotels. As usual, the main draw is McKenzie, with his dry sense of humor, keen intelligence, and moral code. New and established fans will be pleased. Agent: Alison Picard, Alison J. Picard Agency. (May)