Grab a good book and a cup of coffee – it’s reading time!
Thanks for joining us again as we share with you a few of our favorite Michigan authors! For those of you who enjoy a good mystery, or an engrossing legal thriller, we enlarge your repertoire in time for the holiday season. Having talked about how amazing Michigan is (because it is!) we wanted to introduce you to the last few authors whose mitten-based stories have captured the imaginations of millions. Yeah, you’re welcome.
Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard, sometimes called “the Dickens of Detroit,” has written a lots of well-loved books. Twenty-six of his novels and short stories have been adapted for the screen, 19 of which became major motion pictures, and another seven which were used to create television programs. Because Leonard didn’t write series books, we felt required to choose one book as our collective favorite. A hard choice, indeed, but when it comes to mysteries set in Michigan, we agreed that it would have to be Freaky Deaky.
In this 1988 story, Detroit cop Chris Mankowski (formerly the reluctant star of the bomb squad) gets involved with revolutionaries who make and sell bombs. A gritty story with interesting characters, fascinating plot lines that twist and turn when you least expect it, and Leonard’s well-known wit. Pick up a copy as an early Christmas gift to yourself – you won’t be sorry!
Paula Gosling
Paula Gosling was born and raised in Detroit. Yes, right in The D. She left the US searching for romance and adventure in the 60s. She settled in the U.K. where she went on to write award-winning stories. Although she has lived out of the U.S. for decades, she continues to honor her homeland through her mysteries and thrillers.
Gosling has a number of series but our favorite is the one is the Blackwater Bay series, featuring Sheriff Matt Gabriel. Set in a fictional resort town in Michigan, named Little Great Lakes Town, murders and other mysteries come to light and are solved by Sheriff Gabriel and his team. Well written, with lots of humor and well paced dialogue, we think you’ll enjoy these books.
Joseph Heywood
Joseph Heywood was born in New York state, but his family moved to Michigan during his childhood, and he graduated high school in the U.P. He’s kind of a Yooper, right? Since then, he has written a great many detective and mystery fiction books that are loved all over the country.
Our favorite series of all the books Heywood has written is the Woods Cop mysteries. Grady Service, an investigator for the Department of Natural Resources, is regularly faced with strange and complex crimes involving Michigan’s natural resources, including Native American archaeological sites and the illegal sale of salmon eggs harvested from the Great Lakes. Interesting characters and gripping plots make for a fun and fascinating read.
We hope you enjoyed this list, and your holiday reading list looks a little richer and more exciting. However, for those of you facing troubles that are not fictional, and are in need of a real attorney, we are here for you. The skilled defense attorneys of the Kronzek Firm have decades of experience defending our clients against all kinds of criminal charges, whether it’s theft, assault, arson, burglary or meth, we are here to help. Call us at 866-766-5245. One of our attorneys is available 24/7 to take your call and discuss your case. Everything always works out for the best in stories, but real life is different.