A Driving Tour of Midwestern Mysteries
By kristen lepionka
January 18, 2017
To a detective character from a big city like New York or Los Angeles, the Midwest might look like one big flyover zone. But to plenty of mystery writers (myself included), the Midwest looks like home—and a good setting for a crime novel. We have plenty of cynicism to counteract that apple-cheeked, earnest idea of Midwestern values, and wild imaginations besides. Here is a selection of mysteries set in each of the ten states that officially comprise the Midwest, at least according to the census bureau. The geographic region, that is, not the mysteries. I don’t know if the census bureau likes mysteries, but I hope they do.
Ohio
My pick here is Andrew Welsh-Huggins’s series set in Columbus, starring Andy Hayes, a disgraced former Ohio State footballer turned private eye. OSU football is a big deal here, and Welsh-Huggins works that into the fabric of the story in a cool way. Check out Fourth Down and Out for Andy’s first case.
Other roadside attractions: Michael Koryta’s Lincoln Perry series; Lynn S. Hightower’s Flashpoint
Michigan
The Motor City is a common setting for mysteries—masters like Elmore Leonard and Loren D. Estleman have penned novels set here. But you can check out another side of Detroit in Lori Roy’s Until She Comes Home, a historical mystery and an unbelievably tense masterpiece about what happens when a young developmentally disabled woman disappears from her 1950s working-class neighborhood.
Other roadside attractions: Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley; the Nick Hoffman series by Lev Raphael
Indiana
Known for the Indy 500 and, fittingly, the invention of the gasoline pump, Indiana is also home to David Levien’s Frank Behr series. Frank is a hulking ex-cop-turned-PI with his share of demons. His series starts with City of the Sun, where Frank tries to help the father of a missing twelve-year-old boy.
Illinois
Chicago, of course, has no shortage of brilliant crime fiction set there. But for a real taste of the region, venture downstate to Little Egypt for Down Don’t Bother Me by Jason Miller, a darkly funny mystery in the heart of coal country.
Other roadside attractions: Sara Paretsky, Michael Harvey, Lori Rader-Day’s The Black Hour
Wisconsin
Ellie MacIntosh is a Milwaukee homicide detective in Kate Watterson’s thrilling series. Check out Fractured, which combines mystery and romance elements against a frantic search for a serial killer.
Other roadside attractions: Victoria Houston’s Loon Lake fly-fishing mystery series
Minnesota
Head west into Minnesota and stop in Minneapolis for a dinner date with Jane Lawless, restaurant owner and crime solver in Ellen Hart’s iconic lesbian mystery series, which is now 24 entries deep.
Other roadside attractions: Jake Hines series by Elizabeth Gunn; Twin Cities Noir from Akashic Books
Iowa
You’ll need the wayback machine for this one: Max Allan Collins’s Spree, the final entry in his Nolan series. There’s a lot to like here: blood, gangsters, and a heist at a Quad Cities shopping mall against the multicolored panic of Christmas shopping—a winning combination even thirty years after its release.
Nebraska
Lee Child’s Jack Reacher gets around—in fact, that series alone could be something of a murder tour of the Midwest (and beyond). But in Worth Dying For, Reacher stops at the rural Nebraska Apollo Inn, where he gets into a beef with the family that runs the only trucking company in the area, and therefore has a death grip on the town.
Other roadside attractions: Alex Kava’s A Necessary Evil; Dan Chaon’s Await Your Reply
North Dakota
Another historical entry on our tour, See Also Murder by Larry D. Sweazy takes us to 1964 North Dakota, where Marjorie Trumaine’s work as a professional indexer results in the local sheriff consulting her for help in identifying a mysterious medallion found at a murder scene. You can feel the loneliness of the prairie in the pages of this beautifully written crime novel.
South Dakota
Mercy Gunderson is basically a badass. A Black Ops sniper on medical leave for a detached retina, Mercy returns to her South Dakota home when her father dies. She then becomes entangled in a criminal investigation when a body is found on her family’s property in No Mercy, the 1st installment in Lori Armstrong’s gritty series.
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Great article. I like being introduced to new authors. This novel looks good.
I always knew that the Midwest had great authors and I am thrilled that you mentioned ones that I am not familiar with. Great work. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of your book, THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK.
So many interesting books to read. Wish me luck!
This should be fun and good reads. you always had great taste in books. I can’t wait to read your new one. ????
Never lived in the Midwest but have enjoyed many mysteries set there…
So looking forward to “The Last Place You Look” by Kristen Lepionka. This is one talented writer!
Great books!
Thanks for the nod, Kristen. Looking forward to reading your book.
My to read list just got a little longer.
I have read a few mentioned above and have really enjoyed them. Always like to hear of new authors. would love to win the book.
Thank you for a great list of new mysteries to read. Really happy to see my friend Andrew’ Welsh-Huggins’ books mentioned for Ohio.
Thanks for the list. I’m a midwesterner.
Thanks for the list. I’m a midwesterner.
I enjoy mysteries & thrillers from states I’ve lived in or visited. Try Joe R Lansdale’s SAVAGE SEASON set in Texas.
Yeah, the Quad Cities are pretty dangerous and unpleasant.
well, my tbr list is definitely longer now! =)
looking foward to checking out the authors that I didn’t know about!
interesting places
I loved the breakdown by area. It would be fun to do this in several regional areas. Would love to read this debut novel.
This is such a cool way to read. I’m so excited to start the series from Indiana!!
YES, YES, YES. Send it.
YES, YES, YES. Send it.
Love the travel of mysteries blog and would love to have her debut novel!
Yes indeed, taking a lock picking class to make her story more believeable is great. I am ready to read this one.
These sounds like some interesting recommendations! It was such a cute idea to group them as a “driving tour.”
Sounds like a roadtrip…
sounds good
Thank you.
We used to live in Cincinnati and then in Chicago so this is really interesting for me.
What a fun trup.
lots of good mysteries
I love a good mystery.
Want!
interesting post – like the Driving Tour – have read some of the authors but a few are new to me and will check them out – thanks for the sweeps too
AWESOME!!!!
Um, aren’t there actually 12 states in the Midwest? You are missing Missouri and Kansas.
sounds great sign me up
win
Love a good mystery!
Love a good mystery!
I would love to win these great books
Sounds great!
Yes, please count me in for this sweepstakes.
Thanks!
Sounds great. I think William Kent Kruger should be added for Minnesota.
Usually I’m so involved with the character I scarcely notice what city I’m in…….it’s an interesting point of view….I look forward to your book.
Usually I’m so involved with the character I scarcely notice what city I’m in…….it’s an interesting point of view….I look forward to your book.
I love how Lee Child uses the flat landscape of Nebraska as a character inhis book.
Thanks for the great suggestions of new books and authors!
Road trip!..even if its only in a good book.
Road trip!..even if its only in a good book.
Sounds very interesting! Can’t wait to read!
I always enjoy mysteries set in my home state of Minnesota, that’s why I read Ellen Hart’s books. Thanks for the contest.
Wonderful post and giveaway. interesting.
I would like to read this .
This is very helpful.
I guess I don’t really pay attention to location so much when I read mysteries. While I know a big city mystery won’t translate to a small town, I find one big city is pretty much like another big city. Only the names are changed.
Want to read. 🙂
I like to read thrillers on places I have connections – lately it’s Colorado and NM
Love the article. These are all fascinating.
These sound really awesome!
Would love to win – since I live here in the MidWest.
Enjoyed learning about the mysteries in the MidWest. Thanks.
This novel sounds great! Lately the Midwest is my favorite setting- Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio.
So many great names up there. Put me down for a healthy dose of
Michael Koryta and Sara Paretsky please. Thanks for the chance to win a book
Thank you! This gives me some great ideas for new books to try!
Thanks for the suggestions! I like books that have regional flavor.
Looks good. ould love a copy
Looks good. ould love a copy
I’ve never been to Nebraska, but I’ll be sure to read about Jack Reacher’s adventures there.
the Nolan series from Iowa sounds really GOOD. Actually all the books do. Thx (=
I love regional mysteries. Thanks for the chance to win.
Yes, pease send more mystery to Texas.
Mostly I have stuck to Pacific Northwest adventures but the Midwest is intriguing.
Would love to win!
I would love to read the book.
Thanks for the great list of recommended mysteries in the midwest. One of my 2017 reading challenges is to read a book set in every state, so I hope you’ll do another post like this for the other states! Thanks for the chance to win The Last Place You Look!
Give me the Midwest mystery tour!
Thank you for the giveaway!
Looks good, fingers crossed.
If I won this giveaway I’d have a roadtrip on my bookshelves. I know these books would get a lot of mileage!
I am happy I discovered this website, I am thankful for the scoop on new books for me to read. I get deleriously happy when the library actually has them!! Some they do, some they do not….. I hope I win this one.
Great new books and authors
Looks like good stuff. I’m a little disappointed that my home state of Missouri was left out. I thought K.C. or St. Louis would have had the requisite criminal activity but maybe they just aren’t chosen by authors. The book looks excellent though.
There’s a lot of interesting books in this article. I need to look for them.
Learned where some of my mystery writers are from,good article. Would love to read her book
always like a mystery
Would love to win a copy of The Last Place You Look! Being from Indiana, I’ll also check out David Levien’s Frank Behr series. Thanks for the info.
I hope I win this sweepstakes. I love mysteries.
This is article is very good. I always like to find new authors and having midwestern settings is a bonus. I think I will have to check all of the authors out.
Some of my favorite authors are mentioned as writing about the Midwest. I would like to read the books listed under the state of Nebraska.
Nice post, Kristen. Just added your novel to my Goodreads TBR. I live in Connecticut now, but am originally from Chicago. I’ve also lived in Nebraska and look forward to checking out those Cornhusker novels. For now, I’m off to check out Betty Fedora!
Kristen Lepionka’s “driving tour of U.S.midwestern mysteries is a fascinating “read” and I look forward to Her debut “Last Place You Look”.
Sounds like a good read.
Never knew the Midwest was such a dangerous area! I hope I win the book.
Interesting roundup!
This sounds like a great book–it’s right up my alley!
This sounds like a great book–it’s right up my alley!
Looks like if we win there will be a battle here. My wife is from Illinois, while I’m from the (Mid) west of the Mississippi. Good that you mention these great finds from ‘flyover’ country! Thanks!
Looks really good!!!
Hee. My hubby’s from Michigan and I tease him a lot. Don’t ask…though we do live in TX and I’m from here, love the DALLAS COWBOYS, and always talk about the great big, open, beautiful sky. It’s fun to read a mystery set in your state. Especially if you’ve traveled all over and know the area. I will say Michigan has given us some great authors and musicians. 🙂 Shout out to Elmore Leonard! (R.I.P.) Would love to read LAST PLACE YOU LOOK. Cheers.
Thanks Kristen for listing some authors that were new to me!
Sounds interesting.
These are good mysteries. Would love to win this book!
Thanks for the tour of the Midwest. My TBR pile is now teetering!
Minnesota–John Sandford–Lucas Davenport
Midwest, a really bad name for the area since the country moved past St Louis about 150 or more ago.
OOOOOOH!
What a great book to read.
Would love to read this!
I appreciate the info on all these authors. The book sounds like something I would enjoy.
The Last Place You Look is definitely something I would like to read
I’m from a small town in the Midwest, so this book really appeals to me!
Driving Tour-neat concept.
Driving Tour-neat concept.
so cool to see places i know as settings for cool books.
These sound great. I love Sarah Paretsky and Lev Raphael.
I love the concept of this.
Mystery from Michigan sounds fasinating.
I will be putting this book on my to be read list.
Great post, lots of names to add to my TBR. And I would love to win the book. Thanks.
I live in the midwest-love to read this
Thanks for the giveaway!
My bucket list is to visit all 50 states. Being a huge murder mystery reader, I like to combine that goal with my love of reading. When I am traveling to a state, it is fun to first buy a mystery book where the story takes place in that state. Thank you for the list of many good books I can purchase to read as I make my way to the midwestern section of states on my bucket list!
Thanks for the overview. Lots of books I’m interested in.
thank you for the chance to win
Another new author – and a midwestern mystery. It couldn’t get better!
great list of books that sound like really good reads – two of my favorite minnesota authors are William Kent Krueger and John Sanford love them both – have added some of the above books to my TBR list – love a good mystery 🙂
I’d love to check this out 🙂
Thanks so much for the chance 🙂
love to see this
I heart midwestern values.
How fun! Great idea, as well.
I can’t wait to readA Driving Tour of Midwestern Mysteries. I think that it looks like a very informative book, and I never knew there was such mystery amongst the states.
Wonderful hearing about authors I’m not familiar with, have quite a few to add to my TBR list! Would love, love, love a copy of The Last Place You Look!!
I want to read it. It sounds great.
[b]Count me in.[/b]
Great post! Great book! Would love to win
I’m proudly from the Midwest and greatly appreciate the vast array of Midwest authors!!
Thank you for the chance.
This looks great
Thanks for the great giveaway!