Book Launch A Death in Lionel's Woods at Buffalo Books and Coffee

I first met Christine Husom at a library event I hosted in 2011.  She drew a nice crowd and they loved her and she loved them, so it seemed. She definitely had that gift of back and forth with the audience.  A former policewoman, she seemed exactly like her heroine Corinne Aleckson to me though she said no, she didn't see that she was her character.

I hadn't seen her since then but wanted to be at the launch of this next book in the Winnebago County mysteries: A Death in Lionel's Woods.  Off I went on a rainy November day to Buffalo Minnesota.  What a nice little town, full of fun shops. 

The bookstore was hopping, Christine was right up front beaming away and signing books.  I think I looked familiar to her but she couldn't place me until I asked her to sign the book to Librariandoa, then she recognized me.  :)    The bookstore was too busy to really chat, but it was nice to see her and I boldly asked if I could have my picture with her.

A Death in Lionel's Woods starts with a woman's body being found in a woods by a hunter.  She is wearing an unusual homespun dress and beneath her body is a garden trowel which looks to have been used to bury stacks of money before the woman died.  (I am assuming!)  The Winnebago County Mysteries used to be based somewhat on real life cases, as I recall, and I wonder if this one is as well.

Visit Christine Husom's web site for more information and the other titles in this series.

BookNotes: An Altar by the River by Christine Husom

When I began this book, I had two things that Christine said about it in mind: that is a chilling tale and that she knows where the altar is, she has seen it. She said that her books except for the upcoming 4th volume were based on true crimes.

When the story opened with a man fearing his brother was heading to Winnebago County to an undisclosed location for a Satanic Ritual in which he planned to sacrifice himself, I thought hmmm, this is sort of far fetched. Looking at old news reports though, there was a case in Minnesota in 1983 (about the time I came back to live in Minnesota from years in the eastern wilds). Unfortunately, based on real information indeed.

It became disturbingly believable that an age old cult would have members hidden among ordinary folk in society. They could have members in useful professions such as medicine, funeral services and police forces who would help keep their activities secret and successful.

One of the most appealing things about this mystery series are Sergeant Aleckson's family and friends and co-workers. Over the course of the three novels these people have become familiar and a wonderful solid support system for Corrine.

An Altar by the River puts a doubt in the reader's mind as to who can be trusted and who might be completely evil. The weaving of familiarity and safety written into the three novels is shattered as the investigations go on and it is clear someone very close cannot be trusted.

I highly recommend the series, and you should read them in sequence since each picks up right where the last left off. Characters including the villains do not go away but they have resounding effects on the lives of their victims and the police officers who put their lives on the line to make life safer for all of us.