The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies
Review: The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies is the fourth mystery in this series by Kathleen Hills, featuring Upper Peninsula Township Constable John McIntire. The series is set in the early 1950s.
Reuben Hofer didn't have a friend in the world. Though new to the community, he was disliked to the point of being hated by everyone who knew him, including his own family. When he was found dead, shot in the back while on a tractor in his fields, no one mourned his death. McIntire and local sheriff Pete Koski begin an investigation into the man's life and find he's not the newcomer they originally thought. During the war, Hofer had been confined as a rebellious conscientious objector in a nearby facility. On the rare occasions when men were allowed to leave, they frequented a local bar and poker room. Those who remembered him, including a former camp guard and saloon owner, recalled he couldn't hold his liquor but was very adroit at playing poker, but ill-tempered and unlikeable. McIntire and Kosky have a difficult time sorting out fact from fiction in determining who wanted to kill Hofer, and why.
Though the plot of The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies is intriguing and has its moments, particularly when it incorporates sometimes obscure historical facts into the story, it pales in comparison to the book's rich character development and setting. As in previous books in the series, McIntire is an exceptionally well drawn, complex character that fits perfectly into his remote, mid-20th century environment. But in this novel, the character of Claire, the dead man's daughter, stands apart from the rest. She's really quite special, with deep emotions and a story unto herself.
Readers who live in, or are familiar with, Michigan's Upper Peninsula will take special delight in reading The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies. Everyone else will simply take pleasure in a remarkably well written book.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies.
Acknowledgment: Poisoned Pen Press provided an ARC of The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies for this review.
Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Selected reviews of other mysteries by this author … Past Imperfect Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), June 2002 ISBN-13: 9781590580073; ISBN-10: 1590580079
Location(s) referenced in The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies: Upper Peninsula, Michigan
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The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies by Kathleen Hills — A John McIntire Mystery
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-476-7
Publication Date: December 2007
List Price: $24.95

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