The Silence of the Loons: Thirteen Tales of Mystery

by: Minnesota's Premier Crime Writers

Published by: Nodin Press (September 2005 release)

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

You just never know what will come of a warm summer day when the Minnesota Crime Wave breaks free—and races across the Midwest in the infamous Crimemobile headed toward another author appearance. One day the talk turned to the Minnesota mystery community and how best to showcase their individual talent. An anthology seemed the perfect venue.

Now, they had a great idea but it was really too easy to just write a mystery. The Minnesota writers are masters at dealing with all things mysterious. A mere locked room or serial killer would be no match for them. What to do? A challenge seemed appropriate. Each author could select four required clues from the same eight clues or elements to construct their story's plotline. Yes! Let the games begin!

Thus a grand, murder-filled anthology featuring the likes of authors M.D. Lake, Mary Logue, William Kent Krueger, Judith Guest, Monica Ferris, K.J. Erickson, Ellen Hart, Carl Brookins, Lori L. Lake, Deborah Woodworth, Kerri Miller, David Housewright, and Pat Dennis was born and flourished.

The Silence of the Loons boasts thirteen stories that are as vastly different as each of their respective authors.

Judith Guest's "The Gates" is a dark, disturbing and edgy story about Edina (a Minneapolis suburb) becoming a gated community.

Ellen Hart's "Norwegian Noir" left me giggling long after I finished reading about Lutheran Cora Runbeck's adventures after entering her meat loaf recipe in the Minneapolis Times Register's recipe contest.

David Housewright's "A Domestic Matter" is his usual taut, masterful product. He delves into murders of a man and a woman who had been having an affair and the friend who knew much more than anyone else.

"Jake" is Pat Dennis' whopping good tale of a lout, who happens to be an Internet hacker, with a wife he wants dead.

William Kent Krueger's fascinating tale "Before Swine" is the about the demise of an abusive man, eaten by the hogs on his farm. Was it a stroke or a human that fed him to the hogs?

The rest of the stories are equally as wonderful as those I've described.

Armchair Interviews says: If you enjoy grand and twisting tales of murder and mayhem that some of the best mystery writing has to offer, run, don't walk to your local bookstore and pick up The Silence of the Loons. There is something for everyone and the stories beg to be read again and again. And don't forget to look for the eight clues scattered about the terrain of the stories.