Dead Boyfriends (A McKenzie Novel)

Right up until they put him in jail, McKenzie thought the cops were kidding. After all, he did them a favor by stopping a rookie cop from roughing up a distraught woman at a murder scene. But the next thing he knows, he’s in jail, missing an important date with his girlfriend, and reliving nightmares he thought he had left far behind him—and vowing payback for all of it. If that means sticking his nose into an ongoing murder investigation, well, he’s done it before.

Only what appears to be a straightforward case of a cheating boyfriend, his alcoholic girlfriend, and an opportune baseball bat proves far more complicated than the police are willing to accept. More disconcerting, as he investigates, McKenzie finds himself fighting the influence of a shadowy figure who controls more of what goes on in the Twin Cities than a rational voter would believe. Then there are the unidentified thugs who kill a witness and rough up him and his female lawyer ally. Soon McKenzie realizes that the truth of this sordid crime may be as hard to find—and as hard to live with—as the justice he seeks.

Praise for DEAD BOYFRIENDS:

“Former cop Rushmore McKenzie certainly won’t run from a fight, but he also has a softer side: he is a firm believer in loyalty and love, and he is a sucker for the underdog. When he stops to help a woman he sees at the side of the road, he has no idea he’ll be calling on all these character traits to unravel the truth about the woman, a grisly murder, a string of dead boyfriends, and a secret in her past... Housewright is terrific—funny, wry, and dead-on—which, along with some unexpected plot twists, gives this the sort of appeal that will have readers asking for the next book as well as ones that can fill in McKenzie’s history.” —Booklist

“Once again, St. Paul’s Saint George scatters the dragons who menace a damsel in distress.” —Kirkus Reviews

“David Housewright is one of my favorite mystery authors. I’d read a cereal box if he wrote it. I really like McKenzie’s character and enjoy his determination and sense of loyalty. He’s the guy in the white hat, seeking to preserve justice for all. And he’s always willing to put himself in harm’s way to accomplish his goals. No risk, no reward... Dead Boyfriends is a fun ride with twists enough to surprise everyone. Housewright’s attention to the various Twin Cities locals is spot on and tremendous fun for those of us who live here. His characters are rich and complex, his plot intriguing and satisfying.” —Armchair Reviews