Ray's Reviews: Death at the Lighthouse by Loren Graham

“Death at the Lighthouse” by Loren Graham (Arbutus Press, $29.95) is an unusual, intriguing look at an unsolved crime that took place in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula over a century ago. 

“Subtitled: “A Grand Island Riddle”, the entertaining volume focuses on the 1908 murder of lighthouse keeper George Genry and his assistant, Edward Morrison. 

This is a puzzling case rife with questions; there are no easy answers but many possible solutions. 

The author and his wife bought the then-abandoned Old North Lighthouse on Grand Island in 1972, but they had no idea of the crimes that had taken place near the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. 

A yellowing 1908 newspaper article from the Detroit Free Press changed all that, when the new owners discovered it under an oil cloth in the crumbling kitchen. 

It read “Grand Island Lighthouse keeper and his assistant are believed to be victims of brutal murder and robbery.” 

Graham spent the next few decades looking into the crime, interviewing surviving family members, local townspeople and investigating rumors. 

He also searched assorted archives, checking government documents related to the isolated lighthouse and other newspaper reports, trying to track down various clues as to what really happened. 

The author provides an excellent background history of the area, examining attitudes toward the Chippewa Indians and policies of the government. 

Graham explores three basic possibilities, including one that has Genry killing Morrison and then fleeing to Canada. 

Another option, which the government preferred, has significantly different scenarios. 

Many of the Munising townspeople have their doubts and feel the official explanation is not believable. 

There’s a third possibility, which is directly related to economic issues and social attitudes of the times. 

It’s an intriguing theory involving the Cleveland Cliffs Mining Co. and its incredibly wealthy owner, who may have believed that the lighthouse operators were poaching and sought to eliminate them. 

Unfortunately, although many family members believe it, the theory can’t be easily substantiated, even though it may mean that somebody actually did get away with murder. 

The author, who has taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at Harvard University, provides relevant photographs, an index and detailed footnotes. 

Graham’s well-researched book is a real gem for Michigan historians and those who enjoy true unsolved crimes.

Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has

reviewed crime novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987. 

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was published by the Lansing State Journal on Sunday, September 29, 2013.

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Ray's Reviews: Until She Comes Home by Lori Roy and Evil Eye by Joyce Carol Oates

Two recent releases focus on well-defined characters

involved in exceptionally stressful relationships. Each book

is by a remarkably talented author; the characters are bound

to linger long after the last page is turned.

     “Until She Comes Home” by Lori Roy (Dutton, $26.95) is a

mesmerizing mystery novel set in a small Detroit neighborhood in

1958.

The author, who won an Edgar Award for best first

mystery novel last year for “Bent Road”, proves that her

recognition is well-deserved.

This emotional, subtly powerful tale deals with a variety

of neighborhood tensions, particularly when one woman is

murdered and another disappears.

     Other aspects covered include prostitution, rape and

spousal abuse; life-altering situations abound.

     There is a wide range of intriguing characters, including

Grace, who’s pregnant and her best friend Julia, who’s trying

to take care of twin nieces. There’s also Malina, one of the

neighborhood’s busybody leaders, who has suspicions about her

husband.

     Roy adroitly captures the atmosphere of the time, when

racial tensions were bubbling over and fear of integration was

prevalent.   

The author slowly draws the reader in, as violence flares

and dark secrets emerge; this is a superb, tense suspense tale

that’s one of the year’s best crime novels.

     “Evil Eye” by Joyce Carol Oates (Mysterious Press, $23) is

a powerful and dark collection of four short novellas. Each

deals with emotional relationships of “love gone wrong”, with

unexpected and often shocking results.

     The title story explores the attitude of Mariana, the young

fourth wife of a prominent intellectual. She’s trying to cope

with a visit from her husband’s first wife, who has unnerving

secrets.

     “So Near… Any Time… Always” showcases Lisbeth, a young

teenager, and her first romance with Desmond, a handsome older

boy. After a great start, the relationship falters, soon turning

her life into a nightmare.

     “The Execution” is a chilling tale of a college student who

carefully plans the vengeful murder of his parents. It’s a

surprising, ironic tale of death and continuing love.

     “The Flatbed” reveals a pretty woman’s dark secrets,

leading to a quite surprising conclusion.

     Oates, who has taught at the University of Detroit, is a

multiple award-winning author of many gripping novels and short-

story anthologies. This is a disturbing yet captivating

collection that showcases her exceptional writing talent.

Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has

reviewed crime novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987. 

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was published by the Lansing State Journal on Sunday, September 22, 2013.

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Ray's Reviews: When Boppa Was a Boy by Kurt D. Thelen

 "When Boppa Was a Boy" by Kurt D. Thelen (PublishAmerica, $24.95) is an unusual self-published paperback book that consists primarily of the author's recollections of his life growing up on a farm in Westphalia.

 In today's computerized world, that may sound like a boring book of little interest to anybody, but Thelen really makes it work.

 He notes in his brief preface: "The book is a historical anecdotal accounting of life on a typical Michigan dairy farm during the 1960's... told from the perspective of a grade-school-aged boy growing up in a rural setting".

 The first of almost 30 short recollections describes an unusual situation, where his mother is going after a pesky squirrel - with a .22 caliber rifle. 

 When the squirrel flees, his mother, a crack-shot, follows, taking Thelen's older sister and baby along for the ride - in the family car. She was seven months pregnant at the time!

 Thelen describes numerous typical day-to-day experiences of life on a midwestern dairy farm; his recollections are always quite interesting.

 He focuses on a wide variety of memorable situations, involving rabbits, cows and other assorted critters. Thelen delves into challenging realities of dairy farm life in the 1960's and the importance of family and friends. 

 The anecdotes get funnier as the entertaining book goes on. The author offers many fond anecdotes of different and sometimes unexpected ways that he had fun.

 He also notes the importance of performing necessary tedious tasks, such as milking cows twice daily.

  His daughter, Kelsey D. Thelen, a schoolteacher in Holland MI, did the small interior illustrations of pop-eyed characters in their farm settings. They are quite basic, but fit well with the overall retrospective.

 This is an entertaining, fascinating look at an important era of agriculture and farming from a unique perspective, when life was considerably less complicated.

 Thelen, forever a farmer at heart, still lives in Westphalia. He is a professor in Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University. His email address is thelenk3@msu.edu.
 

 Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing's Curious Book Shop, 

has reviewed Michigan books and crime novels regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other great Michigan titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was published by the Lansing State Journal on September 16, 2013.

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Ray's Reviews: William Kent Krueger's Tamarack County

William Kent Krueger, Cara Black and Libby Fischer Hellman will be discussing their latest books and signing autographs Friday at 7:00 pm at Schuler's Books, 1982 West Grand River Ave. (Meridian Mall), Okemos.


Tamarack County” by William Kent Krueger (Atria, $24.99) is the 13^th book in his popular, best-selling series staring Cork O'Connor.

Photo courtesy of Facebook

“

The Minnesota sheriff-turned-private investigator gets involved in a puzzling case: he's trying to figure out what happened to the elderly wife of a retired local judge.

Evelyn Carter's car has turned up abandoned on a rural road during a blizzard, but she's nowhere to be found. Her husband, suffering from Dementia, is of little help. The search and rescue team, assisted by O'Connor, has few clues.

Meanwhile, it's the holiday season; Anne, O'Connor's younger daughter, has returned home, planning on leaving the religious order she recently joined. Stephen, O'Connor's teen-aged son, has discovered love, but complications arise.

When a large, friendly dog is discovered decapitated nearby, O'Connor begins to wonder if there may be a pattern. Further investigation provides an unusual link – they may be related to a murder case involving O'Connor that took place over 20 years ago.

When it becomes apparent that there's a deviant sociopath on the loose, O'Connor realizes one of his family members may be the next target.

Krueger is in fine form in this superb, highly atmospheric tale, deftly capturing a wide range of emotions and conflicts between assorted characters.

He smoothly utilizes American Indian mysticism and traditional lore as he weaves together a complex, yet believable, plot full of surprises.

If you haven't read any of William Kent Krueger's excellent mysteries, you're in for a real treat!

Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing's Curious Book Shop, 

has reviewed crime novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987.

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Ray's Reviews: The Last Refrain by John Abbott

"The Last Refrain" (Sweatshoppe Publications, $14.99) by former Lansing resident John Abbott is an intriguing slice-of-life novel that focuses on an arduous summer tour of "Shiloh Red", a rock and roll band.

 

Based out of Hammond, IN, the five-person band features four dysfunctional family members: Ken, the band's alcoholic leader, Brianna, his wife and two teenagers, Lucas and Dana.

 

Griff,  a talented lead guitarist and songwriter, was in the band when they had an earlier hit record; he's known Brianna since high school.

 

The self-published paperback is told from numerous differing viewpoints; the author deftly captures a wide variety of emotions and attitudes.

 

Ken is trying to get a new record contract for the group; when it doesn't come through, he lies to the band members, with unexpected results.

 

The band is scheduled to perform at numerous Midwest county fairs, starting with Lake Odessa; the tour is strenuous but the group gains momentum.

 

Ken is trying to stay away from alcohol; he's writing new songs. Griff is sometimes high but performing brilliantly. The group gets a big glowing write-up in Rolling Stone. 

 

Despite their success and growing crowds, there are other problems; tempers flare, emotions bubble over and assorted relationships become strained.

 

As you'd expect in this type of novel there's lots of drinking, sex and drug usage, but Abbott smoothly combines these aspects into a mostly compelling tale.

 

There are many scenes at bars and fairgrounds; the challenges of travel, scheduling and dealing with excited fans are well presented.

 

Unfortunately, the conclusion isn't completely believable; the gritty novel would have flowed more smoothly if the author used shorter paragraphs to maintain the reader's interest.

 

Abbott graduated from East Lansing High School and later got degrees from Michigan State University and Western Michigan University.

 

He teaches writing at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and at Western, where he served as assistant fiction editor for "The Third Coast", their literary journal.

 

Now living in Kalamazoo, the author grew up in the Lansing area, changing his last name from Wilensky when he married.

 

Abbott has published many short stories and poems. His chapbook "Near Harmony" was released earlier this year by Flutter Press. He's currently working on a second novel.

 

The authors website is www.johnabbottauthor.com

Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing's Curious Book Shop, 

has reviewed Michigan books and crime novels regularly since 1987.

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