L.A. Times photojournalist Britt Johansson is back in Spirit Lake recharging before her next overseas assignment, when two murders and a string of threats against her brother set her in action.
Are they hate crimes, a long-buried act of revenge or something else?
Praise for Linda Townsdin
“Linda Townsdin creates tightly woven, fast-paced plots, villains you love to hate and characters you want to get to know. Her second novel in the Spirit Lake mystery series, Close Up on Murder, is even better than her terrific debut, Focused on Murder…in an action-packed, emotional story about family secrets and murderous rage. I couldn’t put the book down!” – Julie Williams, author of Drama Queens in the House
“Close Up on Murder is a great read! Linda Townsdin has again crafted a tale of small town murder where the summer calm covers deep secrets.” – Michele Drier, author of Edited for Death, Labeled for Death, Delta for Death
“As someone who got hooked on the character of Britt, the photojournalist temporarily sidelined from her international shooting assignments in Spirit Lake, Minn., I couldn’t wait for the next installment in Linda Townsdin’s Spirit Lake mysteries. I quite liked the first book in the series, Focused on Murder, but I have to say that this, the second book in the series, had me even more riveted. If Focused on Murder chilled me to my metaphorical bone (it’s set in deep, cold winter), Close Up on Murder, set in a Spirit Lake summer, made me sweat.
Townsdin has expanded on her main characters even more–in addition to Britt, her brother Little, who, with his partner Lars, runs the town cafe, and Britt’s love interest, forest ranger Ben–and deepened the recurring secondary characters like the women who run the local beauty shop and the sheriff, always annoyed by Britt trying to solve cases. This book also has a poignant theme of haters going after gays in this little village, which rings so unfortunately current and true. And, as with the first book, I was surprised to find who the murderer(s?) turn out to be. (No spoilers!)
The book is well-paced with good, tight writing and terrific characters who get under your skin (mostly in a good way) and stay there. I’ll be thinking about them and eagerly awaiting the next novel in this series. Long live Spirit Lake!” – Janis L. Haag
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