"The Last Kind Word"

David Housewright is the Edgar Award and three-time Minnesota Book Award-winning author of the Rushmore McKenzie and Holland Taylor novels as well as other tales of murder and mayhem in the Midwest.

He applied the Page 69 Test to his new novel, The Last Kind Word, and reported the following:

If I were to chose a single page that would induce a reader to take The Last Kind Word off the shelf, I would probably chose something other than Page 69 - a page with action or humor or suspense or preferably, all three. Page 69, unfortunately, deals with motivation, a necessary element of any well-written novel, but rarely exciting.

The Iron Range Bandits are preparing their next robbery and the man sent to infiltrate and eventually betray the gang is discovering that he cares about them.

“Break a leg,” I said.

I was surprised that I meant it - absolutely break a leg if it keeps you from going into that grocery store.

Where did that come from? my inner voice asked.

Good question.

The best crimes novels are not about crimes. They’re about the characters who commit crimes, about their victims, and the characters that chase them. They must be believable. They must do what they do for reasons that seem understandable to us.

I am proud of Page 69.

Learn more about the book and author at David Housewright's website and Facebook page.

The Last Kind Word is the 10th Twin Cities P.I. Mac McKenzie novel.

My Book, The Movie: The Last Kind Word.

Writers Read: David Housewright.

--Marshal Zeringue