Once a police detective in St. Paul, Minnesota, Rushmore McKenzie became an unlikely millionaire and an occasional unlicensed private investigator, doing favors for friends. But this time, he finds himself in dire need of working on his own behalf.
His dear friend and first love Shelby Dunston attends a public reading by a psychic medium with the hope of connecting with her grandfather one final time. Instead, she hears McKenzie's name spoken by the psychic in connection with a huge sum of stolen-and missing-money. Caught in a world of psychic mediums, with a man from his past with a stake in the future, and more than one party willing to go to great and deadly lengths to get involved, McKenzie must figure out just how much he's willing to believe-like his life depends on it-before everything takes a much darker turn. Praise for
From the Grave
"Fun, fast-moving... A psychic medium channels a dark presence who calls for McKenzie's death before it will reveal the location of a large sum of money... McKenzie is soon caught up in the world of psychics, not so reality TV, and very real physical threats by those seeking the lost treasure. The appealing McKenzie and his cohorts engage in amusing banter as they attempt to locate the pilfered cash before someone sends Mac off to the great beyond. Housewright leaves it tantalizingly ambiguous whether Leland's spirit is real. Readers will be entertained either way." -
Publishers Weekly
"This witty and wonderful St. Paul author has been entertaining readers with the Rushmore 'Mac' McKenzie crime-solving series since 2004. Yet after 17 episodes, we still can't get enough of this St. Paul cop-turned-private eye and the rich characters that surround him... Readers will delight in the antics and dialogue in this crime mystery. Housewright stays above grisly details that other writers thrive on, making him a relaxing and thoroughly entertaining read without the heaviness of a dark plot... If you're a Housewright first-timer, you can pick up nearly any installment in the series and feel right at home." -
Minneapolis Star Tribune
"The colorful characters follow the unpredictable plot in a chilly Minnesota setting that's so evocative we can practically see our breath in the air. Another of Housewright's strengths is how vividly he paints the picture of St. Paul, making it just as compelling and murky a locale as New York City or L.A. If you've never met McKenzie before, From the Grave is a stellar starting point in the series. Sure, there are allusions to previous cases. And there are plenty of tidbits that reward longtime readers. But this installment, like the others, stands perfectly well on its own merits and would appeal to fans of paranormal mysteries, noir, and plucky P.I.s. It's a fast-paced read with an unexpectedly happy ending, and should absolutely be added to your quarantine read pile." -
Criminal Element
"Series fans will have a great time here, as Housewright offers readers a new side of the usually superconfident McKenzie, showing a man with all the answers forced to examine not just clues but also his own vulnerability." -
Booklist