The Silence of the Loons: Thirteen Tales of Mystery by Minnesota's Premier Crime Writers
Published by Nodin Press, Minneapolis
ISBN: 1-932472-36-3
Price: $16
Contributors: M.D. Lake, Mary Logue, William Kent Krueger, Judith Guest, Monica Ferris, K.J. Erickson, Ellen Hart, Carl Brookins, Lori L. Lake, Deborah Woodworth, Keri Miller, David Housewright and Pat Dennis
With an Introduction by R.D. Zimmerman

Winner of The Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) Award! The book won the Merit Award for 2005 in the Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller category.

Why this anthology?

It began with a discussion as we sped across the flat farmland of the Midwest in Carl's Crimemobile while on one of our signing tours. We wanted to bring the Minnesota Mystery community together in order to showcase the talent of these wonderful writers and friends. A short story anthology seemed the perfect way.

But that, in itself, was too easy. These are writers used to dealing with locked rooms and battling serial killers. We realized we needed to give them an additional challenge, something that would, in its way, unify the collection.

This was the challenge. We created a set of eight clues or elements, a pool from which each author had to dip into in order to construct their stories. The clues were:

• A headless Barbie doll
• A page torn from a dictionary
• Footprints in the snow
• The sound of a train whistle
• A temporary tattoo
• The scent of Obsession
• A wig
• A soiled ballet slipper

We asked each invited author to include at least four of these clues in the story. We knew it would be exciting to discover how creative minds used the same elements to construct vastly different tales.

In the end, in one story or another, all the clues were used. As you read the stories, keep them in mind and you'll be amazed sat how ingeniously they have been incorporated.

This is an all-Minnesota project—editors, authors and publisher. Reading the stories, we think you'll find there's more to Minnesota than green pines and blue water. There's plenty to be afraid of here. We offer occurrences more haunting than the cry of loon and crimes more lethal than a lump of lutefisk.

View photos from The Silence of the Loons launch party!

Orders for the anthology can be made at fine bookstores everywhere.

© 2002-08 by Carl Brookins, Ellen Hart and William Kent Krueger.
Permission is hereby granted for reproduction of any material contained in this web site for purposes of publicity and promotion related to the sale of our books and/or appearances by members of the Minnesota Crime Wave.

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