When they say “mean streets”, it means Minneapolis/St. Paul, at least where “Mac” McKenzie is concerned. The first of David Housewright’s Rushmore McKenzie novels, A Hard Ticket Home, sucked me in. I’m happy to say there are twenty-two more books in the series.
Mac was a cop in St. Paul for eleven years before a weird twist of fate provided him with two million dollars. Now, he’s an unlicensed private eye who takes after his father. He helps people. In a case that takes all kinds of weird turns, he agrees to help Richard and Molly Carlson find their oldest daughter. Jamie left home soon after graduation, and her parents haven’t seen her since. Now, their youngest daughter, Stacy, has leukemia. A bone marrow transplant from a sibling may save her life.
While Mac’s best friend, Bobby Dunston, a detective with the St. Paul Police Department, is dealing with the horrific murder of a wealthy female entrepreneur, Mac’s looking for a prostitute who was a friend of Jamie Carlson’s. Neither man knows that their cases are on a strange collision course that involves a gang, multiple attacks on Mac, and wealthy businessmen. The cases are so violent and fast moving that neither man has much time to think. While Bobby is dealing with bureaucracy, Mac is just trying to stay alive.
A Hard Ticket Home is a dark, atmospheric novel featuring a smart-mouthed PI with a heart of gold. Mac cares so much that his wealthy lover dumps him because he can’t forget other people’s problems, and he gets so deeply involved in their troubles. I’m happy that I have twenty-two more books to go.
David Housewright’s website is https://www.davidhousewright.com/
A Hard Ticket Home by David Housewright. Down & Out Books, 2003/2019. 257p.
FTC Full Disclosure – Library book
These are actually hard to find in the wild around here. I count the series as part of the Minnesota renaissance that started with John Sandford, and has just about run its course.
I read this book, and I think, the next two or three, then they disappeared from the bookstores until the latest one I read a couple of weeks ago. To be honest, I don’t know that I’d get along with Mac.
I’m not sure any normal person would get along with Mac, Glen. And, that’s just after reading one of them. I’ll see if I can continue to get them after the first couple. There’s only one of the second book in the library system.
That cover would have scared me off!
The first murder might have scared you off, Carol.
I’ve always meant to try Housewright, but for whatever reason I’ve never quite gotten it done.
Add P. J. Tracy to Glen’s list of Minneapolis-area books.
When Kaye Barley mentioned Housewright, Jeff, and said how much she loved him, it made me pick up the first one. She’s the second of my book friends to say that.
I love P.J. Tracy’s Monkeewrench books!
I LOVE McKenzie! As with any long running series, I have enjoyed some of these more than others, but I will read these books as long as Mr. Housewright writes them. And always look forward to the next one.
i’m so happy you enjoyed this one, Lesa.
You pushed me over the edge, Kaye, to start one. I did like it. I put the second one on hold at the library. You and Aubrey are both big fans!
Ha! This sounds like it might be a new series for me, too. I’ll try the first one and see what I think. I know you, like me, tend to prefer police procedurals, Lesa, so if you like this PI novel, I might, too. Also, in light of an earlier exchange about LOOOOONG books, I notice this one has 257 pages. Yay!
Of course, it was written twenty-three years ago, Kim, when authors could still write shorter books. I like PI novels, too; just tend to read more police procedurals. And, Mac was a cop before he became an unlicensed PI.