“A sculpture hangs above the central atrium of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s headquarters in St. Paul. From a distance, the sculpture looks like a series of enormous Sherlock Holmes–style magnifying glasses. A closer inspection reveals disconcerting details: suspended within the hoops are dissected sections of a human body, each part made out of stained glass, each giving clues to a different forensic discipline (such as flies for entomology). The sculpture represents the body of a murder victim held up for inspection. It’s disturbing, matter-of-fact, and artistic.

“This is Minnesota noir.” A few books are recommended, including Standford’s Prey and Virgil Flowers series. (via Books, Inq.)