When I run across a Minnesota mystery writer, I generally give him a shot. Usually they turn out too progressive for my taste. But C. E. Nelson’s Blood River generally avoided politics, and the writing wasn’t bad.

David Trask, our hero, is a former cop from Maple Grove, Minnesota (not far from where I live). A while back, tired of the pressures of Twin Cities policing, he moved up to Lake County Minnesota, an extensive, forested resort region. Then he ran for sheriff, and – to his surprise – won. Still, what’s the worst that could happen in resort country?

What happens is serial murder. When two fishermen are found with their throats slashed, it’s only the start of a string of brutal murders. Soon the small resort owners are clashing with the big owners, and the fishing guides are clashing with everybody, and Dave knows he’s stretched beyond his limited resources. He calls on his twin brother Don, an investigator for Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Before everything’s done, they will face a formidable killer together.

The writing in Blood River wasn’t stellar, but it was serviceable. I liked Dave and Don as characters, and the story kept my interest. The plotting was the weak point – the author comes pretty close to a deus ex machina save at a critical juncture, and the action isn’t always plausible.

But it wasn’t bad. I might read the next in the series.