Book Review: Things in Ditches

Reviewed By: Sandi - RAM

Things in Ditches     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Jimmy Olsen
Class/Genre:   Mystery
December 2000; North Star Press, 310 pp.

A local butcher and his school teacher wife. Bumbling police chief and politically-reaching sheriff. Two ex-husbands. Local attorney, friend of butcher. The town's "mentally slow" guy. And, oh yeah, a murder victim, found in the ditch. These are the colorful characters that make up Jimmy Olsen's "Things in Ditches."

Willow River, Minnesota is a quiet, little town. The weather has been unusually warm for November, but a blizzard is predicted. Phillip "Dutch" Cleland has murdered his mistress, Vicky Johnson. Unable to kill himself for doing it, he decides to take off. "Things in Ditches" is a wild ride with Dutch running. His best friend is chasing him to help him, while law enforcement is after him for all together different reasons. The ex-husbands also are pursuing for their own justice. Jean, Dutch's wife, is has to deal with the knowledge of what her husband did, and trying to protect him. All this is occurring before, during and after a record- breaking blizzard.

"Things in Ditches" is a well written, exciting first crime novel. It is different because you know right away who committed the crime. The rest of the story is the chase. Flashbacks establish the relationship and its breakdown between Vicky and Dutch.

The interesting characters, blending their relationships with the exciting chase make "Things in Ditches" a fun book to read.

Sandi - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Sandi - RAM