North of Nowhere: An Alex McKnight Novel (Alex McKnight Mysteries)

Steve Hamilton, Edgar winner for best first novel A COLD DAY IN PARADISE has written one of his best novels yet. I am always impressed with his ability to give the locale a certain immediacy to the reader. The first two books in the series took place primarily in the winter cold. Now we get a feeling of this Upper Michigan location in the midst of the summer season. Life is very different as boating and fishing become the primary pastime of the residents and visitors. We are treated to in depth descriptions of this area frequented by tourists. Alex is a loner, yet, he proves in this book that he is a loyal friend who will stop at nothing to defend those he is closest to. His character gives this series the true sense of realism and makes every return visit a pleasure. Pacing is never a problem with Steve Hamilton and this novel is no exception as the book proves to be a very fast and fully enjoyable read. With his talent, Steve Hamilton deserves a much wider audience.


FRIENDS AND FOES?   August 2, 2003
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Alex McKnight is back in full force again, and this time it his closest friends who become possible enemies in this tense game of cat and mouse. McKnight joins his buddy Joe from the bar and his cronies for a poker game at a millionaire's plush estate. In the middle of the game, three men burst in and tell the guests to lay down on the floor or they'll be shot. Uh-oh. After the smoke clears, Alex finds himself a prime suspect in setting up this heist. From there on, Alex is embroiled in a labyrinthine plot where his closest friends aren't the people he thought they were. Interesting plot, with some twists and turns that may shock; this is an intense entry in this ever-improving series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.


Nowhere Near the Best   July 7, 2003
 7 out of 11 found this review helpful

Alex McKnight is a delight as always. The lyrical descriptions of Michigan's Upper Peninsula are a joy to read. However, the plot is contrived, convoluted and improbable. The cast burgeons until there are so many people involved; I ended up being indifferent to the outcome.

Alex is in a black depression. To get him out of the house, his good friend Jackie forces him to sit in on a poker game held at the opulent home of Winthrop Vargas. Armed robbers appear and rob Vargas' very secret safe. Suspicion of an inside job spreads to the poker regulars who were the only outsiders who knew Vargas had a safe and kept money in it. Murder of one of the robbers follows. Alex is galvanized into action to protect his friend Jackie. A wild boat chase on Lake Superior unmasks the wrongdoers.

Alex's former partner Archie provides some welcome comic moments. Alex enthusiastically chases so many red herrings, I lost faith. Many of the characters are stereotypical. I think Steve Hamilton needs to infuse Paradise with some new blood.
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer


A Review from Nowhere   June 23, 2003
I live in Nowhere, Michigan...just south of where Steve Hamilton sets this novel. I enjoyed the novel, as I have enjoyed all of Hamilton's Alex McKnight novels, not only because of the setting, but also because Hamilton is a darn good writer! You don't have to be from Nowhere to understand the need to isolate yourself in the beauty of Northern Michigan, and to fear and resent the greed which drives men to murder each other and despoil the environment. These are the themes of Steve Hamilton's books: weave them through an engrossing plot line filled with action and intelligence and you have this latest in the Alex McKnight series--and perhaps the best.


Praise from a Travis McGee Fan   May 2, 2003
I thought I would never like a "Cold Weather Mystery" series. I have been hooked on John MacDonald's classic Travis McGee series for so long, which is set in South Florida, of the white sand beaches and warm, emerald water. I loved reading about Archie McNalley's evening swims in the warm Gulf Stream (Lawrence Sanders) and even Dave Robicheaux and his bait shop down on the bayou (James Lee Burke).

So what a pleasant surprise to discover Alex McKnight living in the North Woods. By the time I was done, I was ready for a long, cold winter and plenty of Canadian Molsens by a roaring fire.

Steve Hamilton makes the cold, wintery landscape of Northern Michigan and Lake Superior seem inviting and alluring. Alex McKnight is remniscent of Travis McGee in that he is very independent, ethical in his own way, and very close to nature.

Great read for anytime, but if you have some cold, dark wintery days coming up, this is a great book to read by a roaring fire!