Murder Mysteries

I've been reading a lot of murder mysteries since I now intend to write one. My favorites are the funny ones. Right now I'm reading the only murder mystery written by poet Richard Hugo (with whom I studied) soon before his death. It's entitled DEATH AND THE GOOD LIFE and it's hilarious. A crazy amazon axe murderer is killing strangers in Montana, and a homicide detective who has relocated for some peace and quiet from Seattle to Plains, Montana, has to try to solve the case. There is some action in Portland, Oregon, too. I think it's quite well written and sounds a lot like Richard Hugo to me. There are wonderful scenes in bars and a lot of fishing too.

I came by the book via Arlo Voorhees, a poet here in Portland who is originally from central Massachusetts. He also studied at Montana though long after Richard Hugo was gone. He sent me the book when I told him I was planning on writing a murder mystery. It's good to tell people what you're doing sometimes...you never know what will come your way.