Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am always excited when Kathleen Ernst drops by for a visit. Her character Chloe Ellefson doesn’t live too far away from me. I love reading stories about places I have actually visited.
Murder Most Midwestern
Kathleen Ernst
You may have heard of “Midwestern Nice.” It’s real. I’ve met lots of really nice people since moving to Wisconsin in 1982.
That said, I’m finding that the Midwest provides some awesome settings for murder mysteries.
As a former museum curator, one of my goals for the Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites mystery series involves introducing readers to special places. The first four books in the series showcased a huge open air museum called Old World Wisconsin, the Swiss-American community of New Glarus, Lake Michigan’s oldest lighthouse, and Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Iowa.
And my new book, Tradition of Deceit, 
It’s also fascinating. The Washburn A Mill was the world’s largest flour mill when it was completed in 1874. For the first time in history, the production of a basic food item was industrialized. And I’m willing to bet that the mill has touched your life directly. The Washburn A Mill gave us Gold Medal Flour and Betty Crocker cookbooks. After years of growth and mergers, General Mills became owner.
Meanwhile Roelke McKenna, Chloe’s significant other, is drawn into a murder investigation in Milwaukee’s Old South Side neighborhood. The area is densely populated and culturally rich, home to many Polish-American families. They built the magnificent Basilica of St. Josaphat, and created a lovely urban park honoring a famous Polish general. Right down the street is a cemetery so old and significant that it’s on the Register of Historic Places.
It was great fun to write a book that entwines the industrial and cultural heritage of two cities, in two states. In the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, the past is always present!
Someone asked me recently if I would ever set a Chloe book at a “major” historic site like Colonial Williamsburg or Plimoth Plantation. Perhaps one day, but for now, I’m having too much fun exploring historic sites in my own regional neighborhood. Chloe will remain employed at Old World Wisconsin, although some mysteries will take her across state lines.
I try hard to make the sites and museums that Chloe explores real and essential to the plot. My website offers lots of resources to help readers explore the places featured in each book, including photographs, interactive maps, and tour guides. I’m delighted when readers tell me that reading one of the Chloe Ellefson mysteries inspired them to visit the relevant site.
Has a book ever prompted you to make a trip? What are some of your favorite historic places? I’m taking notes!
~Kathleen
About Kathleen Ernst
Tradition of Deceit is Kathleen Ernst’s thirtieth book. In addition to the Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites series, she has written many books for American Girl, including nine about the historical character she created, Caroline Abbott. Over 1.5 million copies of Kathleen’s titles have been sold. The Chloe series has earned a LOVEY Award for Best Traditional Mystery, and several of her mysteries for young readers have been finalists for Edgar or Agatha awards.
. Learn more at www.kathleenernst.com, www.facebook.com/kathleenernst.author, or www.sitesandstories.wordpress.com.
Tradition of Deceit
(A Chloe Ellefson Mystery)
5th Book in Series
Cozy Mystery
Published by MIDNIGHT INK (November 8, 2014)
Trade Paperback: 360 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738740782
E-Book File Size: 3170 KB
ASIN: B00NJ2U62I
Curator and occasional sleuth Chloe Ellefson is off to Minneapolis to help her friend Ariel with a monumental task. Ariel must write a proposal for a controversial and expensive restoration project: convert an abandoned flour mill, currently used as shelter by homeless people, into a museum. When a dead body is found stuffed into a grain chute, Chloe’s attention turns from milling to murder.
Back in Milwaukee, Chloe’s love interest Roelke has been slammed with the news that a fellow officer was shot and killed while on duty. Sifting through clues from both past and present, Chloe and Roelke discover dangerous secrets that put their lives—and their trust in each other—at risk.
Wow, this was such a fascinating read I feel as if I devoured it.
What seems as a ordinary date turns Chloe’s and Roelke’s lives and relationship inside out and upside down. They attend the wedding of one a Roelke’s cop buddies and Chloe just feels like she doesn’t fit in. She takes off the next day to help a friend in Minneapolis questioning her whole relationship with Roelke. Then Roelke gets a phone call telling him his friend and former partner was shot and killed while on duty. He throws himself into the investigation and keeps at it even when he is told to back off. Chloe barely gets into Minneapolis and she gets wrapped up in a murder investigation herself. She really could use Roelke’s help but after the death of his friend he has basically shut her out of his life. It seems “deceit” is everywhere.
Ernst intricately meshes these stories together along with a story from the past that drew me right in. It was not only the murder mysteries that captivated me but the secrets of our main characters as well. We really get to know more about Roelke and Chloe has to face the reality of being in love with a police officer. The story from the past gives us a look back at immigrants that had come to the area in hopes of a better life. The main story lines also look at the homeless and what they endure. She also shines a light on domestic violence.
The main part of the story takes place in the early 1980’s so there are no cell phones or internet which adds its own dynamic to the story. Research and crime investigation is done with old fashioned footwork and checking out books and written documents. Police officers don’t have radios hooked to their collars and need to check in via call stations while they are out “walking their beat” and landlines are the way to get in touch with your family and friends, no texting, emails or quick calls. Cases are not solved quickly as all the investigative technology we now take for granted has even been invented yet. The research Chloe is helping with is also done with document research and stories that have been told and retold over the years.
I think this is the best book so far in this series. The characters continue to grow and evolve and the settings were interesting and the topics are still relevant today as the United States looks at immigration reform and the plight of the homeless is still a major problem today. Domestic violence has been around forever and we see that in that story here as well. Ernst presents all topics in a fictional way that while entertaining to read also makes you think. We learn a little history along the way too.
This definitely deserves more than 5 stars!
From Kathleen Ernst
I’m grateful to Dollycas for giving me the opportunity to celebrate publication of Tradition of Deceit: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery here on Escape with Dollycas Into A Good Book. And I’m grateful to readers! Leave a comment for a chance to win any one of my Chloe mysteries: Old World Murder, The Heirloom Murders, The Light Keeper’s Legacy, Heritage of Darkness, or Tradition of Deceit.
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End December 3, 2014 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Leave A Comment Below and fill out this form so we can notify you of your win and send you your prize!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I lived in Wisconsin in the eighties so I enjoy it when Chloe stays in Wisconsin. Glad to see a new book
This is one of the few series I don’t mind paying “real book” prices for. I am privileged to work with someone very much like Chloe, and reading about her exploits reminds me of my friend. Plus the governmental issues Chloe faces are spot on. I’d sign up for the giveaway, but I already bought the book.
I love this series and author , I’d be thrilled to win
Series looks great, hope to get a chance to win 🙂
How interesting, like three stories in one. I really like that kind of interweaving, it gives me lots of things to think about. Thanks for the chance to win.
I can’t say that a book ever prompted a trip but if I find it interesting, if I happen to visit the area, a try to look find some of the things I’ve read about. This sounds like such an interesting read, thanks for the chance to win.
I’ve not read this series yet
Wow this sounds like a really great series. I would love the chance to win of these books.
I have not come across your books before and will definitely look for the first in this series.
This is such a clever hook for a series. I love the idea that Kathleen Ernst is combining history with beautiful sites right here in the US. No need to enter me tin the drawing. Thanks so much for featuring her books–I will definitely buy this.
Looking forward to reading this.
This sounds like an interesting premise. I like the idea of learning a bit of history, too.
I do really like this series.
Hi, everyone! I’m delighted to be guesting today and appreciate your comments. For those who like to start at the beginning, the first book in the series is Old World Murder–but each volume works as a standalone, too. Happy reading!
I find it interesting when an author takes their characters and slowly develops them. It makes the reader want to keep reading more and more.
This sounds quite fascinating.
I will definitely be checking this series out. I love reading these kind of books.
I love a good mystery and this sounds like it would be right up my alley. I have not read anything by this author yet, but have only been doing the digital for less than a year. Thank you for the giveaway and congratulations on your new book.
What a interesting site for a Museum.
Excited to see Chloe will be heading to Minneapolis in this one! One of my favorite historic site to visit has been Orchard House in MA. The Little House really comes alive with a lot of items that belonged to the Alcotts.
Thanks for the tip! I am not familiar with Orchard House, so I’ll put it on my “one day” list of places to visit.
I have REALLY enjoyed the series, being so local for me, and look forward to reading this new one!
A series I need to start!!!
I’m really enjoying this Chloe series because I’m getting some history as well as entertainment.
Although I haven’t read any of this series, it’s on the list now!
This book sounds really good. I would love to read one of her books.
Sue B
Can’t wait to continue the adventure
I won the first book in the series and now plan on reading all of them. I love it when I find a good series to start reading!