Set in Minnesota, Gone to Dust is the New York Times bestselling debut private eye murder mystery from Emmy Award-winning Seinfeld writer Matt Goldman. “Sharp wit, complex characters, and masterful plotting makes Goldman a writer to watch. Irreverent and insightful, private detective Nils Shapiro is sure to become a fan favorite.”–Harlan Coben, New York Times bestselling author A brutal crime. … bestselling author
A brutal crime. The ultimate cover-up. How do you solve a murder with no useable evidence?
Private detective Nils Shapiro is focused on forgetting his ex-wife and keeping warm during another Minneapolis winter when a former colleague, neighboring Edina Police Detective Anders Ellegaard, calls with the impossible.
Suburban divorcee Maggie Somerville was found murdered in her bedroom, her body covered with the dust from hundreds of emptied vacuum cleaner bags, all potential DNA evidence obscured by the calculating killer.
Digging into Maggie’s cell phone records, Nils finds that the most frequently called number belongs to a mysterious young woman whose true identity could shatter the Somerville family–but could she be guilty of murder?
After the FBI demands that Nils drop the case, Nils and Ellegaard are forced to take their investigation underground, where the case grows as murky as the contents of the vacuum cleaner bags. Is this a strange case of domestic violence or something with far reaching, sinister implications?
“A perfect blend of light touch and dark story–I want more of Nils Shapiro.” –Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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Matt Goldman writes a love story to the Twin Cities disguised as a murder mystery. The main character oozes wit and personality and is a great guide on this rollercoaster of a book. Loved every page.
It’s probably only fair to start with a disclaimer: I’m a life-long Minnesotan who is a big fan of Minnesota’s icy-cold winters. But that’s not the only reason I loved this book.
Matt Goldman, prior to becoming an Emmy award winning TV writer, cut his teeth in Minnesota comedy clubs. For his first novel, Gone to Dust, he chose a setting he knows well. Throughout this murder mystery are references to actual bars and restaurants, office buildings, stores, and streets any Minnesotan can easily visualize. Those not familiar with the area get an accurate taste of what life in Minnesota is like. Personally, I love reading novels set in cities I’m unfamiliar with for this very reason…I feel like I’m there. This time, I could smile and reminisce when Nils Shapiro bit into a Juicy Lucy at Matt’s bar or sipped a libation at Bunny’s. In addition, since I was reading this novel during what I consider an unnecessarily warm October in Minnesota, the blizzards and sub-zero windchills gave me hope that cooler temperatures will soon come to my fair city.
Gone to Dust tells the story of a murder in the normally safe, white-bread suburb of Edina, MN. Nils Shapiro, a private investigator, is hired to assist the Edina PD in the case where any possible forensic evidence has been sullied by the contents of countless vacuum cleaner bags dumped on the body and throughout the house. The investigation leads Nils to former classmates, a mystery woman, and a possible Somali terrorist recruiting operation. When the FBI becomes involved, Shapiro’s questionable tactics and attitude rub many the wrong way and he’s fired from his consulting position. Undaunted, he convinces his detective friend to join forces with him and the two flush out the murderer.
Nils Shapiro’s private life is an engaging subplot as the reader is drawn into his complicated relationship with his ex-wife, his search for love, and his decidedly non ‘Edina-esque’ home. As the book is written in first person, Shapiro’s dry wit shines.
This was a very enjoyable book that I heartily recommend to mystery/private detective fans.
Enjoyed the characters.
Well written mystery about a former cop turned private eye working in MInneapolis metro area. It was an very readable mystery that maybe took a while to take off, but finished with some good twists. If you are from this area, it was fun to recognize the various neighborhoods and locations frequented by the characters. Definitely worth a try!
Down to earth P.I. ..kinda. He comes across as real – yeah, he makes mistakes too –
Loved it….so sorry to come to the end!
Good writing and unusual plot. A bit slow in some places, but those are few and far between. I enjoyed it, especially because I know someone who currently works on a bomb squad !