Ask a Bookseller: A murder mystery set on the North Shore 

'The Devil's Kettle' by J.J. Ollman
"The Devil's Kettle" by J.J. Ollman
Courtesy of Publisher

Lisa Deyo of Sweet Reads in Austin, Minn. — across from the Spam Museum — recommended the murder mystery “The Devil’s Kettle” by fellow Austin-based writer J.J. Ollman. 

As the title promises, the Devil’s Kettle waterfall north of Lake Superior —whose falls seem to disappear into oblivion — figures prominently in this mystery thriller, which opens with a series of missing person cases. 

Ollman hails from Austin in southeast Minnesota, and he’s avid hiker and camper across Minnesota’s Northwoods. Part of what Deyo loves is how well Ollman has drawn the setting and its local characters. Specifically, Deyo admits she fell for the bad guys in the story, but hastened to add that their intriguing backstories made the reader really feel for them. 

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.