It’s an eclectic reading day, with an 18th-century murder in an outhouse and nonfiction about art, community organizing and the environment. (Courtesy of Wagonbridge Publishing) “A Necessary Death”: by Terri Karsten (Wagonbridge Publishing, $15) If you’re already tired of cold and snow, let Terri Karsten take you back to the spring of 1763. In her new mystery, Karsten introduces us to unhappy widow Penelope Corbitt. Her sailor husband is dead and all her possessions and her house were sold to pay his debts. Penelope is traveling from Philadelphia to Boston, where she and her teenage daughter and 10-year-old son will live with her sister. They are escorted by Penelope’s sister’s husband, an ill-tempered, haughty man who never lets the widow forget she will be living on his charity. When their coach breaks down near a barely-functioning inn, they are rescued by owner Miles, who has let his business fall in disrepair since his wife’s death. Miles and Penelope have a testy relationship but are also drawn to one another. Until another coach arrives, Penelope agrees to use her cooking skills at the inn so her brother-in-law doesn’t have to whine about paying for her and her children’s keep. Heading to the “necessary” (outhouse), Priscilla finds the dead body of the town’s parson. Who would murder a man of God, even if he didn’t always live up to his calling? And how can Penelope help Mercy, his young, thin, frightened and pregnant widow? What part does a young slave girl have to do with the death? Who is Sam, the Native American who insists on seeing Mercy?  And what does the old man who sleeps by the fire know about the dead parson? Why doesn’t Miles listen to her suspicions? And then, in the middle of the story, a new character appears who has a profound effect on everyone. Karsten, who lives in Winona, is a writer, editor, educator and writing teacher. Her specialty is bringing history alive with a focus on women and girls of the past, seemingly powerless but with courage and strength to manage their futures. All these qualities are in “A Necessary Death.” Penelope is a master baker who makes “dead cakes” for a funeral, mixes up porridge in no time, delights in baking pies and works tirelessly sweeping and washing dishes.  As in all 18th-century inns, men sleep by the hearth although Penelope and her children have a room upstairs. We learn the norms of the era, including Penelope’s sadness at knowing her children will become indentured servants and how widows must  be careful about how they conduct themselves because their reputations are easily questioned. It is taken for granted that husbands can beat their wives and children. The personal stories play out against a background of wider issues such as the French and Indian War being waged between France and England, and mutual distrust between white settlers and local Native Americans. This is the first in a series and includes some of Penelope’s recipes, such as mincemeat pie. Can’t wait for her second adventure. NONFICTION “Place-Keepers: Latina/x Art, Performance, and Organizing in the Twin Cities”: by Jessica Lopez Lyman (University of Minnesota Press, $24.95) This is an in-depth look at how Latina/x artists (a gender neutral term referring to people with Latin American cultural or ethnic identity) transform art into activism and reclaim space in the Twin Cities, written by an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota department of Chicano and Latino Studies. She examines how these artists navigate and challenge the region’s racial injustices, responding to systemic oppression through public performances and behind-the-scenes negotiations with the state, nonprofits and other institutions. Illustrated with drawings and other interesting artwork. “A Heathy Agitation”: by Judy and Ralph Brown; illustrated by Richard Schletty (Lamprey Lake Press, no price listed). Subtitled “West Side Community Organization and the building of democracy in Saint Paul, Minnesota,” this is a thorough look at community-building in the area of St. Paul that is cut off from the rest of the city by the river. As former St. Paul mayor Jim Scheibel writes in a foreword: “From the beginning WSCO was the voice of West Side residents. Early  on WSCO led the effort to save the Riverview Library, members supported the creation of Douglas School park and advocated for increasing the quality of education at Humboldt High School.” The organization began in 1987 as West Side Citizens Organization and was renamed in 2011. Chapters include history of the organization and the influence of the West Side Voice community newspaper, fighting for Humboldt High School, transportation, services, housing, safety, environment, development and parkland. “A National Legacy: Fifty Years of Nongame Wildlife Conservation in Minnesota”: by Carrol L. Henderson (University of Minnesota Press, $49.95) Minnesota became a national leader for a new era of conservation in 1977 when the state’s Department of Natural Resources hired Carrol L. Henderson as supervisor of the Nongame Wildlife program, a position he held for more than 40 years. Now Henderson is an internationally renowned leader in wildlife conservation. He explains in this oversized paperback how the statewide goal to preserve biological diversity became a reality as the program began to prioritize the management and restoration of nonhunted wildlife, from butterflies, frogs, snakes to bats to bald eagles and other birds. It is filed with color photos of turtles, birds and other creatures who are our neighbors. Henderson has written more than a dozen books and won multiple awards, including the Frances K. Hutchinson Medal from the Garden Club of America for his distinguished service to conservation. Related Articles Literary pick for week of Jan 25 Literary calendar for week of Jan. 25 ‘American Reich’ explores rising hate crimes and the Blaze Bernstein murder Michael Connelly says same killer committed Black Dahlia, Zodiac murders Get through winter doldrums or long drives with these favorite audiobooks ...read more read less