Two new crime novels in the authors’ series today, both including sons of mob bosses, and a look at the benefits of urban gardening in a children’s picture book. (Courtesy of the author) “The Boy in the Wall”: by Jeffrey B. Burton (Severn House, $29.99) Cory Pratt, dog trainer and part-time college student, is at an elementary school with his dogs Alice, a serious bloodhound, and Rex, a goofy springer spaniel who loves the spotlight. But the innocent visit turns ugly when Alice keeps growling at a wall. Cory trusts Alice’s talents and he crawls into a tiny space inside the wall to discover the body of a missing teenage boy. (Courtesy of the author) So begins the third in St. Paulite Jeff Burton’s Chicago K-9 Thriller series. It’s a two-track plot, part of which goes back years to when a naive young waitress is dazzled by a rich, handsome visitor to the hotel where she works. What happens to her — a deadly warning from the man’s criminal boss father — sets in motion two generations of retribution masterminded by one of the cruelest characters Burton has given us. In chapters set in contemporary times, Cory’s sister Crystal, a detective with the Chicago Police department, gets on the case of the dead boy and learns his older brother committed suicide. Now a kidnapper is after the little sister of the dead men and she’s saved by Alice and Rex, who are not attack dogs but can still inflict pain. So Cory and the dogs are targets of the two big men in masks and they hide out in a motel, where Cory has lots of time to think about his life’s direction and whether he’s in love. His visits with the little girl, who loves the dogs, are especially touching. Alex and Rex, meanwhile, think they are on summer vacation when they’re at the motel where people show them lots of love. Burton has an easy writing style. Any grimness is offset by Cory’s love for his canine best friends who are as carefully drawn as the humans. As it should be. Teaser quote: “My bloodhound spun and leapt, landing between Charlotte and this second mystery man who’d appeared from nowhere. He jolted backward as Alice snarled and barked. Yes, she knew threats and body language and was ready to rip into him.” “Heartbreak Hollow”: by Frank F. Weber (Salty Books Publishing Company, $18) (Courtesy of Frank F. Weber) Did Eliana Castillo see a 40-foot monster as she regained consciousness in a park near Shady Hollow in Detroit Lakes? Eliana is the victim of a brutal assault that included rape. That brings Bureau of Criminal Apprehension officer Jon Frederick into the case in this new book in the Jon and Serena Frederick series. Eliana doesn’t remember the attack, but Jon Frederick works his way through Eliana’s life and relationships looking for clues. There is Carmel, her best friend; Donny, the indifferent father of her six-year-old son, and sex addict Lorenzo Caruso, her fiance and son of a mobster who has been helpful to Frederick in the past. (Courtesy of the author) One of the clues Frederick follows is the burned M on Eliana’s heel, which brings incels and their enemies into the story. (Incel stands for involuntary celibate, young men who believe they can’t attract women because all of them are taken by rich, handsome men.) Frederick’s investigation takes him from Detroit Lakes and nearby towns such as New York Mills and Pierz (where the author lives) to St. Paul’s West Side and Minnetonka. This is more than a crime story. It veers into tenderness as Jon worries about Serena, who is sometimes his investigative partner and is experiencing post-partum depression after the birth of their third child. She feels ugly and unworthy of Jon’s love. Jon patiently tells her none of that is true and even when he’s out of town he writes her encouraging and loving emails. Eventually she comes out of her sadness and helps her husband think through his case when it’s stalled. As Eliana tries to put her life back together, she’s attracted to one of Jon’s friends but Lorenzo won’t let her go. They are all caught in a web of deceit and revenge. Weber is a forensic psychologist specializing in homicide, sexual assault and domestic abuse cases. So it’s not surprising that forensic details such as directions of blood spatter help build a case against the perp, whose identity was a surprise to this reader. Teaser quote: “A gigantic troll stuck his tongue out at me. I stopped dead in my tracks and waited for him to grab me and crush me, but he remained motionless. It felt like I was in some weird Alice in Wonderland dream but the pain was too real. I cowered away from the monster and limped on.” “Pearl’s Garden”: by Carolyn Olson (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $18.95) (Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society Press) Can onions and squash, carrots and cucumbers bring an urban neighborhood together? “Yes” is the answer in this picture book written and illustrated by Duluth-based Olson. Pearl begins a garden with the help of the city’s gardener, who provides soil, plants and seeds, but she has to do the work herself. Pearl’s two brothers are busy so the girl waters and weeds the vegetables all summer by herself. As her parents and grandparents watch her work, they remember tending large gardens when they were young. (Courtesy of the author) When it’s time to harvest Pearl makes fresh salsa from onions, garlic, tomatoes and peppers from her garden. The whole family loves the fresh flavors and when Pearl asks for help again they are happy to lend a hand. In the end, Pearl’s family hosts an end-of-harvest party, sharing the bounty with neighbors who start to think about planting their own gardens. Olson’s vibrant illustrations, based on folk art, show long, slender figures who fill the pages with color and activity. She will launch the book Saturday at the Duluth public library and host a story time at 10:45 a.m. on March 21 at Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Related Articles Readers and writers: Two adventures, one of which young readers can help draw Readers and writers: Local literary community responds to federal surge Readers and writers: Exploring the idea of ‘community’ Readers and writers: A treasure for young readers (and something for adults, too) Readers and writers: An eye-opening read of people who are homeless, plus fiction and history     ...read more read less