Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, but it also has many interesting books. In this series, we are sharing some of the books we like from Minnesota, or Minnesota authors.

We are mapping our literary journey around Minnesota, so you can see all the interesting places where our books are set. Follow our progress on our Google Map, accessible by clicking that link or searching for the title CMLE Reads Across Minnesota!

Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1), by MaryJanice Davidson “It’s been a helluva week for Betsy Taylor. First, she loses her job. Then, to top things off, she’s killed in a car accident. But what really bites (besides waking up in the morgue dressed in a pink suit and cheap shoes courtesy of her stepmother) is that she can’t seem to stay dead. Every night she rises with a horrible craving for blood. She’s not taking too well to a liquid diet.

Worst of all, her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious, power-hungry vampire in five centuries – a badly dressed Bela Lugosi wannabe, natch. Frankly, Betsy couldn’t care less about vamp politics, but they have a powerful weapon of persuasion: designer shoes. How can any self-respecting girl say no? But a collection of Ferragamos isn’t the only temptation for Betsy. It’s just a lot safer than the scrumptious Sinclair – a seductive bloodsucker whose sexy gaze seems as dangerous as a stake through the heart…”

I really like MaryJanice Davidson’s books! This series is fluffy fun, in the best way. Betsy is a reluctant, but incredibly powerful, vampire. She surrounds herself with really fun characters – all of whom are smarter and more talented than she is. And despite her ditzy actions, and obsession with expensive shoes, she is ready to defeat bad guys and save the day when the situation arises! And yes: it arises pretty often in these books. Thank goodness Betsy is on the scene and ready to kick butt!

This series takes place in Minneapolis and St. Paul. She has another series, starring Fred the Mermaid, set in Boston; and yet another one with werewolves that is set in Cape Cod. All the series are fun, and they intersect with each other – which is always fun to read!

If you need a happy, funny book – with vampires – to help you through the week, I suggest you check out any of these books. You may not experience much intellectual stimulation, but you will laugh and have a good time with your new vampire friends!

Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, but it also has many interesting books. In this series, we are sharing some of the books we like from Minnesota, or Minnesota authors.

We are mapping our literary journey around Minnesota, so you can see all the interesting places where our books are set. Follow our progress on our Google Map, accessible by clicking that link or searching for the title CMLE Reads Across Minnesota! (This book takes place in a fictional town, so we have dropped the pin for this book on Virgil Flowers’ hometown of Mankato.)

You know those books that you have to read ASAP? John Sandford’s  books are some of those for me! I love reading his Prey series, staring smart, rich, tough-as-nails Lucas Davenport; and this spinoff series staring Virgil Flowers is just as fun. I always pre-order these on Audible.com, to make sure they arrive for me before I wake up on publishing day. Yes, I’m a fan! I started reading these books long before I moved to Minnesota, and it’s so fun to finally see for  myself the places they visit in the books.

I’ve been waiting for this book for a while now, counting down the days until it published. And it (finally!) arrived Tuesday! I have not finished it yet –  I want to draw this out somewhat until the next book comes along. But so far, it is just a fun as the rest of this series.  Do you need a fix of Virgil Flowers? Start with the first book in the series, and go from there: Dark of the Moon (Virgil Flowers #1).

Deep Freeze (A Virgil Flowers book), by John Sandford “Virgil knows the town of Trippton, Minnesota, a little too well. A few years back, he investigated the corrupt—and as it turned out, homicidal—local school board, and now the town’s back in view with more alarming news: A woman’s been found dead, frozen in a block of ice. There’s a possibility that it might be connected to a high school class of twenty years ago that has a mid-winter reunion coming up, and so, wrapping his coat a little tighter, Virgil begins to dig into twenty years’ worth of traumas, feuds, and bad blood. In the process, one thing becomes increasingly clear to him. It’s true what they say: High school is murder.”

Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, but it also has many interesting books. In this series, we are sharing some of the books we like from Minnesota, or Minnesota authors.

We are mapping our literary journey around Minnesota, so you can see all the interesting places where our books are set. Follow our progress on our Google Map, accessible by clicking that link or searching for the title CMLE Reads Across Minnesota!

At CMLE HQ there are certain inalienable truths that we hold dear. One of them is that we love books. The other one is that we are big fans of baked goods! So discovering this series was a great thing. Cookies, cozy mysteries – great stuff!! Fortunately for all of us who like cozy mysteries, baked goods, and fun reading – there are 21 books out so far, with #22 scheduled for publication next year.  Feel free to try out the many recipes in these books. And, of course, if you want to drop off some results at CMLE HQ – we are very open to that!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (A Hannah Swensen Mystery, Book #1) “No one cooks up a delectable, suspense-filled mystery quite like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke’s dessert-baking, red-haired heroine whose gingersnaps are as tart as her comebacks, and whose penchant for solving crimes–one delicious clue at a time–has made her a bestselling favorite. And it all began on these pages, with a bakery, a murder, and some suddenly scandalous chocolate-chip crunchies. Featuring a bonus short story and brand new, mouthwatering recipes, this new edition of the very first Hannah Swensen mystery is sure to have readers coming back for seconds. . .

Hannah already has her hands full trying to dodge her mother’s attempts to marry her off while running The Cookie Jar, Lake Eden’s most popular bakery. But once Ron LaSalle, the beloved delivery man from the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with Hannah’s famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, her life just can’t get any worse. Determined not to let her cookies get a bad reputation, she sets out to track down a killer. But if she doesn’t watch her back, Hannah’s sweet life may get burned to a crisp.”

Quick Google map note: These books are set in the fictional location of Lake Eden, MN. As with our other fictional locations, we are locating them in a reasonable real place. In this case, we are mapping them in Joanne Fluke’s hometown of Swanville, MN.

Do you have other Minnesota books you can recommend? Send in your book and some discussion about it, and we will add it into a future weekly recommendation series!

Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, but it also has many interesting books. In this series, we are sharing some of the books we like from Minnesota, or Minnesota authors.

We are mapping our literary journey around Minnesota, so you can see all the interesting places where our books are set. Follow our progress on our Google Map, accessible by clicking that link or searching for the title CMLE Reads Across Minnesota!

Glensheen’s Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story, by Sharon Darby Hendry.

Have you been to the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth? It’s lovely! During the MLA Annual Conference last October, we had a special event there, touring the building, enjoying dinner in the basement, and a bonfire on the beach. (Go to conferences! There will always be something fun! Listen to our Linking Our Libraries podcast on Conferences.)

“Come see why Glensheen Mansion, perched on the shore of Lake Superior, is the most visited historic home in Minnesota. Our 12-acre estate features gardens, bridges, and the famous 39-room mansion built with remarkable 20th century craftsmanship, telling the story of the Duluth region.”

It is lovely, and a treat for those of us who like historical settings! And for people interested in salacious true crime mysteries – that is also a part of the experience.

From this book: “Two horrific murders shocked the state of Minnesota as the bodies of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her night nurse, Velma Pietila, were discovered in Glensheen Mansion. Suspicions soon turned to Elisabeth’s beloved adopted daughter, Marjorie, and her insatiable desire for wealth.”

I finished this book the afternoon before our MLA event – just in time! When we went to the mansion that evening, I was able to pass on all sorts of interesting trivia to those walking around with me. (Yes, it’s always fun to be with library people – we all hang out and chat about pop culture and other bits of information. It’s fun!)

This will not be the most intellectual book you have read, but if you want a slightly tabloid true-crime mystery – this is the book for you! (And, if you are headed to Duluth – check it out to be sure you get the backstory!)