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May 2016
Book Review Kathy McIntosh, Foul Wind Reviewed by Michael Frissore |
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Foul Wind
Foul Wind: A Havoc in Hancock Humorous Suspense
When an author uses the term "Humorous Suspense" in the subtitle of his or her novel, the discerning reader is apt to begin by countering with something along the lines of, "All right, hot shot. Make with the laughs. Suspend me." With Foul Wind, the second in Kathy McIntosh's Havoc in Hancock series, the reader should not worry. Comparisons to Carl Hiaasen are not at all far-fetched. Foul Wind is a very funny, edge-of-your-seat suspense yarn.
While McIntosh's first novel, Mustard's Last Stand, centered around the character of screenwriter Ed Mustard, Foul Wind focuses on waitress and semi-retired activist Charlene Sullivan ("forest name Feather"), who only wants to regularly visit her infant son whom she gave up for adoption, and to open her own bed and breakfast. Instead, Feather, along with her sister Roxanne, gets caught up in a blackmail and murder mystery in which the sisters become the prime suspects in both crimes.
As Foul Wind begins, Feather attempts to sneak into a fund-raising costume party at the home of the Ganborenas, Brad and Kristin. Feather is dressed as a badger, prompting one male attendee dressed as a wolf to say, "Bad choice of costume, hon. Badgers have short legs and yours go on for friggin' ever," then pat Feather on the keister.
The reason Feather must sneak into the party is because she had an affair, and a baby, with Brad, and Kristin, the cheated upon spouse, wants her nowhere near her husband or adopted son Jared. Meanwhile, the talk of the party is that Windfall Works, the new wind farm that has spurred protests by local activists due to it being terrible for bats and raptors, is in serious dire straits. The trouble increases tenfold when each investor in the wind farm receives an anonymous blackmail text.
When an author uses the term "Humorous Suspense" in the subtitle of his or her novel, the discerning reader is apt to begin by countering with something along the lines of, "All right, hot shot. Make with the laughs. Suspend me." With Foul Wind, the second in Kathy McIntosh's Havoc in Hancock series, the reader should not worry. Comparisons to Carl Hiaasen are not at all far-fetched. Foul Wind is a very funny, edge-of-your-seat suspense yarn.
While McIntosh's first novel, Mustard's Last Stand, centered around the character of screenwriter Ed Mustard, Foul Wind focuses on waitress and semi-retired activist Charlene Sullivan ("forest name Feather"), who only wants to regularly visit her infant son whom she gave up for adoption, and to open her own bed and breakfast. Instead, Feather, along with her sister Roxanne, gets caught up in a blackmail and murder mystery in which the sisters become the prime suspects in both crimes.
As Foul Wind begins, Feather attempts to sneak into a fund-raising costume party at the home of the Ganborenas, Brad and Kristin. Feather is dressed as a badger, prompting one male attendee dressed as a wolf to say, "Bad choice of costume, hon. Badgers have short legs and yours go on for friggin' ever," then pat Feather on the keister.
The reason Feather must sneak into the party is because she had an affair, and a baby, with Brad, and Kristin, the cheated upon spouse, wants her nowhere near her husband or adopted son Jared. Meanwhile, the talk of the party is that Windfall Works, the new wind farm that has spurred protests by local activists due to it being terrible for bats and raptors, is in serious dire straits. The trouble increases tenfold when each investor in the wind farm receives an anonymous blackmail text.
Kathy McIntosh
With Brad being one of the investors, Kristin suspects Feather and hires private investigator Michael Bergman to follow her. Of course, when Michael and Feather meet, both suspicion and sexual tension fill the air.
All of this leads to both Feather and Roxanne separately breaking into the Windfall Works offices to find out exactly what the link is between the wind farm and the murder/blackmail; Bergman and each of the investors trying to stay one step ahead of the blackmailer; and Jeanette (Feather and Roxanne's mother, and also partner at the wind farm) cleaning up after the odorous pigs living at Windfall Works.
McIntosh's follow-up to her Idaho Best Book Award-winning debut Mustard's Last Stand does for the state of Idaho what authors such as Carl Hiaasen and Dave Barry did for Florida. Suspense and laughter abound. The great news for Southern Arizona readers is that, after thirty years of living in Idaho, McIntosh, her husband, and her two cats now reside in Tucson. Thus, she says, her follow-up to Foul Wind will be set in the Old Pueblo.
So, to clarify the talk that's been going around this reviewer's household, Foul Wind is not my wife's memoir about her husband's flatulence problem. It is a wonderfully entertaining novel by a brilliant writer, and I, for one, look quite forward to her next release.
All of this leads to both Feather and Roxanne separately breaking into the Windfall Works offices to find out exactly what the link is between the wind farm and the murder/blackmail; Bergman and each of the investors trying to stay one step ahead of the blackmailer; and Jeanette (Feather and Roxanne's mother, and also partner at the wind farm) cleaning up after the odorous pigs living at Windfall Works.
McIntosh's follow-up to her Idaho Best Book Award-winning debut Mustard's Last Stand does for the state of Idaho what authors such as Carl Hiaasen and Dave Barry did for Florida. Suspense and laughter abound. The great news for Southern Arizona readers is that, after thirty years of living in Idaho, McIntosh, her husband, and her two cats now reside in Tucson. Thus, she says, her follow-up to Foul Wind will be set in the Old Pueblo.
So, to clarify the talk that's been going around this reviewer's household, Foul Wind is not my wife's memoir about her husband's flatulence problem. It is a wonderfully entertaining novel by a brilliant writer, and I, for one, look quite forward to her next release.
Michael Frissore was born and raised in Massachusetts, and has lived in Tucson since 2007. He has a BA in English from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and has published dozens of stories, essays and poems online and in print. After publishing two poetry chapbooks and a short story collection, Mike is currently working on a series of novels set in the world of professional wrestling, as well as a number of children's books. Find out more about him at http://themikefrizz.blogspot.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, LinkedIn and Instagram.