Ordinary Grace

My book club read Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kruger, a Minnesota author. I wasn't too excited about reading this book because I knew he was a crime writer and I'm not a big fan of crime fiction.  But because it was a book club selection I went ahead and got the book.  I picked it up and started reading and loved it so much I could hardly put it down.   The story moved so fast and the writing was so exquisite at times I had a hard time going to sleep at night.  If you really want to know how good this book was I will tell you that I spent an extra five minutes on the stair climbing equipment at the gym (35 minutes instead of 30). Usually I'm anxious to get off that machine as soon as possible. All his books have been set in Minnesota. I suspect this story is set in New Ulm because a brewing company dominates the town but that isn't the name of the town he uses in the book.  The story is about a summer in the life of a 13 year old boy.  The boy is a preacher's kid and a middle child and somewhat of a juvenile delinquent except he has a kind heart.  Many things happen during his summer; a death, a murder, and a suicide.  I was sorry that I had to miss the book club meeting about this book because I heard they had a lively discussion and the moderator struggled to get a word in edgewise..