Wisconsin mystery author Jeff Nania to visit Reedsburg Public Library
Fans of mysteries and books with a Wisconsin setting are in for a treat on Thursday, July 29, at 7 p.m. when mystery author Jeff Nania visits the Reedsburg Public Library to talk about his Northern Lakes book series.
The series begins with “Figure Eight,” published in 2018 by Little Creek Press in Mineral Point.
Nania brings both vocational experiences and a passion for the environment to the forefront of his novels. The author was a Dane County Sheriff’s Office deputy before becoming project director for the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association in 1993, a position which led him to become a leader in Wisconsin’s wetland restoration.
In “Figure Eight,” former Madison Police Officer John Cabrelli relates from his hospital bed the tale of his gunshot wounds to a reporter from The Namekagon County News. Cabrelli, already suffering from PTSD, encounters further frustration when he inherits northern Wisconsin property coveted by a mining company, and meets a stream of unwelcoming locals. As the mystery unfolds, readers will immediately recognize the northern Wisconsin landscape, cuisine and fishing stories, with a few red herrings thrown in as well.
Nania remarks that “good fiction has to be based on real or at least plausible events. I draw a lot from my own experience and from the experiences of friends of mine.” However, though all of the people and places in his books are based on real individuals and locations that he frequents, true locations are never revealed as readers have so much fun trying to guess at the fictitious names. John Cabrelli continues his northern crime investigations through the books “Spider Lake” published in 2019, and “Bough Cutter,” released in May.
In his evocations of natural settings and northern Wisconsin culture, Nania’s books may remind readers of Victoria Houston’s Loon Lake Fishing Mysteries. When asked about any influence Houston may have had on his work, Nania responded that he and his family would read Wisconsin mysteries at get-togethers up north in the summer. The year that Houston did not have a new book, Nania wrote “Figure Eight” and distributed it to his family to read and talk about. The rest is history.
Nania remarks, “I really enjoy sharing our traditions and family connections with the outdoors. I look forward to talking to people….”
Look forward to talking to Jeff Nania on Thursday, July 29, at 7 p.m. There is no fee or registration required to attend this program. Copies of The Northern Lakes Mystery series are available for checkout at the library.
For questions call the library at 768-READ (7323) or email info@reedsburglibrary.org.
