This felt like an average type detective thriller to me. It didn't shock or surprise me, it was very bland. I thank the publisher and netgalley for the early access though!

FROM THE GRAVE (Unl Invest/Para/ColdCase-Rushmore McKenzie-Minn/St. Paul, MN – Contemp) – VG
Housewright, David – 17th in series
Minotaur Books – May 2020

First Sentence: The young woman who identified herself as a psychic medium moved with almost absentminded confidence among the fifty people who had paid forty dollars each for a seat in the community center lecture hall with the hope that she might help them connect with a dead mother or father, uncle or aunt, a dead child—by no promises.
From a friend who attended a psychic reading, former cop, Rushmore McKenzie, learns of a threat placed on his life by the spirit of Leland Hayes. McKenzie killed Hayes after Hayes escaped the scene of an armored car robbery leaving his son Ryan to take the fall. The money was never recovered. Now, more than 21 years later, a highly skeptical McKenzie becomes involved with two psychic mediums to find the money and, due to one of the mediums, to locate a missing woman.
To add a bit of light to the dark, McKenzie's partner, Nina owns a jazz club thought to be haunted. Nina's concern about the influence her late mother had her present actions gives both history and insight into the character.

Housewright creates a strong sense of place, even for something as basic as Nina's condo. The interplay between the two characters is easy and natural—"I like your outfit." "Really? Last night you couldn’t wait for me to take it off."—and a particular conversation between them provides good background and an explanation of their relationship. McKenzie's unpleasant neighbor provides a touch of normalcy. Mackenzie has an inner monologue that is used sparingly and effectively, often with a touch of humor. Housewright has also given him an excellent playlist.

It is always fun when an author references other authors. Because of the psychic aspect, he also references a number of popular paranormal investigation shows, but it is McKenzie's skepticism which keeps things grounded, until his skepticism is tested. Learning what goes on in the making of such shows is both interesting and demystifying without taking away from the possibility of actuality.

The other characters are well presented, with a couple of inside jokes. It is hard to say much about some of them, except that Housewrights approach to his characters is refreshing. There are several people out to find the missing money. And some are what one might expect.

This book is somewhat lighter and less suspenseful than some. In this time of COVID-19 when many are having trouble concentrating, that's not a bad thing. Even so, the story does not lack for twists and red herrings.

"From the Grave, at its foundation, is a solid mystery, well-constructed and enjoyable. One may, or may not, accept the paranormal aspect, but it does provide an extra layer of creativity. However, best of all, is the ending that makes one smile.

In David Housewright's From the Grave, the 17th installment in the Mac MacKenzie mystery series, this caper deals with evil spirits and psychic mediums and dealing with the past. It all started when Shelby Dunston attended a psychic reading with psychic Hannah Braeten and her prediction that someone offered money to kill Rushmore "Mac" McKenzie. From when learns about this, PI Rushmore is quite intrigued to be informed about this and dug into the cold cases with his former partner, Bobby Dunston. It led him to the armored robbery heist and the death of Leland Hayes. It sent McKenzie on a wild goose chase to look for clues for the money and searched for answers to those who associated to Leland in the past. When Kayla Janas, a young psychic protegeé and college student, meets McKenzie, she claims the same thing on what Leland had said. McKenzie had no idea on who and what to believe until the end when it was all for show and the biggest discovery of what happened to the missing money and dispelling Leland's evil haunted spirit away for good.

Rushmore 'Mac' McKenzie is a private investigator, a former police officer, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He left the force in order to accept the reward money from a case he had solved. Police officers can't accept reward money. Now a case from his police days has come back to haunt him. Literally.

One of Mac's closest friends, Shelby Dunston, hurries to inform him about an incident she just encountered at a public event in which a local psychic medium was giving readings. One man in the audience got upset and made a scene when he was told that his father, speaking through the medium, told him he would reveal the location of the money if he killed McKenzie. Shelby is certain it's Mac the medium/spirit was talking about.

It doesn't take long to realize that the man at the public reading was Ryan Hayes. Ryan was only recently released from prison where he was serving a twenty-five year sentence for his part in an armored car robbery - even though most people agreed he was forced into it by his father, Leland Hayes. Leland Hayes was shot in the head by second year officer Rush McKenzie. The money, hidden shortly before the shootout, was never found. Now it seems that Leland is trying to enact his revenge from the grave, by putting up a reward (the secret to where he hid his money) in exchange for killing Mac.

A Mac McKenzie novel is not the sort of book where one expects to find a little supernatural element. But don't worry ... Mac's not a believer. Well, not at first, anyway.

We've often seen McKenzie investigating in order to help others, so this is a fun treat to see him out there to protect himself and to answer some nagging questions (how does a medium know so much about him?).

We get to experience the world of psychics and mediums (there's a convention that McKenzie gets to attend), as well as the world of 'reality television' - wouldn't you know ... the psychic who delivers the message about 'killing McKenzie' also happens to be in the running for a new reality tv show (it helps that she's an attractive woman).

McKenzie (and the reader) gets sidetracked here and there with some red herrings. Honestly, I'd feel cheated if that weren't the case with a McKenzie novel. But for the most part, this is pretty straight-forward and it's not as intense a thriller as some of his recent McKenzie novels have been. Still McKenzie is a great character and this is recommended read for mystery fans.

Looking for a good book? <em>From the Grave</em> by David Housewright is the 17th book in the Mac McKenzie Mystery series, though it can be read as a stand-alone novel. Mystery fans will enjoy this brush with the paranormal.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I found David Housewright’s “From the Grave” to be one of his most intriguing PI Rushmore McKenzie mysteries because of its deep foray into the supernatural world of the psychic medium. Extremely provocative, this novel will have readers questioning the credibility of those involved in profiting from the supernatural, particularly those who claim they can communicate with the dead.

Though “From the Grave” doesn’t have a high body count, it does have a tremendous amount of human drama—the type of emotional drama that tears at your heart.

Every time I read one of McKenzie’s adventures, I learn more about his personal history and background. Most thrilling for me was when I learned that McKenzie and I share a love of old horror films that were released by Britain’s Hammer studios, especially the ones starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

For my complete review, please see September’s edition of Gumshoe at www.Gumshoereview.com.

Twenty-odd years ago a young police officer named Rushmore McKenzie shot and killed a man who robbed an armored truck of over $500,000. The money was never recovered. Skip ahead to (more or less) present day and McKenzie is now a millionaire ex-cop who dabbles in unlicensed private investigations.

His life is turned upside down when not one but TWO psychic mediums are "contacted" by the ghost of the man he killed years ago with an offer to reveal the location of the hidden money to anyone who will kill McKenzie. McKenzie isn't too awfully concerned because he knows that there is no such thing as ghosts... except it gets harder and harder to be a non-believer as the mounting evidence seems to suggest otherwise.

This is the seventeenth book in the McKenzie series. I may or may not have read a couple of them years ago - I definitely have not read sixteen of the previous books. After a bit of a muddled start - complete with a lot of backstory - I was up to speed. Once things get up and running it's really, really good. The author has just the right touch so that the plot doesn't get too heavy or too light.

So to sum up: A millionaire ex-cop who solves mysteries. A vengeful ghost. A sidestep into the world of psychic mediums, palm readers, ghosthunters, etc. Except as a tongue-in-cheek parody (which it is NOT) this book should absolutely, positively not work at all... But it does work. It works well as a serious story set firmly in something approximating the real world.

My only real complaint is the amount of expositional information. I prefer a more streamlined narrative and the backstory slows things up from time to time. I would recommend From the Grave to most mystery lovers. It's not too dark but it's not a cozy either.

-- Contains a smattering of adult content and language with a few racial slurs. No explicit violence. Should be appropriate for all but the most sensitive readers.

***Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and author David Housewright for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

If you love the kind of books that keep you entertained as well as tell a good story, you've picked the right title. David Housewright belongs on the same library shelf as Janet Evanovich and David Rosenfelt. This is the type of book you will pass around to all of your friends and recommend every time someone says....what should I be reading now!!!

Another case for irreverent former St. Paul, Minnesota homicide detective Rushmore McKenzie. Years ago, after catching an embezzler, McKenzie chose to resign from the force and claim the over three million reward. Now, he helps people out and this time he is the one who needs help. A psychic medium has told him that the man he killed during an armored car robbery is now a spirit and wants McKenzie dead. Of course, McKenzie doesn’t believe in ghosts, spirits or psychic mediums, but when someone is killed and it should have been him, he begins to take things a little more seriously. I love the writing style of Mr. Housewright as there is mystery, a solid story and humor that makes his books some of my favorites to read. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

From the Grave is the seventeenth mystery in the detective series featuring Twin Cities detective Mac McKenzie. It all starts when a friend of Mac’s goes to a psychic reading and a malevolent ghost shows up and promises the secret of a hidden treasure in exchange for murdering Mac.

So Mac begins to investigate and in the course of the investigation, he encounters four good friends, three bad guys, two psychics, and a ghost in a haunted house.

From the Grave is interesting. The mystery itself is fair. I like the characters and always have. However, I did not see Mac McKenzie becoming a ghost hunter. I guess I like my detectives to stay in their lane and he just took an off-ramp.

That does not mean I am not eagerly awaiting book number eighteen

I received an e-galley of From the Grave from the publisher through NetGalley.

From the Grave at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan

David Housewright author site

I realized once I started reading this one that it was a part of a series. I DNF'd until I could read the previous titles in the series and will come back and edit my review when I do.

Thank you for the opportunity to review. I really liked this book. I found it easy to get immersed in the story and loved the characters. I found the ending a lil predictable but tgat didn’t ruin the overall enjoyment. 4/5 stars

From the grave is an interesting story involved bank fobber and paranormal spirits that come together twenty years after. A few twist that will keep you guessing as to what's happening.

First book by this author for me first book in series also.Really enjoyed the writing the characters looking forward to reading more by this author,#netgalley #st.martinsbooks

ex-cop, Minnesota, psychics, psychological

I felt quite lost for almost half of the book. Guess some series are hard to start with book 17, even if it is in the Twin Cities. Early in his career as a cop, Mac was in a position where he killed a bank robber and the accomplice, who was also his son, was sent to Federal prison. No cop ever fully recovers from such a thing, but after all these years it seems that the dead man wants Mac dead before he will reveal to his son where the loot was stashed. This is attested to by two separate psychic mediums. Interesting premise and Mac's personal life is craftily woven through it. Interesting read.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

This is the first book I have read in this series but I am going to go back and read them all! Love this main character and I think the other books in the series may help me gain a better understanding of how he ended up where he did. I felt like I was missing something. The plot is great...just enough twists and turns to hold my interest and the end left me wanting more. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

If you love "smart-talking" heroes, you'll love the Rushmore (Mac) McKenzie series by David Housewright. From The Grave is the latest winning entry in the series. It is as delightful as any the writer has gifted us. McKenzie is his usual witty self as he tackles the most unusual of death threats. The supporting cast is strong and the plot hums along at an entertaining pace. The eclectic mix of bad guys, good guys, witnesses, and psychics proves to be an irresistible combination. There are a lot of great fictional heroes based in the Midwest and this book reminds us why McKenzie is one of the best.

This is the first book I've read from David Housewright's McKenzie series. Loved it! Now I'm going to look for the rest and read them in order. It's an engaging group of characters I will enjoy getting to know.

A really enjoyable read. Again I’m reading out of order in the series but didn’t feel like I was missing key information. It was good to catch up with McKenzie and his friends in this fun read about mediums and making amends for what you did in your life after you are gone. Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC of #fromthegrave to read and review ahead of publication.

Once you figure out the characters, the book settles into an interesting story worth a read. Had to give this one a little extra time, but it did get moving.

This is an interesting book. The beginning is very confusing, as to who's who, and who's talking and so forth. It took a while to figure out. The story is engaging, and the mystery of what happened to the money becomes less of the focus of the story than who the psychics are and the people involved around the robbery. I liked the main character, he seems to have integrity and is down to earth but I found his interactions with Nina to be confusing. #FromtheGrave #NetGalley