*Man in the Water: A McKenzie Novel* by David Housewright, the 21st in the series, works well as a standalone. McKenzie, a former detective turned private investigator, is drawn into a suspicious drowning case at the urging of his wife, Nina. Though it appears to be suicide, McKenzie’s investigation uncovers conflicting motives and leads among insurance agents, law enforcement, and the victim’s family. With its witty, engaging writing and well-crafted characters, this mystery is both fun and immersive, perfect for any mystery fan—even those new to the series.

(Rounded up from 3.5 stars)

I would definitely read more of this series! I enjoyed getting to know McKenzie's character. He reminds me a little of Jack Reacher, without the getting into fights, etc. I had my suspicions about a lot of the characters, but I didn't see the final reveal coming, which for me, is always exciting. A solid read!

What a great book to get me back into thrillers after some time in different genres. This book is exactly what I want in a thriller. Kept me up all night.

Part of the charm for this book and series for me is how entirely Minnesotan and fully Twin Cities it is- for people who have lived or spent time in the area it will really capture the atmosphere. The characters are interesting and McKenzie is a committed, interesting detective to follow, with unique cases and storylines in each book.

Man in the Water is a mystery novel that draws readers into a web of multiple murders, each more complex than the last. The book delivers a suspenseful journey as the protagonist works to unravel the various threads of the case. Overall, it's a good read for fans of the genre, though it comes with a few challenges.

The story is filled with twists and turns, which can be both engaging and, at times, overwhelming. I found myself struggling to keep up with the rapid developments in the plot. While the ending does a commendable job of tying up loose ends, the introduction of a new character late in the story felt somewhat jarring. This character's role in the plot was difficult to place, leaving me puzzled about how they fit into the broader narrative.

There were moments where I felt a bit disoriented as I navigated the story’s twists, and a bit more organization could have helped to clarify the plot. Additionally, more detail in certain areas would have enhanced the overall reading experience, making the story more cohesive and easier to follow.

Despite these issues, Man in the Water is an enjoyable read. It keeps you on your toes, and the mystery at its core is intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book.

Rushmore "Mac" McKenzie and his wife, Nina, are visiting friends at a local marina when a woman comes to them, begging for help. Her husband is missing. It is Nina who finds the man, dead, and clinging to a step under the water.

McKenzie does his best to not get involved and enjoy the retired life but the dead man’s daughter begs him to help her find out how her father died. Neveah is convinced her father was murdered but no one else seems to believe her. With the insurance agencies and the police officers investigating, no one is trying to determine why someone would kill E.J. Woods- except for McKenzie and one concerned beat cop.

I've really come to enjoy these Mac McKenzie books. Set in Minnesota (my home territory) with a P.I. who takes on jobs because he can. He's no saint - he retired from the police force in order to receive an insurance pay-out (something he couldn't do as a law officer) in the millions. He's still got contacts on the force and his investigative skills are strong. But danger seems to find Mac and his investigations almost always bring him into contact with individuals not afraid to take a life and it's usually Mac in their way.

Not surprisingly, it isn't a straight line from death to murder to killer and McKenzie weaves through central Minnesota, meeting a number of interesting characters who have had contact with, and perhaps reason to kill, the dead man. And when Mac gets a little to close, it's Nina who is in danger.

This book isn't the most action-packed or the most thrilling of McKenzie novels, but it is a solid police procedural with a tough, realistic central figure.

This is the 21st book in the series but you can pick up any book and simply enjoy it - you don't have to read them in order.

Looking for a good book? David Housewright's Man in the Water is a pleasant diversion for mystery fans. It makes a great beach read.

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

My thoughts below are my own:

Had I realized this was an established series I may not have chosen to jump into asking for this ARC, but I loved the blurb so here I am. It felt like a was missing key pieces of who Mac (the MMC) was, his past came up often. With that thought it didn’t overall take away from the actually story and plot but it did take away from the magic for me to engulf myself in the story.
Overall if you’re looking for a PI story to find out who dunnit with a lot of back and forth dialogue and a decent world building and fun side characters give this a shot.

A gripping mystery with a cleverly crafted plot, and a great addition to the series. The descriptive writing is vivid and brings the setting to life. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

As a Minnesota girl, I was drawn to this book simply based off of the setting. It was fun to read the locations depicted, as I could visualize them. The case was interesting, yet it moved a bit slow for my tastes. I kept waiting for a twist or something to happen that would make me sit up and take notice. Alas, it never really did and I found this to be a little lackluster. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it.

I love a good crime investigation book, and this one definitely kept me on my toes. The story line was quite interesting and I honestly would have never guessed the ending. It truly shocked me. I knew something was off about Biz though from the beginning something just didn't sit right with me with her. all the different people though who kept dying cause they had secrets about what was going on was wild. like what a wild ride of a story.

I definitely want to read more by this author especially cause this was a book in a series.

David Houswright never misses a beat. Much like Sandford Housewright has a perpetual driven PI and his formula strikes hard each novel. A must red Minnesota author.

I found the 1st part of this book confusing. I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series. I also thought the pacing is a bit slow. I did get into the story about halfway through. I found the answer to what happened to the man in the after a bit weak. #ManintheWater #NetGalley

A man is found in the water holding tight to the ladder, dead. Investigators suspect foul play but some say it was suicide. E.J Woods was a hard working veteran who was well liked and trusted in his community. No one believes he would’ve taken his own life however it’s very possible that someone wanted him dead. E.J’s daughter wants answers but she may learn information about her dad that she won’t like. Could her step mother be to blame? Her father’s business partner? Investigator McKenzie will do everything he can to get the answers Naveah deserves and set the record straight as to what happened to E.J.

DNF mainly because I didn’t realize this was a 20+ book connected series and the main character came across as a cocky know it all. The premise was interesting and i just don’t really connect with the main characters

McKenzie and his wife are at the local marina to meet their friends. When a woman not dressed for the current weather approaches them as she can’t find her husband. When they check the marina, Nina finds the woman’s husband in the water. It was determined he committed suicide but as well as all know not all is as it seems. The deceased’s daughter is not convinced it was a suicide and asked McKenzie to check it out as he is a retired cop. When another questionable “suicide” happens things start getting interesting.

This is part of a series but cans definitely be read as a standalone, as this is the first book I have read in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC to review!
I didn’t realize this was part of a series when I requested it, but it was easy to read without any previous knowledge of the series. This book was well researched and well written. It follows retired detective, Rushmore McKenzie, as a relaxing weekend with his wife turns into solving a drowning. The mystery kept my attention, and the writing was nicely paced. I will definitely check out more from this series!

Man in the Water by David Housewright was a phenomenal story!
The characters are well developed and I thought the ending was excellent.
This book contains everything you will need to have an evening full of murder, suspense, thrills, twists and turns. The pace is perfectly planned and will keep you engrossed and entertained from page one until the end.
The pages will fly past you as you lose yourself in the engrossing story.

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Former St. Paul cop Rushmore McKenzie and his wife Nina are visiting friends at the lake when Nina sees a dead man in the lake. Although the dead man’s wife is searching for him, her story seems a bit suspicious. McKenzie often ends up involved in situations that end up drawing him into an investigation and this will be no different. When the man’s death is ruled a suicide, he is asked to investigate for the man’s daughter, but this time he is glad that as a witness he can’t really be involved. This has never stopped him from doing so before, but will this time be any different…unofficially of course? When another man seeks his assistance, he offers the advice of his friend and (often needed) attorney. The characters, especially the often humorous and sarcastic McKenzie, makes this one of my all-time favorite series. If you have not read the series, you really should start with the first book, “A Hard Ticket Home” to learn just how McKenzie “earned” his wealth. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Man in the Water is an entertaining entry in David Housewright's McKenzie mystery series. See my review at the Mystery Scene Magazine website.

Another nicely twisty mystery from Housewright and its perfectly enjoyable as a standalone. Mckenzie and his wife Nina planned to meet their friends at their boat not investigate a death but that's what happens when Nina spies a missing man floating, drowned. What happened to EJ Woods? He didn't like water or boats but his wife seems sketchy and there's a lot of insurance money at stake - and his daughter thinks her dad was murdered. McKenzie finds himself diving deep on this one, looking at EJ's back story, his friends, and others at the marina. No spoilers for this one which has a quite surprising thing at play. He's a great character, as is Nina, and the surrounding cast is boffo (I'm a fan of his attorney and the police officer among others). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I very much enjoyed this one (and the fact that I didn't guess the answers).