Mystery / Thriller

Mystery and/or Thriller writers from Minnesota.

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Jess Lourey

Jess Lourey writes about secrets. She’s the Amazon Charts bestselling Edgar, Agatha, ITW Thriller, and Lefty-nominated, Anthony-winning author of crime fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, YA adventure, and magical realism. She is a retired professor of creative writing and sociology, a recipient of The Loft’s Excellence in Teaching fellowship, a Psychology Today blogger, and a TEDx…

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Mindy Mejia

Mindy Mejia’s internationally acclaimed thrillers have been translated into over 20 languages. Her books have been picked for People’s Best New Books and The Wall Street Journal’s Best New Mysteries. A CPA and graduate of the Hamline University MFA program, she lives and works in the Twin Cities.

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Pete Hautman

Pete Hautman is the author of more than 30 novels for adult, teen, and middle-grade readers, including the 2004 National Book Award winner Godless and Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner The Big Crunch. He has written three New York Times Notable Books and won four Minnesota Book Awards. His “young adult” novels range from…

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Jeffrey Burton

Jeffrey Burton was born in Long Beach, California, grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and received his B.A. in Journalism at the University of Minnesota. Novels in his Mace Reid K-9 mystery series include: The Finders, The Keepers, and The Lost. His Agent Drew Cady mystery series include: The Chessman, The Lynchpin, and The Eulogist.…

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Rebecca Ansari

After twelve years as an ER doctor, Rebecca K.S. Ansari shelved her scrubs to write magical and mysterious worlds for middle grade readers. Her debut novel, The Missing Piece of Charlie O’Reilly was a Minnesota Book Award finalist, an ALA 2020 Notable Children’s Book nominee, and a Junior Library Guild selection. Her second novel, The…

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Mary Casanova

Once a can’t-sit-still reader, Mary Casanova now writes stories that matter and books readers can’t put down. She is the author of numerous award-winning books, from picture books (One-Dog Canoe) to books and book-inspired movies for American Girl (Grace); from middle grade adventure novels (Wolf Shadows and The Klipfish Code) as well as historical fiction…

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Marcie Rendon

Marcie Rendon, citizen of the White Earth Nation. Rendon received the McKnight Foundation 2020 Distinguished Artist Award and was listed in the Oprah Daily 2020 list of “31 Native American Authors to Read Right Now.” Girl Gone Missing, Rendon’s second Cash Blackbear mystery series novel, was nominated for the Mystery Writers of America – G.P.…

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William Kent Krueger

William Kent Krueger is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cork O’Connor mystery series, set in the great Northwoods of Minnesota. He is a five-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award. Among his many other accolades is the Edgar Award for Best Novel for his 2013 release Ordinary Grace. He lives in Saint…

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Allen Eskens

Allen Eskens is the bestselling author of The Life We Bury, The Guise of Another, The Heavens May Fall, The Deep Dark Descending, and The Shadows We Hide. He is the recipient of the Barry Award, Minnesota Book Award, Rosebud Award (Left Coast Crime), and Silver Falchion Award and has been a finalist for the…

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Brian Freeman

Brian Freeman is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 psychological thrillers, including the Duluth-based Jonathan Stride series. His novel Spilled Blood won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the Thriller Awards, and his Midwestern mystery The Deep, Deep Snow was a 2021 Minnesota Book Award winner and…