To the outside observer, Salt Lake City seems to be the squeaky-clean "City of Saints"—its nickname since Mormon pioneers first arrived. Its wide roads, huge Mormon temple topped by a horn-blowing angel, and orderly neighborhoods give it the appearance of the ideal American city. But looks can be deceiving. When beautiful socialite Helen Kent Pfalzgraf turns up dead, Salt Lake County Deputy Art Oveson—a twentysomething husband, dad, and devout Mormon just getting his start—finds himself thrust into the role of detective. With his partner, a foul-mouthed, vice-ridden former strikebreaker, he begins to pursue Pfalzgraf's murderer (or murderers). Their search takes them into the dark underbelly of Salt Lake City, a place rife with blackmail, corruption, and murder. Throw in a cowardly sheriff seeking reelection, a prominent local physician with a host of skeletons in his closet, and swirling rumors of an affair between the murder victim and an elusive Hollywood star, and you've got City of Saints, a mystery based on a true yet largely forgotten murder that once captivated the nation but still remains unsolved eighty years later.
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"This is set in Salt Lake in the 1930's. The author mostly gets the culture right. I was not sure I liked the main character, but keep reading. If you are LDS, the supporting characters may speak and behave in ways that are offensive. By the end, I really liked the main character." — Patty (4 out of 5 stars)
"This is set in Salt Lake in the 1930's. The author mostly gets the culture right. I was not sure I liked the main character, but keep reading. If you are LDS, the supporting characters may speak and behave in ways that are offensive. By the end, I really liked the main character."
" Mehhh. Creative crime storyline, but written as flat as a pancake. Skip. "
" A decent murder mystery....the characters were OK "
" Giving up. Bored me. "
" An interesting fictionalized murder case based on an unsolved murder in 1930. "
" Very interesting time and place (1930's Salt LAke City) with a unique, everyday and flawed main character whom the reader cannot HELP really liking. "
" Felt author was straining at times to create scene. Was interesting from perspective of those trying to solve crime. "
" This was a really smart caper! Came to terms by the middle-to-end with the narration too. Full review is pending. "
" The author seemed to do his research about Salt Lake City in 1930. It felt like a real place and not someplace made up. I really liked the characters in this book. It was an enjoyable book to read. "
" Historical fiction at it's best! Definitely one of the Best books of the Year on my list. Do yourself a favor and get to know Andrew Hunt and his works. "
" Very well written with an interesting and different setting. Can't wait for more from this author! "
" An entertaining story of a homicide investigation in 1930 Salt Lake City. I wish the writing had been better. "
" I'd give the story 4 stars...pretty interesting, but the language was such a turn-off for me....sigh. It's hard to find a decent book without it being full of vulgarity. "
" Interesting first novel. History of Salt Lake City and Utah in the 1930's is well done. "
ANDREW HUNT is a professor of history in Waterloo, Ontario. His areas of study include post-1945 U.S. History, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and the American West. He has written reviews for The Globe and Mail and The National Post, and he is the author of two works of nonfiction, The Turning and David Dellinger and is coauthor of The 1980s. He grew up in Salt Lake City, where his novel, City of Saints, is set, and he currently lives in Canada.
Richard Waterhouse is an actor, teacher, director, and producer who is featured in the Hallmark Christmas classic Moonlight and Mistletoe and the independent feature Karl Rove, I Love You. He lives with his partner in Newbury, Vermont.
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