Jeanne Cooney, humorist and author of the Hotdish Mystery series set in northwest Minnesota will speak with humor about being a middle-aged female author and how she uses the area she knows best as the settings for her plots. She will also sign and have copies for sale of her new book “It’s Murder, Dontcha Know.”
This Fall Event will take place at St. Pauli Lutheran Church on Sunday, October 8 at 4:00. A traditional church “hotdish supper” will be served following the program. A freewill offering basket will be available, with all proceeds going to various local charities.
Bring a car full, it’s bound to be fun! St. Pauli Church is located at 11015 170 th Ave. NE, TRF. Directions from TRF: 3.5 miles SE on Hwy. 59, 3 miles S. on Co. Rd. 20.
“It’s Murder, Dontcha Know” and Cooney’s previously published Hot Dish Heaven mysteries are humorous who-done-its set in the Red River Valley of northwestern Minnesota, home to an array of colorful, Scandinavian characters. Each book also features old-time recipes.
Lake Superior Writers recently said of “It’s Murder, Dontcha Know,” “There are plenty of twists and turns that keep the murderer a mystery until the very end and enough references to hot dishes and bars to encourage you to head to your kitchen every couple chapters.” Mpls-St. Paul Magazine said of Cooney’s first book, “Hot Dish Heaven,” “What makes this book so fun is Cooney’s ability to spit out phrases such as ‘uff-da’ and dish out recipes such as Jell-O Salad and Tater-Tot Hot Dish faster than you can say, ‘Yah, ya betcha.’” Midwest Book Review said of “A Potluck of Murder and Recipes,” the final book in Cooney’s first series, “It’s another terrific and original mystery from the pen of Jeanne Cooney and once again documents her complete mastery of the genre.” Minnesota Public Radio has also named Cooney one of a handful of writers to read for Minnesota-based mysteries.
Cooney is a popular speaker at conferences and community gatherings, and she is a Minnesota Artist in Residence, available to teach humor writing to students of all ages. Cooney and her off-beat books have been featured at the Minnesota State Fair and Hostfest, the largest Scandinavian festival in North America. In addition, she and her books have been highlighted on Twin Cities’ television and radio, as well as in the “Minneapolis StarTribune,” “the Fargo Forum,” and the “Minot Daily News,” among other Midwest newspapers.
When asked if she intends to continue writing about rural Minnesota, Cooney said, “Yah, ya betcha. The people are great, and the food is pretty darn good, too. So I can’t see doing anything else, dontcha know.”
