Minneapolis police dective Marshall ("Mars") Bahr takes on a case of a teenager found murdered and abandoned. What put her down was an artful puncture wound to her aorta. And that was just the start of the mystery. This is a new authort (new to me anyway) and she is a master at creating characters that I want to go meet for lunch. I even like Mars' kid and I never like the kids. She has two other Mars books already finished. I love it when that happens. ( )

Themes: crime, father-son relationship, police work, relationships
Setting: Minnesota, present day

Special Detective Marshall Bahr of the Minneapolis police force is assigned to a new case. A pretty blond cheerleader type is found dead in a nasty part of town. Her family have no idea how or why she got down there. Bahr and his partner Nettie dive into all the secrets of the victim Mary Pat Fitzgerald and finds plenty of dirt to go around; however, none of it seems to lead to a suspect. Just when the case is almost cold, a surprisingly lead turns up a new line of investigation.

I liked this one. It was a good story, and I liked the main character. He is a good cop and a good dad with a passion for movies. And I liked that there were a few twists in the story. Thanks to cbl_tn for the recommendation ( )

When the body of a young woman is discovered on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, Special Detective Mars Bahr of the Minneapolis PD is assigned to lead the investigation. It doesn't take long to identify the victim, a pretty and multi-talented high school senior from the suburbs. Despite the investigative team's best efforts, the search for her killer stalls. There is a lack of physical evidence and the most likely suspects have airtight alibis. Months later, information about a similar murder in a different location launches the investigation into high speed. Will Mars and his team find enough clues, not just to identify the killer, but to put him away for good?

This is one of the best police procedurals I've read in a long time. I went through it quickly because I couldn't bear to put it down. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next. The author provides clues at the right time for readers to figure out the killer's identity and motive at the same pace as the investigators, and I experienced the ups and downs of the case right along with them.

The main character does have some personal problems -- he's a divorced workaholic -- but he has few vices. He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke (although he does carry a pack of cigarettes), and he swears only occasionally. He has a good relationship with his ex-wife, and he's a good father to his eight-year-old son, Chris. He's a thorough investigator, a strong leader, and is respectful of his superiors. I especially enjoyed the scenes with the son, Chris, whose favorite Saturday morning activity is shopping garage sales for kitchen equipment. I think this series will have crossover appeal for cozy mystery readers. I already have the next book in the series on my TBR shelves, and I'm sure it won't stay there for long! ( )

Based in Minneapolis, I really like the characters. Mars (a cop) and his son Chris have a great relationship, and the kid is very cool for an 8 yr old.

A girl (from Edina) is found dead downtown Minneapolis by the river. The only witness is a girl who is also a drug dealer and she doesn't come forward until months later. ( )

#1 in the Marshall “Mars” Bahr mystery series set in Minneapolis. When a high school senior from the wealthy suburb of Edina is found murdered in an unlikely area of Minneapolis, Mars looks desperately for suspects, but none are forthcoming. Several months later, new clues come to light and the investigation takes off once again. I enjoyed this first entry in the series, getting to know “Mars” and the supporting cast of characters. Erickson paints a vivid picture of Minneapolis and from what I can tell (I’m not a native of the city but I do live in the ‘burbs now) fairly accurate, too. There were a few little bits and bobs here and there that grated on my nerves, and I did figure out the bad guy well ahead of time, but still enjoyed it and will read more. ( )