Wisconsin author will visit Prairie library in November
Kluesner’s third book, The Killer’s Terms, will be available later this year. He will be at the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library on November 30 at 11:30 a.m. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Kluesner)
By Steve Van Kooten
“Some people say, ‘Reading is dying,’ but I don’t see it here,” said Kevin Kluesner.
Sitting in the recesses of the Simply Cafe on Blackhawk Avenue, Kluesner handed over a copy of his newest novel, The Killer’s Terms, the third in his series starring FBI agent Cole Huebsch.
Huebsch, like Kluesner, is very familiar with Prairie du Chien: both were born here, and Kluesner’s writing has brought them both back home more than once.
“The real key tie to this series and Prairie du Chien is that the main protagonist is from here,” said Kluesner. “In the first two, I actually had scenes set in Prairie du Chien. He hadn’t been back since he graduated from college.”
In the second novel, Huebsch stops at some recognizable spots on Blackhawk Avenue, like Stark’s and Pete’s Hamburger Stand during his investigation.
“I use Prairie du Chien because I grew up here. I didn’t leave until I went away to college, and I still love the place,” Kluesner said.
The Cole Huebsche series is a bit like Wisconsin’s version of Jack Reacher. Most major cities have their own thriller series, such as Los Angeles’ Elvis Cole and Minneapolis’ Prey series. Kluesner’s books go all across The Badger State, from Prairie du Chien to Milwaukee, to all over the world. Along the way, Kluesner’s characters make familiar stops at real places, including the Calatrava Museum, the Milwaukee Public Library and Sherman Perk.
For his third novel, the cover depicts the St. Joan of Arc Chapel at Marquette University, Kluesner’s alma mater.
“Write what you know” is one of the oldest and most sage pieces of wisdom given to every writer. Kluesner has placed pieces of his past in his stories, characters and plot lines. While Prairie du Chien is not a featured setting this time around, Kluesner still connects the little gem on the Mississippi as part of his stories.
“I’m proud of where I grew up, and that is evident in my books,” Kluesner wrote.
Kluesner will be in Prairie du Chien on November 30 for a book signing and author talk for The Killer’s Terms. The signing begins at 11:30 a.m. The first two books in the series received positive reviews from the press and readers, and his latest book — released on October 8 — holds a five-star rating on Amazon.
Although his book launched on November 14, Kluesner said the Prairie event is a special one on his calendar. There’s a reason it’s his third time coming here to promote one of his novels.
“The Prairie event has by far been my favorite. It’s kind of like a homecoming.”
