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Art Oveson #1
City of Saints
Winner of the 2011 Hillerman Prize—an engaging historical mystery set in 1930s Salt Lake City starring a newly-minted Mormon lawman
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 twenty-something 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.
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 twenty-something 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.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 30, 2012
15 people are currently reading
442 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Hunt
5 books9 followersAndrew Hunt is a Professor of United States History at the University of Waterloo in Canada. He was raised in California and Utah and is the father of two. Hunt also writes a blog which is a “celebration of animal rights and vegan living”.
Andrew Hunt also publishes non-fiction under Andrew E. Hunt
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Andrew Hunt also publishes non-fiction under Andrew E. Hunt
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
February 21, 2013
If you're not Mormon and are hoping to read a "Mormon mystery" or get some info about the church, this is not the place to find it. The main character is LDS, as are several of the characters, but that just provides some background for the story.
If you are Mormon and are looking for a "Mormon mystery", this is also not the place to find it. This is not a feel-good story with characters that share your standards- even several of the ostensibly Mormon characters are corrupt or even evil. This is a noir mystery with all the trappings of that genre- sex, violence, bad language, etc. Covenant did not publish this book.
Now that's out of the way, I liked it. I think what I liked the most was the insight into my home town as it was back in the 30s. I love looking at old photographs of the city, and it's fun to pick out landmarks that are still here, so I enjoyed reading about places that I know (I live close to Hawthorne Elementary, which is mentioned in the book, and Liberty Park- and I can testify that there is still no parking for the Pioneer Day fireworks because people park on my street, two blocks from the park).
I thought the story was paced well, with some suspense, but the writing itself bugged me a little. It felt like the author was so concerned with establishing an accurate picture of the time that he included too many details, interfering with the flow of the story a little. But I didn't notice it as much by the end of the book, so either I got used to it or he stopped doing it.
If you are Mormon and are looking for a "Mormon mystery", this is also not the place to find it. This is not a feel-good story with characters that share your standards- even several of the ostensibly Mormon characters are corrupt or even evil. This is a noir mystery with all the trappings of that genre- sex, violence, bad language, etc. Covenant did not publish this book.
Now that's out of the way, I liked it. I think what I liked the most was the insight into my home town as it was back in the 30s. I love looking at old photographs of the city, and it's fun to pick out landmarks that are still here, so I enjoyed reading about places that I know (I live close to Hawthorne Elementary, which is mentioned in the book, and Liberty Park- and I can testify that there is still no parking for the Pioneer Day fireworks because people park on my street, two blocks from the park).
I thought the story was paced well, with some suspense, but the writing itself bugged me a little. It felt like the author was so concerned with establishing an accurate picture of the time that he included too many details, interfering with the flow of the story a little. But I didn't notice it as much by the end of the book, so either I got used to it or he stopped doing it.
July 1, 2021
As my reviews make clear, I am fascinated with just about any book (fiction or nonfiction) set during the Great Depression. Also, the West, whether in frontier days or more modern times, interests me. This mystery set in 1930 Utah should fit the bill. Alas, it did not. While Hunt crafted a competent if unexceptional whodunit based on a notorious unsolved Salt Lake City murder, very little sense of time and place comes through. This is especially frustrating because I know little about how Mormonism gives this state a different feel than much of the rest of the West. Other than a hero who will not drink coffee, that's really not here either. As I say, the mystery works well so I want to check out more of the Oveson books before giving up on it. Three and a half stars.
August 26, 2013
Minor spoilers. Being a non-mormon born and bred Utahn, as well as 2nd generation law enforcement, I was really interested in this book. I'm sorry it didn't hold up to it's promise. It didn't help going into the story knowing this is still an unsolved cold case. I found the lead character, Deputy Oveson a weak spined coward. He's so scared of losing his job, he can't even find the guts to stand up to the Sheriff even after being awarded the reward money that will help see him thru. Even if you stop to think he could probably find another job in law enforcement with his background, something the author never mentioned. He's more worried about his wife being the main bread winner, he would rather cower. He would let a possibly innocent man get framed and a guilty man go free rather than stand up for what he felt was right.
I also felt the synopsis was misleading. I felt it implied a stronger personality conflict between Oveson and his partner, which was not true.
I just can't get by with such weak characters, and again quit reading at about the half way point.
I also felt the synopsis was misleading. I felt it implied a stronger personality conflict between Oveson and his partner, which was not true.
I just can't get by with such weak characters, and again quit reading at about the half way point.
May 19, 2019
Since I have fallen in love with Salt Lake City after my son lived there for a year, I searched for novels that have anything to do with the city, and I found Hunt's books. I enjoyed this murder mystery that takes place in 1930s SLC. The detective involved is Art Oveson, and he will appear in other books also. He is Mormon, and there is some reference to how it affects his life, especially in contrast to his partner in his job, but it isn't an overwhelming part of the book. I am not Mormon, and I enjoyed this book for the mystery and the setting. I looked up pictures of the city at that time to get a better idea of what it all looked like. I especially liked the reference in it to a little mining settlement in the mountains outside of the city called Park City - quite a contrast to the ski haven of today.
April 22, 2014
Sorry but this book was just horrible. I forced myself to read to page 100 just to give it a chance. The green, sweet little Mormon sheriff seriously annoyed me. The author's attempt to add background for SLC and weave in some Mormon practices was spectacularly boring and ham-handed as well. The book was set in the 30s. That worked. At one point, for me, the dialog and the characters turned into a black and white movie from that era complete with jerky movements and squeaky voices. The author is a history prof. who has written non-fiction. I urge him to return to that. Hopefully, non-fic is his forte. BTW, at least a decade ago I read a Mormon murder series. It was good, proving that it can be done.
October 19, 2014
I loved so many things about this book!!
I loved the setting, the detective's character, the historical details. The first half of the book, 5 all the way. Though the ending was forced, I loved the tone so I'm sticking to my 4 and an overall recommendation to read away.
Note: the back-cover made me feel like I'd be reading a Mormon-expose, which this was not. It's general fiction with one character who is authentically devout living among people--some of whom share his faith, some of whom don't. Within each camp, moral and immoral decisions are made. That's one of the things I liked best about it. Religion is portrayed as a belief-system and/or a cultural heritage, not a personality trait. :)
I loved the setting, the detective's character, the historical details. The first half of the book, 5 all the way. Though the ending was forced, I loved the tone so I'm sticking to my 4 and an overall recommendation to read away.
Note: the back-cover made me feel like I'd be reading a Mormon-expose, which this was not. It's general fiction with one character who is authentically devout living among people--some of whom share his faith, some of whom don't. Within each camp, moral and immoral decisions are made. That's one of the things I liked best about it. Religion is portrayed as a belief-system and/or a cultural heritage, not a personality trait. :)
August 6, 2013
Bland is the best way to describe this from the writing style to the story. The book is set in 1930s Salt Lake. I live in 2013 Salt Lake. Hunt didn't transport me back in time whatsoever! Shame that. Cuz had he done just that I woulda given this 5 stars--and the writing/story would not have seemed so ho hum.
September 20, 2014
Interested read. Keeps you guessing until it all get wrapped up tight, complete with confessions. But the ending left me feeling a bit disappointed somehow. Still, very fascinating historical context. Well thought-out and overall well executed.
July 29, 2013
I really really wanted to like this, but the inaccuracies were just too overwhelming. You just can't go to Lagoon in February.
December 21, 2012
Mehhh. Creative crime storyline, but written as flat as a pancake. Skip.
June 10, 2018
An interesting concept and premise (a 1930 murder mystery set in Salt Lake City, based on a real case) combined with a unique character ( a squeaky clean young Mormon deputy sheriff) and high praise and awards attracted me to this book, but the book did not live up to the promise or the praise.
The premise was okay but I didn't get an in-depth feel for the era like I have in the historical novels of Ken Follett or other comparable authors. Art Oveson seemed like a fish out of water dealing with the criminal element in SLC as well as dealing with the foul mouth and crude behavior of his partner, Lund. The clash of cultures (Mormon clean living compared with "normal" lifestyles) was always jarring, especially since the dialogue and much of the narrative was overly proper, polite, and petty (Too much, "How are you?" "Fine, you?" "Not bad. Nice weather, huh?" Etc., Etc., Etc.) Those weren't direct quotes-just illustrating the chitchat nature of much of the dialogue).
The story was also plagued by far too much excruciating but unnecessary detail. 1930s telephones, party lines, and dealing with operators were discussed 3 or 4 too many times. Once was enough.
The plot proceeded at a languid pace, mainly due to the excessive details and drawn out conversations. No character stood out as being memorable--with the stock appearances by the crooked sheriff, loving wife, cute children, evil attorney, wealthy socialites. Mainly because the reader wasn't given enough interesting detail about the characters.
Altogether, a curiously uncomfortable book to read because of the prim and proper MC and stiff, polite narrative laced with occasional outbursts of violence and foul language. It was a mix that didn't work for me.
The premise was okay but I didn't get an in-depth feel for the era like I have in the historical novels of Ken Follett or other comparable authors. Art Oveson seemed like a fish out of water dealing with the criminal element in SLC as well as dealing with the foul mouth and crude behavior of his partner, Lund. The clash of cultures (Mormon clean living compared with "normal" lifestyles) was always jarring, especially since the dialogue and much of the narrative was overly proper, polite, and petty (Too much, "How are you?" "Fine, you?" "Not bad. Nice weather, huh?" Etc., Etc., Etc.) Those weren't direct quotes-just illustrating the chitchat nature of much of the dialogue).
The story was also plagued by far too much excruciating but unnecessary detail. 1930s telephones, party lines, and dealing with operators were discussed 3 or 4 too many times. Once was enough.
The plot proceeded at a languid pace, mainly due to the excessive details and drawn out conversations. No character stood out as being memorable--with the stock appearances by the crooked sheriff, loving wife, cute children, evil attorney, wealthy socialites. Mainly because the reader wasn't given enough interesting detail about the characters.
Altogether, a curiously uncomfortable book to read because of the prim and proper MC and stiff, polite narrative laced with occasional outbursts of violence and foul language. It was a mix that didn't work for me.
January 26, 2024
On February 21, 1930, Salt Lake City socialite Dorothy Dexter Moormeister was brutally killed just a few miles southwest of the city. The Salt Lake County Sheriff's office headed up the investigation with assistance from Salt Lake City Police. The investigation was closely followed by local media and made headlines across the nation. For two years, it dominated the news. Then it was replaced with an even bigger story...the kidnapping and murder of the Lindburg baby...and the story of Dorothy all but disappeared and her murder never solved.
This true crime story was the blueprint for "City of Saints" by Andew Hunt. He changes the characters and much of Dorothy's story, but her story is still recognizable in the novel. In Hunt's story, Sheriff Deputy Art Oveson is assigned to solve the mysterious murder of socialite Helen Kent Pfalzgraf, found run over multiple times in a field west of Salt Lake City. His investigation has twists and turns, including a Sheriff up for reelection who prematurely declares the case solved so favor votes. Hunt understand the needs of a mystery coming to a satisfaction conclusion and we learn who killed Helen.
However, the ending was not completely satisfying. I also found a couple of historical inaccuracies, a surprise since Hunt is by profession a historian. But overall, the story is complete with twists and turns. I picked the wrong suspect but as new clues came out, I did eventually pick the guilty party. It was fun to read a story placed where I live. I imagined each location best as I could. Afterall, the story takes place nearly 100 years ago and the city has changed a lot.
If you're looking for a historical mystery that is intriguing and will have you guessing, check out City of Saints.
This true crime story was the blueprint for "City of Saints" by Andew Hunt. He changes the characters and much of Dorothy's story, but her story is still recognizable in the novel. In Hunt's story, Sheriff Deputy Art Oveson is assigned to solve the mysterious murder of socialite Helen Kent Pfalzgraf, found run over multiple times in a field west of Salt Lake City. His investigation has twists and turns, including a Sheriff up for reelection who prematurely declares the case solved so favor votes. Hunt understand the needs of a mystery coming to a satisfaction conclusion and we learn who killed Helen.
However, the ending was not completely satisfying. I also found a couple of historical inaccuracies, a surprise since Hunt is by profession a historian. But overall, the story is complete with twists and turns. I picked the wrong suspect but as new clues came out, I did eventually pick the guilty party. It was fun to read a story placed where I live. I imagined each location best as I could. Afterall, the story takes place nearly 100 years ago and the city has changed a lot.
If you're looking for a historical mystery that is intriguing and will have you guessing, check out City of Saints.
March 16, 2019
I was looking for "Mormon mysteries", and this book, featuring a lawman of that religion in the 1930s, did not really fit the bill. Art Oveson's religion is relevant only to his own behaviour - he doesn't swear, his biggest sin is eating too much ice cream. As a result, he comes across as being a little...milquetoast is the word that comes to mind. Which colours the whole book, really.
Plot-wise, the book was fine. It was based on a historical, still unsolved, mystery in Salt Lake City, which I found interesting. It was just...a little too bland for my liking. Still, I finished it, so points there.
Plot-wise, the book was fine. It was based on a historical, still unsolved, mystery in Salt Lake City, which I found interesting. It was just...a little too bland for my liking. Still, I finished it, so points there.
August 1, 2020
I read this after discovering a relative of mine had a connection to Salt Lake City's most gruesome unsolved mystery, The Moormeister Murder. Based upon the facts of this case--Salt Lake City socialite is run over multiple times. She is married to a prominent doctor and has a rumored scandalous relationship with a Persian Prince and maybe others, Hunt creates a lawman working against corruption in all areas of this case. This gets one extra star for being set in 1930 Salt Lake City with lots of local color and period details that are fun for locals. I knew every location. Now I have to do more research to see how true to the facts of the case this is.
February 21, 2025
Audiobook.
Slow. A friend says that she learns at least one thing from every book she reads this one... not so much. It was even difficult to remember that is was supposed to be set in the 1930's. I guess I did learn that there is (was?) a huge rivalry between Salt Lake City and Provo and that Salt Lake City's street numbering system used the Temple South, Second South, Third South, etc., method, giving names to streets as they progressed south from Temple Square. The same for north, east and west. Odd but efficient.
Quotable:
The only way for justice to prevail is for brave men and women to stand up and make it happen.
Slow. A friend says that she learns at least one thing from every book she reads this one... not so much. It was even difficult to remember that is was supposed to be set in the 1930's. I guess I did learn that there is (was?) a huge rivalry between Salt Lake City and Provo and that Salt Lake City's street numbering system used the Temple South, Second South, Third South, etc., method, giving names to streets as they progressed south from Temple Square. The same for north, east and west. Odd but efficient.
Quotable:
The only way for justice to prevail is for brave men and women to stand up and make it happen.
July 12, 2024
Better than I expected.
Andrew Hunt's City of Saints features a milk toast rookie Sheriff's deputy, Art Oveson, who is the first on site of an apparent hit and run death in 1930s Salt Lake City. Art, who adores banana splits, seems an unlikely officer - plagued through his youth with everything from flat feet to polio. However, Art is a tenacious crime solver and won't let go, even when directed by the sheriff to do so, until the crime has been solved.
Add in that this was speculation on a true crime and I'm definitely reading the next in the series.
Andrew Hunt's City of Saints features a milk toast rookie Sheriff's deputy, Art Oveson, who is the first on site of an apparent hit and run death in 1930s Salt Lake City. Art, who adores banana splits, seems an unlikely officer - plagued through his youth with everything from flat feet to polio. However, Art is a tenacious crime solver and won't let go, even when directed by the sheriff to do so, until the crime has been solved.
Add in that this was speculation on a true crime and I'm definitely reading the next in the series.
September 11, 2022
Set in Salt Lake City in 1930, this historical mystery is based on a real case. James are changed but the basics are there. The Morman religion is a strong influence and the central character reflects its beliefs. Written in true crime style the book is unfettered and plain. This is the first in a trilogy and I have not decided if I will continue.
April 7, 2019
Just an OK read for me. I didn't warm up to the main character and I found the style of writing - the effort to make the dialogue sound like people talking in the 1930's - just a little jarring to read. It's a fine mystery, just not my cup of tea I'm afraid.
August 28, 2020
I listened to this book and liked it. It was nice to know the places in SLC that were talked about. The story is based on a true unsolved murder and while it kept my interest I think it could have been better. Just a 3/5 for me.
July 24, 2021
This was a nice book, with good narration. Not the most exciting murder mystery I have read, or the most shocking, but it was a pleasant story and easy to listen to. I thought the story pulled together well, and the ending wrapped up all the characters nicely.
August 31, 2019
A mystery set in 1930s Salt Lake City (which was cool) and based on an actual unsolved crime from that same time period (Dorothy Dexter Moormeister). Way too bland.
February 23, 2021
A historical look into 1930. This book was slow paced but still a pleasure to read due to the look at life and times of 1930 .
July 22, 2024
I liked having a nice guy as the main character, but the book seemed like it needed editing, a lot of errors and the suspense was not well built.
December 24, 2024
A complex murder mystery set in 1930s Salt Lake City. I may continue this series, since I'm familiar with the locales, if not the era.
September 1, 2017
Although I really enjoyed the story, especially since it was based on a cold case from almost a century ago, I was disappointed that the Mormon theme was not given more complexity among the various characters. Why even mention that certain characters were Mormon unless it was a clue to fascinating aspects of their character and lives that would be developed throughout the novel? That wasn't the case in this book. I guess I was expecting something more exciting, similar to "Big Love," the popular TV series about Mormon bigamists living in contemporary times. This was a well-done crime mystery that just happened to take place in a city with a lot of Mormons in it, but that could have happened in any city, given the way the story was told. The Salt Lake City, Utah and Mormon history the writer included were educational in an academic sort of way, but every religion has its underbelly, and the writer didn't even let on that the Mormons have one, much less expose any of it. What a missed opportunity. Although not a Mormon, my mother was raised around many, her brother became one later in life and got his wife and adult children to convert, and one of my brothers taught some during his public school teaching career. All of this happened in other SW states, not Utah. So my perspective on the Mormon aspect of the story is three-generational, going back to the beginning of the 20th century.
June 5, 2014
An undemanding read that has the bones of a good mystery novel, has the edge of being a kind of true crime novel, but Hunt completely lacks the chops of a good fiction writer when it comes to characterizations and dialogue. His primary characters are vague and defined mostly by quirks that they exhibit relentlessly, while the peripheral characters are empty suits that are easy to confuse and never really come to life.
The biggest smile of the novel came at the end where Hunt cited a pictorial local history book as a source of period detail. This explains why the fabric of Salt Lake City is described in so much detail while the people are not.
Hunt is equally bad at presenting the investigation as a mystery. It develops as a police story entangled with politics, which is fine. The problem comes when he needs to explain why the investigation continues after the official process closes the case. The tone and tenor of the characters and the case does not change one iota even as the bodies begin to pile up .
This is my first Hillerman Prize winner, and I am happy to see that they have decided there needs to be a prize for writers of Hillerman's quality.
The biggest smile of the novel came at the end where Hunt cited a pictorial local history book as a source of period detail. This explains why the fabric of Salt Lake City is described in so much detail while the people are not.
Hunt is equally bad at presenting the investigation as a mystery. It develops as a police story entangled with politics, which is fine. The problem comes when he needs to explain why the investigation continues after the official process closes the case. The tone and tenor of the characters and the case does not change one iota even as the bodies begin to pile up .
This is my first Hillerman Prize winner, and I am happy to see that they have decided there needs to be a prize for writers of Hillerman's quality.
January 29, 2013
First off, I want to say that City of Saints was NOT was I expected it to be. I went into this book expecting a dark book filled with mystery and Mormon intrigue. Now don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it just didn't fit my prior expectations.
City of Saints is a fictionalized version of a true unsolved murder that occurred in Salt Lake City in the 1930s. Andrew Hunt took a lot of liberty in telling the story so very little is true to fact other than time periods and a few renamed characters. In my opinion this was actually a pretty smart move on his part because he turned this story into a fabulously exciting tale that kept me wanting more. The writing was smart and fun and gave just enough depth to have a degree of realism to the plot. The ending was somewhat disappointing but I think it was probably quite a challenge to find a resolution to the story that both satisfied us as readers and held true to the actually murder that took place.
My only real complaint about City of Saints is that the time period didn't feel authentic. Honestly, the way it was told, the story could have occurred in the 2000s and I wouldn't have know better. There was very little effort made to place the reader in the 30's. I would have loved to feel more authenticity of that time period but really the only thing that makes you realize it's even occurring during that time is the occasional mention of a Model A and a reference to the date.
Overall, the book was better than I expected despite being nothing like I thought it would be. Enjoyable to the very last page!
City of Saints is a fictionalized version of a true unsolved murder that occurred in Salt Lake City in the 1930s. Andrew Hunt took a lot of liberty in telling the story so very little is true to fact other than time periods and a few renamed characters. In my opinion this was actually a pretty smart move on his part because he turned this story into a fabulously exciting tale that kept me wanting more. The writing was smart and fun and gave just enough depth to have a degree of realism to the plot. The ending was somewhat disappointing but I think it was probably quite a challenge to find a resolution to the story that both satisfied us as readers and held true to the actually murder that took place.
My only real complaint about City of Saints is that the time period didn't feel authentic. Honestly, the way it was told, the story could have occurred in the 2000s and I wouldn't have know better. There was very little effort made to place the reader in the 30's. I would have loved to feel more authenticity of that time period but really the only thing that makes you realize it's even occurring during that time is the occasional mention of a Model A and a reference to the date.
Overall, the book was better than I expected despite being nothing like I thought it would be. Enjoyable to the very last page!
May 17, 2013
This is the story of the murder of an adulterous socialite in 1930 Salt Lake City, based on a true case. Art Oveson of the Sheriff's Department investigates, but he's also caught up in departmental politics, Mormon vs. Nonmormon sectarianism, and family rivalries, all making his investigation more challenging.
Since I was born in Utah, lived in Salt Lake City for almost 10 years, have family history there, and am interested in history in general, I was quite looking forward to this novel. On the historical level, it does not disappoint, and I really enjoyed the thorough integration of the streets and sites of 1930 Salt Lake City into the story. The setting here isn't just window dressing, it's quite well used. It's rare to see locations other than the world's biggest cities profiled well in historical novels, so this was refreshing. I think the social history is slightly less believable. The Utah I remember was more provincial in some ways in the 1980s and 1990s than the book's Utah is in 1930. The attitude of the characters towards some of the things they encountered (adultery, abortion), particularly that of the protagonist who was a practicing Mormon, seemed a little more progressive than I could entirely believe.
As a mystery, the book is OK. The plot is fine, but stylistically it's a bit flat. If the author writes more about this character or in this setting, I will definitely read it, but perhaps can't recommend it quite as strongly to someone without an interest in the place or period.
Since I was born in Utah, lived in Salt Lake City for almost 10 years, have family history there, and am interested in history in general, I was quite looking forward to this novel. On the historical level, it does not disappoint, and I really enjoyed the thorough integration of the streets and sites of 1930 Salt Lake City into the story. The setting here isn't just window dressing, it's quite well used. It's rare to see locations other than the world's biggest cities profiled well in historical novels, so this was refreshing. I think the social history is slightly less believable. The Utah I remember was more provincial in some ways in the 1980s and 1990s than the book's Utah is in 1930. The attitude of the characters towards some of the things they encountered (adultery, abortion), particularly that of the protagonist who was a practicing Mormon, seemed a little more progressive than I could entirely believe.
As a mystery, the book is OK. The plot is fine, but stylistically it's a bit flat. If the author writes more about this character or in this setting, I will definitely read it, but perhaps can't recommend it quite as strongly to someone without an interest in the place or period.
November 3, 2013
When beautiful socialite Helen Kent Pfalzgraf turns up dead, Salt Lake County Deputy Art Oveson—a twenty-something 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.
While the story was interesting and the main character a man of principle, I was disappointed in how foul-mouthed his partner was. Did people really drop the f-bomb like this in the 1930s, and were all the big socialites in Salt Lake so rotten and promiscuous? When the reader pronounced Manti as "Man-tee" the book also lost points. I have to wonder about the agenda of the writer.
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.
While the story was interesting and the main character a man of principle, I was disappointed in how foul-mouthed his partner was. Did people really drop the f-bomb like this in the 1930s, and were all the big socialites in Salt Lake so rotten and promiscuous? When the reader pronounced Manti as "Man-tee" the book also lost points. I have to wonder about the agenda of the writer.
January 15, 2013
Again, I found this book listed amongst the goodreads contests and while I didn't win this was one such book and thankfully it was carried by the library.
This is a detective story, set in 1930 Salt Lake City, Utah. While it is not a fast paced mystery, it is indeed a good, historical mystery, filled with the prejudice of the day; from religious to ethnic, offering a good look into this country’s past.
Based on the true murder of sociality Dorothy Dexter Moormeister who was found brutally murdered just after midnight on February 22, 1930, which remains unsolved yet today, Hunt’s Book leads the young, naïve police officer, Art Oveson into the Salt Lake City underground taking him from ‘tenderfoot’ to hard-nosed detective as his ‘rose colored glasses’ are stripped from his face and smashed by reality.
Although many claims have been made as to the loose fit this story has on the real case, I believe that Hunt has offered a real look at Salt Lake City circa 1930, making this an awesome historical fiction, just the way I like them!
This is a detective story, set in 1930 Salt Lake City, Utah. While it is not a fast paced mystery, it is indeed a good, historical mystery, filled with the prejudice of the day; from religious to ethnic, offering a good look into this country’s past.
Based on the true murder of sociality Dorothy Dexter Moormeister who was found brutally murdered just after midnight on February 22, 1930, which remains unsolved yet today, Hunt’s Book leads the young, naïve police officer, Art Oveson into the Salt Lake City underground taking him from ‘tenderfoot’ to hard-nosed detective as his ‘rose colored glasses’ are stripped from his face and smashed by reality.
Although many claims have been made as to the loose fit this story has on the real case, I believe that Hunt has offered a real look at Salt Lake City circa 1930, making this an awesome historical fiction, just the way I like them!
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