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The Man in the Blizzard
If Marlowe lived in Minnesota . . .
If Spade spouted poetry . . .
If the Big Lebowski were a small-time private eye . . .
Meet Augie Boyer, private detective
“Once upon a time, Sam Spade, Miles Roby, and Bill Maher all went to Bart Schneider’s laboratory. There was an accident—a spill, a flash of lightning—and only one character came out. Schneider named him Augie Boyer. You’ll love the big lug.”
—Sean Doolittle, author of The Cleanup
Private eye Augie Boyer is out of sorts. He’s been smoking too much Pontchartrain Pootie, his favorite varietal herb, and scarfing down an excess of fried food. He can’t stop thinking of his therapist wife, who left him for another therapist, and despite his new girlfriend’s best efforts, Augie’s testosterone levels have sunk lower than the winter temperatures of Minneapolis.
On the eve of the Republican National Convention, a beautiful, blond violinist with multiple personalities walks into Augie’s office. She draws him into a complex case that involves neo-Nazi violin collectors, mind-control specialists, and thousands of antiabortion activists who’ve come to the Twin Cities for a rally that will bring new meaning to Labor Day. But when Augie uncovers an assassination plot, he must scramble to prevent a deranged act of political violence that strikes dangerously close to home.
With wit, compassion, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, Bart Schneider creates a lovable yet flawed character and delivers a thrilling contemporary tale.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
If Spade spouted poetry . . .
If the Big Lebowski were a small-time private eye . . .
Meet Augie Boyer, private detective
“Once upon a time, Sam Spade, Miles Roby, and Bill Maher all went to Bart Schneider’s laboratory. There was an accident—a spill, a flash of lightning—and only one character came out. Schneider named him Augie Boyer. You’ll love the big lug.”
—Sean Doolittle, author of The Cleanup
Private eye Augie Boyer is out of sorts. He’s been smoking too much Pontchartrain Pootie, his favorite varietal herb, and scarfing down an excess of fried food. He can’t stop thinking of his therapist wife, who left him for another therapist, and despite his new girlfriend’s best efforts, Augie’s testosterone levels have sunk lower than the winter temperatures of Minneapolis.
On the eve of the Republican National Convention, a beautiful, blond violinist with multiple personalities walks into Augie’s office. She draws him into a complex case that involves neo-Nazi violin collectors, mind-control specialists, and thousands of antiabortion activists who’ve come to the Twin Cities for a rally that will bring new meaning to Labor Day. But when Augie uncovers an assassination plot, he must scramble to prevent a deranged act of political violence that strikes dangerously close to home.
With wit, compassion, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, Bart Schneider creates a lovable yet flawed character and delivers a thrilling contemporary tale.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
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20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 25, 2008
I liked this story, which is set against the backdrop of the upcoming 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul. I particularly liked the very thinly veiled references to the governor and other well-known Minnesota types.
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September 27, 2022A fun romp around Mpls and St. Paul during the Republican convention that includes violins stolen by Nazis, murderous right wing anti-choicers, a poetry reciting detective, and a private investigator who smokes too much pot. Lots of place and name dropping for Minneapolitans.
August 28, 2013
Blizzard is one of a pair with Schneider's The Nameless Dame, and the two lead detectives--Bobby Sabbatini and Augustus Boyer are a pair as well. Boyer is a pothead private eye with a rock-star daughter. Sabbatini is, in Blizzard, a detective with the Minneapolis police. The "Blizzard" in the title refers not to a Minnesota snowstorm, but to a Thomas McGrath poem that reflects the protagonist's state of mind and spirit.
Sabbatini, you see, has become not only enamored of poetry, but an evangelist. He's on a mission to get everyone around him memorizing poetry with the idea that it will transform individual lives and eventually the world. If you're an English major like me, you eventually get bummed at the number of poets and lines you've never heard of. You feel like a poetic illiterate. Still, Bart Schneider picks good poetry, appropriate to the situation, so my angst is not his fault.
Here's a Creeley poem, for example (I've heard and read of Creeley, so it's not him I'm talking about when I talk about illiteracy):
As I sd to my
friend, because I am always talking, --John, I
sd, which was not his name, the darkness sur-
rounds us, what
can we do against
it, or else, shall we &
why not, buy a goddamn big
car. . .
Believe me, the verse fits, and it brings a smile, as so much of Augie Boyle's narration does.
And, oh, the crimes. It's right before the Republican convention, and a big right-to-life rally is planned. There's a lot of big money involved and an enormous amount of hanky-panky with guns and violins and Nazi's. Augie's daughter's a target of the extremists, which makes the whole thing very personal.
The tale meanders a bit, as befits Boyle's impaired state, but the conclusion is as fast, furious, and suspenseful as you could want. A book with a very positive difference.
Sabbatini, you see, has become not only enamored of poetry, but an evangelist. He's on a mission to get everyone around him memorizing poetry with the idea that it will transform individual lives and eventually the world. If you're an English major like me, you eventually get bummed at the number of poets and lines you've never heard of. You feel like a poetic illiterate. Still, Bart Schneider picks good poetry, appropriate to the situation, so my angst is not his fault.
Here's a Creeley poem, for example (I've heard and read of Creeley, so it's not him I'm talking about when I talk about illiteracy):
As I sd to my
friend, because I am always talking, --John, I
sd, which was not his name, the darkness sur-
rounds us, what
can we do against
it, or else, shall we &
why not, buy a goddamn big
car. . .
Believe me, the verse fits, and it brings a smile, as so much of Augie Boyle's narration does.
And, oh, the crimes. It's right before the Republican convention, and a big right-to-life rally is planned. There's a lot of big money involved and an enormous amount of hanky-panky with guns and violins and Nazi's. Augie's daughter's a target of the extremists, which makes the whole thing very personal.
The tale meanders a bit, as befits Boyle's impaired state, but the conclusion is as fast, furious, and suspenseful as you could want. A book with a very positive difference.
July 21, 2008
A great read with well drawn characters!
Have a trip to Minn-St. Paul coming up-this is the book for you.
Have a trip to Minn-St. Paul coming up-this is the book for you.
March 27, 2009
The many local references almost made up for the writing.
August 21, 2008
Great story encompassing what's really going on in today's political climate. Very funny real life characters, main character Augie Boyer reminds me of an old boyfriend...
November 21, 2008
the most predicable book ever written. my pug could ahve written this in his sleep
February 13, 2009
Good story. An aging private investigator gets caught up in stolen violins which were taken by the Nazi's from Jews that were murdered. His life is in somewhat of a mess, but all is good.
March 10, 2011
So. Much. Reefage.
It was entertaining enough; favorite passages were when the main characters would get high and recite poetry to each other.
It was entertaining enough; favorite passages were when the main characters would get high and recite poetry to each other.
July 9, 2011
Really?
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews