In the Absence of Honor

by Jim Proebstle

When Jake Lorenz retreats to his family's cabin in the North Minnesota woods for the winter, he s looking for peace, quiet, and time to reflect on the loss of his wife and his job. But instead, he finds destruction and death--a gruesome murder scene on his very doorstep. The more he discovers about the death, the deeper he is drawn into a shadowy struggle for land, wealth, and power. There are forceful men who don t want him to search any further: the corrupt tribal council that controls the nearby Ojibwe casino, the secretive and antisocial plutocrat who owns half the peninsula, and the ruthless Indian Mafia, to name a few. But to save the community he loves, which is set in this harsh and lovely wilderness, Jake must battle personal demons and the deadly forces of man and nature to learn the truth. With origins dating back 200 years and outcomes that could appear in tomorrow's newspaper, In the Absence of Honor whisks readers through a tale of conspiracy, fraud, deception, and betrayal--that reverberate from a small northern community and Indian reservation to powerful forces in Washington, D.C.

329 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Florence Osmund · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. The plot is intriguing, the characters well-developed, and the writing style easy to read. The author includes all the essential elements of good fiction—a descriptive setting, memorable characters, an interesting plot, and lots of suspense. Kudos to Jim Proebstle for weaving this creative and engaging tale--a compelling mixture of historical facts and imaginative fiction.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending seemed to take a long time to wrap-up. I was ready for the book to end.

[Tien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake Lorenz was running away from his life - losing his wife then his job, he needed to get away, to hide for a little bit. And so, he escaped to his family's cabin. His welcome though consisted of a thrashed cabin and a dead Indian in the shed. What else can go wrong?

Despite the unfortunate events in his life the Jake has to work through, he is a decent man. One whom many appreciated. The way things were going though, he really needed to get it resolve. This is where Agent Donna Lynch came in. Not only is she an intelligent and competent agent but she is one woman whom finally Jake could be interested in since his wife has passed away.

Against Donna and Jake are two money grabbing villains with a web of conspiracy for more money making schemes. Will they prevail in conserving the Indian heritage or will it be lost to real estate development to make rich people even richer?

[Prodyne1]

John, This is my first novel and while the feedback and acceptance have been terrific, I would love to hear what other members of goodreads thinks.

In the Absence of Honor is a conspiracy involving a corrupt Ojibwe tribal council and their flawed battle with a wealthy brewery executive over a valuable piece of land for a casino. 200 years of history tie the land into a contemporary Northwoods story that uncovers an Indian Mafia with tentacles reaching to Washington DC. Power, greed, murder, love and hope motivate the characters in reaching their outcome.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sat next to Jim (the author) on my flight to Vegas in March of 2008 and we talked about Pillars of the Earth which he was reading and I had just finished. I LOVED that book and he told me that he was not so impressed with it. Needless to say that started off a great conversation which lead to him telling me about his book, the story behind why he started writing, his research process, the editing process. Amazing man to have a conversation with. Picked up this book the day it came out and it is sitting in my "TO READ" pile. Can't wait to get to it!

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This takes place on the northern part of Minnesota. It's about the evil Native American Mafia, Indian casinos, vs the evil landowner, and the good guys. Bodies are killed, raped, maimed, buried and reburied. Best part of the book was that it took place in my state and many real places were mentioned (Hey, I've been there!).

[Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this book continues to be as pleasing as it has been up to now, it is definitely a winner.

[Maira · Rating 3 out of 5]

We gave this as a gift to my mom-in-law, and I promptly read it the day of and the day after xmas. Not bad, I've read worse, I've read better.

[Tracy Bloch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Met this guy in Bemidji this past summer. Good first novel. Will be interesting to see how the next ones are. Setting takes place in northern MN.

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of murder and hidden power in woodsy Minnesota.