Festival of Crime: The Twin Cities Sisters in Crime

Minnesota may be the land of 10,000 lakes, but based on the 19 tales in this middling Sisters in Crime anthology, the state is home to nearly as many festivals. Among the better stories is Barbara Merritt Deese’s “Release,” set at a mass release of raptors rehabilitated in captivity, during which an abused woman finds her own release. The Minnesota St. Paul International Film Festival stars in Mickie Turk’s chilling “Best of the Fest,” about a long-delayed reunion, while M.E. Bakos’s “Carpe Diem or Murder at the Carp Fest” depicts an obnoxious shoe store manager’s apt demise. The final entry, Douglas Dorow’s satisfying “All Sales Final,” involves two deceitful Chicago bargain hunters at the Pelican Rapid’s Art in the Park festival. This volume should attract strong regional interest, but in general the stories aren’t good enough to merit much attention outside the area. [em](Aug.) [/em]