The headline is explosive. The clock is ticking. Can he uncover the lies before a community self-destructs?
Freelance journalist Frank Dodge vowed to stay by his estranged lover’s side until the bitter end. But when he’s offered a plum assignment covering the economic impact of frac sand mining, he’s torn between his career and reconciling with his dying ex. Believing he can do both, he’s midway through the gig when a bomb goes off, taking innocent lives.
Discovering that corruption runs fatally deep in the clash between greedy corporates and luckless locals, Dodge chases the story into high-stakes territory. But the investigation takes him far from his former partner’s deathbed when he realizes his major national scoop could take down powerful forces causing widespread environmental destruction.
Will Dodge’s exposure of greed-driven crime cost him more than a guilt-ridden promise?
Letting Go in La Crosse is the third book in the gritty Frank Dodge mystery series. If you like snarky heroes, dark humor, and communities battling for survival, then you’ll love Dean Klinkenberg’s engaging page-turner.
Buy Letting Go in La Crosse to reveal the truth today!
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Book Summary
In this third Frank Dodge mystery, travel writer Frank returns to his hometown area of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for what should be a straightforward assignment about sand mining’s impact on tourism. While there, he finds himself caught between his past and present – visiting his former partner Greg who is dying from Alzheimer’s disease, while unexpectedly starting a new relationship. As Frank investigates the controversial sand mining industry dividing the community, he becomes entangled in a web of greed, corruption, and violence that forces him to confront difficult truths about trust, forgiveness, and moving forward.
Discussion Questions
1. How does the novel explore the theme of letting go – both literally and metaphorically? What are the different things various characters need to let go of?
2. The sand mining controversy divides the community between economic opportunity and environmental/quality of life concerns. How does the author present the different perspectives? Did you find yourself sympathizing with one side more than the other?
3. Frank struggles with guilt over leaving Greg after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. How do you think you would handle a similar situation with a partner? What obligations do we have to sick partners?
4. The novel takes place in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin/Minnesota. How does the author use this unique setting to enhance the story? What role does sense of place play?
5. Trust and deception are major themes in the book. How do different characters navigate truth and lies in their relationships? What role does self-deception play?
6. How does Frank’s relationship with Greg’s sister Emily evolve over the course of the novel? What allows them to move past their previous antagonism?
7. The novel explores how communities change over time – both Frank’s hometown and the broader region. How do characters deal with these changes differently? What determines whether change is viewed as progress or decline?
8. What role does forgiveness play in the story – both self-forgiveness and forgiving others? Which characters struggle most with forgiveness and why?
9. How does Frank’s career as a travel writer inform how he approaches investigating the sand mining story? What are the benefits and drawbacks of his outsider perspective?
10. The ending forces Frank to make difficult choices. Do you agree with his decisions? What would you have done differently in his situation?