A new crime novel uses Grand Rapids annual (soon to be semi-annual) ArtPrize as its setting, and references many familiar places around town.

"Beer City Detective", is a murder mystery by Gail Meade which takes place at the annual fall ArtPrize event, and revolves around the death of a Eastown shop owner. It is published by McGriff and Bell.

According to Lansing State Journal book reviewer Ray Walsh, the book highlights quite a few local landmarks in its wandering story about the underworld of GR.

It focuses on the investigations of Detective Ginger Finch, who’s been on the force for eight years, including five in Undercover Narcotics.
She’s called in on the murder case of 26-year-old Keri Bodrey, who ran a small second-hand store in Eastown.
Bodrey had a more secret life, working part-time for a deluxe escort service.
Finch learns a lot more about the pretty woman and her associates as she digs deeper into the case.

An important but obvious clue leads to her arresting Jeffrey Rathbone, a strange photographer/activist who’s participating in the city’s Annual Art Prize competition.
Although others are lauding her work, she has a gut feeling that Rathbone, who’s quite bizarre, is not the true killer.

The book is available through McGriff and Bell. E-mail them for information: mailto:mcgriffandbell@gmail.com.

Walsh says Meade is the pseudonym of former Michigan State pitcher Rob Ellis, who also pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers in the major leagues.

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