Erin Flanagan set her Edgar-winning debut mystery DEER SEASON in the 1980’s in Gunthrum, Nebraska. The story follows the disappearance of teenager Peggy Ahren, but much of the story centers on Alma Costagan and intellectually disabled farmhand, Hal Bullard, who has become like a son to her over the years. When Hal becomes an easy target for suspicion, Alma and Milo (Peggy’s brother) are among the few people left still searching for answers.
Reader Takeaway: As someone who grew up in the rural Midwest, I loved the setting of this novel. It felt true to my experiences growing up in a similar place and time–from the network of small-town gossip to basement rec rooms and what it takes to keep a farm running. What I most appreciated was that it portrayed rural Midwesterners not as caricatures but as intelligent, complex individuals; in fact, what set the novel apart for me were the poignant insights into each character, particularly Alma and Milo. Flanagan shows us how Alma’s life has not turned out as she expected and how disappointments have begun to turn her bitter. This is a quiet, slow burn of a mystery that takes its time to fully build a world and make you care about the characters.
Writer Takeaway: I set my debut mystery HIDDEN ROOMS in rural Ohio, and although I hadn’t read DEER SEASON when I drafted it, so much of what Flanagan achieved in her this novel is exactly what I hoped to capture myself. Flanagan demonstrated how to set a riveting mystery in a “flyover” farm town by capturing the complex layers of tension between those who have lived in a place their whole lives, those who are new to town, and those who want to leave one day. I recommend this (and Flanagan’s other work) for any writer who wants to capture the overlooked depths and nuances of an under-represented place.
Kate Michaelson 
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