Opening up the new mystery/thriller 'The Killer Speech' by Kevin Kluesner | Lit Wisconsin
Lit Wisconsin is a sporadic series of stories in which we highlight the work of writers from Wisconsin or with ties to the state. Today we delve into the new mystery/thriller fiction book "The Killer Speech" by New Berlin author Kevin Kluesner.
About the writer, Kevin Kluesner
The 65-year-old Kluesner spent a large chunk of his working career working as an administrator in the health care field, most recently for a Milwaukee hospital and a mental health emergency center. But writing always has been a part of his life. After graduating with a degree in journalism from Marquette University, Kluesner thought he would work for a newspaper and write novels on the side.
"This was 1980, mortgage rates were moving to 20 percent and professional jobs of any kind for kids like me fresh out of school with no real experience were scarce," Kluesner said in an email interview.
He landed a job in public relations at La Crosse's Viterbo College, then a La Crosse hospital. "And my career took off from there. Absolutely no regrets though, because I feel like I've been blessed to fill a number of roles where I could make a positive impact for the most vulnerable residents in my community."
Meanwhile, he never let go of his writing dream. Kluesner said his writing has a foundation in reading.
"I read for enjoyment and to escape from stress," he said. Usually he reads a book a week, and the vast majority of the books he consumes are thrillers.
"Most good authors seem to say the key to strong writing is to read and write a lot. And to write primarily in the genre(s) you most enjoy. So that's who I became a debut thriller novelist at 63."
About the book, "The Killer Speech"
"The Killer Speech" is the second novel in a series that features FBI agent Cole Huebsch. He's on the case when a U.S. senator is shot while jogging in Milwaukee, the morning after he gave a rousing speech at his party's national convention.
Huebsch finds himself embroiled in a case that includes delving into not only the shooting, but big pharma, the health insurance industry and more.
"The Killer Speech" is published by Level Best Books, a Maryland publisher that focuses on mysteries and thrillers.
If you're a fan of Wisconsin settings, the Huebsch novels don't disappoint. "The Killer Speech" features plenty of real places in Milwaukee and beyond, including the Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.
"I may complain about our winters at times," Kluesner said, "but my love for Wisconsin is reflected in my writing. My characters reflect Wisconsin values. And it's easier to set the scenes and make them feel real to readers when I've been to different sites multiple times."
In Kluesner's first book, "The Killer Sermon," Huebsch is after an anti-abortion extremist who targets reproductive rights physicians for murder.
How to buy "The Killer Speech"
The book is available online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound and other retailers. It costs $16.95 for a print copy and $5.99 for an e-book. It's also available at some libraries, Kluesner notes, and some retail bookstores.
Features reporter Keith Uhlig is based in Wausau. Contact him at 715-845-0651 or kuhlig@gannett.com. Follow him at @UhligK on Twitter and Instagram or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: New Berlin author pens 'The Killer Speech,' a Wisconsin-based thriller
