Gone to Dust: A Novel

In Gone to Dust, Nils Shapiro is a private eye living in Minneapolis. His friend Anders with the Edina Police calls him to consult on a case. Edina is a high-class neighborhood where they haven’t seen a murder in ten years. The murder victim, Maggie, was found in dead in her house, with both her and the entire residence as well as her car covered in vacuum-cleaner dirt, contaminating all potential DNA evidence. Nils has his work cut out for him, especially when he finds out the main suspect is someone he grew up with and whom the FBI is currently investigating. Secrets begin to surface in Maggie’s life and the lives of those around her. Nils will have to sift through it all to discover the murderer’s true identity and motive.

You never know how it’s going to go when a comedian sets out to write a mystery or drama. But Matt Goldman did a great job. Nils was a charming character, his sarcastic wit and tenacity made him incredibly likable. One thing I found very interesting about this book is that none of the characters were very unlikable. There wasn’t really anyone that you were hoping did it and got what they deserved. Each person came off as someone with a story and a background that made them who they were and dictated the choices they made. It was like there was no real bad guy, which is a different approach to most detective stories. I liked that about the book.

There’s some language and some sex scenes, but it’s a great story overall. Goldman really does have storytelling abilities, and I thought this was a wonderful book to start his writing career. I honestly hope there are more Nils Shapiro stories to come.