(Ted Haynes | Photos courtesy of Ted Haynes)
Pole Pedal Murder, the fourth book in Ted Haynes’ Northwest Murder Mystery series set in Bend, reached bookstores on July 12. Continuing characters from the previous books joyously compete in the annual Pole Pedal Paddle race (downhill ski, cross-country ski, bike, run, kayak and sprint) while attempting to solve two puzzling murders — a champion skier who seems to have hung herself for no reason and a prominent citizen who has no apparent enemies.
The killer, or killers, have hidden their tracks well and Sheriff’s Detective Carl Breuninger is challenged to find not only the murderers, but any reason for anyone to pick these victims. Sarah Chatham, the first victim’s attorney and reluctant executor of her estate, struggles to find where the woman hid a fortune she apparently embezzled.
Author Ted Haynes says, “The Pole Pedal Paddle is such a terrific event I couldn’t resist plunking down a story right in the middle of it. Thousands of people enjoy it so much, whether they are seriously competing or racing in crazy costumes or having fun with their families or a group of friends. They train for it and anticipate it for months. It takes a tremendous amount of planning and training for everyone involved — racers, their support teams, the organizers, the sheriff’s department and all the volunteers. The race shows off the unique breadth of Bend’s outdoor sports opportunities. And it is sort of rite of spring, coming as Bend is emerging from winter, even starting in the snow and ending on a grassy lawn by a river. When I watched the race this year, every leg of it, I was struck by how much people were enjoying it. Setting a good mystery in the midst of such a great event has been a treat for me, and I hope it will be for everyone who reads the book.”
The book introduces us to an egotistical doctor, an accidentally rich computer geek, a not-too-bright gang member, a scheming accountant, an athletic astronomer, a fishing guide in over his head with career criminals and a strict but gracious banker. The mix of characters, some honorable and some not, will keep readers guessing right up to the twist at the end.
Pole Pedal Murder is the fourth book in the Northwest Murder Mysteries series, all set in Central Oregon. The first three books in the series — Suspects, The Mirror Pond Murders and The Mt. Bachelor Murders — received enthusiastic reviews from readers, bookstores, libraries and the press. A fifth mystery set in Sunriver is in the works. Anyone who loves mysteries and the Pacific Northwest will thoroughly enjoy these stories.
Ted is an accomplished author of both history and fiction. In addition to the Nortwest Murder Mystery series, books by Ted Haynes set in Central Oregon include Vandevert — The Hundred Year History of a Central Oregon Ranch (nonfiction written with Grace Vandevert McNellis) and On the Road from Burns — Stories from Central Oregon (short stories).
Ted and his wife first visited Bend in 1975, and built a log house on the Little Deschutes River in 2007. Ted is a member of Mystery Writers of America and a founding board member of the Waterston Prize for Desert Writing, recently adopted by the High Desert Museum. He is a fly fisherman and competitive master swimmer. Ted has studied fiction writing with Hillary Jordan, Lynn Stegner, Nancy Packer and Martha Conway.
Pole Pedal Murder is now available in bookstores and in electronic versions.
The book is distributed to bookstores by Ingram, the price is $14.99 and the ISBN is 978-1-7331544-4-4.