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Allen Eskens is an American author that writes mystery novels. He spent his childhood in Missouri before going north after finishing high school. He attended the University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Arts in Journalism) and Hamline University School of Law (Juris Doctorate).
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Order of Detective Max Rupert Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Life We Bury | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Guise of Another | 2015 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Heavens May Fall | 2016 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Deep Dark Descending | 2017 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | The Shadows We Hide | 2018 | Description / Buy |
Order of Lila Nash Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Stolen Hours | 2021 | Description / Buy |
Order of Allen Eskens Standalone Novels
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nothing More Dangerous | 2019 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Forsaken Country | 2022 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Saving Emma | 2023 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Quiet Librarian | 2025 | Description / Buy |
He also found the time to join Minnesota State University’s MFA program, not to mention stints at the Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis, and the Iowa Summer Writing Festival.
The author’s first novel was ‘The Life We Bury,’ which came out in 2014. The book told the story of Joe Talbert, a college student that went to a nursing home to interview a dying Vietnam veteran. Talbert was tasked with writing a short biography on a stranger.
But Carl Iverson’s story did not make sense. It had inconsistencies that the student couldn’t explain. The inspiration for ‘The Life We Bury’ came from an actual college assignment. Like Talbert, Eskens was tasked with writing a short biography on a stranger. He also found his subject in a nursing home.
The book was well-received, attracting awards recognition and numerous positive reviews. Before long, it had been translated into over 20 languages. The success of the novel astounded the author.
As a child, Eskens was an avid daydreamer. His report card said as much. Though, it was a criticism rather than a compliment at the time. The author is a visual storyteller. For Eskens, every idea is a seed, one he nurtures by sitting back and daydreaming. Sometimes, those seeds morph into novels.
Before he writes them, the author’s books play on the screen of his mind. He can envision them as clearly as any movie. As such, when he was asked to write a screenplay of his first novel, he was well equipped to accomplish the objective.
It took Eskens longer than he expected to pursue his publishing dreams. He practiced law for 25 years. While he enjoyed it, legal writing did not generate the same joy as fiction writing.
As a lawyer, Eskens wrote with the intention of arguing. As a writer, he had the freedom to explore his creative depths. Even though the author published his first novel in 2014, he did not close his practice until 2016.
The decision wasn’t particularly difficult because the passion for writing stayed with Eskens during his time in the legal field. He had no qualms about abandoning the law to write fiction. Unlike some of his peers, he doesn’t use his real-life experiences as a lawyer to write his novels.
Though, he uses everything he knows about legal and law enforcement procedures to enhance the authenticity of his stories. Additionally, the legal field gave Eskens an appreciation for the complexities of writing.
He disagrees with people who think that anyone who reads can write. From what he has seen, writing requires continuous study.
Allen Eskens Awards
Eskens’s list of accolades includes Barry, Silver Falchion, Rosebud, and Minnesota Book Awards.
Best Allen Eskens Books
It is not enough for the author to produce compelling mysteries. He wants to write stories that engage readers emotionally. Eskens’ best novels include:
The Life We Bury: Joe Talbert was determined to complete his writing assignment. The student’s English class wanted him to write a short biography on a stranger. When he walked into the local nursing home, he had no idea that Carl Iverson would change his life.
Iverson, a Vietnam veteran, had been incarcerated for rape and murder. And now, he was dying. Talbert couldn’t understand how a war hero had committed such atrocious crimes. This drove the student to investigate Iverson’s claims, hoping to reconcile the veteran’s past with his present.
The Heavens May Fall: Max’s wife died four years ago. He should have steered clear of the Jennavieve Pruitt case because it was opening old wounds and putting his friendship with Boady Sanden in jeopardy.
Max was confident that Ben, Jennavieve’s husband, had killed her. But Ben was Boady’s client. More importantly, Boady was convinced of his client’s innocence.
The attorney had a compelling reason to stand his ground in the face of Max’s accusations. Boady allowed an innocent client to die. His actions kept haunting him, which is why he hadn’t taken on a defense case since that day. Ben has given Boady the opportunity he desperately needs to redeem himself.
When Does The Next Allen Eskens book come out?
The next book by Allen Eskens is The Quiet Librarian and will be released on February, 18th 2025.