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Pecked to Death...or...Murder Under the Prairie Chicken

by Gary Wigdahl

Believed to be the first work of fiction ever written to make mention of Rothsay and its surrounding area, Pecked to Death...or...Murder Under the Prairie Chicken by retired North Dakota State University award-winning history professor Gerald Anderson is in short a murder mystery, the third in a series of murder mysteries featuring fictional Otter Tail County Sheriff Palmer Knutson.

In a review of a previous murder mystery by Dr. Anderson, a Hitterdal native, entitled Murder Under the Loon, set in the Vergas area, Kirkus Review notes: "Anderson's latest disptach from Otter Tail County keeps you guessing while gently guiding you through the intracacies of relationships among Swedes, Finns and Norwegians."

Murder Under the Loon is the second in the murder mystery series by Dr. Anderson. The first was Death Before Dinner. An earlier novel by Professor Anderson, is The Uffda Trial, which also, by the way, deals with the intricacies of personal relationships in a Scandinavian community.

Getting back to Pecked to Death...or...Murder Under the Prairie Chicken, on an Easter weekend a retired Harley Davidson worker from Milwaukee and his wife are en route through Minnesota lakes country when they stop off in Rothsay to take a gander at Art Fosse's prairie chicken monument. At the foot of the monument they discover the body of Stover Stordahl, a mild-mannered man employed as a custodian at Fergus Falls State University, never thought to be a threat to anyone. Meanwhile, throw into the mix an 80-acre parcel of land that has been rumored willed to both a bird watching conservation group as well as to an organization representing local game hunters--in the minds of some of diametrically opposing purposes--leads to speculation as to just who might have had a motive for the murder. Add to this melange a third party, namely that of a group interested in building an $80 million ethanol plant, plus a congressman up for re-election who also happens to have a vested interest in the ethanol plant. Thus it is up to Knutson and his chief deputy, Orly Peterson, to figure out a motive and piece together additional parts of the puzzle.

Anderson makes ample use of his history background to weave in local, national and international events of interest, for example tossing into conversation jingles of oldtime television cigarette commercials, such as "Winston takes good like a cigarette should," or "I'd walk a mile for a Camel." Deputy Peterson is too young to remember a time when cigarette advertising was a staple on television.

Anderson deftly defines the conflict between conservationists and proponents of provisions supported by groups such as the National Rifle Association. In addition, he also tracks the inner workings of money, land development, business expansion and political operatives. In short, he keeps one guessing as to ulterior motives, especially where greasy or sleazy characters are involved. Although a serious work of fiction and mystery, Pecked to Death...or...Murder Under the Prairie Chicken does have its lighter moments, some of them involving a little Scandinavian humor.

The book is available through the Viking Library System headquartered in Fergus Falls and online at Amazon.com