REVIEW Critic's 1st mystery is a winner

With a simple and not-so-suspenseful plot, the characters are the hook.
By DAVID MONTGOMERY
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
"Season's Greetings," by Henry Kisor (Forge, $19.95)
It is a unique situation when a book critic turns his hand to writing a novel of his own. After spending so much time critiquing the work of others, it is interesting to see whether or not he has the talent to match up to the authors he writes about. In the case of Chicago Sun-Times literary columnist Henry Kisor, at least, the answer is a definite "yes."
Kisor has written a book that one imagines will please his colleagues in the literary community, as well as a good number of mystery fans. "Season's Greetings" is a light, enjoyable mystery, with a deft use of setting, realistic and intriguing characters, and a plot that is interesting and direct.
Set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Kisor's first mystery involves the death of one of the richest men in the area, a well-known outdoorsman who has made more than a few enemies over the course of the years. Paul Passoja's mauled body is found in the deep woods, the apparent victim of a bear attack. But not everyone is convinced it was an accident.
Believable characters
While the "whodunit" of "Season's Greetings" is simple and not especially suspenseful, that hardly seems to matter, as the real hook here is the characters. The protagonist of the story, Deputy Sheriff Steve Martinez, is an excellently drawn man. A Lakota Indian who was raised by white parents, he makes a believable and somewhat different hero. Martinez is interesting for his dual, conflicted nature -- which Kisor wisely never overdoes -- but even more so for his basic, gentle humanity.
There are times when this books reads like one written by a critic, with overly-formal language and slightly stiff syntax. Fortunately, though, those hitches are few and confined to the opening chapters. After that, Kisor finds his way and settles down to tell a simple, but interesting story of ordinary people.