Praise for not that kind of Place
“Not That Kind of Place utterly captivates … David’s journey to understanding is low-key, almost laconic, but this approach only adds power to the narrative, leaving it to the reader to carry the weight of his new understanding. It’s a brilliant approach and a brilliant novel.”
—Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW
“Not That Kind of Place is almost certainly unlike any murder mystery you’ve read and it’s extraordinary.”
—Winnipeg Free Press
“This is not a conventional who-done-it … The hunt here isn’t so much the search for the murderer, as the revelation of the collective malaise. We don’t live where we think we live. We are not who we think we are.”
—Miramichi Reader
“Haunting and atmospheric, Not That Kind of Place explores violence, obsession, community, and family while turning a sharp eye on the true crime genre and its emotional and social landscape.”
—Open Book
“Melgaard is interested in peeling back the placid surface of small-town life to expose the rot and decay beneath.”
—Toronto Star
“No matter how it looks on a postcard, every small town has its secrets. In his enthralling debut novel Not That Kind of Place, Michael Melgaard deftly explores how those secrets can erode the mythology of a place, and reveal ultimate truths on their own. Through a richly layered story crafted at a riveting pace, Melgaard exposes the faults of the idyllic snapshot of Canadiana and the collective humanity needed to face tragedy and heal as a community. This novel is at once a compelling mystery and a sharp social critique, bringing the voices of the marginalized to the centre and forcing us to question the power imbalance of any Canadian community.”
—Waubgeshig Rice, Author of Moon of the Crusted Snow
"Much more than just an absorbing mystery, Not That Kind Of Place, shines its light beyond the standard coverage of true crime, to the depths of deep-rooted societal injustice. A page-turning exploration of what actually goes into making a town what it is."
—Iain Reid, Author of I’m Thinking of Ending Things