For the past few Januaries, Whitefish Bay author Nick Petrie has released new books featuring the adventures of former Marine combat veteran, and Milwaukeean, Peter Ash. And for the same few Januaries, Lake Effect has had him come on the show to give us a preview. This January is no different. Tear It Down is novel number four. It officially drops on Jan. 15.
Petrie says he never imagined talking about book number one, let alone four.
"I never thought the first book would see the light of day," he says. "And here I am: The fourth book is going to be out any minute, I'm revising the fifth book, I've got plans for six and seven ... life is strange and wonderful."
So far, only the first book in the series, The Drifter, takes place in Milwaukee. His second book, Burning Bright, features the Pacific Northwest and third book, Light It Up, Colorado. Tear It Down heads south to Memphis, Tenn. Petrie says setting really intrigues him.
"The wonderful thing about this character, who is really kind of rootless, is that I can really set a book in the place that suits the story best," he explains. "And in a way the story that I'm telling comes out of the place that it's in."
Nick Petrie launches Tear It Down at Boswell Book Company on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. in a conversation with Bonnie North.
