UW Press: Eleven Miles to Oshkosh

“A fast-paced, heartwarming mystery and coming-of-age tale that will appeal to readers from baby boomers to teens. The likable hero struggles with adolescence even as he searches for his father's killer, and as his small town's neighborliness is tainted with prejudice and corruption.”
—Patricia Skalka, author of Death Rides the Ferry

As the Vietnam War grinds on and the Nixon presidency collapses, Del “Minnow” Finwick's small world in Wisconsin has blown apart. His father, a deputy sheriff, has been murdered by the unknown “Highway 41 Killer.” His mom has unraveled. And a goon named Larry Buskin has been pummeling Minnow behind Neenah High. Minnow finds support in the company of his roguish grandfather, his loyal pal, Mark; and beautiful Opal Parsons, who has her own worries as the first African American student in their school. When the sheriff seems in no hurry to solve the murder, Minnow must seek justice by partnering with unlikely allies and discovering his own courage.

Jim Guhl grew up in the Fox Valley of Wisconsin in the 1960s and '70s and now lives in Hudson, Wisconsin. He is a writer and visual artist.

“Guhl’s straightforward style and unexpected plot twists, combined with a bit of Wisconsin history and plenty of local flavor, make Eleven Miles to Oshkosh a memorable, heartwarming and enjoyable debut novel.”
—Milwaukee Magazine

“Filled with some dangerous, even deadly, action—including a car chase across frozen Lake Winnebago, and hand-to-hand combat, which engaged me, not a young adult reader, perfectly”
—Alabama Public Radio

“Guhl’s craftsmanship is remarkable. . . . Eleven Miles will captivate readers of all ages.”
—Peninsula Pulse

“A gripping novel sure to entertain young readers and give their grandparents a trip down memory lane. Guhl's cleanly suspenseful story delivers hard lessons about greed, violence, racism, and the value of an independent spirit, all in family-friendly language laced with a history of the Fox Valley.”
—Abby Frucht, author of Polly's Ghost

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