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Frigid winter, conspiracy and murder are the themes behind The Austin Page Turners latest selection for their City Wide Read.

This year’s Minnesota offer is Cary J. Giffith and the selection is his book “Wolf Kill,” it was announced at the Austin Public Library Wednesday morning. 

Griffith, who is originally from Iowa, but now lives in Minneapolis, is the 21st author selected by the Page Turners, and will be in Austin at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center at 7 p.m. on April 27.

Bruce Richardson, a member of the Austin Page Turners, said the process to select a book began at the end of last year’s City Wide Read.

“The process is kind of long,” Richardson said. “We try to gather names of Minnesota authors who we haven’t covered before and there are always new authors coming out. We try to pick something that is worth reading for the public. We deliberate long and hard for this.”

Griffith also wrote a book called “Opening Goliath,” which takes place in the caves of southern Minnesota, but “Wolf Kill” takes place in northern Minnesota, where Sam Rivers is lured back to his hometown and makes a sinister discovery.

“It’s a romance, mystery and a fast-paced thriller,” said Page Turners member Bonnie Reitz. “This is the first in a series, so people may want to read more.”

The book will be available at the Austin Public Library, the Library’s online application and E audio listening versions will also be available. Sweet Reads Books & Candy will also have the book on hand for purchase.

“Come in and get them early, because we like to have you well read,” said Lisa Deyo, owner of Sweet Reads.

This yearly event started in 2002 with Sandra Benitez and her book “A Place Where the Sea Remembers.” Last year’s featured artist was Diane Wilson and her novel “The Seed Keeper.”

Past Authors of the Page Turners Citywide Read

2002 Sandra Benitez: A Place Where the Sea Remembers

2003 Tim O’Brien: The Things They Carried

2004 Erin Hart: Haunted Ground

2005 Patricia Hampl: St. Paul Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald

2006 Larry Engelmann: Daughter of China

2007 Lorna Landvik: A choice of her novels

2008 Will Weaver: Sweet Land: New and Selected Stories

2009 Leif Enger: So Brave, Young and Handsome

2010 William Kent Krueger: Thunder Bay

2011 Kao Kalia Yang: The Latehomecomer

2012 Ron Handberg: Deadly Reunion

2013 Peter Geye: Safe From the Sea

2014 P.S. Duffy: The Cartographer of No Man’s Land

2015 Sarah Stonich: Vacationland

2016 Allen Eskens: The Life We Bury

2017 Faith Sullivan: Good Night Mr. Wodehouse

2018 Amy Thielen: Give a Girl a Knife

2019 Loretta Ellsworth: Stars Over Clear Lake

2021 Alison McGhee: Never Coming Back

2022 Diane Wilson: The Seed Keeper

2023 Cary J. Griffith: Wolf Kill