Middle of Nowhere may be characterized by its excessively convoluted plot leading right back to where it started. The "middle of nowhere" of the title signifies where one of the climaxes of the novel takes place, among some high-tension towers outside of Seattle; it also signifies the way Boldt is caught between the personal and the professional in a no-man's-land of conflicting loyalties. However, it might also refer to the structure of the book. The novel begins with the assault on Officer Maria Sanchez (who was investigating crooked cops) and ends with the apprehension of the crooked cops who assaulted her to keep her from discovering the truth about their gun scheme; in between there are several plot twists leading the reader into the "middle of nowhere" as we struggle to figure out what the several threads have to do with one another. Pearson's novel is constructed as...