News junkies know Andrew Welsh-Huggins for his reporting for the Associated Press.
But before he starts that work day, the New York-born Welsh-Huggins dives into the fictional, writing mysteries set in his adopted state of Ohio. The newest, his seventh novel starring fictional former Ohio State football player Andy Hayes, is “An Empty Grave,” released earlier this month.
Hayes, famous and then notorious for his victories followed by screw-ups on the Ohio State football field, now works as a private detective and calamity magnet in Columbus. As he is eating pizza with his two sons (each with a different mother) at Plank’s on South Parsons, a stocky, balding man recognizes him as detective “Woody” Hayes (Andy’s hated nickname) and demands that he investigate the murder of his father.