Meritorious Mysteries

Elaine Viets to host Internet radio show

2012-01-24T16:44:00.003-05:00

The “Dead-End Jobs Radio Show”

Bestselling mystery author Elaine Viets will host a half-hour talk show on Radio Ear Network, starting Monday, January 30. “The Dead-End Jobs Show,” named for her award-winning mystery series, will feature the extraordinary secrets of ordinary jobs, offbeat jobs and unusual jobs.

Radio Ear Network (REN) is Internet radio, bringing innovative talk and independent music to more than 6 million listeners around the globe. In keeping with the show’s global theme, guests for the first shows include yacht chef Victoria Allman, international hairstylist Mario Ortega, and world traveler Kay Gordy, who will discuss how to be a guest or a host for SERVAS, an organization in more than 100 countries.

Elaine will host a different guest each week and the show will air three times:

Monday 1 p.m. EST
Tuesday 10 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time, 5 a.m. EST
Wednesday 6 p.m. EST

REN is a member of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, with members in 115 countries, including NPR. It’s owned by Amanatee Group LLC of Chicago and Sarasota, Florida.

Listeners can hear REN’s shows on their computers. Elaine’s show can be downloaded to iPods, iPads, Nook, Kindle, Kobo or other e-tablets. Download podcasts or for tablet computers

Elaine Viets hosted the syndicated “Travel Holiday Radio Show” and was a commentator for National Public Radio station KWMU. She is a frequent guest on local, national and international radio shows. She hosted a primetime television program, “Viets Beat,” for KMOV-TV in St. Louis and won two local Emmys.

Elaine writes two national bestselling mystery series. Her critically acclaimed Dead-End Job series is a satiric look at a serious subject – the minimum-wage world. Her Fort Lauderdale character, Helen Hawthorne, works a different low-paying job each book, from telemarketer to hotel maid. Publishers Weekly called her hardcover debut “wry social commentary.” Elaine’s second series features St. Louis mystery shopper Josie Marcus. Its debut tied with Stephen King for first place on the IMBA bestseller list. Elaine has won the Agatha, Anthony and Lefty Awards. Visit her website.

Blood Country by Mary Logue (Kindle edition)

2012-01-18T17:24:00.003-05:00

Serendipity strikes again! I just happened to see the notice that this first-in-series is a free download through Sunday, January 21. I've recommended this series for years, and I'm delighted that new folks can be introduced to Logue's Claire Watkins.

A Mystery Loss

2012-01-14T11:38:00.003-05:00

A note from Kathryn Kennison and Ruth Dudley Edwards brought the sad news of Reginald Hill's passing. The Telegraph has a lovely obituary.

The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin (Little, Brown)

2012-01-06T14:47:00.002-05:00

Inspector Malcolm Fox and two assistants have been sent from Edinburgh to investigate police corruption in the town of Kirkcaldy, County Fife. Fox is a member of what we in the Colonies call Internal Affairs and in Scotland is known as Complaints—a division of all police departments despised by other coppers. Their only responsibility is the investigation of police corruption.

Fox and his crew are to widen the investigation of Paul Carter (already confirmed as a policeman willing to exchange sexual favors from women in order to overlook minor offenses). Several other policemen may be involved with Carter, if for nothing but overlooking his misdeeds. Carter was turned in by his uncle, ex-cop Alan Carter. As Fox and his team widen their investigation, Alan Carter turns up dead—an apparent suicide. To complicate matters it appears that Alan Carter was looking at a case he was involved in back in 1985.

The team must decide the investigation’s width and whether there is any connection between the two cases, realizing they will be stepping on official toes!

There is good reason Ian Rankin is considered among the best writers of the genre.
--Stephen Bank

One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt (Minotaur)

2011-12-28T13:20:00.002-05:00

It takes something special for wealthy, and, admittedly lazy, defense attorney Andy Carpenter to take a case, but when the proposed defendant turns out to be the former owner of Andy's wonder dog Tara, he is compelled to action. Making the case difficult from the beginning, his client, Noah Galloway, is determined to plead guilty to a horrific crime he thinks he may have committed while under the influence of drugs. Also in play at the same time is political and judicial corruption with far-flung influence.

Rosenfelt's fans won't be surprised that Andy's team is well up to the challenge, but will delight in the clever solutions—and the delightful canines which enrich the series. I always look forward to a visit with Andy Carpenter and the surprisingly light manner that reveals the dark secrets.

FTC Disclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.

The Silent Oligarch by Chris Morgan Jones (Penguin)

2011-12-26T10:42:00.002-05:00

Behind the doors of some of the world’s richest companies lie secrets that the owners want secret. An entire industry has grown up whose only purpose is to ferret out information on the shenanigans that go on behind those doors. These companies are called business intelligence agencies; Jones worked for one 11 years before writing this book. His initial effort is a spine-tingling international thriller, as we follow Benjamin Webster on his hunt to bring down a nondescript but powerful bureaucrat named Konstantin Malin.

Webster is lucky to be alive after he is captured during an earlier investigation into the dealings of a company in one of the former Soviet Socialist Republics. His reporter companion was not as lucky. The book then jumps into the future to 2009 where Webster still concentrates on bringing down Malin.

Webster is approached by a Greek magnate who wants Malin brought down because he has lost millions to Malin’s illegal deals. Ben must use all his resources to track down Malin and his corporate front man—with one additional problem: His boss wants him to stay out of Russia and do his digging from Europe.

I was pleasantly surprised at the talent shown in this debut. For those who love international thrillers, here’s another page turner.

—Steve Bank
Cary Community Library

FTC Disclosure — This book was provided by the publisher.

Books Make Great Gifts!

2011-12-23T10:44:00.004-05:00

For many years I volunteered at my "home" independent bookseller, Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh, NC. My official duty was wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve, but I frequently wandered over to the nearby mystery section to offer suggestions for last minute gifts. I'm unable to volunteer in-store this year, but I thought I'd suggest some of my recent reads that would make great reads for your gift-giving—to others and to yourself.

World War II Settings
Escape from Paris by Carolyn Hart (Oconee Spirit Press LLC)
In Carolyn's words, This, "is the story of a year of war, the year that France fell to the Germans and England awaited invasion. It is also the story of people around the world, touched by war." The fictional story is laid over real history.

Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause by Mignon F. Ballard (Minotaur)
This sequel to Miss Dimple Disappears tells the stories of folks in a small Georgia town and their efforts to support the cause while dealing with crimes during a fund raiser.

Louise's War by Sarah Shaber (Severn House)
Murder and intrigue in the OSS Office in Washington DC.

Amateur Sleuths
Physical Education by Maggie Marbieri (Minotaur)
This "Murder 101 Mystery" features a liberal English professor at a small, conservative Catholic college who has a propensity for finding bodies—on and off campus. Fortunately, the Bronx is large enough to escape the Cabot Cove syndrome.

Skating Over the Line by Joelle Charbonneau (Minotaur)
Some reviewers compare this series to that of Janet Evanovich; I think it's more believable—and there's a wonderful, hat-wearing, retired circus camel.

To Catch a Leaf by Kate Collins (Obsidian)
Planning a wedding, running a florist, and keeping her assistant out of jail for murder give Abby Knight all she can handle in the 12th outing in this strong cozy series.

British Village Traditional
Wicked Autumn by G. M. Malliet (Minotaur)
Everyone will know who's going to be killed during the Harvest Fayre, but whodunit is what drives this first in series featuring former MI5 agent-turned vicar Max Tudor. Dame Agatha would be proud.

Comic Noir
Ranchero by Rick Gavin (Minotaur)
Self-deprecating repo man Nick Reid could be in over his head but he keeps rising to the top in this hilarious look at Mississippi Delta crime.

North Carolina Favorites
Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron (Grand Central Publishing)
Fans have begged for this: Judge Deborah Knott and Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant finally meet NY Homicide Lieutenant Sigrid Harald when the newlyweds take a delayed honeymoon trip to New York City. Guess who's in charge of the investigation of the murder at the apartment next door? A wonderful blend of Maron's series characters.

Under the Skin by Vicki Lane (Dell)
Lane left us hanging on the proverbial cliff in the Elizabeth Goodnight series when she wrote a well-received stand-alone, The Day of Small Things. This resolution was worth waiting for as all questions are answered—but not before a whole new crop of crimes appear on the mountain. As always, there's a fascinating mystery set in the past, this one in 1887 about spiritualists, related to the contemporary story.

Professional
Rizzo's Fire by Lou Manfredo (Minotaur)
The sequel to Rizzo's War follows NYPD veteran Joe Rizzo as he nears retirement. Much like the late Dell Shannon and Ed McBain, Manfredo features not only one major, over-arching crime, but the several other crimes that make up the weeks of the novel. Rizzo's mantra continues: "There's no wrong. There's no right. There just is."

Ghost Hero by S. J. Rozan (Minotaur)
Chinese-American PI Lydia Chin accepts an unusual assignment—to track down rumored new paintings of Chinese artist and political activist Chau Chun, who's been dead for 20 years. Investigating the "Ghost Hero" works takes Lydia and her partner Bill Smith into a new area—the high dollar art world. Clever glimpses of humor enliven this engaging mystery.

Thrillers
Northwest Angle by William Kent Kruger (Atria)
The latest outing in one of the few series I suggest reading from the beginning takes Cork O'Connor on a planned vacation of healing with his family. Their leisurely houseboat trip is interrupted by a deadly derecho (a unique storm system generating straight-line winds of hurricane force) that is just the beginning of several days of terror. Kruger never disappoints.

Damage Control by Denise Hamilton (Scribner)
High-powered public relations executive Maggie Silver learns the meaning of the phrase "power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely" when she tries to spin the story of the murder of a California senator's aide. Complicating her efforts are her mother's illness, her former relationship with the senator's family, and her growing dissolution with her job.

Lassiter by Paul Levine (Bantam)
Even "second-string linebacker turned low-rent lawyer" Jake Lassiter isn't immune to repercussions from his past. After a woman accuses Jake of being the last person to see her sister alive (18 years ago) he feels morally obligated to defend her of murder. The case is complicated, sordid, and impossible to put down.

FTC Disclaimer - Most of these books were supplied by the publishers.

Free Download - HURT MACHINE by Reed Farrel Coleman

2011-12-20T12:09:00.003-05:00

Not a typical PI, Moe Prager is extremely philosophical and he shares his thoughts with the reader. There's still plenty of action as he takes on a case to find the truth behind the murder of his ex-wife and former partner's sister. If a murder case isn't involved enough, Moe is battling stomach cancer which he hasn't revealed to his current love or his soon-to-be wed daughter.

Also a poet, Coleman is a literate writer who isn't afraid to put human feelings into crime fiction.

Try out a from Tyrus books. Hurry, the offer expires on December 24!

iTunes
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Guest Blogging Today

2011-12-15T10:01:00.002-05:00

I hope some of you will check out Kaye Barley's delightful Meanderings and Muses blog today. I'm her guest and I'm talking about Christmas in our small town when I was growing up during the 1950s. Read the comments, too. Mark de Castrique's made me laugh out loud!

Happy holidays to all of you!

--Molly

PS Noel is home and progressing well. I think he's just about recovered from cable withdrawal!

The Magnolia Queen

2011-11-25T10:04:00.004-05:00

OK, this has nothing to do with mystery, but it's my blog—and my daughter! Erin's holiday magnolia business, Weston Farms, was featured on WUNC-TV's "North Carolina Now" Wednesday night. The link is to a YouTube copy of the segment. She's got a new website now, too. She and her dad harvested magnolia yesterday morning before joining family from across the state for a lovely Thanksgiving dinner in Wake Forest.

Margaret Maron Book Launch

2011-11-16T13:04:00.003-05:00

For more than twenty years, Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh has "launched" Margaret Maron's novels, and this one—Three-Day Town—is a special one in which our two heroines, Deborah Knott and Sigrid Harald, meet in New York City while Deborah and Dwight are on their delayed honeymoon. You'll not want to miss the fun or the delicious homemade cake!

Friday, November 18, 7:30
Quail Ridge Books & Music
3522 Wade Avenue, Ridgewood Shopping Center
Raleigh NC
919.828.1488

I've read this one—it's absolutely everything fans wanted and more. If you've not read the Sigrid Harald series, you've got another grand adventure ahead of you. Of course, the Deborah Knott series should be required reading!

Medieval Noir?

2011-11-01T10:18:00.003-04:00

The delightful Jeri Westerson will bring medieval times alive to the Triangle this weekend. Westerson is touring the country by car from her home in California to bring (part of) her collection of medieval weaponry and talk about her latest mystery, Troubled Bones. She will have three visits.

Friday, November 4, 4:00 - Eva Perry Regional Library, Apex
Saturday, November 5, 11:00 - McIntyre's Books, Fearrington Village
Saturday, November 5, 3:00 - Cary Public Library

The Crispin Guest series is one for both adult and young adult readers.

I had dinner with Jeri last fall in San Francisco. She bubbles with enthusiasm for her work. I look forward to hearing her talk about it without being interrupted by servers!

A New Sherlock Holmes

2011-10-28T13:14:00.002-04:00

Don't bother looking for me on Tuesday, November 1. I'll be curled up with the first Doyle family-sanctioned Sherlock Holmes novel, The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz. Horowitz talks about the canon in this interview with Publishers Weekly.

Like Horowitz, I've read the canon several times over the years. I expect this new one will inspire me to do it all over again this winter.

The game is afoot!

The Wolfe Pack's Black Orchid Banquet

2011-10-21T11:28:00.002-04:00

NEW YORK, NY—The Wolfe Pack, an organization devoted to mystery writer Rex Stout and his most famous creation Nero Wolfe, will hold its 34th annual Black Orchid Banquet and Weekend on December 2, 3, and 4, the organization has announced. The highlight of the weekend will be the Black Orchid Banquet on Saturday, December 3, which will include the presentation of the Nero Award for the year’s best mystery novel and the Black Orchid Novella Award, presented in conjunction with Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, for the year’s best unpublished mystery novella.

December 1, 2011 will be the 125th anniversary of the birth of Rex Stout, and several members of the writer’s family will attend the banquet.

The Black Orchid Banquet will be held at the Vanderbilt Suites in New York City, and will feature television personality and mystery writer Al Roker as the keynote speaker. Roker will be introduced by mystery novelist and past Nero Award-winner Linda Fairstein. The Nero Wolfe character was famous for his love of food, and the menu for the banquet will be drawn from dishes described in Stout’s mysteries or included in The Nero Wolfe Cookbook.

The Nero Award is presented annually for literary excellence in the mystery genre. This year’s finalists are: Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen; The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds; Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny; The Midnight Show Murders by Al Roker & Dick Lochte; and Think of a Number by John Verdon. Previous Nero Award winners include Lee Child, Walter Mosley, Laura Lippman, and Julia Spencer-Fleming. The Black Orchid Novella Award (BONA) is presented for an unpublished novella that best celebrates the mystery traditions of the Nero Wolfe stories. The winning story is published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.

A Full Weekend Schedule of Events
The Wolfe Pack will host a series of events for Black Orchid Weekend, including a book discussion on Friday night, a series of speakers on Saturday afternoon, a social hour prior to the banquet, and a Brunch ‘N Pun Contest on Sunday.

The Wolfe Pack schedules five book discussions per year, including one to coincide with the annual Black Orchid Weekend. These discussions work their way through the entire corpus of Nero Wolfe works in order of publication. On Friday, December 2, the Pack will lead a discussion of the novella “Christmas Party,” which was published in the collection And Four to Go. The discussion will be held in a private room at Pete’s Tavern in Manhattan, and will include a buffet dinner.

The organization’s annual Assembly will be held the afternoon of Saturday, December 3 at the Vanderbilt Suites and will feature a series of speakers on Wolfe-related themes. It will be followed by a social hour at La Fonda Del Sol prior to the start of the banquet. The weekend will conclude with a brunch on Sunday, December 4 at Pete’s Tavern; this event will include a Nero Wolfe Pun Contest.

More information about these events, including how to register, is available at The Wolfe Pack’s web site.

Support Your Local Bookstore

2011-10-21T10:08:00.002-04:00

Parnell Hall has a new video promoting local bookstores—and he's filmed numbers of generous mystery writers who also support Indies. I think you'll enjoy "eBook vs Book" by Parnell Hall!

Carolyn Hart

2011-10-20T08:40:00.002-04:00

I got a note from Carolyn Hart yesterday. She'll be guest blogging on Lipstick Chronicles Friday, October 28, and she hopes lots of readers will drop by. Mark your calendars to log in and visit with one of the genre's nicest ladies.

Crime Fiction Subgenres Explained

2011-10-20T08:30:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week, I used the term "cozy" when introducing the Dangerous Dames at a library. Immediately, a hand was raised. "What's a cozy?" the lady asked. I suggested we wait to explain the term rather than take time away from the authors' time with the group. Serendipitiously, I found a link to Beth Foxwell's article in The Washington Independent Review of Books. Her blog post, "What's in a Name: Mystery Subgenres Explained" should help readers better define their tastes. Thanks, Beth!

Beth with friend and sometimes co-author Dean James.

Scottish Mystery Writers Tour

2011-10-04T12:39:00.003-04:00

The indefatigable Kathy Ackley, Professor Emerita of English at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, is at it again. This time, her wonderful Mystery and Crime Writers program, September 4-18, 2012, includes the Highlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Stirling; historic and mystery-related sites; talks by Scottish mystery and crime writers; and attendance at the inaugural "Bloody Scotland" festival. A flier about the trip is now available.

Dangerous Dames Tour

2011-09-22T15:31:00.003-04:00

Prepare for a perilously good time when the “Dangerous Dames’’ visit the Raleigh-Durham area for a book tour, Oct. 13-17. Deborah Sharp, Julie Compton, and Joanna Campbell Slan live up to their billing: They kill people for a living -- at least fictionally. In reality, the three nationally known mystery authors are perfectly nice women with families and pets and houses with mortgages. There’s not a homicidal maniac among them, except when it comes to plotting their novels. However, at least one of the Dames confesses to considering murder while undergoing editing. Several appearances are scheduled throughout the area. (See schedule below.)

Most will feature the “Dangerous Dames’’ in a panel discussion. Moderating is Molly Weston, who blogs and lectures about mysteries. An avid Tarheels fan, Weston also edits the Sisters In Crime journal, inSinC.

Here’s more on this lethal literary trio:

Julie Compton mined her training as a lawyer to write her debut, Tell No Lies. Aptly described as part Scott Turow and part Jodi Picoult, the legal thriller earned a starred review from Kirkus, which called it a "taut, tense cautionary tale … with courtroom drama and a surprise ending." Her most recent release, Rescuing Olivia, was praised by Publisher's Weekly as an "intense, entertaining second novel" with a "super-satisfying resolution."

Compton, who left the practice of law to write full-time, now considers herself a recovering attorney. She hopes to never fall off the wagon. She lives near Orlando, Florida.    

Deborah Sharp, a former reporter for USA Today, traded in sad news stories for funny fiction. She sets her ''Mace Bauer Mysteries'' in a sweet-tea-and-barbecue slice of her native Florida. Sharp rode a horse across the state to research her second book, and landed on NBC's Today show in a tacky wedding veil for her third. Mama Sees Stars, her fourth, garnered a starred review in Library Journal: “This zany fourth entry . . . is a feature worthy of the big screen.’’

Sharp and her TV reporter husband, Kerry Sanders, live in Fort Lauderdale. No kids. No pets. They had goldfish once. Turned out badly.

Joanna Campbell Slan is the author of the “Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series’’ and a dozen other books. Paper, Scissors, Death -- the first book in the mystery series -- was an Agatha Award Finalist. It is also one of Kindle's top 50 bestselling books. Her most recent release in the series is Make, Take, Murder. Slan’s newest mystery series starring Jane Eyre as an amateur sleuth will be released in July 2012 from Berkley. When she isn't traveling with the Dangerous Dames, she divides her time between Washington, DC, and Jupiter Island, Fla.

Dangerous Dames Schedule
Friday, October 14, noon — Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill
7:00 — Page-Walker Cultural Arts Center, Cary, co-sponsored by the Cary Library

Saturday, October 15, 2:00 — McIntyre's Fine Books, Fearrington Village, Pittsboro

Sunday, October 16, 2:00 — Halle Center, Apex, co-sponsored by Eva Perry Library

Monday, October 17, noon — Holly Springs Library (brown bag lunch)
3:00 — West Regional Library, Morrisville

VEIL OF LIES by Jeri Westerson (Minotaur)

2011-09-20T11:15:00.003-04:00

Veil of Lies is Jeri Westerson’s debut novel. Uniquely described by the author as "medieval noir," this book combines the elements of a locked room mystery, Sam Spade and Brother Cadfael under one cover.

Having been stripped of his knightly rank and lands for treason, Crispin Guest is forced to scrape out a meager living using his wits. He accepts a distasteful commission from a wealthy cloth merchant, Nicholas Walcote, to ascertain if his comely young wife is dallying with another man. Before Crispin is able to disclose his findings and collect his silver coins, he discovers Walcote murdered. Attempting to fulfill his knightly obligation to his benefactor Crispin becomes immersed in international intrigue and a search for a missing religious relic.

Veil of Lies is told in a contemporary voice so the reader is not bogged down with excessive archaic language. Dark shadowy settings, interesting plot twists and historical references give the reader an interesting journey back to medieval London.

If you enjoy the classic noir style of Dashiell Hammett and the historical mysteries of Sharon Penman or Michael Jecks you’re in for a treat with Westerson. Although Veil of Lies is darker and grittier than my usual cozy mysteries, I highly recommend it.

Mark your calendar to meet Jeri Westerson at the Cary Community Library Saturday November 5, 2011 3:00 pm. Jeri’s fourth book in the series, Troubled Bones, will be available October 11.

--Karen Kiley

Volunteer for Murder by Tim Myers

2011-09-12T16:55:00.002-04:00

A typical day in Jackson's Ferry has taken a deadly turn. A tardy volunteer staggers in the local soup kitchen, crashes against a table in an apparent drunken state. She falls to the floor, her hand clutching the handle of the knife buried in her chest! The police aim their sights on a homeless woman as the quilty perpetrator of the stabbing. Engaged couple, Seth and Gillian, volunteers at the kitchen are not so sure. Pleadings from a friend of the suspect, they decide to do some further investigating. Their questioning of the victim's family & others leads to bullets flying.

A cast of characters and possible motives that could rival the boardgame Clue! Our duo is in for a race to find answers before murder happens again! This story is fast paced, fun and filled with unexpected twists to its concusion. Tim Myers has given us another fine mystery!

I hope Seth & Gillian make a comeback.

—Karen Sayre

FTC Disclosure - The book was provided by the author.

This book is available in paperback from Amazon and in all ebook venues.

Charles Todd Duo Live Broadcast

2011-09-12T16:49:00.003-04:00

New York Times bestselling writing duo, Charles Todd, will be speak at the National World War I Museum on Tuesday, September 20th at 7 PM. The event will be broadcast online live from the museum.

Charles Todd will discuss how investing in research has made possible two outstanding series with two individually unique characters. Both Ian Rutledge, a Scotland Yard Inspector who has returned from fighting and suffers from shellshock, and Bess Crawford, a young nurse serving in The Great War, offer readers a chance to revisit a pivotal event of the Twentieth Century. Sometimes it is fiction that makes a period more accessible to the casual reader and yet offers a student of the era a new perspective.

Todd's latest in the Bess Crawford series is A Bitter Truth.

Sisters in Crime Reading Challenge

2011-09-01T09:51:00.003-04:00

Barbara Fister, secretary of Sisters in Crime, has issued a reading challenge as part of the organizations' 25th anniversary. I've signed on and I hope many of you will join me. Check it out at the Sinc blog site. Let me know how you respond!

THE GILDED SHROUD by Elizabeth Bailey (Berkley Prime Crime)

2011-08-25T10:53:00.003-04:00

The late Regency writer Georgette Heyer lives—and she's writing mysteries as Elizabeth Bailey! While delivering breakfast to her ladyship, a lady's maid finds the body of her mistress. Her screams awaken Lord Francis Fanshawe, who is shocked to realize that not only was milady brutally murdered, but that it was obvious she'd entertained a late-night visitor. Complicating the situation, the Marquis of Polbrook, Fanshawe's older brother, had left home, totally unexpectedly, before dawn.

Meanwhile, in the Dowager Lady Polbrook's home nearby, Otillia Draycott, a young widow of considerable intellect, is being interviewed for the temporary position of companion. When Fanshawe tells his mother the distressing news, Otillia's immediate questions and suggestions convince the dowager to include her in the subsequent investigation. The result of the collaboration is a well-drawn mystery set in Regency London.

I look forward to spending more time with Otillia and Fanshawe.

FTC Disclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.

2011 Shamus Award Nominees

2011-08-21T11:23:00.002-04:00

I never seem to learn anything first, but thankfully, I have friends who do. Thanks to Judy Bobalik for posting this list!

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel
• No Mercy, by Lori Armstrong (Touchstone)
• The First Rule, by Robert Crais (Putnam)
• Voyeur, by Daniel Judson (Minotaur)
• If the Dead Rise Not, by Philip Kerr (Putnam)
• Naked Moon, by Domenic Stansberry (Minotaur)

Best First P.I. Novel
• In Search of Mercy, by Michael Ayoob (Minotaur)
• One Man’s Paradise, by Douglas Corleone (Minotaur)
• Rogue Island, by Bruce DeSilva (Forge)
• Random Violence, by Jassy MacKenzie (Soho)
• City of Dragons, by Kelli Stanley (Minotaur)

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel
• Hostage Zero, by John Gilstrap (Kensington)
• Nightshade, by Tom Henighan (Dundurn Press)
• Mister X, by John Lutz (Pinnacle)
• The Panic Zone, by Rick Mofina (Mira)
• Asia Hand, by Christopher G. Moore (Grove/Atlantic)
• The Little Death, by P.J. Parrish (Pocket Star)

Best P.I. Short Story
• “The God of Right and Wrong,” by Steven Gore (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, January/February 2010)
• “The Lamb Was Sure to Go,” by Gar Anthony Haywood (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, November 2010)
• “The Girl in the Golden Gown,” by Robert S. Levinson (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2010)
• “Phelan’s First Case.” by Lisa Sandlin (Lone Star Noir, edited by Bobby Byrd and Johnny Byrd; Akashic Books)
• “A Long Time Dead,” by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins (The Strand Magazine, June-Sept. 2010)

I'm glad I'm not on any of the committees to choose the winners—it's a great list! Congratulations to all.

THREE SECONDS by Anders Roslund & Borge Hellstrom (Sterling Publishing)

2011-08-11T12:00:00.003-04:00

Some of the best Crime Fiction today is coming out of the Scandinavian countries! And this book is a very good example. It's a real page turner with action quickly switching back and forth among the leading characters. Piet Hoffmann is a little different than many protagonists—he's a small-time criminal with some special talents.

On his release from a Swedish prison, Piet established a security firm. Members of the Swedish intelligence service are aware of Piet and his criminal contacts throughout Eastern Europe and their own "Mafia" dealing mostly in illegal drugs. Intelligence agent Erik Wilson enlists Piet in an undercover sting which would place Piet back in a Swedish prison as a hardened criminal. His goal: ferreting out information that will allow the Swedish intelligence stop the Polish Mafia from invading Sweden. Before all the pieces can be put in play, Piet witnesses a murder which thoroughly complicate the situation.

Of course, anyone in prison who finds out he is a snitch will find a way to kill him!

--Steve Bank

--FTC Disclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.

Blogging at Sisters in Crime

2011-08-08T08:44:00.002-04:00

I'm writing today at the Sisters in Crime blog about my trip to the American Library Association summer conference in New Orleans. It was a great trip and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the long days. One of the added benefits was getting to know more of the wonderful folks who are members of SinC. I've come to realize more and more that folks who write mysteries have to be incredibly sharp people!

Everyone knows that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so Cathy Pickens, SinC president, arranged some great dinner meetings for us. She's on my right—just before we dined in style at the Palace Cafe.

TOMIE dePAOLA Wins Laura Ingalls Wilder Award

2011-08-04T11:32:00.003-04:00

I've had the pleasure of escorting Tomie in North Carolina and have truly enjoyed getting to know this delightful children's author/ illustrator. I was delighted to see the announcement of this prestigious award in PW ShelfTalker.

World War II and more… from Carolyn Hart

2011-08-02T10:53:00.002-04:00

I just got an email from Carolyn announcing the reprint of many of her out of print for many years early books on Kindle. I'm sure many of you will join me in downloading some of these titles. (Remember, the Kindle application can be downloaded free and used on smartphones, computers, and more.)

ESCAPE FROM PARIS -The story of two American sisters in Paris in 1940 and their race to save downed airmen from the Gestapo . . .

BRAVE HEARTS - A woman caught between duty and love after the fall of the Phillipines of the Japanese . . . .

A SETTLING OF ACCOUNTS - A woman's determination to unmask the man who betrayed her lover to the Nazis . . .

Out of print for many years, my early books are now available as ebooks from Kindlle. www.CarolynHart.com

The books include my first published juvenile mystery, The Secret of the Cellars, and my first adult suspense novel, Flee from the Past.

Newly released juvenile titles:
The Secret of the Cellars
Dangerous Summer

Newly released YA suspense novels:
No Easy Answers
Rendezvous in Veracruz
Danger, High Explosives!

Newly released WWII suspense novels:
Flee from the Past
A Settling of Accounts
Escape from Partis
Brave Hearts.

The ebook of Escape from Paris features the never before seen complete uncut ORIGINAL novel. The first publication was cut from 94,000 to 55,000 words.

Standalone mystery novels:
The Rich Die Young
Death by Surprise
Castle Rock
Skulduggery
The Devereaux Legacy.

Newly released short story collections:
Crime on her Mind
Secrets and Other Novels of Suspense (which includes A Settling of Accounts)

If you are a Kindle reader, I hope you will enjoy one or more of the early books.

Thank you - Carolyn Hart

FISH TALES Readings

2011-07-30T12:14:00.003-04:00

The first Sisters in Crime Guppy short story anthology (Guppy refers to the "great unpublished), Fish Tales features 22 tales of murder and mayhem from the rising stars of mystery. Taking its theme from the Guppy name, all stories are water related and feature locked room puzzles, police procedurals, cozy characters, and hardboiled detectives.

Four of the Fish Tales writers will read in the Triangle on Friday, August 19.

2:00 - McIntyre's, Fearrington Village, Pittsboro
7:30 - Quail Ridge Books & Music, Raleigh

Come out and meet these new authors. It's a great way to brag later, "I knew them when"!

Free E-Books

2011-07-30T11:10:00.013-04:00

Tyrus Books is giving away a free crime fiction ebook every week in a "Summer of Crime" promotion. Downloads are available through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. I just downloaded Dead Deceiver by Victoria Houston. That one's available through August 1.

Please let me know what you think. If you're interested in reviewing one of these books, please let me know when you post your comment. Happy reading!

The upcoming schedule follows:

Hello Kitty Must Die by Angela S. Choi (8/1 – 8/8)

Late Rain by Lynn Kostoff (8/8 - 8/15)

The Wind Knot by John Galligan (8/15 – 8/22)

Untouchable by Scott O'Connor (8/30 - 9/6)

LOUISE'S WAR by Sarah R. Shaber (Severn House)

2011-07-22T14:10:00.002-04:00

It's been a long wait, but this first in a new series is well worth it! Young widow Louise Pearlie has landed a government job in World War II Washington. For the first time in her life she's not only making good money but she's doing something she considers worthwhile—she's a file clerk for the Office of Strategic Services, charged with handling "for eyes only" documents.

Louise is horrified to see the name of Rachel Bloch's husband on one of these documents. Rachel was not only Louise's college roommate and best friend; she is now living in Vichy France. Realizing Rachel and her family must be in peril, Louise takes the file to the only person she knows who can act on it. Before any action can be taken, the file disappears and someone dies.

While Louise is trying desperately to help her friend, Shaber is giving the reader an excellent lesson of war-time Washington—from the boarding house where Louise lives, to race relations, to paranoia, to rationing, and even to a glimpse of the ultra wealthy.

Now, after devouring this slim volume, I dread the wait for the next one!

CHIHUAHUA OF THE BASKERVILLES by Esri Allbritten (Minotaur)

2011-07-22T13:42:00.006-04:00

I love it when an author makes me overcome a bias! Folks who know me know I'm too much a pragmatist to read paranormal mysteries. So, when I saw a halo above the white chihuahua on the cover of this one, I almost passed on it. Having just read a thriller, I was ready for something light and decided to give Chihuahua a chance while soaking in the tub. The bath proved to be longer than planned—I was hooked.

Tripping Magazine focuses its articles on vacation spots which feature paranormal activities. Just before the low-budget rag folds, the owner's wife gets a phone call from her cousin. Charlotte Baskerville owns a company that designs and sells high-end clothing for small dogs. She's convinced that her late dog, Petey, has been appearing (and calling) to her and she's willing to have Tripping's reporters document the appearances.

The Tripping team arrives in Manitou Spring, Colorado just before the annual Emma Crawford Coffin Race (just one of the paranormal events sure to delight their readers). Very soon they realize that encountering a ghost dog might be the most pleasant event during their stay.

Chihuahua is a great read for a hot summer—its not quite over-the top characters are well drawn, genuinely funny, and the puzzle is perfect. I look forward to more adventures with Angus, Michael, and Suki—the Tripping crew.

FTC Disclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.

DEATH AT THE CHATEAU BREMONT: A VERLAQUE AND BONNET MYSTERY by M.L. Longworth (Penguin)

2011-07-21T12:04:00.003-04:00

This delightful debut mystery was literally a lagniappe, tucked in with a book I had requested from the publisher. The setting, France's Aix-en-Provence, delivers mouth-watering descriptions of gourmet food and excellent wines.

The death of a nobleman—a fall from an attic window at his crumbling ancestral chateau, brings former lovers Antoine Verlaque (investigating magistrate) and Marine Bonnet (law professor and childhood friend of the deceased) together for a sparkling investigation. Although thoroughly contemporary, the story's telling is a throwback to the Golden Age. Characters are incredibly well developed, even those with minor roles. Readers are drawn into the everyday life of Verlaque and Bonnet, yet no detail fails to propel the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Chateau Bremont. What a relief for a hot summer day!

FTC Disclaimer - Book was provided by the publisher.

ADRENALINE - Winner!

2011-07-18T09:58:00.001-04:00

Sorry I forgot to post this earlier. The winner is Stephen Bank of NC. Congratulations, Stephen!

KILLED AT THE WHIM OF A HAT by Colin Cotterill (Minotaur)

2011-07-15T10:04:00.004-04:00

Jimm Juree, first-person narrator of this excellent mystery, is a crime reporter out of a job—not because of the economy nor that she's a poor writer. Her mother, who's showing signs of early onset dementia has sold the family home and business and relocated to southern, rural Thailand, where the local paper already has a crime reporter. Jimm's grandfather, a retired cop, rarely talks and her younger brother who wants to be a world-class body builder moved with the family; her older brother, a transgendered former beauty queen stayed behind in the city where s/he is in seclusion running a computer hacking business.

Jimm feels her life is over before she hardly got started on her career, but suddenly, things begin to happen in her new village. First, a Volkswagon van, complete with two skeletons, is discovered by a well-digger. Then, a visiting Buddist abbott is violently murdered shortly after Jimm meets a nun and a monk who become suspects in the case.

As Jimm works the case, hoping to break back into news, she finds allies in unexpected places.

The charm of Whim isn't the crime story. It's the characters, the whimsey, and the humor woven subtly through the novel that make it a cut above the rest. Of course, the chapter headings, quotes from President Malaprop, are well worth the read. Don't miss the beginning of this excellent new series!

NOTE: Many readers will remember Cotterill's wonderful series about Dr. Siri, a 70-something Laotian county coroner. I predict even more fans for Jimm!

FTC Discloser - This book was provided by the publisher.

Jeff Abbott Talks about ADRENALINE

2011-07-05T11:25:00.009-04:00

International best-selling author Jeff Abbott's latest thriller, Adrenaline, became available to U.S. readers last week. Already garnering rave reviews (Starred Review in Publishers Weekly, a Good Morning America Summer Read an Entertainment Weekly Book of the Day, and an Amazon Best Books of July pick), Adrenaline is an absolute page-turner from beginning to end.

First in a new series, Adrenaline introduces CIA agent Sam Capra, a young man who has it all—great beginnings of a new career, a post in Paris, a beautiful wife, and a baby on the way. Suddenly, with just one phone call, he loses everything—everything except his life and the skills he will employ trying to find out what went wrong.

After spending hours on the edge of my seat with Sam in his horrific quest, I spoke with Jeff about Adrenaline, Sam, and Sam's future.

You've always written stand-alone thrillers. How did you decide to let Adrenaline be the beginning of a series? And why did it debut first in Britain?

Two years ago, I switched publishers. I've always wanted to write series and take what I learned about suspense and apply it to series characters. The new publisher didn't have a spot available in the U.S. last year. It came out in Britain in 2010.

Did you plan the arc for the series before beginning to write?

Before I wrote a word, I though about it a lot. I didn't want to write to a market. I wanted to differentiate this from other thrillers. Trust me, it serves readers bests if the author knows what a character is going to be like over different books. I sold the book on a one-page proposal: Sam would be young, ex-CIA, and I knew he would own bars.

Then, I had to decide how he could get this way. How could someone this young be so focused, so comfortable owning businesses. So, I gave him parents who'd worked at relief agencies around the world, a nomadic childhood where he picked up languages, friends, skills (he learned how to pick pockets in China because he was bored). His brother followed in their parents' footsteps, was kidnapped and killed.

I wanted Sam to have the connection, the comfort of having been a spy—but I wanted him not bound by bureaucracy. I wanted him to have baggage but be taken into a world where he would find his own quests. That's why I centered on finding his wife and child. He had a good life, but I had to strip that away.

Your characters are always so well defined readers don't have trouble knowing who is speaking. Do you have a special gift for this?

Anything I do is a result of work, not nature. Alternating first and third person narrators helped. And I tried to make every character very distinct. Because in future books, Sam will be based in different bars in different countries, there will be different characters in each book—but that will also allow me to bring back those characters who resound with readers.

Sam himself has two sides—and we'll see more of both sides as the series goes along. If you can describe a character in one sentence, it feels like you've struck gold when folks react, so it's interesting that some people are already referring to him as Jason Bourne meets Rick Blaine from Casablanca. He owns a bar where interesting things happen, yet he has to fight his way out of situations. Of course, the bars are the ticket to further adventures.

Sam's workouts take running to an extreme level. What exactly is parkour?

It's actually a popular sport in France, and there are runs in London. It's fascinating because you don't have to go to a special place. The city is the arena. The whole point is to make a run using the least amount of distance—not running around a building but through or over it to accomplish the goal. It's both graceful and dangerous. I wanted Sam involved in parkour because it's a good metaphor for going over seemingly impossible obstacles. He's young, green—just starting his life rather than being settled. He's still discovering the person he's going to be. I became interested in the sport when it was featured in Casino Royale and then I saw it live. It's now in programs in schools to help kids develop confidence.

You've chosen great cities as locations in Adrenaline. How familiar were you with them before writing?

I'd been to New York and London often over the years, but I'd never been to Amsterdam. I not only went for research, but my Dutch editor actually told me about some real dives after I asked "what's an awful bar?" I found places so gross I couldn't have made them up—and they still had karaoke!

Fortunately, I already knew what kind of action Sam would be involved in, so it was easy to recognize the place once I saw it.

How far do you think this series can go?

The Brits have already bought books three and four. Three is due in a month. I know what number five will be. Sam is a character who seems to be generating ideas for me. The settings and characters will change and give lots of openness. Ideas are simply frothing up with me. Hopefully I'll keep writing them as long as people want to read them. He's fun to write.

Judging from personal experience, I'd say it's even more to read about him!

I have a copy of Adrenaline for someone who convinces me s/he's interested in burning the midnight oil with this fantastic new thriller. Just email me at mysteryheel @ mac.com and tell me. I'll pick the lucky winner next Tuesday evening, July 12.

THE BODY IN THE GAZEBO by Katherine Hall Page (William Morrow)

2011-06-29T12:26:00.003-04:00

Set in picturesque Aleford Massachusetts, Katherine Hall Page continues her Faith Fairchild mystery series featuring amateur sleuth and caterer Faith Fairchild and her minister husband Tom.

Pix Miller, Faith's best friend is reluctant to leave for South Carolina to meet her son's future in-laws. In her absence Faith has agreed to watch over Pix's ailing octogenarian mother, Ursala. Knowing Faith's ability to solve mysteries, Ursala slowly reveals the story of an unsolved crime that occurred in the summer of 1929 on Nantucket Island. It is a story with a family secret Ursala does not yet want to reveal to Pix.

Meanwhile, church funds are missing from an account to which only Tom has access. Tom and Faith work together to clear his name before his reputation is ruined. When Faith's assistant Niki unburdens her secret, Faith is soon "sick with secrets." The reader is never lost as the author skillfully shifts between the two time periods and the voices of Faith and Ursala.  

In all her books, Katherine Hall Page includes recipes for the mouth-watering meals Faith prepares. You can find more of these recipes in Page's Agatha-nominated cookbook, Have Faith in Your Kitchen.  

-- Karen Kiley

FTC Disclosure - This book was provided by the publisher.

I Knew Her When...

2011-06-16T15:18:00.002-04:00

Just got an announcement that Diane Gilbert Madsen won an Honorable Mention Award in Fiction at the 2011 New York Book Festival for Hunting for Hemingway, the second in DD McGil Literati Mystery series. I met Diane when I judged the St. Martin Press/Malice Domestic Best First Mystery contest several years ago. Way to go, Diane!

SHAKEN, STORIES FOR JAPAN, Tim Hallinan, ed. (Kindle)

2011-06-16T10:55:00.003-04:00

Here's an opportunity to read some great short stories by some outstanding authors and give a little to relief for the people of Japan. None of the authors included in the book will receive anything for their efforts—all profits will be given to the relief fund. I just downloaded my copy—and I hope you'll do the same. It's a steal at $3.99!

Edgar Winner Steve Hamilton in Triangle

2011-06-14T09:02:00.002-04:00

Edgar winner Steve Hamilton will visit Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh on Tuesday night, June 14, at 7:30. His great new book, just out, is Misery Bay.

Lilian Jackson Braun

2011-06-07T11:41:00.002-04:00

I just noticed that "Cat Who" author Lilian Jackson Braun died recently at 97. Yum-Yum and Koko fans may want to read her obit.

DUFFER AWARDS 2011: You Be the Judge

2011-06-01T11:26:00.003-04:00

Alafair Burke writes great crime fiction. She also exhibits a great sense of whimsy. Today she's announcing the first Annual Duffer Awards... and you get to be the judge!

For the entire month of June, her website will host the first annual Duffer Awards. Each day will feature two beloved crime fiction characters, matched head-to-head for very, very serious award categories like Most Likely to Win a Hot Dog Eating Contest and Best Shoes.

Post a comment beneath your vote, and you'll automatically be entered to win weekly prizes including signed copies of my books and $50 gift certificates to your favorite bookseller! The more you comment, the more you're entered to win.

First Up? Most Likely to Marry His Ex-Wife! To see the nominees, click here and start voting today. Be sure to come back every day in June to vote on a new Duffer Award. (And please help spread the word. This should be fun for anyone who reads crime fiction!)

Ladies on the Lam Tour

2011-05-29T10:42:00.002-04:00

LADIES ON THE LAM, Jane K. Cleland, Rosemary Harris, Stefanie Pintoff, are coming to the Triangle next weekend. We'll be at several venues and hope to see you at one!

Friday, 6/3
noon - Lunch (catered by Foster's) @ Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill (This is a ticketed event. Call Flyleaf at 919.942.7936 to register.)

Saturday 6/4
10:00 - Storyteller's Bookshop, Wake Forest

2:00 - McIntyre's, Fearrington Village

Sunday, 6/5
3:00 - The Halle Center, Salem St., Apex (Co-sponsored by Eva Perry Library)

Monday, 6/6
12:30 - Holly Springs Library (Brown Bag lunch)

7:00 - Page Walker Cultural Arts Center, Cary (Co-sponsored by the Cary Library)

Tuesday, 6/7 - 8:00 - Continental Breakfast @ The Carolina Club

Library events are free and open to the public, but please register. The number for the Eva Perry Library is 919.387.2100, the Cary Library is 919.460.3350, and the Holly Springs is 919.577.1660 (press 4 to bypass message & talk all library lines).

Guest Blogger Vicki Delany - When Life Imitates Art

2011-05-23T22:58:00.003-04:00

One sunny summer’s day last year, I finished Among the Departed, the fifth Constable Molly Smith book, and sent it off to my editor at Poisoned Pen Press for her suggestions and comments. I leaned back in my chair, relaxed and happy, with the wonderful feeling of satisfaction at having finished the book.

My mother was visiting me, and that evening we had friends over. I learned over the course of dinner that night that there really is nothing new under the sun.

Very briefly the plot of Among the Departed is as follows: When Molly Smith was thirteen years old she had a sleep-over at her best friend’s house. She ate breakfast the next morning with the friend’s family and then her mom picked her up. Shortly thereafter her friend’s father went to the convenience store. He was never seen again. No trace of him was ever found, no one reported seeing him after he walked out the door; he did not have a criminal record and no known criminal contacts. Fifteen years later his remains are found in the British Columbia wilderness by Constable Molly Smith of the Trafalgar City Police, Constable Adam Tocek of the RCMP, and Norman the police dog, while searching for a child who has wandered away from his family’s campsite in a brave search for bears.

  Over dinner, my friend, whom I shall call Jane, started telling us about her father.  

Who disappeared into the B.C. wilderness and wasn’t found for seventeen years.   He was driving from Ontario to Southern B.C., last seen at a gas station in Calgary. His car was found far north of his expected route. Although in this case his car was found, for seventeen years there was no trace of Jane’s father himself. And then the body was found by a hunter. In the B.C. wilderness.

  Isn’t that just too weird? I think if I hadn’t already written the book, I wouldn’t want to use the story because it would look like I was stealing my friend’s tragedy.

  In Among the Departed the focus of the book is, as well as on the reopened police investigation, the fallout of the man’s disappearance and how it pretty much destroyed his wife and two children.   

My friend Jane was older than the children in the story, being in her mid-twenties at the time, but the disappearance had a devastating impact on her mother. Jane’s mother was suspected for a while of being involved in the disappearance of her husband and thus her bank accounts were all frozen. In Among the Departed the insurance company won’t pay out of course, and the wife has no source of income so is dependent on welfare and what she sees as condescending charity of the women of her church.   In the real life case, Jane and her brother are considering approaching the police to get what documentation they can, so they can try and find out the truth about the disappearance and death of their father.

  In the fictional story... Well, you’ll have to read Among the Departed to find out what happens there.

The fifth and newest book in Vicki Delany’s critically-acclaimed acclaimed Constable Molly Smith series, Among the Departed, was released on May 3rd 2011. Vicki is also the author of the Klondike Gold Rush series (Gold Fever) and standalone novels of psychological suspense (Scare the Light Away, Burden of Memory).

Having taken early retirement from her job as a systems analyst in the high-pressure financial world, Vicki is settling down to the rural life in bucolic, Prince Edward County, Ontario where she grows vegetables, eats tomatoes, shovels snow, and rarely wears a watch.

Library Journal gave Among the Departed a starred review saying: “Her exceptional ability to create characters, both realistic and sometimes creepy, makes this another terrific addition to her outstanding body of work.”

Visit Vicki's website. She is on Facebook and twitter @vickidelany.

Vicki left a copy of the fourth Constable Molly Smith novel, Negative Image, for a Meritorious Mystery reader. Send me an email at mysteryheel @ mac.com and tell me why you'd like to win it. This contest will end at midnight on Monday, May 30.

Mystery Tours This Weekend

2011-05-12T11:49:00.000-04:00

LETHAL LADIES (Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Hannah Dennison, Kate Carlisle)
5/13 - 9:00 - Coffee @ The Carolina Club, Chapel Hill (Carolina Club members and their guests)

- noon - Lunch (catered by Fowler's) @ Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill (Carolina Club members and their guests)

5/14 - 2:00 - McIntyre's

5/15 - 3:00 - The Halle Center, Salem St., Apex (Co-sponsored by Eva Perry Library)

5/16 - noon - Brown bag at West Regional Library, Morrisville

- 7:00 - Page Walker Hotel, Cary (Co-sponsored by the Cary Library)

"So Much in Common" by Mary Jane Maffini

2011-05-02T13:02:00.002-04:00

Mary Jane won the Agatha Award for her short story "So Much in Common" on Saturday night in Bethesda MD. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine has very kindly allowed you to view it without charge. I'm delighted to suggest you give it a read!

WINNERS!

2011-05-02T12:24:00.002-04:00

What's going on folks? I posted the winners of the Carolyn Hart & Hallie Ephron books on Monday, April 25. They haven't contacted me with their snail mail addresses. I'll give you until Sunday, May 8 to email me at mysteryheel @ mac.com (don't put in the SPACES!). If you don't contact me by then, I'll announce new winners from those posts.

On the other hand, Prentiss won the latest contest for The Ambition. He included his mailing address, so his copy will go out immediately.

Thanks to all of you for playing. I'll be posting more contests soon.

Happy reading!

Agatha Awards

2011-05-01T05:54:00.002-04:00

The Agatha Awards were presented last night at the Malice Domestic banquet in Bethesda MD. Winners were as follows:

Best Novel - Louise Penny, Bury Your Dead (St. Martin's Minotaur)
Best Nonfiction - John Curran, Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks: 50 Years of Mysteries in the Making (Harper)
Best Children's/Young Adult Novel - Sarah Smith, The Other Side of Dark, (Atheneum)
Best First Novel - Avery Aames, The Long Quiche Goodbye (Berkley)
Best Short Story - Mary Jane Maffinni, "So Much in Common" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)

Congratulations to all the winner! Happy reading!

New Contest!!!

2011-04-25T09:25:00.004-04:00

Occasionally publicists offer copies of books for me to give away on my blog. Today's contest gives you a chance at a book that won't be available in stores until May 17. Here's how The Ambition the debut novel by by Lee Strobel is described.

A corrupt judge in a mob murder case. A disillusioned pastor, hungry for power. A cynical reporter, sniffing for a scandal. A gambling addict whose secret tape threatens the lives of everyone who hears it. New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel weaves these edgy characters into an intricate thriller set in a gleaming, suburban megachurch, a big-city newspaper struggling for survival, and the shadowy corridors of political intrigue. The unexpected climax is as gripping as the contract killing that punctuates the opening scene.

You can read more about Strobel, a pastor and former journalist, at his website. There's also a book trailer.

Post a comment and let me know why you like to try new authors. This winner's book will be sent directly from Strobel's publicist.

Good luck, all!

PS More contests are upcoming!!!

PPS The contest closes at midnight Sunday, May 1.

Winners - We've Got Winners!

2011-04-25T09:18:00.001-04:00

Thanks, everyone for entering! We had some great reasons for receiving either of the two books—Dead by Midnight by Carolyn Hart and Come and FInd Me by Hallie Ephron. And the winners are

Lynn who loves, "to read a book that's so intense you can't put it down…"
and
Doreen who vacations in Beaufort SC every May.

If these folks will contact me at mysteryheel @ mac.com, I'll get the books out to them.

Congratulations, Lynn and Doreen!

Watch the next posting (above) for details of a new contest!

Molly

Triangle Mini Mystery Tours

2011-04-18T11:59:00.002-04:00

Folk, I've got a series of three mini tours lined up for the Triangle area of North Carolina, beginning this Saturday, April 22.

OLDER, HOTTER, DEADLIER (Vicky Delany, Elizabeth J. Duncan, Mary Jane Maffini)
4/22 - noon - Lunch (catered by Fowler's) @ Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill

4/23 - 2:00 McIntyre's, Fearrington Village

4/25 - noon - Brown Bag Lunch @ The Halle Center, Salem St., Apex (Co-sponsored by Eva Perry Library)

- 7:00 - Panel Discussion @ Page Walker Hotel, Cary (Co-sponsored by the Cary Library)

4/26- 5:30 - Wine, Wit, and Lit @ The Carolina Club, Chapel Hill (Carolina Club members and their guests)

LETHAL LADIES (Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Hannah Dennison, Kate Carlisle)
5/13 - 9:00 - Coffee @ The Carolina Club, Chapel Hill (Carolina Club members and their guests)

- noon - Lunch (catered by Fowler's) @ Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill (Carolina Club members and their guests)

5/14 - 2:00 - McIntyre's

5/15 - 3:00 - The Halle Center, Salem St., Apex (Co-sponsored by Eva Perry Library)

5/16 - noon - Brown bag at West Regional Library, Morrisville

- 7:00 - Page Walker Hotel, Cary (Co-sponsored by the Cary Library)

LADIES ON THE LAM (Jane K. Cleland, Rosemary Harris, Stefanie Pintoff)
6/3 - noon - Lunch (catered by Fowler's) @ Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill

6/4 - 2:00 - McIntyre's

6/5 - 3:00 - The Halle Center, Salem St., Apex (Co-sponsored by Eva Perry Library)

6/6 - 12:30 - Holly Springs Library (Brown Bag lunch)

- 7:00 - Page Walker Hotel, Cary

6/7 - 8:00 - Continental Breakfast @ The Carolina Club

Library events are free and open to the public, but please register. The number for the Eva Perry Library is 919.387.2100, the Cary Library is 919.460.3350, and the Holly Springs is 919.577.1660 (press 4 to bypass message & talk all library lines).

Winners and Another Contest!

2011-04-17T10:12:00.005-04:00

Ta da da da ta da! The entries in the drawing for J. T. Ellison's So Close the Hand of Death were drawn from the virtual hat this morning. If you see a reference to your entry, you're a winner! Please email me your snail mail address so I can forward the book. The winners are

Pat R from the Midwest
and
Shirley who wants to read after dark…

I'll give you until Thursday to send your information to me (mysteryheel @ mac.com) before drawing another winner.

New Contest
I was lucky to receive extra copes of Carolyn Hart's Dead by Midnight, a Death on Demand Mystery, and Hallie Ephron's Come and Find Me, a novel of suspense. I haven't had a chance to read either book yet (I'm hosting 9 authors this spring and moderating a panel at Malice Domestic, so my reading's been planned for me!), but I can guarantee both of these will make fine reading. Carolyn's books are excellent examples of the traditional mystery. Hallie's are the kind of suspense that requires to read them in one sitting.

To enter, post a comment below telling why you're ready for which type of crime fiction. I'll announce the winners next Sunday, April 24. Again, watch this blog for winners. (I've got at least one more contest for the future.)

Happy reading—and thanks for entering!

Drawing for J.T. Ellison's SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH

2011-04-10T10:59:00.003-04:00

I'm always glad to offer readers an opportunity to win a book! Today I'm announcing a drawing for J. T. Ellison's latest homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson's psychological thriller, So Close the Hand of Death. You don't have to do much: Just post a comment telling me why you'd like to read this "hideous echo of a violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson knows instantly that The Pretender is back...and he's got helpers."

Entertain me with your reasons! I'll announce the winner on Sunday, April 17, asking him/her to email me a snail mail address.

ANTHEM FOR DOOMED YOUTH by Carola Dunn (Minotaur)

2011-03-30T16:43:00.002-04:00

I just had a great visit with amateur sleuth the Hon. Daisy Dalrymple and her husband DCI Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard. While Alex is busy investigating the murders of three men buried in Epping Forest, Daisy is safely out of the way visiting their daughter Belinda at her school. While folks at the Yard are fully convinced there's no way Daisy could possibly intrude on their case, readers won't be at all surprised when she comes upon a body—and since she's already involved, she might as well solve the crime, wouldn't you think?

Dunn weaves the two cases beautifully, leaving cliffhangers every time she switches from one to the other. I found myself reading "just one more chapter" until I wasn't even making excuses.

FTC Disclosure - This book was provided by the publisher.

Mystery Awards Announced at Left Coast Crime

2011-03-30T11:23:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Marcia Talley and Kathie Felix for today's post on the Sisters in Crime blog in which they reported some more mystery award winners. I hope you'll check out the blog, but in the meantime, I'll list the awards:
The Lefty - Best humorous mystery novel
Donna Andrews, Stork Raving Mad (Minotaur Books)
Laura DiSilverio, Swift Justice (Minotaur Books/Thomas Dunne Books)
Donna Moore, Old Dogs (Busted Flush Press)
Kris Neri, Revenge for Old Times' Sake (Cherokee McGhee)
J. Michael Orenduff, The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein (Oak Tree Press)

The Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery - Best historical mystery novel, covering events before 1950
Rebecca Cantrell, A Night of Long Knives (Forge Books)
Robert Kresge, Murder for Greenhorns (ABQ Press)
Kelli Stanley, City of Dragons (Minotaur Books)
Jeri Westerson, The Demon's Parchment (Minotaur Books)
Jacqueline Winspear, The Mapping of Love and Death (HarperCollins)

The Hillerman Sky Award - The mystery (short story to novel length) that best captures the landscape of the Southwest
Sandi Ault, Wild Penance (Berkley Hardcover)
Christine Barber, The Bone Fire (Minotaur Books)
Margaret Coel, The Spider's Web (Berkley Hardcover)
Deborah J. Ledford, Snare (Second Wind Publishing)

The Watson - Mystery novel with best sidekick
Sandi Ault, Wild Penance (Berkley Hardcover)
Rachel Brady, Dead Lift (Poisoned Pen Press)
Chris Grabenstein, Rolling Thunder (Pegasus)
Craig Johnson, Junkyard Dogs (Viking)
Spencer Quinn, To Fetch a Thief (Atria)

Congratulations to all nominees, winners, and, especially to readers! More books!

Guest Blogger- SARA ROSETT

2011-03-29T08:29:00.003-04:00

Today I'm joined by the delightful Sara Rosett whose new book Mimosas, Mischief and Murder will be on bookstore shelves this week. I'm delighted to welcome Sara to Meritorious Mysteries!

Drawing the Line
by Sara Rosett

When I’m reading fiction I sometimes wonder how much of the story was drawn from the author’s life. If the story has a snarky mother-in-law, did reality inspire the author?

Probably not, if those dedications and acknowledgements hold any truth. You know the ones. They go something like this, “Even though the main character in this book lives next-door to the neighbors-from-hell, my neighbors are the nicest people on earth!”

Ri-i-i-i-i-i-ght!

While I’ve never taken anything from real life and transplanted it into a book, I do take bits and pieces—a mannerism here, a physical description there—and blend those things into my story. While I’ll admit that I have very limited artistic abilities, I think it’s a bit like a painter who layers color onto the canvas, blending shades and texture to create certain effects.

If I start off with an idea or characteristics drawn from real life, those details mutate into something unique to the book as I write. In MIMOSAS, MISCHEIF, AND MURDER, Ellie goes to visit her quirky Southern in-laws and becomes embroiled in a mystery when the patriarch of the family passes away and there are questions about whether the death is natural or not.

When I was plotting out the story, I decided that the local book festival would take place while Ellie was in town. I created a character, an author of a middle grade mystery series, who lived in the same town and signs a copy of one of her books for Ellie’s daughter, Livvy. My real life experience with Accelerated Reading programs (AR) in my kid’s elementary schools inspired the part of the story where Ellie’s daughter is in a reading contest and always has a book with her. The reading competition at my kids’ school was as intense as some Olympic events, so I wanted to put that passion into the story. My kids loved the Magic Tree House books, but I wanted something completely new, so I had my author write The Infinity Mysteries, a series about three friends who solve mysteries using math.

Then I had some fun writing about Ellie’s encounter with the author, Margaret Key. I thought back to the first writer’s conference I attended. I was surprised because so many of the authors looked nothing like their author photos. I fictionalized that incident and incorporated it into MIMOSAS. I made up a physical description of an author who looks like no author I know in real life. In her author photo, Margaret has silky, smooth blonde hair that frames her unlined face. When Ellie meets her, Margaret has slightly frizzy blond curls with dark roots, crows feet, and the beginning of a double chin—no air-brushing or Photoshop!

Since I write about a family with kids there is some crossover between my real life and the fiction I write, but the books are mostly fiction. Rarely do I take an incident and repeat it verbatim in a book. Instead, I try to think back to what it was like when my kids were younger and recapture the feelings I had then—how repetitive the daily routine was at times (the laundry never ends!), the joy of naptime, and the anxiety I felt about raising my kids. I distill those emotions into a few fictional incidents for the books.

There are certain things that are totally off limits. The other day a funny incident occurred in our family that would make wonderful blog material. But I’m not going to write about it because it would embarrass one family member. I won’t fictionalize it and put it in a book either. Keeping things private is almost a foreign concept in today’s tell-all, expose-all world. We have people taking lie detector tests on TV, exposing themselves and their families to pain. And then there’s countless people making fools of themselves on other shows, just for a few minutes in the limelight. I don’t want to regret anything I put in a book.

So many of us share events about our lives on-line through Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. Where’s the line privacy line for you? If you’re a writer, how much of real life makes its way into your writing? What won’t you write, blog, or post about?

You can find out more about me and my books at my website. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, and the Girlfriends Book Club blog.

A shorter version of this post originally ran in the Good Girls Kill blog.

I'm Guest Bogging Today

2011-03-25T12:25:00.003-04:00

Head over to the Sisters in Crime blog and visit with me today. Don't let me be lonely!

CATCH HER IF YOU CAN by Merline Lovelace (Berkley)

2011-03-23T14:08:00.002-04:00

Lt. Samantha Spade, USAF is in charge of a small team of civilians and one career sergeant responsible for evaluating inventions for desert warfare. She is a sarcastic, lovable lady who has a tendency to act and then think. In this third episode, she is evaluating a robot dog called Snoopy SNIFER (Self-Nurturing Find and Identfy Robot). The robot leads them to the local bar and trys to climb into a pick-up. The driver of the truck starts shooting at them and the bar owner kills him. Samantha discovers three human heads in a cooler in the pick-up. Once again she is caught up in a criminal investigation, in trouble with the bad guys and with her boss. Her love interest, Border Patrol agent Jeff “Mitch” Mitchell, her ex-husband and his wife (the woman who broke up her marriage) become involved also. The story is fast paced and a very quick read with a lot of twists and turns. Some of the situations are a stretch for the imagination but add humor or interest to the story. As I said in my review of the first two books, I would like to see the members of her research team more involved. Their characters are very interesting and could take this series a long way.

Review by Helen Jones

FTC Disclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.

Top 'O the Mornin' to You!

2011-03-17T11:19:00.002-04:00

It's a lovely St. Patrick's Day here in North Carolina and I've got something lovely to share with you all.

A couple of weeks ago, I requested a review copy of The Pig Did It by a new author to me, Joseph Caldwell. Turns out he's not new at all, I've just missed him. Yesterday, I got an email from his publicist with an attached a video of an interview with New York Times bestselling author Malachy McCourt talking about the way Caldwell "trains his ear on the musical dialects of Western Ireland." I was totally charmed by the video and I look forward to bumping The Pig Did It to the top of my to-be-read pile! I hope you'll enjoy it too!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Molly

Walter Mosley at Quail Ridge Books & Music, Raleigh NC

2011-03-15T12:34:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow night, March 16, Walter Mosley will talk, answer questions, and sign books at Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh's Ridgewood Shopping Center. I'll have the pleasure of escorting him during the day and taking him to a TV taping (more about that and the eventual YouTube listing later).

If you've never heard him speak about his writing, this is a rare opportunity. If you're a writer, you'll be encouraged to hear him talk about his revision process. I once heard him say he'd revised a book 18 times before sending it to his agent!

I'll look forward to seeing you.

WHEN THE THRILL IS GONE by Walter Mosley (Riverhead Books)

2011-03-15T12:10:00.004-04:00

Private investigator Leonid McGill has more balls in the air than a troop of jugglers: The economy has hurt his business, his wife is seeing a younger man, his best friend is dying, and his sons are making poor decisions. Is it any wonder he accepts the first job that comes his way? A beautiful woman comes to him with a sad story: She's afraid her billionaire husband is going to kill her. After all, his first wife disappeared off his yacht and his second was killed in a mugging. Naturally, the investigation is the heart of the mystery. As with all Mosley novels, it's well plotted, surprising, and fast paced.

The real joy for me, though, is the incredible deftness with which Mosley depicts his characters—and there are many. Not once did I ever have to flip back to refresh my memory of a even a minor player. Every time I'd see a name, a full-blown image of that person would form in my mind. Even the various scenes were vivid, with few words of description, every word powerful and critical.

If you've never read a Mosley novel, this one's a great opportunity to begin your journey!

FTC Disclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.

Interview with Karla Mast on Examiner.com

2011-02-21T14:55:00.002-05:00

I was delighted when Karla Mast asked me for an interview. She just sent me the link to Examiner.com. I hope you'll like it.

Katherine Hall Page Update

2011-02-20T22:49:00.003-05:00

I just got an interesting email from Katherine. To celebrate the publication of The Body in the Gazebo (April, Morrow), her publishers are running a contest on her web site for a signed first edition of the book and to the first 20 entrants a signed hard cover from her backlist.

There's a link at the top of the home page where you can contact Katherine if you want to congratulate her on her nomination for an Agatha for Have Faith in Your Kitchen.

Good luck to all!

Agatha Award Nominees - 2010

2011-02-18T00:04:00.002-05:00

The nominees for Agatha Awards were announced yesterday. Good luck to all!

Best Novel
Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews (Minotaur)
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard (Ballantine)
Drive Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Mira)
Truly, Madly by Heather Webber (St. Martin's Paperbacks)

Best First Novel
The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames (Berkley)
Murder at the PTA by Laura Alden (Signet)
Maid of Murder by Amanda Flower (Five Star/Gale)
Full Mortality by Sasscer Hill (Wildside Press)
Diamonds for the Dead by Alan Orloff (Midnight Ink)

Best Non-Fiction
The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum (Penguin)
Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks: 50 Years of Mysteries in the Making by John Curran (Harper)
Sherlock Holmes for Dummies by Stephen Doyle & David A. Crowder (For Dummies)
Have Faith in Your Kitchen by Katherine Hall Page (Orchises Press)
Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History by Yunte Huang (W.W. Norton & Co.)

Best Short Story
"Swing Shift" by Dana Cameron, Crimes by Moonlight (Berkley)
"Size Matters" by Sheila Connolly, Thin Ice (Level Best Books)
"Volunteer of the Year" by Barb Goffman, Chesapeake Crimes: They Had it Comin' (Wildside Press)
"So Much in Common" by Mary Jane Maffini, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - Sept./Oct. 2010
"The Green Cross" by Liz Zelvin, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - August 2010

Best Children's/Young Adult
Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham (Dutton Children's)
Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus by R. L. LaFevers (Houghton Mifflin)
The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee (Candlewick)
Virals by Kathy Reichs (Razorbill)
The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith (Atheneum)

BLOTTO, TWINKS, AND THE EX KING'S DAUGHTER by Simon Brett (Felony & Mayhem)

2011-02-17T18:06:00.002-05:00

I rarely believe everything a publisher writes on a book cover, but this time I'm right with them—this is truly Golden Age of Mystery meets P. G. Wodehouse! Throw in Simon Brett, and there's bound to be a great time reading.

Blotto (think Bertie) and Twinks, his sister (think Jeeves), are the younger offspring of the Duke of Tawcester. Not content with being wealthy dilettantes, they collaborate to solve the murder of an unknown man in the library after the bumbling constabulary is forced to rule the death "by natural causes." Twinks, who has an uncanny ability to sniff out clues that Holmes would be hard pressed to find, convinces Blotto, who can and will explain the game of cricket to one and all, that they must solve the crime.

The chase takes them from their ancestral home, across Europe, and into Mitteleuropia, employing every cliched devise known to literature and giving the reader a most delightful romp and quite a few chuckles along the way.

Blotto and Twinks, I love you!

FTC Disclaimer - This book was supplied by the publisher.

DEATH OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP by M. C. Beaton (Grand Central)

2011-02-14T17:02:00.002-05:00

I'll admit it even before someone points out my bias: I absolutely love Hamish Macbeth! Death of a Chimney Sweep is one of the strongest in a long series, in my humble opinion.

Highland newcomer and general bully Captain Henry Davenport orders his wife to have the chimney sweep in tomorrow while he's gone for a walk—and to tell anyone who calls that he's gone abroad. Not surprisingly, Milly enjoys his absence and isn't concerned when he doesn't return after several hours. A plopping noise in the fireplace is her first clue that something is wrong. Readers won't be surprised to learn that the noise was made by blood dripping from the chimney.

The crime behind the several murders is complex and there's a great side story in the village. Speaking of Lochdubh, there's just enough of the eccentric characters I love to make me feel I'd visited my favorite part of Scotland.

FTC Disclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.

Cast YOUR Vote!

2011-02-13T18:02:00.001-05:00

I got an exciting email from Vicki Delany yesterday. Let me share parts of it with you.

Hi, Molly. I’d like to ask you for a small favour, if I could. And if you wouldn’t mind passing this on to your book loving friends, I’d appreciate it.

To my considerable surprise, Negative Image has been nominated for a CBC Bookie award (hideous name) for best mystery/thriller/horror.

Its online voting, so I’d appreciate it if you could take a minute to give it a vote.

Click on the button above the cover image of Negative Image and then click on Vote

You don’t have to register or sign in so it only takes a few seconds (thus you can vote on any and all of your computer devices – laptop, home computer, smart phone). Be sure and let all your friends know.

Many thanks,

Vicki

Negative Image is a great book and you'll be glad you voted!

MWA Announces Edgar Award Nominees

2011-01-19T12:19:00.003-05:00

I'm fortunate to have so many contacts who keep me appraised of happenings in the mystery world! Today's email brought this one from Meryl Zegarek Public Relations.

Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce on the 202nd anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe, its Nominees for the 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2010. The Edgar® Awards will be presented to the winners at our 65th Gala Banquet, April 28, 2011 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City.

BEST NOVEL
Caught by Harlan Coben (Penguin Group USA - Dutton)
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
Faithful Place by Tana French (Penguin Group USA - Viking)
The Queen of Patpong by Timothy Hallinan (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton (Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books)
I’d Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman (HarperCollins – William Morrow)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Rogue Island by Bruce DeSilva (Tom Doherty Associates – Forge Books)
The Poacher’s Son by Paul Doiron (Minotaur Books)
The Serialist: A Novel by David Gordon (Simon & Schuster)
Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto (Simon & Schuster - Scribner)
Snow Angels by James Thompson (Penguin Group USA – G.P. Putnam’s Sons)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard (Random House - Bantam)
The News Where You Are by Catherine O’Flynn (Henry Holt)
Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski (Minotaur Books)
Vienna Secrets by Frank Tallis (Random House Trade Paperbacks)
Ten Little Herrings by L.C. Tyler (Felony & Mayhem Press)

BEST FACT CRIME
Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime and Complicity
by Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry (University of Nebraska Press – Bison Original)
The Eyes of Willie McGee: A Tragedy of Race, Sex, and Secrets in Jim Crow South
by Alex Heard (HarperCollins)
Finding Chandra: A True Washington Murder Mystery
by Scott Higham and Sari Horwitz (Simon & Schuster - Scribner)
Hellhound on his Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr and the International Hunt for his Assassin by Hampton Sides (Random House - Doubleday)
The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science
by Douglas Starr (Alfred A. Knopf)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
The Wire: Truth Be Told by Rafael Alvarez (Grove Atlantic – Grove Press)
Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks: Fifty Years of Mysteries in the Making
by John Curran (HarperCollins)
Sherlock Holmes for Dummies by Steven Doyle and David A. Crowder (Wiley)
Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and his Rendevouz with American History by Yunte Huang (W.W. Norton)
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner (Oceanview Publishing)

BEST SHORT STORY
"The Scent of Lilacs" – Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine by Doug Allyn (Dell Magazines)
"The Plot" – First Thrills by Jeffery Deaver (Tom Doherty – Forge Books)
"A Good Safe Place” – Thin Ice by Judith Green (Level Best Books)
"Monsieur Alice is Absent" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
by Stephen Ross (Dell Magazines)
"The Creative Writing Murders" – Dark End of the Street by Edmund White (Bloomsbury)

BEST JUVENILE
Zora and Me by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon (Candlewick Press)
The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy by Dori Hillestad Butler (Albert Whitman & Co.)
The Haunting of Charles Dickens by Lewis Buzbee (Feiwel & Friends)
Griff Carver: Hallway Patrol by Jim Krieg (Penguin Young Readers Group - Razorbill)
The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman by Ben H. Winters (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

BEST YOUNG ADULT
The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand (Little Brown Books for Young Readers)
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King (Random House Children’s Books – Alfred A. Knopf)
7 Souls by Barnabas Miller and Jordan Orlando (Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press)
The Interrogation of Gabriel James by Charlie Price
(Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books for Young Readers)
Dust City by Robert Paul Weston (Penguin Young Readers Group - Razorbill)

BEST PLAY
The Psychic by Sam Bobrick (Falcon Theatre – Burbank, CA)
The Tangled Skirt by Steve Braunstein (New Jersey Repertory Company)
The Fall of the House by Robert Ford (Alabama Shakespeare Festival)

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
“Episode 1” - Luther, Teleplay by Neil Cross (BBC America)
“Episode 4” – Luther, Teleplay by Neil Cross (BBC America)
“Full Measure” – Breaking Bad, Teleplay by Vince Gilligan (AMC/Sony)
“No Mas” – Breaking Bad, Teleplay by Vince Gilligan (AMC/Sony)
“The Next One’s Gonna Go In Your Throat” – Damages, Teleplay by Todd A. Kessler,
Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman (FX Networks)

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD
"Skyler Hobbs and the Rabbit Man" – Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
by Evan Lewis (Dell Magazines)

GRAND MASTER
Sara Paretsky

RAVEN AWARDS
Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore, Forest Park, Illinois
Once Upon A Crime Bookstore, Minneapolis, Minnesota

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
(Presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, April 27, 2010)
Wild Penance by Sandi Ault (Penguin Group – Berkley Prime Crime)
Blood Harvest by S.J. Bolton (Minotaur Books)
Down River by Karen Harper (MIRA Books)
The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Live to Tell by Wendy Corsi Staub (HarperCollins - Avon)

Congratulations to all of these great authors! And to the publishers, publicists, agents, and booksellers who made it possible for readers to have such diverse choices.

Photograph of Edgar Allan Poe from Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC

Anthony Horowitz to write new Sherlock Holmes

2011-01-17T12:00:00.004-05:00

It's official. Sherlock Holmes will be back on the streets of London—this time sanctioned by the Arthur Conan Dolye estate. Orion will publish the new adventure in September. See details at The Bookseller.

I'm marking my calendar now!

Out Today!

2011-01-11T16:53:00.001-05:00

Wall Street Journal Bestselling & Shamus Award Winning author LORI ARMSTRONG’s MERCY KILL publishes today, January 11, 2011.

Lori's Her Snow Blind was awarded the 2009 Shamus Award for Best Paperback Original by the Private Eye Writers of America. Her books have won the Willa Cather Literary Award and have been nominated for the High Plains Book Award and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She also writes contemporary erotic western romances under the name Lorelei James.

MERCY KILL is a follow-up to her Wall Street Journal bestseller NO MERCY, which published in 2010 with rave reviews. In NO MERCY, Armstrong introduced readers to tough-as-nails former army sharp-shooter Mercy Gunderson.

Contest from Jane Cleland

2011-01-11T16:37:00.004-05:00

Just got word from Jane. She's celebrating the April 2011 publication of Deadly Threads—a tale of vintage clothing, a cat who fetches, and betrayal—with a Pucci purse give-away! Details and a link to the entry form can be found on her website. www.janecleland.net

Jane and Stephanie Pintoff will be with me in North Carolina in June. Watch for full details.

SOUTH PHOENIX RULES by Jon Talton (Poisoned Pen Press)

2011-01-10T15:39:00.002-05:00

It's easy to see why this book has been on Pub Alley Fiction Mystery Bestsellers list for several days now. The man can write!

David Mapstone has reason to feel sorry for himself: He's just turned in his badge as a deputy sheriff (his friend, former partner, and boss was defeated in the recent election), his wife is living in DC, and his barely tolerated sister-in-law Robin is living in his garage apartment. Then things really get bad: Robin receives a package that ties her to a murder, David's nemesis investigates the case, and bullets start flying. Phoenix itself is a major character in this fast-paced thinking-reader's thriller.

FTC Disclosure - This book was provided by the publisher.

THE GENIUS FILES by Dan Gutman (Harper Collins)

2011-01-02T13:56:00.002-05:00

I had the pleasure of escorting Dan while he was in Raleigh last year (can I say that already?). He was a big hit at everywhere I took him, possibly because he writes so many different types of books for kids. Check his website for details. Dan just sent me a trailer for his latest offering. I think you'll enjoy it. Check it out.

A LONELY DEATH by Charles Todd (Harper Collins)

2011-01-02T11:51:00.003-05:00

Even as Inspector Ian Rutledge is embroiled in turmoil at Scotland Yard, a serial murderer is targeting the village of Eastfield. All three victims are young veterans of the late war (WWI), but one is the son of a wealthy brewery owner who demands that the Yard be called in on the case. Rutledge finds virtually clueless crime scenes where the victims were garroted and left where they died. While the families of the victims are willing to talk, they can offer no reasons for the death. As Rutledge follows the meager clues at his disposal, he slowly realizes his suspect is both clever and diabolical. Meanwhile, challenges and losses in his personal life continue to plague the former lieutenant.

I always look forward to another in this outstanding multi-leveled series—and I read each offering with enthusiasm.

FTC disclosure—this book was provided by the publisher.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Don Bruns (Oceanview)

2010-12-16T15:19:00.002-05:00

I forgot this one yesterday when I posted what I've been reading (it was still on my kitchen table).

The author thinks this Florida caper is about stumble bums James Lessor and Skip Moore because they're newly licensed private investigators. Everybody who's ever loved an Old English Sheepdog will quickly realize that it's about Garcia, the Sheepie who works at the petting zoo at a traveling carnival where James and Skip attempt their first professional investigators.

If you're worn out with holiday shopping, cooking, and decorating, spend an evening with these guys. You'll realize you've had a great day after all!

What I've Been Reading & Prizes

2010-12-14T12:58:00.009-05:00

You know the old saying, "the hurrider I go, the behinder I get"? Well, that's been my life lately. I may have to go back to work full time to catch up with things! I've been reading, but I just haven't had time to write full reviews. So, I decided to just let you know what books I've enjoyed recently and a couple of sentences about them. Like my life, they're in no particular order.

Set the Night on Fire by Libby Fischer Hellmann (Allium Press of Chicago)
This terrific thriller moves from contemporary Chicago to the one of the City's riotous times—the 1960s. The reader meets a group of the students of that turbulent era, sees the effects of their actions, and learns their motivations, all this woven into a nail-biting story taking place in the present. Allow time to savor this read!

The Cruel Ever After by Ellen Hart (Minotaur)
I've been reading Ellen Hart for nearly 20 years, and she's never told the same story twice! Successful restauranteur Jane Lawless is stunned when a man from her past surfaces into her life. Readers won't be surprised that the man brings with him a trail of murder, kidnapping, and stolen artifacts. Readers will, however, be amazed at the twists and turns they'll make before all is resolved. Don't miss this one!

Murder Your Darlings by J. J. Murphy (Obsidian)
I've always enjoyed writings of Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley and tales of the Algonquin's famed Round Table. So, when I picked up this first in a new series with these literaiti as protagonists, I was delighted. If you like sparkling wit and brilliant repartee, you're likely to enjoy this one.

The Huckleberry Murders by Patrick F. McManus (Simon & Schuster)
Who'd have thought a simple berry-picking outing would lead to murder, Social Security fraud, and illegal aliens? Quick answer: Patrick McManus. Once again Blight County is awash in characters, outrageous schemes, and hilarious adventures. McManus is always good for a belly laugh.

A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch (Minotaur)
Gentleman sleuth Charles Lenox finds it takes all his wits to balance a new marriage and a new seat in Victoria's House of Commons with his successful detective business. His current client, also a House member waffles after requesting Lenox to investigate the murder of a footman. Quite naturally, the strange behavior only increases Lenox's interest in solving the crime.

The Lies That Bind by Kate Carlisle (Obsidian)
The third in the Bibliophle Mystery series is just right for a cozy night by the fireplace—a light mystery, a touch of romance, and a great mixture of characters, some quirky, some not.

The Last Confession by Solomon Jones (Minotaur)
This one's a fast-moving thriller/police procedural about a cop's final three days before retirement, colored by an old case featuring a serial killer who calls himself "the angel of death." Watch out, this one could keep you up at night!

Every Bitter Thing by Leighton Gage (Soho Crime)
When Chief Inspector Mario Silva is called in to investigate the strange murder of the son of Venezuela's Foreign Minister, he has no idea that this will be the first of many nearly identical crimes across Brazil. The thread that ties all the crimes together is both baffling to the police and horrifying to the reader. Enjoy the ride!

You can get a free Kindle download of Leighton Gage's earlier Mario Silva novel, Blood of the Wicked as a free download, free from his publisher.

The Day of Small Things by Vicki Lane (Dell)
Lane's first stand-alone novel explores the early life of Miss Birdie, a character from her Anthony-nominated Appalachian series. Readers get a glimpse of the hardships Miss Birdie will endure when they meet her in the first chapter—at her birth

Black night had come and owls called from the sighing hemlocks as the exhausted woman bent an expressionless face to her red, squalling infant. At last she spoke. "It'll allus be the least un, fer there won't be no more. Reckon that'll do fer a name—call it Least."

Lane writes of the mountain people in a lyrical voice that causes the reader to slow down—and savor the words and the story.

Third Degree by Maggie Barbieri (Minotaur)
Alison Bergeron isn't thinking about bodies when she stops in a coffee shop to get some caffeine resolve before meeting her fiance's parents. Maybe she should have been braver, because just as she enters the shop, two men break into a fight, Alison gets a black eye, and one of the men collapses and dies. Things go from bad to worse before this case is resolved. "Third" is the fifth in the series, and one of the best.

India Black by Carol K. Carr (Berkley Prime Crime)
Reshelve FANNY HILL and MOLL FLANDERs—there's a new bint in town, India Black, consultant to the British Prime Minister on Affairs Foreign and Domestic. The first person sending me an email (mysteryheel at mac.com) naming another book featuring a bint will win an advance copy of India Black.

FTC Disclaimer - These books were provided by the publisher.

Happy holidays, all!

Contest - Pet Vet Story

2010-12-13T09:43:00.003-05:00

Elaine Viets' mystery shopper, Josie Marcus, is dating a hunky young veterinarian. Josie and Ted become even closer in the latest Mystery Shopper novel, An Uplifting Murder. It's a great read, perfect for traditional mystery lovers.

Now, to bring even more interest to the new book, Elaine is sponsoring a "Your Pet Vet Story" contest. Here's her information.

Josie is seriously dating Dr. Ted Scottsmeyer. He's going to be around for at least one more book. I need good vet stories. Tell me about a memorable trip to the vet and you could win a free copy of "An Uplifting Murder" and get your pet's name in my new book. Prefer stories that are not too sad. Click on "contests" at my websiste.

I'm giving away five free copies of "Uplifting."

Remember, books make great gifts, especially when you buy them at an independent bookstore!

Guest Blogger - Krista Davis

2010-11-22T22:09:00.009-05:00

In August I had the opportunity to go on one of Molly Weston’s fabulous North Carolina author tours. Along with my Killer Cozy friends, Avery Aames, Riley Adams (Elizabeth Spann Craig), and Ellery Adams, I had a ball. Molly’s interviews and author signings were the highlights of the trip. A warning to authors planning to tour with Molly -- she never asks the same question twice! That fresh, unrehearsed quality is one reason people love her author interviews. You never know what might happen!

Molly denies any domestic diva tendencies, but don’t let her fool you. I know Southern graciousness when I see it. Being a bit of a domestic diva myself, I loved the coziness of Molly’s home. Nestled in trees, it has a huge, wonderful fireplace that made me want to curl up in a cushy chair with one of the hundreds of books lining the shelves.

While we were talking, Molly proudly told me about her daughter Erin’s horticulture business. As part of that business, Erin makes and sells gorgeous Southern Magnolia wreaths at the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh, North Carolina. We’re talking really beautiful natural wreaths that would make Martha Stewart drool.

If you’re familiar with my books, you know that while I love domestic divas, I also poke a little bit of fun at them. In THE DIVA COOKS A GOOSE, Natasha, one name, please, like Cher, has declared pink and turquoise the new red and green for Christmas decorations. Sophie, who is Natasha’s rival, prefers to keep things simple but lovely. Natasha turns her nose up at Sophie’s traditional pine greenery, and it drives her crazy that their friends always gather in Sophie’s old-fashioned kitchen featuring an ancient stone fireplace.

Immediately after my fun trip to North Carolina, my copy edits were due for THE DIVA COOKS A GOOSE. As I read, I realized -- oh no! -- I poked fun at Natasha’s magnolia wreaths. Would Molly think I did that to insult her or her daughter? Heaven forbid!

Now, in my defense, I wasn’t making fun of magnolia wreaths. They’re classic Southern Christmas decor. Like a Chanel suit, they never go out of style. Natasha, who loves complicated crafts, paints her magnolia wreaths turquoise and adds glitter. In one notable instance, she pairs giant turquoise magnolia flowers with life-size pink peacocks wearing white wreaths on their necks. Ah, the joys of Christmas decorating! Just this past week I heard that blue is back for Christmas lights. We may see giant turquoise magnolia flowers and pink peacocks yet. Did I mention how much fun it is to write about domestic divas? Especially one like Natasha, who is always trying to outdo everyone else.

Should you have the good fortune to be in the North Carolina State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh this holiday season, look for Erin Weston and her beautiful magnolia wreaths. Tell her Sophie sent you.

Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mystery series. Her first book, THE DIVA RUNS OUT OF THYME was nominated for an Agatha award. THE DIVA COOKS A GOOSE will be in bookstores December 7th. Watch the book trailer at Krista's website or You Tube.

Take Your Child to a Bookstore

2010-11-18T10:51:00.003-05:00

Bookstores hold a place in the hearts and times of our community. They are places to discover an author, a story, a life. Nothing affords the conversation and interaction among books and book lovers that a bookstore does. In the future, whether you download your story or pluck a volume off a shelf, a bookstore will be able to accommodate. But in order for bookstores to flourish and thrive, we must expose future generations to the unique pleasures they offer. On December 4th, 2010, take the child in your life to a bookstore. Watch his face light up as you give him free access, not just to a new book, but to tomorrow.

NEGATIVE IMAGE by Vicki Delany (Poisoned Pen Press)

2010-11-16T16:38:00.004-05:00

Mama said there'd be days like this—but she didn't say they'd come in bunches, like bananas.

Bad days really have come in bunches to Trafalgar, British Columbia. A high-rolling fashion photographer is murdered in his hotel room; Sergeant John Winters' wife is accused of the crime; a series of home burglaries is plaguing the town; Constable Molly Smith's father has a serious fall; and, Molly herself is being stalked. Let's not even mention that the RCMP investigator has already made his mind up about the murder.

I was quickly caught up in the small town's troubles and its people. Delany delivers a great story while letting new-to-the-series know enough about each continuing character to become involved immediately. This traditional police procedural is not too graphic for most and edgy enough for all. I look forward to more time with Winters and Smith and their assorted friends, families, co-workers, and the obligatory crooks.

FTC Disclosure - This book was provided by the publisher.

Oops! and another Video link

2010-11-07T14:58:00.003-05:00

How like me to post a contest and forget to announce the winner! MommyWantsToRead posted the most identifications of the "King of Kindle" video by Parnell Hall.

If you enjoyed that video, Parnell made an updated version at Bouchercon which you may also enjoy.

Happy reading!

THE SHIFTERS from Alexandra Sokoloff

2010-10-27T12:09:00.003-04:00

I got this letter in my email today. Thought I'd pass it along to you!

Dear Readers:

With The Shifters I’ve had the opportunity to write something in a completely different, though parallel, genre from what I usually write. My amazing friend, bestselling paranormal mystery/romance phenomenon Heather Graham, asked me to develop a paranormal trilogy with her and our sister dark suspense author Deborah LeBlanc, and together we spun a story spanning three interconnected books, set in our favorite city, New Orleans, about three extraordinary sisters who must fight to keep the peace between the fractious supernatural communities who live there under the radar.

Fair warning: The Shifters is spooky and suspenseful and colorful but not necessarily as dark as what I usually write. In fact, there may even be that elusive happy ending (note man on cover!). If you’re looking for something bloodier, I hope you’ll check out my latest supernatural crime thriller, Book of Shadows (read on below). But if you’ve been too scared to read my other books (and you know who you are), I think you’ll love The Shifters.

- Alex

Book One is The Keepers, a USA Today bestseller, out now from Harlequin Nocturne. Book Three is The Wolven, coming November 25.

Elaine Viets' Uplifting Contest

2010-10-25T14:13:00.002-04:00

Win a shopping spree for your mind or your body to celebrate An Uplifting Murder. Josie Marcus mystery shops a lingerie store in my sixth mystery shopper novel. Enter a drawing to win a $100 gift certificate to the bookstore or the lingerie store of your choice. Gentlemen, we don't discriminate. You can win either the bookstore gift certificate or dazzling under-duds for yourself or the woman of your choice. Just go to www.elaineviets.com, click on "contests" and fill out the form.

The contest is open through Nov. 20

Calling All British Crime Fans

2010-10-23T18:17:00.002-04:00

Kathy Ackley is leading another of her wonderful British crime fiction tours—this time featuring

A tour of Hereford, where you will see the 14th century Mappa Mundi in the cathedral and meet Phil Rickman for lunch

A tour of Shrewsbury, setting for the Brother Cadfael series; lunch with Edward Marston, who will talk about his novels set in the Welsh borders; visits to the abbey of St. Peter & St. Paul and Stokesay Castle, a fortified medieval manor house

An exploration of the villages that inspired Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins series and a walking tour of Ludlow (often called the "prettiest town in England"); tea with Kate Charles in Ludlow; supper and a wine tasting at the Bodenham winery

A visit to Monmouth, on which Andrew Taylor’s Lydmouth series is based; a drive into the Forest of Dean; lunch at the Speech House with Andrew Taylor; visits to Hellens, a 13th c. monastery, and Berkeley Castle

A visit to Hengest Court, home of "Black" Vaughn, which inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles; a drive along the line of Offa’s Dyke to Hay on Wye for free time to explore the bookshops; tea at the Skirrid Inn

Attendance at CrimeFest in Bristol, 19-22 May, with panel sessions, interviews of featured guest authors, book signings, a Gala dinner, and a Sunday buffet dinner

A panoramic coach tour of Bristol and a short guided walk of the city

A day trip to Torquay for a private tour of Greenway, Agatha Christie’s summer home, with Christie expert John Curran as our guide

For more information about he wonderful tour, see Kathy's website.

Macavity Award Winners

2010-10-20T10:29:00.002-04:00

Janet Rudolph's Mystery Readers International nominate and vote on these awards (named for the "mystery cat" in T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats) every year. Janet presented the awards at the Thursday evening opening ceremonies at Bouchercon in San Francisco. This years winners—ta da:

Best Mystery Novel: Ken Bruen & Reed Farrel Coleman: Tower (Busted Flush Press)

Best First Mystery Novel: Alan Bradley: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Delacorte)

Best Mystery Nonfiction: P.D. James: Talking about Detective Fiction (Alfred A. Knopf)

Best Mystery Short Story: Hank Phillippi Ryan: "On the House" (Quarry: Crime Stories by New England Writers, Level Best Books)

Sue Feder Historical Mystery: Rebecca Cantrell: A Trace of Smoke (Forge)

If you're looking for new authors these winners are a great place to start! For a great mystery blog, check out Janet's "Mystery Fanfare."

Anthony Winners

2010-10-19T13:07:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Janet Rudolph for posting this on "Mystery Fanfare"!

The Anthony Awards, named after writer/critic Anthony Boucher, for whom Bouchercon is also named.

Best Novel: The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny ( Minotaur)

Best First Novel: A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield (Minotaur)

Best Paperback Original: Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley (Touchstone)

Best Short Story: "On the House" by Hank Phillippi Ryan in Quarry: Crime Stories by New England Writers (Level Best Books).

Best Critical Non-Fiction: Talking About Detective Fiction by P. D. James (Knopf).

I'll post other winners announced at Bouchercon when I've had a moment to catch my breath!

FUNDRAISING THE DEAD by Sheila Connolly (Berkley)

2010-10-10T14:43:00.004-04:00

The first in her new "museum mystery" series is a winner for Connolly. Nell Pratt is the director of development (read fundraiser) for the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society in Philadelphia which houses treasures of national importance. On the day of the largest-ever fundraising gala, Nell is dismayed when third-generation board member Marty Terwilliger insists on a sit-down meeting to report missing items from a collection recently donated by her family. Nell manages to dismiss Martha physically, but a cloud of worry remains behind. The cloud turns stormy the next day when Nell finds a body. As Nell looks further into Marty's claims, she realizes that the death may not have been an unfortunate accident.

Nell is not perfect, but she's smart. Marty can be annoying, but she's not only smart, but she's related to half of Philidelphia's old guard. Fundraising the Dead promises to be the beginning of a great new series.

FTC Disclosure - This book was provided by the publisher.

A CUP OF JO by Sandra Balzo (Severn House)

2010-10-10T14:23:00.005-04:00

Excitement is brewing at Uncommon Grounds—the historic depot site will be a stop on the new commuter route to Milwaukee, and Maggy Thorsen is ready for the coffee shop to become an essential part of the run. To advertise the business, she's commissioned a huge inflatable coffee cup emblazoned with the new logo. Unfortunately, the cup is large enough to hold a body. Once again, Maggy is drawn into a murder investigation that affects her livelihood. Suburban lifestyles, partner switching, and eccentric characters enhance the action. Nothing is predictable in Brookhills, Wisconsin.

Guest Blogger - Vicki Lane

2010-10-05T09:06:00.011-04:00

My newest book, The Day of Small Things, is firmly rooted in the beautiful place I call home. Though it’s not another Elizabeth Goodweather book, the setting is very much the same. There’s still a lot to learn about Elizabeth’s Marshall County and its folks, living and dead.

I’ve always enjoyed wandering through old graveyards, reading the headstones and speculating about the lives of those lying there. The fact that a family cemetery borders one of our pastures has allowed me to learn a good bit about my departed neighbors – and to imagine even more.

One of the saddest things about the burying places in our rural western North Carolina county is all the markers for babies – sometimes little more than a rock, or a homemade concrete rectangle.

High infant mortality was a fact of life less than a hundred years ago – a fact of life brought home to me when we first moved to our farm. Our neighbor, a weathered old great-grandfather, took a look at my year-old son.

“Hit’ll make a fine man… if it lives.”

Chilling to me – common sense to my neighbor.

Of course this shows up in my books. And in The Day of Small Things, Miss Birdie has her own special grave yard to visit.

Here’s a scene from the book – set in the graveyard on the hogback ridge. . .

Black clouds is gathering over the old fields and the dark smell of coming rain is growing strong but still I climb, step by slow step, up to the burying ground high on the hogback ridge. …

I gain the ridge and stop to catch my breath and count the familiar markers -- all sorts and all ages sprinkled over the easy crest of the ridge. When I’m rested, I pass by the granite markers, from the last forty or fifty years. They are all right fancy, deep-carved with names, dates, and bible verses. Luther and Cletus and the angels is here – one stone for me and Luther and one for Cletus and the angels. And there’s all the worn-out flowers I come to gather up, some blown and scattered by the wind across the ridge top, some still planted in the dirt of the graves, but faded to ugly now.

I get up this way several times in the year to tend my graves—I’ll clear away the Decoration Day flowers long about August and put sunflowers on each grave – big cheerful things—and though they’re plastic, they look so real I’ve seen the birds light on them. Then come December, I’ll bring poinsettias for Christmas -- red for Cletus and Luther and white for the angels.

I don’t let my family graves look as sorry as some of them up here. But law, so many folks lives away now and can’t get back but once a year for Decoration Day and sometimes, not even that.

The oldest ones are over here up at the top of the ridge – no fancy headstones, just homemade sand concrete markers and these white-painted slabs. The best folks could do, I reckon. Jacob Honeycutt’s stone is leaning some; I’ll ask Bernice’s boy to straighten it when he comes to mow.

There’s many an unmarked grave here too – but those dead lie as quiet as the rest. I’ll give every one of them a flower, come Decoration Day.

The church people sometimes looks at me kindly funny when they sees me go to jabbing them plastic flowers all around in the grass. ‘Birdie, honey,’ one asked, ‘don’t you want me to help you find where your family lays?’

Thought I was growing simple in my old age. But she didn’t mean nothing by it, just trying to be helpful. She don’t know how I can hear those who was laid there. Yes, even though their bodies has gone to earth and their bones has crumbled away, they still whisper to me, thankful to be remembered.

***

Talking to the dead is just part of it. There’s a lot more to Birdie than we’ve seen before this, and quite a lot her neighbor Elizabeth Goodweather never suspected. The quaint little woman who looks like everyone’s idea of a granny has had a surprising past and she’s not done yet.

No wonder she needed her own book!

Vicki Lane is the author of The Day of Small Things and of the Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mysteries—Signs in the Blood, Art's Blood, Old Wounds, Anthony-nominated In a Dark Season, and Under the Skin (coming from Bantam Dell in 2011.) Vicki draws her inspiration from the rural western NC county where she and her family have lived on a mountainside farm since 1975. Visit Vicki at her daily blog, her website or go HERE to learn more about The Day of Small Things.

LEAVE A COMMENT TO BE ENTERED IN A DRAWING FOR A SIGNED COPY OF THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS!! Check the comments on this post on the 8th for the name of the winner.

ALL THINGS UNDYING by Marcia Talley (Severn House)

2010-10-03T10:54:00.003-04:00

Lucky for me, I got ahold of an early copy of Marcia's terrific new Hannah Ives mystery. I like Hannah nearly as much as I like Marcia, so I'm always glad to give a shout out to the two of them. This morning this letter from Marcia landed in my mailbox. I thought you'd enjoy reading it before you read All Things Undying.

Fall greetings from Annapolis, Maryland!
I’m delighted to announce that the ninth Hannah Ives mystery, All Things Undying, has just been released in the U.S. At the same time, you can buy the previous book in the series, Without a Grave, in trade paper format.

Way back in 1998 when I wrote the first novel in the series, I consciously made Hannah's husband, Paul, a math professor at the U.S. Naval Academy because I knew the Academy had a faculty exchange program with Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England. I'd have to do research in England, right? Alas, by the time I got around to writing the book that became All Things Undying, the exchange program between the two schools had been discontinued. I'm not easily discouraged, however, so I sent Hannah and Paul back to Dartmouth to visit friends they'd made during an earlier visit.

But, Hannah’s holiday on “the English Riviera” turns topsy-turvy when a stranger stops her on the street to deliver a message from her long-dead mother. Stunned and curious, Hannah’s inquiries lead to a budding friendship with Susan Parker, a popular television medium whose accurate predictions leave fans and critics alike puzzled and intrigued. In spite of her skepticism, Hannah schedules a private reading. But on the morning they are to meet, Susan is struck by a hit-and-run driver.

Hannah’s passion to right a wrong soon draws her beneath the surface of the seemingly idyllic community where more than one person has a reason to want Susan dead. Or, does the answer lie in the past, in the final, desperate days of World War Two? Has a disaster that was covered up for decades claimed yet another victim? Did a message from beyond the grave lead Susan Parker to a cold-hearted killer?

"Told in the first person by the likable Hannah, the novel combines present and past effectively, with vivid details of wartime in the English countryside woven throughout the engaging story.” – Booklist.

“Hannah is so endearing that even readers who scoff at second sight will be touched.” – Kirkus.

Click here to visit my website for details!
To launch All Things Undying, I will have several book-signing events. For my hometown friends, please mark your calendars for the Annapolis launch party at 7:00 pm on Thurs., October 7 at the Barnes and Noble in Annapolis Harbour Center. On Friday, October 22, at 7:30 pm, I'll be doing a reading/signing at The Annapolis Bookstore on Maryland Avenue. Be there or be square!

Later in the month, I'll be attending Bouchercon, the world mystery conference, in San Francisco.

If you can’t make a signing, autographed copies can be ordered from a fine Independent Bookstore near you, like my good friends at Mystery Loves Company, Mystery Lovers Bookshop, or The Poisoned Pen. You can also order copies from Barnes & Noble or from You Know Who. All Things Undying, is a first-edition hardcover, so you'll be doing a kind deed for me—and a lot of other people—if you request that your local library order a copy for their mystery collections.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit my website, or drop by my blog, which I update from time to time with news, ruminations and photographs.

And since some of you have asked, allow me to mention that my next Hannah Ives mystery finds Hannah back in her home territory—Annapolis, MD -- with all the usual suspects. In the meantime, to help ease you into a British frame of mind, why not stir up a batch of

Janet's Scones
"Horn Hill House" Dartmouth, Devon

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup raisins, currents or dried fruit bits
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg

Combine dry ingredients. Grate butter into flour mixture on large holes of a box grater, using your fingers to work it in ‘til mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth. Using your hands, knead sour cream mixture into flour mixture, pressing dough against the bowl until it forms a ball. Turn out on lightly floured board. Pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. of sugar. Cut into 8 rounds or triangles. Place on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake 400˚F ‘til golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. While still warm, split, slather with Devonshire clotted cream and top with strawberry jam.

Enjoy while reading All Things Undying, and know how grateful Hannah and I are for your support.

Fair winds and following seas,
Marcia

King of Kindle by Parnell Hall

2010-10-02T20:01:00.002-04:00

Great author and overall funny man of mystery has a delightful video on YouTube. I think you'll enjoy it.

Let me know how many other mystery authors you can identify. There's a prize for the one who gets the most named.

Guest Blogger - Carolyn J. Rose

2010-09-28T10:14:00.002-04:00

How to Escape the
Muddle in the Middle

by Carolyn J. Rose

Writers get lots of advice—solicited and unsolicited—from family, friends, and other writers. (Okay, on the days my skin is particularly thin it seems more like criticism or fault-finding, but to steer away from that tangent, I’ll call it advice.)

After a while, we learn how to accept those comments without cringing, crying, or clawing out the eyes of the person offering. Eventually we learn how to weed out comments that are irrelevant, mean-spirited, or just not helpful. Then we consider what might be valid, what bits of advice to take.

One of the best pieces of writing advice I ever took was, “Know how your story ends before you begin.”

Makes sense, doesn’t it?

If you know where you’re going, if you’ve figured out the ultimate goal, then all you have to do is blaze a trail from plot point to plot point, from immediate goal to immediate goal, and you’ll arrive at your destination. Right?

Absolutely.

Positively.

Well, in theory.

My problem is that once I leave the inciting incident behind and enter the valley of plot twists, character quirks, and literary re-visioning, it’s easy to lose sight of the path to the ultimate goal and the mountaintop of story resolution. Without that landmark in view, it’s far too easy to wander off into shadowy and uncharted of What-If Woods.

Legend has it that some writers have been lost forever in this forest. They wander in circles, following plot points dropped by other writers, ignoring signal flares sent up by members of their critique groups, huddling at nightfall around a campfire of first drafts, wrapped in a blanket of discarded adjectives and adverbs.

I’ve been deep in that forest, surrounded by ideas sprouting like jungle vines and characters clamoring for larger roles, wishing there was such a thing as a literary GPS.

But while I floundered, I learned some ways to find my way again:

Forget about progress. Stay in one place and think.
Review the immediate goals.
Let your characters lead you
Cast off in a number of directions and compare results
Set a new final destination

Let’s look at the perks, pitfalls, and perils of each method.

Forget about progress. Stay in one place and think.
While taking a few days off from writing to reassess can be healthy for both writer and story, I’ve found that a few days can too quickly become a few weeks. Once I stop keeping that daily appointment with my keyboard, I start making other appointments—with books, bon-bons, friends, fruity drinks, and TV series I’ve cached.

Thinking is good. Overthinking to the point of the paralysis that leads to procrastination is not so good.

Set a time limit on how long you’ll allow your unconscious to work on the problem. Then try another method.

Review the immediate goals.
I call these the IGs to distinguish them from the UGs, the ultimate goals.
There are a lot of IGs on the road to the UGs, IGs created to generate conflict, tension, and suspense. But sometimes the conflict over those IGs can become mundane, irrelevant, and even distracting. A trip into a literary cul de sac isn’t bad, but a full-fledged detour might be catastrophic. So make sure most of your IGs are pointing, if not at the UGs, then in their general direction.

Let your characters lead you.
I might hesitate to admit to a psychologist that I let my characters take the lead, but writers will understand this isn’t a sign of mental imbalance. There comes a point in every book where my fictional friends start to act out their roles on the stage of my dreams. “If you want to take a curtain call in a sequel,” I tell them, “then you’d better come up with some ideas for act two of this drama.”

Usually, they do. The problem is that I have to know who to listen to. Trusting the killer to lead me will result in a far different ending than trusting the detective. And trusting too many of them could take me to a whole new level of lost. So, consider the source(s) before you write more.

Cast off in a number of directions and compare the results.
The strategy here is the same one you employ when you get off a clogged freeway and go miles out of your way just to keep moving.

I put aside my original outline (and, for the record, it’s more of a collection of spotty notes than an outline) and set off on a plot-twist trail to the left, roughing out the possibilities for two or three chapters, possibilities that include the emotions and actions of my characters. Returning to my jumping off point, I then bushwhack to the right.

Sometimes this casting about makes the problems with the first path clear and I race back along it to repair logic holes or add character reaction and thought to make the trail more evident and get the momentum I need to get out of the woods. Sometimes, however, I strike a new trail that’s more promising than the one I first plotted, a trail that will lead to a more satisfying ending.

Being a Virgo, I’m always reluctant to abandon previous plotting or to kill off characters I’d thought would go the distance. But I remind myself that this is fiction—and a first draft at that. I take a deep breath and go for the ultimate solution.

Set a new final destination.
Yes, it’s a last-ditch method, a new ultimate goal, with a new kind of climax, and new resolution for the ending.

In mystery, this usually means deciding that someone else is the killer and/or that a few other someones might be shot, stabbed, strangled, poisoned, pummeled, or pushed off a cliff along the road to resolution.

Have I mentioned that I’m a Virgo? Yes, I see I have. Then you know that the degree of difficulty on this is up there with landing a quadruple axel on the ice rink.

First, this involves admitting (if only to myself) that I didn’t know how the story would end, that I hadn’t really taken that piece of advice I mentioned earlier. Talk about embarrassment and humiliation.

Second, I have to rearrange all those index cards and sticky notes. Worse, I may have to toss some of them—or at least put them in a box (neatly) for future reference.

But, if I’ve been stuck long enough, the choice is to do all of the above or to shelve the whole book. So, I close the door to my office, throw a small-scale fit, and then get on with it.

What are the ways you get out of What-If Woods when you’re stuck in the middle of a book? Drop by and leave a comment. I’d love to add to my list of possibilities.

For the record, when I began writing Hemlock Lake, a solo project, I had a clear idea of how and where it would end and was able to bushwhack steadily toward that landmark through a series of arsons and murders in a remote community in the Catskill Mountains. When my husband Mike Nettleton and I wrote The Big Grabowski, however, our concept of the ending was, to say the least, vague. We knew only that the killer was one of the many suspects we’d planted in a quirky town on the Oregon Coast. It was only when we were about two-thirds of the way through that we decided for sure that the killer had to be …

Sorry. I’d love to tell you, but my publisher won’t let me.

Carolyn J. Rose grew up in New York’s Catskill Mountains, graduated from the University of Arizona, logged two years in Arkansas with Volunteers in Service to America, and spent 25 years as a television news researcher, writer, producer, and assignment editor in Arkansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. She teaches novel-writing in Vancouver, Washington, and founded the Vancouver Writers’ Mixers. Her hobbies are reading, gardening, and not cooking. Visit her at Deadly Duos Mysteries.

FATAL UNDERTAKING by Mark de Castrique (Poisoned Pen Press)

2010-09-24T12:15:00.004-04:00

Who could stop reading a book that starts with, "You want to borrow a casket?" Part-time funeral director and part-time deputy Barry Clayton is incredulous when Archie Donovan makes his request, but he's won over when Archie explains it's for the Jaycees' haunted house at the Halloween charity event. Few mystery readers will be surprised when a dead man turns up in the coffin. The predictable death is followed by some pretty nifty police work and a lot of national news coverage. The investigation in the seemingly close-knit North Carolina mountain community quickly highlights family feuds, large-scale Christmas tree high jackings, and just enough humor to lighten the occasional dark scenes.

I always enjoy de Castrique's books, and this one rates among his best. Come visit North Carolina. You'll be glad you did!

FTC Disclosure - Book was provided by the publisher

What I Read on My Summer Vacation

2010-09-09T20:16:00.004-04:00

I started back on my monthly talks at the Cary Library today. We take summers off because I'm always busy at the daylily farm and the library is busy with kids out of school. We had a good group of folks ready to get back to talking about mysteries. I shared some of the great books I read while we were on hiatus. If you'd like the handout, click here. Let me know if you share my appreciation for any of these.

Guest Blogger - Lisa Bork

2010-09-07T10:21:00.004-04:00

What’s My Brand?

I met Molly Weston at Bouchercon 2009, my first fan conference. On day one, Molly offered her card and snapped my picture during the Author Go-Round, where I gave a spiel about my debut novel, For Better, For Murder: a Broken Vows mystery (an Agatha Award finalist for 2009 Best First Novel). On the last day of the conference, Molly picked up my book during the Book Bazaar. Then she took my picture again.

Don’t ask me what happened to those pictures. Molly may be keeping them for blackmail. [Note from Molly: I don't think I'd make much money as a blackmailer for this photo of Lisa!]

This past May I sat next to Molly during the SinC breakfast at Malice Domestic, where she invited me to guest blog. I accepted, not because I particularly like to blog but because I like Molly. So here I am.

I’ve been thinking about branding lately—and by that I mean setting realistic reader expectations for a mystery series. For Richer, For Danger, the sequel to For Better, For Murder, releases this month. So, what is this brand? Or, after writing four books in this series, how can I prime a reader?

My protagonist, Jolene Asdale, lives in a small, touristy Finger Lakes town. She’s married to Ray Parker, a deputy sheriff. They butt heads, mainly over murder and Jolene’s bipolar sister, Erica.

In For Richer, For Danger, after years of ambivalence about parenthood, Finger Lakes sports car dealer Jolene Asdale is now driven to adopt her foster child, the daughter of fugitive robbery suspects. But some major roadblocks arise, including an open hit-and-run case and a recent murder—with the silent, uncooperative birthmother as the prime suspect.

As for the brand…count on lighthearted, fast-paced escapism. Count on Jolene struggling to "get-in-the-know.” Count on Erica to do the unexpected—more than once. Count on Ray to be smoking hot in his uniform and always “in-the-know.” Count on Jolene’s theatrical mechanic, Cory, to steal the show and make the right choices. Count on a page-turner. Count on an underlying heartwarming love between spouses, sisters, and friends.

And I hope you enjoy reading these books as much as I enjoyed writing them.

So, as an author, is it more fun to write a series with known characters? As a reader, what draws you to a series? What keeps you coming back? Can you immediately tell when a series will become a successful brand?

Want to win a copy of Lisa's For Richer, For Danger? You'll be very lucky if you win! To enter the contest, just email Lisa at Lisa@LisaBork.com with "MM Drawing" on the subject line. Entries should be emailed by midnight Friday, September 10.

AN IMPARTIAL WITNESS by Charles Todd (William Morrow)

2010-08-21T15:32:00.002-04:00

When World War I battleground nurse Bess Crawford is charged with escorting wounded soldiers back to England, she watches one of her charges closely. He's severely burned and requires special attention, so it's easy for her to notice the photograph of his wife pinned to his chest where he can see it often.

Once Bess has turned her responsibilities over to a hospital, she makes her way to London for a respite before going to her parents' home. At Waterloo Station she sees a distraught young woman clinging to an officer who turns and boards his train. Bess is stunned, not because this is an unusual occurrence, but because the woman is the wife of the pilot she's just escorted to London. Bess tries to follow the woman, but she loses her in the crowd. No amateur sleuth can walk away from such a scene—especially when she learns the woman has turned up dead!

During the Great War, there were no forensics, little communication among law enforcement communities, but there was an intrepid nurse with a great deal of curiosity who wanted to put things right. An Impartial Witness is a marvelous addition to this impressive series.

FTC Disclaimer - Book was provided by the publisher.

ROYAL BLOOD by Rhys Bowen (Berkley Prime Crime)

2010-08-21T15:09:00.003-04:00

Pack your furs and jewels, Lady Georgiana is going to a royal wedding and you're invited! An old school chum whom Georgie didn't know was a princess has requested that Georgie be a bridesmaid at her wedding—in the family castle in Transylvania. Unwilling to disobey a royal command, Georgie sets out with the unlikeliest maid, a dragon-like chaperone, and the chaperone's paranoid companion. Once ensconced in the castle, a heavy snowfall blocks all roads, providing the perfect background for a locked-room murder. Death isn't the only thing to watch for—the figure Georgie sees scaling the wall outside her window couldn't possibly be a vampire—or could it.

As always, an adventure with Lady Georgiana Rannoch is sheer delight.

FTC Disclaimer—Book provided by the publisher

SKETCH ME IF YOU CAN by by Sharon Pape (Berkley)

2010-08-12T14:20:00.002-04:00

This is a new series with an unusual twist. Sketch artist and deputy sheriff Rory McCain works for the Suffolk County Police Department. Her Uncle Mac, a private investigator, has died suddenly of an apparent heart attack. Uncle Mac left his Victorian home and PI business to Rory. She discovers that Uncle Mac had an unusual partner, Ezekiel Drummond (aka Zeke), a lawman from the 1870’s, who was shot in the back in Mac’s house. Zeke refuses to leave until he finds out who killed him and wants Rory to help him find the killer (even though the killer has to be long dead!). In exchange, he will help her investigate a current murder that was one of Uncle Mac’s cases. This unusual partnership makes for an interesting cozy, at times funny and sad with some suspense and a surprise ending. It will be interesting see how this series develops.

—Helen Jones

FTC Disclaimer - Book was provided by the publisher

CLOSET CONFIDENTIAL by Mary Jane Maffini (Berkley)

2010-08-12T14:01:00.002-04:00

Charlotte Adams goes through life organizing things; after all, it's her business. She knows she's going to have trouble with her latest client: Lorelei Beauchamp is not only one of her mother's long-time friends, she's the image of an international line of cosmetics, and she's just lost her daughter in a tragic accident. Lorelei has the reputation of a diva. Charlotte is prepared for that, but she's totally unprepared for what Lorelei asks her to do: Prove that Anabel's death wasn't an accident—but murder.

I doubt Maffini could write directions for digging a hole without being humorous, but while humor is definitely interspersed, the plotting is crisp, red herrings are genuine, and the characters were realistic.