LEFTOVER DEAD by Jimmie Ruth Evans (Berkley)

Things should be settling down for Texas waitress Wanda Nell Culpepper. Her older daughter and grandson have moved out of Wanda's trailer and her new husband Jack has moved in. When Jack, who writes true crime books when he's not teaching, comes home from a morning run, he's bristling with excitement: The school custodian has just told him about a 30-year old murder that was hushed up by town officials. The newlyweds feel obligated to put a name to the unidentified dead girl. Their research, quite naturally, uncovers secrets that some folks wantto remain hidden.

The "Trailer Park" series is a welcome addition to the Southern traditional mystery genre.

News from Steve Brewer

I got an email from mystery author Steve Brewer about his weekly humor column. It's moved to aNewsCafe, an online magazine. If you've enjoyed his wild and wacky mystery novels, you'll probably like hearing about his life as a Mr. Mom.

DEAD MAN DANCING by Marcia Talley (Severn House)

Reading DEAD MAN DANCING on New Year's Eve was even better than dodging the happy revelers who used to bump into us when we went out on the busiest dance night of the year. Hannah's sister is getting married soon and wants to have a band at the wedding. In order to get a group rate for classes, she ropes in family members to join the lessons. 

Ruth's fiance competed in ballroom while in college, so the couple is quickly singled out to compete for a slot in the reality TV show "Shall We Dance?" Hannah relates their progress and problems (including a mugging and two murders) and gives a realistic view of dance classes (even though her characters learn extremely quickly!). As in all of Marcia's books, characters are well drawn and the dialogue crisp.

As Katherine Murray use to say, "Put a little fun in YOUR life: Try dancing."

DEATH OF A COZY WRITER by G. M. Malliet

I occasionally get emails with photos captioned something like, "If FDR married Marilyn Monroe, their kids would look like this:" Well, if Agatha Christie and P. G. Wodehouse wrote a book together, it would be something like this one. Malliet adheres to the traditional mystery framework endorsed by Christie and enriches it with high jinks worthy of Plum himself.

The setting is a house party in a Cambridgeshire mansion. Best-selling mystery writer Sir Adrian Beauclerek-Fisk has invited  his four not-so-successful adult children to his wedding to a widow with a dubious past. Naturally, the children are not pleased with the proposed alliance; neither is Sir Adrian's cook, Mrs. Romano. Murder is inevitable.

I was a bit skeptical when Donna Andrews almost forced me to buy this, but I'm oh, so happy she did. Save this for a Sunday afternoon in front of the fireplace—with a cup of tea by your side.

Authors YOU Should Know

We had a good time at the Cary Library last week when we talked about some of the authors I think everybody should be reading. It was fun not having any particular topic but just telling folks about some of the folks I've enjoyed reading—recently and over the years. If you'd like to compare likes, try downloading the handout. 

MURDER IN FOUR PARTS by Bill Crider (Minotaur)

Sheriff Dan Rhodes figures there's something fishy about an invitation to join a barbershop chorus. After all, he's not much of a shower singer. Before he can figure out the motive behind his invitation though, he's out on a call to catch the alligator in a drainage ditch. And the alligator leads to chickens…

Yep, it's pretty much business as normal in Blacklin County, Texas, and Rhodes has just about all he can handle even before a murder in the barbershop group. Once again, Dan manages to keep his wits about him despite continual heckling from his staff and misdirection from those he's sworn to protect and serve. 

I'll take a trip to this part of Texas any time!

NEVER TELL A LIE by Hallie Ephron (William Morrow)

Ivy Rose is in definite "nesting" mode. Eight months pregnant, she's having a yard sale to clear out the junk that came alone with her Victorian house. One of the customers is a former high school classmate of Ivy's and her husband David. Melinda White, also pregnant, manipulates David into letting her look inside the house—where she used to play as a child. Although David returns to the yard sale, Melinda doesn't come out of the house. When a full-blown police investigation centers on David, Ivy realizes that she doesn't know him as well as she thought. 

Just as I thought I saw where this truly creepy thriller was headed, Ephron snatched the rails of the roller coaster and twisted them into a whole new ride. Fortunately, I started this book early in an afternoon and was able to finish it before burning the midnight oil. I suggest you do the same. Don't miss Ephron's debut solo novel. It's on sale January 6, 2009.

A DOG AMONG DIPLOMATS by J. F. Englert (Dell)

Crime novels often require that the reader suspends disbelief for one reason or another. For instance, private investigators simply don't work on open murder investigations. Amateur sleuths rarely discover bodies. Animals don't talk.

Manhattan native Labrador Retriever Randolph doesn't talk. He communicates with his owner via Alpha-Bits cereal. He also reads and writes books, and he surfs the Web for clues to crime. In his second appearance, Randolph goes undercover at the U.N. as a therapy dog for a depressed diplomat. 

Beth says, "My dog is just as smart as Randolph, and I suspect that the cats alter the shopping lists. This is a fun read. I'm looking forward to another mystery with Randolph." 

GOODY GOODY GUNSHOTS by Sammi Carter (Berkley)

The fourth "candy shop mystery" set in the Colorado Rockies won't make you gain weight unless you indulge in the recipes at the end. In this outing, Divinity candy shop owner Abby Shaw witnesses a a man being gunned down, but there's no proof. Could a body that turns up days later possibly be related? Abby's got plenty to do running her store, training a new employee, and working with her nephew's basketball team, but she's always got time to ply her sleuthing skills. Interesting, well-drawn characters propel this well-paced story to the perfect ending.

--Beth Carroll

A New Reviewer is Heard…

We've all heard the phrase "so many books, so little time" often. I thought I'd have more time to read when I retired (I used to read about 250 mysteries a year), but I find I spend a lot of time now writing about books, talking about books, and getting ready to talk about books. Of course, I also spend considerable hours looking for books and other things I've misplaced. Recognizing my inability to keep up with all the reading I should do, I've begun asking friends to help out occasionally by sharing their thoughts.

Beth Carroll absolutely loves cozy mysteries. I've been loaning bags of them to her for years. She keeps a note in the bag explaining that "these books belong to Molly Weston" in case something happens and she doesn't get to return them. We laugh about that. Now, I've begun targeting new cozies that I think she'll like and she's agreed to let you know about them.

Welcome, Beth!

Harris & Kelner Updates

I just saw some great news on Publishers Lunch about two of my long-time mystery buddies:

"Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner's Death's Excellent Vacation, an anthology crossing genres from the sci-fi/fantasy, mystery and paranormal genres, with each story revolving around death and a holiday, in the similar spirit of their earlier anthologies Many Bloody Returns (vampires and birthdays) and Wolfsbane & Mistletoe (werewolves and Christmas)…for publication in Spring 2010…"

and

"NYT bestselling author Charlaine Harris's Harper Connelly #4… for publication in Fall 2009."

It looks like the good times will keep rolling! Congratulations, gals!

SIBA Photos

I wasn't clever enough to get more photos placed where I wanted them in my SIBA report, so I'm sticking in a couple here.

On the left is Julia Spencer-Fleming; to the right is Charlaine Harris.

SIBA - Mobile, Alabama

I just got back from the Southeastern Independent Booksellers' Association (SIBA) meeting and trade show in Mobile, Alabama. It was a great show, as always, and I got to renew acquaintances with old friends and to meet a lot of new people.

On Friday, I gave a presentation to booksellers on marketing mysteries using lists from the library programs I've been doing over the years. We worked on ways to combine mysteries with mainstream titles and on planning tie-in events with outside agencies and businesses. 

After the marketing session, I moderated a thriller panel with four great authors, all of whom were new to me. What fun I had reading their books in preparation for the panel. It seems no matter how many books you read, you always miss somebody, and I had missed some good ones! The panelists were F. Paul Wilson, Erica Spindler, Kirk Curnutt, and Darden North. We had a good time, the authors related some great stories, and the folks in attendance asked insightful questions after the author presentations.

Wilson talked about his first book for young adults, Jack: Secret Histories. Repairman Jack adult fans will also grab this book because it tells the story of Jack as a teenager. He inscribed my copy, "Where it all begins."

Spindler's upcoming book, Breakneck, won't hit stores until January, but I can assure you it's a roller coaster ride from beginning to end! It's a totally current thriller dealing with computer hackers, identity theft, and ripping off the wrong person.

Breathing Out the Ghost, as you might expect from a college teacher was our literary thriller for the day. Curnutt explores the effects of  a missing child, not only upon his father, but the private detective hired to find the child. Not stopping there, he brings in other people who have suffered the same loss and parallels their stories.

Darden North, MD, writes what he knows: He's a practicing OB-GYN in Mississippi, and his third medical thriller, Fresh Frozen, explores new practices in fertility treatments. Because it's fiction, he takes the scenario a step further to include murder. 

We were all glad to see Julia Spencer-Fleming in the audience for our panel. She added some great marketing ideas for the booksellers.

I enjoyed seeing former mystery author, Susan McBride. Susan is now writing great books for the young adult market. Although she's as busy as ever, she still looks totally elegant! Her publisher, Random House, and Lily Pulitzer are sponsoring a great contest in conjunction with The Debs, which is in stores now. Details are in the back of the book and on Susan's website.

At the trade show on Sunday, one of the first familiar faces I saw was Charlaine Harris, who was totally excited about seven--count 'em--seven of her Sookie Stackhouse titles being on the NY Times Bestseller's List. Cathy Pickens was a blur at the elevator, but she took time to chat a moment about life and books. 

All in all, it was a great trip. I can't wait for next year's SIBA closer to home in Columbia, South Carolina.

THE CASE OF THE GREEDY LAWYERS by Carl Brookins (Nodin Press)

I'm a sucker for detectives who are throwbacks to the original hardboiled PIs—in fact, I stayed up late last night to watch a black and white Mike Hammer TV show. If the title of this one doesn't tip you off that this one would suit me, the cover artwork certainly would: a fedora-topped chisel-faced man, cigarette in mouth, stands in a dark alley.

Sean Sean narrates his story in the parlance of old, "You see, I'm a throwback. I'm passé, out of date, a lost cause. The world is no longer interested in me and my kind. I'm no longer needed. Or so they say." Thus, I was hooked on the first page.

Sean's cases are strictly contemporary, but his self-deprecating style reminds me of the 25¢ Pocket paperbacks I adored. The story is sound. The red herrings abound. But my favorite part of the book was the trip down memory lane.

Thank you, Carl Brookins, for taking me back!

PRODIGAL SON by Thomas B. Cavanagh (Thomas Dunne Books)

Now that retired police detective Mike Garrity's brain cancer is in remission, he realizes that he's got to get back in the work force. When he takes his teenaged daughter to the funeral of one of her classmates, the boy's father approaches him. "Victor didn't kill himself…He wouldn't. He didn't. I want you to find out what happened." Even without a PI license, Mike agrees to help the father.

Later that day, Mike meets Debbie Watson at his cancer support group. Debbie urges him to persue a job interview with a PI company. Surprisingly, the interview is quite short, culminating in "So, when can you start?" Mike's generous employment packages includes health insurance and a percentage of any work he brings to the company. When Debbie offers Mike another case, his new job looks even better.

As Mike starts working the two cases, he unravels more threads than he intended—and the threads lead to some very scary people. Add a Category 5 hurricane to the mix, and Mike is in 'way deeper than he ever invisioned. Fortunately, he gets support from a totally unexpected source. I look forward to more adventures with Mike Garrity!

STALKING SUSAN by Julie Kramer (Doubleday)

While investigative reporter Riley Spartz is recovering from heartbreak, her friend and police source hands her two homicide files which haunted him during his career. Garnett is retiring as a homicide detective. Both files concern young women named Susan who were murdered exactly one year apart.

Riley is desperate for a headline story—she's been on leave for three months— and she needs to be back on TV with a hard-hitting story. Unfortunately, her boss hands her some fluff pieces and gives them high priority, so Riley has to relegate the Susan files to the back burner. Just as the Susan stories begin to make sense, the fluff pieces take on a life of their own.

Stalking Susan is a great contemporary story about TV journalism told from an insiders' point of view. Kramer is a freelance TV news producer for NBC.

PAINT THE TOWN DEAD by Nancy Bell (Thomas Dunne Books)

I was a big fan of Bell's Biggie Weatherford series, mostly because I loved the voice. Now I'm a fan of the Judge Jackson Crain series mostly because I really like the characters and the way Bell includes the small Texas town as a character. Jackson, a widower with a teenaged daughter, is a close friend of Sheriff Gibs, who occasionally requests Jackson's sleuthing skills.

When a hotshot real estate tycoon is murdered, all eyes turn to his wife (whose money the deceased used to propel himself to wealth). Neither Jackson nor Gibbs is convinced of the widow's guilt, so Jackson probes deeper into the deceased former life—where he finds the glamorous evangelist, Sister McDermott.

While Jackson is busy solving the murder, life in Post Oak, Texas continues to evolve, introducing readers to delightful characters we'll want to get to know better.

THE GARDEN OF EVIL by David Hewson (Delacorte Press)

The back copy on the advanced reader's copy reeled me in: "Looming over the corpses is a haunting Caravaggio masterpiece…" What an opportunity for me—a modern thriller set in Rome with an opportunity to learn more about one of my favorite painters. 

A grisly murder scene leads Detective Nic Costa into a chase he'd much rather not make, one that leads to personal tragedy, to having to work outside police confines, and to confronting a society of wealthy aristocracy who have plunged into depravity. The Caravaggio painting is central to finding the answers to all Nic's questions. 

I found myself carrying this book with me from room to room until I'd finished!

SINGULARITY by Kahtryn Casey (St. Martin's Minotaur)

This debut thriller is everything I wanted: a protagonist I liked, a fast pace, and fair play from the author. Widowed mom Sarah Armstrong is a profiler for the Texas Rangers who faces antagonism from some local law enforcement officers and FBI personnel alike.

When a prominent businessman and his mistress are found murdered, Sarah suspects a serial killer, but the locals suspect the wife. Subsequent murders convince Sarah she's right, but there are enough differences that she can't convince her superiors. When Sarah becomes the target, her theory is proven—but is it too late?

I look forward to more from Casey, a former true crime writer.

Somebody Knows Your Mama (first printed in "Pomp and Circumstantial Evidence"

My husband and I made a two-week trip across the Deep South in May to visit daylily gardens and to attend the national daylily convention. As I planned our stops, I was reminded of an axiom familiar to everyone who grew up in the South (or probably in a small town anywhere else!): No matter where you go, somebody’s gonna know your mama!

Turns out, that is true in the world of mystery readers and writers, too. The first hint I got that I’d be in mystery company was when reading the list of gardens on the conference tour. One was in Alvin, Texas. A light bulb immediately flashed above my head—that’s the home of Bill Crider. If you’re not familiar with Bill’s Texas sagas (and he’s got several excellent series), you’re in for a reading good time. The garden was beautiful, but there wasn’t a mystery writer in sight. I was able though to get an opportunity to suggest his books to several gardeners.

Since our conference was held in Houston, I knew I’d absolutely have to make a pilgrimage to the bookstore Carolyn Hart used as a prototype for her wonderful Death on Demand series featuring Annie Darling. In fact, when I visited with Carolyn when she was in North Carolina in April, she reminded me to spend some time at Murder by the Book. Would you believe that Ben Rehder was speaking there the same night we were due to arrive in Houston? I had just finished reading and reviewing Holy Roller and was delighted to get the opportunity to meet him (and buy the early books in this hilarious down home series).

Ben Rehder was kind enough to pose for a photo with me.

I spent a couple of hours in the wonderful store, salivating over the huge selection of mysteries. Naturally I didn’t confine myself to buying just what was on my list. I knew they’d carry titles by Jimmie Ruth Evans aka Dean James. (He managed the store for many years.) I was right, and I thoroughly enjoyed Bring Your Own Poison, the latest entry in his Trailer Park series. I also bought several titles recommended by the knowledgeable staff. (I’m still working on reading that stack.) Noel just shook his head when I came out of the store. Could it be because I already had a huge tote bag stuffed with books to occupy me on the trip?

We really did have an unusually large number of books with us. I had offered to donate a mystery basket as an auction item for the conference. I arranged about twenty books, a cotton lap throw, assorted teas, and chocolate to tempt mystery readers— in a huge basket all tied up with crime scene tape. When Noel loaded the car, he awarded a spot in the back seat to the basket. (We had to put our bottled water in the trunk to assure the safety of the basket!)

As one always does at a national conference, we met people from all over the country. Often when I met someone, their name tag indicated they lived in a place where I knew a mystery writer or where a particular series is set. I didn’t find a soul who knew the writer in question, but I always assured them they would enjoy reading the author. Several actually took notes! When I saw someone from New Iberia, Louisiana, I merely said to her, “James Robichaux country.” She nodded her head enthusiastically.

When we rode by a Mississippi River levee, I was reminded of the wonderful mysteries set just after Hurricane Katrina. As we drove through Mississippi, Noel commented on the canals diverting water for barges for casinos. That reminded me of the library in Tunica where I gave a library talk on southern writers, “Sweet Tea and Murder.” One of the authors I featured was Charlaine Harris. Several of the ladies in the group said as one, “Tunica is her hometown!” Charlaine knows that wherever she goes, somebody’s gonna know her mama!

As we rode through Birmingham, Alabama, I craned my neck to see the statue of Vulcan that Anne George often mentioned in her Southern Sisters mysteries. I didn’t see him, but I relived many happy hours spent with the delightful Patricia Anne Hollowell and Mary Alice Crane. Going through Atlanta always recalls the work of Kathy Hogan Trocheck (and her new pseudonym, Mary Kay Andrews) and Patricia Sprinkle.

Surely the world of mystery is populated with folks I know and love—and I’d be proud to introduce them all to my mama!