The Magnolia Queen

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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)

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

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)

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

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

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

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