Meritorious Mysteries

MURDER UNDER A MYSTIC MOON by Yasmine Galenorn (Berkley)

2009-07-16T12:57:00.002-04:00

Galenorn is authentically motivated to write about Woo-Woo Land as she has been in the craft for 25 years and knows whereof she speaks. This is obvious as the reader is taken into the energetic reality that is invisible to most people. The main protagonist (there are several) is Emerald O'Brien, owner of the Chintz and China Tea Room, who offers tea and petit fours as standard fare, but on the side offers not-so-standard fare—namely tarot readings and other helpful things like seeing auras and sensing energies that could have disastrous effects on people. She's a single mom of two precocious kids (14 and 9), business woman, good friend, lover, seer, and all-round honorable, spunky, and courageous woman.

The plot is a good one and the many subplots reveal the interesting complexities of life. The stories are woven together well and there are many interesting characters that dot the landscape of the story line. For example, there's a biker enclave nearby and as we meet individuals from this group, we are reminded again that the cover doesn't always reflect the content of the book accurately. There are romantic interests that keep us rooting for true love. There are wonderful neighbors who express our need for community. There are bad guys who cause trouble in big and small ways. There are shallow, rude, annoying characters whom we want to throttle. There are ideals and values and principles. There are myths and magic and moments of mystery that remind us that there is more to life than the obvious. We get glimpses of Dreamtime, the aboriginal concept that many think is not real, but is. Emerald balances her psychic abilities and "normal" life with grace and grit, and we are given peaks at the ways in which witches use their abilities for the good of the earth and its inhabitants. Life is a composite of the primal and the routine, of the high joys and low traumas, the incredible and the boring and everything else in between. This world is driven by greed and fear and although this isn't a primary or obvious thrust in this book, the lessons for this are there to be learned. The price we pay for our fears and greed can be seen in the way the lives of the characters unfold. It goes without saying that we can and should learn something from every experience, and we need to honor the possibilities inherent in the invisible reality which we, literally and metaphorically, can't see. Keep an open mind and allow the possibility for the invisible to touch your life. This book has much to offer, and it's a good read.

—Diane Esterly

SECONDHAND SPIRITS by Juliet Blackwell (New American Library)

2009-07-16T12:50:00.002-04:00

For all wannabe witches or just those who are curious about witchy things, this is a fun and funny book. Lily Ivory is a semi-witch who is not sure about her powers. She never finished training with her grandmother and she finds herself in situations that make her wish she had. Her witchy ways have made her feel left out and alien, but she is determined to make friends and become "normal" by opening a legitimate business in San Francisco. She wants only to be accepted by people and so she tries to hide her witchy ways, but, of course, that is impossible. She is who she is. Aunt Cora's Closet, a vintage clothing store, seems to be a natural for her. Her store is a success and she is slowly becoming part of a community. Naturally, though, her paranormal abilities lead her on various excursions—both funny and dangerous—into the otherworldy spheres of reality. Lily loves her store because she can sense vibrations from the past from the clothing and jewelry, and she has a knack for fashion that attracts customers, both innocent and malevolent. Aunt Cora's Closet is a hit, but when a client is murdered and a child disappears from the Bay Area nearby, she may be the only one who can unravel the crime. Two men, one a sexy "myth buster" and the other a powerful male witch, offer complications and drama.

All the characters here are likable and pretty well drawn. Murder aside, this is a good, fun story. As is true with all of us, Lily has to confront her abilities and weaknesses and try to find a way to live meaningfully and compassionately with her God-given traits. For those who want to learn a little bit about the paranormal, this is a good way to do it. It's not overloaded with spells and magic, but it gives the reader some insight into the ways of those who have psychic abilities and the ways in which invisible reality interacts with the visible.

—Diane Esterly

SWORN TO SILENCE by Linda Castillo (Minotaur)

2009-07-02T12:06:00.002-04:00

When I read an advance copy of Sworn to Silence, I knew it was one of those books. In the first place, I literally couldn't put it down. It's a little hard to read while loading the dishwasher, but where there's a will…

Today's edition of "The Labyrinth," Minotaur's monthly newsletter, has a letter from the author introducing her debut novel. Linda Castillo describes the chilling story far better than I could.

How far would you go to keep a secret? What if keeping that secret threatened your safety? What if it threatened the lives of the townspeople you've sworn to protect and serve? These are some of the questions Chief of Police Kate Burkholder must ask herself in my debut thriller, SWORN TO SILENCE.

The book is the first in a series set in bucolic Painters Mill, which is in the heart of Ohio's Amish Country. I've always loved stories that juxtapose good and evil, and I couldn't have asked for a more fitting locale. The tranquil beauty of Painters Mill and the gentle hearts of the Amish stand in stark contrast to the evil stalking the town.

Kate is a far cry from your typical cop. Born Amish, she chose the "English" way of life over her Amish roots after a life altering event during her teens. She's a troubled, complicated and imperfect woman-with a harrowing secret that pits her on a very personal level against a depraved adversary she may have faced once before. Throw in a rogue state agent and a town council full of politicos, and Kate has her hands full.

If you like edgy thrillers chock full of ambiguous characters, SWORN TO SILENCE will fit the bill.

Take a tip from me: Don't start this before bedtime!!!

ROADSIDE CROSSES by Jeffrey Deaver (Simon & Schuster)

2009-06-28T11:38:00.002-04:00

A killer is loose on the Monterey Peninsula in Jeffrey Deaver’s latest thriller. A book as current as the Internet and the cyberspace, we love and hate. A book immersed in the alternate universe where so many fans disappear. Around the world millions of players of these violent games can’t always tell the real world from the game world, where they spend so many hours. Kathryn Dance is an investigator specializing in kinesics, the ability to read the body language we all emit.

She is in the hunt for Travis Brigham, a young man determined to kill everyone who bullied him on the internet blog The Chilton Report. Kathryn's personal and professional life already full, but she must put all her energy into capturing Brigham. The first two attempts to kill two of the bullies have just missed and the potential victims have survived, but now a third person just tangentially aligned with the case has been murdered. Kathyrn is racing the clock to catch the killer before there are more victims. With her partner, Michael O’Neill and computer expert Jon Boling, Kathyrn must follow the clues to catch a killer. Deaver actually uses real websites to entice his readers into helping to solve the crime.

Stephen Bank, Cary (NC) Public Library

LONG LOST by Harlan Coben (Dutton)

2009-06-28T11:19:00.002-04:00

Myron Bolitar is hopscotching all over Europe trying to help an ex-girl friend he hasn’t seen in years—in Harlan Coben’s latest book, Long Lost.

It was a 5 a.m. phone call from Terese Collins that got Myron’s attention. With no detailed explanation—just a plea to "come to Paris" and instructions to get on an Air France jet leaving JFK that night and meet her at her hotel, the d’Aubusson. It has been a decade since Myron and Terese hooked up, but he remembered a spectacular few days with her on an island near Aruba. Myron has had only three true loves in his life and Terese was #2. Since his ongoing relationship with Ali (love #3) has hit a rough spot, Myron decides to head for Paris. It doesn’t take long for him to be enmeshed in the murder investigation of Terese’s ex-husband. Picked up by a special branch of the French police, Myron is released but more confused and intrigued then ever. He certainly will not desert Terese , but he knows he will need the assistance of his powerful best friend Win and the help of his staff back in New York, Esperanza and Big Cindi. Fans of Coben will recognize the gang that has played significant roles in past thrillers. It will an exciting roller coaster, but this time it will be Europe that is the background for Coben’s latest adventure, not the familiar scenery of New York or New Jersey.
—Steve Bank

WITHOUT A GRAVE by Marcia Talley (Severn House)

2009-06-21T10:28:00.005-04:00

Hey, mon, if you don't get a chance to visit the islands in person this year, here's a great way for armchair travel. Hannah Ives and her Naval Academy husband are spending time in the Bahamas while he's on sabbatical. They're enjoying he tranquil, laid back island lifestyle and their congenial neighbors but soon find that there's trouble in paradise. A huge, luxury resort community is being built which threatens the island's delicate coral reef. As the battle between the builders and the islanders ensues, a terrible forest fire reveals a body. A subsequent hurricane leaves another. Hannah and her spunky neighbor, Molly Weston, must use all their detecting skills to solve the crimes.

One of Talley's strengths, for me, is a realistic look at how crime effects ordinary people who encounter bad situations. Even in the face of adversity, life and family must go on. This makes her stories much more believable for me.

Guest Blogger - Larry Kaplan

2009-06-18T09:25:00.000-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome guest blogger Larry Kaplan today. Larry's a new writer with a terrific new book out, House of Ghosts. Please join me in welcoming Larry!

From DDS to Historical Mystery Writer

2009-06-18T09:17:00.003-04:00

by Larry Kaplan

The journeys we take on life's paths are never predictable. It's one of the earliest themes in House of Ghosts. Joe Henderson, a washed up detective, finds himself drawn into a mystery that starts with the death of an old neighbor, but takes him on an historical journey from present-day Westfield, New Jersey, to Princeton University, 1939, to the docks of Depression-era Brooklyn, and into the aerial battles above Italy and Poland in 1944. This unlikely but compelling journey leads Henderson to revelations of long-held secrets about thwarted bombing missions over Auschwitz.

I know about unpredictable journeys. A dentist in a solo practice in Scotch Plains New Jersey since 1983, I now find myself the author of a successful mystery book, with two more books in the works.

How the heck did that happen? I grew up in a middle class section of Union, New Jersey with my parents, Jack and Selda and older brother, Ron. A child of the 1950s, I played punch ball in the street, didn’t go to camp, and didn’t talk back. It was a world where kids rode their bikes to get where they needed to go, mothers stayed home, and no one had two cars. And most important, people gave a damn about each other.

My dad was a dental technician; this inspired me to go into dentistry. So,in 1979, I graduated NYU's College of Dentistry, then completed a dental residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC. I stayed in Jersey, opened my dental practice, and lived the life of a successful suburban doctor. That could have been the whole story of my life. But that wasn't the way it turned out.

Always an avid reader, I love the books of Chandler, Hammett and Hemingway. A recent favorite is Michael Chabon, especially his Yiddish Policemen's Union.
He is a master.

But as a self-confessed history junkie, I also read a lot of non-fiction. I'm especially drawn to the subject of World War II. I have read more than a hundred books on the most destructive period in world history. I read for pleasure, but I'm doing research at the same time.

Reading good writers encourage a person to write, some say. For me that was part of the incentive. But my interest really began when I realized I could write as well as some of the people I was reading.

My own life took a dramatic turn when my first marriage ended in divorce. I always liked the part of Pennsylvania just across the Delaware River; and in 2001, I decided to make a new start, which included leaving New Jersey after fifty years.

I now live in Upper Bucks County, PA with my wife, Anne, two dogs, four cats and a parrot named Boeing. It's a beautiful, rural area where farms, horses and dairy cows populate the landscape.

The move to Pennsylvania infused me with a writing bug that drove me to finally finish a first manuscript. I credit Anne's support as a crucial ingredient. Pursuing a new career after the age of fifty is daunting. But with her encouragement, I take my writing very seriously; it's a second job. Anne has been more than supportive in this crazy quest to become established.

My late mother-in-law, Irene Lederer, told stories about her memories of American bomber jets flying over Auschwitz where she was being held prisoner. She said that she wondered: Why didn't they target the camps? The question stayed in my mind. My love of my mother-in-law combined, I guess, with my childhood memory of a time in our history when people gave a damn about the plight of others. So, I set out to discover the answer to my mother-in-law's question. My original plan was to write a book of non-fiction about it. Research was tedious and difficult: hundreds of hours in Princeton's library, searching for information wherever it could be found, interviewing people. Somewhere during that time, though, I became concerned. After all, I had a DDS after my name, not a PhD in history. I worried that publication of a non-fiction book might be difficult for me without the scholarly credentials.

That's when I began to frame all the research and information I had gathered into a book of fiction. Before this, I'd already begun work on a book in what I hoped would be a series of detective novels, about this washed-up Westfield NJ Police Department Detective, Joe Henderson. I put that book aside and worked instead to shape the World War II material into a mystery/detective framework, ultimately giving life to House of Ghosts. I hope I managed to combine the solidity of an historical novel with the excitement and mystery of the detective genre. One thing is for sure, I plan to keep writing. The first novel took ten years. I'm hoping to work a little faster from now on. The next book is the one I put aside. It's called Gene Killers, and is targeted for a winter 2010 release. A prequel to House of Ghosts, it will be the second in the Joe Henderson detective series. Gene Killers tackles the biotech industry and the incompetence of the FDA. When a genetically-engineered drug about to receive FDA approval goes bad, the destructive results escalate until the U.S. and China stand at the precipice of war. I'm already working on the third book in this series, doing research again in WWII history. This book starts in the waning days of the war, in a Russian-surrounded Berlin and ends in Washington, D.C. in the year 2012.

As in House of Ghosts, the history is fact, based on hard research, but the conclusions are mine. Each book is its own journey, and reminds me of how much I love where my life has taken me. I'm still a dentist in New Jersey, but now I'm a writer too. And who knows what's next? Life is long. The journey goes on.

DIAL EMMY FOR MURDER by (Eileen Davidson) Obsidian

2009-06-11T14:50:00.002-04:00

If you need a fun summer read, stick this paperback original (PBO) in your pocket and take it to the pool or beach. Alexis Peterson has just left one popular daytime show for another (where she's playing dual characters) and dressed to the nines, she's all set to be a presenter at the Daytime Emmy Awards show. Only problem is, her co-presenter doesn't show—until she's at the podium reading the nominees. Then he appears—dropping from the rafters. Quite dead of course.

The murders continue, the tension mounts, and the good times roll.Whether or not you're a soaps fan, you'll enjoy this lighthearted Hollywood romp.

THE UNSEEN by Alexandra Sokoloff (St. Martin's Press)

2009-06-04T08:03:00.002-04:00

After breaking things off with her fiance, Laurel accepts a tenure track position with Duke University's Psychology Department and moves from her California home to Durham NC. Still reeling from the breakup, she finds it hard to concentrate on her new job until she becomes fascinated by finding that the files from the Rhine parapsychology lab experiments have recently been released to public view. Joining forces with a wickedly handsome young professor, Laurel proposes to re-create some of the experiments to prove the existence of ESP.

It's too bad my mother wasn't available to warn Laurel, "Be careful what you wish for…"

Read The Unseen in full daylight—surrounded by people you trust.

Mason-Dixon Mystery Tour

2009-05-25T16:22:00.002-04:00

The Yankees are coming—Jane K. Cleland and Rosemary Harris are coming to North Carolina. Here to join them and help me hold down the Southern drawl will be Cathy Pickens!

We're hoping to see lots of mystery readers as we convene in bookstores and libraries in the Triangle area! All events are free and open to the public, with one exception (noted). Here's the schedule:

Friday, May 29
3:00 Eva Perry Library, Apex
7:00 The Regulator Bookstore, Durham

Saturday, May 30
11:00 Mcintyre's, Fearrington Village, Pittsboro

Sunday, May 31
3:00 Quail Ridge Books & Music, Raleigh

Monday, June 1
11:00 Raleigh Women's Club Book Club (members & guests only)
7:00 Page-Walker Hotel, Cary, sponsored by the Cary Public Library

On Saturday and Sunday, we'll be hitting most of the chain bookstores in Raleigh, Durham, Apex, and Cary so the authors can sign stock.

From the Triangle, the gals will travel to the Triad on Tuesday and then on to Charlotte.

AN HONORABLE GERMAN by Charles McCain (Grand Central Publishing)

2009-05-24T15:46:00.002-04:00

Although World War II ended almost 65 years ago, it remains a popular topic for discussion. It has been remembered by people who lived through it, by politicians and historians. It has been taught in our schools and is still discussed with much bitterness by those whose families were changed forever. Many books, both fiction and non-fiction have been written about it. To the winning Allies in the West, the war represented the most important event in the 20th century.

And now emerges a first-time author, Charles McCain, who has written a dazzling novel of the war—but from the perspective of a young German naval lieutenant, Max Brekendorf. Max is stationed on a ‘pocket’ battleship,honoring a German WWI ship, the ‘Graf Spee.' As the tides of war begin to change, Max starts to get a different perspective on the events that are evolving around the globe. He worries about the people back in Germany, especially his fiancé, Mareth.

McCain has done his research well, one can feel himself on the deck of the battleship as it plows the South Atlantic seeking to destroy Allied vessels, especially freighters carrying much needed supplies to Europe. However, the Graf Spee is trapped off the coast of neutral Argentina by the British, and his captain is forced to scuttle the ship. Max and his friend, Dieter eventually escape from South America and are assigned a less glamorous ship stationed in the Far East. As the war evolves during the 40s Max must come face to face with the ever changing tides of war.

This is a fascinating story of war from a perspective few of us have ever known. An excellent first book for Charles McCain.

Stephen Bank
Cary Library

POSED FOR MURDER by Meredith Cole (Minotaur)

2009-05-24T10:36:00.002-04:00

When I read this winner of the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition, I realized that my suspicions were confirmed: Many of the "traditional" mysteries are taking a turn toward the dark side. Posed complies with most of the definition—small cast of characters, amateur sleuth, little if any profanity, and no direct violence. Where Posed takes its turn is in the subject.

Lydia McKenzie is a struggling photographer in the Williamsburg district of New York. On the opening night of her gallery showing she is stunned when police are among the visitors—a killer has posed his victim exactly like one of her photos. Lydia's entire body of work is comprised of recreations of death scenes from actual murders. Her friends—dressed in items from Lydia's vintage wardrobe——are her models.

Knowing she had nothing to do with her friend's murder, Lydia works frantically to solve the crime before others——including herself——are killed. I look forward to more from Meredith Cole!

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE by Alan Bradley (Delacorte Press)

2009-05-21T11:42:00.002-04:00

Reluctant readers to grumpy old men and everybody in between will likely enjoy this first novel. Eleven-year-old Flavia deLuce narrates the story of a few summer days in 1950 rural England. Her family could well illustrate dysfunctional: Mother Harriet is missing, presumed dead, in Tibet. Her father, a retired army officer spends most of his day in his study with his stamp collection (and mourning his wife). Flavia's two older sisters Ophelia "Feely" and Daphne spend much of their time tormenting (and being tormented by) Flavia. Flavia spends much of her own time in her well-equipped chemistry lab concocting poisons.

When two mysterious events (Mrs. Muller, the housekeeper, finds a dead bird with a stamp stuck on its beak on the back doorstep. Flavia finds a dying man in the cucumber patch) happen within hours of each other, Flavia turns from her test tubes and Bunson burners to crime solving.

Fans of Harry Potter and Lemony Snickett and mystery readers of all ages, make room in your book shelves. Flavia deLuce is here!

KILLER KEEPSAKES by Jane K. Cleland (Minotaur)

2009-05-21T11:16:00.006-04:00

Having grown up in a house full of antiques, I guess I'm a sucker for this delightful "Antiques Roadshow" series. I really wish I could visit Prescott's Antiques and Appraisals in person, but reading about it doesn't take nearly as much walking! Jodie's personal life is steady, business is prospering, her staff is knowledgeable and dependable. Suddenly, however, Gretchen, the office manager doesn't appear for work the first day after her vacation—nor the next. When a body turns up in Gretchen's apartment, Josie realizes she doesn't know as much about Gretchen as she should.

It turns out that folks researching antiques are just as good at researching people. The team puts forth a concerted effort to both find Gretchen and to solve the murder.

THE BIG DIRT NAP by Rosemary Harris (Minotaur Books)

2009-05-21T11:03:00.004-04:00

Following her Agatha-nominated Pushing Up Daisies, Harris has outdone herself with "Dirt Nap." Paula Holliday is still scrapping to make a living as a landscape designer and garden writer. Her best friend, Lucy Cavanaugh, who is still pulling down the dollars in the TV business invites Paula for an all-expenses weekend at a spa hotel. The carrot at the end of the stick is an opportunity to write an article about the hotel's namesake "Titan Arum" which is due to bloom at any time. This lily is encased in glass in the lobby because its odor is (and I can attest to this!) noxious.

To put it bluntly, the weekend sucks. Lucy doesn't show up, Paula nearly stumbles on a body, the police think she's a person of interest ("Don't leave town.), she thinks she might be the next victim, and menancing Russians start following her. Be glad you're reading about Paula's weekend instead of experiencing it!

CAN'T NEVER TELL by Cathy Pickens (Thomas Dunne Books)

2009-05-21T10:27:00.004-04:00

It wouldn't be a summer carnival without a house of horrors, and you can bet that Avery Andrews will be there, young niece Emma in hand. When Emma touches a chain-saw wielding mannequin and discovers a human bone, things heat up—even for July! The next day Avery goes to a picnic and one of the guests disappears. Suddenly, Avery is up to her neck in two mysteries, and readers are in for a delightful roller coaster ride. Southerners will delight in a realistic portrayal of us. Non-Southerners can see that Deliverance wasn't a documentary!

Pickens won the St. Martin's Malice Domestic award for Best FIrst Novel in 2004, and her books have gotten stronger—and funnier—as she goes along.

COVENANT HALL by Kathryn R. Wall (Minotaur Books)

2009-05-10T20:43:00.003-04:00

One more reason for me to love the spring of the year is the “coming” of Kathryn Wall’s new book. She has not let me down again this year for Covenant Hall hit the book stores just a few weeks ago.

I have enjoy having the privilege of reading another mystery set at one of my favorite places, Hilton Head. In this outing, Wall has used illnesses in two families to create her story—and to great advantage. In searching for a member of Joline Eastman’s family, who is desperately needed for a bone marrow transplant, PI Bay Tanner finds papers which make her believe there is also a mystery in her own family. Bay and her co-worker work diligently to find a family member for the bone transplant going from one end of Beaufort County to another and then to surrounding counties under adverse circumstances with danger always lurking.

The second illness in this novel is that of Bay’s father. Old and suffering from a stroke, Dad seems to be coming to the end of his life here on earth. In a unique way, the two plots are intertwined and Covenant Hall helps solve both mysteries. Bay’s brother-in-law and deputy sheriff Red Tanner is in on the chase and is getting closer and closer to Bay--making the reader wonder if a marriage is in the future. Wall has again succeeded in writing a fast- moving, interesting novel that those of us who read mysteries will enjoy just as much as her previous ones.

I’m already looking forward to next spring!

--Ann Schafran

Guest Blogger - Beth Groundwater

2009-05-05T23:40:00.003-04:00

Don't you love the virtual world? Who would have imagined 10 years ago that we'd be able to have conversations with folks all over the world simply by typing on a keyboard and then getting instant feedback with photos, video, and sound? I can hardly count the times I've driven miles to hear a favorite author speak—or the times I've missed an event because of conflicts.

Now, it's absolutely delightful to be able to sit at my new computer in North Carolina and host Beth Groundwater in her home in Colorado—and talk with folks wherever they might be. And even better—if you're in a meeting somewhere and can't be with us at the moment we're online, you can still be part of the event.

Wow! Isn't technology great? Welcome, Beth!

Let's get started.

Unlike many amateur sleuths, Claire seems to have a great deal of respect for law enforcement professionals, yet she is compelled to conduct her own investigations. Is this deliberate?

There's a lot of mother-daughter tension with Claire and Judy. Judy often refers to her mother as a "mama bear," which Claire acknowledges. Did this come from life—or imagination?

I'm always interested in how an author gets started. How long have you been a writer? How did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I'll post more questions during the day, so get ready!

TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET by Beth Groundwater (Five Star)

2009-05-05T23:23:00.004-04:00

When Claire Hanover's ski vacation goes bad, it really goes bad! First, she and husband Roger are barely missed by a reckless snowboarder, then their daughter's friend has a horrible accident on the slopes. Local authorities don't seem interested in Claire's assertions that either the snowboarder or the skier who made an extra set of tracks in the snow near the accident could have caused the young woman to ski into a tree.

Tragedy continues to mar the vacation, but Claire is determined to get to the bottom of the trouble, all the while guarding her daughter from further incidents. Claire is a relentless investigator, willing to move 'way out of her comfort zone but also willing to call for and accept help from professionals.

Groundwater follows her Agatha-nominated debut with a solid mystery that should broaden her fan base.

Beth Groundwater, Guest Blogger, May 6

2009-05-03T13:20:00.003-04:00

I'm excited to announce that I'll host my first guest blogger, mystery author Beth Groundwater, on Wednesday, May 6. Beth's first mystery A Real Basket Case, was nominated for an Agatha Award. The second in the Claire Hanover gift basket designer series, To Hell in a Handbasket, will be released this month. It is set in Breckenridge, Colorado and opens with a death on the ski slope. As Kirkus Review said, "Groundwater's second leaves the bunny slope behind, offering some genuine black-diamond thrills." To prepare for Wednesday's visit, you may want to check out her website.

In any case, please join us on Wednesday.

Edgar Awards

2009-05-03T12:43:00.002-04:00

The Edgar Awards are given by Mystery Writers of America every spring at a gala dinner in New York. This year's winners are:

Best Novel
Blue Heaven by C. J. Box for St. Martin's Minotaur

Best First Novel by an American Author
The Foreigner by Francie Lin for Picador

Best Paperback Original
China Lake by Meg Gardiner for New American Library - Obsidian Mysteries

Best Critical/Biographical
Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories by Dr. Harry Lee Poe for Sterling Publishing - Metro Books

Congratulations to these winners!

Agatha Awards

2009-05-03T12:36:00.002-04:00

Attendees at the Malice Domestic Conference vote every year for the Agatha Awards. Announced last night, the winners are:

Best Novel
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny for St. Martin's Press

Best First Novel
Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet for Midnight Ink

Best Non-Fiction
How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries by Kathy Lynn Emerson for
Perseverance Press

Best Short Story
"The Night Things Changed" by Dana Cameron for Penguin Group

Best Children/Young Adult
The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein for Random House

The Agatha pays homage to its namesake, Agatha Christie, and the award itself is a custom-designed teapot. Congratulations to all of the winners! And thanks to Carl Brookins and Lesa Holstine for posting so promptly!

THE COLD LIGHT OF MOURNING by Elizabeth Duncan

2009-05-01T10:19:00.007-04:00

An unmarried Canadian woman who has settled in Wales for the past 25 years is the protagonist in this mystery which combines warmth, suspense, and even a bit of romance.
I found this an excellent mystery. The author began by introducing the main character—not by a description as much as by the character’s involvement with a close friend who had recently died. She then moved to another event in the small Welch village that only peripherally involved this character.

Then, of course, the two stories joined and the mystery evolved. Duncan’s character descriptions were excellent. I liked how she subtly showed changes in relationships by simply switching to a person’s given name from his surname, which had been used up to this point.

This was a simple story, simple in the most complimentary manner. The characters were real, they easily gained our sympathy, and the mystery was well presented. While the identity of the killer was kept a mystery until the very end, once revealed, we could look back and find numerous clues that would have helped us to solve the crime.

All in all, it was an excellent read. I recommend it most highly.

--Stephen Hennessey

Note: Duncan is the first Canadian winner of the Minotaur/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Contest.