Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 16

Today's recommendation comes from Beth Groundwater who is known for her Claire Hanover gift basket mystery series. And in 2011 she's adding to her bibliography with the beginning her new series, DEADLY CURRENTS. Beth really knows how to enjoy her reading time, as you can tell from her photo below.

Beth is recommending Nancy Pickard's novel, THE SCENT OF RAIN AND LIGHTNING. Here's why Beth thinks this book would make a great holiday gift:

"I absolutely loved Nancy Pickard's The Virgin of Small Plains, but The Scent of Rain and Lightning is even better. Nancy is a magician at making you feel what her characters are feeling and at weaving enough suspense into her writing that you just know something dreadful is going to happen on the next page, and you have to get to it to find out what. Nancy's mysteries transcends their genre into mainstream, almost literary, fiction because of the beautiful prose, the spot-on descriptions of the Kansas cowboy country setting and life, the complexity and depth of the characters, and the masterful way they're plotted."

Who can argue with that? I happen to know that Beth is off on a photo safari - I'm very jealous - so it was great of her to make time to send in a recommendation. And obviously, this is a recommendation that comes from the heart! Many thanks Beth! Hope you're getting fabulous photos!

Today my recommendation is an amazing debut. John Verdon knocked it out of the park with THINK OF A NUMBER. The suspense, the plot concept, the characters. This was an incredible book and he'll have a challenge to raise the bar on this book! I gave this book to my dad a couple months ago and he's just now getting to it in his TBR pile but he said to me this morning, "I just started THINK OF A NUMBER and it is really good." So you have votes from the both of us on this one!

Hope your holiday shopping is going off relatively painlessly. I've finished my gift for the blogger exchange and am ready to get it in the mail. Hope my Secret Santee likes it!

Happy Reading!

UNDERCURRENTS - Ridley Pearson

FIRST LINE: "As he stepped off the jetway, Lou Boldt spotted the child held in the woman's arms, a keen sense of expectation in the young blue eyes as they briefly caught his own."

Lou Boldt is a sergeant with the Seattle Police Department and saddled with the Cross Killer cases, a series of murders that have eluded Boldt for months. One murder, however, appears as though the killer finally made a mistake. Or did he? Then a possible witness is uncovered. As Boldt moves in on the killer he finds all the pieces don't seem to fit together the way they should. With the help of Daphne Matthews, a police psychologist in the department, fellow officers Bobbie Gaynes and John LaMoia, Boldt has to figure out how the pieces DO fit to solve his puzzle.

UNDERCURRENTS is the first book in Pearson's Lou Boldt series. It introduces a complex character who searches to answers for his cases as well as his own life. The richness of Boldt's character comes across on page one when Pearson contrasts the image of a smiling, laughing young child Boldt notices at the airport with the image of the case Boldt has to confront:

"He heard the child giggle and found himself tempted to turn around. He loved the musical sound of a child laughing. Was there anything more beautiful? Anything more missing from his life?

But right now the child didn't matter.

The killings had started again; that was all that mattered."

The plot of UNDERCURRENTS is equally complex. There are layers upon layers that are naturally created by the different elements of people populating the storyline. Running parallel to the murders Boldt must solve is the disarray of his personal life. Pearson does an outstanding job of illustrating the reality of police life. The reality that these men and woman are not superheros from our comic books but rather real people who have to go home at the end of the day and deal with their own real-life situations.

Being already familiar with Pearson's Walt Fleming series made the sense of place very pronounced in this novel. The Walt Fleming series take places in a more rural setting. Pearson brings to life the urban-ness of Seattle in this novel, using it to advance his plot and develop his characters. He also takes advantage of some of the unique aspects of Seattle as a setting. These unique aspects allow Pearson to take advantage of creative forensics ideas before forensics was en vogue.

UNDERCURRENTS was first published in 1988, but over 20 years later it is still standing the test of time. Granted, there are details that help determine the date of the novel: cassette tapes, no cell phones, etc, but the strengths of the novel are in the universal elements allowing the reader to be carried away to Pearson's Seattle.

UNDERCURRENTS was published in 1988 in hardcover (ISBN: 0-312-01841-X) by St. Martin's Press. UNDERCURRENTS is available in mass market paperback (ISBN: 9780312929589) from St. Martin's Press as well.

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 15

I hope everyone enjoyed a delightful Thanksgiving. I know my long weekend was especially wonderful and full of great reading. With the Thankfully Reading weekend I finished THE SILENCED by Brett Battles, THE SENTRY by Robert Crais and NAUGHT: NINE TALES OF CHRISTMAS CRIME by Steve Hockensmith. You'll have to wait a little while to hear about the first two, but count on hearing about NAUGHTY very soon. It's an e-book of all the Christmas short stories Steve has written.

And now we're back to Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime for the Holidays. I always look forward to Duane Swierczynski participating in projects here on the blog because he's so stinking fun! This time is no different. Duane is preparing to launch a fun trilogy, starting with FUN AND GAMES, with the new Mulholland imprint from Little, Brown while he's still basking in the greatness of his last release EXPIRATION DATE from Minotaur. And that's all when he's not working on the comic book end of things.

Duane's recommendation for a holiday gift, especially for your noir enthusiasts, is THE BIG BLACK LIZARD BOOK OF BLACK MASK STORIES. Duane says,

"THE BIG BLACK LIZARD BOOK OF BLACK MASK STORIES, edited by Otto Penzler, is going to everyone on my 'nice' list this year. I can imagine nothing more pleasurable than thumbing through its Bible-thin yet action-splattered pages on a lazy Xmas morn, idly sipping scotch and shooting ornaments off the tree with an air rifle. (Silent night my ass!)"

How do you follow that up? Seriously? Thanks Daune! I just love that he gets excited about my wacky projects, don't you?

Alright, so I can't compete with Duane, but I'll offer up my next recommendation, regardless. If you spend much time around this blog, you know I'm a huge fan of Marcus Sakey's work. He's simply a master at this craft and I feel fortunate to be able to devour the fruits of his labors. (I apologize that was a terrible metaphor, wasn't it? Yeesh!) Well, regardless, I get to read his books; what a thrill. His most recent release, THE AMATEURS, came out last summer and it challenges readers to think about just what they'd do when up against a wall. How far would you go? Fast paced thriller, great characters the reader can identify with, nasty villains. Everything you could ask for in crime fiction. I listened to this one on audio and thought it was well done, so it's also a good option for the audio fans on your list.

We still have some more authors ready to share their recommendations. I'm sure you're in full holiday-buying swing, so take advantage of the insight and give a great gift this year. Happy Reading!

Thankfully Reading - Mini Challenge #3

Jen over at Devourer of Books has today's mini-challenge for Thankfully Reading weekend. She asked us, "What reading community are you thankful for, and why?" That's another great question with multiple answers for me. Of course I'm thankful for the book blogging community. I wouldn't have had one iota of an idea what the heck I was doing without support from people like Lesa at Lesa's Book Critiques or Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelves has become a regular sounding board for me, too. "Hey Jenn, what do you think of this idea?" or "Has this ever happened to you? What should I do?" I'm thankful to all of the bloggers who have taken me into the community and not simply laughed at how absurd I can be at times bumbling my way through my crazy ideas. Now I have one iota of an idea but not much more, so their patience is greatly appreciated.

I'm ever so thankful to the folks who stop by and read the posts, who leave comments or send me e-mails. You all talk books and audiobooks with me and (as far as I know) never roll your eyes because I go on and on and on. I'm thankful for you each and every day!

And truly, my heart swells to list the Mystery Community as the community I'm thankful for. The readers, the writers, the publicists, the publishers, everyone. And at the top of the pyramid of folks are the Crimespree Family. And when I say "family" I'm not exaggerating. These are the folks who never think I'm silly when I get excited about something book-related. They don't think it's weird that I update my Facebook status with reading information daily. They don't think it's weird that I don't have TV and would rather read. To them, it's perfectly natural that I have a book with me everywhere I go. They love me for me, encourage me and support me, just the way a biological family would. These are the people who are thankful to me when in reality, they're the ones who have given me my greatest gift: a place at their table. I see our Bouchercon Convention as a big Thanksgiving celebration. There are no turkeys, but there is a lot of love, commraderie and tons of hugs! I'm thankful the mystery community exists and is what it is; I'm thankful I can be a small part of it.

Hope you had a great holiday weekend and fit in some reading as well. I'm now working on Steve Hockensmith's e-book Christmas short story collection, NAUGHTY. It's wonderfully funny! I'll share about it soon. Happy Reading!!

Thankfully Reading - Mini Challenge #2

For Thankfully Reading, Beth Fish Reads has challenged us to share our bookshelves in either photo format or video format. Since I'm procrastinating about the housework I need to do, opted to spend a few minutes putting together a video of my shelves. It's very rough and I did no editing, so don't expect Spielburg, o.k?

I cannot listen to my own voice on video or audio, so you'll have to be the judges. You can see some of my critters walking through the shots as an added bonus. So, here are my newly installed and organized bookshelves:

Mini-Challenge #1 Most Thankful For...

Wow! The first challenge for "Thankfully Reading" is definitely a challenge! I'm supposed to answer what book I'm most thankful for. I could say THE MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE because that is the first book I remember reading all myself and I loved it. If I'd have hated it, I probably would be a different reader today. I could also say Dante's INFERNO as that helped me deal with some issues I was going through as a freshman in college. Then there is ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST that sealed the deal on my studying English in college. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY and THE LORDS OF DISCIPINE all had huge and lasting effects on me.

But on this particular day in my life I'm going to say I'm most thankful for L.A. REQUIEM by Robert Crais. Yes, that would be right. Crais just topped Dante, Kesey, and Harper Lee. L.A. REQUIEM started my love of crime fiction and my love of Elvis and Joe. That book also led to my friendships with Naomi Johnson, Michael Alatorre, and Elyse Dinh-McCrillis. From there it was just a snowball effect: the blog, Crimespree Magazine, Bouchercon...And it all started with a love affair with L.A. REQUIEM. For those reasons I will always be thankful!

Thankfully Reading

This weekend is Thanksgiving weekend for those of us here in the United States. And I want to start out by saying that I'm giving thanks this weekend for each and every one of you. Your visits, comments, emails, contributions, friendship, etc. are such a blessing. Thank you for bringing some joy into my world each and every day.

A trio of great bloggers came up with "Thankfully Reading Weekend" last year and they are coordinating it again this year. There really isn't much to do outside of read. There will be some mini-challenges but those are optional. I don't usually need a reason to read, but it's always a nice motivator to prevent those other little distractions from making their way into your planned reading time. It's not too late, you can sign up too.

So, I'm participating this year. I'm starting tonight but the official start is tomorrow. I'm giving myself a goal of 20 hours of reading through the four days. I'd like to exceed that, but I'm also trying to account for blog work I need to do this weekend. My goal is to finish the book I'm working on now, THE SILENCED, and also the new Crais, THE SENTRY. I'd love to accomplish more, but we'll see. I'll post at least a couple of times to update you on how I'm doing on my goals.

That's on tap for this weekend.

Another item that may be of interest to you is a reading challenge I signed up for. I typically avoid challenges like the plague because I never end up meeting them and then feel horribly guilty even though I read a lot throughout the year. My reading schedule usually isn't conducive to challenges. But this one is so fun and creative I just had to try. It's called "What's in a Name", hosted by blogger Beth Fish and you can see the details about it here. I already have one title I know will work. I have to get to work on the rest. And you can use audiobooks on this challenge, so my audiobook buddies - don't think you can't do this.

If you're going to join along, let us know and we can discuss our progress here as well.

More recommendations will return on Monday; look for those. And if you're celebrating this year, have a most wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. Happy Reading!!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 14

Today's holiday gift recommendation comes from C.J. West and his beautiful Wheaten Terrier, Bella. Besides being the author of The End of Marking Time, C.J. hosts a blog talk radio show where you'll find interviews with a number of the authors featured on Jen's Book Thoughts. And C.J. is recommending one of those authors for your holiday list today: Dennis Palumbo and his new Daniel Rinaldi mystery, MIRROR IMAGE.
According to C.J.:

"I was intrigued by Dennis Palumbo at Bouchercon By the Bay. He's a psychologist for writers with some fascinating advice and insight into what our creative struggles mean for us and for our work. His latest mystery, Mirror Image, had me so captivated by page four that I knew I needed to have him on my show."

I'm glad to have C.J.'s recommendation as Dennis Palumbo is a new author to me. At least sort of. I enjoyed a television show Dennis use to write for - "Welcome Back Kotter." Ew! Ew! Ew!

So, I guess it is my turn to recommend again. Never fear, though, I WON'T run out of recommendations. Today I'm going to dig back a little bit and recommend one of my favorite forensic science mystery writers. Thomas Holland published two books with his protagonist Kel McKelvy. Personally, I'm heartbroken that there haven't been anymore books in this series to date. The first book is called ONE DROP OF BLOOD and it was followed up by KIA. Both deal with forensic science in the military. They are powerful books with a perfect balance of humor. Neither is a story you will easily forget. Even though there hasn't been another book published since KIA in 2008, it's still one of my most recommended series. For your CSI/BONES/NCIS fans, this is a GREAT series.

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 13

We seem to be having a Chicago theme going here. Yesterday we had Sean Chercover's recommendation of Kevin Guilfoile and today another Chicago native is joining the mix. Libby Fischer Hellmann is the author of SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE as well as the Georgia Davis series and the Ellie Foreman series. Her recommendation is from a series set in Paris, Cara Black's Aimee Leduc series.

Libby is recommending MURDER IN THE PALAIS ROYAL this holiday because

"It's winter in the US -- cold, dreary, and boring. Wouldn't we rather be in Paris? Well, giving someone MURDER IN THE PALAIS ROYAL for the holidays is the next best thing. PALAIS ROYAL picks up where the first Aimee LeDuc novel ends: Aimee is being framed by people who may want payback for her work in MURDER IN THE MARAIS. A wonderful addition to the series, PALAIS ROYAL is meticulously plotted and researched, beautifully written, and full of suspense."

Wonderful action and adventure with a great lady P.I. in Paris, France. Now there's a fine recommendation!

A sleuth I enjoyed curling up with...or rather a pair of them...were found in Steve Hockensmith's HOLMES ON THE RANGE series, which begins with the book of that title. The humor, sense of place and wonderfully colorful characters make this a fun series. The way Hockensmith blends the Sherlock Holmes stories into the American "Old West" motif is creative and clever. For the reader on your list who likes to laugh - and think - HOLMES ON THE RANGE is a great holiday choice.

The Annivesary Man - R.J. Ellory

First line: "For a long time, John Costello tried to forget what happened."

John Costello and his girlfriend Nadia are attacked by a deranged serial killer. John survives the attack but Nadia does not. Forever scarred by the trauma, John begins to study serial killers and meet with a group of other survivors.

In his job as a crime researcher for a newspaper, John begins to piece together a new serial killer who is flying under the radar of the New York Police Department; the killer is a copycat, but he (or she) is not copying one serial killer. Rather the person is copying many serial killers. John takes this information to the police but his knowledge of the inner workings make him either a prime target or a prime suspect.

A regular topic of discussion in the crime fiction community is the question of whether the serial killer has been overdone. When readers open the pages of a book like THE ANNIVERSARY MAN they discover that there is still uncharted territory in the serial killer concept. Ellory’s approach is fresh and the plot is complex. His unique, fascinating puzzle keeps readers glued to the pages.

The well-crafted plot will keep thriller lovers engaged and enthralled. Those who favor character development will be equally amazed by Ellory’s work as he molds not only John’s character but also Ray Irving, the investigating homicide detective. There are no flat elements to Ellory’s characters. The psychological aspects are as strong and developed as the physical and the action. The dynamics that develop between the characters become the fourth dimension of the story.

Ellory is an incredibly powerful writer. His intelligent plots and rich characters make for a captivating read. But his amazing use of language is truly what pulls the readers into his fictional worlds. It’s this language that makes his plot more than scary, it’s haunting. And it’s this language that connects the reader with the characters and forces them to empathize. Ellory simply doesn’t allow his readers to be passive, and THE ANNIVERSARY MAN is no exception. This is a book that has something for everyone, and a book that raises the bar for the serial killer novel.

This year R.J. Ellory placed himself solidly on my "must read" list. When a new book comes out, I must have it in my hands. THE ANNIVERSARY MAN is one of the reasons Ellory was added to this list. I highly recommend this astounding novel.

THE ANNIVERSARY MAN is available from The Overlook Press in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1-59020-327-9). It is also available from Audible on audiobook.

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 12

To kick off Thanksgiving week, we have another superb crime fiction writer making a recommendation. We are all thankful that Sean Chercover contributes to this genre. TRIGGER CITY was his last publication and rumor has it, his next novel is not far off.

For this holiday season, Sean is recommending Kevin Guilfoile's 2010 release, THE THOUSAND. Here's why:

"Kevin Guilfoile's THE THOUSAND is a blistering conspiracy thriller, and on that score alone, it is a winner. But it's also a Tilt-A-Whirl for the intellect. Kevin likes to play with Big Ideas, and I love the way his brain works. I can't recommend THE THOUSAND highly enough."

High praise! Kevin's concepts are indeed big ideas meant to challenge the way the reader thinks, regardless of how he/she already thinks. Great choice, Sean. I'm looking forward to reading this one.

My recommendation will follow the big idea lead and go to Craig McDonald's PRINT THE LEGEND. This is the third release in Craig's Hector Lassiter series, but this is a series that actually has no set order to it. All the books are interlocking in the timeline of Lassiter's life; they don't follow one right after the other like traditional series do. Craig's story arc for the series spans amazing elements of history, breaking most any genre "rule" he can find. This is a series unlike any other and it is artistically brilliant.

Other Reading-Related Holiday Gift Ideas

So this month we've been looking at books crime fiction writers would recommend for crime fiction readers this holiday season. And books always make great gifts, but maybe you'd like some other items to go along with your book or maybe you're not sure what your reader already has. So today, let's look at other book-related gifts that would make excellent choices this holiday season.

First, as a crime fiction fan, I know I would be deliriously happy to receive a registration to a crime fiction convention. Some of the conventions available include Left Coast Crime, Crime Bake, Love is Murder, Thrillerfest and of course Bouchercon.

We've talked about great books to receive. How about personalized books? On December 2nd Marcus Sakey, David Ellis, Gillian Flynn and Laura Caldwell will be having a signing party at Sheffield's in Chicago. You can attend that evening from 6 to 9 or you can email Javier at the Seminary Co-op, tell him what books you'd like and how you'd like them signed and they will be sent to you in plenty of time for the holidays.

Your independent bookstores have fun merchandise. Murder by the Book has fabulous t-shirts and mugs. Among their merchandise, The Mystery Bookstore includes "Dead Fred," a fun pen holder. The Mystery Lovers Bookshop carries a fun array of tote bags so your book lover can keep his/her books safe where ever. Any of these stores can accommodate your online orders or you can check with your local indie and see what fun items they have to offer.

Other fun items that can finish off a book gift: book marks, book plates, book covers, book lights. How about a book-themed calendar? Or a journal to keep track of books read. You can be creative and make your own gift to go along with a book.

What suggestions can you add? Let us know in the comments and we'll put together a super list of book lovers gift suggestions. As the holidays inch closer remember to make them fun and not a chore. Happy Reading!!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 11

Gar Anthony Haywood is one of my treasured discoveries of 2010. I had the opportunity to read his new novel, CEMETERY ROAD (which I recommended on Day 4). Afterward I went out to track down his backlist. He's an amazingly talented writer, so I'm beyond thrilled to have him making today's holiday recommendation. Not only is he making the recommendation, but he put a great deal of thought into his choice and came up with Ace Adkins' DEVIL'S GARDEN. Gar says,

"I absolutely love Ace Atkins's DEVIL'S GARDEN. As you know, it took me a while to figure out what book I wanted to promote, and this one won the prize. It's a great read."


Thanks Gar, I'm putting it on my list right now. To go along with Gar's recommendation, today I'll add a recommendation from my favorite female crime writer, Alafair Burke. Alafair didn't have a book release in 2009, so when 212 came out this year, I snatched it up immediately. Alafair's characters are outstanding, but she's especially talented at balancing her female characters. They are strong but not butch. Feminine but not prissy. They are human and funny and quirky. 212 is her best contribution to the genre so far - and she just keeps getting better!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 10

Sheila Lowe is usually busy looking at people's handwriting. Her forensic work as a handwriting expert has translated into her Claudia Rose series. But today she's looking at Tami Hoag's latest book, DEEPER THAN THE DEAD.

Why is Sheila recommending this book above all others this holiday season?

"Tami Hoag writes such terrific novels of suspense that I will commit to reading her next book, whatever it may be. Ever since a bookstore owner friend of mine recommended A Thin Dark Line, I have looked forward to diving into everything Tami has produced. My all-time favorite is Ashes to Ashes, whose ending actually had me shaking. The characters she creates are so well drawn, their dialogue so real, the plotting so intricate, that in addition to enjoying reading her books, as a mystery writer, I do my best to study and learn from them. That’s not as easy as it sounds. Tami’s writing quickly hooks me into the story and I forget about studying. So that’s why I was reading her latest book, Deeper Than the Dead, and I hope you will, too."

As for my recommendation on Day 10, I want to offer up a book that will undoubtedly make my favorite reads list this year, A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS by R.J. Ellory. QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS was published in the U.S. in 2009. I listened to it this year on audio. Both the audio and the narration are chillingly beautiful. The language, the setting, the characters, they all seep into your spirit and you become a part of the story. If you missed my review, you can see it here. I have been recommending this book to everyone since I read it and I think it would make a magnificent gift.

A Crime Community

There has been a flurry of excitement going on around the joint lately. I shared the video of my Ridley Pearson interview with you and now I have additional news. I'm going to be working with a crime fiction online community. The actual website for the community will go live after the new year, but my part of the community is already starting up. I will be maintaining two corresponding Facebook and Twitter sites. The Facebook and Twitter sites match up with subgenres of crime fiction. I will handle the Detectives and the Procedurals.

So, on Facebook, we have "The Agency" and "The Precinct." On Twitter, we have agencymysteries and mysteryprecinct. The entire project, which also includes categories of cozies, thrillers, and noir, is a brainchild of Macmillan, but it is not exclusive to authors and books published by Macmillan. What it is is a place to talk about crime fiction, and I'm very psyched about this. So, I hope you'll join the Facebook pages and/or follow the Twitter accounts and join in the discussions.

I plan to keep the content to each entity separate and unique from the blog. I may pass along news that is the same, if it's relevant to all entities, but the discussions and projects will be their own. And you can absolutely feel free to share your own questions or discussion topics. If it's of interest to you, it's probably of interest to others. If you're nervous about initiating anything yourself, drop me a line and I'll get it started for you. I simply ask that you always remain respectful and appropriate in your postings.

Right now on "The Agency" discussion board we're talking about what you'd get your favorite sleuth for a holiday gift. Come share your two cents on this one. And on the "The Precinct" discussion board we're sharing our favorite precincts. I know you all have one!

These communities can be great fun if there are people there sharing their thoughts and ideas. I hope you'll join in so we can all have fun together. It's a great way to meet people who share our interest in crime fiction. And I hope you'll pass the word along to anyone you know that enjoys crime fiction as well.

Definitely let me know if you have any questions or if you encounter any problems trying to find these. Thanks and happy reading!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 9

And we're back to Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - for the holidays. My apologies for the lapse there. We'll just have to go a little longer into December is all. I hope you are finding some great gift ideas. This weekend we'll also talk about some ideas that are crime fiction related but not necessarily the books themselves, so be sure to stop by for that.

Today's recommendation comes from the recent Shamus-award-winning author, Brad Parks. FACES OF THE GONE, Brad's debut novel was awarded the Shamus for Best First Novel last month in San Francisco. And if he wasn't busy enough being a panelist on my Bouchercon panel, winning his award and taking Shamus up and down the Embarcadero, he found time to kick his feet up and indulge in his recommendation, Bryan Gruley's THE HANGING TREE. This is what Brad had to say about it:

"Don't get me wrong, Bryan Gruley is a big, dumb hockey goon. But he's also a big, dumb hockey goon with an absolutely magical writing touch and a keen insight into small towns and the secrets they hide. For me, the only danger of jumping into THE HANGING TREE was that I sort of lost track of time... even in the book room at Bouchercon by the Bay."

Very nice, Brad! Thanks.

In honor of my time spent with Ridley Pearson this past weekend, I'm going to recommend his most recent installment in the Walt Fleming series, IN HARM'S WAY, which brought both Walt Fleming and Lou Boldt together. Pearson keeps his characters real and his pacing fast. Plus there's the added bonus of Beatrice, the dog. The Sun Valley setting in Idaho makes for intriguing plot lines with glaring clashes between the "haves" and the "have nots." Excellent series.

O.k., we are back on track and will have more fun tomorrow, so check back for the next round of recommendations. See you then. Happy Reading!

Ridley Pearson at Murder & Mayhem in Muskego

I must apologize profusely. I've fallen behind on the Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - for the holidays. Don't fear, I have many more recommendations for you. I just have to get caught up. Today however, I want to share the Ridley Pearson interview with you. Originally I was going to just edit snippets of it together and give you the mini-version, but he's so incredible that I couldn't decide what to leave out. Therefore, you'll find the interview below in 6 pieces, each piece in the vicinity of 8 to 10 minutes. This was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I hope you enjoy it.

I'll have more video posts coming in the near future - still have my panel from Bouchercon to share, plus I'll give you a rundown of the whole Murder & Mayhem in Muskego event. Wednesday I'll have the next holiday recommendation for you. So much fun stuff. But for now...Ridley Pearson:

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Finale:

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 8

Canadian native Vicki Delany has two different series to her name as well as several stand alone novels. NEGATIVE IMAGE is her most recent addition to the Smith & Winters series. Despite juggling both series, Vicki still has time to read other crime writers, including fellow Canadian Mary Jane Maffini.

Vicki recommends Mary Jane's LAW AND DISORDER as a great holiday gift this year because:

"Law and Disorder is by one of Canada's funniest authors, Mary Jane Maffini. The book is set in Canada's capital city of Ottawa, a good gift for the travelers on your list. Also for your lawyer friends - lawyer jokes abound."

If you have a cozy mystery fan on your list who has a penchant for a bit of an edge, I highly recommend Karen Olson's Tattoo Shop Mysteries. This is a definite favorite of mine and it begins with THE MISSING INK. The third and most recent addition to the series is one I'll be talking about soon, DRIVEN TO INK. These books are unique, the characters are quirky and individual. The capers are just plain fun. Plus, I don't buy books for their cover art, but if I did, this is a series I'd buy for it's book jackets. Love them!

More fun to come tomorrow. Check back and be sure to leave more room on your wish list! Happy Reading.

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 7

We are cooking now! I've been especially thrilled to have new folks joining us for this project and I have another new face to introduce. Eric Beetner has done a lot of screenwriting, but this past year he co-wrote his first book, ONE TOO MANY BLOWS TO THE HEAD*, and is preparing to release his second book in 2011. Eric was sly on his recommendation - he managed to sneak two in. So you end up with double the fun today.

Eric is recommending both Victor Gischler's THE DEPUTY and John Rector's THE COLD KISS. Here's what Eric has to say for himself and these two novels:

"As you can tell I chose to capture myself in the act of re-reading two of my favorite books this year, trying to decide which to recommend. I truly can't choose just one. Both The Cold Kiss and The Deputy pass my strictest test – would I let my Mother read it? Usually Victor Gischler would not pass this test as his stuff is too violent, too crazy, too rocket-fueled but The Deputy had just the right amount of restraint. A simple story simply told. Also a perfect description of The Cold Kiss, John Rector's debut. A perfectly crafted midwest noir The Cold Kiss is one of those tell anyone and everyone books. Both were complete page-turners and both should make great gifts for the hardest boiled down to fans of simple, riveting crime stories about people in over their heads."

You can tell Eric is going to make a great crime writer...he has trouble with the rules! Just kidding. Thank you so much for your contributions, Eric!

I'm going to make my contribution correlate a bit more with Eric's novel. ONE TOO MANY BLOWS TO THE HEAD deals with boxing, and one of my favorite all around fun series to read is Tom Schreck's Duffy Dumbrowski series. It's smart, funny, and you just can't be Al, the Muslim Basset hound. Schreck likes to weave conspiracy into his novels, and he really challenges his readers to think about the possibilities. But one of my favorite elements of this series is Schreck's thoughtful portrayal of all the characters. He doesn't make excuses for the characters, but he also doesn't portray them in their stereotypical roles. Again, he makes you think about the human element of every character - even the dogs! So, today's recommendation from me is OUT COLD.

Happy Reading!


*ONE TOO MANY BLOWS TO THE HEAD can be ordered from your favorite independent bookstore.

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 6

Who needs 12 Days of Christmas? We're going to have far more holiday recommendations than 12! Today I'm very excited to have Lenny Kleinfeld making a recommendation. If you remember, on Friday Jeffrey Siger recommended Lenny's book, SHOOTERS AND CHASERS. Now Lenny's here to recommend a book by Leighton Gage, who writes the Chief Inspector Mario Silva series. Lenny has a great sense of humor and makes me laugh whenever we correspond. Here's what he has to say about his holiday recommendation, Dying Gasp:

"Brazil is emerging as a First World economic power but is still riddled with Third World social inequities, political corruption, and flourishing, ruthless, sometimes ghastly criminal entrepreneurship. Leighton's Inspector Silva series is doing a brilliant job of taking a scalpel, a flashlight and a dry wit to a fascinatingly complex country; Dying Gasp is the third and most accomplished novel in the series. It's for anyone who's into hard-hitting contemporary crime fiction. But, fair warning, it ain't for the squeamish."

First of all, don't you just love this picture? I'm not sure where Lenny is, but that backdrop is superb.

Dying Gasp is a book that's coming up in my reading rotation, so I'm excited to hear such a great recommendation for it. And it's a new part of the world for me. I don't think I've read anything set in Brazil before.

I'll stay with the international mystery theme here and recommend Daniel Silva today. Believe it or not, I read my first Daniel Silva novel this year and absolutely fell in love with it. The Rembrandt Affair was intriguing, exotic, complex and thrilling. It had me turning pages long after I should have gone to bed. I'm not typically a huge fan of spy thrillers, but this one had me from page one, so it comes with my highest recommendation. I'm thrilled to have discovered Silva and am looking forward to checking out his backlist now.

So there you have today's recommendations. How's the TBR list looking for you now? Have you found any gift ideas yet? Well, if you're saying "no," have no fear, we have many more recommendations coming your way. And there's a wide array of kinds of crime novels and the format. Check back, I'm sure we'll ultimately have something for everyone!

Happy Reading!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 5

And we're back. Let's start off this week with a fabulous author recommending an equally wonderful talent. Michael Wiley is a professor by day, a P.I. writer by night. You know how we've mentioned a lot of the St. Martin's "Best First Private Eye Novel" winners on here? Well, we have another one. And Michael's been here before for memoirs, so I'm probably repeating myself, but I just think it's cool these people are willing to hang out with me! Anyway... Michael writes the Joe Kozmarski novels. And he's recommending a great new P.I. novel from S.J. Rozan, ON THE LINE.

Here's what Michael has to say about ON THE LINE:

"I'm reading and recommending S.J. Rozan's On the Line because Rozan's Bill Smith and Lydia Chin are back, and what better company than theirs on a long winter's night?"

I have several of the Bill Smith/Lydia Chin novels waiting for me. So I'll look forward to curling up with them this winter! I also have a couple on audio, so you audio fans can find the series there as well.

To keep the P.I. theme going here I'll recommend my favorite P.I. for anyone who hasn't picked him up yet, Elvis Cole. If you haven't read L.A. REQUIEM then get you to the bookstore NOW! If you have a friend or family member who likes crime dramas on T.V. or crime novels and they haven't read Elvis Cole, this is a no-brainer gift. And they are available on audio, too, so if you have an audio fan, you're all set.

Well, if you have anyone on your list who needs a new P.I. novel to read, you are covered all around today. Happy Reading!

Odds and Ends

I hope you are enjoying the Crime Writers Caught Reading Crime for the Holidays series. I am definitely an advocate for books as gifts. My family and friends can definitely attest to that!

I just wanted to let you know about a few odds and ends. One is this book blogger secret santa project. I signed up for this and thought I'd mention it in case you hadn't heard about it and were interested. I'm participating mostly to meet someone new in the book blogging sphere.

I had intended to mention this earlier and neglected to do so, but at Bouchercon an announcement was made that a tribute anthology is being compiled for David Thompson. This is going to be one heck of an anthology folks. It'll be published by Busted Flush Press, which is now an imprint of Tyrus Books. There will be contributions from the likes of Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Don Winslow, Daniel Woodrell, Ken Bruen and many more. Brad Meltzer will write the introduction and Reed Farrel Coleman and Alison Janssen will edit the collection.

This book will first come out as a leather-bound limited edition signed by all the authors. That will be the early fall of 2011. Then at Bouchercon in St. Louis, a trade paperback edition will be available. I'll remind you as the release date draws closer but you can also sign up to receive email updates on the project here. The stories and work on this book will be donated. Aside from production costs, all proceeds will go to "satisfy David's remaining obligations, to fund a scholarship in David's name, and to establish an award in David's name for Best First Novel from an independent publisher."

The book will have stories you want to read, but this is a book that's simply worth investing in as a symbol of David's importance in this community.

And transitioning to Bouchercon. I wanted to remind you that the deadline for the discounted registration fee for St. Louis is December 31, 2010. So, if you're planning to attend, get your registration in now and save yourself enough money to buy an extra book or two while you're there!

This coming weekend I'll be in Milwaukee for the Murder and Mayhem in Muskego event. I'm very psyched. I've been keeping it a little close to the vest, but since it's been announced on the website, I'll tell you I'm scheduled to interview Ridley Pearson. I've been doing a lot of prep work for that - I'm over the moon excited; this is a huge honor for me. If you are anywhere near Milwaukee, this is a great event. You should take a look at coming. You do need to register, so if you're interested, check it out now. The line-up of authors is outstanding! And next year will be fabulous, too, so if you can't do it this year, consider next year.

And after Murder & Mayhem in Muskego, I'll be working on catching up here. I have more fun video stuff to share with you, pictures, reviews. I need to get to work on some interviews. We're never at a loss for fun stuff to share around here, are we?

Happy Reading!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 4

At the beginning of the week I mentioned that we would see some new faces around here during this project. Today we have the first of those faces: Jeffrey Siger. Jeff writes the Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series set in Greece.

While IN Greece he was caught reading Lenny Kleinfeld's debut Shooters and Chasers. With a special friend. Jeff tells us this about Lenny's novel:

"It's an hilarious, gripping, overlooked gem that, due to a quiet but growing internet buzz (this post, for instance), is looking less overlooked every day. Shooters was a debut novel released by a tiny publisher that did a tiny print run. At this point there are about a hundred copies of the first edition left for sale on the planet, so if Lenny's career takes off as it should, you've given a very valuable gift indeed!"

Make that about 99 copies. I need to check this book out! And I'm also wondering if I can get a friend to read with me like Jeff did here.

O.k., I guess it's my turn now. Today I'm recommending CEMETERY ROAD by Gar Anthony Haywood. Haywood's ability to bring the angst of his characters out is writing at its best. The trials and tribulations of his characters reach into the reader's soul and leave an impression that doesn't go away. The beauty of Haywood's language is a stark contrast to the darkness of his tale, making it all the more powerful. Finally discovering what I'd been missing in Gar Anthony Haywood was a highlight of 2010 for me. So, I can whole-heartedly recommend CEMETERY ROAD. For more of what I had to say on CEMETERY ROAD, you can see my review here.

That wraps our recommendations for week one. We'll have more recommendations next week, starting on Monday so keep your lists ready. Happy Reading!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 3

Two days, two great recommendations. Today we'll make it three in a row. Rosemary Harris's Dirty Business Mystery series is a tad different from the book she's recommending. But, being familiar with both Paula Holliday and Poke Rafferty myself, I can tell you they share great plots, smart humor and casts of wonderfully colorful characters. Oh, sorry, this is Rosemary's recommendation. Rosemary is recommending THE QUEEN OF PATPONG by Timothy Hallinan. Here's what she has to say:

"I discovered Tim Hallinan on Dorothy L and - based on his posts - I thought anyone that hip and smart probably writes books I'd like. And I was right. I started with The Queen of Patpong and was transported to the backstreets of Bangkok where, dare I say it, the drinks are cheap, but life is cheaper. Take a walk on the wild side with The Queen of Patpong, but don't expect to get anything else done that day because you won't want to put it down."

I'll second that recommendation. I remember when I received my first Poke Rafferty book. I was curious. I didn't know anything about the series or Tim at the time. I couldn't read it right away, but I peeked at the first page. "Couldn't" suddenly fell by the wayside and I read it in one sitting...that day.

Another author that does an outstanding job of transporting readers to another world is James Thompson who writes his books set in his adopted home of Finland. His first novel to be published in the U.S. came out early this year. SNOW ANGELS is dark and bleak and amazingly wonderful. The personal struggles of Thompson's protagonist, Inspector Vaara, are as fascinating as the struggles to solve a gruesome murder.

How are those wish lists going so far? We'll have another great recommendation for you tomorrow. Happy Reading!

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 2

Today's author is a debut author this year and he's making quite a splash. Todd Ritter released his first novel, DEATH NOTICE, last month. And this month he's giving his recommendation to seasoned and award-winning author, Louise Penny for her most recent installment in the Armand Gamache series, BURY YOUR DEAD. Todd has this to say about his recommendation:

"I'm reading BURY YOUR DEAD, the latest Chief Inspector Gamache mystery by Louise Penny. All of her books would make great gifts for those who like their mysteries elegant, complex, witty and brutally insightful. She's become a must-read in my house, even though her talent and personal charm make me green with envy."

Well said, Todd!

To compliment Todd's recommendation, I'm going to recommend ROLLING THUNDER, the sixth book in the John Ceepak series from Chris Grabenstein. If you enjoy books with Sherlockian-type characters, fused with good old-fashioned humor you'll likely enjoy the Ceepak series. The plots are smart and complex; the characters authentic and rich...including that Officer Forbus character!

And for all you audiophiles, these are also two of my favorite series on audio. Macmillan Audio published BURY YOUR DEAD on audio. This is a change from the previous publisher, Blackstone Audio, but the narrator has remained the same, Ralph Cosham. The John Ceepak series is available exclusively from Audible.

Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime

'Tis the season to start thinking about holiday gifts. I wanted to figure out a fun way to share book recommendations for the crime fiction reader, so I asked some friends to help me out this year. Each weekday throughout November and possibly into December, I'll have a picture of a crime fiction author recommending a book that he/she enjoyed and would recommend to others. Then I will pair the author's recommendation up with a recommendation of my own. The stipulation I gave everyone participating was that it didn't have to be a book published this year, but it did have to be in print. So you won't have to chase it down or pay a fortune for it.

I'm linking each recommendation to an independent book store, so if you want to quickly and easily order it, just click on the book title's link. Each recommending author will be linked back to his/her website. I hope you'll take some time to check out authors who may be new to you. You'll see some new faces here this month. I'm very excited about that.

So, let's kick "Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime" with a wonderfully funny, talented writer, who also happens to be one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter. Bill Cameron, author of DAY ONE, is recommending JUNKYARD DOGS by Craig Johnson. I don't think you can go wrong with Craig Johnson.

Bill says, "I can never get enough Walt Longmire. Hell, I want to BE Walt Longmire. There's nothing like settling down with a Craig Johnson novel, can of Ranier at my side, for an evening's read."

So then my recommendation for the first day of CWCRC is a book by an author who was new to me this year. I read THE LOCK ARTIST by Steve Hamilton earlier in the year, but it has stuck with me all year long. I am regularly recommending it to friends and family for the layered plot, the masterfully sculpted characters, the haunting tone. And I originally listened to it on audio from Brilliance, and can equally recommend the audio as well. THE LOCK ARTIST is truly a must for any crime fiction fan.

O.k., Day 1 brings you a recommendation of Craig Johnson's JUNKYARD DOGS from Bill Cameron and Steve Hamilton's THE LOCK ARTIST from yours truly. Check back tomorrow for another great holiday gift recommendation!

Happy reading and holiday shopping.