A True Honor

Yesterday, due to a bit of a technical glitch, the nominees for Spinetingler's David Thompson Community Leader Award were announced early. I was astounded to find my own blog's name on that list.

Those of you who read here regularly know that we lost David Thompson unexpectedly last year. I was proud to call David a friend and admired what he accomplished in the crime fiction community. To be nominated for an award that is a tribute to David is humbling. But in addition, there are so many wonderful people contributing to this community. To be considered one of them is an honor I do not take lightly. I will definitely add it to my mini collection of accolades there on the right.

My heart is smiling and I can't thank the folks at Spinetingler who are on the nominating committee enough. I am so grateful. Thank you.

Today, Spinetingler will be announcing the other nominations throughout the day. Be sure to check the site often and help the nominees celebrate their recognition. If you are interested in voting for these awards, voting will begin Friday, April 1st.

World's Favorite Amateur Sleuth - THE FINAL FOUR

Here they are, the four sleuths you've voted into Round 5. Voting this round will run until midnight (Eastern) on Saturday. The final round will take place during our Moonlighting for Murder Amateur Sleuth theme week. I hope you'll join us for a celebration of amateur sleuths next week. And now...ready...set....vote!

Round 4 Results

Dun...dun-dun-dun. And then there were four. Based on your votes, these are the sleuths going on to the Final Four round. Voting will open tonight and run through Saturday. Who will face off for the ultimate title during the Moonlighting for Murder theme week? Only your votes will tell.

Ellie Foreman 33%

Nancy Drew 67%

Lord Peter Wimsey 36%

Miss Jane Marple 64%

Carter Ross 62%

Flavia de Luce 38%

Lisbeth Salander 65%

The Amlingmeyer Brothers 35%

Blurbs, blurbs, blurbs

A couple of weeks ago, Joe Finder wrote this interesting blog post on book blurbs. I found myself nodding when he mentioned a reader feeling betrayed by a blurb he wrote without having read the book.

I had never felt betrayed by Joe, mind you, but I had experienced that myself - somewhat - with other authors. I do not pick books based on blurbs. And because I don't, I made it part of my reading challenge this year. I really wanted to challenge myself with that component. I also found that the majority of people participating said that would be their trickiest one as well.

But because I don't pick books based on blurbs doesn't mean I don't read the blurbs. And there have been quite a few occasions now where I've had a book I thought was luke-warm at best with a glowing blurb from a well-known and well-respected author. My first thought is always, "whoa, we must really have different tastes in reading." After all, people can like different styles.

However, another red flag goes up for me when I see one author blurbing A LOT of books. Then I think, did that person REALLY read all of those books? And if so where did he/she find time to write their own book? I can understand, like Joe said, the person receives a lot of requests for blurbs. And authors want to support each other. But does that support start to become meaningless when the blurbs aren't truly sincere?

Since I choose to only post positive reviews on my blog, I work extra hard to make sure that my sincerity comes across in the reviews. I don't like every book I read; I choose to talk about only the ones I like. So, how can that sincerity come through in blurbs for authors? What convinces you an author is sincere in his/her blurb?

I'd like to hear what you all think. Since so many people said they'd have the hardest time with the book chosen from a blurb in the reading challenge, why is that? Do you ever choose a book based on a blurb? Without calling anyone specific on the carper, have you ever felt betrayed by a favorite author because of a blurb you felt was insincere? Did you stop reading books blurbed by that author? Stop reading blurbs altogether? Does any of it even matter? Please share.

I haven't read my book by a new-to-me author based on a blurb from an author I like, yet. I'm kind of nervous, but I'm glad I put it in the challenge. And I'm very interested to hear your thoughts as well.

Celebrating Mulholland Books

The announcement of an imprint from Little, Brown and Company that would "publish books you can't stop reading" came in 2010. The impressive line-up of authors that would begin to make up the Mulholland Books team started to roll out.

April will officially put Mulholland on the publishing map, with the first two releases: Marcia Clark's GUILT BY ASSOCIATION on April 20th and Daniel Woodrell's THE BAYOU TRILOGY on April 28th.

Any time we have additional avenues through which to spread the love of crime fiction, there is cause to celebrate. But with the "official" launch of Mulholland Books I have the opportunity to give a reader a bunch of reasons to celebrate. In honor of this occasion, and with the generosity of Mulholland, I am able to give away a set of ARCs for all the first season books in Mulholland's line-up. This includes the Marcia Clark and Daniel Woodrell as well as new offerings from Mark Billingham, Lawrence Block and Duane Swierczynski. Check out all the titles here.

To be entered for your chance to win this great prize package, complete the entry form below. Entrants must have a U.S. Postal address, no P.O. boxes, and be entered by Friday, April 1st. Random Number Generator will help me find a winner on Saturday, April 2nd.  If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an email or leave your question in the comments area. Many, many thanks to Miriam Parker and Mulholland Books. Here's to many years of fabulous crime fiction!

The Elite Eight

This week we will have two rounds of the tourney, so voting times will be shorter. Get your votes in early to be counted.

This is the Elite Eight round and the competition is tough. Three of the four pairings are girls against the boys. Who will be victorious this round? Your favorite sleuths will need your support. Ready...Set...VOTE.

Round 3 Results

Wow, this was one heck of a round. I thought I was going to have to deal with several tie matches this time. Almost every match-up ran neck and neck all week. But here are your winners:

Ellie Foreman 61%
Goldy Schultz 39%

James Qwilleran 21%
Nancy Drew 79%

Lord Peter Wimsey 59%
Stephanie Plum 41%

The Hardy Boys 42%
Jane Marple 58%

Carter Ross 52%
Amanda Pepper 48%

Benni Harper 37%
Flavia de Luce 63%

Lisbeth Salander 61%
Annie Darling 39%

Brett Kavanaugh 49%
Amlingmeyer Brothers 51%

This is one eclectic group of amateur sleuths! And now that we're down to the Elite Eight, the competition will be even stiffer. This week we will have both Rounds 4 and Round 5. Tonight I will open Round 4 for voting Sun - Tues. Wednesday I will announce the Round 4 winners and open voting for Wednesday through Saturday. So stay on your toes, watch for both rounds and support your favorite sleuths - vote!

Audiobook Thursday - THE LAST TEMPTATION

First line: "Blue is one colour the Danube never manages."

Detective Inspector Carol Jordan is recruited by the National Criminal Intelligence Service, NCIS, to infiltrate a human trafficking ring. Her uncanny resemblance to the mastermind's dead girlfriend ensures she'll have an easy time working her way in, but once inside she's essentially flying solo in a very dangerous situation. Meanwhile, Tony Hill is tiring of his self-imposed retirement and agrees to help with a rogue murder investigation that simultaneously keeps him near Carol. Two female cops who are friends but living in different countries discover a pattern and believe a serial killer is loose and targeting psychologists. But since the murders are happening in different countries, no department is pursuing the serial aspect.Tony comes in to profile the killer, but his work and his proximity to Carol leads to far more than anyone expected.

Val McDermid's Jordan/Hill series is darker and grittier than her Kate Brannigan or Lindsay Gordon series, but she handles it with as much expertise and aplomb as the lighter crime series. McDermid has no reservations about being authentic, about allowing the reader to simply be comfortable. Instead she drives home the brutal reality of depravity and those who inflict it on others.

While THE LAST TEMPTATION, the third book in this series, is uncomfortable, dark and authentic, it is also handled in a respectful presentation. The violence is more often alluded to than graphically detailed and McDermid never even flirts with a level that would be gratuitous. The most unsettling feelings come from your own imagination as McDermid leads the reader to those images.

One of the many qualities I admire about McDermid's writing no matter what the project is her diversity of character. There is a whole spectrum of character types and yet none of them comes across as stereotypical or cardboard. The various antagonists in the novel are most certainly sociopaths but there's more to them than depravity. Carol Jordan is an ambitious law enforcement agent. That ambition is a double-edged sword; it is what allows her to walk right into a con perpetrated by her own colleagues. It's this faithfulness to the whole character that allows a reader to be invested in their exploits and experiences.

McDermid additionally challenges her readers with the themes in THE LAST TEMPTATION. As with the characters, these aren't black and white. There's a look at corruption in law enforcement, the effects of Nazis on the generations to follow World War II, ambition and interpersonal relationships.

THE LAST TEMPTATION isn't for the feint of heart, but it is rich and challenging. McDermid will likely leave you with more questions than answers, but to me, that's the sign of a job well done.

THE LAST TEMPTATION is a Recorded Books audio narrated by Gerald Doyle. It is a well made audio, but I have to say I was a little surprised at the choice to use a male narrator for this book. I think a female narrator would have been a better choice as the primary focus of the novel centered around three women: Carol Jordan, Petra Becker and Marijke van Hasselt. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable audio experience. Doyle does a nice job of setting the dark tone and maintaining the atmosphere, despite some rather challenging scenes.

THE LAST TEMPTATION is available in mass market paperback (ISBN: 978-0-312-98631-5) from St. Martin's and on audio from Recorded Books (ISBN: 978-1-4025-4231-2)

Medieval Master Tony Hays

Tony Hays has traveled extensively and lived in locations around the world. He's worked in partnership with the American government and was a founding chairperson for the Overseas Security Advisory Council - Kuwait. But his writing love exists in a different kind of travel, time travel. He is a master with the historical mystery, especially the Dark Ages, where his acclaimed series is set.

Next week, the third book in that series, THE BELOVED DEAD, releases. It has already earned a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. Tony is here today, though, to talk about writers and their readers. I hope you agree that this is an inspiring look at that relationship through the eyes of an author:

Readers and writers.  Writers and readers.  We complain about each other.   But we need each other.  That was a lesson I learned long ago.

It was October 1993.  Bill Clinton was still in his first year of office.   Russia was having a constitutional crisis.  I was in Omaha, Nebraska at my first Bouchercon, the International Mystery Convention. 

My mystery novel, Murder on the Twelfth Night, had been published the summer before by a small press in Tennessee, and I was learning the pitfalls of being an author at a very small publishing house.  Since I had written the first mystery published by this house, I was the only author from Iris Press at the convention.  I knew no one.  I had no fans that I knew of.  My only claim to fame was that the previous summer I had participated on a panel at Booked for Murder in Madison, Wisconsin with Carol Higgins Clark and British author John Harvey. 

Carol was and is not only a kind and gracious woman, but one with a surplus of class.  Just as is her mother, Mary Higgins Clark.    Unless, however, I wanted to flirt with being charged for stalking, I couldn’t cling to them too much.  I did meet a very kind Clive Cussler, and made friends with authors Tom Kakonis and A.W. Gray.  But I kind of felt like an orphan child.

Looming even larger than the potential loneliness was the MASS BOOK SIGNING.  I was booked in to the great room for thirty minutes on one day.   It was next to the booksellers’ hall.   I studied the roster of those I would be joining at the table – if memory doesn’t desert me, the legendary Hammond Innes was among the names.  I had already had enough experience with book signings to know that they can be wonderful, exciting events.  Or, they can be cold and lonely affairs.

I remember tossing and turning the night before my 30 minute turn at the signing table.  I just knew that my international embarrassment was right around the corner.    All those other writers would see me fidgeting, fanless, and secretly laugh at me.  Somehow, attending my first Bouchercon seemed a really bad idea.

The next morning, I arose, fortified myself with a hearty breakfast, and headed to what I had decided was my professional execution. 

You’ve heard of “The Long Walk.”

This was mine.

But where I expected to see only an empty chair with my name attached, a surprise awaited me.

A middle-aged man stood in MY line.

And he held a copy of my first novel.

And that was worth all the anxiety, all the concern, all of it.

We spoke at length.  He was from the upper Midwest and had found my book in a local mystery bookstore.  And he really liked it.  The only reason, he said, that he had come to Bouchercon that year was to see me and get his book signed.    After nearly 20 years and 30 countries, I don’t remember his name, but I’ll never forget him.  My first fan.

Now, I look at every book signing as an opportunity, not a chore.  I still have my share of flops, but I’ve had plenty of successes along the way.   That signing though, at my first Bouchercon, taught me a great deal about the relationship between authors and fans.  We exist because fans exist.  I hope that I’ve become a better writer because of my fans.  That relationship, that author/reader relationship, is the most important in our little world.

LEARNING TO SWIM - Sara J. Henry

First line: "If I'd blinked, I would have missed it."

Troy Chance is on a ferry when she spots something fall from another ferry moving in the opposite direction. It could be anything, but Troy's intuition tells her it's a child. She dives into the water to find a small boy tied up in a sweatshirt left to drown. Freeing him from his binds, she swims back to shore and takes the French-speaking boy back to her home after deciding against the police station.

Communicating as best she can with the boy and researching missing children, Troy begins her search to discover exactly how this little boy ended up being tossed off a ferry in Lake Champlain.

LEARNING TO SWIM is Sara Henry's debut novel. She's created a suspenseful plot making good use of her settings in Vermont and Canada. The premise of a kidnapped and discarded child is one that builds the suspense as well as an emotional connection for the reader.  Henry takes her protagonist and the reader on an impassioned journey full of potential suspects.

Henry's protagonist Troy Chance is a fun, original female protagonist. I found myself identifying with her in many ways, especially when she makes comments like

"To me this is the definitive gender difference - this and the Three Stooges. I hate wandering Home Depot searching for a particular screw or fixture, just as I have never found anything remotely funny about the Stooges."

Troy Chance doesn't have any amazing super powers and she isn't the "best" or "renowned" or "famous" anything. Instead, she could be your next door neighbor, your best friend, your sister. She has her doubts, her insecurities, her strengths and her abilities. For me as a reader, that makes her an interesting character I want to know. Her regular Jane development also makes some of the plot read a bit like a fairy tale over a suspense novel at times though. I doubt this will deter many readers, as it did not deter me.

There were places in the novel where I asked, "why would they do that?" or thought "this is a little more detail than is needed," but LEARNING TO SWIM is a debut novel that shows promise for great things to come from Sara Henry.

LEARNING TO SWIM is available now in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-307-71838-9) from Crown Publishers.

The Sweet Sixteen - World's Favorite Amateur Sleuth

Welcome to Round 3 of the World's Favorite Amateur Sleuth tournament. We're now down to the top 16 sleuths. Last week was interesting as the sleuths fans caused the pairings to swap leading positions many times over the course of the voting period. So support your favorites, spread the word and VOTE.

Independent Literary Awards

You may have noticed that I added this new button to my side bar recently. That would be because I've accepted an invitation to join the voting members of the "Mystery" category of the Independent Literary Awards. I'm very excited to be a part of this because it's an award that is given based on what independent bloggers really love and recommend. Independent bloggers - for this purpose - are the ones who are doing this for the love of the books, not to earn a living. And we have a nice array of bloggers on the Mystery voting team.

I'd like to encourage fellow independent bloggers to nominate 2011 releases that you loved. Nominations will be accepted between September and the end of December. I'll remind you more about it throughout the year. I'm looking forward to seeing what bloggers love in the genre this year. But I know, we're only into March and there's already a slew of deserving books I've read - and that's just what I've read! The books this year will provide a challenge for nomination choices.

I'd also like to encourage you to pick up the button and add it to your blog to help spread the word. The more folks we have nominating, the better! Let's join together and show our appreciation for the books we believe deserve accolades because they've provided us with joy, entertainment, thrills, etc. They're the reasons we do this, right? So let's put them in the spotlight for all to see.

Let me know if you have questions about this. I might not have the answers, but I'm sure I can get them. I'm already excited about this and my role doesn't even start until January.

Round 2 Results

Wow! This was simply one of the most unstable weeks of both tournaments so far. I literally watched as day to day leaders changed places. Typically by day two one character will take the lead in a pairing and pretty much keep it the whole time. Not this week. Wow!

So without further ado, here are your voted winners for Round 2:

Hannah Swensen 47%
Ellie Foreman 53%


Goldy Schultz 51%
Myron Bolitar 49%

Jack Garrett 42%
James Qwilleran 58%

Nancy Drew 58%
Jack Reacher 42%

Lord Peter Wimsey 64%
Penny Brannigan 36%

Stephanie Plum 62%
Stella Hardesty 38%

The Hardy Boys 58%
Ollie Paras 42%

Amelia Peabody 33%
Jane Marple 67%

Carter Ross 60%
Gervase Fen 40%

Amanda Pepper 57%
Annie Kincaid 43%

Alafair Tucker 48%
Benni Harper 52%

Doc Ford 39%
Flavia de Luce 61%

Lisbeth Salander 56%
Charlotte McNally 44%

Duffy Dombrowski 39%
Annie Darling 61%

Annika Bengztrom 36%
Brett Kavanaugh 64%

Candy Holliday 41%
Amlingmeyer Brothers 59%

In the first round we had just shy of 900 votes. This round we had just over 500. Thanks to all the voters. Be sure to check back tomorrow to put in your votes for Round 3!

The Anthony Award Nominations

So my ballot for the Anthony Awards came the other day and I've been mulling over who I wish to nominate. I joke that my nominations are the kiss of death, but I really do put a lot of time into who I want to include on my ballot. This year is oh so very hard.

And then, on the Central Crime Zone blog, Ruth Jordan posted this about the Anthony nominations. So, I thought, maybe we could talk this out together. I definitely have some decisions to make and some holes to fill, so I'll highlight here who I'm remembering to consider for the nominations and then you can tell me in the comments others that you are remembering that would be nomination-worthy - and you don't have to be nominating yourself. Anyone can pipe up. I want to make sure I'm making the best choices...and sometimes my memory isn't so great. The stipulation is that the works must have been published in 2010. So, with that in mind, the categories this year are:

Best Novel
Best First Novel
Best Paperback or Trade Paperback Original
Best Graphic Novel
Best Short Story
Best Critical Work - Non Fiction
Best Website/Blog

So, some of the books I am considering for Best Novel are (if I have a review, I've included the link):

• Gregg Hurwitz - THEY'RE WATCHING
• Robert Crais - THE FIRST RULE
• Craig McDonald - PRINT THE LEGEND
• Gar Anthony Haywood - CEMETERY ROAD
• Tim Hallinan - THE QUEEN OF PATPONG
• Reed Farrel Coleman - INNOCENT MONSTER
• Steve Hamilton - THE LOCK ARTIST
• Alafair Burke - 212
• Craig Johnson - JUNKYARD DOGS
• Tom Franklin - CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER
• Kelli Stanley - CITY OF DRAGONS
• Louise Penny - BURY YOUR DEAD
• R.J. Ellory - THE ANNIVERSARY MAN 

For Best First Novel:

• Hilary Davidson - THE DAMAGE DONE
• John Verdon - THINK OF A NUMBER
• Keith Thomson - ONCE A SPY
• James Thompson - SNOW ANGELS
• Michael  Van Rooy - AN ORDINARY DECENT CRIMINAL
• Lou Berney - GUNSHOT STRAIGHT

For Best Paperback or Trade Paperback Original

• Bryan Gruley - THE HANGING TREE
• Karen Olson - PRETTY IN INK

For Best Graphic Novel (I'm a novice here, but I do have):

• Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson - BEASTS OF BURDEN

For Best Short Story (Obviously I didn't read many short story collections in '10)

• Gregg Hurwitz - "The Thief" from FIRST THRILLS
• Kelly Stanley - "Children's Day" from FIRST THRILLS
• Rebecca Cantrell - "On the Train" from FIRST THRILLS 
• Chris Grabenstein - "Ring Toss" from June ALFRED HITCHCOCK

For Best Website/Blog (this is hard, this list doesn't begin to scratch the surface)

• Lesa's Book Critiques (Lesa Holstine)
• The Drowning Machine (Naomi Johnson)
• The Rap Sheet (J. Kingston Pierce)
• Murderati (various)
• Seven Criminal Minds (various)
• Spinetingler (Sandra Ruttan)
• Pattinase (Patti Abbott)
• The Outfit (various)

O.k., so I have a couple more considerations in various categories but I'm not sure how/if they qualify. I'm checking. I'll add them when I find out.

But now it's your turn to remind me of glaring omissions from my brainstorming session. I need all the suggestions you have especially for non-fiction, graphic novels, short stories, paperback originals...I know I'm missing some greats from the other categories, too...who are you remembering that should be considered?

ONE TRUE SENTENCE - Craig McDonald

First lines: "Snow falling on the Seine. It was half-past-two and it was quiet as it gets with the heavy falling snow and Hector was just starting to cross Pont Neuf, heading home after a long night of writing."

In 1924 Paris, Hector Lassiter finds himself tangled in a love triangle that works its way into a multiple murder investigation. Someone has targeted publishers of small literary magazines and the police have roped Hector into being their eyes and ears on the inside of the Paris literary community. With the help of such historical figures as Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, Hector must not only determine who is committing these heinous crimes, but he needs to ensure it isn't one of the women he's tangled up with and he's her next victim.

ONE TRUE SENTENCE is the fourth book in Craig McDonald's Hector Lassiter series and the third featuring Ernest Hemingway. As with the previous novels, McDonald weaves the historical events and characters into the story so deftly that it's often difficult to determine where the fiction stops and the fact begins. He's taken his writers pencil and shaded the border between the two.

The characters populating ONE TRUE SENTENCE are masterfully drawn. As a reader I envision their physical appearance, their sound, mannerisms, and scents. This isn't a result of specific detail but rather overall character development. With the historical figures, McDonald blends his sharp knowledge and his colorful imagination.

"To stay warm, Hem was trading punches with his shadow on the passing walls; with his reflection in the storefront windows."

The friendship between Hector and Hemingway is both humorous and sentimental. And while it works to develop Hector's character, it is actually the relationship between Hector and his lover, Brinke Devlin, that truly develops Hector. Brinke is significant right down to her nickname - Brinke, "on the brink." And "on the brink" is exactly where Hector finds himself through most of ONE TRUE SENTENCE: on the brink of the law, on the brink of relationships, on the brink of his career. In ONE TRUE SENTENCE, Hector's character is highly malleable, and Brinke is in many ways forming him like she forms her own characters. Who Hector will become is essentially taking shape here based on his experiences with this woman.


McDonald's knowledge of the time period also works to bring Paris to life for the reader. The setting is as much a character as Hemingway or Lassiter. McDonald is true to the language, the environment, the culture. And unlike the previous three novels in this series, the entire novel takes place in Paris over the course of a week.

ONE TRUE SENTENCE, like the three books before it, is a work of art. Hector Lassiter consistently finds himself in various artistic communities and it's fitting. The novels are full of spirit and creativity and individuality. Experiencing the work of Craig McDonald is akin to experiencing a painting by Picasso, a dance by Baryshnikov, music by Tchaikovsky. No two people will experience it exactly the same, but everyone who does experience it will walk away richer.

ONE TRUE SENTENCE is available from Minotaur Books in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-312-55438-5) and will be available in May on audio from Recorded Books (ISBN: 978-1-4561-2172-3).

THE CYPRESS HOUSE - Michael Koryta

First line: "They'd been on the train for five hours before Arlen Wagner saw the first of the dead men."

Arlen Wagner has a "gift." He can see when people are going to die. So when he sees death in the people on the train he and Paul Brickhill are riding, he insists they get off and find another form of transportation. That transportation ends up being a ride hitched from Walter Sorenson, Sorenson agrees to take Arlen and Paul to Hillsborough County but he has to make some stops along the way. The last of those stops turns out to be a boarding house in Corridor County called "The Cypress House" where Sorenson dies in an explosion. Against his better judgment, Arlen agrees to stay and help Paul fix up The Cypress House after a destructive storm blows through. Paul's found himself smitten with the owner of The Cypress House, Rebecca Cady, but Arlen knows there's nothing but trouble for them in Corridor County and it's only a matter of time before that trouble finds them.

Koryta takes another run at the supernatural in THE CYPRESS HOUSE, but that element is minor in the novel's overall plot. Instead, the criminal activity that is taking place in Corridor County dominates the action of the novel.

The pacing of THE CYPRESS HOUSE seemed a bit slower than many of Koryta's novels, but for me that accentuated the tone and atmosphere of the Southern Gulf Coast and the desolate boarding house. It also acted to heighten the effect the storm creates.

The major strength of this novel, not unlike Koryta's previous novels, lies in the characters and their relationships to one another. It's the dynamics of those relationships that give THE CYPRESS HOUSE its depth and substance. Koryta brings the world around them to life by bringing his characters to life.

Arlen can see impending death in those around him. He had to endure this "gift" through a war and now the only thing he wants is to live a simple quiet life:

"...Arlen had no desire to be among those in charge. That was the goal, supposedly, the ordained American Dream, to rise from the ranks of the small and become a colossus.

It wasn't in him, though. The bigger your role, the more people you impacted with your decisions. He didn't want to have to make those sorts of decisions. All he wanted to do was work. If his day ended when the last nail was driven, it had been a good day. It had been a damned good day."

This contrasts with young, nineteen-year-old Paul who is gung-ho to make a difference for Rebecca Cady, to whom he's taken a shine. The almost parent-child relationship that develops between these two parallels Arlen's own relationship with his father. As the dynamics of the relationships between Arlen, Paul, Rebecca and Owen build, they drive not only the reader's connections to the characters, but the relationships also drive the plot.

I recently heard someone compare a story to a bicycle and its rider. The plot is the bicycle itself and the characters are the rider. If the characters aren't strong enough or able, the plot goes no where. Koryta creates characters who can not only pedal and steer the bike, but they can ride blind-folded, no handed and pop wheelies simultaneously.  

And finally, it's simply impossible to comment on a Koryta novel and overlook his use of language. His skill with words impacts every element of the novel. Great characters and plot make for a good book; when the language flows with as much beauty as Koryta crafts on his pages, the book becomes great: imagery takes shape in the readers' minds, characters become living breathing beings who could believably walk off the pages, and events take their place on the world's time line. For the 400 pages we spend in Koryta's world, fiction and non-fiction begin to blur lines.

"A wild idea, to be sure, but on a day such as this, when all he'd known to be true had blown apart beneath the mortar shells of firsthand experience, wild ideas had seemed possible."

Koryta convinces his readers that those wild ideas he dreams up can be possible. And that's what makes him a remarkable storyteller.

THE CYPRESS HOUSE is available from Little, Brown and Company in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-316-05372-3) and on audio from Hachette Audio (ISBN: 978-1-607-88681-5).

Round 2: World's Favorite Amateur Sleuth Tournament

The voting is now open for Round 2 of the World's Favorite Amateur Sleuth Tournament. If you need to research a character, links are provided here for each character. Like Round 1, you can vote once, but you can change your votes at any time during the course of the open voting period. All votes are set when voting closes at midnight Eastern on March 19th.

Spread the word and support your favorite sleuths. Good luck to all the contestants!

And the Week 1 Winners Are...

The votes are in and a few races were very tight, but we have a group of winners going on to Round 2. Here they are:

Rebecca Robbins 42%
Hannah Swensen 58%

Hector Lassiter 36%
Ellie Foreman 64%

Goldy Schultz 69%
Henry Gamadge 31%

Hitchcock Sewell 32%
Myron Bolitar 68%

Ruth Galloway 49%
Jack Garrett 51%

John Putman Thatcher 41%
James Qwilleran 59%

Nancy Drew 83%
Josie Prescott 17%

Kiki Lowenstein 27%
Jack Reacher 73%

Lord Peter Wimsey 65%
Lady Emily Hargreaves 35%

Lily Moore 38%
Penny Brannigan 62%

Stephanie Plum 70%
Lucy Stone 30%

Ned Oglive 27%
Stella Hardesty 73%

The Hardy Boys 59%
Odelia Grey 41%

Ollie Paras 53%
Wiki Coffin 47%


Amelia Peabody 81%
Paula Holliday 19%

Poke Rafferty 18%
Jane Marple 82%

Carter Ross 58%
Stewart Hoag 42%

Troy Chance 44%
Gervase Fen 56%

Gus Carpenter 17%
Amanda Pepper 83%

Annie Kincaid 58%
Abby Knight 42%

Alafair Tucker 62%
Asey Mayo 38%

Benni Harper 53%
Emily Tempest 47%

Emma Lord 46%
Doc Ford 54%

Dorothy Martin 34%
Flavia de Luce 66%


Lisbeth Salander 56%
Father Brown 44%

Kelly Flynn 44%
Charlotte McNally 56%

Duffy Dombrowski 61%
Kent Murdock 39%

Lori Shepherd 29%
Annie Darling 71%

Annika Bengztrom 58%
Omar Yussef 42%

Phryne Fisher 47%
Brett Kavanaugh 53%

Candy Holliday 59%
Wollie Shelley 41%

Zack Walker 42%
Amlingmeyer Brothers 58%

Congratulations to all the sleuths in this round for making the tourney, and of course congrats to all the sleuths moving forward. We had a total of 819 voters in Round 1. I hope you will all return for the remainder of the tourney to support your favorite sleuths. Voting for Round 2 will start tomorrow, so be sure to check back!

Linda Fairstein at Mystery Lovers Bookshop

SILENT MERCY M&Ms

As most of you know - because I've been able to talk about nothing else for the last week - I went last night to Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont to see Linda Fairstein. I've read Linda's books for years and years; she and Robert Crais were the ones who hooked me on crime fiction to begin with. But this was my first opportunity to meet Linda in person.

To say that I was elated is no exaggeration. And the best part, she was even more wonderful than I imagined. She's smart and funny and very interested in her readers. She has fascinating stories and tells them so well.

Mary Alice, one of the owners of Mystery Lovers, provided Linda with a beautiful introduction. For those of you who don't know, Linda was very instrumental in developing the special victims department of the New York Prosecutor's Office. Her work was instrumental in getting sex crime procedures to the point they are today. She brings that experience and authenticity to her books. Anyway, I'm not reviewing here, I'm sharing the event.

SILENT MERCY is the book Linda has just released, and it is the 13th in her Alexandra Cooper series. Alex has Linda's job as an assistant prosecutor, but Linda describes Alex as younger, thinner and blonder than her - and she will stay that way for a long time. Linda laughs at the fact that Alex so closely mirrors her professional life, but she gave Alex the personal life she never has. Yet some of her good friends from school and whatnot will come up to her and say, "I never knew your father invented...and you have a trust fund...and you had a fiance in law school..." Linda says, "get a grip. I made it up."

Through her series, Linda has developed New York City as a character in the books. She spoke about how she loves to take an aspect of NYC and explore it. She has found that many of the places we revere actually have a dark side to them. Linda seeks that out for her characters. It also provides the depth that she wants to have for her books. Linda doesn't favor books that are all fight scenes and car chases. She wants her readers to come way feeling they learned something from the book.

When she asked her friend, who is the president of the Museum of Natural History, if she could do research in the museum, her friend said, "Are you crazy? I don't want you killing anyone in my museum in your book." So Linda actually had to gain access to the museum deceptively to get her research for THE BONE VAULT.

Linda keeps clippings notebooks that are themed to help her research and develop the ideas for her books.

Linda explained that Manhattan has known as and called the Island of Churches. This is one of her fascinations about New York. There are churches that were places of worship for George Washington. Whether they're large cathedrals or small, out of the way churches, they inspire Linda. It was on a trip to a Baptist Church in Harlem, a trip unrelated to any book research, that she discovered Harlem had been a Jewish community before 1920. And there were twelve synagogues built in the early 1900s have since been repurposed and rededicated as other churches. However, there is a great deal of iconography of the synagogues still there.

Likewise, St. Patrick's is not the original cathedral. The original was actually located in Lower Manhattan near Little Italy and was recently dedicated by the Pope as a basilica. Linda explained that she learned about the stained glass windows for Old St. Patrick's Cathedral from Hilary Davidson. The original windows, created in France as a gift to the Americans didn't fit when they arrived in the United States and were therefore given to a small country church.

Linda meant for religion to be a backdrop for these institutions she found so fascinating. However, the book ended up much deeper than Linda initially intended because the topic is so vibrant today. Her research therefore took her in a direction she didn't intend to go.

Linda shared that she included Jeopardy as a part of the books because she hates when the law enforcement organizations are portrayed as dumb or uneducated. She said the people she worked with were very smart and she wanted to show that in her characters.

Linda finished up the event taking various questions and comments from the audience. We learned that she always wanted to write, but her father told her she didn't have anything to write ABOUT, so she needed to get a job. Her first four crime novels were written while she was still a prosecutor. Luckily when she left the DA's office in 2002 she didn't leave her love of writing and she continues to write the Alex Cooper series.

It was such a wonderful event and I am so glad I made the trip to see her. Linda Fairstein is simply a wonderful person and most assuredly one of my great idols.

One of my favorite author pictures ever!

Also, thanks to her generosity, I have a brand new signed copy of SILENT MERCY to give away! In addition, I have a copy of the previous Alex Cooper novel, HELL GATE. So, I will give the big winner the signed SILENT MERCY and the lucky runner up with receive HELL GATE. I do, however, have to limit this giveaway to U.S. residents. I'll take entries through next Friday, March 18th. Just complete the form below.

ELECTRIC BARRACUDA - Tim Dorsey

First lines: "Orlando. Tourism on steroids."

Serge Storms is constructing a "fugitive vacation" for tourists in Florida because Florida is where all the criminals go to hide out. It's only fitting, and Serge believes tourists want to experience the criminal side of life, not the same old boring tourist traps. So as Serge leads the police on a wild goose chase throughout the state, he blogs about how to enjoy Florida the way a fugitive would: fugitive geography, fugitive parenting, hiding in plain sight, etc. While Serge is evading law enforcement and blogging about it, he is also leaving behind a trail of creative murders. How many corpses will Serge leave behind before the fuzz finally catch up with him?

When I started ELECTRIC BARRACUDA I was a little concerned. It seemed as though it was going to be slapstick comedy with no real purpose. Me and "funny for the sake of funny" don't really mesh well. But Dorsey doesn't do "funny for the sake of funny." ELECTRIC BARRACUDA is rife with social commentary, adding depth and dimension to the plot. He takes a stab at the banking industry, poaching and the environment, tourism, even child rearing. At times Dorsey's satire is so painfully true, all you can do is laugh to keep from crying at the reality:

"Because [suicide hotline] is a job that requires a high level of education and compassion for your fellow man," said Serge. "It's like teachers. They know they're decent folk who are going to do it anyway. And when people are that virtuous, there's only one thing to do under our system: shit on 'em each paycheck."

ELECTRIC BARRACUDA is populated by a cast of unusually colorful characters. Serge's sidekick is an alcoholic drug addict who's probably on his last few brain cells. Serge's eccentricity meshes well with Coleman's dimness. Somehow they keep each other on track. The team of law enforcement agents pursuing Serge are equally idiosyncratic, enhancing the bizarreness of the dance these two teams do across the state.

The plot is quirky and at times - o.k., most of the time - over the top, but it's also adroitly crafted to illustrate the ludicrousness that we have come to accept as normal and copacetic. Maybe those we consider normal need to see the view through the eyes of those we consider aberrant to truly understand the level of our waywardness.

ELECTRIC BARRACUDA is available in hardcover from WILLIAM MORROW (ISBN: 978-0-06-187689-9) and in audiobook from Harper Audio (ISBN:  978-0-06-206372-4). This blog post is part of the ELECTRIC BARRACUDA blog tour with TLC Book Tours. Be sure to check the site for a video from Tim Dorsey as well as additional reviews.

The Bracket Contest

As promised, here are the details on the bracket contest for this year. You need to report your predictions for the "Elite Eight," "Final Four," "Championships" and "Overall Winner." Like last year, the person with the most correct sleuths from those 15 positions will be the contest winner. So you could potentially win without having the overall winner correct. There will be a runner up and and third prize winner as well. The prize packs have not been finalized yet, but will include book and book related items.

You must have your predictions entered in the form below no later than midnight on Friday, March 11th to be eligible in the contest. And I'm making the contest open to readers world-wide. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments or drop me an e-mail.

Good luck!

Let the Voting Begin

Below you will find the first week's match-ups for the World's Favorite Amateur Sleuth Tournament. Choose your favorite sleuth in each pairing and when you've completed as many pairings as you'd like to vote on (you are not required to vote in each category if you choose not to), click the FINISH SURVEY button at the bottom. You will be able to adjust your responses until Saturday March 12th but you can not vote more than once.

Any questions, leave them in the comments or drop me an e-mail. Good luck to all the sleuths.

The Nominations are in...

The nominations have been tallied and the tournament bracket has been set. You can download your copy of the bracket here. As with last year's tournament, there will be a contest on your prediction skills. We had some surprises last year and I think this year will be even more challenging, given the array of characters we have. So fill out your brackets and more information on submitting for the contest will follow tomorrow.

This year's nominees came out significantly different than last year's nominees. A few characters nominated were disqualified because they fit into one of the exempt categories: a detective eligible for last year's tourney, a member of the legal profession, or someone in the medical profession. We had over 90 different sleuths nominated but only 20 of those received more than one nomination. Those 20 were slotted into the bracket and the remaining nominees with one nomination each were chosen via Random Number Generator. The lucky 64 competing this year will be (author listed in parentheses):

• Abby Knight (Kate Collins)
• Alafair Tucker (Donis Casey)
• Amanda Pepper (Gillian Roberts)
• Amelia Peabody (Elizabeth Peters)
• Amlingmeyer Brothers (Steve Hockensmith)
• Annie Darling (Carolyn Hart)
• Annie Kincaid (Hailey Lind)
• Annika Bengtzon (Liza Marklund)
• Asey Mayo (Phoebe Atwood Taylor)
• Benni Harper (Earlene Fowler)
• Brett Kavanaugh (Karen Olson)
• Candy Holliday (B.B. Haywood)
• Carter Ross (Brad Parks)
• Charlotte McNally (Hank Phillippi Ryan)
• Doc Ford (Randy Wayne White)
• Dorothy Martin (Jeanne M. Dams)
• Duffy Dombrowski (Tom Schreck)
• Ellie Foreman (Libby Fischer Hellmann)
• Emily Tempest (Adrian Hyland)
• Emma Lord (Mary Daheim)
• Father Brown (G.K. Chesterton)
• Flavia de Luce (Alan Bradley)
• Gervase Fen (Edmund Crispin)
• Goldy Schultz (Diane Mott Davidson)
• Gus Carpenter (Bryan Gruley)
• Hannah Swensen (Joanne Fluke)
• Hector Lassiter (Craig McDonald)
• Henry Gamadge (Elizabeth Daly)
• Hitchcock Sewell (Tim Cockey)
• Jack Garrett (Neil White)
• Jack Reacher (Lee Child)
• James Qwilleran (Lilian Jackson Braun)
• Jane Marple (Agatha Christie)
• John Putman Thatcher (Emma Lathen)
• Josie Prescott (Jane Cleland)
• Kelly Flynn (Maggie Sefton)
• Kent Murdock (George Harmon Coxe)
• Kiki Lowenstein (Joanna Campbell Slan)
• Lady Emily Hargreaves (Tasha Alexander)
• Lily Moore (Hilary Davidson)
• Lisbeth Salander (Stieg Larsson)
• Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy L. Sayers)
• Lori Shepherd (Nancy Atherton)
• Lucy Stone (Leslie Meier)
• Myron Bolitar (Harlan Coben)
• Nancy Drew (Carolyn Keene)
• Ned Oglive (John Galligan)
• Odelia Grey (Sue Ann Jaffarian)
• Ollie Paras (Julie Hyzy)
• Omar Yussef (Matt Rees)
• Paula Holliday (Rosemary Harris)
• Penny Brannigan (Elizabeth J. Duncan)
• Phryne Fisher (Kerry Greenwood)
• Poke Rafferty (Timothy Hallinan)
• Rebecca Robbins (Joelle Charbonneau)
• Ruth Galloway (Elly Griffiths)
• Stella Hardesty (Sophie Littlefield)
• Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich)
• Stewart Hoag (David Handler)
• The Hardy Boys (Franklin W. Dixon)
• Troy Chance (Sara J. Henry)
• Wiki Coffin (Joan Druett)
• Wollie Shelley (Harley Jane Kozak)
• Zack Walker (Linwood Barclay)

I hope you'll take some time and explore a character or two who might be new to you. Some of these characters will also be highlighted during the theme week by participating bloggers. The first week's voting form will follow this post at 9 A.M. Eastern time. You'll have until Saturday March 12th to cast your votes.

Good luck to all the sleuths. Let the games begin!

The Lincoln Lawyer Giveaway!

As promised, I have a great contest to announce today. Many of you probably know...I hope...that THE LINCOLN LAWYER movie will release March 18th. I'm very excited to see this one. I typically cringe at the thought of a book I love going to the big screen because of the damage the screenwriters do to it. But two things make this a different situation for me. First I think this is a great role for Matthew McConaughey. I think back to the roles he really shined in (for me anyway) and those are roles like AMISTAD, A TIME TO KILL and CONTACT. This is a GREAT role for him. I also am thrilled that Michael Connelly thinks a lot of the film. That's reassuring. But, I digress. I promised a contest.

The fine folks at Little Brown have a great prize pack for me to give away. It will include a movie t-shirt, a movie poster and a movie pen. Then five runners up will each receive a poster. Pretty nice deal.

To have your name in the running you need to have a U.S. mailing address (no P.O. Boxes) and fill out the form below. Entries will be accepted through Saturday, March 12th and I'll have random number generator pick some winners on the 13th. GOOD LUCK!

Weekend Tidbits

Since I was out of town this past weekend, I'm a little behind on sharing some items with you. The first is rather important and I'm hoping this isn't the first you're hearing of it. I have a fellow blogger and friend in New Zealand, Craig Sisterson, and he sent me this information regarding the earthquake and the victims:

"Kia ora from shaky New Zealand,

As many of you will know, on Tuesday at 12:51pm NZT the city of Christchurch, which suffered a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in September last year, was struck by another massive earthquake - this time much shallower and more violent. This earthquake is completely different to last year's one, which caused massive property and infrastructure damage, but we were blessed with no loss of life. As of this morning NZT, more than 100 are dead, and another 220+ missing, and hundreds badly injured. There have been no signs of life from under any rubble for more than 36 hours, which is heartbreaking for the more than 1000 rescuers, from several countries, who are working their way through what is a pretty dangerous environment.

I now live in Auckland, but I went to University in Christchurch, so have many, many friends living in what is/was a wonderful city. Those I have talked to/emailed/texted/FB-ed are safe but badly shaken, but there are several I've not yet heard about.

As the days go on the people of Christchurch will need a lot of help. There will be months, even years, of rebuilding, and as of today more than half the city is still without power/water. Organisations like the Red Cross and many others are doing some fantastic work, supported by caring people from all over New Zealand, and all around the world.

I thought I should share with you some ways you could help, if you felt like doing so. All of us down this end of the world would appreciate it, that's for sure.

California mystery writer and Professor Margot Kinberg is setting up a charity raffle - "Do the Write Thing" - of signed mystery novels, to raise funds. Several authors have already donated signed copies of their books, and she is looking for more, so she can create the biggest/best raffle possible. People will enter the raffle by donating to the Red Cross. If you are a mystery author willing to help out, please contact Margot at MargotKinberg@gmail.com

You can read more about Do the Write Thing here.

**note from Jen: since I'm late in posting this, I wanted to include the post from yesterday announcing the raffle. Check it out for a chance to win a book prize pack.

I have also placed on my website information about various ways to donate/get involved here.

I know we are all busy with many things in our lives, but I would urge you all to consider helping in any way you can, and feel comfortable doing. The crime and mystery writing community - writers, readers, and reviewers etc - is a very connected one, with a great sense of community and camaraderie. Christchurch was the home of NZ's most well-known mystery novelist, Dame Ngaio Marsh, and the current home of several NZ crime writers (the three I have contacted, including Paul Cleave who some of you met at Harrogate, are all safe, but badly shaken). It would be terrific if we could all pull together and help them out.

Thanks for reading.

Kia Kaha from Aotearoa". 

And while I'm late in getting that posted, I hope everyone can - at the very least - offer prayers and positive thoughts as the people of Christchurch work to rebuild and recover from this tragedy.

Presently, there is some sleuthing going on down in Florida, but in a couple of weeks the Left Coast Crime folks will be meeting up in Santa Fe. Ken Isaacson is going to be moderating a panel called "Which Came First the Lawyer or the Writer?" If you're going to be in Santa Fe, you may want to check out the information Ken's posted on Facebook (hopefully that works; I always manage to mess up Facebook links) about this panel, which will include Laura Caldwell, Gabriella Herkert, Paul Levine, and Sheldon Siegel. I will not be at Left Coast Crime, but if anyone goes could you please send a great big hug to Gabi for me?

Another charity opportunity that is going on right now involves libraries. Karin Slaughter has started up a group to raise funds to help the struggling libraries. You can see the slew of auction items available here. And you can (hopefully) check out the "Save the Libraries" Facebook page, here.

If you attended Bouchercon in San Francisco or you are already registered for St. Louis, you should soon be receiving your ballot for the Anthony Awards, if you have not already. Please be sure to fill this out and send it back. Show the love for your favorite books of 2010 so they can be recognized.

If you aren't registered for the St. Louis Bouchercon, it'll be here before you know it. Don't miss out on the fun. This is going to be one incredible Bouchercon.

I recently learned that Brian Freeman is going to be passing through the Cleveland area in May. I'm very thrilled about this. I had made a New Year's resolution that I would attend at least one author event each month. So far so good. This month will be Linda Fairstein, which is actually next week! But, since I'm making the effort to do that, I also wanted to share some links with you to author tour schedules. If you can get out to an event, please show the authors and bookstores/libraries some support.

• Brian Freeman
• Craig McDonald
• Craig Johnson
• Brad Parks
• Lisa Lutz & David Hayward
• C.J. Box
• Cara Black
• Rosemary Harris
• Brett Battles
• Linda Fairstein
• Michael Connelly

I'll continue to update you as I learn about authors' tour schedules. I think this summer is going to be killer, so stay tuned.


In Jen's Book Thoughts news...make sure you check back tomorrow. I have a fun contest to announce with some rather fine prizes. And on Monday the Amateur Sleuth tournament will begin. Lots of fun stuff going on and it's keeping me busy. Hope you enjoy it, and happy reading!

Live From New York...

...well, o.k., it was live when Hilary went but she isn't reporting live now. So that makes it just a tiny exaggeration, right?

Bless her heart, in the midst of edits for her own book, Hilary Davidson was generous enough to cover Brad Parks' event at The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City. I owe her big for this. I would have loved to have been there to heckle...er, I mean support...Brad on his big night. Alas, I was unable. But the wonderful and talented Hilary pulled double duty and here's her wonderful report and photos from New York City:

That Brad Parks is a master showman is a fact no one can dispute. What, you want proof? Check out the infamous video of Brad at ThrillerFest 2010, where he serenaded Brad Meltzer with a song set to the tune of “Maria” from West Side Story. Even better: catch him while he’s on tour promoting his new novel, EYES OF THE INNOCENT. It’s the sequel to his brilliant FACES OF THE GONE, which has the distinction of being the only debut novel ever to win both the Shamus and Nero awards.

Authors Hilary Davidson and Brad Parks

I saw Brad when he hit The Mysterious Bookshop in New York on February 11th. While I’d expected a toga party, given his latest newsletter (if you missed the photos of Brad wrapped in a sheet, sporting a leafy crown and lipstick, you should really go back and have a look), Brad was decked out in clothing not unlike what his main character — intrepid Newark, NJ, journalist Carter Ross — would wear. While telling the crowd that Carter is not his alter ego (unlike Brad, the fictional journalist is not left-handed), he acknowledged that the two have much in common, including the background in newspapers. In fact, the story behind EYES OF THE INNOCENT started when Brad was still a reporter for a Newark paper, The Star-Ledger, and noticed in early

This ego is left-handed.

2008 that mattresses were strewn over some streets. It turned out they were tossed when families were forced to leave because of foreclosures. “I started wondering, ‘Wait, people who couldn’t afford moving vans could afford houses?’” Brad said. “What I was seeing was the ground floor of the global financial crisis.”


One of those foreclosed homes caught fire on March 7th, 2008… and again on March 10th. Three days later, Brad walked inside to see the incinerated remains up close. “The question ‘What happened here?’ is a great start to a mystery novel,” he says. While the foreclosures and the fire provided inspiration, they were just a starting point for the novel. As he noted, “In journalism, when you make things up, you get fired. In fiction, when you don’t make things up, you get sued.”

Is Brad singing again?

Brad read a couple of sections from the book, then took questions. When asked about his influences, he named Harlan Coben and John D. MacDonald. He admitted that he occasionally writes at his local Hardee’s, where there are “no kids, no Internet, and free Coke Zero refills.” There were several questions about how much he has in common with his main character. “Carter’s my buddy. I miss him when I’m not writing about him,” he admitted. While their personal lives have nothing in common (Brad’s second child was born just three days after he finished writing EYES OF THE INNOCENT), he admitted that he and Carter have a similar attitude. “Smart-assness is part of my own personality,” he said. “Also, it’s New Jersey and if you don’t have attitude in New Jersey they rip your lips off and throw you in a Dumpster.”

Audiobook Thursday - SHIBUMI

First line: The screen flashed 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...then the projector was switched off, and lights came up in recessed sconces along the walls of the private viewing room.

Nicholai Hel is a retired assassin living in the Basque region of France when Hannah Stern shows up on his doorstep looking for help after an international incident. Hannah Stern unknowingly leads the "Mother Company," commanded by an agent with a personal grudge, to Hel's door as well. Hel feels a personal obligation to help Stern, but will he be able to do so and protect himself from the evils pursuing him.

I reviewed SATORI here two weeks ago. When I finished reading Don Winslow's prequel to this crime fiction classic, I knew I had to backtrack and pick up SHIBUMI, Trevanian's original Hel novel. I wondered when I read SATORI if I would prefer it simply because it was the first I read, but I didn't find that to be so. Like SATORI, SHIBUMI is sensually stimulating. Trevanian connected with the beauty of nature and life in contrast to the ugliness and destruction of Hel's profession. That dichotomy in his character enhances his dimension.

Hel's relationships are another fascinating element of the novel. He lives with a concubine, whom he obviously loves, but there seems to be an unspoken rule that they cannot admit that emotion. And there is most definitely a distinction between the physical and the emotional in Hel's relationships.

Hel's relationship with his Basque friend, Le Cagot, is both revealing of character and humorous to the plot. It is most often Hel's contrast to those around him that most beautifully illustrates SHIBUMI and Trevanian's great respect of the Eastern cultures.

Like SATORI, the plot is rich and exciting, but for me it played second fiddle to the characters, the setting, the internal conflicts and the atmosphere. Something as simple as Hel kicking his car brings an unsuspecting luxuriance to the reading experience.

Today's readers may find some dated terminology and technology cause for chuckles, but the fundamental themes and the characterizations are timeless. Simply a beautiful novel.

I also took the opportunity to experience SHIBUMI on audio. It is read by Joe Barrett for Blackstone Audio. Barrett is one of my favorite narrators and one of the primary reasons is because, regardless of what he is narrating, he takes on THAT book. I never listen and hear the voice of a previous character. Barrett embodies the characters he is reading at that precise time. He did so with SHIBUMI as well. Whether it is a frightened young woman, an exotic mistress, a bombastic Basque or the world's greatest assassin, Barrett gives each a distinct voice. He appreciates the importance that the tone plays in this novel and keeps dramatic emphasis to a minimum. If anyone was able to exude shibumi through narration, Joe Barrett managed it.

SHIBUMI is available in trade paper (ISBN: 978-1-400-09803-1) from Broadway books and on audio from Blackstone Audio (ISBN: 978-0-786-17978-7).  

CAMEX Book & Author Event

Sorry for my little hiatus there. I have lots to catch up on, great books to talk about and I'm working on some big projects for the blog, so bear with me if I am sporadic in my posts for awhile; I'm plugging away, I promise. But first let's talk about this past weekend when I was in Houston.

First and foremost, I got to visit Murder By the Book! I'm always so excited when I have the chance to visit new bookstores, but the folks at MBtB make you feel like family when you walk through the doors. I'd attribute it to Craig Johnson being with me, but they're like that with everyone. The staff there is beyond awesome.

Craig gave me a hard time because of my slew of purchases, but hey, I don't get to visit often. I'm going to make it a worthwhile visit by golly! Anyway, here's a look at part of my loot.

I also got three books. One is Gerard O'Donovan's THE PRIEST, which McKenna and I were talking about a little. Very much looking forward to that one. But anyway, if you're ever in the Houston area, make the effort to get to Murder by the Book! Fun, fun store.

For those who don't know, I was in Houston for work. I work for the National Association of College Stores - is this where I should say none of my opinions here on the blog reflect the organization's? Anyway, each year we hold a trade show. The location varies year to year, but part of each show is an education segment - which is my department at NACS - and a Book and Author event. The nice folks in charge of the Book and Author let me tag along even though I typically go all fan girl. You can see my obnoxiousness from last year here.

This year I had extra reason to be the obnoxious fan girl. We hosted Craig Johnson, Lisa Lutz and David Hayward. Can you say, "walking on Cloud 9?" Yep, that was me!

For their presentation during the event, Lisa and David, who co-wrote HEADS YOU LOSE coming out in April, each acted as though they were the other, taking subtle shots at one another - much like the concept of their book. Lisa explained that HEADS YOU LOSE was written in alternating chapters. She finished the first chapter and sent it to David. He had to write the second chapter but couldn't undo anything Lisa had written in the first. Then it went back to Lisa and she couldn't undo anything David wrote in Chapter 2. And so on. Oh, and I forgot to mention. Lisa and David use to date. The book is fascinating and the writers were a huge hit.

Both Lisa and David are smart and funny, creative and very personable. I met Lisa briefly last year at the Mystery Bookstore's pre-FOB party, but this was the first time we were able to talk at length. I discovered that we share some mutual dislikes, as well as likes.

This was the first time I met David, who by the way is NOT David Hayward the astrologer. He's more on the soft-spoken side, but don't let that fool you. He's got a quick wit. I told him he would have to meet everyone at Bouchercon, so each of you who is attending is tasked with introducing yourself. If you feel you need an introduction, let me know. I'll be happy to facilitate.

Sarah Vowell also spoke at the Book and Author event; however, she flew in and out on the day of the event, so I didn't have a chance to talk to her outside her presentation. She spoke about her new book, UNFAMILIAR FISHES, a non-fiction work about 19th century Hawaii.

Craig Johnson wrapped up the event and, as usual, had the audience in stitches. I had several people talk to me afterward and say how much they enjoyed his presentation. He opened with a joke, saying his friend Marcus Red Thunder, the basis for Henry Standing Bear, told him he knew spring was coming because he saw a Crow Indian carrying a space heater into a pawn shop. When Craig told Marcus he didn't think a white man could get away with telling a joke like that, Marcus said it wasn't a joke. And off we went on a wonderful Craig Johnson story ride.

If you've never had a chance to see Craig in person and hear him speak in person, I can't recommend it enough. Many of you have told me that you've read and loved his books after hearing me gush here about them. Now imagine experiencing that in person. Check out his tour schedule and see if he'll be near you. It's an event worth experiencing, I promise.

One of the special perks of this weekend was having Craig share with us the audition DVD for the man who was chosen to play Walt in the upcoming pilot for LONGMIRE, the TV show that will be based on the Walt Longmire books. He had the DVD with him, so I brought my laptop down after dinner and Lisa, David, Craig, Scott Montgomery and I all took at look at Robert Taylor as Walt Longmire.

Who should not be confused with THIS Robert Taylor:

The live Robert Taylor is a good actor and has a great voice for the part. I just have to get use to a younger, skinnier Walt Longmire.

There's always a sweet sorrow at the end of something like this. I don't regret the opportunity to experience it, but I leave with a bit of an ache. The mystery community is like family and parting is hard. I hang on to my thoughts of the next time I'll get to meet up with everyone. If I am not able to see them beforehand on tour stop, David and Lisa will both be at Bouchercon. Craig I know will be out my way for his book tour. So until next time, thank you all for a super special couple of days.