A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE - R.J. Ellory

First line: "She stands in the kitchen, and for a moment she holds her breath."

Someone is killing people in a most horrendous fashion, beating them viciously before death and leaving them with a blank tag tied with ribbon to their neck and the scent of lavender in the room. Detective Robert Miller was the poor sap who caught the first victim, so this serial case is his. But as he delves further and further into the victims and the clues, the pieces of the puzzle don't seem to fit, as if they're parts from different puzzles. The victims don't really exist and all the murders don't line up exactly right. But when Miller's investigation is pulled from him and his career is threatened, he's come too far to let go and back down.

With the use of alternating points of view: third person omniscient and first person with an unknown narrator, R. J. Ellory (A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGLES) exquisitely builds tension and suspense throughout the over 400-page novel. He works in much the same way eerie music works in a suspenseful movie - you know something is coming, you may even be guessing what it is, but it still scares the devil out of you when it arrives. Kevin Kenerly is Blackstone Audio's reader for A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE and his narration of this work adds to the tension and suspense that Ellory has created with words.

Ellory's books continually give lessons in creating atmosphere, atmosphere that blends beautifully into the backdrop of the plot and works on the reader without interrupting the course of events. This is especially present in A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE as Ellory constructs the heinous crimes of the novel and simultaneously illustrates the blooming of a relationship that withstands it all. Kenerly seems to have a firm grasp of Ellory's atmosphere, bringing it out through volume and tone. Ellory's juxtaposition of the horror and the beauty combined with Kenerly's well-balanced energy is what leaves the reader breathless and awed. Kenerly doesn't over dramatize, which would be devastating to this novel. He infuses just the right amount of fervor when it's called for.

The characters of Ellory's novels are flawed humans, often with heavy baggage and history. A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE is no different and let's face it, perfect characters would be boring. But Ellory is able to show all of his characters in full dimension, which often leads to increased suspense. When you've connected with each of the characters, how can you view any of them as the black-hearted villain? Which melds beautifully into the themes of corruption and susceptibility to it.

Finally, winding its tendrils through every aspect of the novel, is Ellory's amazing use of language. Just as the juxtaposition exists in the plot, a juxtaposition exists in the dark subject matter and the beauty of the language. Case in point:

"It was like a line from a song. There was a cadence and a rhythm to it that made it difficult to forget. It started somewhere in Miller's mind, and once it had started it just seemed to keep on going. Like the flat-nose .22s the Mafia used. Sufficient punch to get it through the skull, insufficient to make its way out again, and that dime's-worth of lead just battered and ricocheted around inside, banging off the internal walls of some poor sucker's head until their brain was chicken soup. The thought went like that, and he wanted it to stop."

The image is harsh and brutal and sublimely clear, just like the images haunting Miller. And in the same book you find:

"I could feel her sadness and loss and heartache and loneliness all tightly bound together. I wanted to untie it all, spread it out and see what was there and decide which to keep and which to cast aside."

or

"A vast silence. Chest fit to burst, but holding it all inside until we mustered sufficient stillness to fold into one another like the pattern of a fingerprint."

Ellory doesn't write about cheerful, sunny topics and themes, but his language spreads a beauty over pain and corruption and you simply can't get enough of it. Kenerly reads A SIMPLE ACT OF KINDNESS with an acute awareness of the effect Ellory's language has on the subject matter. And it is, quite honestly, what makes you want to drive a little further out of your way, so you can listen to "just a little bit more."

A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE is available in the U.S. in hardcover (ISBN:  978-159020318)  from Overlook Press and on audio from Blackstone Audio (ISBN: 978-1455122462).

Crime Fiction's Sexiest Authors of 2011 - Part 2

As I mentioned on Wednesday with Part 1 of this project, I started mulling over this idea when I read the post You Know You're an English Major If... and saw the identifier, "You consider authors to be sex symbols." And with People Magazine having their Sexiest Male issue and Salon.com weighing in on their Sexiest choices, I decided now would be a good time to bring my own choices to the blog.

However, I'm going to veer a bit from People and Salon because I'm also choosing the Sexiest Women of Crime Fiction. To make my choices here, I thought about those women I'd love to be. Who have characteristics I admire and yes, even envy...but not in a bad way, I promise.

So, mirroring the categories for the men, here are my choices for Crime Fiction's Sexiest Women. Note, I asked the ladies to send me a very unsexy picture to use with this project, and while I think they all still look quite sexy, many of them had fun with this. So here we go...enjoy!

SEXIEST WRITER-ATHLETE

Curlers are the new sexy, right?

I just can't imagine not choosing Christa Faust for this category. Some might argue the athlete part of the category since she's not running marathons or boxing or whatnot, but gosh darn it she keeps herself in shape and I'd much rather run into a marathon runner in a dark alley than a pissed off Christa Faust! Just kidding. Beyond those model good looks, she's a genuinely wonderful person. I admit to having been completely intimidated until I met her. And now I'm just thrilled to know her. She's wicked smart and self-confident and funny. And she's an amazing mama to Noir Dog, Butch.

Christa has a new book due out in February featuring a lesbian PI called BUTCH FATALE; DYKE DICK IN DOUBLE-D DOUBLE CROSS.  The much anticipated follow-up to her multiple-award nominee MONEY SHOT is CHOKE HOLD and now out from Hard Case Crime.

SEXIEST TRIPLE-SERIES WRITER

Sophie takes beauty tips from Junior

I don't know how Sophie Littlefield has time to do all that she does! She's raising kids and a dog, taking care of a home, mentoring other writers, and actively publishing THREE series - a crime series, a dystopian series and a YA series. Her writing reflects her wit and spirit, and you need only spend two minutes around her to experience the charm.

Sophie's drive and determination resulted in success in an extremely competitive field. Her talent with words and character netted her an Anthony Award. But it's Sophie's kindness and generosity that have won her the respect of her peers. It's also won her a spot on this list!

Sophie's new book in her dystopian series, HORIZON, is due out in January. And next June will bring the fourth book in her Stella Hardesty series, A BAD DAY FOR MERCY.

SEXIEST AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR

Hey! Really? Me? No way!

 I had to do an eenie, meanie, miney, moe for this category because all of these sexy writers are award winners. But Megan Abbott wins out for this one. The Edgar-award-winning author will never fade from my memory because the first time we met in person she said, "You read Bob Crais, right? Can we talk about his books today?" And I've adored her ever since! No, really, Megan is incredibly talented, original and funny. Her books have dark themes but I've never seen Megan when she wasn't bright and energized. I've also never seen Megan speak down to anyone or act as though she doesn't have time for them. Watching her with her fans, she exudes an authentic appreciation of their support and their conversation.

Megan's newest novel, THE END OF EVERYTHING, is garnering a tremendous amount of attention and well deserved accolades. I doubt this one will be overlooked for awards in the coming months.

SEXIEST WRITER UNDER 40

I'd like to thank the Academy for this sexy award....

None of the women on this list even come close to looking their ages and doesn't that just make you grumble? But how can you grumble at someone as charming and endearing and gracious as Hilary Davidson? Some people in the world you say a silent prayer of thanks to God (or whomever) for bequeathing them talent like Hilary's. You say thanks because they so richly deserve that talent and appreciate it and do wonderful things with it. Hilary is one of those people. And human characteristics don't get any sexier than that.

Hilary's debut novel, THE DAMAGE DONE, won the Anthony Award and Crimespree Award for best first novel. Her second novel, THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, is due out on Valentine's Day.

SEXIEST WRITER ON TV

Watch out! Hank will uncover your secrets!

Hank Phillippi Ryan just wins awards where ever she goes. She's won more Emmy's than she can count on fingers AND toes for her hard-hitting investigative reporting for NBC. And those awards all have to share space with the Anthony, the Macavity and the Agatha Awards for her equally amazing writing.

What really made me positive Hank belonged on my list was her astounding compassion and kindness. And if you ever hear her talk about her husband, now there's the fairy tale romance - true love.

I had communicated with Hank before the first time I met her in person...in Indianapolis...at Bouchercon. I showed her the scrapbook page with her memoir she submitted and she teared up. I had no intention of making her cry, but boy what a gift she gave me to appreciate it that much. Hank has a heart of gold, and I just think that's sexy beyond compare.

Hank is branching out from her wildly successful Charlotte McNally series next year to publish the first in a new suspense series, THE OTHER WOMAN.

O.k., the final spot on my list goes to....

JEN'S SEXIEST FEMALE WRITER ALIVE

The reigning queen!

Alafair Burke! It would be far easier for me to say what isn't sexy about Alafair because I couldn't give you anything. I admire her tremendously and consider her one of my heroes. She's smart, clever  and full of life. She's generous, kind and true. Her ability to laugh at herself is endearing and rare. There aren't many people who can do that with ease. And that allows others to be at ease around Alafair. She's human. And DAMN that's just sexy!

I, of course, adore Alafair's love of her French bulldog, Duffer. She takes him to day care, dresses him for Halloween, and collects the home videos of his life.

She doesn't dress her husband for Halloween, but she does treasure him and their life together. 

Years ago now I went to meet Alafair because I was enamored with her writing. I was rewarded with a woman I now admire as so much more than an author. And I don't want to make this sound like I admire her because she's perfect; I don't think that would be real. I do think she's stunning and beautiful inside and out, but I admire Alafair because she's challenged herself throughout her life. She's accomplished so much in a short time and still aspires to accomplish more; I can't wait to see where she is 40 years from now. I aspire to be that happy in my own skin, and I find it quite sexy.

Alafair released her first stand alone novel this year with LONG GONE. She also publishes a series with Assistant Prosecutor Samantha Kincaid and a series with NYC Police Detective Ellie Hatcher.

There you have it! My choices for the Sexiest Women of Crime Fiction in 2011. Now you can weigh in. Who do you think I left off the list? There are many, of course, so I can't wait to hear your choices.


As with Wednesday's group, this post is meant to be fun. I whole-heartedly mean what I've written about the authors, and I received their permission to include them in the post. I hope you've enjoyed it.

Crime Fiction's Sexiest Authors of 2011

This blog post has been in the works for almost a year now. The seed was planted waaaaaay back in January when my attention was pointed to this post called You Know You're an English Major If...Probably about a third of the way down the list, you'll notice the entry, "You consider authors to be sex symbols."

I reckon I have to admit to being in that camp. I do think it's sexy to be smart and creative and funny, so with People Magazine releasing their Sexiest People issue, and Salon.com weighing in on their Sexiest Men, I thought it was high time I got my post ready for public consumption. And I'm all about gender equality, so come back on Friday for the ladies' turn.

People puts the honorees into categories, and I've done the same. I have 5 honorees and a "Sexiest Man Alive." So here we go:

THE SEXIEST WRITER-ATHLETE 

Those shorts are sexy, Tom!

Tom Schreck runs, boxes, plays basketball...I don't think swimming in the hot tub counts, but that's o.k. He is a black belt in karate even though he gave up "wearing pajamas" to wear robes. Other factors that contribute to Tom being on this list are his sense of humor, his kindness, and his love of animals.

Tom writes the Duffy Dombrowski series, the fourth of which, VEGAS KNOCKOUT, will be out from Thomas and Mercer in May.

SEXIEST TRIPLE-SERIES WRITER

New Reeds, old Reeds, they're all Great Reeds!

At least right now there are three. Since he's a long way from retirement, we don't know how many series Reed Farrel Coleman will ultimately end up with. Reed seems to work in 3s. He's won the Shamus Award three times - as well as three other awards: the Barry, the Macavity and the Anthony; he has three series: Moe Prager, Joe Serpe/Bob Healy, Dylan Klein; and he's published in three formats: novel, short story and poem.

Reed is gregarious; he wields his sarcastic wit as effectively as his pen; and he's always up on the latest hair styles! In all seriousness, when I first met Reed in person, I was more than a little intimidated. But it took round about 30 seconds to know he's one of the nicest people you'll have the chance to meet.

This year Reed releases two new books. GUN CHURCH is an audiobook original, and you'll be hearing more about that soon. And HURT MACHINE is the latest Moe Prager novel, due out next month.

SEXIEST AWARD-WINNING WRITER

King of the...Pier?

Self-confidence is sexy, right? Well, Brad Parks has plenty of that! And did you know Brad won the 2010 Shamus award?! The cockiness is part of the facade Brad sports (well, maybe not all facade..) but under that is a supportive, generous, funny individual with a grand imagination and love of life.

Brad writes the Carter Ross mystery series. His third installment, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, will be out in March from Minotaur Books.

SEXIEST WRITER UNDER 30

"I've got it all up here."

O.k., so most folks grumble when they discover that Michael Koryta is as wildly talented and polished as he is and he hasn't celebrated his 30th birthday yet. But, I just look at it this way, I should be able to enjoy his new books all the way until they spread my ashes. Right? If you ever listen to Michael talk about his craft all you can hear is passion. And I completely love that he works with the Exotic Cat Preserve to rescue the great creatures. He's smart and witty and deserves his place on the list.

Michael's latest novel, THE RIDGE, was released this past summer. He informed us via Twitter that his next book will be a Vampire kitten/PI novel hybrid - I'm just kidding. He did say that but in jest. He's returning to a classic crime novel, but I don't have release date for that.

SEXIEST WRITER ON TV

The hat shadow is covering the five o'clock shadow.

Since the commercial is now showing, I can say the winner of this category is Marcus Sakey. And no, his hair played no role in the decision. When I first met Marcus' wife g.g. she explained that we all have dreams and aspirations in life, Marcus' are just usually higher than most. That was when he was training to climb Mt. Rainier. Marcus is full of life and always ready for the next challenge. This year that challenge was a television series called Hidden City, scheduled to begin airing next month.

One of the "extras" to Marcus' character that boosted him onto this list was his ability to make people feel like SUPERSTARS, no matter how ordinary. Look at me...I went from author groupie to high powered lawyer in less than 300 pages!

Marcus' latest release is THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES. He's hard at work on his new novel, but obviously had to take time out for that television thing! I'll have more about that at a later date.

And drum roll please....

JEN'S SEXIEST MALE WRITER ALIVE

Gregg Hurwitz! My first chance to meet Gregg in person was my first visit to L.A. for the book festival back in 2009. I had already discovered THE CRIME WRITER and was so excited to meet him. He hung out and talked with Michael Alatorre and I for quite a good spell, told us how he met his wife, made us laugh, obviously left a lasting impression. And on top of that, before I got home there was an email in my inbox saying "it was nice to meet you."

Since that I've learned what a great pet parent he is as he often talks about taking Simba to the dog park, having Simba at his feet while he writes, visiting Simba on his trips home during book tour. And of course his daughters! He's such a proud papa and his adoration of his girls simply radiates from him.

Gregg is smart, funny, talented - his skill range goes from Shakespeare to The Penguin to V. He's generous and kind - he tolerates me and there's no restraining order...yet. And I'm pretty certain he could get anyone to do his bidding with that 100 watt smile.

I can't remember the last time I was asked for a book recommendation and one of Gregg's books wasn't on the top of my list. For this book nerd, that's as sexy as it gets. Move over Bradley Cooper, ya ain't got nothin' on Gregg!

As with anyone's choice in a topic like this, there will be much dissension among the ranks. So it's your turn. Who would be on YOUR list? And let's keep the conversations family appropriate, please!

Remember, the ladies will get their turn on Friday! Have a great Thanksgiving and Happy Reading.



**Note: this post is meant to be fun. I sincerely mean what I've written about the authors, but I contacted each author to get his/her permission to use them in this post. I did not want to include anyone who would be uncomfortable or feel awkward about being mentioned. I hope you've enjoyed it.

THE END OF EVERYTHING - Megan Abbott

First line: "She, light-streaky out of the corner of my eye."

The depth of talent that Megan Abbott possesses is indeed enviable. But given the fact that her readers are able to reap the benefits of her talents, I think we can forgo the envy and celebrate her works instead. The most recent work to celebrate is a bit of a change for Abbott. THE END OF EVERYTHING is a modern novel set in the Midwest told through the voice of thirteen-year-old Lizzie Hood. When Lizzie's best friend and next door neighbor Evie Verver disappears one afternoon, the entire community is sent into a state of panic and Lizzie finds her childhood stolen as swiftly as her best friend.

Abbott's novel is narrated on audio by Emily Bauer who brings not only Lizzie's teenage voice to life, but also the sights and sounds and rich flavors of Abbott's small Michigan town. The sensual nature of THE END OF EVERYTHING transports readers back to their own childhood:

"...I know Evie's cartwheels, the way she floated through them, like moving through molasses, smooth and dawdling and tongue-sweet, why, that's how it was."

Lizzie's experiences thankfully differ from most teen-agers in losing her best friend. But there are still strong similarities to the average teen in her fairy tale ideas of love, her hero-worship of Mr. Verver, and her unadulterated devotion to her friendship with Evie. Bauer articulates Lizzie's characteristics in such a way that we never question why a child would make such choices, instead we find them to be the natural choices. We're no longer logical, careful adults; we're the innocent naive child again.

Megan Abbott is forging new territory with every novel she pens. THE END OF EVERYTHING has taken her to new heights and it has taken the crime fiction genre to new heights. Not only does she examine the crime of kidnapping but she examines the crime of a stolen soul, ripped from its unsuspecting owner who struggles to make sense of her loss. This is a beautiful novel and a terrifying novel. A gentle, sensual novel and a dark, violent novel. It will lovingly haunt the reader who finds that the end comes far too soon.

Emily Bauer taps into Abbott's world seamlessly making this audiobook a chilling treat. I wouldn't recommend missing this one.

THE END OF EVERYTHING is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-316-09779-6) from Reagan Arthur Books and on audio (ISBN: 978-1-441-78171-0) from Blackstone Audio.

V is for Vengeance - Sue Grafton

This review appeared in Tuesday's Shelf Awareness for Readers and is appearing now with permission from the folks at Shelf Awareness.

First line: "Phillip Lanahan drove to Vegas in his 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, a snappy little red car his parents had given him two months before, when he graduated from Princeton."


In her twenty-second outing with P.I. Kinsey Milhone, Sue Grafton brings back all the quirky, loveable characteristics of her protagonist while ramping up the intensity of Kinsey’s experiences.

There are few authors who can open a novel with a gruesome murder and flawlessly transition to her heroine shopping for underwear without losing credibility, but that’s precisely the way Grafton begins V is for Vengeance. And in Kinsey’s world, even shopping for underwear can’t be easy. She observes a woman shoplifting and notifies the store employee. When the shoplifter is arrested and then apparently commits suicide, Kinsey finds herself investigating the woman’s death on behalf of her fiancé. As hidden details of the woman’s life are uncovered, Kinsey comes face-to-face with her own mortality and discovers her work on this investigation may very well be a threat to her own life.

Grafton’s Alphabet Series is a rare series that continues to show momentum after more than 20 books. V is for Vengeance is entertaining, while still making your heart race with a thriller’s anticipation. Kinsey Milhone remains a unique protagonist in the P.I. genre, while Grafton continues to surround her with dimensional supporting characters and antagonists. Readers can’t help but invest in the entire cast, turning pages swiftly to reveal their fates.

Grafton most assuredly still has her stride. Series fans won’t be disappointed and newcomers can pick up V without any knowledge of the previous 21 books. Another winner for the matriarch of the P.I. novel.

V is for Vengeance is available from Marian Wood Book/Putnam in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0399157868) and on unabridged audio (ASIN: B0067EYTDM) from Random House Audio, narrated by Judy Kaye.

Books Are the Markers of Your Life

"Books are the Markers of Your Life" was one of the most poignant statements I heard during Murder & Mayhem in Muskego this year and I thought it a fitting title for this post.

Yet another wonderful convention hosted by the Muskego Library with mucho support from Jon and Ruth Jordan.

This weekend is always filled with wonderful fun. The program starts out with an informal meet and greet session on Friday night. There's usually one panel that takes place and this year, Dana Kaye moderated John Connolly, Marcus Sakey, Duane Swierczynski and Dana Cameron. If you haven't seen any of these people in person, they are all incredibly funny and together it was wonderful entertainment. Dana ended up putting her feet up and just relaxing while the panelists did all the work!

Meanwhile, the other authors were all looking on from the audience.

During lunch on Saturday, one of the women sitting at the table commented on how accessible the authors are at M&M. She had hoped to see an author at Bouchercon but said author was always surrounded by people, but she didn't run into that issue at this convention. And I think that's a big reason so many people enjoy this weekend. It's a hidden gem.

Speaking of Saturday, the panels started off with excitement as the moderator, Alison Janssen-Dasho, was M.I.A. However, Reed Farrel Coleman surprised the conference goers by being present - he wasn't on the author list this year. So, Reed filled in on the "Playing Fair With the Reader" panel until Alison arrived. Also on this panel were Joelle Charbonneau, Alison Gaylen, Gar Anthony Haywood and Andrew Grant. In this panel we learned that Alison Gaylin feels every character should have a part of the author in them, thereby allowing the reader to understand motivation. Joelle keeps a running document about her characters and as they develop in the writing process she adds to the document. And Gar was in Annie Get Your Gun in junior high school! Unfortunately, he didn't sing for us.

The other panel before lunch highlighted historical writers: "My Generation: Mysteries of the Past." Sadly Tony Hayes and Tasha Alexander were unable to make the festivities, so Andrew Grant sat in as moderator and Reed filled in again, since his books are somewhat historical. Not quite as historical as Jeri Westerson and Kelli Stanely, but it worked out well nonetheless. Kelli talked about enjoying her ability to enter the dark elements of a time period we like to romanticize now. And Jeri emphasized the need to be sensible to the time and its people. Kelli's bit of advice in this panel is for writers to learn to self-edit. Which was not a signal to do away with outside editors but rather to complement their work with your own editing.

Following lunch, my panel took the stage. We were titled: "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: Writing Without Borders." I was so excited to be moderating Megan Abbott, Martyn Waites, Hilary Davidson and Sean Chercover. They were funny and energetic and no one killed me when I asked them to pick their theme songs.

Martyn told us about his experiences writing with his wife. He types because he's faster and she tells him what to type. However, he isn't permitted to help with her job as a costume designer! And in the series he writes alone, he was so proud of himself for "creating" the idea of an information brokerage until an ex-girlfriend called him and threatened to sue him if he was stealing her idea as she'd just started an information brokerage as her job.

We learned Megan doesn't like to write about sex and body parts. No matter what, she can't help but think about her mother reading what she writes.

Sean opted to set his books in Chicago over a Canadian location because he had experience as a P.I. in Chicago and there are more people in the U.S....thereby, more people to buy and read his books!

Hilary shared with us her tendency to get so caught up in the world she's writing in, she can't find her friend's apartment or cross the street without assistance. 

As you can see these four talented writers were both entertaining and informative. It was such a pleasure to moderate this panel with them.

After us the panel "We're Not Going to Take It: Breaking Out of the Traditional" took the stage. Meanwhile, Tom gave boxing lessons.

This panel was led by moderator Jennifer Jordan with authors Gary Phillips (who does NOT need a microphone by the way), Stephanie Pintoff (who does), Duane Swierczynski, and F. Paul Wilson. This panel discussed Father Knox's Decalogue: The Ten Rules of (Golden Age) Detective Fiction. The panel came to the conclusion that "Father Knox is full of shit."

The final panel of the day was "Who Are You? Characters CAn Make or Break a Story" featuring Tom Schreck as the moderator, Dana Cameron, Gar Anthony Haywood, Jess Loury and Marcus Sakey.

Jess Loury recommended not over-planning. characters. And Gar said he starts off by deciding what he doesn't want his characters to be. Marcus doesn't start with a superman-type character because then the action has to be more elaborate and exaggerated and that can quickly become silly. As did this panel when Tom began talking about his farting dogs.

The actual conference was wrapped up with Ruth Jordan's interview of John Connolly. And John is the one who gets the credit for talking about books as markers of your life. He emphasized the continued value of print books...and not by disparaging electronic books but by saying that what we choose to keep in print still tells a story about us individually. He spoke specifically to a beat-up paperback he had that was a marker of a relationship earlier in his life.

When John spoke about Irish crime fiction specifically he said that it's a way for Irish writers to connect with their history.

And he also recommended that writers never underestimate the power of the chip on your shoulder.

A truly spectacular day that continued with dinner and time with the authors. This wonderful picture I'm having framed!

I also have a few new pictures to add to the Most Wanted wall, so look for those soon (I hope).

I want to send out a very special thank you to everyone who took the time to stop and tell me they enjoyed the panel or that they read the blog. In person I'm sometimes so overwhelmed by these kindnesses that I don't know how to appropriately express how much that means to me. I hope you know, you make my heart smile. Thank you so much for that gift.

I'm always sad when Muskego is over. It's such a bonding time for me and the whole fan-girl experience hasn't lessened one iota. If you have the opportunity I highly recommend you attend a Murder & Mayhem in Muskego. Even if you think you don't have the opportunity, MAKE it. This weekend is well worth it.

Happy Reading!

Awards and "Best Of" Lists

Yesterday Kirkus had a major snafu. For those that don't already know, editor Elaine Szewczyk included Q.R. Markham's ASSASSIN OF SECRETS on their 2011 Best of Fiction. In the intro to the list, it says,

"While selecting this year's best fiction, Kirkus' reviewers and I engaged in a lot of arm wrestling, chair hurling and booze swilling. Not really."

Maybe they should have engaged in at least a little publication current events since the news of Markham's plagiarism had been plastered all over for a week prior to this list's appearance online.

Kirkus site before the removal of ASSASSIN OF SECRETS.

By the time the email announcement of their list hit my inbox, the book had been removed from the website post, but not before the word had been spread - ahhhh, social media. As authors and publishers announced their inclusion on the list throughout the day, I couldn't help but think, "Kirkus - and that list - really lost credibility with me." And not to begrudge anyone their kudos, but when this publication is supposed to be among the "elite" opinion of the industry, how can their "best of" list be taken seriously when they appear to not know what's going on in the publishing world? Or at the very least, not care enough to double check their list? But, the point of this post is not to bash Kirkus, so let me get back on track, since I seem to be doing just that.

What that snafu also made me think about today was how much credence I give to these "best of" lists. I really dislike that phrase - best of. And I don't use it when I do my end of the year lists. Instead, I opt to say, "my [insert year] favorites." I have never felt I could presume to judge the "best of." First of all, I can't read everything. Second, reading is too subjective. Granted there is stuff out there that's crap no matter who the judge is, but what's "best" is really up to an individual's preferences - feel free to ask me about Ulysses some day. But anyway, I realized that I've never read a book because it's been on a publication's "Best of" list. I've been happy for authors because of the acknowledgement they receive, but such things have never encouraged me to pick up a book I wasn't already planning to read.

Which leads me to awards. I've also never read a book because it was an award-winner. I've actually yet to see an award that I felt was actually a measure of quality more so than popularity. Sometimes the two can coincide, but not always. It is, however, always the popularity that wins out with awards. And some awards try to pick "obscure" so it doesn't look like popularity, but it's just popularity amongst the obscure when you boil it all down. Again, I'm happy for the authors when the recognition is bestowed on them, but I'm not motivated to read a book I hadn't chosen already for some other reason.

And then there's the whole question of which is more significant - the award that is chosen by fellow writers (we all know the "Academy" ALWAYS makes the best choices in the film industry) or the award chosen by the fans - you know, the people who buy the books, spread the word, write awe-inspiring Amazon reviews and put Glenn Beck on the New York Times best seller list? I guess my award skepticism is showing, isn't it?

What reasons do I pick up a book? I'm glad you asked. A short time ago, I talked about how I pick the next book from the TBR stack, but how do they get to the TBR stack? (And I hope this doesn't seem repetitive to anyone who reads here regularly.) I pick up books first because of history.  I was pontificating on this subject over the weekend. An author I read for years started to write with a slightly different approach to the genre; an approach I typically don't like. But, because the author had established a history of good books - in my eyes - I read the new book. (I liked it by the way.)

And y'all know when Robert Crais starts writing the phone book, I'll be reviewing that here. In all seriousness, a history of writing books I've enjoyed is the strongest motivator for me to read a new book by that author.

A recommendation from someone I trust is the second strongest motivator. Unknown reviewers from "elite" publications could be anyone. And if a different unknown reviewer reviewed the same book for said publication, the review could be entirely different. Thus, it's not a consistent measure I can align with my own preferences. But I know that Lesa Holstine and I share overlapping interests. Pop Culture Nerd and I share overlapping interests. Naomi Johnson...o.k., you get the point. I trust them. I also trust them to say, "Jen, I really liked this book, but I'm not sure you would." We have overlapping interests but not identical interests. What we always share is a trust of each other not to knowingly guide one another to a book that just isn't right for the other.

It was through recommendations from people I trust that I discovered Chris Grabenstein, Louise Penny, Craig Johnson, Martyn Waites, Craig McDonald and Louis Bayard - among others. I also want to mention good publicists in this category. I so deeply appreciate the publicists that take the time to know me and what I enjoy. I know if Dana Kaye tells me she thinks I'll like a certain book, she genuinely thinks that; she's not simply trying to get coverage. So, again, the trust factor comes into play.

And the last of the big motivators for me is simply an author's public activity. For example I discovered Bill Cameron on Twitter. I think I know what the gold miner's felt when they discovered their shiny nuggets. Finding Bill was like that. Steve Hockensmith I heard speak on a panel and knew right away that I wanted to read his books - the combo of me and Hockensmith's series turned out to be akin to chocolate and peanut butter! Sophie Littlefield and Rebecca Cantrell I discovered on the Criminal Minds blog. Based on their fun writing there, I was motivated to read their debut novels. Which then moved them to the "history" category.

And that's not a fail-safe model. There are some extremely fun, nice, entertaining people who write books that aren't my style. But a good public persona will improve the chances that I give a book a first chance. Being a jerk guarantees I'll never read the author's work, no matter how good it might be.

And of course, all of these motivators are assuming the book synopsis sounds like something I would enjoy reading.

Yes, I did indeed spend far too much time mulling these thoughts over today. But I'm curious now if I'm just the oddball or if others share my sentiments. Do awards and "Best of" lists motivate YOU to read a book you wouldn't otherwise have picked up?  Have you ever changed your mind about reading a book because it won an award? We've talked about blurbs and book jackets before. Are you motivated by those? Do you have other triggers that encourage you to pick up books? I hope you'll share your thoughts - differing opinions welcome and encouraged. But please be respectful of everyone's opinion.

I have lots to share on the Murder & Mayhem in Muskego weekend, some fun projects I've been hatching and gads of reviews to catch up on. So stay tuned and happy reading!

Out and About

I spent the weekend in Virginia with my friend Ginny Phillips. I completely unplugged from the Internet and had a most restful weekend. That made it extremely hard to come back. I mean, look at the scenes that surrounded me for three days:

Duffy

I'll be turning around to leave again on Friday for Muskego. Is anyone going to be at the Murder & Mayhem in Muskego Conference this Saturday? Please say "hi." Even if I look complete confused or lost, I'm so happy to see the faces of people who stop by, leave comments, send emails, or just read.

A few other things I wanted to share with you quickly while I have a few minutes.

It's about that time of year when we start thinking about our "Best of" lists. I'm planning to have my regulars plus a few unusually fun ones to wrap up 2011. Gosh, can you believe how close 2012 is already? Anyway...Publishers Weekly has their "Best of" list out. What do you think about the mystery category? Which of your favorites from this year are missing?

Tyrus Books is doing another round of promotions and right now you can get Michael Lister's DOUBLE EXPOSURE free on the Nook or on Kindle until November 12th. This was a unique book that I really enjoyed. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, here's an opportunity to get it for free!

A.S.A.P. Publishing sent me a notice about a beautiful book they have ready to ship right now, THE GALWAY HOOKER. It's a limited edition (85 copies total), 52-page book with a wood inlay in the cover. It's Jack Taylor, of course by Ken Bruen. There's an introduction by George Pelecanos and an afterward by Wendy Horsby and some illustrations by Phil Parks. It's a bit out of my price range at $100, but you collectors may want to check into this one! Contact asap-publishing@cox.net (phone 949.455.1319) to find out more.

I'm listening to Reed Farrel Coleman's GUN CHURCH right now on audio. It comes out today exclusively as an audio at Audible. I'll be talking to Reed later about this project, but in the meantime you'll want to check it out!

And to wrap up the fun today, you have to check out the interview (with audio clips) the Criminal Elements folks did with Mark Harmon. I've been a Harmon fan since the freakin' Coors commercials; I know I'm weird. I'd have watched him play football, too, had I been born.

NORTHWEST ANGLE - William Kent Krueger

I will have to double check, but this may be the last of the catch-ups on reviews from Shelf Awareness. So, as with the previous reviews, this one appears with permission from the Shelf Awareness folks.

First line: "He woke long before was necessary, had wakened in this way for weeks, troubled and afraid."

The O’Connor family is in the midst of a vacation on a houseboat in the Lake of the Woods when a derechos rips across the area, stranding the family members on various islands. Much to her horror, Jenny O’Connor discovers a devastation much crueler than the derechos. Where the derechos left downed trees and damaged boats, this disaster left a dead woman and an abandoned infant. The derechos has ended but the O’Connor’s nightmare has just begun.

In his eleventh novel of the Cork O’Connor series, William Kent Krueger delves into the theme of isolation and the question, “[Is] there any limit to how alone a human being could be?” The value of connections, whether physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual, emanates from every aspect of the plot.

One of the great strengths of this series is Kent’s juxtaposition of Christianity and the Ojibwe spiritual beliefs. Cork O’Connor, the series protagonist, claims both backgrounds in his heritage. Northwest Angle brings their peaceful co-existence to the forefront of plot with stunning depictions of each.

Some readers may find Jenny’s interactions with the infant a little extreme, but the underlying theme of human connection is otherwise well illustrated.

Those familiar with the series will appreciate the consistent characteristics of Kent’s writing. While those new to the series, can easily pick up the novel and enjoy the adventure without needing a history lesson.

NORTHWEST ANGLE was released from Atria Books in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1439153956)  this past August. It is also available as an unabridged audio from Brilliance (ISBN: 978-142339617).

THE SURROGATE - Tania Carver

First line: "There was a knock at the door."

When Detective Inspector Philip Brennan and his team are called to the scene of a double homicide, it isn't the first time they've seen the gruesome scenario: a pregnant woman murdered, her abdomen sliced open and the baby removed. This IS the first time the baby hasn't been left dead at the scene, however. With this incident, the third of its kind, the department decides to bring in criminal psychologist Marina Esposito to help profile the killer.  There are no apparent connections between the women, but this third victim has recently left the baby's father, her abusive boyfriend, and he's the main suspect for the police. Marina has strong doubts that he's the killer. But when connections start popping up between the boyfriend and all three murdered women, she begins to have doubts and Phil can't dismiss him and chance another murder.

THE SURROGATE is the first novel from British husband and wife writing team, Tania Carver. Whatever their formula is for writing a novel together, they seem to have perfected it on the first try. THE SURROGATE is an intense, fast-paced psychological thriller that will leave the reader wondering who did it right up to the end.

THE SURROGATE is not a comfortable read; it examines some of the ugliest of human nature's scum and the effects that scum has on every one and every thing around it. The novel seems to be addressing the question of whether there can be light and hope existent in this world? We often view children as the hope for the future, but the children are being savagely destroyed.

Carver constructs a plot packed with red herrings and well-placed twists that keep the momentum - and your pulse rate - moving at a rapid pace. The characters are created in such a way as to leave you no choice but to empathize with them. And you may find yourself connecting with different characters before the end plays out.  Carver works the dynamics of humanity like a holographic image. Depending on which way you're looking you could see something entirely different than the first time you peeked.

THE SURROGATE is explosive and captivating. You won't want to read this home alone at night, but you won't want to put it down either. Tania Carver has set the expectations for this series high and I, for one, am anxiously looking forward to the next one.

THE SURROGATE was released in the United States this past September in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1605982564) from Pegasus books.