Prepub Mystery

By David Doerrer -- Library Journal, 5/1/2007

Albert, Susan Wittig. The Tale of Hawthorn House. Berkley Prime Crime. Sept. 2007. 320p. ISBN 978-0-425-21655-2. $23.95.
Sundry fairy folk may be the culprits who left a baby on Beatrix Potter's doorstep in the third of the "Cottage Tales" series. "China Bayles" series author Albert lives in Texas.

Bannister, Jo. Flawed: A Brodie Farrell Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Sept. 2007. 336p. ISBN 978-0-312-37566-9. $24.95.
A case of child abuse and cover-ups gets personal, and tensions mount between friend and lover as pregnant Brodie seeks answers.

Brewer, Steve. Cutthroat. Bleak House. Sept. 2007. 370p. ISBN 978-1-932557-61-9. $24.95; pap. ISBN 978-1-932557-62-6. $14.95.
Troubleshooter Solomon Gage tries to undermine the shady dealings of his billionaire employer's sons. Brewer, author of the "Bubba Mabry" series, lives in northern California.

Cain, Chelsea. Heartsick. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Sept. 2007. 336p. ISBN 978-0-312-36846-3. $23.95.
After being kidnapped and tortured by a beautiful serial killer, Detective Archie Sheridan must pull himself together to catch a killer of teenage girls. Cain lives in Portland, OR. The promotion for this much ballyhooed debut starts with a ten-city prepub tour.

Coel, Margaret. The Girl with Braided Hair. Berkley Prime Crime. Sept. 2007. 320p. ISBN 978-0-425-21712-2. $23.95.
Vicki Holden and Father John O'Malley seek to unravel the death of a woman who supposedly betrayed the militant American Indian Movement in the 12th of the series. Eight-city tour. Coel lives in Boulder, CO.

Damsgaard, Shirley. The Witch Is Dead: An Ophelia and Abby Mystery. Avon. Sept. 2007. 320p. ISBN 978-0-06-114723-4. pap. $6.99.
Tink's dreams of ghastly ghosts conspire against psychic librarian Ophelia's hopes for tranquility in the fifth "Magickal" mystery. Damsgaard lives in Iowa.

Daniels, Casey. Tombs of Endearment: A Pepper Martin Mystery. Avon. Sept. 2007. 320p. ISBN 978-0-06-082150-0. pap. $6.99.
Clairvoyant cemetery tour guide Pepper Martin helps a sexy, long-dead rock legend finally cross to the other side by solving his murder in the third of the series. Daniels lives in Ohio.

Davidson, Diane Mott. Sweet Revenge. Morrow. Sept. 2007. 320p. ISBN 978-0-06-052733-4. $25.95.
In the 14th installment, caterer Goldy Schulz espies the presumed dead murderer of her ex-husband at the Aspen Meadow Library; killings ensue. Davidson lives in Colorado.

Dunn, Carola. The Bloody Tower: A Daisy Dalrymple Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Sept. 2007. 256p. ISBN 978-0-312-36306-2. $23.95.
A corpse in the Tower of London means Daisy isn't simply resuming her journalistic career in the 16th installment of the series set in 1920s England.

Emerson, Kathy Lynn. Face Down o'er the Border: A Lady Appleton Mystery. Perseverance Pr. Sept. 2007. 232p. ISBN 978-1-880284-91-9. pap. $14.95.
Lady Appleton attempts to resolve the disappearance of her friend Lady Glenelg in lawless 16th-century Scotland in her tenth case. Emerson lives in Maine.

Gaylin, Alison. Trashed. Obsidian: NAL. Sept. 2007. 336p. ISBN 978-0-451-22113-1. $21.95.
Naïve tabloid reporter Simone Glass looks into the apparent suicide of a soap opera star in this hardcover debut from NAL's new imprint. Journalist Gaylin lives in upstate New York. Five-city tour.

Greenwood, Kerry. Raisins and Almonds: A Phryne Fisher Mystery. Poisoned Pen. Sept. 2007. 276p. ISBN 978-1-59058-396-8. $24.95.
At the bequest of her gorgeous dance partner's father, Fisher and her group investigate the murder of a young student in her 12th caper. Greenwood lives in Australia.

Hamilton, Steve. Night Work. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Sept. 2007. 320p. ISBN 978-0-312-35361-2. $23.95.
Juvenile probation officer Joe Trumbull finds himself in a mortal duel with a faceless man bent on his destruction in Hamilton's first departure from his award-winning Alex McKnight series. Hamilton lives in upstate New York; tour.

Harrison, Cora. My Lady Judge: A Mystery of Medieval Ireland. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Sept. 2007. 368p. ISBN 978-0-312-36836-4. $24.95.
Mara, judge and lawgiver to a kingdom on the western seaboard of 16th-century Ireland, investigates the murder of her assistant. A Minotaur First Edition Selection. Harrison lives in County Clare, Ireland.

Keevers, Thomas J. The Chainsaw Ballet: A Mike Duncavan Mystery. Five Star: Gale. Sept. 2007. 239p. ISBN 978-1-59414-580-3. $25.95.
Hired by an insurance company, P.I. Mike Duncavan scours the Chicago mob scene for the killer of three Serbian immigrants in the third series title. Former homicide detective Keevers lives in Park Ridge, IL.

McDonald, Craig. Head Games. Bleak House. Sept. 2007. 312p. ISBN 978-1-932557-42-8. $24.95; pap. ISBN 978-1-932557-43-5. $14.95.
Larger-than-life crime writer Lassiter recovers Pancho Villa's missing head and is chased by fraternities, bandits, and U.S. intelligence services in this debut. McDonald lives in Columbus, OH.

Marston, Edward. The Iron Horse. Allison & Busby, dist. by International Pubs. Marketing. Sept. 2007. 288p. ISBN 978-0-7490-8080-8. $25.95.
Detective Inspector Robert Colbeck tries to hinder the foul play ruining a national horse race in Victorian-era England in the fourth of the series.

Rowe, Rosemary. A Coin for the Ferryman. Headline, dist. by Trafalgar Square. Sept. 2007. 288p. ISBN 978-0-7553-2743-0. $24.95.
Slave turned-pavement maker-turned detective Libertus partners with his former slave to solve a gruesome murder in the ninth of the series set in 189 C.E. Roman Britain. Rowe lives in England.

Shaw, Catherine. The Riddle of the River. Allison & Busby, dist. by International Pubs. Marketing. Sept. 2007. 288p. ISBN 978-0-7490-8011-2. $25.95.
In her fourth case, Vanessa Wetherburn tackles the puzzle of an unknown victim in 19th-century England. Shaw lives in Paris.

Staincliffe, Cath. Missing. Allison & Busby, dist. by International Pubs. Marketing. Sept. 2007. 288p. ISBN 978-0-7490-8025-9. $25.95.
Did two people choose to leave their families, or are there other reasons behind their disappearances? Sal Kilkenny finds the answers in the seventh of the series. Staincliffe lives in Manchester, England.