Mystery

Chinese Riddles Thanks to its expanding presence on the world stage, modern China is a popular setting in the mystery genre. Peter May's series (The Killing Room) teams up a high-ranking Beijing police officer with an American pathologist. A formidable crime-solving pair, they must work out their ongoing relationship, which crosses two very diverse cultures. Despite the Chinese government's ban on private investigators, the protagonist of Diane Wei Liang's The Eye of Jade is an ex-Beijing official who makes a living by finding people or things. And Sharan Newman's The Shanghai Tunnel offers a different portrait, focusing on the Chinese immigrants in 19th-century America.

Following her successful debut, Wild Indigo, Ault sets her second series mystery on the Chimney Rock plateau of the American Southwest's Four Corners area, where a wildfire threatens the Pueblo Indians gathered for a sacred ceremony. For Bureau of Land Management agent Jamaica Wild, everything happens at once. An elderly Ute Indian dies in the fire, one of the Navajo hotshot firefighters is badly burned, and someone is trying to kill Jamaica. She must juggle a murder investigation, her relationship with her less-than-forthcoming boyfriend, her adopted Ute mother, and the ever-present threatening fire. Fans of Nevada Barr and Tony Hillerman will snap this up, but Ault is such a good writer that crime fiction buffs who enjoy a good mystery with plenty of action and great background detail will put this on their hold lists. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/07.]

As a result of a shooting meant to kill Galway PI Jack Taylor (Priest), Cody, his young apprentice and surrogate son, lies comatose and close to death in the hospital. Meanwhile, Taylor tries to make sense of the brutal murder by crucifixion of a young man and the burning death of the victim's sister. As always, things are not as they appear, and there is more than one shock for Taylor and the reader at book's end. Shamus and Macavity Award winner Bruen should be taken in small doses, as his idea of "noir" may be too dark for most. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 11/1/07.]

Gunn, author of the popular Minnesota-based Jake Hines mysteries, launches a new series featuring Tucson homicide detective Sarah Burke. While investigating the murder of a drug dealer, Burke must also deal with painful personal issues and her superior's distrust. Packed with action and insider knowledge of the Tucson area, Gunn's engrossing police procedural will appeal to readers who like Kate Flora's Joe Burgess and Theo Kozak series.

While Edinburgh Detective Chief Constable Bob Skinner is on sabbatical, his team probes the murders of two young female artists and a young man in what appears to be ritualistic killings. As usual, the personal lives of the police officers play a part in the story; the unexpected conclusion will leave fans shocked. Jo Bannister, Peter Turnbull, and Ian Rankin can be considered read-a-likes, but when it comes to the depiction of a multilevel police force in action, Jardine, who also writes the Oz Blackstone series, stands alone.

Formerly a high-ranking member of the Ministry of Public Security, Mei Wang now works for people who need things or persons found in Beijing. (Private investigators are illegal in China, so semantics is employed to get around that hurtle.) Mei has her hands full when she is hired to locate a valuable Chinese artifact. Her mother has a stroke, and Mei's investigation brings her surprising insights into what her mother had to endure during the harsh Cultural Revolution. The murder of an unimportant man plays a minor role in this provocative novel dealing with what truth is and how our personal perceptions cloud reality. Highly recommended. The author—who wrote a memoir about her childhood in a Chinese labor camp and her participation in the Tiananmen Square demonstrations (Lake with No Name)—lives in London. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/07.]

During the ceremony to begin construction on a joint Chinese-American project in Shanghai, the earth gives way, exposing the mutilated bodies of 18 young women. Beijing Deputy Section Chief Li Yan is sent to investigate, and he requests that internationally known pathologist Margaret Campbell assist with the autopsies. Suspenseful plot twists and turns, the beautifully depicted Chinese culture, and the unresolved relationship of Li and Campbell make this an essential read. While there are other mysteries using modern China as a setting, none is as provocative as May's series (The Firemaker; The Fourth Sacrifice). Highly recommended for all mystery collections.

Shipping magnate Horace Stratton dies and leaves his wife to navigate his complicated business affairs, as well as the move he had begun from Shanghai to Portland, OR. In 1868, the latter city, though small, is developing its unique and diverse character: Italians operate restaurants, Chinese cook and labor, and the transcontinental railroad arrives. Emily Stratton finds that she is much stronger than anyone ever imagined, as she takes on her husband's business partners and investigates the murder of a man in her kitchen. Newman, author of the much acclaimed Catherine LeVendeur medieval mysteries, always does her research for her brilliant historicals. Recommended for mystery collections where historicals circulate.

Set in Los Angeles during the Depression, Richards's hard-boiled mystery introduces Katherine (Kitty) Pangborn, the daughter of a rich man who was wiped out by the stock market crash. She now works as a secretary for Dex Theroux, a hard-drinking, fast-talking ex-cop—turned—private eye. When the mistress of a corrupt businessman hires Dex to tail her lover, Kitty finds more than she bargained for, including murder. This is a great period piece with action aplenty and nostalgia-evoking characters. Kitty is a delight, and fans of Megan Abbott's noir crime novels will enjoy. Novelist Richards (Mad Money; The Next Ex; Calculated Loss), who founded JanuaryMagazine.com, a book-related web site, lives in Canada.

Capturing the essence of 15th-century Milan, Stuckart's mystery debut introduces a new detective: Leonardo da Vinci. He and his apprentice Dino must solve the stabbing death of the Conte di Ferrara, cousin of Ludovico Sforza, acting Duke of Milan, while a live chess game is being enacted. Using the chess theme as a springboard, Stuckart details life in a castle, the routine tasks assigned to the apprentices of a maestro of art, and the court intrigues that eventually lead to murder. Stuckart also writes under the names Alexa Smart and Anna Gerard.

Blind auto mechanic Candence Moran is the only witness to a murder but is reluctant to help the police in their investigation. She carries a lot of baggage because she feels responsible for her young niece's death in the same car accident that resulted in her blindness. Shamus Award winner Ure (Forcing Amaryllis) makes a convincing case for a woman who overcomes her overwhelming sense of inadequacy to become a heroine. Heart-stopping suspense that builds to a crescendo and well-defined characters make this a top-notch mystery. Readers looking for an author similar to the late Barbara Seranella will find this a sure bet. Highly recommended for all collections.

Rock music journalist Mick Sever (Jamaica Blue) goes to St. Bart to interview big-time music producer Danny Murtz but finds that something is very wrong with Murtz and his entourage. Plenty of action in short chapters keeps this one moving.

Private investigators Jill and Greg McKenzie (Secret of the Scroll; Designed To Kill; Deadly Illusions) are hired to find some missing papers that may prove that Arthur Liggett did not embezzle a large amount of money from Marathon Motor Works in 1914. Details about the only car maker south of the Mason-Dixon line in the early days of the automobile industry and background information about Nashville enrich the search.

There is something so engaging, so charming about Charlotte LaRue. She has not had an easy life, and she works hard and keeps finding dead bodies. In her seventh mystery after Scrub-a-Dub-Dead, her tenant's ex-wife is murdered in Charlotte's living room.

In the rural 1950s Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the father of a dysfunctional family is murdered in a field. Soon Constable John McIntire (Witch Cradle) discovers that the man was far from ordinary and that this case will haunt him for life. Hills uses little-known historical events and facts to give her series pizzazz.

In their second racing adventure after Swapping Paint, Nascar fans Ruby and Glad Wycznewski again solve a murder and a mystery, while everyone else is trying to find a missing $10 million dollars. Slapstick humor and nonstop dialog add to the fun.

A former British ambassador to Colombia receives his son's finger in the mail. What lies beneath the scheme to ruin Sir Kenneth Myburghe is what reporter Riley Gavin and her friend Frank Palmer must unravel. A great suspenseful read.

Evan Horne is as good an investigator (Looking for Chet Baker) as he is a jazz pianist. Having returned to San Francisco from Europe, he settles into the local jazz scene until his former teacher and mentor dies and leaves Evan his estate, including some sheet music that may have come from two landmark Miles Davis recordings.

A 13-year-old girl goes missing, and Detective Chief Inspector Charlie Woodend's team is in charge of the search. Like Jo Bannister, Spencer spins a great yarn about a professional police team solving crimes and dealing with their own personal problems. This is one of the best British series around.

In her eighth outing, PI Tamara Hayle (Dying in the Dark) is hired to return a child to her mother, but soon mom is dead, and Tamara needs to untangle a web of secrets before the police arrest her teenage son as a material witness in the murder. Mystery readers looking for a compelling female African American protagonist will find the real deal in Tamara.

Fans of the Erast Fandorin mysteries (e.g., The Winter Queen) here get two for the price of one. In "The Jack of Spades," a clever swindler uses multiple disguises (and a seductive accomplice) to fleece the rich, his latest victim being Prince Dolgorukoi, Fandorin's protector. While pursuing Jack, Fandorin manages to pick up an assistant in the awkward but worthy Tulipov; they finally get their man, but justice isn't served in the way one would expect. Even more intriguing is that the companion story, "The Decorator," offers a novel solution to Jack the Ripper's identity. A serial killer is oozing about Moscow, murdering women and then leaving their innards neatly arranged on the ground. It's to make them more beautiful, explains the assailant in chilling interpolated passages. Fandorin recognizes the work of the famed English killer and goes about proving that he (or she?) is actually a Russian now home from London. Multiple suspects abound, and the ending is a real surprise, though as always Fandorin's triumph is bittersweet. A good addition to most mystery collections, especially where historicals are popular, this book can stand alone but will be richer when read in the context of the entire series.—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal

Two young kids witness a backwoods execution-style murder in their rural Idaho hamlet. Worse yet, the killers—four retired cops from Los Angeles—see the children and begin a dogged pursuit. Struggling rancher Jess Rawlins is surprised to find Annie and William hiding in his barn, but he's wise enough to believe their lurid tale. He also astutely recognizes the goodness of a stranger in town: Eduardo Villatoro, a retired detective, is determined to put one last unsolved case—a big one—to rest. Villatoro's case is the final nail in the coffin for these bad cops, and it's up to Jess and him to save the children. Readers will be anticipating the final shootout long before the bad guys catch on. Popular series author Box's (Free Fire) first venture into stand-alone territory is a quick, satisfying, and straightforward—if fairly transparent—read. It should appeal to readers looking for a contemporary Western with an infusion of thriller; Michael McGarrity's books come to mind. Recommended for larger popular collections. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/07.]—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., Fairfield, CA

Paul Hardy awakens in the hospital after a bad accident only to discover that he is no longer the man who has been living for the last seven years in a group home for disabled adults. It's not just the physical changes from the extensive plastic surgery—certain memories are also coming alive. Hardy may be a new man, but he's also a man without an identity. The only ties to his past are fragments of memories that play like short video clips in his mind. Soon after beginning his cross-country quest to discover his real identity, Hardy finds out that some very bad people are chasing him. It seems that his former self holds the secrets to a national conspiracy—secrets worth killing for. Ford is the author of 12 mysteries, including the Leo Waterman and the Frank Corso series. His first stand-alone novel provides a thrilling ride through the dark side of humanity. Recommended for all crime fiction collections. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/07.]—Ken Bolton, Cornell Univ. Lib., Ithaca, NY

When academic Stephen Bryan is found dead in his bathroom, his face "pulled inside out," suspicion falls on his boyfriend, but there is no proof of guilt. So Stephen's sister conducts her own investigation, looking into the mysterious death of a forgotten film actress Stephen was researching, which leads her to into danger and horrendous family secrets. But officially handling the case—and all its attendant frustrations—are Will Grayson and Helen Walker of the Cambridge Major Investigative Team. Helen is nearly killed by a gang of young thugs, Will fixates on a mysterious industrialist hiding secrets, and the dead actress's movie seems eerily predictive of the current case. Harvey, best known and honored for his Charlie Resnick and Frank Elder series, introduces these characters to his familiar Nottingham setting. Unlike Charlie and Frank, Will is no lone investigator drowning in his musings, but a family man with attendant problems. Will and Helen make a good team, and one hopes to see more of them. Recommended for all collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/07.]—Roland Person, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale

This distinctive debut novel is perfect for mystery fans who are craving new horizons. Emily Tempest is half Aboriginal and grew up in the Australian Outback. After college and travel, she returns to her home and mob (clan). She notices changes, some of them disturbing. When Lincoln, a mob leader, is brutally murdered, Emily is not content to settle for the obvious solution: that he was the victim of a local sorcerer. As she reconnects with her old life and dear friend Hazel, she searches for the murderer. Hyland, who worked in remote Aboriginal communities and lived with the Walpiri in the Tanami Desert, touches on political and racial issues and Aboriginal spirituality as he weaves an intriguing tale that includes poetic descriptions and excellent characterizations. Included are two essential and helpful glossaries: Australian and Aboriginal. Much needed doses of humor and a sweet romance lighten this sometimes dark story. Winner of the 2007 Ned Kelly Award for best first mystery in Australia, where it was titled Diamond Dove, this is a choice selection for all Australian fiction and in-depth mystery collections. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/07; for another Australian mystery involving the Aborigines, see Peter Temple's The Broken Shore.—Ed.]—Susan G. Baird, Chicago

The Quebecois village of Three Pines (first introduced in Still Life and Fatal Grace) is once again the scene of a perplexing murder, and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team have caught the case. Madeleine Favreau, a cheerful and well-liked village resident, collapsed and died at an impromptu séance at a local house thought to be haunted. The cause of death is pronounced a high dose of ephedrine and fright. But Madeleine wasn't dieting, so who slipped her the ephedrine? Gamache is an engaging, modern-day Poirot who gently teases out information from his suspects while enjoying marvelous bistro meals and cozy walks on the village common. His team is an unlikely troupe of departmental misfits who blossom under his deft tutelage, turning up just the right clues. Penny is an award-winning writer whose cozies go beyond traditional boundaries, providing entertaining characters, a picturesque locale, and thought-provoking plots. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 11/1/07.]—Susan Clifford Braun, Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA

In Rees's exceptionally fine follow-up to his highly praised debut, The Collaborator of Bethlehem, the Palestinian government in Gaza is a fiction: warring gangs collaborate only to loot. Omar Yussef, the principal of a girls' school in Bethlehem, arrives on an inspection tour of schools and is soon drawn into efforts to secure the release of a university lecturer arrested on a trumped-up charge of spying. One of his colleagues is kidnapped, a UN van is blown up, and a UN observer killed. At 56, Yussef is neither supersleuth nor superhero, just an honorable man striving to find justice for the disenfranchised in a thoroughly corrupt society, where violence is the preferred, indeed, the only tool of governing. A virtue of this outstanding novel is its prose: evocative and sensual in describing setting and character, forceful in moving along the action. A compelling mystery story and a sympathetic portrait of a wounded society, this novel is truly excellent popular fiction. Strongly recommended for mystery and general collections. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/07.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

In this sequel to Good Morning, Killer, FBI Agent Ana Grey has just returned to the job from enforced time off when she is selected to go deep undercover to infiltrate a violent ecoterrorist group suspected of murdering a fellow agent. Although barely recovered psychologically from her previous mission, Ana eagerly takes on the very difficult task of being someone else completely while surrounded by people who will kill her if they discover the truth. Smith does a convincing job of conveying the trials of maintaining a dual identity—is she Ana, or is she "Darcy," her undercover persona? As the story progresses, the border between the two blurs, and Ana's loyalties waver as she comes to understand the motivations of the various players. Thanks to a layer of informants and snitches among the agents handling Ana's assignment, things nearly blow apart both literally and figuratively. The narrative is fast-paced without becoming frantic, and the intertwining story lines are deftly handled. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/07.]—Ann Forister, Roseville, CA

Revenge is a dish served incompletely in Winspear's fifth Maisie Dobbs novel (after Messenger of Truth). This time, Maisie is employed by James Compton to investigate a number of strange fires that break out in a Kent village around harvest time each year when the community is bustling with locals, Londoners, and Gypsies. Compton's company is interested in buying the local brickwork manufacturer, but he wants to make certain the purchase won't cause any ill effects to his company. Maisie soon senses that the villagers know more than they will say about the mysterious fires. They also won't talk about the Martin family killed in a zeppelin air raid during the Great War. Will Maisie discover the truth before revenge and guilt destroy the village? Winspear paints a historical cozy featuring intriguing characters and surprising twists. Maisie is absolutely compelling not only as an investigator but also as a psychologist while she probes the hearts and minds of those she meets. Highly recommended for all mystery and popular fiction collections.—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L., MD