Prepub Mystery

Alexander, Tasha. A Fatal Waltz. Morrow. Jun. 2008. 304p. ISBN 978-0-06-117422-3. $23.95.

Lady Emily Ashton must put her fiancé in danger to exonerate her friend's husband of murder in her latest 19th-century investigation by Alexander, who lives in Tennessee.

Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing but the Truth. Akashic. Jun. 2008. 300p. ed. by Tim McLoughlin & Thomas Adcock. ISBN 978-1-933354-14-9. pap. $15.95.

The third time's the charm as the popular noir anthology traverses the dark side with these true-crime tales of New York City's biggest borough.

Cook, Marshall. Obsessions: A Monona Quinn Mystery. Bleak House: Big Earth. Jun. 2008. 264p. ISBN 978-1-932557-79-4. $24.95; pap. ISBN 978-1-932557-80-0. $14.95.

In her fourth outing (after Twin Killing), newspaper editor Monona Quinn enrolls in a mystery writing workshop in the Wisconsin woods, but the teacher fails to make the grade: someone kills the pompous writer-in-residence.

de Castrique, Mark. Blackman's Coffin. Poisoned Pen. Jun. 2008. 264p. ISBN 978-1-59058-517-7. $24.95.

Wounded and embittered Iraq vet Sam Blackman rebuilds his life in Ashville, NC, as he investigates two murders decades apart. A series debut from the author of the "Buryin' Barry" mysteries, who lives in Charlotte, NC.

Finnis, Jane. Buried Too Deep. Poisoned Pen. Jun. 2008. 356p. ISBN 978-1-59058-399-9. $24.95.

In this third caper (after A Bitter Chill), colonists and natives battle it out with innkeeper Aurelia Marcella and her twin brother caught in the middle in Roman Britannia, circa 98 C.E. Finnis lives in East Yorkshire.

Greenwood, Kerry. Heavenly Pleasures. Poisoned Pen. Jun. 2008. 243p. ISBN 978-1-59058-426-2. $24.95.

Sabotage in a chocolate shop reels baker Corinna Chapman back into investigative work in the second of the series (after Earthly Delights). Australian Greenwood is a recipient of the Ned Kelly Lifetime Achievement Award from the Crime Writers' Association of Australia.

Marshall, Evan. Death Is Disposable. Severn House. Jun. 2008. 224p. ISBN 978-0-7278-6605-9. $27.95.

When a homeless man befriended by New York City Department of Sanitation garage supervisor Anna Winthrop is murdered behind her apartment building, Anna aims to clean up the case. A series launch from a literary agent and author of the "Jane Stuart and Winky" mysteries.

Massey, Sujata. Shimura Trouble: A Rei Shimura Mystery. Severn House. Jun. 2008. 256p. ISBN 978-0-7278-6601-1. $28.95.

During a family reunion in Hawaii, Japanese American undercover spy Rei Shimura must clear her cousin of arson charges. The tenth entry (after Girl in a Box) in Massey's multicultural series; Massey lives in Minneapolis.

Myers, Tamar. Death of a Rug Lord. Avon. Jun. 2008. 384p. ISBN 978-0-06-084659-6. pap. $6.99.

A pricing war between two carpet stores leads to murder in the "poisonously sweet world" of Southern society in this 14th installment of the "Den of Antiquity" series by Myers, who lives in the Carolinas.

Nabb, Magdalen. Vita Nuova: A Marshal Guarnaccia Investigation. Soho Crime. Jun. 2008. 272p. ISBN 978-1-56947-493-8. $24.

Marshal Guarnaccia is singled out to solve the death of a reclusive single mother with a dysfunctional family in the 14th of the series set in Italy. Nabb, who died in August 2007, lived in Florence.

Nesser, Håkan. Mind's Eye: An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery. Pantheon. Jun. 2008. 288p. ISBN 978-0-375-42503-5. $22.95.

When the convicted perpetrator of a drunken murder is also cut down, the Swedish inspector discovers something afoul in this precursor to the Van Veeteren series (The Return; Borkmann's Point), available for the first time in English. Award winner Nesser lives in Sweden and New York.

Peffer, Randall. Old School Bones. Bleak House: Big Earth. Jun. 2008. 312p. ISBN 978-1-932557-85-5. $24.95; pap. ISBN 978-1-932557-86-2. $14.95.

Winter at a New England prep school brings term papers and the suicide of a black student. Or was it a racially motivated crime? A faculty advisor and a lawyer seek the truth. From the author of the provocative Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues.

Pope, Barbara. Cézanne's Quarry. Pegasus. Jun. 2008. 352p. ISBN 978-1-933648-83-5. $27.95.

Did "radical" scientific theories kill a young woman in this debut—or was it a spurned lover, namely, the painter Cézanne? Historian Pope lives in Eugene, OR.

Sefton, Maggie. Dyer Consequences: A Knitting Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Jun. 2008. 272p. ISBN 978-0-425-21933-1. $23.95.

Kelly Flynn is stumped as to who would keep her from renovating the alpaca ranch she just bought and dump a dead lady in a tub of dye in her fifth outing by Sefton, who lives in Colorado. Author tour.

Sims, Elizabeth. The Actress. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Jun. 2008. 400p. ISBN 978-0-312-37727-4. $24.95.

Financially struggling actress and single mom Rita Farmer takes a high-paying gig: coaching a defense attorney's tabloid client charged with killing her own daughter. The author of the Lambda Award-winning Lillian Byrd mysteries lives in Port Angeles, WA. A Minotaur First Edition Selection. Library marketing.

Spencer-Fleming, Julia. I Shall Not Want: A Clare Fergusson/Russ van Alstyne Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Jun. 2008. 336p. ISBN 978-0-312-33487-1. $24.95.

Is a serial killer targeting Latino migrants in Millers Kill, NY? Episcopal priest Clare investigates while sorting out her feelings for cop/widower Russ in this follow-up to All Mortal Flesh. Library marketing campaign.

Thompson, Victoria. Murder on Bank Street: A Gaslight Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Jun. 2008. 336p. ISBN 978-0-425-22151-8. $23.95.

Detective Sergeant Malloy attempts to unravel the four-year-old murder of midwife Sarah Brandt's husband, but the truth may be more than they can handle in the tenth of the Edgar-nominated series set in turn-of-the-century New York City. Thompson lives in Pennsylvania.

Vasquez, Ian. In the Heat. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Jun. 2008. 256p. ISBN 978-0-312-37809-7. $23.95.

Before he can hang up the boxing gloves, Belizean champ Miles Young must do a favor for promoter Manny Marchand—find a runaway teenager and her no-good boyfriend. A first novel in the tradition of Dennis Lehane and James W. Hall.