Mystery

In Susan Arnout Smith's Out at Night, DNA profiler Grace Descanso not only faces danger in her job but must conquer resentments of her difficult childhood and find the strength to make the right decisions for her own daughter. Louise Ure knows how to draw the reader into the twisted life of a damaged person and does so brilliantly in Liars Anonymous with her portrait of roadside assistance operator Jessie Dancing.

The death of the baby born to the stars of a popular British TV show results in a media frenzy and a determined police inquiry led by DI Neville Stewart. Meanwhile, curate Callie Anson gets involved with the funeral arrangements, much to her vicar's disapproval. In her third clerical mystery (after Evil Intent and Secret Sins), Charles weaves a complex tale around that investigation and the murder of police detective Mark Lombardi's brother-in-law and places the spotlight squarely on our current fascination with celebrities, reality TV, and the quest for fame. Charles's latest is sure to appeal to fans of both British police procedurals and Julia Spencer-Fleming's Episcopal mysteries.

As photographer Lydia McKenzie's first one-woman show opens, the police inform her that a friend was murdered. It seems a killer is using Lydia's photos, which re-create actual murders, as he targets her models. Lydia's day job is office manager for a private detective agency, so it is not a great stretch to the plot when she sets out to find the killer after a second friend/model is murdered. The only jarring note is why Lydia, unless she is completely insensitive, would believe that portraits of murdered young women would be art and not hurtful to the victims' families. This winner of the St. Martin's Press/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel competition is recommended for larger collections. [Library marketing.]

South London DS Matt Arnold and his team are investigating the death of a toddler when his own son is injured in a hit-and-run accident. Accusations fly as the dysfunctional parents of the toddler blame each other, while Arnold's marriage crumbles because of parental guilt and marital misunderstanding. Debut novelist Cox, a longtime police officer in South London, knows her mean streets and dishes up a heartrending novel with a chilling ending. Readers of Peter Turnbull, Jane Adams, and Nick Oldham will appreciate this strong procedural. For most collections.

Gravely injured in a motorcycle accident, a man lies semicomatose in the hospital, mumbling about a plant-hunting trip to China. Horticulturalist and amateur sleuth Lawrence Kingston (The Blue Rose; The Lost Gardens) is asked to interpret what the man is saying and, of course, finds himself in a complicated investigation. Eglin demonstrates his knowledge of botany and plant hunting while parceling out plot tidbits to keep readers following the trail to the murderer. For cozy collections.

In fifth-century Britain, Arthur, a powerful knight, is about to be elected high king when a young woman is butchered and Merlin is arrested. Arthur calls upon Malgwyn, a former soldier and now a drunken, one-armed scribe, to find the culprit. Tackling the Arthurian legend, this original series debut is full of suspenseful action played out against a backdrop of Druids seeking to reestablish their influence over the people and powerful men playing politics and dabbling in treason. This fascinating blend of history and fiction by the author of Murder in the Latin Quarter is sure to engage fans of both Bernard Cornwell and Ellis Peters. Highly recommended.

Two women have moved to Weaverville, CA, to escape from their former lives. When Mike Morgan is shot to death, Rosemary Mendes adopts Mike's dog. Finding the similarities in their situations too intriguing, Rosemary is soon probing into who Mike was and why she was murdered. A sense of impending danger slowly invades Rosemary's quiet life. For readers who like strong women characters in the tradition of the female sleuths of Jan Burke and Louise Penny, LaPierre's (Baby Mine; Family Business) stand-alone novel works its magic.

In this sequel to The Timer Game, Grace Descanso, a medical doctor-turned-DNA profiler, is drawn into an FBI investigation when her name turns up in the phone of a professor who was shot to death with a crossbow. Trying to keep everything under control (she has to work with a detested uncle, and her five-year-old daughter is living with her father), Grace finds that her cousin is involved with an ecoterrorist group planning a major strike in the United States. Smith has created a brilliantly human character in Grace Descanso. Recommended for Tess Gerritsen fans. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/08.]

When Cheryl Beth Wilson, a pain nurse at Cincinnati Memorial Hospital, finds the body of a doctor murdered in a remote office, she becomes a suspect because she had an affair with the doctor's husband. Luckily, one of her patients is a former homicide detective who recognizes the crime scene as similar to that of the work of a serial killer who terrorized the city a few years earlier. Talton, author of the award-winning David Mapstone (Cactus Heart) series, demonstrates his versatility in depicting the little-known world of the hospital pain nurse. A strong series launch, for all collections. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 12/08.]

Roadside assistance operator Jessie Dancing hears a man being murdered while she's on the phone with him. Jessie, who had changed her name and occupation after she was acquitted of murder, reluctantly gets involved in an investigation that places her squarely in the uncomfortable position of having to face her estranged family and her guilt. Shamus Award-winning Ure's third mystery (after Forcing Amaryllis and The Fault Tree) is perhaps her finest effort to date. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 12/08; library marketing.]

In this sequel to Walters's debut, The Shadow Walker, Nergui, the former head of the Serious Crimes Team, is pitted against his old enemy, Muunokhoi, the most dangerous criminal mind in Mongolia. Corruption in high places adds to the air of suspense and suspicion in this tautly told tale. For collections where mysteries with foreign settings are popular. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 11/1/08.]

During an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease in Britain in which thousands of farm animals are slaughtered, Yorkshire police are trying to solve the murder of a U.S. Marshal and her prisoner, who was to give evidence against a violent animal rights group. Detective Sergeant Keen Dunliffe (Kingdom of Lies) must sort through overlapping cases, work with inexperienced officers, and come to terms with his personal troubles. If you love animals, keep a box of tissues handy. For collections where British procedurals are popular.

Murder runs wild on Nassau, Bahamas, when music reporter Mick Sever tries to write a story about the island's recording industry. Bruns's sixth mystery (after Stuff To Die For) captures the flavor of living in a tropical paradise and is another great read from an underappreciated mystery author.

When her boyfriend's TV cooking show is ruined by the poisoning death of a woman, Chloe Carter (Turn Up the Heat) finds trouble everywhere. Included are lots of mouth-watering recipes. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/08.]

During a pilgrimage to Spain's Santiago de Compostela in 1905, one of the participants falls from a mountain. Lord Powerscourt (Death of a Chancellor) investigates. Sure to appeal to fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Cleverly, Dickinson's excellent puzzle mystery involves a limited number of suspects and a complex tale with a well-hidden motive.

Miami lawyer Mary Magruder Katz's life changes when a minor fender bender introduces her to a sexy real estate developer and leads her to her first client, accused of a society murder. A fun debut, full of humor and joie de vivre.

Set in Fife, Scotland, McDermid's (The Grave Tattoo) 25th psychological thriller features Detective Inspector Karen Pirie, who must handle two cold cases almost simultaneously. On behalf of a mother desperate to save her dying son through a bone-marrow transplant, Pirie seeks the woman's father, who disappeared 23 years ago during a miners' strike. In the other case, a journalist vacationing in Italy has uncovered new evidence regarding the kidnapping of the daughter of Sir Broderick Maclennan Grant, the richest man in Scotland. However, Sir Grant has the reporter, Bel Richmond, investigating the new evidence, and vital information is not always shared with the police. Pirie's superior officer pressures her to solve the Grant case to everyone's satisfaction, but Pirie's own interest is held by the missing grandfather case. The plot weaves between the past and the present, the two cold cases, and the two women investigating them until it reaches a startling conclusion. This is McDermid's storytelling at its best, and DI Pirie, with her blend of humor and tenaciousness, is both likable and believable. A great read; highly recommended for fans of the genre.—Lisa Hanson O'Hara, Univ. of Manitoba Libs., Winnipeg

Following Silent in the Grave and Silent in the Sanctuary, the newest book in the Lady Julia Grey series has a lot to measure up to—and it does. Freed from many of Victorian society's strictures following her husband's death, Julia feels she's found purpose assisting private inquiry agent Nicholas Brisbane, but their mutual attraction and his self-determined unsuitability keep them at a crossroads. As Julia descends on Grimsgrave, Brisbane's newly purchased estate on the Yorkshire moors, it becomes clear that it's not just the house that's rapidly falling apart—the inhabitants aren't doing well either. As the characters unravel, the mystery begins. The complex story mixes the dangerous undertones of family secrets, local lore, and the current desires of the living. After Brisbane is nearly murdered, the suspense builds to a wonderfully shocking end. Learning about Brisbane's past, a satisfying conclusion, and the promise of another book will thrill longtime fans. A great choice for mystery, historical fiction, and/or romance readers, with a strong appeal for Anne Perry buffs.—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH