Mystery

Making a comeback are traditional mysteries—the ones that have clues to follow, red herrings to confuse sleuth and reader, and enough characters to spread the suspect pool. The mood and settings of Barbara Cleverly's A Darker God and Kelli Stanley's City of Dragons harken back to the genre's Golden Age, while Marjorie Eccles's Last Nocturne recalls Josephine Tey's excellent mysteries. And G.M. Malliet in Death at the Alma Mater uses many of the staples found in Agatha Christie: an eclectic cast of characters, a handful of suspects, and a satisfying denouement.

As a British theater company performs Aeschylus's famous play Agamemnon in an ancient amphitheater in Athens, a noted scholar is found murdered in the tub destined to be the scene of the Greek hero's final hour. It is 1928, and archaeologist Laetitia Talbot (Bright Hair About the Bone) is on hand to help in the production and later in the investigation. VERDICT In her fourth series title, Cleverly constructs a complex puzzle worthy of Agatha Christie. While her Joe Sandilands series was a beautiful effort, Cleverly has found her voice in Laetitia Talbot, and fans of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs and Kerry Greenwood's Phrynne Fisher will want to meet her. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 11/1/09; ebook: ISBN 978-0-440-33905-2.]

A woman dies one night in the snow in Vienna; some time later a young man on the brink of success falls to his death in London, an apparent suicide, while a happily married man shoots himself. It is 1909, and Chief Inspector Lamb is unsatisfied, sensing he's only glimpsing the surface of the case. Worse, he had met and had liked one of the victims. VERDICT Introduce a cast of intriguing characters who might have stepped out of a Josephine Tey novel, add a complex, twisty plot in the best tradition of classic British mystery, throw in psychological suspense worthy of Barbara Vine, and you know that you have been reading a master. Fans of British historicals and of Eccles's Gil Mayo procedurals will want this.

When a coal mine in Hazard, KY, is flooded and kills a mining crew, Will Murphy, an inspector for the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, is assigned the case even though his family owns the mine. The officials want a quick decision so the mine can be reopened, but there are too many odd details that make Murphy suspect that this was not an accident. VERDICT Currently the New York Times public health reporter and a former bureau chief for the Louisville, KY, Courier-Journal, where his reporting led to reforms in coal-mine safety laws, Harris describes mining conditions in such vivid detail that even readers who don't suffer from claustrophobia will have nightmares. His intriguing debut will appeal to mystery fans who want to learn about the reality behind the headlines. [Library marketing.]

After her father's death, plus-sized Odelia Grey travels to Holmsbury, MA, where her long-lost mother is living. Odelia has not been in the small town for a minute before she finds a corpse and her mother kneeling beside it. VERDICT Like its predecessors, this fifth series title (after Booby Trap) is a delight. For all of her fast talking, smart reasoning, and the great group of supporters she gathers along the way, Odelia deals with some very human feelings and insecurities that add to her appeal. Fans of cozies and amateur sleuth mysteries will enjoy her latest adventure.

Prestigious St. Michael's College in Cambridge needs money and invites its most successful and wealthiest graduates back for a weekend of nostalgia and fund-raising. A murder brings DCI Arthur St. Just (Death of a Cozy Writer Death and the Lit Chick) and Sergeant Fear to the scene, where they find plenty of suspects. VERDICT Fans of Dorothy Sayers's novels and other Golden Age British mysteries will enjoy this contemporary salute, which even includes the traditional gathering of suspects at the end when the detective reveals all.

Eighteen year ago, a man ordered his daughter-in-law to preserve his study as he had left clues to help his son to identify his killer. An hour later, the man is shot to death, and his son dies shortly thereafter. The police identify a local suspect but lose the case in court. Having boasted that he could solve seven cold cases written up in a best-selling book, forensic specialist Enzo Macleod travels to a small island off the Brittany coast to crack this fourth crime (after the cases solved in Extraordinary People, The Critic, and Blacklight Blue). VERDICT The author of the much acclaimed "China Thrillers" surpasses himself here in misdirection, placing clues in plain sight and leaving the reader anticipating the fifth entry in this outstanding series. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 11/1/09; large print: ISBN 978-1-59058-695-2.]

In New York City for a UN conference, Omar Yussef goes to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, home to a large Palestinian community, to visit his son and finds a beheaded body in his son's apartment. With no alibi, his son is arrested, and Omar finds that the streets of New York are as treacherous and dangerous as those of Bethlehem. VERDICT Journalist Rees's fourth Omar Yussef outing (after The Samaritan's Secret) exposes the political struggle among various Palestinian factions and demonstrates why it is so difficult to find a solution in the troubled region. His sleuth might miss the ancient streets of Bethlehem, but the hatred and tension of the Middle East follow the Palestinian wherever he goes. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/09.]

Air Force Lt. Colonel Pershall's murder shocks the members of his squadron stationed at Taylor Air Force Base in North Dawkins, GA. Then accidents start to occur around Mitch Avery, which causes wife Ellie, in her fifth adventure, to swing into her sleuthing mode. VERDICT Some cozies just hit on all cylinders, and Rosett's Ellie Avery titles (Getting Away Is Deadly Staying Home Is a Killer) are among the best, using timely topics to move her plots and good old-fashioned motives to make everything believable. Her books recall the early Carolyn Hart.

As a controversial gold mine prepares to open in the Iqaluk Wildlife Refuge, an employee leaves a suicide note and disappears into the wilderness. When a search party finds bear-eaten human remains, the body is assumed to be the missing miner. Kate Shugak is at a loss when the man stumbles out of the woods some weeks later. Now she must identify the body. VERDICT Mixing the economic, political, and environmental impact of a gold mine on the beautiful Alaskan landscape with Kate's private life and her unacknowledged opposition to the mine makes the 17th Kate Shugak novel (after Whisper to the Blood) a page-turner. Readers of Stan Jones's Alaskan mysteries will appreciate Stabenow's portrayal of the state. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/09; available as an audio CD.]

While navigating the crowds celebrating the Chinese New Year in San Francisco's Chinatown, PI Miranda Corbie finds the body of Eddie Takahashi. It is 1940, and relations between the Chinese and Japanese communities are tense, owing to Japan's invasion of China. City officials want this case to go away, but Miranda wants justice for an innocent young man. Her past as a highly paid call girl gives her entry into establishments that no one admits are flourishing. VERDICT Miranda Corbie has the potential to be a great series character. Think Barbara Stanwick meets Myrna Loy, then toss in a hard-boiled crime story worthy of Raymond Chandler. This atmospheric series debut by the author of Nox Dormienda, winner of the Bruce Alexander Award for best historical mystery, will appeal to fans of noir historicals. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/09; Minotaur First Edition selection; library marketing.]

Talk about cliffhanger openings: Sydney bookseller Jack Susko clings to the side of a cliff as a woman takes aim with a gun. How did the works of an obscure poet lead to this predicament? VERDICT Nonstop action, smart talk, and a twisty plot make this an exciting debut that will appeal to readers who like Jonathan Gash mixed with a splash of Dick Francis for the violence and brutal characters. [Library marketing.]

Seven years after her husband vanished, writer Amy Crosby files papers to declare him officially dead. Then her problems really begin. VERDICT Mystery fans who enjoy bright women working through their problems and solving crimes along the way will love Amy. Carmichael (Hot Flash) knows how to deliver a zinger of a tale with plenty of action.

Visiting his son at his Florida college, Rex Graves (Christmas Is Murder; Murder in the Raw) gets enmeshed in a student's suicide and must also deal with the attempted suicide of his ex-girlfriend. VERDICT Featuring the unbelievable premise of a Scottish lawyer running an investigation in Florida with the blessing of the local police, this quick read never quite engages the reader.

Once a rural community, Prosperity, NC, is now the booming suburb of a nearby city. When the body of a Mexican migrant worker is found along the banks of Six Mile Creek, Police Chief Judd Wheeler uncovers his town's dark side. VERDICT Discrimination against migrant Hispanics and tensions between old residents and newbies keep the plot moving to an unexpected ending.

Freelance reporter Nick Bertetto is visiting his in-laws in Jaspar, IN, when the family cat is found skinned. Other cases of animal abuse lead back to the Columbine-like killings in the local high school the year before. VERDICT The premise may disturb animal lovers, but the engaging characters and timely plot make Perona's third mystery (after Second Advent and Angels Whisper) a compelling read.

Spinster aunt Miss Dido Kent is summoned to Bellfield Hall, the Montague country estate, by her niece Catherine, who wants her to discover why Richard Montague, her fiancé, ran off after declaring he was a ruined man. Before Dido can solve this puzzle, an unknown woman is found murdered in the Hall's shrubbery, and Richard's strange departure makes him a prime suspect. Can Dido discover the truth hidden behind a wealth of secrets, or will this house party have a decidedly unhappy ending? VERDICT Dido is confined by Regency society's limited boundaries of acceptable behavior for an unmarried gentlewoman, but her warm, confiding nature and sharp intellect make her a nearly perfect sleuth for her time. The smartly turned ending and the growing attachment between Dido and Mr. William Lomax will have readers anxiously awaiting the second book in this promising new series. Set in the same time period as Pride and Prejudice, this story and its quiet observations on human nature will appeal to Jane Austen fans. [Minotaur First Edition selection; library marketing.]—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

In the fourth installment of Franklin's "Mistress of the Art of Death" series (after Grave Goods), King Henry II orders Adelia Aguila to accompany his ten-year-old daughter Joanna to Palermo to marry his cousin, the king of Sicily. To make sure Adelia returns to England, Henry holds her daughter as a "ward." Also joining the procession are Mansur, Adelia's Arab protector, and Rowley, the Bishop of St. Albans and father of her daughter. The expedition soon starts to go badly, with deaths, delays, and illness further complicated by the reappearance of the outlaw Scarry seeking vengeance for his lover's death. VERDICT Sprinkled with fascinating historical facts about the medieval period, Franklin's plots always intrigue. For fans of Sharon Kaye Penman and medieval mysteries, this is essential reading. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 12/09.]—Susan T. Hayes, Chattahoochee Valley Libs., Columbus, GA

Dr. Nora Galvin, the forensics expert from Hart's two previous Irish mysteries (Haunted Ground and Lake of Sorrows) has come home to Saint Paul, MN, in hopes of healing the wound left by her sister's murder three years ago. Still certain that her sister's husband, who is about to remarry, is the killer, Nora resumes the hunt for evidence with the detective who had worked the case and finds a link to the death of another young woman in the same vicinity. Back in Ireland, Cormac Maguire, Nora's sometime partner, is dealing with his own demons. His father is ill, he fears losing Nora to the St. Paul detective, and the mysterious disappearance of a local woman long ago continues to haunt him. VERDICT Rich with atmosphere and Irish legend, this exceptionally crafted story of murder, family secrets, and redemption is a welcome addition to Hart's suspenseful series. Nora Gavin is an intelligent and engaging protagonist who leaves the reader anxious for her next adventure. This solid, traditional mystery will appeal to a wide range of readers. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/09.]—Susan G. Braun, Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA

Picking up from where the heart-stopping Still Life left off, DCI Mark Lapslie still suffers from the little-known syndrome synesthesia, in which the slightest sound produces a cornucopia of tastes—sometimes pleasant but most often cripplingly nauseating. The affliction has so disrupted Lapslie's life that he is a virtual recluse, his wife and children long departed. Though on medical leave, he is asked to supervise the particularly troubling murder of a TV reporter. Lapslie, believing that the case is being used to force him into retirement, doggedly investigates the evidence with DS Emma Bradbury and realizes that his affliction might provide the biggest clue to solving the case. VERDICT McCrery has written a particularly absorbing (and gruesome) whodunit and is so adept at building the tension that it's a relief for the reader to finish the book and take a breath. Any fan of British detective mysteries will want to add McCrery to their list of must-read authors.—Caroline Mann, Univ. of Portland Lib., OR

Concealing a stolen 7' nude marble Achilles statue is just the beginning for street-smart Roxy Abruzzo, who works in "architectural salvage" and sometimes moonlights for her Uncle Carmine, a Pittsburgh crime ringleader. Roxy's split-second decision to pilfer the antique Grecian statue during a routine salvage job ensnares her in a web of murderous deceit and wealthy family squabbles. Her penchant for one-night stands, breaking laws, and associating with unsavory types is somewhat tempered by her desire to rescue lost causes. When not dodging bullets, Roxy is driving her monster truck with slobbering pit-bull Rooney, running interference for simple-minded thug sidekick Nooch, keeping tabs on teen daughter Sage, and trying to make a few bucks. VERDICT This new series by the author of the best-selling "Blackbird Sisters Mysteries" introduces a tough-as-nails heroine evocative of Lisa Scottoline's protagonists and launches colorful characters akin to those of Janet Evanovich. A clever and naughty mystery. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 11/1/09.]—Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights

In this fourth series title featuring psychoanalyst Max Liebermann in 1903 Vienna (after Fatal Lies), Tallis again combines murder with elegant, erudite descriptions of a period and place in which modern, scientific, and rational thought clash with prejudice, ignorance, and racial hatred. When he's called by his police friend Rheinhardt to help investigate the decapitated corpse of a monk, both men are baffled. Then a rising politician meets a similar fate, and it appears that Jews may be at fault. Nonreligious Liebermann is forced to confront his own Jewish heritage as he discovers discomfiting similarities to a Jewish myth of the golem, a Frankenstein-like creature of monstrous strength. With his professional position threatened by anti-Semitic forces, his love life in shambles, and his beliefs shaken by questions about collective racial memory, Liebermann must use language and dream analysis plus scientific training to make sense of these mystic elements. VERDICT As in Tallis's earlier works, the murder mystery is almost second to larger themes involving dreams, architecture, music, racial politics, and even pastries in a Vienna that we realize is soon to break apart. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 12/09.]—Roland Person, formerly with Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale

Life in central Europe during the 16th century was daunting, especially for the Jews of Prague. Forced by papal decree to live within a walled ghetto, Jews were relatively safe from Christian persecution—but not for long. On the eve of Passover in 1592, a young Christian girl is found murdered in a Jewish shop, causing panic for Christians and Jews alike. The Jews are accused of stealing the girl's blood, a crime that threatens to remove what little security and freedom they have. Recently arrived from Poland, the rabbi's new sexton, Benyamin Ben-Akiva, is given three days by the Jewish authorities to find the real killer, or the entire Jewish population could face annihilation. VERDICT This fast-paced historical from Edgar nominee Wishnia (23 Shades of Black) combines scholarly historical details that bring the 16th century alive with believable characters and a compelling mystery. Highly recommended for mystery lovers and fans of historical fiction. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/09.]—Marika Zemke, Commerce Twp. Community Lib., MI