Mystery

By Jo Ann Vicarel -- Library Journal, 06/01/2010

Manhattan has always been a popular setting for crime fiction, but now mystery authors are heading out to New York City's outer boroughs. The gritty streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn, are so clearly drawn in Gabriel Cohen's The Ninth Step that it becomes not just a place but a unique character in his story. Then there is Brian Wiprud's take on Brooklyn in Buy Back, which revolves around a heist at a Brooklyn museum. It's not often that the flavor of a city and its inhabitants is so carefully captured by two different authors.

When the strangulation murder of a bookshop clerk appears to resemble the work of a serial killer, Scotland Yard detective Jack Gibbons is sent to Yorkshire to investigate. Phillip Bethancourt, an amateur sleuth and Jack's friend, is spending the holidays with his family in Yorkshire, and his acquaintance with several of the locals connected to the murder increases his usefulness to the police. VERDICT With its red herrings and large cast of suspects, Chan's fourth Bethancourt and Gibbons mystery (after Trick of the Mind) will appeal to fans of the traditional Golden Age British mystery. Her inclusion of humor and her well-drawn characters make Chan a good choice for readers of Martha Grimes.

When a man is killed in a Brooklyn deli, Homeland Security swoops in and takes over the case and the evidence, leaving the New York cops with nothing to investigate. While trying to track down the Pakistani American killer, who may be involved in a terrorist plot, homicide detective Jack Leightner is also forced to relive the murder of his brother in 1965 when a man comes to his house and confesses that he was the shooter. VERDICT Fast action and multiple plot lines make this fourth Jack Leightner mystery (after Neptune Avenue) an engrossing read, but don't get too comfortable because Cohen is a master at misdirection. Not quite as dark as Reggie Nadelson and a bit more dramatic than Norman Green, Cohen captures Brooklyn and its people in this tale of then and now.

In this follow-up to the acclaimed Internal Affairs, Mike Turner still works in the LAPD's Internal Affairs department. His squad is at odds with their lieutenant, who is reluctant to investigate several rogue cops suspected of corruption. At the same time, Turner's relationship with his girlfriend disintegrates, and his elderly neighbor, an ex-cop, moves in with him. VERDICT Twenty-seven years in the Hollywood Division of the LAPD gives Dial a true insider's view of law enforcement. Her characters range from the very serious to the slightly crazy, and she keeps her story moving with interesting side plots and details on the nuts and bolts of daily police work. Fans of Joseph Wambaugh will demand this.

In 1510 Ireland, Mara, Brehon (a kind of magistrate) of the Burren, is not only pregnant and still teaching law students at her school but must also solve the murder of a young man who claimed the wealthy Ardal O'Lochlainn to be his father. Ardal is the prime suspect, but a number of small details are not quite right in this scenario. Mara draws on her students' abilities to discover the real motive behind this murder and another. VERDICT Harrison uses the 16th-century Irish legal system as a springboard for her finely constructed historical mysteries featuring a clear-thinking and sympathetic sleuth. Her fifth series entry (after Writ in Stone) is outstanding both for its attention to detail and historical correctness. Historical mystery fans won't want to miss this one.

First a murder victim is found sitting in the emergency room of Picketsville's hospital. Then the home of one of the adjunct professors at the local college is broken into, but none of his expensive art is taken. When Sheriff Ike Schwartz, formerly of the CIA, examines one of the paintings, an icon called The Virgin of Tenderness, he spots a microdot—an outdated storage device used by intelligence organizations. VERDICT Mixing down-home police work, CIA maneuvering, and FBI finagling in this timely tale of terrorism, Ramsay comes up aces with his sixth outing (after Choker). [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 3/1/10.]

A man is tortured, murdered, and left in a gruesome pose in the woods outside Whitebridge, England, and DCI Monika Paniatowski's team catches the case. Adding to Paniatowski's difficulties as a female Chief Inspector is the assignment of a new sergeant with issues. The possibility that the team may be up against the IRA and the return of her personal nemesis, Mr. Forsyth (Home Office or MI5), causes Paniatowski to question her decisions. VERDICT This second entry in Spencer's spinoff series from her Charlie Woodend mysteries (after The Dead Hand of History) grabs the reader on the first page and never lets go until the shocker of an ending. Like Lynda La Plante's DCI Jane Tennison in the "Prime Suspect" series, Paniatowski must deal with the negative climate found in a male-dominated police establishment, Heartbreaking and heart-wrenching, this is Spencer at her best. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 1/10.]

In a rough Philadelphia neighborhood, two white boys are the victims of a drive-by shooting; one dies, and the son of a police officer is critically wounded. Drug dealers are jockeying for territory, and city leaders are caught between the need to impose law and order and the usual political machinations that run rampant in big cities. VERDICT In Tafoya's second novel after the acclaimed Dope Thief, everyone here has more than enough to contend with, and the pall that has settled over the city is oppressive. Well written but bleak.

The murder of a wealthy, influential businessman has Det. Frank Malloy investigating the complications of the dead man's family life and rivalries between two schools for the deaf. The case has personal ramifications for Malloy as his own son attends one of the schools. Thompson's 12th historical (after Murder on Waverly Place) set in turn-of-the-century New York City and featuring Malloy and midwife Sarah Brandt skillfully balances several unusual plot lines: a secret pregnancy, the tense conflict among educators on how to teach the deaf (sign language vs. lip reading), and an ongoing relationship between the victim's deaf daughter and her tutor. VERDICT Thompson embellishes her beautifully constructed mysteries with little-known historical tidbits; her long-running series will offer rewarding reading to fans of Rhys Bowen and Cordelia Frances Biddle. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 2/1/10.]

When Koala Kate's body is fished out of Gunn Landing Harbor, zookeeper Theodora "Teddy" Bentley inherits her job of doing PR for the Gunn Zoo, including segments on misbehaving animals on the local TV channel. Teddy gets caught up in the case for a number of reasons, and it does not help that her boyfriend, the local sheriff, does not want her nosing around. Of course, she places herself squarely in the danger zone. VERDICT The author of the edgy Lena Jones mysteries softens her touch in this second zoo mystery (after The Anteater of Death) featuring an amateur sleuth with a wealthy background and a great deal of zoological knowledge and brain power. From mucking out the cages to carrying a lemur with a loose sphincter onto a TV set, Teddy's adventures will appeal to fans of animal-themed cozies. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 4/1/10.]

In a comic caper that could have stepped out of an Elmore Leonard or Lawrence Block novel, the theft of three paintings from a Brooklyn museum goes awry when the thieves are in turn robbed by another crew of criminals. Insurance investigator Tommy Davin, who had arranged the theft to pay off some debt, is hired by the insurance company to find the paintings. Then a sniper starts targeting people who are connected through business with Davin. Worse, someone has kidnapped the four cats that Tommy's ex-girlfriend had left with him. VERDICT Not only is Tommy Davin a mensch, but he remains cool and rational as his world explodes. Wiprud, the author of the acclaimed Feelers and a series about taxidermist Garth Carson (Pipsqueak, Stuffed), has created another memorable protagonist in one of the most exciting crime fiction novels this year. Let's hope we see more of Tommy Davin.

Retired homicide detective Skin Kadash (Chasing Smoke) resides across the street from a woman who lives in constant fear that her abusive ex-husband will find her. Meanwhle Skin is trying to track down a runaway teen who had witnessed a long-ago murder. VERDICT Readers will get caught up in this thriller's various plot threads, which will lead them to a sad yet satisfying conclusion.

PI Stanley Hastings (Hitman) falls for a beautiful woman who wants him to keep her teenage daughter out of the clutches of an older man. Of course he believes her story and gets himself into a ton of trouble with the law. VERDICT Though Hall tries to make his protagonist look like a good guy with honorable intentions, Hastings will strike most readers as too stupid and self-absorbed to be much of a sleuth. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 3/1/10.]

In the small town of Grand River, TX, Susan Wiley's death is ruled to be an accident, but then her husband, Sam, is arrested for her murder. Three of Sam's elderly neighbors, with a combined age of 193 years, set out to prove his innocence. VERDICT Light and fluffy, this series debut is sure to please cozy readers who like Frankie Y. Bailey and Norma Tadlock Johnson.

Rushed to the hospital after being locked out of his sauna on a frigid New Year's Eve and almost freezing to death, car mogul Daniel Walker clings to life. If this was an accident, why were his cabin doors locked? In her eighth series outing (after Point No Point), deputy sheriff Claire Watkins investigates. VERDICT Logue captures the biting cold of a Wisconsin winter as Claire follows a trail of clues to a very dangerous denouement. Sure to appeal to Logue's fans and readers who enjoy regional Midwestern mysteries.

In her second murder investigation after The Best Laid Plans, best-selling children's author Jessie Schroeder gets involved when a family acquaintance dies, arson destroys his home, and a woman's body is found in the ashes. Could the corpse be the niece of Jessie's late friend? VERDICT Majerus displays a deft touch in character development, and cozy readers will enjoy her small-town Midwestern setting.

Thirteen years ago, a teenager committed suicide, and now his letters, which explained his act and implicated his friends in several robberies and a double murder, resurface when his aunt dies. As a result, DCI Paget and DS Tregalles (Cold Hand of Malice) must reopen the old cases. VERDICT Readers may guess at the outcome, but how Smith manipulates his characters and plot lines is the key here. A terrific series for readers of British police procedurals. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 2/1/10.]

The discovery of a middle-aged woman's frozen body on a York park bench sets detectives Hennessey and Yellich (Informed Consent) off on a complicated search for a murderer. VERDICT As usual, Turnbull strings his readers along, reeling out clues as he goes. An engrossing procedural for Anglophiles.

A woman dying of an overdose that is definitely not accidental, missing girls, corrupt police, and sex slaves are all part of this fast-paced series debut introducing former disgraced police officer Daniel Whelan and his retired police dog, Taz. Daniel, now driving a truck delivering feed to local farms, is called out after hours with Taz to look for two young girls who have run away. The youngest girl is found, but the other remains missing. Only afterward does Daniel question whether the two men who reported the girls missing are relatives or criminals. His police instinct demands that he investigate further. VERDICT This mystery is not as violent or dark as it might sound. Stacey, whose other crime novels revolve around horse racing à la Dick Francis (Cut Throat), does a good job developing characters who grab your attention. Recommended for fans of serious British mysteries, especially those who read S.J. Bolton or Ann Cleeves.—Susan Hayes, Chattahoochee Valley Libs., Columbus, GA

LJ is seeking mystery reviewers, especially those interested in cozies, historicals, and international crime fiction. Applicants should email a cover letter and sample book review to Fiction Editor Wilda Williams at wwilliams@reedbusiness.com.

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