Mystery

From sword-wielding villains attacking death investigator Matthew Bartholomew in Susanna Gregory's The Devil's Disciples to sharks circling a dive boat off the coast of Maui in Deborah Turrell Atkinson's Pleasing the Dead, action-packed climaxes mark this season's forthcoming mysteries. Every one of these titles is sure to please readers who enjoy crime stories that don't quit until the final page.

Intrepid journalist and adventuress Jade Del Cameron is in Nairobi, Kenya, helping to capture wild animals for American zoos. When a man's body is found on her friends' coffee plantation, Jade and her boyfriend, movie producer and World War I pilot Sam Featherstone, are the prime suspects. Then someone attacks Sam. Courageous, quick-thinking, straight-talking Jade must find the murderer before more people die. In her fourth mystery set in 1920s East Africa (Mark of the Lion; Stalking Ivory; The Serpent's Daughter), Arruda depicts a world in which encroaching colonial civilization is beginning to cost the wild animals their homes and racial tensions between British settlers and the natives are escalating. Great characters, careful plotting, and an unusually beautiful depiction of Africa make this a good choice for all mystery collections.

While visiting online chat rooms, Providence, RI, reporter Hallie Ahearn views two young girls in a suggestive video clip. She begins looking for evidence of a ring of predators providing kiddie pornography. In her usual obsessive, self-destructive way, Hallie heedlessly follows a meager trail and places everyone in danger. Brogan's fourth mystery featuring Ahearn (after Final Copy) draws on the author's 20 years of experience as a reporter to showcase the difference between thoughtful, well-researched articles and rushed stories attained at any cost. For larger mystery collections.

Inspector Max Romero knows the Muslim community in and around Granada, Spain. He also knows the young Muslim woman who was found dead near his family's estate. To sort it all out, he must navigate post-9/11 politics, poor police procedure, the antics of antiterrorism agents ready to spot and squash the enemy with any means available, and his family's secrets both past and present. The mystery surrounding the death of poet Federico García Lorca during the Spanish Civil War adds depth to this compelling tale, richly embroidered with complex characters and multiple plot threads. Highly recommended. Brooke is the pen name for the husband and wife writing team of Philip O'Brian and Jane Brooke, and their debut mystery launches a new series set in Spain and Latin America.

DC Gary Goodhew is first on the scene when the body of a young woman is found in a desolate part of Cambridge, England. Aiming to be a superior investigator, Goodhew cuts corners in following police procedure, which gets him into trouble with his boss but does produce results. The ensuing case pits the Cambridge CID against a number of suspects with much to hide. When the threads of evidence tie together, a horrid little motive is revealed. This debut mystery by a British nonfiction crime writer accelerates like a train speeding to its destination. Highly recommended for all collections where British police procedurals, such as those by Peter Lovesey, are popular. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/08.]

Former cop-turned-pet sitter Dixie Hemingway (Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues) has gone numb since the deaths of her husband and her three-year-old daughter. Upon meeting Laura Halston, she thinks she's made a new friend, but there is something strange about Laura. When she is murdered, Dixie must investigate. A side plot concerns a young boy and his medical difficulties that require him to have a seizure alert dog. In her fourth outing, Dixie begins to relate to people again, but Clement loses sight of the need for tight plotting. Readers who enjoy Carol Lea Benjamin's dog mysteries might like this one. [Library marketing campaign.]

Ferris has written another gentle cozy involving the needlecrafters from Crewel World, the finest shop in Excelsior, MN. One of the women returns from a trip to Thailand, bringing with her many samples of silk and yarns. She also has a small statue reputed to be of no value. Soon it has been stolen, and a man murdered. Ferris never misses an opportunity to educate the reader. Here, she dwells on ancient Chinese silk. Needlecrafters and fans of Maggie Sefton's knitting mysteries will snap this up.

Following his debut in the acclaimed A Safe Place for Dying, PI Dek Elstrom is named the executor of a dead woman's estate. He does not remember the deceased, who left this world almost penniless. After visiting the desolate place of her death, he is immediately taken by the mystery of who she was, what she was doing in a place where no one knew her, and why she had an old Underwood typewriter. That machine, in turn, brings back memories of Elstrom's first love, who disappeared without a trace. Caught between the past and the present, Dek finds himself the target of ruthless murderers. Fredrickson's wonderfully convoluted plot is populated with a cast of believable characters, but he finds his greatest achievement in his sleuth, who makes mistakes and admits them, gets caught in a trap he sets himself, but in the end triumphs. For all mystery collections.

In the 12th outing of Graves's popular Maine home repair series (after The Book of Old Houses), Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree's past bubbles up when she hears that Ozzie Campbell, the man who murdered her mother, is about to stand trial after 20 years of escaping prosecution. Jake is shocked further when the three-year-old daughter of her best friend and the child's babysitter are kidnapped—by Campbell, who threatens to kill the pair if Jake does not do what he wants. This first-rate thriller features nail-biting suspense that ensnares the reader to the final page. Graves has written one of her best mysteries, full of courageous women and compelling action. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/08.]

In 1357 Cambridge, England, a hotbed of religious fears and superstition, a dangerous murderer will stop at nothing to gain power. Matthew Bartholomew (The Tarnished Chalice), a doctor and a death investigator, probes the machinations of the Sorcerer, a mysterious figure who calls upon the devil to provide protection from the plague. The pseudonymous Gregory, who is a Cambridge academic and former coroner's officer, demonstrates her knowledge of medieval history in dense prose; lovers of medieval historicals will gobble this up, and fans of Roberta Gellis and Ellis Peters will like it, too.

DCI George Hennessey (No Stone Unturned) and his team find that a 20-year-old murder may be connected to a present case. After burying his father, Ebenezer Moulton comes to the Micklegate Bar police station in York and confesses to witnessing a murder his father committed when Ebenezer was a child. Then the body of a man is found in an apartment with two bullet holes in his head. Turnbull is known for his crisp prose and police investigations that start with nothing and proceed through a sequence of events that lead to the crimes' solution. Readers of Jo Bannister will appreciate this. For collections where British procedurals circulate. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 8/08.]

Norman de Ratour's life turns upside down when his wife is diagnosed with cancer, one of his anthropologists disappears in the South American wild, he begins lusting after his stepdaughter, and murder is committed in a most unusual way in the research department of the Museum of Man. Written with what is supposed to be humor, this second series entry (after Murder in the Museum of Man) misses the mark.

Attorney Storm Kayama (Primitive Secrets; The Green Room; Fire Prayer) is helping Lara Farrel open a dive shop on the island of Maui when a restaurant bombing and the suicide of one of Lara's employees draws Storm into the web of the yakuza, the Japanese mob. Suspense and a fast-moving plot enhance this tale set in the Hawaiian Islands.

When 37 corpses are uncovered in a clandestine cemetery in the Brazilian city of São Paulo, Chief Inspector Mario Silva, introduced in Blood of the Wicked, must find the motive behind this mass murder. Despite the political underhandedness and police corruption that mark Brazilian life, Silva and his crew work steadily toward a bang-up ending. For readers who like procedurals set in exotic places. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/08.]

First published in 1937, the final volume in Glauser's Detective Inspector Studer series (In Matto's Realm) finds the Swiss policeman probing the murder of a man found with a bicycle spoke sticking out of his back. Glauser's writings are a cross between Georges Simenon and Patricia Highsmith. For European crime fiction collections in academic and public libraries.

Traveling with Adrian Monk is not easy, given his many phobias and needs. When he and Natalie, his long-suffering assistant, leave Bern, where he followed his therapist because he could not do without his advice, they go to Paris for a vacation. Insisting on visiting the city's sewers, Monk finds a bone that appears to be younger than the other bones in the catacombs. Full of snippets of slapstick humor and Monk's special talents for observation, this will appeal to fans of the USA TV show.

Magistrate Decius Cacilius Metellus is in southern Italy, trying to stay out of the impending conflict between Pompey and Julius Caesar. On a visit to Hecate's Oracle of the Dead, his wife finds the body of a priest of Apollo whose temple is right next to the Oracle. Roberts's 12th Roman mystery is a believable story of murder, greed, and the political nimbleness necessary to stay alive in ancient Rome. Sure to appeal to readers of Lindsay Davis and Albert A. Bell.

In 12th-century England, a fire at Glastonbury Abbey—one of England's holiest sites—uncovers an ancient box containing the skeletons of a man and a woman. King Henry II calls on his "mistress of the Art of Death," Adelia Aguilar, to identify the bones. The devastated community of Glastonbury, as well as King Henry, would like them to be Arthur and Guinevere. Adelia enlists her regular cadre of companions (Mansur, Gyltha, and daughter Allie) to help her investigate. Franklin's third entry in her medieval historical series (after Mistress of the Art of Death and The Serpent's Tale) re-creates a living, breathing past populated with entertaining characters. This medieval Arthurian mystery is fascinating on many levels and very readable. Franklin, a pseudonym for British author Diana Norman, is a perfect combination of Kathy Reichs and Sharon Kay Penman. The ending leaves an opening for yet another adventure for this cast of characters. Highly recommended for all mystery collections.—Susan Hayes, Chattahoochee Valley Libs., Columbus, GA

This isn't a typical mystery—readers don't encounter a murder until p. 192—and the protagonist isn't a typical investigator, but then Huston's previous works featuring a vampire PI (Joe Pitt Casebooks series) and a slacker hit man (Hank Thompson) are also atypical. In Huston's second stand-alone work (after Shotgun Rule), Web Goodhue, a thirtyish Hollywood elementary school teacher traumatized by the violent death of a student, quits his job and retreats into an emotional shell. Helping an acquaintance clean up crime scenes gets Web involved with a young woman whose father died in a very messy suicide. She and her maniacal brother entangle Web in stolen almonds, human smuggling, murderous criminals, and her own kidnapping. Huston tells a wild and fanciful tale with gritty and witty skill, although the graphic language may be too strong for some patrons. For most public libraries.—Roland Person, emeritus, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale

McGarrity has a long list of solid mysteries in his Kevin Kerney series. Unfortunately, the 12th (after Death Song) is not up to the same standard. Like all the Kerney books, it is set in New Mexico, peopled with a cast of likable characters, and features McGarrity's crisp and colorful writing. However, readers familiar with Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men (2005) or the Coen brothers' 2007 movie version will recognize the plot of the madman roaming the countryside and ruthlessly killing anyone who gets in his way. McGarrity's latest is as well done as McCarthy's so that those who haven't read No Country may be satisfied with the story of ex-sheriff Kerney, his army wife, and their family. Yet even McGarrity's knack for using the intriguing New Mexico setting as an integral aspect of the plot cannot redeem this relentless bloodbath of a novel. Coming so soon after No Country, it just seems derivative. Buy only where the series is popular.—Ann Forister, Roseville, CA

Canadian author Penny (Still Life; A Fatal Grace; The Cruelest Month) has garnered numerous awards for her elegant literary mysteries featuring the urbane Armand Gamache, chief police inspector from Quebec. Gamache is intelligent, observant, and implacable, indispensible attributes for the sophisticated detection that characterizes this series. Here, he must solve a particularly vicious murder he encounters when he and his beloved wife change venue from Montreal to a nearby rustic retreat renowned for its tranquility. Not surprisingly, this vacation turns into a busman's holiday, as murder follows him to the inn. Penny's engaging, well-crafted mystery probes the dynamics of a severely dysfunctional family and the festering wounds that lead to its ultimate destruction. Her psychological acumen, excellent prose, and ingenious plotting make this essential reading for mystery lovers and admirers of superb literary fiction. Fans of Dorothy L. Sayers, P.D. James, and Elizabeth George will also be delighted. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/08.]—Lynne F. Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

When Mark Hardcastle and Laurence Silbert are found dead, it looks like a case of murder-suicide. DI Annie Cabbot dutifully conducts a thorough investigation anyway, but she finds plenty of reason to suspect that the crime may not be what it appears. Inspector Alan Banks is called in to lead the case, and the mystery deepens when he uncovers Silbert's past involvement with MI6 (the British Secret Intelligence Service). The two detectives find themselves in a world of deceptions and cover-ups, where the people they encounter aren't who they seem to be. Even the most loyal fans of the series (this is the 18th Inspector Banks novel) will wonder if Banks has finally gotten in over his head. Best-selling author Robinson (Friend of the Devil) branches out into new territory in what may be his best novel yet. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/08.]—Linda Oliver, MLIS, Colorado Springs

Seven avenging angels pouring out their vials of wrath. Seven gruesome ways to die. In Sansom's fourth series entry (after Sovereign), Shardlake, a London lawyer in 1543, discovers the murdered body of his good friend Roger Elliard in a courtyard fountain. Pressed by Elliard's widow and loyalty to his friend, Shardlake investigates, discovering that Elliard's death was but part of a bigger scheme by a radical religious fanatic who sees himself as the killer angel from the book of Revelation, meting out justice to the unfaithful. Will Shardlake be able to find the murderer before the prophecy is fulfilled? Sansom has written a taut, enigmatic, and compelling mystery with a sleuth who is cunning as well as honorable. Readers will be absorbed in Shardlake's pursuit of this demented murderer. Highly recommended for all historical mystery collections.—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L.s., MD

It's 1920, and Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard, still haunted by his experiences on the battlefields of France during the Great War, has been called in to investigate a gruesome murder in the quiet Somerset market town of Cambury. Harold Quarles, successful London businessman and self-styled squire of the manor, seems to have specialized in giving the townspeople reasons for wanting him dead. The roots of the mystery, however, go back decades, to dark deeds and betrayal during the Second Boer War. As he becomes enmeshed in the increasingly complex web of secrets surrounding Quarles and a former business partner, Rutledge, accompanied by the ever-present spirit of Hamish MacLeod, the young corporal he executed during World War I for dereliction of duty, realizes that this may be a case whose solution remains beyond his reach. With its typically intricate plotting, detailed characterizations, and red herrings, this is a compelling addition to the popular Ian Rutledge series; recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/08.]—John Harvey, Irving P.L., TX