Mystery Reviews, October 1, 2011
Oct 1, 2011| In this Article |
| Debut of the Month |
| Series Lineup |
| Quotable |
| Soundtracks |
For all you Anglophiles, it’s a banner month for crime fiction, whether historical or contemporary, dark or cozy. Poisoning, knifing, shooting—it’s all fair game usually done in multiples. Just goes to show that brawling, rioting, and charges of police corruption aren’t strictly contemporary phenomena.
Even if royalty isn’t your usual fare, be sure to investigate two successful sophomore entries in their respective series: Peg Herring’s Poison, Your Grace brings Elizabethan England to life with Princess Elizabeth Tudor fighting to save herself from in-castle subterfuge. And there’s no shortage of intrigue for Queen Victoria, who needs protection in Carol K. Carr’s India Black and the Widow of Windsor.
Todd Ritter’s twisted Bad Moon and Tricia Fields’s award-winning The Territory are ripped-from-the-headlines thrillers perfect for adrenaline junkies. Both titles are police procedurals—featuring female police chiefs—but the crossover appeal is huge for any readers looking for fast-paced action.
Never let it be said that cozies have to feature magical cats. This month’s offerings include plenty of laughs with Don Bruns’s Too Much Stuff, Jane Tesh’s paranormal Stolen Hearts, and, yes, a thriller: Matthew Williams’s Superior Dilemma.
How many times have you been thwarted in your efforts to offer a good—but easy—adult novel to a new reader? Well, give it up for Raven Books/Orca Press and their “Rapid Reads” line! These titles are geared toward both new readers and those seeking a quick read meant for one sitting (think of waiting rooms, hospital beds, and airports). The two mysteries I’ve included below are prime examples of quality easy reads.
Finally, we’re wrapping up the awards season in October with the final 2011 Dagger Awards from the Crime Writers’ Association (www.thecwa.co.uk). Watch for the Gold, Ian Fleming Steel, and the New Blood Daggers announcements on October 7. Earlier this year, Mo Hayder won the CWA’s Dagger in the Library Award.
NAME THAT TUNE
Craig, James. London Calling: An Inspector Carlyle Novel. Soho Constable. Oct. 2011. c.312p. ISBN 9781569479902. $25. M
A serial killer with a sadistic sexual style of new proportions rocks London insiders—but there’s a muzzle on the publicity because the victims are all powerful leaders in British politics, including the potential new prime minister. Quickly, we can see someone is enacting systematic revenge for a collegiate incident that goes back to 1980s Cambridge. Inspector Carlyle, the maverick cop who has inherited this thankless case, and his partner, Joe Szyszkowski, must work quickly and outside the box if they hope to snare the killer. Or could there be more than one? This is familiar territory: the upper classes are bestowed with the most clout. Can an honest cop make a bit of difference?
VERDICT Craig’s provocative debut is not for the queasy, but it’s so addictive you won’t be able to tear yourself away. Readers will appreciate the nod to The Clash and the author’s weary gaze at the troubled 1980s with its contrasting smugness and street violence.
Tesh, Jane. Stolen Hearts. Poisoned Pen. Oct. 2011. c.250p. ISBN 9781590589373. $24.95; pap. ISBN 9781590589397. $14.95. M
Haunted by his past, young psychic Camden needs his friend David Randall’s PI skills just as much as David needs Camden to help solve his cold case. David is juggling two murder cases—one recent and one several generations old—which seem to be connected by musical notation. Their North Carolina region is important to American folk music history, and a music specialist from the Smithsonian is there to film a PBS special—that is, until he’s murdered. Eerily, Camden begins to channel one of the long-dead characters from David’s cold case. Ghosts from the past must be appeased so the pair can solve a complicated case and move forward with their lives. VERDICT Tesh (A Little Learning) brings a gentle touch to her new series featuring a psychic, his PI friend, and a houseful of intriguing cast members. These young men have suffered great losses in their lives, but together they are poised to solve mysteries. Definitely partner this title with Mark de Castrique’s The Sandburg Connection for regional interest, music history, and world-weary characters.
QUALITY EASY READS
Blechta, Rick. Orchestrated Murder. Raven Bks: Orca. (Rapid Reads). Oct. 2011. c.122p. ISBN 9781554698851. pap. $9.95. M
When the symphony conductor is murdered in his office during a rehearsal break, all members of the orchestra claim to be responsible. The investigating detectives have to break down a major stonewalling effort to find the individual who hated the talented and incredibly self-centered maestro enough to strangle him with cello string. VERDICT A vibrant closed-room police procedural sure to resonate with readers.
Wagamese, Richard. The Next Sure Thing. Raven Bks: Orca. (Rapid Reads). Oct. 2011. c.134p. ISBN 9781554699001. pap. $9.95. M
Native Amerian Cree Thunderboy dreams of being in a recording studio with his band, but he’s got to make some money first. His gift of reading the horses at the track garners him some income, but too many strings are attached. Cree and his best friend have to use their smarts to outwit a small-time crook and stay alive. VERDICT A clever puzzle that features a young man seeking to make his way. With mild but not overwhelming violence.
CHECK THESE OUT
Carr, Carol K. India Black and the Widow of Windsor: A Madam of Espionage Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Oct. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780425243190. pap. $14. M
Great Scot! Queen Victoria is spending the Christmas holidays in Scotland at Balmoral, which puts her in mortal danger from a rumored Scots-nationalists assassination plot. Who better to go undercover to smoke out the traitors and prevent a murder than the unlikely trio of government spy French, London madam India Black, and street urchin Victor? India poses as a lady’s maid to a crazy-like-a-fox old marchioness who’s feeding her clues as often as she’s inhaling her beloved snuff. When a couple of shady incidents come suspiciously close to the Queen, we know our trio is getting warm. Plenty of behind-the-scenes escapades and a bit of parry and thrust round out this immensely satisfying castle intrigue. VERDICT Following a strong debut ( India Black ), Carr’s Victorian series just gets better. Featuring historical authenticity, sharp vocabulary, and plenty of parenthetical asides, this romantic suspense romp delivers both action and guffaws.
Hall, Patricia. Dead Beat: A Kate O’Donnell Mystery. Crème de la Crime: Severn House. Oct. 2011. c.216p. ISBN 9781780290041. $28.95. M
Kate’s aspirations to be a professional photographer are fairly revolutionary for the early 1960s. A gutsy attitude and talent get her an agency job in London. Meanwhile, she’s worried about Tom, her older brother who also left their native Liverpool for London. Imagine Kate’s fright when she learns that Tom’s roommate—an aspiring actor who worked as a gay prostitute—was recently murdered. DS Harry Barnard is spinning his wheels on this homicide, leading him to think that something more sinister than a minor sex crime is at work. Meanwhile, Jimmy, a young street orphan who witnessed the slaying, is hiding from the villains. Consider the dangers connected to the sex trade. Clearly, Kate, Jimmy, and even our detective need to watch their backs. VERDICT London is more gritty than swinging in this intense procedural laden with early 1960s trivia and music references (Beatles, anyone?). Veteran author Hall (Devil’s Game) offers a fresh picture of a time period ripe for a new series.
Herring, Peg. Poison, Your Grace: A Simon & Elizabeth Mystery. Five Star: Gale Cengage. Nov. 2011. c.292p. ISBN 9781432825362. $25.95. M
Apothecary apprentice Simon Maldon returns in this dynamic sequel to Her Highness’ First Murder when a nobleman is poisoned within London’s Whitehall Palace. Elizabeth Tudor contacts Simon because she’s afraid her brother, the ill King Edward, might have been the target. Soon, Hannah, Simon’s fiancée, is working undercover in the palace, and she and the princess devise how to coordinate their sleuthing with Simon while he works with other trusted officials to ferret out the truth. Further poisonings and “accidents” increase the urgency as Elizabeth realizes she is being set up to take the fall. Can these three figure out who stands to gain the most in this closed-room drama? VERDICT Herring weaves a nifty tale of cunning and danger. Think of this series as a must-read prequel to other excellent mysteries featuring Queen Elizabeth I, such as those by Karen Harper. Featuring detailed settings, ample wit, and a fast pace, this historical shines. [See Prepub Alert, 8/2/11.]
Jennings, Maureen. Season of Darkness. McClelland & Stewart. 2011. c.396p. ISBN 9780771043253. pap. $22.95. M
Why was Elsie Bates killed early one morning—first hit by a car, then fatally shot and left by the side of the road? It’s 1940 England, and the country is recovering from the retreat of the British army from Dunkirk. Small-town DI Tom Tyler now has a big-city crime on his hands, and there’s nothing cozy or sweet about the villain. Complicating the situation is the temporary German internee camp plunked down in the village’s midst. Mix in paranoia, MI5, and a little post-traumatic stress disorder, and all bets are off. You can be assured of this, though: one victim isn’t enough for this murderer. VERDICT Canadian master storyteller and screenwriter Jennings—known for her 19th-century historicals (e.g., the Murdoch series)—launches a trilogy with this superb entry. Readers will be swept away by the sagalike tone and the characters’ singular problems and traits. Tyler’s family suffers in this first volume, and I’m anxious to see where Jennings takes everyone in the next installment. Think the British television series Foyle’s War for comparison.
Ritter, Todd. Bad Moon. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9780312622817. $25.99. M
July 20, 1969, was the day Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, but it’s also the night that ten-year-old Charlie Olmstead, a boy entranced with all things NASA-related, disappeared. It looked like a case of drowning when his bicycle was found abandoned by a local waterfall that night: case closed. Turns out, however, his grieving mother never thought he drowned. After her death some 40 years later, Eric, the surviving son, discovers her copious research that indicates other young boys’ disappearances were tied to subsequent Apollo moon landings. Fully focused now, Eric, along with local police chief Kat Campbell and independent investigator Nick Donnelly, finds himself pursuing connections across rural Pennsylvania. What’s hardest to figure out is who had that much motivation and anger. VERDICT Ritter’s second outing (after Death Notice) will captivate readers with a tone reminiscent of John Hart (Down River) and Chelsea Cain (The Night Season). Ritter was on ThrillerFest’s Debut Authors Class of 2010/11 panel. [See Barbara Hoffert’s Prepub Alert ThrillerFest report, 7/18/11; ow.ly/6vHyM.—Ed]. Catch him now!
Russell, Kirk. A Killing in China Basin. Severn House. Oct. 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9780727880543. $28.95. M
San Francisco homicide detective Ben Raveneau has two cases holding his attention at the moment. There’s the Jane Doe found strangled in an abandoned building. Then he’s troubled by the death (suicide—not!) of a retired colleague who had told Ben he thought a newly released former felon was stalking him. Of course, the cases connect, and the death toll mounts. Ben is not so sure about his young partner, Elizabeth la Rosa—the feeling’s mutual—but they build a tenuous trust out of necessity. Gradually, they piece together a chilling tale of credit fraud and identity theft that will have you second-guessing all the way to the dramatic end. VERDICT With more twists and turns than Lombard Street, Russell’s complex plot makes for a pulse-pounding police thriller. Since I devoured all of Russell’s John Marquez (Redback) titles, I’m thrilled to meet his new protagonist in this series debut. Working the streets of SF, Raveneau brings old-school knowledge to investigations and learns a few new tricks himself.
Wood, Simon. Did Not Finish. Crème de la Crime: Severn House. Nov. 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9781780290072. $28.95. M
A third-generation racecar driver, Aidy Westlake might still be a rookie on the course, but his instincts for crime are right on track. He knows bully Derek Deacon threatened rival Alex Fanning the night before the race. Now Alex is dead, and Derek’s car was part of the fatal accident. Aidy is convinced it’s a homicide, and he goes to considerable lengths to avenge Alex’s untimely death, despite rebuffs from the police, race sponsors, and fellow drivers. With his best friend, Dylan, and grandfather Steve on his team, amateur detective Aidy keeps on digging until he manages to endanger those he loves. A breathtaking finale will linger long in readers’ minds. VERDICT Prepare to accelerate with Wood’s (Terminated) new series. His first-person narrative brings you close to the action and ratchets up the personal intensity. Partner with Tammy Kaehler’s Dead Man’s Switch and Steve Ulfelder’s Purgatory Chasm.
COZY CORNER
Bruns, Don Too Much Stuff: A Lessor and Moore Mystery. Oceanview. Dec. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781608090174. $25.95. M
Call them fun-loving slackers, but partners Skip and James aren’t suffering from any quarter-life crisis. Their fifth case (after Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff) brings the bumbling duo back for a treasure hunt caper in the Florida Keys. They’ve been hired by a lovely (natch!) descendant of a railroad tycoon who might have buried several million dollars’ worth of gold bars in the Keys back in 1935. A hurricane destroyed the booming resort area of Islamorada that year, and her great-grandfather and the gold disappeared. Luckily, she has an old letter with clues in it, so our guys give it a shot. Skip’s savvy girlfriend, Em, sniffs out those leads and joins in. The hapless group muddles along, finding some current crime issues and quite a few laughs along the way. Plus, a librarian helps solve the case! VERDICT Inspired by Les Standiford’s book Last Train to Paradise, this silly caper just happens to share some Florida history, too. Recommend for those looking for a chuckle, movie quotes (Skip and James’s specialty), and something along the lines of Dave Barry.
Dunnett, Kaitlyn. Scotched: A Liss MacCrimmon Scottish Mystery. Kensington. Nov. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780758238818. $22. M
Liss MacCrimmon’s little Maine town will soon rival Cabot Cove as a murder magnet venue, as evidenced by Dunnett’s fifth delightful entry (after The Corpse Wore Tartan). Moosetookalook is hosting its inaugural cozy mystery convention, the last place you’d expect to find murder victims. First, an inflammatory blogger falls to her death, and it’s no accident. Then another victim dies in the same place. Liss can’t help but snoop around and figure out the connections. VERDICT As Liss and Dan near their wedding date, Dunnett’s leisurely cozy manages to intermingle a little romance with the traditional mystery elements. Add some kilts and kitties, and what’s not to like? Readers will enjoy finding the references to other real-life Maine mystery authors. Dunnett is a pseudonym for Kathy Lynn Emerson, who also writes historical mysteries.
Lipperman, Liz. Liver Let Die: A Clueless Cook Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Oct. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780425244043. pap. $7.99. M
Aspiring sportswriter Jordan McAllister settles for taking on a restaurant review column job for the local newspaper in this lighthearted ensemble cozy. Her lack of culinary skills or food appreciation takes on new relevance when the foie gras she orders leads to a murderous plot. Something happened in the restaurant she’s writing up—but what? In quick order, the good-looking waiter is stabbed to death in her apartment complex, her place is trashed, and random attacks escalate. Her big-hearted (this is Texas, after all) and offbeat neighbors—including a retired cop—all lend a helping hand in this cheerful foray. VERDICT A secondary plot about sports and anger management interweaves nicely with the primary action and strengthens this engaging series debut. Jordon’s personality and supporting cast suggest a winning season ahead. Plenty of recipes, including one involving the iconic Hostess Ho Hos.
Williams, Matthew. Superior Dilemma: A Lake Superior Mystery. Avalon: Thomas Bouregy. Oct. 2011. c.186p. ISBN 9780803476745. $23.95. M
Sled dogs start the race in Upper Michigan’s version of the Iditarod, but their drivers and the weather sabotage this annual festival. At one of the checkpoints, a team of dogs shows up short a driver, the visibility goes down, and the race is cancelled. A search party is launched for the missing driver, who might be a criminal back in town to avenge a long-ago crime. The familial connections—so common in small towns—complicate allegiances and truthfulness. Reporter Vince Marshall becomes entangled in the race’s complex connections, but he’s torn because his family also needs him. VERDICT With short chapters, the third title in Williams’s trilogy (Superior Death; Superior Deception) ties up all the loose ends at a quick, snappy pace. Both exciting and affirmative, this cozy thriller is gentler than Bryan Gruley’s “Starvation Lake” mysteries but might appeal to his readers for the setting and sense of place.
ADDITIONAL MYSTERY
George, Nelson. The Plot Against Hip Hop. Akashic. Nov. 2011. 280p. ISBN 9781617750243. pap. $15.95. M
D Hunter runs a business providing security for hip-hop events like Jay-Z promotions and BET awards shows. When longtime friend and music critic Dwayne Robinson stumbles to D’s office door and dies from stab wounds, the security boss vows to hunt down the murderer. What D uncovers are layers of intrigue and skullduggery stemming from an exposé involving Robinson. Did a massive sellout of artists’ talent veer outrageous profits to Corporate America’s bank accounts? D’s sense of honor and nostalgic feelings for hip-hop’s roots won’t let him rest. With strong connections to the blueprint of the noble loner driven to uncover the truth established by Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammet, and Robert B. Parker, this hard-boiled tale is jazzed up with authentic street slang and name-dropping (Biggie, Mary J. Blige, Lil Wayne, and Chuck D). Instead of a rant by an angry old-school dude remembering the way things used to be, George’s tightly packaged mystery pivots on a believable conspiracy. VERDICT The author of Hip Hop America certainly has the chops to write about hip-hop culture, and his street cred shines in his descriptions of Harlem and Brownsville’s mean streets. Although this is more of a procedural crime novel, street lit fans will migrate to George’s solid urban story.—Rollie Welch, Cleveland P.L.
Fields, Tricia. The Territory. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Nov. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780312613785. $24.99. M
Josie Gray, police chief for a tiny Texas border town, isn’t about to let the Mexican drug cartels overrun Artemis, population 2500. But a night of brutal slayings on the Mexican side spills over into her local emergency room, and the result is a hospital shoot-out with huge ramifications for Josie’s personal safety. Whew! And that’s just the beginning. Then the local off-the-grid guy (who just happens to run an illegal-weapons business) is killed execution-style—turns out he’d been selling to the Mexicans. The violence increases along with Josie’s strategizing as she tries to figure out whom she can trust in this mess of deception and greed. VERDICT Buckle your seatbelts for an off-road trip full of adrenaline. Tough and determined to make her way in today’s Wild West, Josie is the type of police chief you’d want in your hometown, a gutsy new heroine who would be friends with Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon and probably Lori Armstrong’s Mercy Gunderson, too. This razor-fast thriller debut won the 2010 Tony Hillerman Prize for best first mystery set in the Southwest.
Bruen, Ken. Headstone: A Jack Taylor Novel. Mysterious Pr: Grove/Atlantic. Oct. 2011. c.228p. ISBN 9780802126009. $24. M
Award-winning author Bruen brings back the intrepid Jack Taylor (The Devil) to figure out a brutal series of hate crimes, seemingly random, in Galway, Ireland. Even Jack will be flummoxed by the pure evil he’s forced to confront. [See Prepub Alert, 4/4/11.]
Camilleri, Andrea. The Potter’s Field: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery. Penguin. Oct. 2011. c.270p. tr. from Italian by Stephen Sartarelli. ISBN 9780143120131. pap. $15. M
The Inspector (The Track of Sand) is confronted with a complex case of betrayal in the latest in a literate and compelling series. Consider the dual meaning of a potter’s field for openers.
Childs, Laura. Skeleton Letters: A Scrapbooking Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Oct. 2011. c.328p. ISBN 9780425243893. $25.95. M
The scrapbookers are on a tear in the French Quarter of New Orleans when one of their own is killed with a stolen crucifix. Childs’s ninth outing (after Fiber & Brimstone) has the winning formula, plus tips and recipes.
Doss, James D. Coffin Man: A Charlie Moon Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Nov. 2011. c.340p. ISBN 9780312613709. $25.99. M
Charlie Moon tracks a missing pregnant friend in his 16th outing (after A Dead Man’s Tale).
Jecks, Michael. King’s Gold: A Knights Templar Mystery. S. & S. UK, dist. by Trafalgar Square. Nov. 2011. c.518. ISBN 9781847379023. $24.95. M
Anticipate intricate plotting in Jecks’s latest entry in his action-packed medieval series (The Oath). It’s 1326, and London’s burning: a deposed king needs protection, and we know the guys who can do it. Expect demand!
Maitland, Barry. Chelsea Mansions: A Brock and Kolla Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Nov. 2011. c.384p. ISBN 9780312600662. $25.99. M
When an American tourist is killed at London’s Chelsea Flower Show, the act is thought to be random—until the second killing. Brock and Kolla (Dark Mirror) must find out how the Russians figure into this mess.
Maron, Margaret. Three-Day Town: A Deborah Knott Mystery. Grand Central. Nov. 2011. c.278p. ISBN 9780446555784. $25.99. M
Judge Deborah Knott’s (Christmas Mourning) honeymoon in New York City is tainted by murder. It’s always good to see our favorites in new venues, even if it turns out to be a busman’s holiday.
Muller, Marcia. City of Whispers: A Sharon McCone Mystery. Grand Central. Oct. 2011. c.262p. ISBN 9780446573337. $25.99. M
Don’t even consider missing the latest Sharon McCone (Coming Back) case. Trouble strikes from within when Sharon’s half-brother Darcy is in danger. [See Prepub Alert, 8/2/11.]
Rozan, S.J. Ghost Hero: A Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Novel. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780312544508. $25.99. M
PIs Lydia and Bill (On the Line) are drawn into the contemporary art world in their 11th outing. What can they make of new paintings from an artist who was killed in Tiananmen Square?
Spencer, Sally. Backlash: A DCI Monika Paniatowski Mystery. Severn House. Oct. 2011. c.216p. ISBN 9780727880550. $28.95. M
DCI Monika Paniatowski (Echoes of the Dead) usually follows the beat of her own drummer, but she’s stuck when the chief’s wife is missing. We’ve starred this fine series in the past, so come investigate the fourth entry. [See Prepub Alert, 4/22/11.]
Swanson, Denise. Murder of a Creped Suzette: A Scumble River Mystery. Obsidian Mysteries: NAL. Oct. 2011. c.272p. ISBN 9780451235008. pap. $7.99. M
Psychologist Skye Denison is back (after Murder of a Bookstore Babe) investigating a cold case that heats up quickly when her client dies, too. Chock-full of country music references and humor.
QUOTABLE
“’Well, I learned the art of self-defense at L’Ecole d’Boulevards d’London. ‘Needs must’ is the school motto. And if you don’t know how to wallop a gent in the bollocks, you can’t graduate.’I tossed my mask to one side and wiped the sweat from my face.”
—Carol K. Carr, India Black and the Widow of Windsor
Taking a cue from Matthew Moyer's Music Advisory (MA) discussions (LJ 7/11), I've devised a little playlist game for your entertainment. Protagonists are often listening to music in their cars or in their homes—and their choices give you hints as to the book's tone. See if you can match them up!
| 1. The Territory, Tricia Fields | a. "Hickory Wind" Gillian Welch |
| 2. Stolen Hearts, Jane Tesh | b. "We’ll Meet Again" Vera Lynn |
| 3. London Calling, James Craig | c. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" Bob Dylan |
| 4. A Killing in China Basin, Kirk Russell | d. "Helter Skelter" The Beatles |
| 5. Dead Beat, Patricia Hall | e. "Oh! Susanna" Stephen Foster |
| 6. Season of Darkness, Maureen Jennings | f. "Crazy" Patsy Cline |
| 7. Did Not Finish, Simon Wood | g. "Folsom Prison Blues" Johnny Cash |
| 8. Bad Moon, Todd Ritter | h. "London Calling" The Clash |
| 9. Murder of a Creped Suzette, Denise Swanson | i. "Love Me Do" The Beatles |
