Mystery, August 2011
Aug 15, 2011| In this Article |
| Debut of the Month |
| Series Lineup |
| Reader Challenge |
| Quotable |
Illusion and perception haunt this month’s protagonists and permeate their cases. Suffice to say that people do bad things and lie about it. Can good overcome and justice prevail? Thanks to clever detecting, intuition, and fast reflexes, our heroes give us hope.
For those looking for traditional mysteries, we have an abundance of offerings. If you didn’t take the hint from Barbara Hoffert’s 4/22/11 Prepub Alert (“What Else Is Hot? Mysteries, August Through October 2011”) and pick up the two country vicar books, well, do it now! C.C. Benison (Twelve Drummers Drumming) and G.M. Malliet (Wicked Autumn) both offer stellar English village yarns that will satisfy fans of Agatha Christie and Louise Penny. If you can afford them, buy both—they’re that good, and both are series debuts.
World War II–themed titles continue to gain popularity, and you’ll want to grab City of Secrets, Kelli Stanley’s sequel to City of Dragons, and James R. Benn’s latest entry (A Mortal Terror) in his terrific Billy Boyle series. Medievalists will devour Alys Clare’s The Rose of the World. The Gilded Shroud, a sprightly Georgian England romantic suspense by veteran Elizabeth Bailey, channels Georgette Heyer.
Sophie Hannah’s latest psychological thriller, The Cradle in the Grave, featuring Simon Waterhouse and Charlie Zailer, will haunt you long after the heart-stopping conclusion. Couple that with Michael Stanley’s third entry (Death of the Mantis ) in his Detective Kubu series, and your readers have two meaty reads; both transcend genre labels.
Hard Case Crime is relaunching in a big way this fall. This is retro noir pulp at its best. What a lineup: Max Allan Collins (by himself and with the late Mickey Spillane), Christa Faust, and Lawrence Block (writing as Jill Emerson in HCC’s first-ever hardcover original). And that’s just for openers. Featuring vivid, full-color covers evoking quintessential dime-store paperbacks, this house offers hard-boiled options galore.
Vintage Crime/Black Lizard has joined the online crime fray with their launch of a new and noteworthy site, www.weeklylizard.com. This publishing house has some of the top names in crime writing in its stable, and their backlist is long. So, for example, if I’m reading the site’s feature article about Dashiell Hammett’s The Continental Op, I also get the bonus of a full-length Hammett story. A full range of social networking options means you’ll never be without a mystery story again. Give it a whirl.
THE BIG WAR
Benn, James R. A Mortal Terror: A Billy Boyle World War II Mystery. Soho Crime. Sept. 2011. c.354p. ISBN 9781569479940. $25. M
War has taken its toll on First Lt. Billy Boyle, and he’s not alone in his misery. It’s January 1944, and he’s trying to figure out why he has been dispatched to Naples in his sixth outing (after Rag and Bone). If you’re new to the series, Billy, a police detective back home, works for his Uncle Ike (yes, that Ike) as a military private investigator. Simply put, the general trusts Billy because he’s family. In this captivating episode, a serial killer from the inside (dubbed the Red Heart Killer because he leaves playing cards on his victims) is targeting Allied officers, moving systematically up the ranks, and it’s getting pretty tense in the officers’ quarters. Billy is under the gun to find the madman before he runs out of cards. VERDICT Jump right in with this winner of a historical detective entry; don’t worry if you haven’t read all the others (I hadn’t). Benn does a superb job of simultaneously capturing the personal anguish of war and creating a splendid adventure novel.
Stanley, Kelli. City of Secrets. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Sept. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780312603618. $24.99. M
Welcome back captivating and tough-talking PI Miranda Corbie (City of Dragons), who’s determined to find out who killed stage performer Pandora Blake and defiled her body with an anti-Semitic epithet. With her well-known compassion for the underdog, Miranda isn’t about to let this slide. Discovering that Pandora isn’t this killer’s first victim, Miranda follows her instincts and unearths a conspiracy with horrifying implications. By the time she recognizes that the personal hate crimes are escalating into public violence, she’s on deck to be the next victim. VERDICT Flashbacks to Miranda’s involvement in the Spanish civil war and the death of her lover Johnny help flesh out her character in this engrossing sequel. Most notably, Stanley brings 1940s San Francisco to life with her meticulously detailed, hard-boiled novel. She transports us to a world on the eve of massive change. It’s neonoir in a classical five-act structure, starring one of crime’s most arresting heroines: angry, big-hearted, and fearless Miranda Corbie.
check these out
Bannister, Jo. Death in High Places. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Aug. 2011. c.240p. ISBN 9780312573539. $25.99. M
Experienced rock climbers Nicky and Patrick tackle Alaska’s remote Anarchy Ridge, but only Nicky survives the disastrous trip. Patrick’s father takes his grief and anger to an irrational level and hires a hit man to kill Nicky. After years on the run, Nicky is rescued by a Good Samaritan; Mack knows more than he lets on initially, and Nicky finds himself confronting guilt issues all over again. Meanwhile, the hit man is ready to find his mark, once and for all. Prolific author Bannister’s (Liars All) stand-alones give her a chance to mine the psychological themes she does so well in her series (e.g., “Brodie Farrell Mysteries”). This title explores guilt and revenge at a philosophical pace, with slow, steady twists that tighten the screws. VERDICT Readers who appreciate prolonged debates will be engrossed, for Nicky’s choices must be as strategic as a mountaineering expedition. Recommend for fans of Jesse Kellerman’s The Executor and, for a classic connection, perhaps Shirley Jackson.
Clare, Alys. The Rose of the World: A Hawkenlye Mystery. Severn House. Aug. 2011. c.230p. ISBN 9780727880239. $28.95. M
Pulses race and intrigue abounds when former abbess Helewise’s beloved grandchild Rosamund is abducted. The seventh entry in Clare’s medieval series (The Joys of My Life ) will have an entrancing hold on readers whether they are new to the series or devoted followers. It’s 1210 England, and times are tough with King John’s interdict against the Catholic Church making it nearly impossible for regular folks to live fully: no marriages or baptisms are allowed. Helewise and her detecting partner, Josse D’Acquin, put their heads together and hatch a plan in this most difficult and treacherous time. VERDICT There were no Amber Alerts or negotiating teams back in the day. Imagine the anguish of a missing child and then compound it with the inherent dangers of rescuing her. The family drama components make a strong case for sharing this title with readers who don’t necessarily gravitate toward historical mysteries.
de Castrique, Mark. The Sandburg Connection: A Sam Blackman Mystery. Poisoned Pen. Oct. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9781590589410. $24.95; pap. ISBN 9781590589434. $14.95. M
North Carolina PI duo Sam Blackman and Nakayla Robertson (The Fitzgerald Ruse ) have been hired to follow professor Janice Wainwright because of a medical malpractice insurance claim. Why Janice is hiking up a mountain at Connemara, Carl Sandburg’s North Carolina home (now a historical park), is anyone’s guess. And when she falls and dies, it’s unclear whether it is an accident or murder. When the ranger sent to stay with Janice’s 17-year-old daughter is beaten badly at the Wainwright farmhouse, it becomes evident that someone wanted Janice out of the way. Ferreting out the motive in this literary mystery isn’t so simple when an ex-husband’s revenge, academic tenure, and financial gain all loom as possibilities. VERDICT Folk songs, Sandburg, and Civil War history—what a winning combination! Easy banter and humor with a free-spirited ensemble cast make this mystery a pleasant escape. Recommend it to Margaret Maron readers and fans of couples investigators, such as David Handler’s Mitry and Berger.
Faust, Christa. Choke Hold. Hard Case Crime: Titan. Oct. 2011. c.252p. ISBN 9780857682857. pap. $9.95. M
She’s baaaack! Did you miss unrepentant, no-holds-barred, former porn star Angel Dare (Money Shot)? Witness protection hasn’t worked for Angel, and she’s on the run again when she joins forces with Cody Noon, a young martial arts fighter who has just witnessed the death of his father, Angel’s former costar Vic Ventura. The two gain the help of Cody’s trainer, Hank, and this unlikely trio dash through Arizona, Mexico, and Nevada at a breakneck pace. Cody dreams of auditioning for a reality TV fight show, and Angel is determined to get the kid to his Las Vegas audition. Trouble is, the Croatians are still pursuing her, and unfortunately, there’s a Mexican drug cartel in the mix, too. Well! There’s nothing but adrenaline in this violent, well-executed retro pulp. VERDICT The sex industry, bodybuilding drugs, and basic revenge make for a potent cocktail in this eye-popping follow-up to Faust’s Edgar Award nominee. She’s Hard Case Crime’s only female author, and her tough heroine is a welcome addition to the gritty pulp tradition. Snap it up and expect high circ.
Hannah, Sophie. The Cradle in the Grave. Penguin. Sept. 2011. c.480p. ISBN 9780143119944. pap. $15. M
Within the span of a week, a crazed killer has gripped London by attacking mothers who have been convicted—and acquitted—in a sensationalist rash of crib death cases. One of the victims is known for her heartrending memoir and is also the centerpiece of an in-progress TV documentary. A puzzle card is left on her body; the same card is mailed to the TV producers. Fliss Benson, the producer in charge of the project, becomes pivotal to the case, running somewhat parallel with the intrepid detectives Simon Waterhouse, Sam Kombothekra, and Charlie Zailer (The Dead Lie Down). VERDICT Hannah’s frenetically paced psychological thriller is a searing indictment of our judicial system and the media’s role in fueling collective hysteria. Known for combining her police procedurals with woman-in-peril suspense novels, she again succeeds in scaring our shoes off. Readalikes to consider would be Nicci French and Joy Fielding.
Stanley, Michael. Death of the Mantis: A Detective Kubu Mystery. Harper: HarperCollins. Sept. 2011. c.448p. ISBN 9780062000378. pap. $14.99. M
When his childhood friend Khumanego, a member of the nomadic first peoples of Botswana, begs for his help, Detective David “Kubu” Bengu (The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu) responds eagerly. A local park ranger has been killed in the Kalahari, and three nomads are being held for the murder. Kubu convinces the local authorities to free the trio, but he wonders what he’s missing when a second murder—this one involving a Namibian PI—is discovered in the same region. As the secret lives of the victims are revealed, the variety of possible motives expands at a dizzying pace. Kubu is forced to reevaluate the evidence and make hard choices. VERDICT Impossible to put down, this immensely readable third entry from the duo of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip (who write under their combined first names) delivers the goods. Kubu’s painstaking detecting skills make him a sort of Hercule Poirot of the desert. Grimmer than Alexander McCall Smith’s Precious Ramotswe mysteries but not oppressively violent, this series can be recommended to a wide gamut of readers.
cozy corner
Bailey, Elizabeth. The Gilded Shroud: A Lady Fan Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Sept. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9780425242896. pap. $15. M
Perhaps if she had been more discreet about her lovers, Emily, the marchioness of Polbrook, wouldn’t have been murdered in her own bed. The prime suspect, her rogue husband, Randal, is on the lam. Veteran romance author Bailey debuts a sparkling new mystery series, introducing readers to Ottilia Draycott, an amateur sleuth who stoops to no man in this Georgian England delight. Ottilia, a lady’s companion to the victim’s mother-in-law, jumps in as if detective work was second nature to her. Gaining the confidence of a crusty dowager, a handsome lord, and the household staff, Ottilia teases out with whom Emily might have been rendezvousing when she met her demise. There may be hope for Randal yet, and perhaps a more permanent place in this household for the smart and spunky Ottilia. VERDICT A light upstairs-downstairs affair with clever dialog. Georgette Heyer is a strong influence on Bailey, and Bailey does it well, deftly mixing her detecting with a gentle romance. Terrific crossover appeal for Georgian romance readers who crave a corpse with their love stories.
Benison, C.C. Twelve Drummers Drumming. Delacorte. Oct. 2011. c.384p. ISBN 9780385344456. $22. M
An English village’s traditional May Fayre event is trended up by the introduction of 12 Japanese taiko drums, much to the delight of the local teen performers. But when a young village woman is found dead inside the largest of the drums, it’s clear that there will be only 11 performers, and that a murder investigation is required. The victim, a child of a rock ’n’ roll legend, doesn’t seem to have had strong enemies. Was someone else the intended victim? The new vicar, Tom Christmas, a widower whose wife was murdered in London, is perplexed and angered that the tranquility of his apparently idyllic village has been violated. They say Sherlock Holmes found villages full of deceit, but poor Tom hopes for the better side of humankind. VERDICT This marvelous series debut by Ellis Award winner Benison (Death at Buckingham Palace) is a satisfying, character-driven read. The author presents a full plate of options, leaving the reader puzzling through the possible motives of an intriguing ensemble cast. The likable vicar and his Nancy Drew–loving daughter should become reader favorites. Highly recommended.
Bork, Lisa. In Sickness and in Death: A Broken Vows Mystery. Midnight Ink. Sept. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780738723365. pap. $14.95. M
Specialty car dealer Jolene is soldiering on, slowly recovering from her grief over giving up a foster baby she and her police deputy husband, Ray, had hoped to adopt (For Richer For Danger). And not a minute too soon, because in quick order, she and Ray are fostering Danny, a 12-year-old boy whose father is in jail; her bipolar sister, Erika, is off her meds again; and a pair of oddball farmer twins seem to be showing up everywhere Jolene turns. So how did the severed arm of a local dancer end up in Danny’s dad’s trunk, and where is the rest of her? Forget planning for Thanksgiving, there’s way too much action here! VERDICT Bork packs in multiple story lines at a lively and humorous pace without overdoing it. I’m reminded of Harley Jane Kozak’s books (Dating Dead Men) for her willingness to bring in mental illness without mockery. It might be a standard cozy frame (police husband, gay sidekick), but Bork’s series pushes the envelope in a good way.
Bourbon, Melissa. Pleating for Mercy: A Magical Dressmaking Mystery. Obsidian Mysteries: NAL. Aug. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780451234360. pap. $6.99. M
Consider this premise: all the women in the Texas family descended from Butch Cassidy have a “magic” touch. One of these women, the lovely and unmarried Harlow, who’s a fashion designer/seamstress, comes back to the small town of Bliss and hangs up her shingle. One afternoon she’s sketching dress designs for an upcoming wedding, and by that evening, a bridesmaid turns up strangled in Harlow’s garden. Trouble ensues. Harlow ponders the usual evil trio—revenge, greed, and jealousy—and finds herself in a heap of trouble. There’s something in her shop the killer wants, and Harlow’s going to need some magic to stay alive. VERDICT This series debut by Bourbon (who also writes the “Lola Cruz” series under the name Misa Ramirez) has a clever premise, lots of interesting trade secrets, snappy dialog, and the requisite quirky and loveable family. It’s very Texas, and Wendy Lyn Watson fans should enjoy. A fun read with plenty of potential.
ADDITIONAL MYSTERIES
Gavin, Rick. Ranchero. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Nov. 2011. c.258p. ISBN 9780312583187. $24.99. M
Nick Reid leads a low-key life, doing odd jobs at a rental store in the backwater Mississippi Delta, until his boss sends him out to repossess a television from no-account Percy Dwayne Dubois. Unable to imagine life without his TV, Percy Dwayne hits Nick upside the head with a fireplace shovel and, with TV, wife, and son in tow, makes a hasty escape in Nick’s borrowed classic calypso coral 1969 Ford Ranchero. Thus begins a four-day trek across the Delta in search of Percy Dwayne and the stolen Ranchero, gathering along the way as unlikely a gaggle of backwoods hangers-on as ever peopled a story of redneck derring-do. Along the way, the group encounters corrupt law enforcement officers, drug addicts, meth lords, and other unsavory characters who detain and distract but never permanently interrupt the quest. VERDICT Gavin’s first novel is a sure winner. Reminiscent of Tim Dorsey’s “Serge Storms” series but with a more likable protagonist, it will appeal to down-home good old boys and their armchair counterparts. Recommended. [A Minotaur First Edition Selection; library marketing.]—Thomas L. Kilpatrick, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
Lister, Michael. The Big Goodbye. Pulpwood. Sept. 2011. c.254p. ISBN 9781888146783. $26.99; pap. ISBN 9781888146790. $16.99. M
People hail Jimmy “Soldier” Riley as a war hero when they notice his missing right arm, and Jimmy no longer bothers to correct them. Their mistaken assumptions help him now that he’s a retired cop–turned–private eye in Panama City, FL. Jimmy has the “jeebies” from a shooting earlier in the day when he’s contacted by Lauren Lewis, wife of a wealthy mayoral candidate and his own former lover. Someone is following her, and Jimmy jumps right into this new case. What follows is a gritty ride through the Florida Panhandle in the 1940s, complete with several corpses, corrupt politics, a swanky doll named Margie (also a former flame of Jimmy’s), and Jimmy’s obsession with gorgeous, secretive Lauren. VERDICT Short on flowery descriptions but peppered with snappy dialog, this hard-boiled mystery by award winner Lister (Double Exposure) is a swell read for tough guys and gals who “just want the facts, ma’am.”—Julie Pierce, Lee Cty. P.L., Fort Meyers, FL
Todd, Charles. A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery. Morrow. Sept. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780062015709. $24.99. M
Truth can be a bitter pill to swallow. In Todd’s third Bess Crawford mystery (after An Impartial Witness), Bess finds herself back in London, on leave from her nursing duties on the World War I battlefields of France. Upon arriving at her London lodging, she finds a battered woman named Lydia in her doorway taking shelter from the cold. Bess befriends Lydia, who begs to be accompanied back to her home in Sussex. During a memorial for Lydia’s brother-in-law, Bess becomes embroiled in the family’s disagreements and secrets. When one of the houseguests, a wounded soldier, is found murdered, the police cast their suspicion on everyone—including Bess herself. She must search from Sussex all the way to war-torn France to discover the bitter truth about a soldier’s death not on the battlefield but on the home front. VERDICT Todd brings World War I England and France to life with an intriguing plot and an intrepid sleuth. Recommended for all British wartime mystery aficionados who like plucky investigators similar to Maisie Dobbs.—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L.s, MD
Malliet, G.M. Wicked Autumn: A Max Tudor Novel. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. c.256p. ISBN 9780312646974. $23.99. M
Agatha Award–winning author Malliet (Death of a Cozy Writer) debuts a superb new series. Imagine for a moment that Max Tudor, a disillusioned former MI5 agent, has become an Anglican priest. So now he’s the vicar in this small idyllic village with all its foibles and strong personalities. Wanda Batton-Smythe, a much reviled, bossy, and brusque village leader, is found dead after being poisoned during the Harvest Fayre she was coordinating. Max is stunned, as if a “snake in his Garden of Eden” has struck, but the local investigators are thrilled to have an inside guy (MI5!) to help them out. As expected, a variety of motives surface, and Max learns much about his parishioners and neighbors. VERDICT Malliet’s hero shows his dogged determination to bring justice to his people. You’ll marvel at the author’s low-key humor and crystal-clear depictions of small-town life. Yes, this is a true homage to Agatha Christie, but Malliet, like Louise Penny, brings a contemporary freshness to the traditional mystery. [Minotaur First Edition Selection; library marketing.]
Barron, Stephanie. Jane and the Canterbury Tale: Being a Jane Austen Mystery. Bantam. Aug. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780553386714. pap. $15. M
A mysterious corpse in Jane’s (Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron) backyard is somewhat of a wedding crasher for Adelaide Fiske and Andrew MacAllister. And then we learn the dead man was Adelaide’s first husband.
Borg, Todd. Tahoe Hijack: An Owen McKenna Mystery Thriller. Thriller. Aug. 2011. c.349p. ISBN 9781931296199. pap. $16.95. M
Detective Owen McKenna (Tahoe Heat) and his canine assistant, Spot, make sure the bucolic Lake Tahoe area stays that way. Their ninth outing involves high-tech research and high-altitude murder.
Bowen, Rhys. Naughty in Nice: A Royal Spyness Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Sept. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780425243497. $24.95. M
Don’t miss a trip to the French Riviera when Lady Georgiana (Royal Blood) is sent by the Queen on a new secret mission. Add a dash of Coco Chanel and a murder or two—how can you pass up the fifth treat in this delectable series?
Coyle, Cleo. Murder by Mocha: A Coffeehouse Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime. Aug. 2011. c.384p. ISBN 9780425241431. $25.95. M
Can a coffee concoction touted as a love potion be the reason the website editors for the Sisters of Aphrodite are being killed? This is taking “coffee to die for” too far, thinks Clare in her tenth outing (Roast Mortem).
Daheim, Mary. All the Pretty Hearses: A Bed-and-Breakfast Mystery. Morrow. Aug. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780061351587. $23.99. M
What more can possibly go wrong for bed-and-breakfast owner Judith McMonigle Flynn (Loco Motive) in her 26th outing? Let’s start with a case of insurance fraud and a fund-raiser that brings in a slew of quirky guests.
Dams, Jeanne M. Murder in Burnt Orange: A Hilda Johansson Mystery. Perseverance: John Daniel. Sept. 2011. c.256p. ISBN 9781564745033. pap. $15.95. M
Pregnant and miserably uncomfortable in a 1905 Indiana heat wave, Hilda (Indigo Christmas) manages to get distracted by local labor unrest, arson, and, naturally, murder.
Emery, Anne. Death at Christy Burke’s. ECW, dist. by IPG. Oct. 2011. c.380p. ISBN 9781550229882. $24.95. M
Arthur Ellis winner Emery brings back Monty Collins and Father Brennan Burke (Children in the Morning) to investigate troubles at the local Dublin pub.
Handler, David. The Blood Red Indian Summer. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. c.256p. ISBN 9780312648350. $24.99. M
Berger and Mitry (The Cold Blue Blood) return with a case involving an NFL player who sets up house in sleepy Dorset, and then his family runs into trouble.
Nadel, Barbara. A Noble Killing: An Inspector Ikmen Mystery. Headline, dist. by Trafalgar Square. Aug. 2011. c.374p. ISBN 9780755371600. $29.95. M
Istanbul’s Inspector Cetin Ikmen is deeply troubled by a teen girl’s death that leads to even more disturbing crimes in this 13th entry (Death by Design) by a Silver Dagger Award winner.
Royal, Priscilla. The Killing Season: A Medieval Mystery. Poisoned Pen. Oct. 2011. c.228p. ISBN 9781590589472. $24.95; pap. ISBN 9781590589496. $14.95. M
Prioress Eleanor and Brother Thomas are back in their eighth outing (Valley of Dry Bones), seeking to aid Eleanor’s brother out of his malaise; post-traumatic stress disorder isn’t just a contemporary condition.
Webb, Peggy. Elvis and the Tropical Double Trouble: A Southern Cousins Mystery. Kensington. Oct. 2011. c.240p. ISBN 9780758241412. $23. M
Prepare to laugh out loud as the cousins and their basset hound Elvis (Elvis and the Memphis Mambo Murders) head for Cozumel to assist with an archaeological dig and find a dead body and plenty of action in the fourth entry in this cozy series.
READER CHALLENGE! The Gothic Novel: Mystery or NOT?
Romance columnist Kristin Ramsdell and I are tackling one of the big questions this month: Just what is a gothic and who gets to claim it, mystery or romance?
Case in point: Deborah Lawrenson’s September title, The Lantern (LJ 7/11).
With strong overtones of Daphne du Maurier’s iconic Rebecca, Lawrenson’s book straddles our genres. For example, I’m looking for these elements in a gothic mystery:
• Suspense • Haunted house
• Criminal investigation • Justice
Does The Lantern deliver? Check out Ramsdell’s criteria list (p. 71), and see which elements tip the balance for you. No spoilers here—you’ll have to read the book to decide!
“Kubu began to think of the desert as a metaphor for the world—superficially everything is as you expect. But if you look beyond the obvious, you see what others do not, and by observing things properly, you understand them better. He started looking for the ‘why’ rather than the ‘what’ in people too. That had set him on the path to becoming a detective.”—Michael Stanley, Death of the Mantis
