Mystery, January 2011
Jan 15, 2011
CRIME STOPPERS Let’s hear it for enterprising and intelligent female sleuths. Maggie Messina and her Black Sheep knitters are willing to pitch in and work as a team to solve a crime in Anne Canadeo’s A Stitch Before Dying. Ex-nun Giulia Falcone fights off her sense of failure after leaving the nunnery to help her new employer investigate a stalker in Alice Loweecey’s Force of Habit. In Julia Spencer-Fleming’s heart-wrenching One Was a Soldier, Clare Fergusson runs her church, fights the addiction she acquired in Iraq, and strengthens her relationship with Russ Van Alstyne. The vote for best all-around new female problem solver is Lucky O’Toole, the star of Deborah Coonts’s Lucky Stiff, who has a casino job working for her father while doing favors for Mafia dons and mentoring a young police detective.
Canadeo, Anne. A Stitch Before Dying. Gallery: S. & S. Jan. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9781439191392. pap. $15. M
When Maggie Messina is asked to teach a weekend knitting workshop at a New Age spa in the Berkshires, she invites her Black Sheep knitting group to join her. The inn is designed to be peaceful and healing, but the undercurrent of negativity surrounding the spa’s owner, a talk show guru and former psychiatrist, results in murder. Canadeo’s third gentle series entry (after While My Pretty One Knits and Knit, Purl, Die) is more about interpersonal relationships than mystery solving. The friends work together, smoothly stepping in when one woman needs help or another can use a nudge in the right direction. VERDICT This is sure to attract readers of Sally Goldenbaum and Barbara Bretton.
Coonts, Deborah. Lucky Stiff. Forge: Tor. Feb. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9780765325440. $24.99. M
In an ironic twist, loan shark Numbers Neidermeyer’s body is found in a shark tank in a Vegas casino. Everyone, it seems, wanted Numbers dead, and soon Lucky O’Toole (Wanna Get Lucky?), customer relations pro at the Babylon, is drawn into the case. She was one of the last people to see Numbers alive, and one of her best friends is the primary person of interest. Other lively subplots include Lucky’s mother, a Vegas madam, auctioning off a young woman’s virginity; Lucky’s boyfriend being offered a music deal that will result in a long tour; and a top Mafia godfather asking Lucky for a favor she can’t refuse. VERDICT Watching Lucky navigate the dangerous shoals of the male-dominated world of gambling is a delight. Las Vegas is the perfect setting for this witty tale of misdirection and larger-than-life characters. Fans of J.A. Konrath’s Jack Daniels series will love this.
Grant, Barry. Sherlock Holmes and the Shakespeare Letter. Severn House. Jan. 2011. c.192p. ISBN 9780727869463. $27.95. M
Having been rescued from a Swiss glacier, thawed out, and now back at 21 Baker Street, living with a new roommate, Sherlock Holmes still struggles with his old personality quirks. While fighting off a bout of monumental boredom, Holmes is asked to find a stolen letter attributed to William Shakespeare. The handful of people in the know about the letter include a wealthy British family both dysfunctional and brilliant. VERDICT Placing a resurrected Holmes in modern England using our technology and partnering him with Dr. James Wilson, who is very like the Watson of old, is a masterstroke. While not as as exciting as The Strange Return of Sherlock Holmes, this fast-paced sequel and its engaging protagonists will appeal to Holmes fans.
Helton, Peter. Falling More Slowly. Soho Constable. Jan. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9781569478806. $25. M
DI Liam McLusky begins his first day in the Bristol Criminal Investigation Department by rescuing a woman from a house that her husband is tearing down with an earthmover. In addition, McLusky destroys his new police car and later is a witness when a park bench explodes, injuring two people. And then his problems really begin. This new series by the author of the Chris Honeysett PI series (Rainstone Fall; Headcase; Slim Chance) introduces McLusky as a risk taker, a thinker outside the box, and someone who solves his cases in mostly unconventional ways. As the well-plotted investigation plays out, the building suspense leads to an edge-of-your-seat ending. VERDICT Fans of Peter James and readers who like British police procedurals will lap this one up.
Loweecey, Alice. Force of Habit: A Falcone & Driscoll Investigation. Midnight Ink. Feb. 2011. c312p. ISBN 9780738723228. pap. $14.95. M
After ten years in the convent, Giulia Falcone now works as an investigator for the foul-mouthed former police detective Frank Driscoll, for whom she harbors some romantic feelings. The duo are hired to find the person who is stalking and threatening a local wealthy businessman and his fiancée, but Giulia soon attracts the stalker’s attention. This debut mystery by a former nun contrasts a humorous narration with the realities of Giulia’s adjustment to her new life outside the convent walls and her low self-esteem. VERDICT Fans of Lee Harris’s Christine Bennett series (The Silver Anniversary Murder) about a former nun–turned–sleuth will want to see how Giulia solves the case.
McDonald, Craig. One True Sentence. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Feb. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780312554385. $24.99. M
When crime novelist Hector Lassiter (Head Games; Print the Legend; Toros & Torsos) sees a body fall into the Seine from the Pont Neuf in 1924 Paris, Gertrude Stein rallies the troops, and Lassiter and pal Ernest Hemingway pair up to find out who is killing the city’s literary editors. Edgar-nominated author McDonald takes such care to describe the American literary expatriate community in Paris in the years after World War I that readers will feel as if they are walking alongside Hemingway and his buddies as they look for a vicious killer. VERDICT Certain to attract Hemingway afficionados and readers who enjoy hard-boiled historical crime fiction. [Six-city author tour.]
Parks, Brad. Eyes of the Innocent. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Feb. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780312574789. $24.99. M
When a house fire kills two small boys left home alone, investigative reporter Carter Ross and one of the Newark Eagle-Examiner’s interns are sent out to investigate. What at first appeared to be a simple story on how a space heater caused the fire turns into a front-page exclusive about the mother who has lost everything and a window into a real-estate scam that targets the residents of the poorest neighborhoods. But then it turns out the mother isn’t what she appears to be. VERDICT Zany characters, witty dialog, and a plot that races to a bang-up finish are guaranteed to have readers cheering for the good guys. Parks’s sequel to his acclaimed debut, Faces of the Gone, is as good if not better. Think Lisa Scottoline meets Richard Yancey. [Library marketing.]
Spencer-Fleming, Julia. One Was a Soldier: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Apr. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780312334895. $24.99. M
Clare Fergusson comes home from Iraq to Millers Kill, NY, a damaged version of herself. She must now reconcile her combat experiences with her other job as an Episcopal priest. When a fellow veteran in her therapy group is killed and the death ruled a suicide, Clare sets off to uncover the truth. In her latest mystery (after I Shall Not Want), the award-winning Spencer-Fleming calls attention to the stress, nightmares, anger, and guilt many military personnel experience on their return to civilian life. VERDICT In the hands of a lesser writer, this novel would not fly, but Spencer-Fleming carries it off and concludes with a believable resolution. As always, there is a cliffhanger ending for Clare. Outstanding. [75,000-copy first printing; see Prepub Mystery, LJ 7/10.]
Wilson, Laura. An Empty Death. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Mar. 2011. c.432p. ISBN 9780312538118. $25.99. M
DCI Ted Stratton (The Innocent Spy) dodges Nazi flying bombs in 1944 war-torn London while investigating two murders involving the medical community at Middlesex Hospital. World War II is fertile ground for the modern mystery (see John Lawton’s Inspector Troy series and James R. Benn’s Billy Boyle novels), and Wilson exploits the confusion that happens when people are focused on the greater threat and lose sight of the evil closer to home. She uses the plot device of Capgras syndrome (not recognizing a relative or spouse) and Stratton’s professional and personal strengths to carry this unusual and convoluted tale to an unexpected conclusion. VERDICT Fans of the moody historical mysteries by Charles Todd and Rennie Airth will enjoy discovering a new author.
MYSTERIES IN BRIEF
Challinor, C.S. Murder on the Moor: A Rex Graves Mystery. Midnight Ink. Mar. 2011. c.216p. ISBN 9780738719818. pap. $14.95. M
A quiet weekend house party to celebrate the new country home of Scottish barrister Rex Graves becomes a nightmare when Graves’s ex-girlfriend crashes the party and is murdered. VERDICT This fourth series entry (after Phi Beta Murder) is a classic British mystery with a closed cast of suspects and a locked-room puzzle.
Juba, Stacy. Sink or Swim. Mainly Murder. Jan. 2011. c.248p. ISBN 9780982795224. pap. $14.95. M
Coming in second on a reality show is not fun but leads to many employment opportunities for personal trainer Cassidy Novak. Back home in New England, Cassidy finds she has a stalker who is knocking off her former competitors. VERDICT This fast-paced story is weighed down by Cassidy’s immature behavior and her passive-aggressive approach to life.
Keith, Eric. Nine Man’s Murder. Ransom Note. Mar. 2011. c.240p. ISBN 9780977378777. pap. $13.95. M
The graduating class from Damien Anderson’s detective agency 15 years ago is invited to a reunion at remote Moon’s End. Only trouble is that someone is out to kill them all. Playing on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Keith keeps the pages turning until only the murderer and the last guest are left. The fun here is to see if the reader can figure out what is going on. VERDICT Not quite Christie, but worth a look.
Myers, Amy. Murder on the Old Road: A Marsh and Daughter Mystery. Severn House. Jan. 2011. c.192p. ISBN 9780727869524. $27.95. M
Encountering a drama group reenacting a pilgrimage to Canterbury that ended in murder 40 years earlier, Georgia Marsh and her father begin digging out facts to see if this will be their next book on unsolved crimes. This engaging series (Murder in the Mist; Murder Takes the Stage) usually juxtaposes a cold case with a current mystery that causes the father and daughter to delve into some dangerous interrogations of reluctant witnesses. VERDICT The smooth and effortless narration will appeal to fans of British cozies.
Soule, Maris. As the Crow Flies. Five Star: Gale Cengage. Mar. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9781594149528. $25.95. M
Living on the Michigan farm she inherited from her grandfather, accountant P.J. Benson (The Crows) is hired to set up an accounting system for a client’s home business when the client is killed in a house explosion. At the same time, P.J. is assaulted and robbed of a briefcase containing maps and soil from farms in the area. Soule’s engaging heroine has a penchant for getting herself into dangerous situations. VERDICT Readers who enjoy light mysteries with a rural setting will appreciate this latest well-plotted outing.
Zellerbach, Merla. The Missing Mother: A Hallie Marsh Mystery. Firefall. Feb. 2011. c.234p. ISBN 9780915090525. $27.50. M
Wealthy businessman Dale Redington is badly burned when he pulls a man out of a house fire. That same day he had discovered that his old nanny is caring for a baby abandoned by her mother. VERDICT Zellerbach can clearly write an engaging story but must decide whether she is crafting a romance or a cozy featuring amateur sleuth Hallie Marsh.
ADDITIONAL MYSTERIES
Bradley, Alan. A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Mystery. Delacorte. Feb. 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9780385342322. $23. M
The 11-year-old sleuth with a penchant for chemistry and a knack for discovering corpses triumphantly returns in this third installment of Bradley’s award-winning mystery series (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie; The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag), once again finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation. The novel opens with the quintessential church fete in the English village of Bishop’s Lacey. An old, cantankerous gypsy reads Flavia’s palm, and her prognostications prove lethal. When local layabout and all-around shifty character Brookie Harewood is found murdered, what’s a child prodigy to do? Flavia’s deceased mother, Harriet, plays a part in this tale, as does the unsolved disappearance of a village baby who went missing years ago. VERDICT Whether battling with her odious sisters or verbally sparing with the long-suffering Inspector Hewitt, our cheeky heroine is a delight. Full of pithy dialog and colorful characters, this series would appeal strongly to fans of Dorothy Sayers, Gladys Mitchell, and Leo Bruce as well as readers who like clever humor mixed in with their mysteries. [Library marketing; see Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/10.]—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph P.L., MI
Kent, Graeme. Devil-Devil: A Sister Conchita and Sergeant Kella Mystery. Soho Crime. Feb. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781569478738. $25. M
In this debut mystery series set in the Solomon Islands in the 1960s, Sgt. Ben Kella lives between two worlds. As a police officer, he works with British officials. But he is also an aofia—a native islander who acts as a peacekeeper for tribal conflicts. He is constantly called on to resolve issues between the British, visiting foreigners, and the indigenous people. Kella must use his contacts in both worlds to find a missing American, solve a murder, and break up an artifact-smuggling ring. He is aided in some of his investigations by a young American nun, Sister Conchita, who is working at the Catholic mission. Her willingness to break with convention makes her a very useful ally. Kent’s thorough research on the history of the Solomon Islands is reflected in his descriptions. He worked in the Solomon Islands for eight years, and his use of pidgin dialect adds authenticity, flavor, and color. VERDICT This will attract readers who like cozies with a foreign setting as well as those who enjoy historical mysteries.—Jean King, West Hempstead P.L., NY
Stanley, Kelli. The Curse-Maker. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Feb. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780312654191. $24.99. M
Arcturus, healer to the governor of Britannia, is burned out. Unable to save the governor’s son and avoid the screams of the battlefield as Agricola slaughters the Caledonians, he returns home to find his wife, Gwyna, strangely withdrawn and the household in a shambles. A trip to the springs at Aquae Sulis (today the city of Bath) will hopefully provide rest and a fresh start. Such is not Arcturus’s luck, of course—his first experience of the famous baths is hauling a body out of the sacred spring. What follows is a nightmare of death, deception, greed, hate, and power abused. It will take all of the healer’s skills, as well as the assistance of his clever wife, to find the source of the canker that festers in the heart of the town and purge it of its poison. This worthy successor to Nox Dormienda weaves together many strands, and the resulting pattern is sometimes surprising. VERDICT If readers enjoyed Stanley’s first Roman noir, they won’t want to miss this. It is sure to appeal also to fans of Lindsey Davis, Ruth Downie, and other authors of Roman mysteries. [Library marketing; regional author tour.]—Pamela O’Sullivan, Coll. at Brockport Lib., SUNY
Tallis, Frank. Vienna Twilight: A Max Liebermann Mystery. Random. (The Liebermann Papers, Bk. 5). Apr. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9780812981001.pap. $15. M
In this fifth Max Liebermann tale (after Vienna Secrets), set as usual in turn-of-the-century Vienna, Max’s friend DI Oskar Reinhardt asks his help in solving a series of murders. Someone is killing young women by thrusting a hat pin to their skulls during sex. Max, a psychoanalyst, is already working with an institutionalized mental patient whose landlord and attractive landlady have gone missing. A third plotline involves haute couture, pornography, and murder, too. As in the earlier books, Sigmund Freud makes an appearance, as does Max’s English lady friend, Amelia, who is at the forefront of medical forensics. Alternating chapters present the anonymous killer’s first-person rationale. VERDICT Tallis, himself a practicing clinical psychologist and prolific author, writes with a grace and erudition that well suit his characters and their historical period in a city that is on the edge of modernity and upheaval while clinging to tradition and the familiar. Once again, psychoanalysis helps bring at least explanation of crime if not always justice. Recommended for fans of well-drawn historical mysteries.—Roland Person, formerly with Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
