A most fabulous Weekend Update
Well, it is if you like the pouring rain, I guess…
NYTBR: After what seems like an interminable absence, Marilyn Stasio is back – reviewing new crime fiction offerings from Minette Walters, Jacqueline Winspear, Colin Cotterill and Margaret Maron; Rachel Donadio looks at J. Robert Lennon’s unusual publication path for his latest novel, HAPPYLAND; Dave Eggers gives loads of kudos to Edward Jones for his body of work and his new short story collection; and Emily Barton dubs Francine Prose’s book on writing “a wise and voluble companion.”
WaPo Book World: Jonathan Yardley puts Edward Jones’s work in necessary perspective; Peter Behrens examines a gut-wrenching time in history, to Ron Charles’ admiration; and Vera Atkins may well be one of the coolest women to have ever lived.
G&M: Robert Wiersma’s debut thriller grips Joanna Goodman in a chokehold; Alberto Manguel wonders why the current Mideast crisis feels a lot like deja vu; and Jim Bartley praises Canada’s very own John Kennedy Toole story, Stewart Gordon Anderson.
Guardian Review: Chris Petit is fascinated by a surreal account of a serial killer walking the streets of 1960s London; Victoria Glendinning considers the relationship between Leonard Wolff (Virginia’s husband) and a married woman after Virginia’s death; and Matthew Lewin rounds up new thrillers by Stephen Coonts, Lawrence Block, Chris Haslam and Robert Wilson.
Observer: Peter Guttridge rounds up new crime fiction by Anne Holt, Christian Jungersen, R.S. Downie, Jed Rubenfeld and Kathleen McGowan, while Tom Williams gets more huffy about LONDON NOIR and Walter Mosley’s new Easy Rawlins novel as compared to vintage Chandler; and Leonard Woolf’s reputation gets restored somewhat by Victoria Glendinning’s new biography, Paul Levy finds.
The Times: Neal Mukherjee thinks Claire Messud’s new novel might be the definitive fiction account of 9⁄11; Marcel Berlins falls all over himself to praise THE NIGHT GARDENER – and no wonder; Erica Wagner wonders why only men get elevated to “blockbuster” status;
The Scotsman: David Robinson talks linguistics and text messaging with Angus Peter Campbell; Stephen McGinty applauds Campbell Armstrong’s return to crime fiction; and Vikram Candra’s SACRED GAMES is, Chandrahas Choudhury finds, “true, just like life”/
The Rest:
Hallie Ephron reviews new mystery offerings from Kay Hooper, Margaret Maron & Rhys Bowen for the Boston Glove.
At the Philly Inquirer, Katie Haegele declares her love for Matthew Jones’ BOOT TRACKS and David Montgomery applauds Karin Slaughter’s maiden standalone voyage, TRIPTYCH.
Adam Woog at the Seattle Times is just the latest to explain how good Daniel Woodrell’s WINTER’S BONE truly is.
At the Telegraph, Jake Kerridge reviews new thrillers by Denise Mina and Pierre Magnan while Susanna Yager’s looks at new crime novels by Christian Jungersen and Andrew Nugent. Also, P.D. James wonders how Hercule Poirot has endured so long – a question I’d love to know the answer to, also…
John Connolly talks to the Independent’s Tim Martin about his change of direction with his new, unbelievably wonderful novel THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS. Seriously. Buy this when it’s out (September in UK, November in US) and give copies to all you know.
Harlan Coben gets the AP treatment as Mark Kennedy catches up with him in his hometown of Ridgewood.
As the Melbourne Writers’ Festival gets going, Robert Wilson is interviewed in the Australian about the latest in his Javier Falcon series, THE HIDDEN ASSASSINS.
Oh happy joy, Tara Moss has a new book out! (that means more eye candy for those of you interested in such a thing.) The Courier-Mail offers up its take on HIT.
The Anchorage Daily News has lots to celebrate as their local author, Mike Doogan, publishes his debut crime novel LOST ANGEL.
The Philly Inquirer’s Katie Haegele looks at the ever-growing YA genre – and why there’s a golden age going on with such books.