Round and round, the links appear

It always happens this way. Last week, hardly anything from the crime fiction world. This time? It’s bloody everywhere. So, onward:

The more I read the newly revamped Times Book Review…the more I like it. Even when I’m not sure if I should. I’m still impressed that Sam Tanenhaus managed to whip Marilyn Stasio into blurbable shape, and further testament can be found in her latest column, where she generally likes the new James Lee Burke, the new Janet Evanovich, and other releases from Eric Dezenhall and Susan Kandel, the latter deemed “promising.” God, when was the last time Stasio used that overly blurbable word in a review? But I digress…otherwise, besides being all about the short story, Laura Secor introduces a new column on publishing by dishing the dirt on editor-to-the-political-stars Alice Mayhew, and Christina Nehring confuses the shit out of me with her “Bookies are Boring” piece. I’ve been accused of being a lot of things, but the day someone calls me boring is the day I check out….

Richard Lipez exercises his mystery columnist chops at the Washington Post, where he also takes aim at the new James Lee Burke and Janet Evanovich along with the latest from James Swain, Lisa Scottoline, and Elise Title. Lipez also reviews Philip Weiss’s account of a long-ago murder in Tongo of one Peace Corps member by another member who, incredibly, essentially got away with the crime. Otherwise, Jonathan Yardley goes gaga for a brand-new novel from Ward Just, and Michael Dirda is similarly ebullient about Colm Toibin’s THE MASTER.

The Globe and Mail seems sparser than usual this week but what the hell. Margaret Cannon’s back to rave about the latest crime books from Kathy Reichs, Charles McCarry, La Evanovich, Jonathan Nasaw and Barbara D’Amato. Meanwhile, Martin Levin loves Jay Rayner’s darkly comic (and deeply apologetic) novel EATING CROW, and Douglas Coupland has a new–but very short–new book out, a sequel to his earlier SOUVENIRS OF CANADA.

The Guardian has a ton of goodies, but what kept me reading was its massive profile of J.P. Donleavy, who wrote a novel 50 years or so ago that has not only managed to stay in print, but led to fights, lawsuits, and a surprise ending–he now owns the very publisher that took him to court! Also in the Review is a look at two new espionage novels by former MI5 types, John Updike’s passionate argument in favor of Thoreau’s WALDEN, and Chris Petit examines the chilling history of the sniper.

The Observer has a decidedly Clintonesque tone (when it’s not hyping up Bright Young Things like Hari Kunzru, Louise Welsh, and a certain Mister Denton), as Robert McCrum must have wrestled with the memoir for so long that it took him away from his weekly column, so Kate Kellaway gets the task to write about kids’ books or something. Otherwise, Tim Adams speaks to Alex Garland about his new novel THE COMA and wonders if Garland’s status as a new father has changed the author’s outlook on matters.

And now, the rest of the story:

Irvine Welsh went to Calcutta and came back with a short story. An extract runs in Scotland on Sunday along with comments from literary editor Andrew Crumey professing shock that there might be shock about the lack of profanity and drugs. Hey, it’s called being a writer and trying new things….

The Capital Times caught up with Richard Price, who talks about his novels in general while making the point clear that screenwriting, ultimately, is what pays the bills.

Winona Yahn Sullivan, ex-CIA operative and Shamus Award winner, has died at the age of 61.

Les Roberts, rounding up the mysteries for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, attempts to equate reading Janet Evanovich with watching the Marx Brothers. No, no, no…..

Hallie Ephron looks at some different new releases for the Boston Globe, giving a thumbs-up to Lee Child, Lynn Heitman, and David Rosenfelt.

And more roundups, as Dick Adler returns to perch from the Chicago Tribune, giving his own take on the new James Lee Burke as well as books by Alafair Burke, Arturo Perez-Reverte, Christopher Fowler, and Mark Billingham.

Judith Guest (of ORDINARY PEOPLE fame) has written her first novel in years, and it’s basically a murder mystery. She speaks to the Grand Rapids Press about the real-life case that spurred her interest in what became the basis for the book.

Gary Dretzka gives James Swain and his gambling-based crime novels quite the glowing review in the Chicago Sun-Times. Dretzka also reveals that Swain, at last year’s Bouchercon (held in Vegas) was escorted to his panel and watched by security like a hawk. Damn….

Also at the Sun-Times is Henry Kisor’s first look at Alexander McCall’s new series, THE SUNDAY PHILOSOPHY CLUB.

Franklin Foer has followed his younger brother (who may be slightly known to some folks) into the book publishing world, although since the elder Foer is a magazine staple (TNR, New York, etc.) it’s not such a surprise. Although his book is about soccer and globalization and some other things and Newsday, frankly, didn’t like it very much.

Lisa Glatt’s A GIRL BECOMES A COMMA LIKE THAT has generated much buzz in the litblog world, and this review in the SF Chronicle will only spur things further in a positive direction for the debut novelist.

The way certain reviews are portraying Kathy Reichs’ forensic mysteries as the real thing, I may have to check them out again (DEJA DEAD, her first, did absolutely nothing for me.) The Charlotte Observer adds to the hosannas.

Dave Barry tries to write a blockbuster, DA VINCI CODE-style. The results are, well, hilarious.

And finally, it’s a job that no one likes to do, but those who do it do it well. Meet the Crime Scene Cleaners.