Link catch-up

At least on a rudimentary scale:

It’s been all things Ruth Rendell this week as her newest standalone THIRTEEN STEPS DOWN hits US stores everywhere. She was interviewed in the New York Times, the book got a mixed review in the Washington Post, and the Freep’s Ron Bernas dubs it “a perfect introduction to her work.”

With THE CONSTANT GARDENER racking up praise and acclaim now that it’s been turned into a movie, the book’s author, John Le Carre, speaks to the Guardian about such successes and his so-called “radical period.”

Adam Woog explains why Michael Connelly’s THE LINCOLN LAWYER works so well in his review for the Seattle Times.

The UK’s most lucrative poetry prize (at a cool 10,000 pounds) has been awarded to David Harsent, who also writes the DCI Stella Mooney mysteries under the name David Lawrence.

Speaking of the Post, they also look at Chris Elliot’s serial kiler parody THE SHROUD OF THE THWACKER, and how it seems to be all about gags and less about moving a story along (which might explain why I gave up after 30 pages, alas. It just got too much.)

Will Wottakar’s be a reality? Publishers are doing their damndest to try to kill HMV’s buyout of the chain store, but will this actually happen? The proceedings could really make a good suspense novel all by themselves…

The Boston Phoenix has a great piece on Grub Street Inc., a new venture that aims to be Boston’s literary hub of the moment.

The NY Daily News is just the latest news organ to ask Jennifer Weiner a bunch of questions about GOODNIGHT NOBODY, the new movie of IN HER SHOES, and other trifle.

And finally, ack. Ack ack ack. I do wonder if a certain Mr. Baster was involved in any way, shape or form, though..