Smatterings

At the Washington Post, Bob Thompson pays necessary attention to the publication of Roberto Bolano’s THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES, while Patrick Anderson, in the course of reviewing R.N. Morris’s THE GENTLE AXE, admits he hated Silas Marner as a kid and “has it on great authority” that George Eliot was a girl. I hope that was meant as a knowing wink, because otherwise…

Clea Simon very much enjoys the newest Matthew Shardlake mystery by C.J. Sansom.

Julia Spencer-Fleming interviewed her fellow Agatha Award nominees for Best Novel – that would be Jacqueline Winspear, Nancy Pickard, Earlene Fowler & L.C. Hayden.

John Williams, who used to edit Walter Mosley when the latter’s work was published at Serpent’s Tail, is not such a big fan of the whole “sexistential novel” thing.

Jeff Ayers knows a whole hell of a lot about Star Trek – especially all the tie-ins and novelizations.

Gerald So has the scoop on the Derringer Award finalists, and some familiar names should be congratulated, as should all the nominees.

Erica Jong manages to hit all the right notes in this new essay for PW.

Submissions for Killer Year 2008 are being accepted until June 15.

RIP Johnny Hart, if only for entertaining my childhood self.