The MLK Weekend Weekend Update, Abbreviated

As in, pretty much only crime fiction in this update.

Both my columns ran at the same time this weekend, so check the LA Times for my thoughts on historical thrillers with a forensic aspect, and the Sun for my take on the latest by T Jefferson Parker, David L. Robbins, Adrian Hyland and Diane Wei Liang.

Reuters’ Gavin Haycock chats with the likes of Lee Child and Mark Billingham about how they use the web to research their crime novels. Yours truly is namechecked along with other fine mystery-related websites.

On the mystery review front: Laura Wilson rounds up crime novels by Fred Vargas, Martyn Waites, Graham Hurley and Simon Lewis for the Guardian; The Globe’s Margaret Cannon also reviews the Vargas along with new offerings David Hewson, Arimasa Osawa and Alison Preston; from Joan Smith generally admires THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, as does the Telegraph’s Roger Perkins; Ed Pettit does the double-review of Conan Doyle’s letters and biography for the Philly Inquirer; Peter Millar has his say on books by Jennifer Lee Carell and Manda Scott; The Trib’s Paul Goat Allen pontificates about new stuff by Linda Richards, Ed Bunker and Douglas Preston; and David Montgomery enthuses about DUMA KEY for the Sun-Times.

The Lawrence Journal World chats with Sara Paretsky about why she went back to her hometown for creative inspiration for her standalone BLEEDING KANSAS.

The National Post’s Nathalie Atkinson on Canadian crime writers of a cozier bent.

Linda Fairstein tells Scotland on Sunday’s Jackie McGlone why fiction allows her to find justice for unsolved cases.

Newsday’s Kerry Fried has some fun with Gyles Brandreth’s pastiche OSCAR WILDE AND THE DEATH OF NO IMPORTANCE.

And finally, RIP Benjamin Schutz. Ed Gorman has more on the passing of another notable mystery writer. I shudder to think who the third will be…