Weekend Update, Abbreviated

Keeping it short, keeping it mostly crime fiction-centric:

The Missoula Independent collected a ton of wonderful tributes to the late James Crumley by James Lee Burke, Chris Offutt, George Pelecanos, William Kittredge, Laura Lippman and many others.

Hallie Ephron reviews new crime fiction by Jacqueline Carey, Chelsea Cain and William Kent Krueger for the Boston Globe.

In the NYTBR, Marilyn Stasio also reviews the Krueger as well as new stuff by Arnaldur Indridason, Stan Jones and Stuart Kaminsky.

Oline Cogdill believes A CURE FOR NIGHT signals the beginning of a long career for Justin Peacock.

The Chicago Sun-Times is drenched in mysteries, running reviews of the new Ian Rankin, Larry Beinhart and Gyles Brandreth.

Mel Bradshaw in the G&M reviews the even newer Ian Rankin, DOORS OPEN, and finds it very much wanting.

The Telegraph’s Susanna Yager has her say on recent crime offerings by Stephen Clarke and John Sandford, while Jeremy Jehu gets historical with new books by William Brodrick, Lawrence Goldstone, Conn Iggulden and Clio Gray. 

Hari Kunzru discourses on the uneven but worthwhile new espionage novel by John Le Carre. Also in the Guardian, I think James Lansdun took Benjamin Black’s THE LEMUR a bit too seriously for his own good. And there’s also Tana French picking ten maverick mysteries.

Speaking of Black, Declan Hughes takes his best shot at THE LEMUR and finds it even more wanting. (via, who’s rather excited at the prospect of a writers’ spat…)

Here’s chapter 3 of THE GIRL IN THE LONG GREEN RAINCOAT.

Former Philly Inquirer intern Caroline Berson greatly enjoys ANGEL’S TIP by Alafair Burke.

The Rocky Mountain News interviews and runs a new short story by Connie Willis.

Did Tony Kushner deserve a $200,000 prize from the Steinberg Trust Playwright Award? Terry Teachout says no.

The Sydney Morning Herald profiles Kathy Lette, the rather brash and outspoken doyenne of what we now call chick-lit.

In the Guardian, Christopher Hitchens explains why BRIDESHEAD REVISITED still has a tremendous pull on readers.

That is one scary photo of Margaret Atwood in the Times. I suspect this guy will be appropriating it for a future blog post.

Simon Houpt previews the Yusuf Karsh at 100 exhibit in Boston, which I have to figure out a way to get to.

Christopher Fowler waxes eloquent on Victoria Holt? I never thought I would see this, but seriously, awesome. I read a ridiculous amount of her work when I was about 13.

Scotland Yard foils a plot to firebomb the UK publishers of Sherry Jones’ THE JEWEL OF MEDINA.

And finally, PETA, um, WTF?