Sunday Smatterings

With the 100th anniversary of Eric Ambler’s birth coming up later this month, the Guardian Review’s cover is devoted to Thomas Jones’ excellent essay on Ambler’s career and why he’s one of the founding fathers of modern thrillerdom.

The CWA is, for some reason, announcing the Dagger Award nominees in two parts – the first batch includes the International, the Dagger in the Library, the Short Story and Debut, and Barry Forshaw previews the nominees in the Times of London.

The Arthur Ellis Awards were also given out, and Linwood Barclay, Howard Shrier, and Pasha Malla were among the winners in Best Novel, Best First Novel and Best Short Story, respectively.

Toby Clements meets Imogen Robertson, who parlayed her Novel of the Year competition win in 2007 to publication of her first historical mystery, INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS.

Also in the Telegraph, Jake Kerridge looks at crime novels by Megan Abbott, John Harvey, Tarquin Hall and Yrsa Sigudardottir, while Julia Handford has her say on offerings from Walter Mosley and Rory Clements.

John Dugdale at the Sunday Times rounds up new thrillers and mysteries by Sophie Hannah, Walter Mosley, Yrsa Sigudardottir, Stav Sherez, Jonathan Kellerman, Elmore Leonard Deon Meyer and Tom Rob Smith.

The Chicago Tribune gets Sara Paretsky to talk about her other main love, the Chicago Cubs.

Marilyn Stasio has her say on recent crime fiction by Jeffery Deaver, Craig Johnson, Rebecca Cantrell and Garry Disher.

David Montgomery’s first column as the Daily Beast’s mystery/thriller critic includes his thoughts on books by Lisa Scottoline, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Michael Connelly and John Sandford.

I’m not exactly sure what to make of Bill Kent’s review of GONE TOMORROW. Technically there’s approval, but I feel like a point’s been missed – as if it’s all too easy to declare something “fun” and dance around spoilers than actually offer a critical take.

Charles Taylor’s take in Newsday is less puzzling, and examines the degree of liberalism that comes through in Jack Reacher, a character archetype normally associated with more right-wing revenge tales.

Arnie Bernstein talks with the Chicago Sun-Times about his thought-provoking new book about the 1927 school bombing in Bath, Michigan.

Mal Peet explains to Jason Steger at the Age why he believes children don’t need to be spoonfed ideas in fiction.

The Independent asks a number of writers, including Ruth Rendell, Robert Harris and Joanne Harris, to comment on the 60th anniversary of 1984 by George Orwell.

RIP, Readerville, and Carolyn Kellogg delivers a fitting eulogy at Jacket Copy.

This story HAS to be a novel. Or a Law & Order episode.

And finally, Han Solo, P.I.! (via) Even better, the side-by-side comparison.