Sunday Smatterings in the Icy Air of Night

Marilyn Stasio looks at recent mysteries and thrillers by Joseph Wambaugh,Charles Finch and Stan Jones, as well as PD James’ TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION.

Margaret Cannon rounds up new crime fiction by Sue Grafton, Archer Mayor, Massimo Carlotto & Marco Videtti, Anne Perry, Vivian Meyer, and Joanna Challis.

At the Wall Street Journal, Albert Pyle has his say on PD James’ TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION.

Adam Woog selects his best crime fiction of 2009 for the Seattle Times.

Maureen Corrigan picks her “Most Mesmerizing Mysteries of 2009” for NPR’s Fresh Air. 

Brad Parks talks with the New Jersey Star-Ledger about his debut crime novel FACES OF THE GONE.

L’Affaire Larsson, and the battle over the royalties of the Millenium novels, gets another airing in the LA Times.

TIME’s Andrea Sachs Q&As with Sue Grafton about U IS FOR UNDERTOW.

M.R. Hall chats with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Rege Behe about his forensically-focused crime novel, THE DISAPPEARED.

Patricia Cohen goes on a Patricia Highsmith walking tour with the suspense writer’s biographer, Joan Schenkar. This most excellent book was also reviewed recently by Daniel Mallory at the LAT, Leonard Cassuto at the B&N Review, and Alexander Theroux in the WSJ.

Why are publishers uncomfortable putting people of varying ethnicities on the covers of books? Lizzie Skurnick looks at this conundrum, as filtered through the controversy surrounding the cover of Justine Larbalestier’s YA novel LIAR.

And finally, the news has reverberated many times over by now, but yes, Kirkus Reviews is toast. And the reactions are mixed, to say the least.