Smatterings With A Cover of Snow

In the NYTBR, Marilyn Stasio rounds up new crime novels by Mark Mills, Frank Tallis, Matt Beynon Rees, and the late Robert B. Parker.

Oline Cogdill reads James Grippando’s new thriller MONEY TO BURN for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The G&M’s Margaret Cannon has her say on recent crime fiction fare by Elly Griffiths, Mark Mills, M.R. Hall, (Colin) Bateman, Suzanne Kingsmill, Michael Palmer and the WATCHLIST anthology.

The Times’ Peter Millar has his say on new mysteries and thrillers by J.L Carrell, Douglas Preston and Elly Griffiths.

Carole Barrowman analyzes Erin Hart’s long-overdue third novel in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Anna Mundow takes a look at S.J. Parris’s historical thriller HERESY, which oddly enough, I haven’t seen a copy of yet. In fact there are a number of medieval historical thrillers recently published that haven’t crossed my desk – is there some self-selection at work, dear publishers? I’m not saying that may be the case, but right now, it’s not.

Henning Mankell gets his review due for THE MAN FROM BEIJING from the NYTBR, the Guardian, the G&M (which also profiles him) and the Boston Globe.

Sara Paretsky talks with the Independent about her old neighbor Barack Obama, what keeps her righteously indignant, and the most recent V.I. Warshawski novel HARDBALL, just out in the UK.

Paul Lindsay steps out from behind his pseudonym, Noah Boyd, to talk about his return to thrillerdom with the Boston Herald.

As mentioned earlier this week, Ed Thomas, co-owner of Book Carnival, died after a battle with cancer at the age of 77. The Orange County Register publishes a fitting and beautiful tribute & obit to the bookseller who helped launch many a mystery writing career – such as that of Jan Burke.

The book of the moment, at least in the circles I run in, is David Shields’ REALITY HUNGER. I know I’ve been recommending it to people left and right because, regardless of your opinion, it’s a book that engages and encourages argument and debate about the nature of writing fiction, and writing as a whole, like few books I’ve ever encountered.

The motley crew of A.L. Kennedy, Martine McCutcheon and John Sutherland debate the merits of celebrity fiction and whether they are deserving of proper attention.

A trunk bought for a measly one hundred pounds turns out to have housed long-lost jewels belonging to Agatha Christie.

And finally, this is possibly the greatest figure skating exhibition EVAH.