World of Mystery

The Private Eye Writers of America

(PWA) is proud to announce the nominees for the 25^th annual Shamus

Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye

fiction. The 2006 …

Duane Swierczynski posts the cover and gives details on DAMN NEAR DEAD: An Anthology of Geezer Noir (which also happens to be my next anthology appearance.)It’ll be out in July from Busted Flush …

Elaine Viets – who has now become an official member of the Lipstick Chronicles – blogs about her irritation with the ITW’s list of award nominations and the fact that for all three …

OK, I have to admit, I thought this article in Seed Magazine was pretty freaking cool. Equating crime fiction and quantum physics? So there. More specifically, as Joshua Roebke puts it: …

Time Magazine names 5 mystery writers “worth investigating” in the form of their most recent (read: 2005) releases.

Leigh Redhead talks to the Wingham Chronicle about her next Simone …

This fantastic piece in the Glasgow Herald breaks down Billingham’s likes (country music, his friends’ crime fiction), vices (not being able to cook or do household work) and pet peeves …

Longtime readers of the blog will know that I have a somewhat bizarre fascination with Australian bestselling crime writer Tara Moss. She’s a model! You can download semi-hot pictures off of her …

And so, as promised, Killer Year – the official website for mystery, suspense and thriller authors whose work debuts in 2007 – has launched, complete with a member list, faq and of course, …

First up, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award – which will be given out at Harrogate next month – has announced its shortlist:

STRANGE BLOOD, Lindsay Ashford
ONE …

If there is one writer whose name noir aficionados want to shout from the rooftops over and over (and over) again because not enough people have heard of him, dammit, then Daniel Woodrell is probably …

Wondering what Les Roberts, creator of the Milan Jacovich PI series, is up to? Writing his memoirs, for one, as the West Life Newspaper finds out:

Down these mean streets a man must go. Mean …

The Crime Writers of Canada announced the 2006 Arthur Ellis Award Winners on June 8 in Toronto as follows:

BEST NOVEL: APRIL FOOL, by William Deverell (McClelland & Stewart)

BEST FIRST NOVEL: …

I mean, really:

Mutulu Shakur’s untitled novel, in which Tupac Shakur, having faked his

own death and living in the midwest under an alias, is forced to go on

the run with both the CIA and a …

So 24 hours after I posted my musings on the whole “Class of 2007” idea, here comes Killer Year, as founded by Jason Pinter, J.T. Ellison, Brett Battles & Sandra Ruttan.

Expect to …

This is more of a ramble than anything, but in reading Jason Pinter’s post on comparing debut novels in various formats to what you eat on a first date (I’m paraphrasing, but the post is …

Jeffrey Marks, who has been writing book and magazine criticism in the mystery world for many years, is joining Mystery Scene in the role of consulting editor.

“Jeff has an extremely wide-ranging …

I’ve got a story in the new issue of Spinetingler Magazine, which also features fiction by some names you may have heard of, like Megan Powell, M.G. Tarquini and Stephen Blackmoore, and names …

The CWA has announced the shortlists for the remaining Dagger awards:

DUNCAN LAWRIE INTERNATIONAL DAGGER

EXCURSION TO TINDARI – Andrea Camilleri (translated by Stephen

Sartarelli)
AUTUMN OF …

That’s the question Sandra Scoppettone asks on her blog, whether about her own work as a crime novelist, that of so many others, or reading such novels. Killing people is so integral to this …

Yeah, I’m posting here and not on Galleycat…because this isn’t work and GC is. Anyway:

Simon Beckett tells Yorkshire Today what it’s like to be shortlisted for the Duncan …

Deadly Pleasures Magazine announces the shortlist for the 2006 Barry Awards, and they are:

BEST NOVEL:

BLOODLINES, by Jan Burke (Simon & Schuster)

RED LEAVES, by Thomas H. Cook (Harcourt) …

Adrian Muller has worn many hats in the crime fiction community, most notably as co-chair of Left Coast Crime in Bristol and now Chairman of the judging panel for the CWA’s Duncan Lawrie …

First off, the whole date change thing totally threw me because I’m a good two days late on the news and this is pretty freaking rare (or more to the point: what, no press release sent out? Or …

Everywhere I look, it’s all about Edgar Allan Poe. See Matthew Pearl’s essay on the man in the Telegraph, his top ten books on Poe for the Guardian,or Metro Weekly’s review of Louis …

Slate has a slew of articles devoted to the best and brightest of pulp fiction, old and new. Check out:

• The reading lists of Michael Connelly, Scott Turow & Joyce Carol Oates
• John Banville on …

Though Dennis Lehane hasn’t been kept completely in the loop about the movie version of his fourth Kenzie/Gennaro novel, GONE, BABY GONE, he definitely approves one specific casting point: …

The Rap Sheet is back – and now it’s a blog! Check out the continuing updated version offered up by January Magazine’s J. Kingston Pierce & co.

Crime Scene Scotland has a new …

Let’s let Mr. Secret Dead Man himself, Duane Swierczynski, fill you in on the details:

David Loeb Goodis Convention (GoodisCon)
Plus: Deen and Jay Kogan Award for Writers of Importance and …

A few months ago it seemed all I could blog about was the CWA’s flat-footed moves concerning the Duncan Lawrie Dagger and how the 20,000 pound prize would exclude translated works. Not …

There are certain questions that authors get asked over, and over, and over again. Where do you get your ideas. Who would play your protagonist in a movie. Who would win in a fight, protag X or Y. But …

That being, “who would win in a fight, Jack Reacher or John Rain?”

The answers are revealed here. (Follow the thread to its conclusion…)

it’s a deal I’m particularly excited to report on:

Crime Blogger J.T. Ellison’s ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS, featuring a

Nashville homicide detective and her lover, an FBI profiler, who …

The New York Times profiles Reed Coleman, MWA EVP extraordinaire, Edgar-nominated author of the truly fabulous THE JAMES DEANS, and the editor of the anthology HARDBOILED BROOKLYN, which launches at …

So now it can be told: Publishers Weekly asked Ron Hogan and me to write the feature article in this week’s issue, which focuses on the formation of ITW and the 60th anniversary of the Edgar. As …

Want to know how much is taken in and spent at a Bouchercon? Al Navis and the folks who ran BCon 2004 in Toronto have released some financials, available at Jon Jordan’s Central Crime Zone. …

First up, ThrillerFest has finally, finally announced its program schedule. Lots of good stuff going on and of course, many of them are taking place at the same time.

And the Anthony Award nomination …

It’s another reminder to check out the offerings at the spiffily redesigned Mystery Circus, which not only includes a kickass forum (also redesigned) but essays so far from Ray Banks, Steve …

Belatedly, congratulations to all the winners of Mystery Ink’s 5th annual Gumshoe Awards: Laura Lippman for Best Novel, Randall Hicks for Best First Novel, Joseph Finder for Best Thriller, …

As the Honolulu Star-Bulletin puts it, what are the chances that two scientists working at the same lab would

have major-league books published at almost the same moment, about the

same subject? …

Have you been wondering what Craig McDonald, one of the best author interviewers around, has been up to? Me too, but one answer is that he’s been working to assemble the latest issue of Hardluck …

When I read Mo Hayder’s PIG ISLAND a little while ago it was, to be frank, scary as hell. If horror’s well and truly making a comeback then she really has to be at the forefront. But …

I did promise I would stop using a particular term to describe these guys’ penchant for making deals with each other, if only because hey, if it works, why not continue?

The Dead Room author …

Back to the bulletpoints again, and the award winners can all be found here.

• Like last year, emcee Jane Dentinger ran an extremely tight ship in getting the ceremony over by just about 10 PM.
• The …

Done in bulletpoint style because — surprise! — it’s another action packed day here at Casa Confessions.

• The upstairs cafe at Borders on 57th and Park has never been so crowded. …

The party last night, in one word…HOPPING. I think there were more authors in attendance per square inch than the store has ever had before, or certainly not in my previous Edgar week …

The Arthur Ellis Awards, which are given to the best in Canadian crime fiction, have announced their shortlists:

Best Novel
Rick Blechta, Cemetery
of the Nameless (RendezVous Press)
Giles Blunt, …

I know I’ve said in a bunch of places that I’m a huge fan of Paul Johnston’s work. And with good reason because his two series – the first set in a futuristic, alternate …

Unlike last year, when Passover decided that it absolutely had to conflict with the Edgars, I’ll be around for the Awards and associated events this year. So without further ado, here’s a …

If you want to know who won the Agatha Awards, check here.

Pari Noskin Taichert blogs on the honor of being nominated over at Murderati.

And because I wanted to offer a different perspective on the …

First up, and probably funniest, is thriller writer Brad Thor’s email interview with Dr. Blogstein that gets into book soundtracks, fear of terrorists, and fake presidents:

DB: How does the …

Starting at 4 PM today, The Mystery Lovers’ Bookshop in Oakmont, PA kicks off its 11th annual Festival of Mystery, and Regis Behe offers up a preview in the weekend edition of the …

First up, Kristen Weber makes her first official buy in her new job with NAL, and she brings over a familiar face from Mysterious Press:

LA Times bestselling author Patricia Smiley’s SMALL …

The Spring issue — number two, for those counting — of Demolition Magazine is now live, and the theme is decidely female-centric. Seven stories, all by women, and all well worth a read. So …

I have more to say about this news over at Galleycat, but the announcement that Random House will be launching a new line of trade paperbacks specifically for crime fiction makes me happy. Though the …

This weekend, in a bit of a change of pace, Malice Domestic will take place this weekend. Change of pace because usually it’s the weekend after the Edgars, but this time it’s the weekend …

The Celtic Tiger’s had many byproducts, but one that in hindsight makes perfect sense is the emergence of some awfully good crime writers. One of the newest is Declan Hughes, whose debut THE …

So even though Kevin reported the details already, it’s still excellent to see the official PM writeup:

Kevin Wignall’s WHO IS CONRAD HIRST?, about a professional hit man who

wants out …

They do pile up when I’m not looking…

First up, welcome aboard to the folks behind the just-launched group blog Murderati. Naomi Hirahara, Elaine Flinn, JT Ellison, Simon Wood, Pari …

And in another award that’s in its sophomore year, Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year has announced its 20-strong longlist. Mark Billingham won it last year for LAZYBONES, …

The press release appears below, but I’m pleased to report that I’ll be serving as one of the judges for this particular award. So after July 1, knock me dead with your opening lines! …

Every year at around this time Library Journal does its version of the “State of the Genre” cover story, and the newest edition, penned by LJ Fiction book review editor Wilda Williams, …

I’m late on this, naturally, but SHOTS has redesigned its front page and added loads of new content. This includes:

• New fiction by Patricia Abbott, Stephen Blackmoore, James Harris, Edward …

Tom Nolan has a fun piece in today’s Wall Street Journal about how Michael Connelly’s protagonist seems to pop up in books not actually written by him. There was the exchange cameo between …

Frequent Guardian contributor Jonathan Freedland made a guest appearance in the Sunday Times talking about why the bestseller list is crowded with thrillers of a certain, DA VINCI CODE-ish type …

Sandra Scoppettone, who’s on the judging committee for the Best First Novel award that will be given out by the Private Eye Writers of America, has sent a missive around to several mailing lists …

The current issue of the Hudson Valley-based online magazine Chronogram has a great interview with Donald Westlake (who splits his time between Upstate NY and Manhattan, mostly to attend Writers Guild …

There aren’t too many pieces of deal news that make my jaw drop. But this one did:

C.J. Box’s three stand-alone thrillers, the first about a young girl

and her brother on the run in the …

Tania over at I Love a Good Mystery offers up one of the biggest gripes going right now: the ridiculous lack of information on the official website:

I know that Bouchercon (in Madison) is still 6 …

It’s probably the coolest development on the genre short story front this year, and the list of people who have contributed to Tribe’s Flashing in the Gutters site is ever growing and …

First off, Darley Anderson does it again. There are some agents who can’t seem to settle for anything less than a six-figure deal (or at least, the ones that get reported, the rest likely …

Considering I used to contribute heaviliy to the place, I’ve been woefully remiss in catching all of you up with the latest additions at January Magazine. There’s an interview with James …

Here’s the transcript of yesterday’s DetecToday chat where I go on about writing short stories, the state of publishing, and other less important trifle. Thanks to everyone who showed up, …

One of the things I kept talking about at LCC last week was the Wall Street Journal’s piece on 92-year-old Lilian Jackson Braun, who started the “Cat Who…” mysteries 40 years …

Miss a week and things do tend to accumulate, don’t they…

Mystery Ink has announced the nominees for the Gumshoe Awards, which you can check out here. It’s great to see so many …

Just to follow up, it seems that Kristen Weber is replacing Martha Bushko, who recently left NAL to pursue other opportunities. Bushko’s authors in the mystery world included C.J. Box, Tamar …

Normally I do revolving door stuff at Galleycat but since this is specifically geared to the mystery world, it belongs here.

In any case, word comes through the transom that Weber will be leaving her …

For whatever reason I forgot to link to this yesterday, but S.J. Rozan had an excellent article in Sunday’s NYT about iconic cases in New York in the wake of Imette St. Guillen’s murder: …

For those who have the night free and want to check out a quintet of writers reading about their fictional exploits amidst the Celtic Tiger, head down to Coliseum Books on Monday night, March 13, …

It does seem like a good time to talk about the awards. I received my invite in the mail yesterday, the Symposium schedule is set, and Elites TV fetes the annual ceremony, which will take place this …

Last week Publishers Marketplace reported that Faye Kellerman had gone back William Morrow for her next 2 series novels, to be edited (once again) by Carrie Feron. She also switched UK publishers …

Though for most authors, going to the London Book Fair is actively discouraged (for good reason, because everybody is running around selling foreign rights or getting into heated debates about the …

A few weeks ago, bestselling thriller writer Douglas Preston went to Italy on vacation with his family. The trip served an additional purpose, as he was also visiting Mario Spezi, a former crime beat …

All of Ed Gorman’s Pro-Files (as he calls them) are great but imagine my delight when yesterday’s installment featured Donald Westlake who — frabjous day! — is working on …

Last Saturday BBC Radio 4 kicked off an awesome series hosted by Ian Rankin where he, along with other noted crime writers like John Harvey, Mark Billingham, John Connolly, Robert Crais, George …

Something tells me that fewer people will be reading the blog today because they’ve all begun to fly down to Florida to take part in Sleuthfest, the writing conference put on every year by the …

Boy, get nominated for the Edgar and suddenly the world really opens up. After Polygon anted up for World rights for Allan Guthrie’s next three books, they have now turned around and sold US …

An essay that’s making the rounds of various mystery folk, and justifiably provoking some ire, was penned by Karen L. Syed (who self-publishes her books at Echelon Press.) Why are people …

The setup seemed so cool, and the Hong Kong media certainly had a field day with the news that Lawrence Block would be writing a screenplay based on one of his novels for Asian film star Tony Leung …

The CWA has announced that this year’s recipient of the Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement has been given to Elmore Leonard. He will accept the award officially at a special awards …

The February issue of the online magazine is now available for perusal, and at first glance it looks really, really good. Stories from Patricia Abbott, E.C. Morgan, Terry Black, A.J. Fehr, J.E. …

Now that it’s been a while since the Duncan Lawrie bank got on board to be the Daggers’ sponsor — and a pesky controversy ensued about whether crime novels in translation should be …

They’re talking about it at Rara-Avis. It’s spreading to other lists, message boards and email discussions. Though it seems to take place on an annual basis, for whatever reason, the …

OK, I think this is phenomenally cool news (and will have to figure out a way how to see this when it airs next year): Danny King’s debut novel THE BURGLAR DIARIES, which was published by …

So first, three cheers for one of my favorite writers and people:

RAIN DOGS author Sean Doolittle’s two suspense novels, again to Shannon

Jamieson Vazquez at Bantam Dell, for publication in …

Jenny Davidson got her copy of BUST (due out from Hard Case Crime in May) and reports back almost immediately, calling it “very violent and very funny.” No kidding, as I pretty much …

Paul Levine’s new SOLOMON Vs. LORD series is attracting lots of buzz, which is an excellent reason for his alma mater of Penn State to interview him about the books, writing for TV and pearls of …

So as has been going around the blogs and the industry, Ben Affleck has started production on GONE, BABY GONE, and the casting has begun. (Shooting will take place in Boston later this summer.)

And …

The International Association of Crime Writers has announced the nominees for the Hammett Award, given to “a work of literary excellence in the field of crime writing by a US or Canadian …

Since the announcement is making the rounds, then I’ll do the same here: I’m really quite flabbergasted to be part of the lineup Duane Swierczynski’s assembled for DAMN NEAR DEAD, an …

Sometimes, mostly to amuse myself, I play what I call the game of Link Gold. That is, to find the most obscure link possible related to the mystery world. And frankly, it’s been a while since I …

The newest issue of Hardluck Stories is, to say the least, a real barnburner. Harry Shannon lined up some serious star wattage — including Ken Bruen, Adrian McKinty, Pat Lambe, Ed Gorman and JA …

After printing up LCC’s program schedule and looking over the contents, I soon realized that my strategy for panels might have to be altered in light of its scheduling at the oh-so-lovely hour …

Mark Coggins sends word of a very intriguing new project from mystery veteran Joe Gores, who’s best known for HAMMETT, his fictionalized account of the man:

In February of last year, lightning …

I’d been meaning to report about this for ages but now have a pretty damn good reason to do so. Last week, Al Guthrie was nominated for the Best PBO Edgar for KISS HER GOODYBE — and as it …

Today’s Publishers Lunch points to one of the more unusual offerings that will take place at Thrillerfest, ITW’s inaugural convention, later this year. Jack Reacher — the protagonist …

I’ve been posting a lot more on this over at Galleycat but — partly for my own record-keeping, also because I know it impacts a number of people who read this blog — it seemed like a …

Yesterday I killed an hour or so listening to some old audio interviews of Lawrence Block talking about his then current books, including WHEN THE SACRED GINMILL CLOSES and the writing guides like …

So how were this past weekend’s twin mystery conferences? David Montgomery shares his spiel on the Chicago-based Love is Murder conference:

I usually enjoy these smaller conferences a lot, as …

For some reason I managed to stay up far too late last night searching for pulp fiction set in Montreal, which if I’m not careful could spin out of control into an entire post of its own. And …

For fun, frolic, and some pretty good discussions thus far, check out the Mystery Circus, where compere John Rickards leads a group of Flying Monkeys in pursuit of the best, the brightest and the …

What’s the mystery genre without a conference where readers can meet each other, schmooze with authors and buy a lot of books? The circuit begins in earnest this week with two conferences, one …

First there was the spirited backblog discussion in the wake of the Edgar nomination announcement. Then Tod Goldberg announced he couldn’t stomach reading most mystery novels (which is just a …

The Duluth News Tribune caught up with Brian Freeman, whose debut novel IMMORAL was nominated for the Edgar:

Brian Freeman was in Duluth, researching his third novel, when the

red light flashed on …

As the Dilys Award nominees — given to the book independent booksellers most enjoyed selling — have been announced:

Colin Cotterill, Thirty Three Teeth (Soho)
Morag Joss, Half Broken …

And one that went to auction, even!

Lisa Lutz’s THE SPELLMAN FILES, a debut about a young PI working for

her highly dysfunctional family’s PI firm, to Marysue Rucci at Simon

& …

(looking for the Weekend Update? Not to worry, it’s right here.)

The Mystery Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 60th Annual Edgar Awards, which are:

Best Novel:

The …

Sometimes the best thing is to go on gut instinct, so with that in mind, please excuse the semi-breathless tone that may crop up in much of this post.

First, Best Novel, and if there’s one word …

Sometime this weekend — likely around Saturday afternoon or early evening — the Edgar Award nominations will be made public after the Mystery Writers of America board members’ …

The International Association of Crime Writers reported in its most recent newsletter that one of its founding members, Justo Vasco, died last Sunday of a stroke at the age of 63.

The Cuban-born …

the writing duo of PJ Parrish take a big step forward, as this deal report indicates:

NYT and USA Today bestseller and Edgar nominee P.J. Parrish’s next

three novels, to Louise Burke and Amy …

For whatever reason, I’ve yet to read a book by Miyuki Miyabe even though I strongly suspect I’d like her stuff (at least, based on my reaction to Natsuo Kirino’s OUT, which was …

NYTBR: So first, let’s begin with Marilyn Stasio’s column, where she reviews the latest by Charles Todd, Joan Hess, Andrea Camilleri & Massimo Carlotto. I must say it amuses me what …

So the word’s gotten out that Dana Stabenow’s BLINDFOLD GAME will appear on the New York Times’ Extended List for January 29 at #23. The news itself is certainly welcome, but most …

Nick Stone’s debut thriller MR CLARINET has been getting a ton of attention, and now that it’s finally out in the UK, Bookmunch’s Peter Wild catches up with the author and gets the …

First, the novel format, as Kevin Wignall launches LIKE PLASTIC, a new serialized novel set in Japan that’s being updated daily.

Then there’s Paul Guyot’s short story contest, where …

in lieu of a proper Weekend Update, which will be back Sunday…

Patrick Anderson pretty much digs Richard Hawke’s SPEAK OF THE DEVIL, but I haven’t decided if his last paragraph is …

My impatience for this issue is severalfold: first, it’s been a long time since the last; second, I want my Cheap Thrill Awards; and third, I’m glad that people will finally get to read …

That is the catchphrase that Bryon Quertermous — whom you might know for a variety of reasons, like the Blog Short Story Project — has affixed to his latest venture, the flashy new e-zine …

The folks over at Seattleist — part of Jake Dobkin’s amateur empire of regional blogs — caught up with J.B. Dickey & Bill Farley of the Seattle Mystery Bookshop, a store …

The Bookseller reports on a new Dutch thriller that, frankly, I’ll have to read now:

Bitter Lemon Press has bought world English rights in De eetclub (The Dining Club) by Dutch crime writer …

and with that subject header, there go the cozy readers…

But Jennifer Jordan’s upcoming anthology — the gist of which can be previewed at her nifty new site — isn’t …

Let’s compare and contrast:

In one corner, there is Charlie Huston’s vampire noir novel ALREADY DEAD, just out now from Del Rey (an imprint of Random House) and starring a private …

It’s always very cool when friends of mine get good news, and this certainly qualifies:

Kevin Wignall’s FOR THE DOGS, optioned to Stone Village Pictures (The

Human Stain, Love in the …

The notable, though sadly somewhat forgotten writer of espionage novels died last month at the age of 88, and along with its obituary, the Guardian prints a short piece by Len Deighton (who also seems …

So, bet you thought the Gold Dagger brouhaha was going to go away, right? Damage done, all forgotten till the award nomination announcements sometime in the spring? Yeah, right. Let’s play the …

for Thrilling Detective impresario Kevin Burton Smith is finally blogging (after a guest-stint here last August.)

This should be sooooo much fun….

To show how out of touch I am, this article about noted crime writer Benjamin Appel ran in the New York Times over the weekend and I managed to miss it till Tribe linked to it yesterday. Appel, who …

One site I don’t pay nearly as much attention to is James Clar’s “These Mean Streets”, an ever-growing collection of book reviews. And honestly, I’m not sure why …

There are times when I think I pick on Patrick Anderson just a little too much, but then he goes and delivers a review like today’s (for Charlie Huston’s fab ALREADY DEAD) that makes me …

Ed Gorman reported some sad news over the weekend: Elmer Grape, husband of longtime mystery writer Jan Grape (and the former owner, along with her, of Mysteries and More bookstore) has died at the age …

The WSJ’s Tom Nolan talks to Cuban crime writer Jose Latour about why he switched from writing in Spanish to English, his biggest worries, and how he got out of his native country:

Do you …

Since it’s still technically a holiday today (and at least in my case,for a few more days yet) I decided to hold off on the Update till now. And to start off, my latest column (and last one of …

A few people have asked — very nicely, I might add — if I’m going to be writing up my own “Best of ’05” list. For one thing, my final column for the Sun (which runs …

I’ll start with Canada but alas, this will be a short section because I just don’t pay as much attention to what’s happening in my home country as I probably should. There are the …

Yes, there’s a nice sized update over there, consisting of:

• Ali Karim’s writeup (and picture gallery) of last month’s Dagger Awards

• brand new fiction from Iain Rowan, David Linzee …

Or maybe I’m just easily amused by Sara Gran’s particular mode of response:

Confidential to “PW” in

NYC: I’m glad to hear that you don’t “blame” me. …

That’s what Stephen Moss wants to know about Agatha Christie:

Nothing explains the enduring popularity of Agatha Christie, except her

appeal to foreign students [studying English],” …

A while back, Ian Rankin and PD James were quoted in several papers, like the Times and the Scotsman, with regards to comments they had made about whether crime fiction would ever get the …

Ed Gorman hosts a wonderful retrospective on McBain’s work from a noted contemporary of his, Stephen Marlowe:

In the early 1950s, when we first met, he was still Sal Lombino and I

was still …

Mostly because the opening of Victoria Coren’s Observer piece is so damn funny on one level that you can almost tell she’s struggling to get her argument across:

The other day, I was …

And I know you’re probably all sick to death of the topic, but there’s a bit more mileage I can wring out of it, I’m sure:

• First, my Galleycat post on Boyd Tonkin’s …

Sadly, Dick Donahue’s forecast piece and Rosemary Herbert’s bookseller spotlight on the mystery world for PW are behind subscription firewalls, but I’ll do my best to offer up some …

And things are awfully busy at William Morrow. First there’s David Highfill, who makes his first big acquisition since jumping ship from Putnam:

Co-author with James Patterson of five books …

Since a few folks were kind enough to ask how the reading at Barbes went on Sunday night, I thought I’d point you to Dave White’s storyboarded, picture-heavy version of the night. The good …

It’s the brainchild of Baltimore-based Cortright McMeel and Tristan Davies, and from the missive McMeel sent me, I’m already super excited for this mag’s prospects. The submission …

Well, not exactly a makeover, but they are changing things around a bit, according to a report by the Bookseller:

Headline has appointed a specialist crime and thriller editor for the

first time as …

I held off on posting this till Monday for a few reasons, mostly because I found it pretty ridiculous that there was actual need to embargo the damn thing. I mean, hello? So they got a new sponsor and …

Sue Grafton’s S IS FOR SILENCE is being reviewed in almost every major newspaper, it seems. There’s Dick Lochte for the LA Times, whose take is as measured as his reviews normally are; …

I’ll be in a few places this weekend, if you want to catch me speaking or reading:

• Saturday, December 3 kicks off the Small Press Book Fair, and at 5 PM I’ll be speaking on a panel with …

Is it telling that I’m still thinking very much about CORONADO the morning after I saw it? Thinking that I really need to see this play again soon? Point is, I had high expectations but tried …

The Best Scottish book of the year goes, for the first time, to an English writer — and a crime novel:

KATE Atkinson’s Case Histories yesterday became the first crime novel

and the …

This is going to be an interesting week for Dennis Lehane, as his very first play, CORONADO, opens tomorrow night at New York’s Invisible City Theater (and your faithful correspondent will be …

The MWA Submissions List is probably the most important document in the crime fiction world. Well, it’s certainly one of my go-to lists, if only to remind me just how many books are published in …

So a long long time ago in a blog post far away — a little over a year ago, in fact — I entertained the backblog masses with a somewhat tongue-in-cheek writeup about Australia’s #1 …

Bob Cornwell (who was once the webmaster for the CWA’s site) shares his thoughts on the prospective rule change that would kick out translated crime novels from consideration for the Gold Dagger …

The well-regarded indie publisher announces its latest round of themed noir anthologies, and of course I’d say that the lineups look pretty amazing, what with being in another one and all. But …

I’m thinking especially of this guy, but it’s great news nonetheless:

LA Times bestselling author John Shannon’s THE DARK STREETS, the latest novel in the Jack Liffey …

And I’m really, really curious to know who the other players in this auction were (and if I find out, I’ll more likely report on it here) but the winner is:

Man Booker Prize Winner John …

Though the news has been slowly leaking out, the Mystery Writers of America has made their official announcements for these awards, as follows:

• The first Raven award goes to

  Joan Hansen, who six …

Can you believe Thanksgiving will be next week? Neither can I (though the weather’s finally in line with the holiday) but the Internet radio station KCRW is offering a fine treat for mystery …

Sara Gran, whose forthcoming novel DOPE absolutely blew me away, talks to Bookmunch’s Peter Wild about her novels and what prompted her to tackle the subject matter she did for the new one:

PW …

To make a long story short, I’m in a weird, yet incredibly busy place in my life right now. So to make up for this, I direct you to the following:

• Galleycat (which you’re all reading, …

In a fairly provocative essay in today’s Guardian by noted crime fiction critic Marcel Berlins, he asks that very question, pretty much, in light of the CWA’s decision to restrict Gold …

So say you’re a writer’s association based in a particular country, and you’re supposed to give out awards for the best book written by someone based in that country. But then, oh …

The joys of having a 30-day trial to the Bookseller means that I can actually read their articles and deal reports in full, not just excerpts! So that’s how I can relate this recent item of …

The subject header pretty much sums it up, but here’s the deal report from late last week:

Walter Mosley’s KILLING JOHNNY FRY: A Sexistentialist Novel, an erotic

noir about a man whose …

January Magazine’s occasional column of crime fiction book reviews, news and more returns this month and it’s full of good stuff, including:

• Editor J. Kingston Pierce’s picks for …

So first, a hearty welcome to those that followed the link from Terry Teachout’s “Sightings” column in the Weekend Wall Street Journal. I’m especially proud because it may well …

I had the chance to do so yesterday afternoon at the offices of St. Martin’s Press (which I’ve written up in way more detail for Galleycat) but to sum up: the Gold Dagger is awfully …

Dean Koontz’s now-infamous speech at the Men of Mystery event last weekend has been burning up the ‘sphere ever since. So naturally, I waited till a print newspaper picked it up before …

When I got a copy of Robert Greer’s new book, RESURRECTING LANGSTON BLUE (brought out by his new publisher, North Atlantic Press), it was hard not to marvel at his accomplishments: novelist, …

Archer Mayor has been writing the Joe Gunther mystery novels for about 25 years, and because of their very Vermont-centricness, he gets interesting reactions to the books wherever he goes in the state …

Results courtesy the CWA’s spiffy, newly redesigned website:

Gold Dagger: Arnaldur Indridason, Silence of the Grave (Harvill)

Silver Dagger: Barbara Nadel, Deadly Web (Headline)

John Creasey …

I’m too lazy to do a full post on this over here so I’ll link to my Galleycat writeup of Jeff Trachtenberg’s WSJ article instead.

Suffice to say that it’s a fascinating piece, …

The Mystery Writers of America has announced its Grandmaster for 2006, and the honor — thoroughly deserved, goes to Stuart Kaminsky.

According to the press release sent out this morning, the …

Tomorrow’s Dagger luncheon promises to be a lively affair, and I’m aiming to have results, commentary and pictures up in a fairly timely fashion. To that end, I’ve set up yet another …

I’m far from the only one to hear some of the buzz about Scottish crime novelist Lin Anderson, whose first three novels featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod were published by Luath Press. …

CNN has a substantial profile of Charles Ardai & Max Phillips, the crazy kids behind the ever-growing sucessful paperback imprint line of pulp fiction, Hard Case Crime:

When Charles Ardai and …

Bloomberg news’s Peter Elliot has a fairly typical Q&A with the author of so many crime novels (the latest being THIRTEEN STEPS DOWN and END IN TEARS, the new Wexford) but the last exchange …

So remember earlier this year there was this tie-in book called THE KILLING CLUB, which Michael Malone wrote in the voice of a character from the ABC soap ONE LIFE TO LIVE? It did so well — NYT …

The author of the Inspector Banks series is recovering well from his mild heart attack last month at the Calgary Wordfest. He sent a message to the Crime Writers of Canada membership as follows: …

It’s funny how far in advance the publishing world works. Just as Soho Press sends out their spring/summer catalogue, they’re gearing up for next fall with a couple of intriguing offerings …

I have had several emails asking me when the next issue of Shred of Evidence would appear — and now I can report that it’s arrived, and a double issue at that. I haven’t had a chance …

Mark Billingham continues his occasional series of columns for the Bookseller talking about the writing life. This time, he tackles the age-old question: does it get easier with each book? Guess what …

That’s what I get for doing this pesky thing called a day job…I miss fun stuff like this interview Stuart Woods — noted crime genre artiste — gave at the Book Standard the …

The last few weeks has seen some spirited debate and great commentary about the question of where seriousness and expectation fit into the world of crime fiction. But it was Olen Steinhauer’s …

Subject header pretty much says it all, but the deal report — a few weeks after the logistics were worked out — has the details:

Barry- and Anthony Award-winning crime writer …

Lee Goldberg links to a missive from Publishers Weekly yesterday that breaks the sad news: Uglytown is suspending publication until next spring:

[Tom] Fassbender  said

UglyTown has been …

At Northwestern University’s law school, Rob Warden heads up the Center on Wrongful Convictions and spends the bulk of his time poring over cases where innocent men may have been sent to Death …

There was a great article over the weekend about John D. MacDonald and his best-known alter ego, Travis McGee, in the Weekend WSJ. Leonard Cassutto’s piece is, sadly, behind a firewall, but …

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s David Hiltbrand (a mystery novelist in his own right) wonders if society isn’t getting desensitized to gratutious violence and if there’s anything to do …

Diana O’Hehir was once shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize, wrote several volumes of poetry, and taught writing at Mills College for 32 years. At 83, some might think it’s time to settle …

But this time, there are a few twists attached:

Marcus Sakey’s THE BLADE ITSELF, about a regular-guy protagonist caught up in a kidnapping scheme that just might cost him everything he …

It’s a sweeping thing to say, but for the moment, it’s true — and the name to remember is Europa Editions.

Why have they become my new favorite publisher? Because of chance, really. …

Jonathan Santlofer’s newest thriller, THE KILLING ART, is in stores right now. And as he tells Newsday, it’s got a unique gimmick that other mystery novels don’t have: original …

It may be too early to call this a bona fide trend, but then again, so often we get a trend of one these days. But considering Kathryn Fox’s debut MALICIOUS INTENT will be out next month in the …

Well, that’s what her biographer, Laura Thompson, tried to find out after seeing a more modern version of the play AND THEN THERE WERE NONE:

I am again watching And Then There Were …

SHOTS Magazine has updated their website with loads of new content, including:

• interviews with Harlan Coben and Lee Child (as well as a photoshoot from several of Lee’s signings)
• A brief …

It’s impossible to prove if he had anything to do with it, but after a solid week of non-stop rain, the sun broke out on what proved to a be a beautiful fall afternoon — and a perfect …

The Florida-based author of FEVER doesn’t just have a hell of a “road to publication” story to tell, he offers tips on what he’s learned with publishing that are, well, rather …

It’s the day after the fast. I’m trying to stay out of the big litblog skirmish (except to say that shame, shame, SHAME on Salon for publishing an article about one Jew having a beef with …

Louise Welsh’s essay in today’s Scotsman offers up some reason why so many writers turn to the proverbial dark side:

…[E]ven if murder fascinates, is it an appropriate …

Twice a year, Publishers Weekly does a roundup of what the magazine believes are the rising stars of the genre, talking to editors, publicists, and others in the industry — as well as the …

Ayo Onatade reports that last night, the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger went to C.J. Sansom for his second novel, DARK FIRE (MacMillan.) It was a tough field, but congratulations to Sansom, whose work …

This most amusing interview by the Freep’s Marta Salij is very wide ranging, spending just as much time on Leonard’s longtime research assistant and webmaster, Gregg Sutter, as on the …

Stacey Cochran presents this very lengthy chat over at January Magazine with Jennifer Colt, the author of THE BUTCHER OF BEVERLY HILLS and soon, several more books featuring California chick PIs Terry …

Poor Lori Hill. The books editor of the Philadelphia City Paper (and, doing the whole full disclosure thing, the assigning editor on my profile of Jennifer Weiner from last month) had the unfortunate …

Well, not really everywhere, but I needed a good excuse to report on the fact that in a matter of days, one of the longtime stalwarts of the independent mystery book world is moving to a new location. …

But then again, this is just very, very cool news, as reported early this morning on Duane Swierczynski’s Secret Dead Blog:

Meet Al Guthrie, literary agent.

Yep,

that’s the same Al …

First off, hoo boy.

A few years ago, it seemed like the Gold Dagger was awarded to a crime writer from another country. Think of Jose Carlos Somoza’s THE ATHENIAN MURDERS, or Henning Mankell’s …

They have finally, finally shown up, and here they are:

GOLD AND SILVER DAGGERS FOR FICTION

Karin Fossum, CALLING OUT TO YOU (Harvill Secker)
Fredrich Glauser, IN MATTO’S …

In the department of “everything old is new again,” MYSTERY*FILE, one of the oldest existing mystery fanzines, has migrated from print to the web. I’m glad to see it back in its new …

I have been hopelessly remiss in blogging about the weeklong Brit-themed festival happening now at Partners & Crime, but for those looking for book-related entertainment, fabulous prizes and more, …

At the Toronto Bouchercon, some of you may remember an ad in the accompanying handbook that read something like this:

!!!LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

The first 500 literary agents

who answer this ad will …

Jacqueline Winspear tells the SF Chronicle about her unusual inspiration for what has proved to be a bestselling series starring 1920s-era heroine Maisie Dobbs:

So there she was, stuck in a traffic …

The shortlist for the annual award given out by the Nero Wolfe Society has been announced:

A Spectacle of Corruption by David Liss (Random House)

The Enemy by Lee Child (Delacorte)

The Drowning …

The novelist best known for MYSTIC RIVER is spending the current calendar year at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, his old alma mater, teaching classes and organizing conferences:

Eckerd College, …

Ian Rankin seems to figure in some news story by the Scotsman every day, practically, but this one’s of particular significance because he goes into detail about the inevitability of ending …

Busy morning what with meetings and other pesky duties but since several people brought up Jennifer Weiner’s GOODNIGHT NOBODY and wondered why it hadn’t been getting any attention in the …

The NY Post reports on Ed Conlon’s new book deal to write a police thriller:

Detective Ed Conlon has just sold his first novel — a gritty cop thriller set in the northern tip of …

Now granted, I still have to watch the actual clip of Karin Slaughter’s appearance on the CBS Early Show earlier today, but usually the online transcripts are pretty faithful to what was said on …

George Easter has posted his report of the convention on the Deadly Pleasures website, warning all that he will drop many names — and quite cheerfully, at that. Although I must say that I like …

Christopher Fowler’s dabbled in many genres, but currently he’s having a ball with his new mystery series featuring octegenarian police detectives Arthur Bryant & John May. The latest, …

The newest issue of Crime Scene Scotland is finally here, and while Russel McLean is still busily preparing his post-BCon report, there are lots of other things to chew on in the meantime, like Jon …

I got a note over the weekend from author Elaine Flinn, who is chairing the judging committee for the International Thriller Writers’ Best First Thriller Award. As of this writing, there have …

As reported by his webmaster (and also the Black Orchid Bookshop), there will be a memorial service for Evan Hunter held on Saturday, October 15 at 3 PM. This service, which is being arranged by his …

The Dagger shortlist parade has begun, as always, with the finalists in the historical mystery category. They are:

Tom Bradby, THE GOD OF CHAOS (Bantam/Transworld)

Barbara …

As this was the first time I’ve ever attended an event at the New York Public Library, I wasn’t sure what to expect — but it did come as a surprise to take the elevator …

Or at least, she tells the Book Standard whatever she wants in relation to the upcoming release of S IS FOR SILENCE, due out in December:

KR: What separates a good mystery novel from a bad one?



SG: …

This may well be my favorite BCon related exchange ever, as taken from the blog of Michael Simon, author of DIRTY SALLY and BODY SCISSORS:

On arrival back home [from Bouchercon], I got an email from …

One of my favorite independent mystery-dominated small presses, Bleak House Books, has been bought out by Big Earth Publishing, as reported last night by Publishers Weekly:

Big Earth Publishing has …

So every year, the Private Eye Writers of America, in tandem with St. Martin’s Press, runs a contest for the best unpublished PI manuscript. The winner gets his or her work published and a …

Jiro Kimura reports that one of mystery fandom’s great regulars has died. Sue Feder, who founded the Historical Mystery Appreciation Society and wrote reviews for many fan publications like …

I’m only linking this article for the picture, but this piece by Jane Slade for the Daily Snack touches on several other rather important things — like his housing preferences:

A year …

This BBC article puzzled me as much as it did the reporter, I think. Agatha Christie’s a billion-copy seller so…how is she being ignored? But since it is Agatha Christie Week, I suppose …

One of the things that arose after Bouchercon was a discussion on panels — or more accurately, how some people are more gifted at moderating them than others. But an intrepid group of folks, …

Paul Guyot asked, Lee Goldberg concurred, and so must I: where does all the money that attendees pay into each and every Bouchercon actually go? Do they, as allegedly they are supposed to, get passed …

At one end of the spectrum, there’s the continuing celebration of the 75th anniversary of The Maltese Falcon:

When Dashiell Hammett wrote “The Maltese Falcon” back in 1930, he put …

So in the midst of getting caught up with what happened over the weekend, there’s one thing that either I completely missed noticing, or people aren’t talking about it as much in the …

So you want to know who won all those awards? Well, I stole the lists from Jiro Kimura, but what the hell:

ANTHONY AWARDS

Best Novel: William Kent Krueger, Blood Hollow (Atria/S&S)
Best First …

Nothing from me till Labor Day but not surprisingly, Jiro Kimura is first out of the gate to report that the Hammett Prize, given by the IACW for the Best Crime Novel in 2004, was won by Chuck Hogan …

There’s sort of a discombobulating feeling to know that the biggest event is mystery is starting tomorrow — with many people already on their way into Chicago — and the only way …

Ever since Fiona Walker disappeared from the Crime Fiction Dossier, I’ve felt kind of de-anchored when it comes to what’s happening on the UK crime fiction front. Maybe it’s because …

So first, a huge thank-you to CJ and Jenny for helming the site for the remainder of the week.

The word’s pretty much leaked out by now but to make it official, from August 29th through to …

It all started after browsing through Amazon UK, which is notorious for putting up listings almost 2 years in advance (for example, see this for Steve Hamilton’s forthcoming standalone — …

In the midst of volumes and volumes about the business of writing that’s accumulated in this corner of the blogosphere, this particular snippet leaped out at me:

[He] was never a failure, in …

In just a few short years, Selina Walker has pretty well established herself as one of the top editors of crime fiction in Britain. Now Transworld has promoted her and in their minds, made this …

So when Patricia Cornwell’s PORTRAIT OF A KILLER was released way back in 2002, many folks — myself included — dismissed it as a bunch of hooey (read the opening prologue where she …

One of my biggest regrets is that I completely whiffed on the chance to meet James Crumley a couple of years ago when he was at Bouchercon in Vegas, and that bad luck will probably extend to future …

One of the longstanding leading lights of the mystery world has passed away at the age of 81:

Santa Barbara resident Dennis Lynds, the prolific and best-selling

author of mystery novels who wrote …

First off, huge thanks to Kevin and Megan for their exemplary guest blog stints. I know I’ll be thinking a fair bit about editing, and nostalgia in noir, and all the other cool stuff both of …

As I’ve said before, one of my dearest wishes is to attend the Edinburgh Book Festival. It just looks like so much fun and always has a stellar lineup, especially on the crime fiction front. So …

I don’t think it’s been a huge secret that John Mortimer — author of “Rumpole of the Bailey” and a zillion other tales featuring the cranky barrister — catted …

The Ann Arbor News has a nice interview with Doug Allyn, known primarily for his prolific short story output but occasionally — as now — he does write a novel, too:

Crime …

And the new issue of Thrilling Detective is finally live, with the usual mix of awesome stories, kickass interviews and other choice goodness as delivered to your web browsers by Kevin Burton Smith …

I’m about halfway through reading Brian Freeman’s debut thriller IMMORAL (which will be out in a few weeks from St. Martin’s and has been heavily hyped since BEA) and wondered how …

Last night I went to see THE ARISTOCRATS, a movie I have been dying to see since word got out about how good it was last January, at the Sundance Festival. And after watching it, I believe the …

The Christian Science Monitor wonders what’s happening outside the confines of the US and UK when it comes to mystery fiction — and to their surprise (though not mine) there’s lots …

First off, many thanks to Harry and Barry for spearheading the joint this week — and stay tuned next week for two more guests…

While I was away, the Quills — which seems to be …

The newest issue of Hardluck Stories is now available for perusal. As guest-edited by Neddal Ayad, the stories have a distinctly odd bent to them, as befitting a “Weird Noir” issue.

And …

Another day, another article about the chick lit mystery trend. Hey, it’s hot, and certainly blogworthy, but I suppose it might have worked better if Amy Rosenberg didn’t have to rely so …

Especially when your clients ink contracts like this one:

Dan Fesperman’s THE PRISONER OF GUANTANAMO, to Sonny Mehta at Knopf, in a two-book deal, by Jane Chelius of the Jane Chelius …

Is it me, or are the author profiles getting weirder and weirder? Now here’s Kate White, editor of Cosmopolitan and writer of several enjoyable mystery novels, talking about…her pet …

Is it just me who giggles slightly at the name the CWA has bestowed upon their Ur-award for the alleged all-time greatest crime novel that has ever won the Gold Dagger? I’ve made a Handel joke …

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that yesterday’s post provoked lots of chatter, and that I’m not exactly done with the topic.

The expectation, I believe, is that when a mystery …

The world of the paperback original is often a murky one. There are times when it’s easy to see why certain books — or certain writers — are consigned to the mass market stacks, even …

So the reports from the recently completed Harrogate Crime festival are streaming in, and all seem to converge towards a single conclusion: yet another successful weekend

Russel MacLean attended for …

So my first instinct upon reading this is to remember my absolute distaste for Patricia Cornwell’s witch hunt of Walter Sickert to “prove” he was Jack the Ripper. But then …

On July 19, Eddie Bunker, the ex-con turned crime novelist, died from complications of a recent surgery at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, CA. He was 71. Not surprisingly, news of his death has …

The full grid has been posted, (no direct link, just click on “Panels” in the drop-down menu) and a few things spring to mind:

By not listing the Shamus Award location and …

Peter Spiegelman, whose second novel DEATH’S LITTLE HELPERS is just out, talks to the NYT’s Alison Leigh Cowan about making the switch from the world of finance to the world of fiction, …

Jiro Kimura (who’s been on semi-hiatus for a while) reports that Philip Nicholson, best known for writing as A.J. Quinnell, died at his home in Malta on July 10 at the age of 65. His debut …

Tod Goldberg has further details, and it’s utterly amazing that after her body rejected one liver, another exact match was found. She underwent surgery yesterday and is in recuperation, but no …

And along with the second report by Rebecca Pawel, Denise Hamilton checks in as well!

Pawel goes first, reporting on what transpired over the course of the week:

I think it´s best to start this …

Thanks to incredible efforts by co-chairs Ruth Jordan and Judy Bobalik, Bouchercon will be held in Charm City in 2008. Though the official website isn’t ready yet, the BCon 2008 blog is — …

Texas has produced a long line of top crime novelists — James Lee Burke, Jim Thompson and Joe Lansdale, to name a few. But as Jerome Weeks reports for the Dallas Morning News, add Milton …

The mystery community has known for some time that Barbara Seranella, well-acclaimed author of the Munch Mancini novels, has been on the wait list for a liver transplant and has been hospitalized for …

The trend in mystery these days has definitely gravitated towards more character-driven work. And while I and many others welcome this, what then of plot? Is it being sacrificed because readers give …

The Spaniards sure know how to throw a party, and this week — which brings back the annual Semana Negra writing festival devoted to all manners genre fiction, crime and otherwise — is …

After Frank Prial did his best to be snippy, James Grady comes back with a more balanced take on Evan Hunter’s legacy:

McBain’s cops resembled the real America, not the Dragnet …

Lee Goldberg (with additional commentary by his brother, Tod) point out just how much of a train wreck Eugen Weber’s occasional mystery column for the LA Times truly is. The words used are …

Like Ed Gorman, I get the feeling that the weekend piece in the NYT by Frank Prial on Evan Hunter (aka Ed McBain) seems just a bit, I dunno, pointed? But judge for yourself with comments like these: …

Over at the Lipstick Chronicles, I have my say about the so-called gender divide in the crime fiction genre (for those keeping score: Laura Lippman’s take went up Tuesday and Wednesday, and …

The man beloved to millions of crime fiction fans under his real name and as Ed McBain passed away yesterday afternoon. He was 78. The cause, as a New York Times obituary written by Marilyn Stasio …

Now this is a marketing strategy to embrace. Always on the lookout for innovative ways to raise awareness for books, M.J. Rose — marketing doyenne, blogger, and primarily the author of books …

The other side of the pond’s been doing a nice job ferreting out great information from top authors. Tangled Web recently caught up with Lee Child when he was doing his UK tour for ONE SHOT and …

The lovely ladies of the Lipstick Chronicles have kicked off a weeklong feature that spotlights a pressing question in the mystery world: is it true that guys get more attention and respect, and if …

There’s been a lot of talk about what to do with book tours. Some folks love to do it; others think it’s a waste of time. What seems to be a consensus is that it needs to be rethought, and …

Maggie Topkis, one of the founders of the mystery bookshop (and my old working haunt) Partners & Crime launched a new imprint last week at the bookstore to bring back underappreciated gems into …

Good lord, I don’t know how J. Kingston Pierce does it but he’s assembled yet another fine edition of reviews, news and more in the world of crime fiction. Yes, the Rap Sheet is back and …