Posts

Like many Jewish little girls — and, no doubt, many non-Jewish ones — I read the ALL OF A KIND FAMILY books cover to cover, over and over. So I was especially pleased to see Melanie …

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 …

This book sounds too bizarre and strange not to note (especially as I can think of several people who might need such a copy) and so, here’s Daniel Wilson talking to the New York Times about …

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 …

This year, the annual awards for the best in online fiction has a sponsor — Spoiled Ink. This means that the overall winner will get $300, while the Top Ten get a $50 membership to the literary …

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 …

Out and about for the most part today so links will be delivered bullet-style:

Ed Gorman has begun a fabulous ongoing series of “Pro-Files” of wonderful and underrated writers like Andrew …

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 …

Yes, it’s my birthday. And yes, it’s snowing up a storm outside. Whether the two events are correlated is up for debate, but I choose to think that it’s a reminder that you can take …

Some of you know Aliya Whiteley for her short stories, which have appeared or are forthcoming in Pulp.net, Shred of Evidence (later in the ADVENTURE OF THE MISSING DETECTIVE anthology), Demolition and …

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 …

Paul Southern, the Manchester-based crime novelist, writes about openness and tolerance but has much trouble being able to carry it forward in his personal life, as the Times reports.

David …

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 …

NYTBR: Marilyn Stasio expends her crime reviewing energies on new releases by Sara Gran, Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza, Carol Goodman & Henry Kisor; Rachel Donadio talks to Malcolm Gladwell about how …

In something of a change of pace, I’ve got a flash fiction piece posted over at Tribe’s new fiction digs, Flash in the Gutter. While you’re there, check out other offerings from Olen …

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 …

So it looks like the once-beloved comedian might have his dirty laundry aired in court:

A federal judge ruled yesterday that comedian Bill Cosby – in

response to a sexual-assault suit – …

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 …

This has been making the email and blog rounds but I thought I’d share this here as well. Beth Tindall (of CincinnatiMedia and many, many author websites fame) is working with the Literacy …

Some of the UK’s top authors prepare reading lists for children, and as the Guardian reports, the results are eclectic and challenging for the most part.

Jonathan Yardley strikes a good note …

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 …

So first, the new column, which features reviews of new books by Peter Blauner, Dana Stabenow, Tom Gabbay, and TK.

Also spent the weekend reading everyone else’s short stories in DUBLIN NOIR …

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’ …

Meet 48-year-old Juana Barraza, recently arrested in Mexico on suspicion of being the “Little Old Lady Killer”:

The suspect, identified as Juana Barraza, 48, told reporters at the

scene …

Handwritten blogging! Especially with awesome prehistoric Internet references!

I’d do it except I’m lazy and technologically challenged, but surely others will step up to the plate… …

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 …

Research, appointments and various other unimportant things will keep me away for much of today. But it’s probably a good time to remind one and all that I’m still holding the fort (and …

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 …

Or maybe I’m the only one who thinks this item is:

Seventies teen idol Leif Garrett was being held

without bail after authorities said he was suspected of carrying

narcotics and not having a …

Skating with Celebrities. Tonight on Fox. Because lord knows watching C-listers partner up with the likes of Nancy Kerrigan makes for bizarre entertainment.

If there’s one piece of advice I’d probably give to anyone going to a play with the intent to review, try not to sit two seats away from the playwright in question. Granted, I didn’t …

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 …

Posting will resume tomorrow. Haven’t decided if I’m going to do the Weekend Update or not, but a review of mine did find its way into a new-for-me newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, …

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 …

I first bring you my all time favorite hoax: The case of I, LIBERTINE.

And then follow up with the exhausting, head-banging-against-wall-inducing story of B. Traven.

(and for those still playing …

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 …

NYTBR: Before we get to what appears to be the Book Review’s theme this week — politically savvy journo chicks — let’s first turn to Marilyn Stasio’s first mystery column …

Last night at Michele Martinez’s Black Orchid signing I got a couple of people saying that yesterday’s total output was on the tad depressing side, so even though my Friday posts are …

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 …

I suppose the death of Canadian poet Irving Layton probably won’t have the impact now that it might have, say, twenty years ago. But nevertheless, this guy was Canadian poetry, and without him, …

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….

Paul Guyot links to fellow scribe James Lincoln Warren’s fabulous post on the choices writers have to make in telling a story — and how critical those choices must be:

[…]good …

Like, you know, this:

In what’s surely the scariest development of the young new year, allhiphop.com reports that “Dirty Dancing” star Patrick Swayze
wants to release a rap single. …

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 …

If my New Year’s party was any indication, 2006 will include a bit of the past, a lot of reconnections with cool people, and a very bright future. Conjecture, but then I’m only sticking to …

Now that the ole internet connection’s back, I can actually do stuff again though scarce is the word for the rest of the week. In the meantime, some random me-related things: …

Due to the PMSing whims of my internet connection, posting will be rather scarce for the rest of the week — which will make an already slow holiday schedule even slower. I’ll check in …

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 …

But that’s what happens when you’re put into an immediate crappy mood.

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],” …

There are, I suppose, distinct advantages in staying home, blogging in your pajamas and not working.

I just hope this is resolved soon, but I’m not that optimistic.

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 …

Before I get to the update, I must note the passing of one of the greats of thriller writing, Trevanian (otherwise known as Rodney Whittaker) who died in England earlier this week at the age of 74. If …

Bullet style for the hectically challenged:

• Kacey Kowars (who interviewed me several months ago for his Internet radio show) now turns his attention to Scott Wolven, whose story collection …

Everywhere I look I see some permutation of “Best of” lists around the ‘sphere, and although I certainly have plenty of novels under consideration for the honor, I’m also glad …

Because a small town in Brazil will flout them anyway:

BIRITIBA MIRIM, Brazil — There’s no more room to bury the dead,

they can’t be cremated, and laws forbid a new cemetery. So …

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 …

I shouldn’t let my blood boil over this, but I really, really don’t get why the whole bar mitzvah culture has spun so wildly out of control:

A state-of-the-art New York bar mitzvah owes …

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 …

Vacations are the best inventions ever. Especially vacations where I can walk into my old local bookstore haunt, go directly to the mystery section and find at least 10 books not available in New York …

Where it is indeed quite north and quite frozen, I must say. But enforced vacation is a very good thing so except for the Publishers Weekly article analysis that appears below (and of course, plenty …

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 …

Contemporary Nomad has barely been up two days but I’m already highly addicted — not surprising, since I’ve already paid close attention to the collective witticisms of Kevin Wignall …

At least, I know I’d read this:

Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked, the story of Oz told from the

Wicked Witch’s perspective, has completed a novel told from the point

of view of the …

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; …

Although it almost wasn’t, considering the insane amount of time I spent fighting with my spastic internet connection. No doubt there must be some sort of cosmic irony that it crapped out on my …

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 …

If I had to pick what’s the most common question I get asked, it is this: “how are you able to balance everything you do and have time for it all?” Usually I make some joke or shrug …

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 …

That is the question that enters my mind as I read about this new deal:

Tom Cavanagh’s FAN KLUB, about a former detective with only months to

live who accepts one last case – tracking …

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 …

Bloody hell, this isn’t even my holiday but it seems I’ve taken it up with major league gusto (even though any turkey I had was by proxy, but it seemed to work well enough…) So as I …

which is to say, go forth and be gluttonous. I know I will. Happy Thanksgiving, and I’ll be back Sunday with the Weekend Update.

And one word of advice: frozen turkeys have even more uses than …

Courtesy CAAF at Tingle Alley, about George R.R. Martin’s new doorstop fantasy novel, A FEAST OF CROWS:

There are lots of intelligent things could be written about the involved …

Paul Guyot has a great discussion about the importance of setting for a story, and more importantly, how a place you don’t necessarily like can inspire good writing:

I’ve been …

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 …

The latest Bat Segundo show features Jennifer Weiner, chatting about GOODNIGHT NOBODY, mysteries and the whole chick lit business. Over at MobyLives (where the switch to podcasting is a stroke of …

Although as far as I’m concerned, I have a pretty damn good excuse to be lazy…

NYTBR: Jonathan Lethem writes about one of his favorite authors, Italo Calvino, on the 20th anniversary of …

My main email’s crapping out, so if you’ve sent me something in the last day or so, I probably haven’t seen it. Please use sarah DOT weinman AT gmail DOT com for the time being. …

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 …

Otherwise how would we get fun deals like this one?

Kaitlyn Dunnett’s KILT DEAD, featuring a professional Scottish dancer who returns to her roots following a career-ending injury only …

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 …

So I start reading this article in the Rocky Mountain Collegian about this aspiring writer. And it sounds interesting enough: young guy, trying to improve his craft, writes a novel, blah blah blah. …

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 …

Somehow I managed to skip posting about the death of the author of notable novels such as THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT’S WOMAN, THE MAGUS and THE COLLECTOR, but luckily Mark Sarvas has assembled an …

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. …

God, it’s been ages since I’ve written up a crime story on the blog, but it’s nice to get back to highlighting the weird, the bizarre and the frightening, at least on a limited …

So first, I jump on the growing bandwagon of reviewing Scott Turow’s new novel, ORDINARY HEROES. I daresay my reaction was a little different than everyone else’s, but then, I’m …

National Novel Writing Month is underway, with over 60,000 brave souls attempting to write a semblance of a 50,000 word tome in 30 days. Most just wanna have fun; some really do want to get published. …

Not much today — though there will be something early this afternoon — but this is also a reminder that I’ve had some stuff most every day over at Galleycat, with a bulletpoint …

A song which makes perfect sense considering this particular deal:

Terri Garey’s DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY, about a former Goth girl who wakes up from a near-death experience to find herself …

Because a combination of extreme stress, brain death and potential sea changes are messing with my head of late (and thus killing the whole blog productivity in the process) I bring you the following …

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 …

And I hope I’m not the only one who’s stil adjusting to the whole “turn the clocks back” business…

Lisa Crystal Carver has tried her hand at many things, but as she …

Another month, another column, and this time I look at new books by Michael Connelly, Sujata Massey, Tasha Alexander, Reginald Hill and Arnaldur Indridason — all of which I liked to varying …

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 …

While other people concern themselves with Al Franken’s Minnesota Senate bid, I find this a hell of a lot more amusing:

In the offices of The New York Times, Caleb Carr’s name may mean …

Oh it’s fun to be on deadline, tra-la, tra-la…which means there’s been a serious accumulation of potentially good links:

Giller Prize nominee Lisa Moore talks to the Globe & …

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 …

Before I get to the links, I wanted to extend a hearty congratulations to two of my favorite people in the mystery world, Bonnie Claeson & Joe Gugliemelli — who will be next year’s …

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 …

If you are a child of a certain age (and, I guess, from a certain continent) you grew up reading ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN novels and having your mind blown to smithereens by how stoopid a villain Bugs Meany …

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 …

Quickly, because that seems to be the order of things today, if not this week:

P.D. James is a woman of many names and many books; she talks to the Globe & Mail’s Elizabeth Renzetti about …

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 …

NYTBR: Now somehow I completely whiffed on linking to Marilyn Stasio’s column last week, which featured reviews of the latest by Michael Connelly, Reginald Hill, Gregory Blake Smith and Rita Mae …

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 …

Maybe it’s the torrential downpour, or maybe it’s the fact that all I really want to do is eat and drink before I have to spend what seems like 25 consecutive hours in synagogue atoning …

As announced this afternoon by John Grisham, of all people:

Fiction
E.L. Doctorow, The March (Random House)
Mary Gaitskill, Veronica (Pantheon)
Christopher Sorrentino, Trance (Farrar, Straus & …

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 …

I mean, this we need?

Star of "Riverdance" Michael Flatley with Douglas Thompson’s THE LORD OF THE DANCE: My Story, revealing the drama behind the author’s rise from the streets …

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 …

And all I can say is, this guy’s going to be grinning for days, if not weeks, over the news.

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 …

NYTBR: Boy oh boy, it’s all about Joan Didion this week, what with Rachel Donadio’s lengthy interview and Robert Pinsky’s slightly less lengthy review of her memoir, THE YEAR OF …

One of the things I wanted to talk about earlier this week before the news of the Dagger nominations hit was Stephen King’s THE COLORADO KID. And Patrick Anderson’s take in Monday’s …

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 …

At least on a rudimentary scale:

It’s been all things Ruth Rendell this week as her newest standalone THIRTEEN STEPS DOWN hits US stores everywhere. She was interviewed in the New York Times, …

It seems somehow appropriate that a great many things are converging at once. There’s the Jewish New Year, which begins tonight (and for which, blessedly, cooking is nearly complete.) …

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 …

I’ve been to enough panels to expect that for the most part, there isn’t a lot of variance. The moderator keeps the discussion going; the panelist answer basic questions and mention their …

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 …

Various shortlists for the Southern California Booksellers Association’s annual prizes have been announced, and on the mystery side it’s quite a packed field:

Jan Burke, BLOODLINES …

How can the year be only two months away from finishing? Didn’t we just get started with 2005? I’d be confused but I guess I can still blame this on the Cold That Will Not Die….

And …

After the last few weeks, I am sorely tempted to rename this month Stress-tember. Which isn’t to say there hasn’t been good news (see the updated clips section for such) but that my brain …

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, …

Now, when I went surfing onto the NYT site and found the review of Michael Wex’s new book BORN TO KVETCH, you could have knocked me over with a feather. For the man, you see, is a genius. The …

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, …

A few days ago Laila Lalami prepared herself to interview Salman Rushdie (the end result will run in the Oregonian next week.) She had a list of rules for herself:

Do not mention the f-word. The man …

For some bizarre reason I have been remiss in linking to the growing disaster that is HMV’s imminent buyout of Ottakar’s, which would unite that bookshop chain with Waterstone’s and …

First up, the new column, which features reviews of the latest by Walter Mosley, Theresa Schwegel, Martin Limon, Morag Joss & Christopher Lehmann-Haupt.

Next, the Sunday Pages:

NYTBR: James Agee …

as does the weekend, I find it’s occupying more and more of my thoughts — especially because of the people I know in and around Houston area. So for all of you (and certainly these guys) …

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 …

Because, I guess, BELLE DE JOUR was such a smashing success in the UK, W&N will be going back for sloppy seconds, so to speak:

Weidenfeld & Nicolson are delighted to announce that they …

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 …

The Southeastern Booksellers’ Association — which is changing its name — reports that booksellers are vastly underwhelmed by the fall season’s offerings:

On the trade show …

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 …

Duane Swierczynski relates how a few choice words of wisdom from an editor pal completely changed his burgeoning writing career around:

[He] was basically telling me to play to my strengths …

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, …

If you input “Six Bunnie Wunnies” into Google, this blog is the #1 hit.

(As for why I bring this up? Blame him.)

Normally when I’m working on something, I prefer to either be creating — writing a first draft, brainstorming a new idea — or editing. But at the moment I’m in the middle of …

I’ve somehow neglected to mention Anne Frasier’s blog in this space (especially as back in the day, her romances — written under her real name, Theresa Weir — were among my …

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 …

NYTBR: Frank Rich loooooooves Zadie Smith so much that he spends oodles of space heaping hosannas on her new novel ON BEAUTY; Arthur Schlesinger wonders why the public has dimmed its memory on …

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 …

This deal report isn’t particularly odd taken at surface value, but what’s odd for me is that I’d heard great things about this first novel — from a source at a different …

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: …

…revealed over at the LBC Site. Post your thoughts and opinions over there.

I suppose it’s only fitting I post this as I prepare to attend the NYPL’s “Nancy Drew Revisited” talk tonight with Melanie Rehak and Laura Lippman, but then it’s been All …

Because doesn’t it seem tailor-made for the man who would be ALIENIST:

Yale law professor Jed Rubenfeld’s debut novel, THE NAME OF ACTION, an

historical thriller set in Manhattan …

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 …

The problem with not living in Canada anymore is that I’m hopelessly out of the loop on what’s happening in my country — CBC lockouts? Government scandals? Igloos? It’s all 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, …

courtesy of Laurie King, talking about book promotion:

The funny thing is, nobody really knows what works when it comes to selling a book. Because everything publicity-wise is done …

The Scostman has this huge-ass profile of Neil Strauss, who is definitely someone I Just Don’t Get. Let’s see..Courtney Love…Jenna Jameson…himself…uh, what?

The Glasgow …

NYTBR: I find Marilyn Stasio’s column especially interesting not just because of the book she’s reviewing, but b/c it includes Ed McBain’s last author photo, which strikes me as one …

This is the kind of news that makes me break my Friday hiatus:

Emily Maguire’s provocative TAMING THE BEAST, about a 14-year-old student’s passionate relationship with her English …

But these things were just too good not to share.

On the serious front, Duane Swierczynski uses his recent BCon experience as a jumping off point for a very important topic: how to balance marriage …

And the finalists are…

John Banville, THE SEA

Julian Barnes, ARTHUR AND GEORGE

Sebastian Barry, A LONG LONG WAY

Kazuo Ishiguro, NEVER LET ME GO …

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 …

but I guess I figured cutting off heads was so, I dunno, 18th century:

Jeremy Mercer’s WHEN THE GUILLOTINE FELL, about the last person executed by guillotine in France, in 1972, for a …

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 …

A couple of bigtime publisher changes that will affect the mystery world:

First, as I blogged over at Galleycat last week, John Cunningham, once the Publisher of St.Martin’s Minotaur, has moved …

Aside from the Update, when was the last time I pulled one of these them thar things together? I can’t even remember…

If you’ve arrived from the Christian Science Monitor’s …

Recently I was having a conversation with my brother about the current dark times — an understatement, to be sure. And somehow, the year 1973 kept popping up over and over. The mood of the …

It’s too bad this guy’s still in transit because lord knows he (along with this guy) will get a huge kick out of this news:

Hodder & Stoughton is delighted to announce the …

Yeah, this was supposed to run yesterday, but that’s what real life does…

So while everyone was away partying at BCon (or doing the equivalent elsewhere) my latest review ran at the Sun …

(_This post will stay at the top of the blog through the end of

Monday. Check back on Labor Day for new posts, including the Weekend

Update, which appear below this one.)_

So first, to those who …

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 …

From Laurie King:

Why go to Bouchercon?

I ask myself this every year, this being the fifth or sixth year in a row that I’ve attended.  I started with the 2001 DC …

So in the age of podcasting, constant updates and other techno-gadgetry, how will those of us not going to Bouchercon stay informed and in touch with those that are?

Fortunately, there are a few …

It’s three days to BCon, and already some folks from across the Atlantic are slowly making their way to the Windy City. And several of you fine folks have chimed in with your reasons for …

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 …

Well OK, technically summer doesn’t end till September 20 but I mean, people are back at school, back at work, the traffic on Sunday evenings isn’t quite as insane as it once was, …

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 …

And so, the Great Guestblogger Month comes to a close today, and our final guest will be Jenny Siler. I’ve professed several times here about how much a fan I am of her books — ever …

Partly in response to Sarah’s August 22^nd posting regarding Donald Westlake and Charles Willeford’s WORDS OF WISDOM, and partly because this same subject has been on my mind recently, I would like …

Chances are, if you’re involved at all in the New York-based mystery scene, you’ve run into, or at least have heard of, C.J. Carpenter. And if you aren’t or haven’t, then …

I’m back with more ‘the virgin-writer-gets-deflowered’ stories. Okay, the ‘virgin’ part may have been wishful thinking.

The first time I read my material in front of people. I was recently asked to …

Yes, I have been deflowered. It’s not what you’re thinking. That deflowerment happened a long, long, long….well it happened awhile ago. Today, I’m writing about my deflowerment as a writer. I’m …

Why am I surprised about this? I don’t know, but I just am:

Oscar nominee Robert Forster is set to play a detective leading Wichita’s 31-year manhunt in a CBS movie tentatively …

The New York Sun (amazingly, making this article available free to non-subscribers) profiled HarperCollins CEO Jane Friedman yesterday, and their hook is that she “invented the author …

At the Edinburgh Book Festival, a new prize is trying to rejuvenate interest in the short story — and they hope it will attain the prestige of the Booker Prize:

The short story, once the stock …

Kate Atkinson, the marvellous author of the inaugural Litblog Co-Op pick CASE HISTORIES, will be stopping by the LBC site on Monday, August 29 to talk about the book the take your questions. Should be …

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 …

NYTBR: I gotta ask — is the Book Review on crack this week? There’s Jeff McGregor’s rant about how much profiles suck, Charles Taylor’s rant about how much bookstores these …

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 …

My introduction to Megan Abbott was probably about as pure as one could get. Until her debut novel DIE A LITTLE showed up in my mailbox, I didn’t know who she was. It wasn’t till I …

I want to thank Sarah again for this great opportunity to step forward from lurker status and guest blog. I’d sure love to do it again, if you’ll have me back.

Also, thinking on and off …

I’ve just finished a riveting new noir novel, The Devil’s Own Rag Doll. Scheduled to come out in October, it’s set in WWII-era Detroit and they don’t come any grittier or more atmospheric. The …

The resilience of the 1947 Black Dahlia murder case is pretty astounding. With the 2003 publication of Steve Hodel’s controversial, intermittently convincing and occasionally unbelievable book, …

Thanks so much to Sarah for having me—I have to admit, I tend to be a blog lurker (blurker?) rather than a poster, so this is a new experience for me.

I see in Sarah’s kind introduction …

Well, folks, it’s closing time. Finish up the last round and let’s put the chairs up on the table, to make it easier for the cleaning crew in the morning. Last one out get the …

If you’re at all a fan of PI fiction and didn’t suddenly crawl under a rock in the last few years, it’s a very good bet you know of Kevin Burton Smith. His love of all things PI …

Well, I’m just back from reading some of the workshop entries, and yow! It was painful.

Don’t get me wrong — I love D.L.’s writing workshop, and I’ve read some great …

Hello out there in the Blogiverse.

“As you read this, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday.

My name is Sgt. William Hart, a U.S. soldier …

Damn if I know what I’m doing here, exactly, but thanks, Sarah, for the kind words.

For those who don’t know who I am, that’s okay — I probably haven’t heard of you …

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 Cleveland Plain Dealer’s the latest paper to catch up with Superwoman (at least, in the media’s minds) Kate White, in the midst of touring for her latest Bailey Weggins mystery. …

Ed links an article in yesterday’s Boston Globe that covers a rather dangerous and fun topic: literary hoaxes:

[T]he long and distinguished history of literary hoaxes shows that the …