Posts

So I’ll let it speak for itself:

In what may be a first-of-its-kind case, it was
revealed yesterday that a New York woman charged with murdering her
86-year-old mother had killed before — as a …

It’s a good question to ask, consdering that there are a number of writers — Peter Robinson, Giles Blunt, Linwood Barclay, and Howard Engel, just to name a few — who have had or will …

But interestingly, it’s not Tara Moss who inks a deal here, but someone else entirely:

Australian author Kathryn Fox’s debut forensic thriller, MALICIOUS

INTENT, about the investigation …

A couple of nights ago I sang the national anthem at a concert given by my local community center. Which wasn’t a terribly big deal, even though it had been the first time I’d sung in …

So we all know that too many blurbs are considered suspect for a number of reasons — logrolling, sharing editors and agents, people not reading the book. But now, Mitch Cullin has taken blurbing …

Marianne McDonald — no slouch in the crime writing field herself — has a lengthy chat with one of the doyennes of the genre about her newest book (written as Barbara Vine) her reluctance …

Maud links to this story in the SF Chronicle where Alan Greenblatt wonders why bloggers always put excuse notes on their sites — does anyone really care?

In all the blogs I read regularly, …

Deadly Pleasures has announced the nominees for the Short Story and Thriller Barry Awards, which are:

SHORT STORY

Catherine Aird, “Cold Comfort” (CHAPTER AND HEARSE and OTHER MYSTERIES) …

Joan Brady’s new novel BLEEDOUT — a damn good one, btw — was borne of very peculiar and harrowing circumstances, as she details to the Independent:

Brady had been living in the …

All of a sudden, Leonardo Paduro Fuentes, perhaps one of Cuba’s most prominent crime writers, is everywhere. His novel ADIOS HEMINGWAY is just out from Canongate, and another one, HAVANA RED, …

Guess who’s back? Flashman! D.J. Taylor can’t be more excited as he is in this lengthy essay about everyone’s favorite fictional rogue in the Independent on Sunday.

After 200 years, …

The annual awards given out by the Short Mystery Fiction Society have been announced:

Flash Fiction Stories (up to 500 words)

“Housesitter”

by J. K. Cummins

Futures Mysterious …

So Fiona McCade is just a wee bit bothered by Ian Rankin’s alleged comments about crime in Glasgow:

Maybe Edinburgh’s judges should award lower
sentences to the sort of people who commit …

Or kids are just getting a hell of a lot savvier now:

WEST SEATTLE, Washington (AP) — A
sixth-grader and two of his friends were suspended after being accused
of using phony dollar bills made …

Just to clarify for those that wondered: this was the “major announcement” I spoke of, and now it’s getting some serious press, with more to come. Of course, if others want to invent …

What happens when a group of some of the finest literary bloggers get their heads together to pick overlooked, underappreciated books?

The answer, my friends, is this. Check it out.

At least, not for the rest of the day. But check back on the weekend not only for the Update, but for a major announcement. What is it, you ask? Well, you’ll just have to wait and see…

The newest installment of January Magazine’s crime fiction newsletter is bursting with content, including reviews of new releases by Richard Rayner, Joan Brady, Cara Black, Mark Timlin, Carla …

First up, it amuses me to no end to watch as Otto Penzler builds up Harcourt’s new crime imprint with his buddies, like Tom Cook, Robert Daley, and Andrew Klavan. But now he’s gone and got …

I guess it shows how asleep at the wheel I truly am as I didn’t even realize Michael Connelly was due to release another novel this fall until I saw this news posted on the Deadly Pleasures …

First, a huge round of applause to Cornelia for subbing for me and keeping the blog afloat the last couple of days. As it happens I’m still doing the road warrior thing for a little while so …

I tried writing a post this morning about my first novel getting picked up by Mysterious Press in February. Started out shooting for funny and maybe even slightly insightful, tone-wise, but it quickly …

PW Daily reports that Pope John Paul II’s passing has inspired a frenzy of reader and publisher interest:

Perhaps the most unusual project has longtime pope-watcher Greg Tobin writing an …

• An interview with Scottish crime writer and La Weinman Personal Fave ™ Carol Anne Davis at The Scotsman.

And

• Indeed, oh my God oh my God, “the bestest comic EVER” as La W so …

Sue Grafton’s interviewed on Bankrate.com, so you can find out more about her famed alphabet sleuth Kinsey Millhone AND see whether it’s time to refinance.

Grafton’s got a lot to …

M.J. Rose linked to a Wired article on her Buzz, Balls, and Hype last night, but as I was supposed to be eating dinner with my husband and kids I didn’t post it right then.

Wired quotes M.J. …

Sarah recommended linking to the Ian Rankin interview posted by the inimitable Bookslut this morning.

Lots of great stuff therein, but I’m especially taken with the following chunks:

The …

Sacramento’s Daily Democrat reports that the graduate writing program at U.C. Davis “will help launch the next generation of fiction writers thanks to a $50,000 gift from New York Times …

One of my major goals this year is to meet La Weinman in real life. While we were both at Bouchercon in Toronto, we never crossed paths (synchronicity: we did independently draft our respective …

At last report, The Divine Miss Sarah was in a distant city, mobbed by a bevy of Cute Boys. In a fit of what I can only describe as questionable judgment, she has asked me, Cornelia, to keep an eye on …

For today and tomorrow, this blog is in the capable hands of Cornelia Read — ex-debutante, reformed black thumb, and all-around good woman who never fails to crack me up. Though I’m still …

So for the first time in a while, travel beckons, as I’ll be ensconcing myself in a Super Secret Location for a few days. Hence, no weekend update, and a fabulous guest blogger will take over …

It’s so difficult to keep up with all these new awards, but thanks to its new sponsor, the Harrogate Festival has put itself forward in this particular game with a fan-based award, the longlist …

Last night I went to visit an old friend and former classmate who is terminally ill. I’ve known he was in hospital for a while now, and had been taking visitors for the last few weeks, but …

Overlook Press is finally righting a wrong: reissuing the early books by Charles McCarry, thought to be arguably the best American spy novelist still writing. Now the LA Weekly catches up with the …

At least, that was my initial reaction:

Cammie McGovern’s EYE CONTACT, about the murder of a young girl in a

small town, the severely autistic boy who witnesses the crime, and the …

Rosalie Stafford alerts me that the new issue of Web Mystery Magazine is now up, and for the first time, they include short fiction as well (from Christopher Gooch, B.J. Bourg, Jan Christensen, …

The BBC used to have a service called Great Writing, but when they shut it down, a bunch of enthusiastic individuals banded together to start their own version, which has just launched. But since they …

I was a bit surprised to see Lawrence Block writing about the enduring — and sometimes obsessive — appeal of Sherlock Holmes in this week’s Village Voice, but then again, who better …

Who knew that a mega-bestseller could have so many uses? Certainly not Australian customs:

Canberra – Australian officials cracked The Da Vinci Code when they discovered illegal drugs …

The annual anthology of short mystery fiction will be returning after a bit of a hiatus:

Ed Gorman and Marty Greenberg’s anthology THE YEAR’S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES, …

And first up is the continuing popularity of Boris Akunin around the world — so much so that his latest novel in English, TURKISH GAMBIT, is now a movie and is expected to “save the …

If you’ve come my way thanks to today’s New York Times piece, welcome — and glad to have you. Though occasionally I do review book reviews, as the article suggests, I spend most of …

When Ayelet Waldman had her short-lived blog a few months ago, I checked in at least once a day. She seemed candid and honest about the difficulties of balancing motherhood, her bipolar disorder and …

I should confess that I had a very curious reaction to Charles Webb’s THE GRADUATE: I hated it. Nay, I despised that book. Odd, because I had a fairly neutral reaction to the movie, but somehow …

Really, this story speaks for itself:

NEW YORK

(AP) — Eli Lilly & Co. said on Monday it fired an employee who

wrote a book about his tenure as a Pfizer Inc. sales representative

which boasted …

Even if it wasn’t me:

Lisa Rogak’s NO HAPPY ENDINGS: THE LIFE OF

SHEL SILVERSTEIN, a biography of the legendary children’s author, whose

life is described as “a fascinating …

I’m always looking to find in-depth interviews with authors because those are the ones I like best: they go deep into the craft of writing, into topics that most people don’t bother with …

I must say I love reading interviews with Glasgow-based crime writer Denise Mina because she always sounds like she’s having so much fun with them (which doesn’t contradict my own …

Henry Hawran is an unusual man. He spends his days cleaning homes and fixing windows, and when he’s done he wants to admire his own house and the art that decorates it. But this art is quite …

And let’s begin with Ms. Maslin’s review of Maritta Wolff”s long unpublished final novel, SUDDEN RAIN, which seems to bring out some sharp angles in the reviewer — no wonder, …

For those stray few who are actually looking for this, well, here you go. Nothing terribly negative this month, simply my take on the latest by George Pelecanos, Boris Akunin, Peter Craig, Jodi …

Because Victor Gischler manages to ask George Pelecanos some seriously strange questions that result in quite the hilarious answers:

**If you needed an extreme

way to relieve some stress, would you …

(11:30 EDT): Apologies for the incomplete update that went up at 10:00 EDT — technical difficulties in the form of a temperamental modem knocked me offline for a good 16 hours, and I’m …

There’s only so much link chasing I can do and besides, it’s a supersized long weekend here (as Canada sees fit to give its citizens the day off work on Monday, as well.) Thus I’m …

After yesterday’s shitstorm in the Guardian, things appear to be somewhat more tempered today, thanks to letters written by a variety of authors, including Michele Roberts, Julie Myerson and …

Mostly because as I read this brilliant analysis by Emma Garman, I kept wondering why the hell no one has picked up on this publicly yet:

Take a tragically dead father, a good-hearted but …

Publishers Weekly reports that New York is Book Country, the annual festival held in the city during the fall, may be no more:

In news that’s unlikely to shock insiders but will probably come …

The proprietor of Something Old, Nothing New — aka my older brother — does funny over at McSweeney’s and Yankee Pot Roast today. Read both and be amused.

The latest edition of the NEW WRITING anthology series sponsored by the British Council was co-edited by Toby Litt and Ali Smith, and as reported by the Guardian, their introduction to the collection …

Now, I must admit that Christopher Rice’s new novel LIGHT BEFORE DAY wasn’t exactly my cuppa, but this new interview of him over at Powell’s gave me quite the good laugh for this …

Except that The Sum of Me, in what has to be one of the most hilarious posts I have read in some time, dissects precisely why I gave them up years ago: the incredibly over-the-top manner in which sex …

Not only has THE DA VINCI CODE spawned knockoffs, rebuttals and much envy, now the parodies are coming out of the woodwork:

When Dan Brown’s labyrinthian thriller “The Da Vinci Code” burst …

Not surprisingly, my link to Guy Johnson’s review of George Pelecanos’s new novel stirred some folks to comment about it. David Montgomery brought up a more general point related to the …

Courtesy Lee Goldberg:

Variety reports that Ben Affleck will write and direct, but not act in, a feature film adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s book GONE BABY GONE.  The movie, which …

Chicklit mystery author Kyra Davis will see her first novel published in a couple of months. And though its title upon submission was WORDS TO DIE BY, it’s not surprising that was changed soon …

So like the entire world, I bet, I read this NYT profile of Dan Brown and what the success of THE DA VINCI CODE is doing to his life. But this really struck me:

There are hints that the …

Is the Washington Post trying to raise my blood pressure here? Because here’s another review where it seems the writer has a soapbox and will step on it considerably, even if it actually misses …

This was actually reported late last week but I only saw this now:

Canadian author Louise Penny’s debut crime novel STILL LIFE, featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du …

Been just a wee bit negligent in letting people know about new stuff at the UK online magazine but take a look around and peruse the latest in short stories by A. Christopher Drown, Derek Rutherford, …

So I’m reading Susie Maguire’s piece at the Glasgow Herald which is supposedly a review of Ken Bruen’s first two crime novels, RILKE ON BLACK and HER LAST CALL TO LOUIS MACNEICE, …

Ah, all-morning meetings. Truly, whoever invented the concept should be taken out and shot. Especially as I thought it was supposed to happen tomorrow, which led to a nice moment of panic on my way …

The CWA will award its latest Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement to Ian Rankin, who is certainly deserving of the accolade:

When told about the award of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger, Ian …

I freely admit I am totally, utterly fascinated with the story behind Sam Apple’s new book Schlepping Through the Alps — mostly because I met Hans Breuer, the Yiddish-singing shepherd, …

NYTBR: And the blitz is on! Zoe Heller is out of the gate with one of many, many reviews of Ian McEwan’s fabulous new novel SATURDAY. But hers, you see, is almost NYRB in terms of scope and …

On one of the (many) mailing lists I’m either subscribed to or lurk on, someone pointed out that the Anthony Award ballots are about to be mailed out to the BCon membership and would listmembers …

First, wearing his editor in chief hat, Duane Swierczynski announces the winners of the Philadelphia City Paper’s 19th Annual Fiction Contest — the Pulp Edition:

SF/F: David J. Synder, …

The Telegraph’s Helen Brown looks at the burgeoning field of “high school massacre lit”, talking to Lionel Shriver, the author of WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (which is brilliant and …

Looking to attend a book festival this weekend? You can’t do better than the Virginia Festival of the Book, whose lineup is nothing short of staggering.

Craig McDonald returns with a couple of …

Which will be done “bullet stizz” (to shamelessly pilfer lingo from other sources):

-John Rickards forgot to buy eggs (and so much opportunity for choice heckling was lost) but still …

It all started a week or so ago when Jim Winter resuscitated the old “literary/genre” debate in a recent post, and then Ray Banks followed suit in a spirited fashion. But one thing Ray …

I must be an ostrich or something, because I totally managed to miss this news until now:

TORONTO — One ring to rule them all – and it’s starting in Toronto. David and Ed …

The latest issue of Crime Scene Scotland is now available for perusal, and once again, Russel McLean has assembled a fine mix of stories, reviews and articles. Carol Anne Davis writes about the …

I was thisclose to preparing a “Disappeared” feature on this guy, but luckily, now I won’t have to:

Shamus Award winner D. Daniel Judson’s THE DARKEST PLACE, a

Hamptons-set …

Most of the time, I do like what the Washington Post’s Patrick Anderson has to say. But unfortunately, there are times when I suspect he’s pressed for time and really needs to fill the …

But this new interview at the Dumpster Bust blog (part 1 here, part 2 here) is interesting for a couple of reasons: one, it’s yet another sign of how immediate blogging is compared to print …

Even if, I must admit, I am intrigued despite myself:

Sarah D’Almeida’s mystery series DEATH OF A MUSKETEER, THE MUSKETEER’S SEAMSTRESS and THE MUSKETEER’S APPRENTICE, …

Especially since I’m a new convert to this writer’s work:

Bestselling French mystery writer Fred Vargas’s HAVE MERCY ON US, compared in UK reviews to Henning Mankell, to …

That’s what I’m dubbing the monthlong tour that Ken Bruen is starting on today in New York City with a PR lunch hosted by his American publishers, St. Martin’s Press. Once that ends, …

A huge and hearty congratulations to Otis Twelve, who takes the Lit Idol crown for his debut novel, ON THE ALBINO FARM.

I just got off the phone with him and though he’s still rather in a bit …

(Today is all about the London Book Fair, which began yesterday and ends tomorrow. Scroll down for earlier posts, and check back for more LBF-related news throughout the day.)

I said in my previous …

Yesterday’s Publisher’s Lunch Deluxe dispatch includes a very intriguing item:

In a typical fair encounter, [Michael Cader] shared a cab at the end of the day with team from …

The preliminary list of notable names has been released by the Prize dedicated to the best of British fiction by women:

Kate Atkinson – Case Histories (British, 4th novel)

Clare Clark – The Great …

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Book Editor, Regis Behe, assembled a strong group of writers and watchdogs to talk about why this genre of ours is so damn popular at the moment:

“I think …

Anyway, COLD GRANITE, the debut novel by Scottish crime writer (I mean, write-ist) Stuart MacBride, won’t be released in the UK till May and the US in July — but oddly, the first edition …

The North American Branch of the International Crime Writers’ Association has announced the shortlist for the prize as follows:

Colin Harrison, The Havana Room (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) …

NYTBR: Marilyn Stasio, in her latest column,  is a bit less than charitable towards Robert B. Parker’s latest Spenser novel (while the next, interestingly enough, will be out this fall, as …

So why a special Friday post? Two reasons: one, I didn’t really feel like leaving a throwaway gossip item at the top of the blog till Sunday. And two, it’s really Jennifer Jordan’s …

Some things are wrong. But other things, they are just freaking wrong.

No word on what Mademoiselle Lohan thought of the movie. Or whether she read the book it was based on…

UPDATE: Just as I …

And let’s start over at Powells.com, the online arm of the independent bookstore chain, where Ian Rankin gives seriously good interview. He talks about most of the usual things — …

First, a nod to my home country, as the Great Literary Prizes were handed out in Toronto last night. Alice Munro took it for fiction and Peter C. Newman won for non-fiction, but a special hat tip …

As expected, La Maslin is absolutely gaga for George Pelecanos’s latest novel, DRAMA CITY:

Grippingly and inexorably, “Drama City” moves toward the moment when

Lorenzo’s …

The UK-based author of three historical crime novels died last month. Her agent, Christine Green, remembers her fondly:

Sylvian Hamilton died on 28th February 2005. She left behind three …

Tod Goldberg seems to have a habit of running into Very Strange People. Or at least, blogging about them. After one recent incident (which is hilarious), he asks a very telling question:

I’ve …

The Gumshoe Awards have been announced, and the winners are:

Best Mystery:
Jim Fusilli: Hard, Hard City (Putnam)

Best Thriller:
Barry Eisler: Rain Storm (Putnam)

Best …

Though part of me is now slapping my head, wondering why I didn’t think of this, all props to David Montgomery for his newest feature. Overnight Success will be a repository of stories by …

The British Book Awards — better known, for whatever reason, as the Nibbies — have been announced, and The Times is all over this, as Dalya Alberge rounds up the reaction and the …

The shortlist for the Ireland-based IMPAC award has been announced:

Gardening at Night by Diane Awerbuck

The Half Brother by Lars Saabye Christensen (translated from the Norwegian by Kenneth …

As evident in this news story, courtesy of the fabulous Jenny D:

The strange case of the homosexual necrophiliac duck pushed out the boundaries of knowledge in a rather improbable way when it …

Well, maybe not, but I do wonder what took so long for something like this to show up:

Chick lit author Sarah Mlynowski and chick lit editor Farrin Jacobs’s LIKE LIFE BUT FUNNIER: How to Write …

After a nearly month-long hiatus, Gorman’s back in the blogosphere at Ed Gorman and Friends. I think the link won’t be fully active till later today, but check it out — if you …

By popular demand, I’ve begun to archive the Picks of the Week. Unfortunately, I only have the ones since the beginning of this year, but I’ll be adding to them as they move off the main …

Dennis Rader’s arrest on the charge that he is the notorious BTK killer has led to much speculation, rumination and reflection. When I got word that author Alafair Burke used to live in Wichita, …

From an October 31, 1997 article by “Morgan Cast” for Salon:

The concept of a salary pie chart is rendered absurd by the disparities in salaries paid those who work different jobs …

Publishers Marketplace reports in with further details on this deal reported earlier here:

Author of Twisted City and Tough Luck Jason Starr’s TIN GOD, a noir thriller set in Brooklyn …

OK, likening book tours to war zones is only partially accurate, but in any case, Carole Goldberg at the Hartford Courant turns the floor to several authors who tell all sorts of interesting stories. …

…while mine begins with — sigh — getting back into the swing of job hunting again. Sympathy’s great, but leads are even better. Anyway:

First up, what’s going on with …

Well, not just short stories. But the author of the upcoming HOLMES ON THE RANGE takes the Q&A bait from Bob Tinsley at The Short of It about writing funny, how different it is to write novels and …

January Magazine crime fiction editor J. Kingston Pierce presents a monster interview with ITN correspondent and crime novelist Tom Bradby, who writes incredibly entertaining historical thrillers (I …

NYTBR: You know, this Franklin Foer essay on federalism (or whatever) is all very nice, but what the hell does it have to do with books? Something tells me Mr. Tanenhaus won’t be earning his …

One of the things about moving back home is that it gets you in close proximity to childhood memories, mementos and other items. Recently, as I was cleaning up my room, I dug up several file folders …

Since he’s been all over the television flogging his soon-to-be finished book on BTK, and lo and behold, he’s beaten to the punch:

NYT bestselling author Carlton Smith’s …

Paula Woods writes up a lengthy piece in the LA Times about the importance of locale in crime fiction, especially of LA writers like Ross MacDonald, Raymond Chandler, Sue Grafton, the Kellermans, and …

Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes under a variety of pen names in a host of genres, including crime fiction (as Kris Nelscott.) What’s even more interesting, as she tells the Lincoln City, Oregon …

For those that do, you can read my little spiel about the state of small presses and short story markets over at MB Toolbox, the blog for freelancers run by Claire Zulkey.

The piece was sparked, of …

Since this current “10 things I’ve done that you haven’t” meme started spreading like a virus across the ‘sphere, some folks have asked if I’m going to participate. …

The favor’s going to be returned in an upcoming issue of Crime Spree, but for now, the disco-dancing man chats with Mr. Starr about horse racing, favorite peanut butter and jelly, and oh yeah, …

It was delayed a week, but finally, the five shortlisted writers for the 2nd edition of this competition have been announced:

On the Albino Farm by Otis Twelve
Sleeping with Angels by Elizabeth …

Ever since Deborah Solomon’s insanely gushy profile of Jonathan Safran Foer hit the stands last weekend, there have been several notable reactions. Ed’s was the funniest, and …

One person who’s really benefiting from the multiple Oscars of MILLION DOLLAR BABY is Nat Sobel — the agent for the late F.X. Toole, who wrote the story the movie was based on. And it …

Tod Goldberg was recently asked by one of his former writing students to sit in on a class she taught. It was test day, and the open book in question was his first novel, FAKE LIAR CHEAT:

She …

And oh looky, yet another forensic thriller written by a chick:

Dianne Emley’s CHAIN OF PEARLS, the first in a series featuring a Southern California homicide detective embroiled in a …

I missed this yesterday but The Washington Post had a hefty profile of the multi-bestselling Swedish author who hasn’t quite made the splash in North America that was expected:

Why …

Mexico is one of many, many countries with literacy issues, but one municipal police force has a unique solution to the problem:

For more than 1,200 municipal police officers in the city of …

John Dunning’s about to tour for his latest Cliff Janeway novel, but as he tells the Arizona Republic, writing it — and previous books — is tough going because he has Attention …

Edinburgh-based literary agent Jenny Brown would like to see a few changes to the kind of books written by Scottish writers:

THE row over whether Scotland is a country populated by …

I’ll update this thread as I get more information, so if there’s a report I don’t know about, or that you want to add, please do so in the comments section.

Lee Goldberg promises …

I can just imagine that Charles Ardai and Max Phillips have been bursting about this news for months, but now, it’s official:

Stephen King, master of surprise and strange twists, is taking his …

The following awards were given out Saturday evening at Left Coast Crime in El Paso, Texas:

The Dilys Award (for the book Independent booksellers most enjoyed selling) was given to Jeff Lindsay for …

Well, that’s a misnomer — there’s no personal connection between Dennis Rader and myself, though I did have the horrendous sense of deja vu when I stumbled across the cached version …

(_This was originally posted on Saturday, February 26 but will stay at the top of the blog throughout the weekend. Check back Sunday for new content appearing below.)
_

Ladies and Gentlemen, BTK (for …

SF author Spider Robinson posted some very worrying news a few days ago to the newsgroup alt.callahans:

My favorite living writer, Donald E. Westlake, suffered a detached retina while in Hong …

I’m still kind of in a BTK-obsessed place right now (with a long essay to come possibly later this afternoon, or tomorrow) but that doesn’t mean I can’t link to my new column, …

So Otto Penzler’s been a very busy boy of late. Not only does he run his bookshop, put his head together with former publishing bigshot (and Random House UK consultant) Anthony Cheetham to …

In a perfect world, all talented writers would be around forever, writing books at their own pace and making bestseller lists and acquiring a devoted coterie of fans to worship at their feet. But …

Sorry, I couldn’t resist, but the lede in this new profile by the Bookseller definitely made me chuckle:

Mark Billingham has evolved a little ritual for the publication day of each new …

The more I blog, the more I realize that the publishing biz is rife for complaints like almost no one else. But as Agate publisher Doug Seibold points out in this new article for The Book Standard, …

But when it comes to this deal, what the hell, right?

Bestselling author of PREP Curtis Sittenfeld’s THE MAN OF MY DREAMS, following a young woman from the age of fifteen to thirty as …

It’s slow. I’m sure there will be more lit stuff tomorrow, but for whatever reason — my brain is mush, the Paris Hilton hacking story is so incredibly over, you name it — I …

I’m stuck in meetings most of the day so this will be it till the afternoon. But there’s lots of stuff to catch up on, including these links:

Another day, another piece on Curtis …

The online lit journal’s editor Jason Sanford assembled a crack team of judges (including these fine folks) and whittled down a whopping 1200 nominations to about 150 to create the Notable List, …

About this time last year I wrote a long screed expressing my undying love for trade paperback originals, and hoped that there would be more of them. I won’t repeat myself again, since my views …

I’ll let the story speak for itself and why I couldn’t resist posting this:

AMERICAN cult hero Mr.T will star in a new comic book series published by St Albans-based APComics. …

In a profile by the Grand Rapids Press, bestselling author Joseph Finder reveals why he decided to set his upcoming novel, COMPANY MAN in Western Michigan amongst the fun-and-games of a Staples-style …

It came as a surprise, but a welcome one when Our Girl in Chicago, Terry Teachout’s co-blogger over at About Last Night, outed herself over the weekend. But I’m pleased to report (along …

The Sydney Morning Herald has a fascinating article about the country’s own brand of pulp fiction, with the usual fast-turning prose and lurid covers you’d expect from American-brand …

As first reported on the DorothyL mailing list, Barbara Burnett Smith, author of several mystery novels (most recently BEAD ON TROUBLE) died Saturday night in tragic circumstances. She and her husband …

And of course, how can I not lead off with the suicide of Hunter S. Thompson. I don’t know why I’m so shocked. In a way, what other way would he go other than to decide for himself? The …

The author of the psychological thriller FROZEN (and one of the nine debuting writers in Orion’s “New Blood” Campaign of early 2004) doesn’t just write books and produce …

Are you a fan of Iain Banks? Were you hoping he’d come to the US to tour for his latest SF work THE ALGEBRAIST? Well, your hopes will be dashed because Banks can’t leave the country, as …

Before I get to the wide-ranging, free-swinging update, I might as well point you all to my latest review, which marks my return to the pages of the Washington Post Book World. I had a great time …

Over at Lizzie’s, there’s a rather enthusiastic discussion of great YA novels from the past. Some of the usual suspects, of course — Danziger, Zindel, Duncan, M.E. Kerr — but …

Ken Bruen has developed an unfortunate habit of being declared dead prematurely. The first time happened last November, when the Galway government council gave him a “vote of sympathy” for …

As only one of my all-time favorite comedians ever is writing a memoir:

Could a book be called deadpan or button-down? It could, if Bob Newhart’s writing it.

The …

I’ve been sorely negligent in not linking to The Morning News’ fabulous Tournament of Books competition, which launched earlier this month. The first round is nearly over, and those …

Malice Domestic has announced the nominees for the Agatha Awards, as follows:

Best Novel

We’ll Always Have Parrots, by Donna Andrews (Thomas Dunne Books)

By a Spider’s Thread, by Laura …

As promised last week, the author survey on advances in the crime fiction world — be they of first novels or later novels — is now ready to go. The link will stay up on the right-hand …

If you check the bookstores over the course of this year, you might find there’s a glut of female-centric anthologies about pretty much every topic under the sun. Weren’t anthologies dead? …

Lots of cool writers get the Q&A treatment this week. First up is Barbara Seranella, the latest subject of the World’s Worst Interview. She speaks pithily of music choices, what she likes to …

And let’s begin with Wendy Shalit, who wasn’t content to let her essay for the NYTBR stand on its own merits — she had to respond to vociferous critics with a piece in the Jewish …

A few weeks ago, I thought of posting my thoughts on Robert Crais’s THE FORGOTTEN MAN today, since it’s the book’s publication day. But because David Montgomery’s review for …

For indeed, the latest issue of Thrilling Detective is online, and of course it focuses around the 75th anniversary of a certain work by a certain Mr. Hammett. Read an excerpt of THE MALTESE FALCON. …

Kent Harrington talks to David Montgomery, wearing his Mystery Ink hat, about the frustrations of seeing RED JUNGLE get turned down by a gaggle of major publishers only to get rapturous praise from …

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of THE MALTESE FALCON. Why it should have been on Valentine’s Day could be (and probably is) the subject of many a research paper, but …

Janet Maslin continues to expose the world to her unrequited crushes on Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson — or maybe it’s on their alter egos Rebus and Banks. Who really knows anymore? …

Especially in regards to my recent birthday, celebrating an age where I am old enough to know better and young enough to forget I know better. Or something. Check back early this afternoon for a small …

The veteran author of the Kate Martinelli and Mary Russell series is the latest to set up shop in the lit ‘sphere, and she gets the ball rolling very nicely with an illuminating post that …

It’s been a while since Bob Cornwell, Tangled Web’s interviewer about town, offered up a nice meaty profile. But now he offers up a fresh interview with Robert Ferrigno, whose books have a …

This is, if I may say so, very cool news indeed:

Kate Mills at Orion has

bought two novels by US crime-writer Jason Starr from Mary Pachnos at Gillon

Aitken for a good five figure sum. Last autumn …

I’ll be out of town this weekend in a potentially misguided attempt to celebrate my birthday in a slightly warmer climate,  which means no Weekend Update and no Sunday posts. But I thought …

This week there’s been a veritable font of information about what’s really happening in the publishing world. Much of it is not for the faint of heart, but it’s all incredibly …

Yesterday’s edition of Publisher’s Lunch semi-snarkily indicated that this deal would result in a ton of articles and profiles when the book actually sees the light of day, and well, there …

So you walk into a bookshop and are immediately assaulted by thousands of books you can choose from. What’s a person to do? Thankfully, Benjamin Rainbird, writing for the satirical website Rum …

I think it’s official: the New York Times is obsessed with Orthodox Judaism. The latest proof? Their piece on the revision of the Schottenstein edition of the Talmud, the first such revision in …

Hardly a day passes where I don’t come home from work to find a review copy or ARC waiting for me, but yesterday was extra-special: several boxes from the Baltimore Sun offices were nestled …

The lovely thing about this blog is that it puts me in touch not only with established writers, but those on the verge of launching their careers. Cornelia Read is one such person, and this is news …

For a story that might make some people angry, others nod their heads in resignation, but also make people realize that yes indeed, good books will eventually find a home, read the New York …

Denise Mina’s next novel, THE FIELD OF BLOOD, heralds the launch of a new series. Though it was originally due to be published last year, the date got pushed off till April (in the UK) as she …

Last month, a bunch of crime writer types put their heads together and wrote short stories based on a single story idea. Now, the “Junk in the Trunk” online anthology, co-edited by Dave …

There’ve been so many notable deals posted that I’m just going to lump them in one big long post. First up:

Michael Cox — he of the largest UK advance (allegedly) and hardluck …

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far far away, I used to watch soap operas. It was so long ago, in fact, that Michael Malone (known to some for his novels, including UNCIVIL SEASONS and FIRST LADY) …

But I do think Victor Gischler’s Q&A with Christopher Moore may well be my favorite, considering questions like these:

Do very very very strange people show up to your book …

And first, it seems appropriate to begin with reflections on Dashiell Hammett, considering this year — and this month — marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of THE MALTESE FALCON. …

(This post will stay up at the top of the blog all day. For analysis of the major categories, scroll down to the posts below starting at midnight EDT.)

**
BEST NOVEL**

Evan’s Gate by Rhys …

Like David Montgomery, I think this is a very strong category, and fairly balanced as well. There’s really something for everybody here: the cozy written by a well-regarded author (Rhys Bowen), …

So first, a big round of applause for David Mitchell on his nomination for his book, CLOUD ATLAS.

Wait, what’s that? You mean it’s not the Booker-shortlisted, mega-praised work? Really? …

Rinse and repeat my “Where are the chicks?” lament, but even louder. I mean, paperback originals are where cozy writers rule the roost. Surely there could have been but one, even a single …

Before I get started, allow me to present a choice quote from yesterday’s profile of Laurie Lynn Drummond in the Oregonian:

Laurie Lynn Drummond was in Borders Books & Music in Eugene, …

So it turns out there is a “WTF?!” moment to the Edgars after all, but it’s not in the major categories. Instead, it’s to do with L&O: Criminal Intent’s four — …

With the 2005 Edgar Award nominations set for announcement late tonight or early tomorrow morning, this blog will be all Edgar, all the time tomorrow. Look for the list of nominees here early tomorrow …

This has been a veritable weekend of good news for people I like, be it family or friends, but I’m especially pleased about these two bits of news concerning book deals for cool people.

First …

So earlier this week we had the high powered debut legal thriller deal. Now comes the high powered debut forensic thriller deal:

Chair of the Federal advisory commission for the Human Genome Project …

Oh, I would have given almost anything to be at the launch party of Reed Farrel Coleman’s THE JAMES DEANS at Partners & Crime last week, but alas, day jobs have a nagging sense of priority …

Maybe it’s me, but I have a serious sense of deja vu about this particular story — or maybe the plethora of mystery novels-turned-computer games has become so prevalent it’s turning …

NYTBR: This actually ran in the daily on Friday, but it would be a massive oversight not to link to Margo Jefferson’s piece on “the New Noir” which, well, struck me as a kind of …

The ninth issue of Shred is now available for perusal, and it’s jampacked with good stuff. This quarter’s contributors include Victor Gischler, Pat Lambe, Jason Duke, Mark Agee, Stephen D. …

James Reasoner, who’s certainly written his fair share of novels in a variety of different genres, wonders when the mystery world became so heterogeneous to the point of polarization: …

Olen Steinhauer’s pretty much well and done with his upcoming novel, 36 YALTA BOULEVARD, but that doesn’t mean he’s plenty worried about the fourth book, which he’s just …

Although if I did, I’d have to pick a less shock-grabbing title than the subject of this brand-spankin’ new deal:

Elle magazine editor and journalist Carlene Bauer’s THE …

And to lead off, good lord, will Margaret Atwood’s remote book tour device ever leave the news? Maybe, but the Globe and Mail’s Rebecca Caldwell adds yet another wrinkle as she reports …

Maybe it’s because the work server has been down all day. Maybe I’ve just been in a silly mood that’s making me drool over the (hopefully, but you never know) impending release of …

And so, the World’s Worst Interview series continues, as Victor Gischler peppers his buddy (and damn fine novelist) Scott Phillips with questions about the upcoming ICE HARVEST movie, why he …

Because, as this new deal offering shows, you just know there’s going to be a ton of publicity money thrown behind this book:

Stanford University law professor (and intellectual …

January Magazine’s first crime fiction newsletter of 2005 is now available for all to see. Along with the usual mix of news and noteworthy items are a ton of reviews, mostly by Kevin Burton …

The Scotsman peppered award-winning author Louise Welsh with all sorts of questions about what she liked about school, what she disliked, and her earliest ambition:

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO?


For a …

So after Margo “Book Babe” Hammond interviewed Atwood and insinuated that maybe, just maybe, this whole “tour at a distance” remote arm might just be a bunch of hooey, the …

Duane Swierczynski (who, sadly, did not get to appear on TV last night to talk about this new “beer and caffeine” monstrosity that Budweiser is trying to inflict on poor saps) recently …

Mostly because I suspect I’m probably the audience for this book:

Bart Schneider’s fourth novel, MINNESOTA ROSE, a contemporary thriller set in Minneapolis and St. Paul, involving …

Cara Black, the author of several books featuring French sleuth Aimee Leduc, has revived her once-dormant blog to interview New Yorker Rebecca Pawel, who’s just returned after spending several …

So who is Rex Pickett, and why does everyone love the movie based on his book SIDEWAYS? He speaks to the Guardian about his unexpected success and how cool it is that a publisher’s paying him …

The brothers Goldberg have been covering the just-reported news that Steve Wasserman, book editor of the LA Times, may be leaving to explore other options. Lee isn’t all that sorry to see him go …

Jennifer Weiner recently pitched the New Yorker a piece for its Talk of the Town section. Sadly, they passed, saying someting about “how they recently did a story that had elements in common …

Jeff Lindsay, whose DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER was greeted with praise by many within the crime fiction community, recently spoke to SHOTS Assistant editor Ali Karim about the book, his previous forays …

I missed this in yesterday’s roundup but the Paper of Record had a whole long article about this whole mommy blog trend, interviewing writers (and mothers) like Jennifer Weiner and Ayelet …

At least, if my current column at the Baltimore Sun is anything to go by. To sum up, I really, really loved Jan Burke’s BLOODLINES and Peter Moore Smith’s LOS ANGELES (for different …

I dig Lauren Henderson for a lot of reasons: she writes incredibly witty books, be they her Sam Jones crime novels or her romantic comedies (the latest, EXES ANONYMOUS, will be out in the UK in …

I love reporting news like this, where a writer kicks around for years and years, rejection after rejection and then — success. So three cheers for Anthony Neil Smith whose debut novel, …

NYTBR: So you better believe I was interested in Wendy Shalit’s essay on the portrayal of Orthodox Jews in fiction (considering my recent fictional foray) She brings up some of the usual …

Although it’s still too early to tell whether Tuesday’s short story extravaganza was a success or not, one thing it garnered was my first public lukewarm review. To be fair to Tania, she …

Many in the mystery community know Mattes as the longtime proprietor of Kate’s Mystery Books in Cambridge, MA, but as she tells the Cambridge Chronicle, she’s having a blast with her …

In truth, I’m not really so into Elvis Costello, although I have liked what early songs of his I’ve heard, but I figured this bit of news, so vaguely literary-related, was worth sharing: …

Not long ago, I contemplated writing an article about why major book awards — think the National Book Awards or Canada’s Giller Prize — really need to emulate more celebrity-esque …

Lord, it seems to be Awards week, but here comes Mystery Ink with their nominees for the 4th annual Gumshoe Awards:

Best Mystery:
Laura Lippman: By a Spider’s Thread (William Morrow)
T. …

Now, keep in mind I’m taking this with a grain of salt b/c book deals in the UK have a nasty habit of being overreported (Helen Oyeyemi, anyone? And the false figure still gets bandied about, …

I say that because it seems like the Scostman has a requirement to have at least one Ian Rankin-related story per week to keep their credibility going, based on this bit of news:

SIR SEAN …

George Pelecanos updates his website occasionally with his current picks of good movies and books, and before New Year’s he wandered into a neighborhood bookstore and set his eyes on the Hard …

which are as follows:

The LEFTY is for the best humorous mystery novel published in 2004.

Blue Blood, by Susan McBride (Avon)

Carnage on the Committee, by Ruth Dudley Edwards (Poisoned Pen Press) …

(_Today’s posts will appear below this one, so keep checking back for additional content)

About a month ago, I got an email from two gents asking me to participate in a special project. The …

So who else is participating in this fine project? Look below for the names and their stories:

“Delia’s Gone” by Ray Banks
“The Anniversary” by Aldo Calcagno
“I …

Actually, I don’t know if I should trademark that phrase or not, but it’s been ages since I’ve posted some new deals so might as well catch up now.

First, there’s Harry …

Because a severe lack of sleep, extra work this morning and Typepad’s bugginess delayed this by several hours….

First up: the National Book Critics Circle nominations. Galleycat …

Given by the Lambda society for best Gay and Lesbian mysteries of 2004:

LESBIAN MYSTERY

. An Intimate Ghost by Ellen Hart, St. Martin’s Minotaur
. Commitment to Die by …

Steven Torres, author of the Precinct Puerto Rico series of crime novels,  continues his series of interviews by catching up with yours truly. Torres asked excellent questions and I gave some …

I don’t know why I love stories like these, but I think it’s because real life is often so much more fantastical than the best fiction. Read on about the curious case of the murdered …

Murder by the Book (whose link now appears in the right-hand sidebar), Houston’s fine independent mystery bookshop (that sadly, I didn’t get a chance to visit when I was in the city last …

(the first in the series of dispatches can be found here.)

All Generalizations are Untrue Including This One:Towards a Mediterranean Crime Novel

Friday, 21 January 2005

Sorry, Cara, I missed the …

When this came my way, well, how could I possibly refrain from reporting it?

12 YEAR OLD SIGNS MAJOR DEAL

Grace Kennedy Bruen, a trainee hairdresser, today signed a six figure two-book deal for her …

Archie Bennitz was a rabid hockey fan. He moved to Ottawa three years ago to be closer to his family after his wife died, but even in his 80s, his fandom did not abate. But the lockout made him …

Before I turn to the usual mix of news, reviews and interviews, the latest example of my own  freelancing endeavors is now available for viewing.

NYTBR: La Stasio turns her jaundiced eye towards …

(the first in the series of dispatches can be found here.)

All Generalizations are Untrue Including This One:Towards a Mediterranean Crime Novel

Friday, 21 January 2005

Sorry, Cara, I missed the …

When Rebecca Pawel told me she was going to Spain to attend the first European Crime novel conference (as well as promote the translated edition of her first novel, The Edgar Award-winning DEATH OF A …

Yesterday a delightful package from Stark House Publishers, a company devoted to reissuing classic crime fiction, came in the mail. There were lots of goodies but what immediately caught my eye was a …

Obviously I got caught napping b/c no one told me the new issue of Hardluck Stories, guest edited by Michael A. Black, is now online. Lots of goodies available this time out; on the non-fic side, …

Can’t someone just unmask the girl already? It’s getting really boring, and this bit of news is simply not helping:

Channel 4 is to make a TV drama series based on Belle de Jour, …

It’s a slow news day and frankly, there’s just so many head scratching articles lately that I have to link to at least a few of them.

First, there’s the “inevitable” …

In what was the biggest dustup in the lit ‘sphere in ages, Lee Goldberg confessed he was underwhelmed by Ken Bruen’s THE GUARDS, and all hell broke loose. But, as he explains, he’s …

Sheil Land Associates is one of the UK’s most prestigious literary agencies, but they’re taking a serious hit as key personnel are jumping ship.  The Bookseller reports that Luigi …

The literary awards circuit seems to have just ended, but it’s getting a fresh start on the merry go round as Jenni Murray is announced as the overall chair of the Orange Prize judging …

CAAF, who finally reached the end of her longrunning saga involving a library, a parking lot, and a dented leg,  links to Wendy McClure’s tongue-in-cheek idea about how to handle book …

Keeping with today’s apparent crime & justice theme, Court TV analyst Jonna Spilbor writes a thought-provoking essay about why Amber Frey’s new book pisses her off — and the …

I read this story yesterday and I’m still banging my head against the wall:

A 35-year-old murder mystery deepened Friday as a State Police

scientist testified that DNA from two people was …

And might as well start with the granddaddy of children’s book awards: the Newberry and the Caldecott. Cynthia Kadohata took home the Newberry for KIRA-KIRA, and the Caldecott went to Kevin …

Reader D.K. writes in with an interesting question:

I am a huge mystery reader and like to read reviews.  There is one

reviewer, however, who drives me insane.  He is Patrick Anderson of …

And the good news is, it will be updated on a rolling basis from now on, meaning new content will appear when it’s ready instead of on a fixed schedule. Having said that, I haven’t exactly …

The latest issue of Crime Scene Scotland, the brainchild of Russel MacLean (whose stories can be found at times in AHMM) is now up and running. It has yet more of the Cabana Boy quotient as Ray …

The longtime cozy mystery writer, who also wrote under the pen name of Ailsa Craig, has died at the age of 82:

LEWISTON, Maine– Mystery writer Charlotte MacLeod, whose specialty was the …

Emma Garman (known to some as the proprietress of the blog-on-hiatus The Fold Drop) conducted an interview with Fordham university professor Mary Bly for New York Magazine. Bly, the daughter of …

NYTBR:  In what’s either a ripoff of an earlier feature of of Granta’s “Under 40” list, the Book Review turns to several big names in young writing to ask about their …

Andi Schechter, a longtime mystery fan who wears a great many hats, gets to try on the event coordinator one again as she will bring Left Coast Crime to Seattle in 2007 (following the one to be held …

Normally, of course, I take Fridays off, but since I’m holing up elsewhere for the weekend, the massive update will be delayed–possibly till Monday morning–so to tide you all over …

Granted, it is what he does best, but John Rickards really lets one loose about some of the things he simply doesn’t get: Black & White films, Tom Waits, and the classics.  I was going …

In an interview yesterday with Mediabistro’s David Hirschman, new PW editor-in-chief Sara Nelson dishes on the magazine’s new direction, online competition, and where PW fits into the …

To the fine folks at HarperCollins,

Please don’t take this as a personal criticism. After all, I have enjoyed many fine books you have published by many fine authors. Some of them I even count …

(Typepad’s misbehaving this morning, so apologies for this post appearing later than it ought to.)

So yesterday’s tentative exercise into NSFW (everybody got that now?) territory was met …

Mad Max Perkins (who seems to be off to a good start if you judge the attention some of his authors are getting) posts a thought-provoking treatise on reclaiming what’s become a dirty word in …

Tod Goldberg, who after many stints of guest blogging for other fine folks and much poking and prodding by others has finally caved in and started his own, speaks of what the new year means for him …

I could have sworn I read this story a few months ago, but maybe drunken pilots are more normal than I realized:

BERLIN, Germany (AP) — An easyJet pilot has been suspended while the …

The results are in, and for the big retailers in London, this past Christmas season, well, sucked bigtime, dubbed “the worst in years.”

The Guardian has way more on yesterday’s big …

If anyone asks me what the most important part of a novel is, I almost always reply that it’s voice. Granted, for most people it’s a somewhat amorphous concept, that elements of …

Karin Gillespie, who launched a new series of Southern-set novels last year with BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR, has relaunched her blog as a promotion and marketing-focused one for writers. It’s off to …

After racing through the fifth Harry Potter book, Francisca Solar, a 21 year old journalism student from Chile, suffered withdrawal. So she wrote her own followup and posted the 33-chapter, 756 page …

This story’s been making the rounds of the ‘sphere (I picked it up from Mobylives) and I can’t help but shake my head at it:

An employee of book chain Waterstone’s has …

All you Stephanie Plum fanatics, and there must be a lot of them considering how this series still tops bestseller lists, here’s some good news for you:

NYT bestselling author Janet …

Victor Gischler’s highly acclaimed, internationally celebrated World’s Worst Interview series continues with…um, me. I’d quote from it but the last time I quoted myself in this …

If there’s anything I’ve learned in the year-plus I’ve been blogging, it’s that I love it when people I really like get book deals. Because it affirms, at least in my mind, …

Not only will Winslow’s first novel in years, THE POWER OF THE DOG, be published by Knopf in late April, but it looks like a movie of his first book starring slacker PI Neal Carey will finally …

I spent a good portion of my evening yesterday taking part in a chat run by Gerald So (who was wearing his DetecToday moderator hat) and the transcript is now available for everyone to read. In the …

I feel like I’ve been waiting for this project for weeks and weeks, but finally, the Anthony Neil Smith-edited online issue of the Mississippi Review is finally up and running, with more …

Poor, poor Ian Rankin. It seems anything he does, whether discovering crime scenes, getting accidentally recruited for police work or shopping for groceries gets written up in his hometown papers. …

The UK-based magazine offers up some new content on its website, including reviews of the latest by Reginald Hill and Lisa Gardner, and a couple of really juicy interviews as well. John Shannon talks …

NYTBR: My god, someone’s actually listening to me, really–for Marilyn Stasio continues the “new” trend of reviewing four books in her crime column. She marvels at Ed …

Yeah, yeah I’m late, considering I came up with the idea in the first place, but then again, this post stays at the top of the blog till Sunday morning. So there.

Aside from the fact that Donna …

Mad Max Perkins points to Publishers Weekly’s piece on the rising stars of the publishing industry and riffs on it in humorous fashion. The chosen editors, movers and shakers are:

Tim Duggan, …

In what might be Sara Nelson’s final piece for the NY Post (since she jumped ship to helm PW and take it to 21st century relevancy) she leads off with Scribner’s expensive plans to promote …

…for the most part, rather surprising, as the Guardian finds out. Andrea Levy took the fiction prize, holding off Alan Hollinghurst’s Booker-winning LINE OF BEAUTY and Kate …

I stole the subject header from Richard Wheeler, a longtime author of Westerns and newbie blogger. Wheeler (who Lee Goldberg also linked to, which was how I saw it in the first place) postulates that …

With the surprising announcement that former NY Post and NY Observer publishing reporter Sara Nelson will take over as editor-in-chief for the trade rag, now various places–the New York Times …

Jason Sandford, proprietor of StorySouth, has brought back the popular award, designed to “honor and promote the best fiction published in online literary journals and magazines during the past …

It might be surprising that Tingle Alley linked to this before I did, but it’s been that kind of morning.

Laura Lippman, in her latest website letter, took a whack at the whole “genre …

Why do I have the sinking feeling that thanks to Philip Roth, alternate history is the new black? This brand new deal just adds to the bandwagon feeling:

David L. Robbins’s …