The Thrill of it All

75 Free eBooks, 10 free Kindle Fires, and $500 for a library

2012-02-01T10:51:00.000-06:00

Five authors have pooled their resources for a special event that means you can download 75 free eBooks, enter to win one of 10 Kindle Fires, and enter to win $500 for your local library. The Big Kindle Boogie features authors Lee Goldberg, J.A. Konrath, J. Carson Black, Scott Nicholson, and Blake Crouch. (We've featured both Lee Goldberg and Joe Konrath on the blog here several times.)

The books are only free today and tomorrow (Feb 1 and Feb 2) -- so act now! Lee has a list of links to all 75 free downloads at Amazon, info about how to enter the drawing(s) here, and then you can follow updates at the Big Kindle Boogie official blog and Facebook page.

Related links:
Crime Fiction Alphabet: M is for MR. MONK AND THE DIRTY COP
Mr. Monk is Online: Interview with LEE GOLDBERG
Q&A: LEE GOLDBERG (Monk, Diagnosis Murder)
Detectives: J.A. Konrath: LT. JACQUELINE "JACK" DANIELS
Now, THIS is how you do a blog tour
"Ignorance is death."
J.A. Konrath: Notes from a long, long tour (in progress)

Mystery Writers Talk Crime in the City

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

The past few summers, NPR's Morning Edition has broadcast the series "Crime in the City," featuring interviews where crime writers talk about the locale of their mysteries. Here are just a few from the complete list to date, which you can still listen to online:

Taking On Crime In A Racially Divided D.C. - George Pelecanos (08/02/2011)
Sun Valley Sheriff Finds Murder On The Mountain - Ridley Pearson (08/10/2010)
Stephanie Plum: Trenton's Scrappy Bounty Hunter - Janet Evanovich (08/09/2010)
Hunting 'Prey' On The Streets Of The Twin Cities - John Sandford (07/31/09)
A Conspiracy Around Every Corner In Baldacci's D.C. - David Baldacci (07/27/09)
Probing The Psyche Of Glasgow's Mean Streets - Denise Mina (08/11/08)
Joe Wambaugh: The Writer Who Redefined LAPD - Joseph Wambaugh (07/18/08)
Parker Explores The Shadows Of Boston's Back Bay - Robert B. Parker (07/11/08)
Real People Inhabit Connelly's Fictional L.A. - Michael Connelly (08/24/07)
Laura Lippman's Baltimore: Loving a Flawed Place - Laura Lippman (08/23/07)

Related links:
Complete SPENSER by Robert B. Parker
Complete LUCAS DAVENPORT by John Sandford
Complete HARRY BOSCH by Michael Connelly
Complete STEPHANIE PLUM by Janet Evanovich
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Next week: Chris Well's THRILL OF IT ALL podcast!

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-06:00

Well, I just spent the weekend putting together the pilot episode of "Chris Well's Thrillercast." Although the long-term goal is to serialize my fiction through all sorts of audiobook and/or podcast outlets ... I really want a chance to do some episodes locally and work out all the kinks. Figure out how to make them before I start sending them around.

So, think of this first series as the "cable access" version of the show. Just for you and me, right? See you next week for the world premiere...

Related links:
How to Podcast
HowStuffWorks "How to Create Your Own Podcast"
How To Create A Podcast - YouTube
How to Publish your Podcast on iTunes | eHow.com
Create your own podcast – Weekend Project - CNET Reviews

Crime Fiction News (Jan 28)

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

The big ticket at Thrill of it All this week were new entries in our ever-growing catalog of mystery series -- with a complete list of Steven James' mysteries starring FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers at the top of the list. Other new additions this week were lists of Jessica Beck's Donut Shop Mysteries and Lisa Lutz's series starring the Spellman family. Below, you'll find the whole Top 20 links this week at The Thrill of it All.

But first, recent crime and mystery fiction news, reviews, and interviews from around the web:
01 Edgar Allan Poe 'toaster' tradition is no more (Washington Post)
02 'The Raven': New poster for thriller starring John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe (EW)
03 The Making of a Mystery (Spyglass Lane Mysteries)
04 First ever crime writing MA launched‎ (The Guardian UK)
05 Exclusive Interview: A Conversation with Carol Higgins Clark‎ (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
06 Pulp Fiction: Audio Edition (Publishers Weekly)
07 Dashiell Hammett's San Francisco (San Francisco Chronicle)
08 Between the Lines: Crime fiction author Robert Crais is no detective‎ (Sacramento Bee)
09 The English love affair with the murder mystery (Telegraph.co.uk)
10 Book Review: The James Bond Bedside Companion [Kindle Edition] (Blogcritics Books)
11 Interview: Jeri Westerson, Author of the Crispin Quest Series (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
‎12 'Haywire': Soderbergh thriller a cracking good time, critics say‎ (Los Angeles Times)
13 One For The Money: Number's up for comedy thriller (The Province)
14 Review: Kojak: The Complete Movie Collection (DVD Talk Review)

THRILL OF IT ALL'S TOP 20 (new entries in bold)
01 Complete PATRICK BOWERS by Steven James
02 Spyglass Lane Mysteries for less than a dollar!
03 In two weeks: Chris Well's THRILL OF IT ALL podcast!
04 Complete DETECTIVE MURDOCH by Maureen Jennings
05 All Aboard For Murder: 10 Mysteries and Thrillers On Trains
06 In stores: RAYLAN by Elmore Leonard
07 The Complete PARKER by Richard Stark
08 Complete SUZANNE HART (Donut Shop Mysteries) by Jessica Beck
09 Crime Fiction News (Jan 21): Elmore Leonard
10 Complete THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz
11 Janet Evanovich: "Katherine Heigl is the perfect Stephanie Plum."
12 Mystery TV Themes: HARDY BOYS / NANCY DREW
13 Murder Mystery in Nashville Feb 17
14 How to write a cozy mystery
15 150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010
16 Complete U.S. MARSHAL KAREN SISCO (Out of Sight) by Elmore Leonard
17 5 Questions: Susan Sleeman on NIPPED IN THE BUD
18 The Mysterious Disappearance of Edgar Allan Poe's Admirer
19 The changing face of traditional mystery fiction
20 Milton Caniff’s STEVE CANYON at Christmas

Murder Mystery in Nashville Feb 17

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

Mystery fiction fans in the Nashville area should know the treasure that is Mysteries & More News & Used Books, a great little bookstore in Lenox Village. In February, the store will be hosting a murder mystery party. Here are the details straight from their email:

Fellow Mystery Lovers, how good are your sleuthing skills? We’re asking this because on Friday night, February 17th, beginning at 7:00 PM, we will host our second Murder Mystery Party. Here are the details:

- The cost is $10.00 per person.
- Attendees will listen to a brief introduction and police report about a murder.
- Eight suspects (volunteers) will make accusations and defend their own innocence.
- Everyone will get a chance to vote for “whodunit”.
- Those that correctly identify the killer will win a $10.00 gift certificate to the store.
- Wine and light refreshments will be served so attendees must be over 21.
- Due to space limitations, a maximum of 24 persons can attend this event.
- Reservations can be accepted only when accompanied by payment.
- No refunds after February 10th unless seats can be refilled.

It should be a fun evening, but make your reservations early as our last event sold out in just three days!

Contact information for Mysteries & More can be found on their official website.

Related links:
Host-Party.com - Murder Mystery Games And Parties
Dinner and a Murder Mystery Games Complete Party Kits
Host your own great murder mystery games for your friends and family.
The Dinner Detective® Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Show
Nashville Dinner Theatre Resources

Complete THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz

2012-01-26T06:34:00.000-06:00

Complete list of mysteries starring San Francisco private investigator Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, who comes from a family of private investigators. Written by Lisa Lutz:

The Spellman Files: Document #1 (2007)
Curse of the Spellmans: Document #2 (2008)
Revenge of the Spellmans: Document #3 (2009)
The Spellmans Strike Again: Document #4 (2010)
Trail of the Spellmans: Document #5 (2012)
The Spellman Series: E-Book Box Set (first four books)

Spellman Sampler: Book Excerpts, Reading Group Guides, & Other Classified Materials

Related links:
Conversations With Famous Writers: Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files
Meet the Spellmans, interview with author Lisa Lutz - YouTube
With The Spellmans Strike Again, Lisa Lutz brings a quirky mystery series to a delightful close (Nashville Scene)
Interview with Lisa Lutz, Author of The Spellman Files - Blogcritics
One-on-One with SPELLMANS author Lisa Lutz< | Jim Halterman

More detectives:
Complete REGAN REILLY by Carol Higgins Clark
Complete SUNNY RANDALL by Robert B. Parker
Complete BRYANT & MAY (Peculiar Crimes Unit) by Christopher Fowler
Complete ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg
Complete EARL WALKER (Hometown Mysteries) by Chris Well
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Complete SUZANNE HART (Donut Shop Mysteries) by Jessica Beck

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of mysteries to date of culinary mysteries starring amateur sleuth Suzanne Hart, owner of North Carolina donut shopDonut Hearts. Written by Jessica Beck:

Glazed Murder (Donut Mystery #1) - March 2010
When a body is dumped in front of Donut Hearts, Suzanne must find out what happened to her customer!

Fatally Frosted (Donut Mystery #2) - August 2010
When Suzanne Hart agrees to make donuts for the Kitchens Extraordinaire Home Tour, she has no idea that murder will be on the menu!

Sinister Sprinkles (Donut Mystery #3) - November 2010
Suzanne is mixed up in her ex husband's love life, whether she likes it or not!

Evil Eclairs (Donut Mystery #4) - April 2011
A radio show targets donuts, and Suzanne fights back, only to have her foe murdered!

Tragic Toppings (Donut Mystery #5) - August 2011
When friend and fellow shopkeeper Emily Hargraves disappears, Suzanne sets out to find her!

Killer Crullers (Donut Mystery #6) - January 2012
Can Suzanne prove her role in a cruller-vandal's killing is a cruel, albeit sugar-coated, twist of fate?

More detectives:
GOLDY SCHULZ by Diane Mott Davidson (1992)
CLARE COSI (Coffeehouse Mysteries) by Cleo Coyle (2003)
CHLOE CARTER (Gourmet Girl) Jessica Conant-Park, Susan Conant (2006)
PHYLLIS NEWSOM (Fresh Baked Mysteries) by Livia J. Washburn (2006)
OLLIE PARAS (White House Chef Mysteries) by Julie Hyzy (2008)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

In two weeks: Chris Well's THRILL OF IT ALL podcast!

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

One week closer. Did some preliminary recording and determined that I need to get a new microphone. For a variety of reasons, I won't have this new microphone until first week of February at the earliest. So...if I am able to do episode #001 over the following weekend (and that's assuming there aren't any more technical problems, and that I also figure out all the other stuff)...we can still make our launch date.

We'll see.

Previously:
Coming next month: Chris Well's THRILL OF IT ALL podcast!

Image courtesy
Image: tungphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Related links:
Podiobooks.com - Serialized audio books in podcast form
Publish an audio book via Podiobooks! (Smashwords)
Post Complete Podiobook (Podcast audiobook) directory (iLounge)
Can Publishing a Podiobook Help You Sell More Books? (Lindsay Buroker)
Release A Free Podcast Novel With Podiobooks.com (How To Publish Books)
Guest Post by Scott Sigler (A Newbie's Guide to Publishing)

Crime Fiction News (Jan 21)

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

Thrill of it All readers were rabid for crime fiction legend Elmore Leonard this week, as he appeared in no fewer than four of this week's top 20 blog entries. Below, you can find the whole list of the most-read mystery and crime fiction entries at Thrill of it All for the week.

But first, this week's mystery and crime fiction news and reviews:
01 Edgar Nominees Announced (A Writer's Life)
02 Dalziel and Pascoe creator Reginald Hill Dies at 75 (New York Times)
03 PD James Kills Jane Austen (Poe's Deadly Daughters)
04 Get Justified with Elmore Leonard (Mystery Scene)
05 Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations – January 2012 (Cozy Mystery List)
06 Forgotten Book: A BOX OF TRICKS, Simon Brett (Mysteries in Paradise)
07 Madison murder mystery author back with a vengeance (Wisconsin State Journal)
08 Crime fiction: Nothing like a good 19th-century mystery (The Seattle Times)
09 Crime writer Ann Cleeves' Blue Lightning most borrowed book in 2011 (Shetland Times)
10 Casting the Detectives: Crime Fiction's Biggest Movie Stars (Wall Street Journal)

THRILL OF IT ALL'S TOP 20
01. 25 Crime Fiction Series
02. Complete KURT WALLANDER by Henning Mankell
03. Coming next month: Chris Well's THRILL OF IT ALL podcast
04. Spyglass Lane Mysteries for less than a dollar!
05. Death of a Hussy (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 5) by M.C. Beaton
06. Dark Horse Presents 'Miss Marple meets Dexter'
07. Complete ANNA PIGEON by Nevada Barr
08. In stores: RAYLAN by Elmore Leonard
09. 5 Questions: Susan Sleeman on NIPPED IN THE BUD
10. Complete DETECTIVE MURDOCH by Maureen Jennings
11. Star Island by Carl Hiaasen (book trailer)
12. Complete U.S. MARSHAL KAREN SISCO (Out of Sight) by Elmore Leonard
13. Complete PETER DECKER and RINA LAZARUS by Faye Kellerman
14. Complete NANCY DREW by Carolyn Keene
15. Complete U.S. Marshal RAYLAN GIVENS (Justified) by Elmore Leonard
16. Print-to-Screen: HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
17. Janet Evanovich: "Katherine Heigl is the perfect Stephanie Plum."
18. All Aboard For Murder: 10 Mysteries and Thrillers On Trains
19. 150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010
20. Amateur Sleuth KAREN MAXWELL by K.D. Hays

Complete PATRICK BOWERS by Steven James

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of thrillers starring FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers. Written by Steven James:

THE PAWN (2007)
THE ROOK (2008)
THE KNIGHT (2009)
THE BISHOP (2010)
THE QUEEN (2011)

Related links:
Steven James: The best thriller writer you aren't reading (Johnson City Press)
The Bishop by Steven James (The Big Thrill)
Book Series That Need To Be Read In Order (TracyReaderDad Thrillers & Mysteries)
Interview with Psychological Thriller Author Steven James (Author Culture)
Steven James Interview (Life Is Story)

More series:
ELVIS COLE and JOE PIKE by Robert Crais
LUCAS DAVENPORT by John Sandford
HARRY BOSCH by Michael Connelly
ALEX CROSS by James Patterson
STEPHANIE PLUM by Janet Evanovich

Spyglass Lane Mysteries for less than a dollar!

2012-01-19T11:20:00.000-06:00

Hey, gang, here is some vital info from my publisher, Spyglass Lane Mysteries:

Ready to laugh? Swoon? Put on your thinking cap? Spyglass Lane Mysteries has a new line of cozy mysteries for e-readers for only 99-cents each. These Christian cozy mysteries are modern-day whodunits with colorful characters and plenty of wholesome romance. New mysteries release every Thursday, with 21 mysteries now available for just 99-cents.

So what are you waiting for? Check out the books below and click the link to purchase for your e-reader.If you would like to be notified each week of the latest book release click here to sign up for our email newsletter or here for our RSS feed.

	A Suspicion of Strawberries (The Scents of Murder Series) By Lynette Sowell A facial gone wrong, or murder? Andromeda Clark must uncover the truth to save her handmade soap business.The heartbreaker diva of Greenburg, Tennessee is dead. Andromeda Clark knows that her cherry facial scrub didn't accidentally kill Charla Rae Thacker from anaphylactic shock. But Andi's soap business is in trouble and tongues are a-waggin'. To save her business, she searches for the one who tampered with her product. And now Andi's long-time, long-haul trucker boyfriend Ben decides it's time to settle down and stay in Greenburg for good. How can a woman breathe? Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Another Grave Matter (The Volstead Manor Series) By Anita Higman Volstead Manor has caught on fire, and the last of its murderous secrets flare hot enough to drive Bailey back to her sleuthing. A villain, who remains shrouded in darkness until the end, threatens to destroy Bailey, and once again, the mansion ignites with malevolent mischief. While she unearths a family secret from Prohibition that’s hidden deep within the cellar, she becomes entangled in a ticking-clock race to save her own life. Will the foul surprises never end at Volstead Manor, and will Bailey’s burning desire to marry Max go up in smoke? Buy for Kindle
	Another Hour to Kill (The Volstead Manor Series) By Anita Higman Where Bailey Walker lives, being neighborly takes on a whole new meaning. Bailey has survived the mysteries of Volstead Manor, but her latest threats are more ominous than ever. Did her neighbor B.J. die of natural causes? Or was he murdered? And why does the new neighbor, Vlad Tepes, always seem to be watching her? While searching for a lost treasure and planning a wedding the size of an amusement park, Bailey must discover what monster is still lurking in the neighborhood. Will she unravel the puzzle in time, or will Bailey merely provide the villain with Another Hour to Kill? Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Another Stab at Life (The Volstead Manor Series) By Anita Higman Bailey Walker has just lost everything—her family, her job, and her home. She has nowhere to go except the dilapidated mansion she’s just inherited from her granny Minna. Unfortunately, Bailey discovers that the house has a history as shadowy as its hidden passages and finds the neighborhood overflowing with some rather quirky folks—as well as one particularly appealing bachelor. Bailey feels like she’s trapped inside the pages of a gothic novel but with a comedic twist. In order to honor her grandmother’s wishes and stay at Volstead Manor, Bailey must unravel a string of mysteries and secrets, which all seem determined to stay happily ever buried. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Band Room Bash (The Mayhem in Maryland Series) By Candice Speare Prentice This murderer is playing for keeps. When Trish Cunningham and her oldest stepson, Tommy, find Georgia Winters, the English teacher at Four Oaks High School, dead in the band room, the suspect list is lengthy. The teacher had a number of enemies—including Tommy Cunningham. Once again, Trish pulls out her notebook to collect clues. Detective Eric Scott, suffering from unrequited love for Trish’s best friend, Abbie, pointedly asks Trish to butt out. But despite the detective’s warnings, she jumps in as usual and finds herself embroiled in a mystery that has its roots in thwarted love and revenge. The finale could be Trish’s swan song. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Died in the Wool (The Massachusetts Mayhem Mystery Series) By Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery Hone your investigative skills with Died in the Wool, a mystery filled with humor, suspense, and romance. Monah Trenary is battling for city funds for her beloved library. When a rival for the much-needed monies winds up dead, Monah is considered one of the prime suspects. When a second corpse weighs in, police detective Mike Brockman discovers that, according to the evidence, Monah and monkshood are a lethal combination. Can Monah and proven sleuth Casey Alexander find the real killer before this librarian is booked for murder? Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Everybody Loved Roger Harden (Everybody’s Suspect in Georgia) By Cecil Murphey Psychologist Julie West and Reverend James Burton arrive late for dinner on Palm Island – but just in time to discover their host, millionaire Roger Harden, murdered. Ten possible suspects share closed quarters on the secluded island, all of them with deep secrets and sufficient motive to have wanted the wealthy benefactor dead. Can Julie and Burton ignore the mysterious attraction developing between them long enough to discover who among them didn't love Roger Harden enough to let him live? Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Fudge-Laced Felonies (A Summer Meadows Mystery) By Cynthia Hickey While transplanting the rosebush her church’s handsome greeter, Ethan Banning, inadvertently killed, Summer and Ethan discover a hidden stash of diamonds, a rusty can full of cash, and a bloody-gardening glove. This discovery sets Summer and her candy-making aunt on a search for a killer. As Summer gets closer to the truth-not only of the theft but of her true feelings for Ethan-the diamond thief hatches a plan to hush the feisty sleuth. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	George Washington Stepped Here (The Karen Maxwell Mystery Series) By K. D. Hays For years after her divorce, Karen Maxwell handled administrative paperwork for her brother’s private investigation agency while he ran around town doing the “fun” part—the investigation. When his partner retires, he finally offers her a chance to take a case of her own. She soon finds out why. The assignment involves the theft of the local historical society’s most treasured artifact, and her brother figures everyone involved is a little crazy. While Karen poses as a volunteer at the site to catch the thief, she meets a host of dedicated historical re-enactors, one of whom happens to be tall, handsome and unmarried. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Homicide at Blue Heron Lake (The Mainely Mysteries Series) By Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis Emily Gray returns to the lakeside community of Baxter, Maine, expecting a peaceful week in her family's island cottage. Instead, she and her high school crush, Nate Holman, discover the body of Henry Derbin, an elderly island resident. Amid rekindling her old friendship with Nate and trying to make sense of the murder, Emily shares her faith with an old schoolmate. When a second body turns up, the cottagers on Grand Cat Island are frightened and baffled. Is this why Mr. Derbin forbade everyone from going on his land? Can Emily and Nate overcome past hindrances to their romance long enough to dig up clues that will help solve both murders? Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Inn Plain Sight (The Massachusetts Mayhem Mystery Series) By Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery Come along as bride-to-be Casey Alexander works to solve the murder that hijacked her shower. She’ll find that the victim’s propensity for blackmail, gossip, and downright meanness has created a long list of suspects. Unfortunately, Casey’s fiancé is at the top of the list. Armed with her ever present Post-It Notes and the help of her best friend, Casey follows the clues to a killer hiding in plain sight. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Kitty Litter Killer (The Mayhem in Maryland Series) By Candice Speare Prentice Trish Cunningham is pussyfooting with a murderer. Amateur sleuth Trish has retired from her short-lived crime-solving foray. No more walking deliberately into danger. Now her short-term goal is to see her best friend, Abbie, marry fiancé, Eric Scott, in three weeks. But the brutal murder of Abbie’s ex-husband could ruin the nuptials, especially since Abbie was the last one seen with him—when they had a hostile argument at the local convenience store. With evidence pointing at Abbie and the possibility of jail looming in her best friend’s future, Trish comes out of her self-imposed sleuth retirement. And as the clock ticks down to the wedding date, Trish once again puts herself in reach of a murderer’s claws—this time to protect her best friend. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Murder in the Milk Case (The Mayhem in Maryland Series) By Candice Speare Prentice Will Trish Cunningham’s discovery sour her on milk forever? When mommy and wife Trish Cunningham finds the body of pharmacist Jim Bob Jenkins behind the two-percent milk, she know she’s having a bad day. Worse, she’s a suspect in the murder. Sleuthing to exonerate herself from criminal charges, she shakes up a murderer who has nothing to lose by killing anyone in the way—including Trish. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Nipped in the Bud (Garden Gate Mysteries) By Susan Sleeman WHEN YOU FIND YOUR BOSS PUSHING UP DAISIES...YOU’VE GOT TO FORMULATE A PLANT OF ATTACK. Life in full bloom, landscape designer, Paige Turner, scores her first landscaping contract to spruce up the park, her radio talk show shoots to number one, and her retail shop is simply blossoming. Yes, her life is a bed of roses. Until she finds City Manager, Bud Picklemann served up on the blade of her favorite shovel mere hours after she’s threatened to have his head on a platter, then the thorns come out. And there is none thornier than the local police chief declaring Paige the one and only suspect and threatening to plow her under. Paige teams up with dashing attorney, Adam Hayes to weed through the list of suspects, and clear her soiled reputation. A bigmouthed Parrot who often spouts Mr. T-isms, and a giant pickle mascot join in quirky Paige’s quest to once again cultivate control of her life. Buy for Kindle
	The Wedding Caper (The Bridal Mayhem Mystery Series) By Janice Hanna When a $25,000 night deposit mysteriously disappears from the Clark County Savings and Loan, Annie Peterson, has reason to be concerned and to assume the role of amateur sleuth. Her husband’s job at the bank makes him a potential suspect, but knowing him to be a godly man, she can’t imagine it. Then again, there is that matter of the weddings to factor in. Twin daughters Brandi and Candy have just received proposals and two weddings are pending. Sure, Warren occasionally jokes about robbing the bank to pay for the ceremonies, but Annie knows him better than that…doesn’t she? Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Treasure at Blue Heron Lake (The Mainely Mysteries Series) By Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis Emily Gray has accepted a job working for the Baxter Journal and plans a feature story on Lakeview Lodge. Owner Jeff Lewis tells her and Nate Holman a mysterious legend about a hidden treasure and murder. Now the hunting lodge is plagued by an intruder who thumps around in the night. Nate and Emily try to help their friend discover who is invading the resort. Things turn more sinister over the Christmas holidays, when one of Jeff’s employees is murdered, with Jeff as a suspect. Is the legend of an old lumber baron’s lost treasure behind the crimes? Jeff’s faith is shaky, and his family rejects him. Nate and Emily try to help him through the crisis. In the midst of the turmoil, Nate graduates from the Police Academy and proposes to Emily. Their life together begins with unmasking the murderer at Lakeview Lodge. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Where the Truth Lies (The Massachusetts Mayhem Mystery Series) By Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery Casey Alexander refuses to believe her aunt committed suicide. Convinced a murderer is hiding out in her aunt’s sleepy hometown, she’ll do anything to uncover the truth. But as her personal investigation produces mounting evidence, the danger to Casey grows. Now she’ll be forced to trust certain residents of Pine Mills for help, including local nursery owner, Luke Kerrigain…the man with whom she’s falling in love with…and who may be stalking her. Prompted by strange clues and a mysterious stranger, Casey does a little more digging. The secrets she unearths will turn lives upside down and threaten the peace in Pine Mills’ small community—especially when she discovers that the truth can sometimes be hidden in a lie. Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices
	Worth Its Weight in Old (Karen Maxwell Mystery Series) By K.D. Hays Paintings slashed... Furniture broken… Someone is wreaking havoc at the Blue Moon Art & Antiques Gallery. Fledgling private investigator Karen Maxwell goes undercover as a salesclerk to find out who’s behind the vandalism, and why. She learns little from friendly clerk Vicki and Eric, the shop’s surly, tight- lipped porter, would run over her with a hand truck before he’d answer any questions. The guilt may even lay with the shop owners themselves, despite the fact that they’re the ones who hired her. Karen’s investigation seems to be going nowhere—just like her once-promising relationship with Brian, the handsome blacksmith who could sweep her off her feet in a minute… if he’d ever take a break from working with the church youth group. Frustration mounts as her dreams of romantic evenings turn into endless rehearsals for the church Christmas play. If Karen can’t crack the case soon, she may find herself busted back to plain, old office manager, her dreams of a career as a private investigator—and a life with Brian—as old and busted as the Blue Moon’s vandalized antiques... Buy for Kindle Buy for other devices

Complete DETECTIVE MURDOCH by Maureen Jennings

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list to date of mysteries starring Detective William Murdoch, set in turn-of-the-century Toronto. Written by Maureen Jennings:

Except the Dying (1997)
Under the Dragon's Tail (1998)
Poor Tom is Cold (2001)
Let Loose the Dogs (2003)
Night's Child (2005)
Vices of My Blood (2006)
A Journeyman to Grief (2007)

Television's Murdoch Mysteries on DVD:
The Murdoch Mysteries Movie Collection
Murdoch Mysteries, Season One
Murdoch Mysteries: Season Two
Murdoch Mysteries Season Three

Related links:
Detective Murdoch, and Maureen Jennings’ Wild Ride (Confessions of a Cultural Idiot)
Author Spotlight: Maureen Jennings (McClelland.com)
Maureen Jennings | The Word On The Street
Acclaimed Author Maureen Jennings Visits Oakville (Oakville Ontario News)
MysteryBooks.ca | Author Spotlight: Maureen Jennings

More detectives:
SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)
LORD PETER WIMSEY by Dorothy L. Sayers (1923)
DR. GIDEON FELL by John Dickson Carr (1933)
MRS. JEFFRIES by Emily Brightwell (1993)
MARY RUSSELL (and SHERLOCK HOLMES) by Laurie King (1994)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

In stores today (Jan 17): RAYLAN by Elmore Leonard

2012-01-17T06:06:00.001-06:00

Legendary crime writer Elmore Leonard builds on the success of TV series Justified—based on his character U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens—with Raylan: A Novel. (Which, reportedly, actually features three adventures for the marshal.)

Sometime today, I hope to purchase my copy at Parnassus Books.

Click here to take a peek inside the book:
Browse Inside Raylan: A Novel by Elmore Leonard

Related links:
'Justified' Novel Was Timothy Olyphant's Idea (Reuters)
HC Looks to Boost Sales of 'Raylan' With Help From 'Justified' (Publishers Weekly)
Elmore Leonard on 'Raylan' and 'Justified' (Christian Science Monitor)
He Wrote the Book on Raylan Givens (Slate)
Elmore Leonard's Raylan Givens is back in books and on TV (USA TODAY)

The Thrill of it All:
Complete U.S. Marshal RAYLAN GIVENS (Justified) by Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard: TV show 'Justified' gets it right
Interview: ELMORE LEONARD
Complete U.S. MARSHAL KAREN SISCO (Out of Sight) by Elmore Leonard
25 Crime Fiction Series

Coming next month: Chris Well's THRILL OF IT ALL podcast!

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Well, friends, one of my resolutions for 2012 is to be more proactive about my career as a novelist. And part of achieving that is launching a podcast series: The working title is "Chris Well's Thrillercast" and it will appear here on The Thrill of it All every week. (Give or take.)

Each episode will be built around serializing a free audiobook of my crime and mystery fiction, plus assorted news and the like. (And credit where it's due: I am stealing the format for the podcast from author Scott Sigler.)

The first Monday in February, we kick things off with a 10-part audiobook serializing my mystery story "Don't Fall For That Trick." And then future episodes will serialize my novels.

I've got a whole author's to-do list for 2012—and my podcast is just the beginning! So let's all meet back here on Monday, Feb 6, and we'll see whether I make my first deadline. :)

Related links:
Podcasting Toolbox: 70+ Podcasting Tools and Resources (Mashable.com)
Podcasting Tools
5 Steps To Make Your Own Author Podcast (The Creative Penn)
Use Skype and GarageBand to make a podcast that sounds great (Macworld)
DIY RiffTrax: MAKE Interviews MST3K's Mike Nelson (MAKE)

5 Questions: Susan Sleeman on NIPPED IN THE BUD

2012-01-14T09:57:00.003-06:00

Mystery author Susan Sleeman grew up reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mysteries and suspense fiction. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into writing inspirational romantic suspense and mystery novels and hosting the Christian suspense fiction site TheSuspenseZone.com. Her latest publication is the cozy mystery Nipped in the Bud (Spyglass Lane Mysteries), currently only 99-cents on Amazon.

Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE "NIPPED IN THE BUD"?
My love of gardening inspired me to write Nipped in the Bud. I wanted to create a character who loved it as much as I do, but then of course, I took it to the extreme and made her even more zealous than I am. It was such fun to write, and I’m looking forward to the February release of Read Between the Tines, the second book in the series in e-book form.

Q: YOU WRITE SUSPENSE AND MYSTERY TITLES FOR THE CHRISTIAN MARKET -- HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE WAY YOU APPROACH YOUR CHARACTERS AND YOUR STORIES?
Though I am a Christian writer, I try very hard to make my characters real people. People who struggle to get by in this very difficult world. People who don’t always do the right thing and wish they were better people. But I also make sure that in the book these characters make progress in their spiritual walk. They are by no means perfect when the book ends, but they are trying. And isn’t that what Christians are doing in the world today? Trying to be more like Christ.

Q: YOUR TITLES ALSO TEND TO BALANCE THE SUSPENSE AND/OR MYSTERY WITH ROMANCE -- SO DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A "SUSPENSE WRITER WHO INCLUDES ROMANCE" OR A "ROMANCE WRITER WHO INCLUDES SUSPENSE"?
Okay if you’re going to make me choose, I would have say I’m a suspense writer who includes romance. I started out writing strictly suspense, but along the way I began reading romantic suspense. Now, I have to say, I prefer to read and write an equal blend of romance and suspense.

Q: IN ADDITION TO BEING AN AUTHOR, YOU ALSO HOST THE SITE "THE SUSPENSE ZONE." TELL US ABOUT IT.
TheSuspenseZone.com was birthed when I began looking for Christian suspense novels to read. This was when I first started writing and didn’t know much about Christian fiction in general. However, I read several of Linda Hall’s earlier novels and I wanted to find writers who wrote in a similar vein. So I started searching the internet and came up with a listing of several hundred books. I thought it would be good to share this information with others and so I created TheSuspenseZone.com. The site had grown from twenty or so pages to hundreds of pages with a library of over 900 Christian suspense books. In addition to listing upcoming books, new releases, and author bios, we review books, do author interviews, and always have a contest to win books. We’ve given away hundreds of books on the site and I am thrilled that it has developed a regular following and new readers sign up every day for our monthly newsletter.

Q: WHAT OTHER BOOK(S) ARE YOU WORKING ON THAT WE CAN WATCH FOR?
I have a new romantic suspense series called The Justice Agency releasing in 2012. This series is about five adopted siblings who work in various fields of law enforcement until their adoptive parents are murdered. When the police can’t figure out who killed their beloved parents the Justice siblings come together to solve the case. They discover in the process that they like working together and they form an investigative agency called The Justice Agency. They dedicate the agency to helping people who traditional law enforcement is either unable or unwilling to help. Double Exposure, the first book of this series will release in June and Dead Wrong will release in November.

Catch up with Susan online at SusanSleeman.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter

Related links:
Spyglass Lane Mysteries (Official Site)
Q&A: Susan Sleeman (Nipped in the Bud) (FamilyFiction)
21 Cozy Mysteries Now Available for only .99 each

Dark Horse Presents 'Miss Marple meets Dexter'

2012-01-11T14:10:00.000-06:00

In February, Rich Johnston has written a new mystery story in comics anthology Dark Horse Presents, featuring an elderly women who "solves" murders...well, she commits them and then pins them on someone else. The three-part The Many Murders of Miss Cranbourne, illustrated by Simon Rohrmuller, is described as "Dexter meets Miss Marple."

From the Dark Horse site:

From the mind of the infamous editor of Bleeding Cool, Rich Johnston, comes a three-part tale of gruesome gossip: The Many Murders of Miss Cranbourne, set to premiere in Dark Horse Presents #8!

Have you ever wondered how amateur detectives keep stumbling over dead bodies? Miss Cranbourne doesn’t. Because she kills them. Then finds someone else to pin the blame on.

In “The Vicar Slash’d from Side to Side,” Miss Cranbourne is at odds with the local man of God, and so introduces him to his maker. But in a 1940s English village held together by gossip and sharp looks, how will Miss Cranbourne ensure people look in the direction she’d prefer? And what happens when a man from Scotland Yard arrives to take over the case? This is Dexter meets Miss Marple.

Dark Horse Presents #8 is on sale February 1. The publisher, Dark Horse Comics, is the same publisher who brought Janet Evanovich's Alex Barnaby to the comics page.

Johnston is no stranger to murder mysteries: The longtime comics columnist played a key role in a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation story where he was murdered. (He got better.) Johnston now hosts the comics site Bleeding Cool, serving all your comics news, conjecture, and rumor-mongering needs.

Related links:
Dr. Whodunit
Sherlock Holmes: Don't Call It A Comeback
The return of FEMME NOIR
Crime writers on PUNISHER (Gregg Hurwitz, Duane Swierczynski, Victor Gischler)
Adapting Richard Stark's PARKER

Star Island by Carl Hiaasen (book trailer)

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here's an amusing approach to a book trailer, created for 2010's Star Island by Carl Hiaasen: Pop star Cherry Pye (née Cheryl Bunterman) is about to attempt a comeback from her latest drug-and-alcohol disaster. But then her "undercover stunt double," Ann DeLusia, is kidnapped (by mistake) from a South Beach hotel by an obsessed paparazzo...

Related links:
Paparazzi Take Center Stage In Hiaasen's 'Star Island' (NPR)
It's retribution time, Hiaasen-style (LA Times)
Hiaasen's 'Star Island' is celeb satire yummy as Cherry Pye (USA TODAY)
Book Reviews | "Star Island" by Carl Hiaasen (The Lit Review)
Book Review: Carl Hiaasen's Star Island (Creative Loafing Charlotte)

Complete KURT WALLANDER by Henning Mankell

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of crime novels starring Kurt Wallander, police inspector in Ystad, Sweden. Written by Henning Mankell:

In order of English publication:
Faceless Killers (1997)
The Dogs of Riga (2001)
The White Lioness (1998)
The Man Who Smiled (2005)
Sidetracked (1999)
The Fifth Woman (2000)
One Step Behind (2002)
Firewall (2002)
The Pyramid: The First Wallander Cases (2008) - five novellas
The Troubled Man (2011)

Related links:
Kenneth Branagh is WALLANDER (Crime TV)
Henning Mankell, Swedish crime fiction (ScandinavianBooks)
Detective Meets His End, Sort Of (New York Times)
The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell: review (Telegraph UK)
The Troubled Man, By Henning Mankell (Independent UK)
Henning Mankell's lament for Sweden's most celebrated detective (Guardian UK)

More detectives:
COMMANDER ADAM DALGLIESH by P.D. James (1962)
CHIEF INSPECTOR WEXFORD by Ruth Rendell (1964)
INSPECTOR LYNLEY by Elizabeth George (1988)
HARRY BOSCH by Michael Connelly (1992)
Women's Murder Club by James Patterson (2001)
RIZZOLI & ISLES by Tess Gerritsen (2001)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Complete ANNA PIGEON by Nevada Barr

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of mysteries to date starring Anna Pigeon, park ranger and detective. Written by Nevada Barr:

Track of the Cat (1993)
A Superior Death (1994)
Ill Wind (1995)
Firestorm (1996)
Endangered Species (1997)
Blind Descent (1998)
Liberty Falling (1999)
Deep South (2000)
Blood Lure (2001)
Hunting Season (2002)
Flashback (2003)
High Country (2004)
Hard Truth (2005)
Winter Study (2008)
Borderline (2009)
Burn (2010)
The Rope (2012)

Related links:
'The Rope': Rebuilding a life amid a stunning landscape (Kansas City Star)
Nevada Barr's trail from actress to park ranger to best-selling author (Denver Post)
The joy of watching a tough heroine emerge (News Observer)
What’s New in Books - Jan 17 (Divine: Canada's Online Women's Magazine)
Nevada Barr, Mississippi writer of mystery novels with Anna Pidgeon (Mississippi Writers & Musicians)

More from Thrill of it All:
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010
U.S. MARSHAL KAREN SISCO (Out of Sight) by Elmore Leonard
JESSE STONE by Robert Parker

25 Crime Fiction Series

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

As a companion to our big list of 150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010, here is a list of crime series from authors like Elmore Leonard, Donald Westlake, Harlan Coben, Robert B. Parker, Janet Evanovich, Gregory Mcdonald, Ross Thomas, Lawrence Block, Max Allan Collins, and more. Although there is some overlap with the other list, several of these series are not "mysteries" and/or do not star a "detective" (professional or amateur). In order of first publication:

01. CONTINENTAL OP by Dashiell Hammett (1929)
02. PHILIP MARLOWE by Raymond Chandler (1939)
03. MIKE HAMMER by Mickey Spillane (1947)
04. PARKER by Richard Stark (1962)
05. MODESTY BLAISE by Peter O'Donnell (1965)
06. PHILIP ST. IVES by Oliver Bleeck (1969)
07. DORTMUNDER by Donald Westlake (1970)
08. HARRY CALLAHAN (Dirty Harry) by Dane Hartman (1971)
09. SPENSER by Robert B. Parker (1973)
10. NOLAN by Max Allan Collins (1973)
11. FLETCH by Gregory Mcdonald (1974)
12. MATTHEW SCUDDER by Lawrence Block (1976)
13. FLYNN by Gregory Mcdonald (1976)
14. QUARRY by Max Allan Collins (1976)
15. BERNIE RHODENBARR (Burglar) by Lawrence Block (1977)
16. ARTIE WU and QUINCY DURANT by Ross Thomas (1978)
17. CHILI PALMER by Elmore Leonard (1991)
18. U.S. MARSHAL RAYLAN GIVENS (Justified) by Elmore Leonard (1993)
19. STEPHANIE PLUM by Janet Evanovich (1994)
20. MYRON BOLITAR by Harlan Coben (1995)
21. U.S. MARSHAL KAREN SISCO (Out of Sight) by Elmore Leonard (1996)
22. JESSE STONE by Robert B. Parker (1997)
23. KELLER by Lawrence Block (1998)
24. SUNNY RANDALL by Robert B. Parker (1999)
25. U.S. MARSHAL CARL WEBSTER by Elmore Leonard (2005)

Related links:
Thrilling Detective
Murderous Beginnings: 40 Detective Fiction Firsts
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Death of a Hussy (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 5) by M.C. Beaton

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-06:00

Death of a Hussy (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 5)
M.C. Beaton
St. Martin's Press
Originally published: 1990

The fifth mystery story featuring Hamish Macbeth from the author of the bestselling Agatha Raisin series

A tart with a heart of stone...

Maggie Baird is neither kind or generous, but she is very, very rich. So when her car catches fire, with her inside it, there are five likely candidates for the role of murderer. All five had been houseguests at her luxurious Highlands home - Maggie's timid niece and four former lovers, one of whom Maggie had intended to pick for a husband.

All five are utterly broke and all had ample opportunity to tamper with Maggie's car. So finding out who did it will require all of PC Hamish Macbeth's extraordinary common sense and insight into human nature; especially when the killer appears to be the wrong person entirely...

Related links:
A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 16) by M. C. Beaton
Death of a Perfect Wife (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 4)
Death of an Outsider (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 3)
Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 2)
Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 1)
Complete HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
Agatha Raisin, Hamish Macbeth and the novels of M.C. Beaton (official site)
Mystery TV Themes: HAMISH MACBETH (Crime TV)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Christian fiction news: FamilyFiction launches spin-off FAMILYFICTION EDGE

2011-12-30T09:01:00.000-06:00

Frank Peretti on the cover of FamilyFiction Edge

Here's some news from my day job at Christian fiction news magazine FamilyFiction -- in February, we're launching the companion digital magazine FamilyFiction Edge, focusing on Christian authors who write suspense (including thrillers, mysteries, and romantic suspense); speculative fiction (which covers science fiction, fantasy, end-times fiction, and supernatural fiction); young adult and teen fiction; movies & DVDs; and comics & animation.

Top thriller, suspense, and mystery authors in the Christian market include Frank Peretti, Brandilyn Collins, Steven James,Terri Blackstock,Ted Dekker, Ronie Kendig,Randy Singer, Marta Perry, Robert Liparulo, and Mindy Starns Clark.

The FamilyFiction brand also includes a comprehensive website, and the email newsletter FamilyFiction Weekly. For more information on the latest in Christian fiction, movies, comics, and DVDs, please visit the FamilyFiction website at http://www.FamilyFiction.com.

Complete CHARLOTTE BESSETTE (Cheese Shop Mysteries) by Avery Ames

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of mysteries to date starring Charlotte Bessette, amateur sleuth and proprietor of Fromagerie Bessette (i.e., "the Cheese Shop"). Written by Avery Ames:

The Long Quiche Goodbye (2010)
Lost and Fondue (2011)
Clobbered by Camembert (2012)

Related links:
Mystery Lovers Kitchen
Culinary Mysteries
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

THE ABACUS CONUNDRUM by Harlan Kane

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

Related links from Television Tropes & Idioms:
Mad Lib Thriller Title
Mad Lib Thriller Title Generator

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Official US Trailer

2011-12-26T17:18:00.001-06:00

For Christmas, my wife gave me the "Karla" espionage trilogy of novels starring George Smiley: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974), The Honourable Schoolboy (1977), and Smiley’s People (1980). And, having read Tinker, Tailor in a day-and-a-half, I am really looking forward to seeing the new film.

Here's the official description from the Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy page on Facebook: Based on the classic novel of the same name, the international thriller is set at the height of the Cold War years of the mid-20th Century. George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a disgraced British spy, is rehired in secret by his government–which fears that the British Secret Intelligence Service, a.k.a. MI6, has been compromised by a double agent working for the Soviets.

Related links:
Complete GEORGE SMILEY by John le Carré
John le Carré: “Tinker Tailor” the movie of a lifetime (Salon)
Video: The Genius of John le Carré (Focus Features)
John Le Carre Interview (two episodes) (CBC Radio)
INTERVIEW: John le Carre at 80: Finding out whether I can still write (Monsters & Critics)

Milton Caniff’s STEVE CANYON at Christmas

2011-12-26T11:49:00.000-06:00

Comic strip magazine Hogan's Alley reprints this article from the Henderson (N.C.) Daily Dispatch, outlining the special Christmas message to support the troops that cartoonist Milton Caniff would include every year in his classic series Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon:

Milton Caniff’s Christmas Strips: During World War II, comic strip artist Milton Caniff interrupted the story line of his comic strip, “Terry and the Pirates,” to offer a Christmas tribute to the pilots ferrying supplies from India to our Chinese allies. On Dec. 25, 1944, his strip was titled “White Christmas–Himalayas Version.” It pictured a transport plane flying between snow-covered peaks. Caniff wrote that the pilots were doing their job so the folks back home “can look at the American sky and see nothing more dangerous than snow.”
That was the start of an annual tradition. Each year, Caniff devoted the Christmas installment of “Terry”–and later of his other creation, “Steve Canyon”–to a special message. He combined pictures and words into a continuous theme of support for our troops, acknowledging their sacrifices and remembering those who died–and relating it to the meaning of Christmas.

Read the whole article here.

A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 16) by M. C. Beaton

2011-12-23T16:42:00.000-06:00

A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 16)
M. C. Beaton
Grand Central Publishing
November 2002
9780446609197

Hamish's toughest case to date—to bring some festive cheer to a town long dampened by the spirit of Scrooge.

In dark, wintry Lochdubh, Christmas Cheer is about as welcome as a flat tyre on a deserted road. The Calvinist element in town has always resisted what they view as secular frivolity, so for most of the townsfolk there'll be no carols, feasting, gifts—or even whisky on Christmas Day!

And for PC Hamish Macbeth there's no holiday from crime—he finds himself hunting for a missing cat belonging to a lonely spinster. Curt and unfriendly, the woman is convinced her pet has been stolen but once behind her heavily-bolted door, Hamish can spot her true problem—she lives in fear, though of who or what he cannot guess.

Then someone steals a Christmas tree and lights from the nearby village of Cnothan. So it is up to Hamish to sort all these problems out—and he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon peal on the eve of Christmas.

More Christmas Stories:
Slay Ride: 12 Mystery Titles For Christmas
10 Free Christmas Crime Stories: Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown, and more!

Related links:
Death of a Perfect Wife (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 4)
Death of an Outsider (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 3)
Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 2)
Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 1)
Complete HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
Agatha Raisin, Hamish Macbeth and the novels of M.C. Beaton (official site)
Mystery TV Themes: HAMISH MACBETH (Crime TV)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Free stories and music for Christmas!

2011-12-22T16:08:00.000-06:00

Here are links to an assortment of Christmas mysteries, videos, and music videos—all of which can be read or watched (or, um, listened to) free on the Internet!

From The Thrill of it All:
10 Free Christmas Crime Stories: Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown, and more!

From Free Comics Online:
Watch A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS free online!
Watch MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. BEAN free online!
Watch Free Online: A Cosmic Christmas
Watch Rifftrax MAGIC CHRISTMAS TREE free online!

From Classic Jesus Music:
Andrae Crouch -- Soon and Very Soon (SCTV Christmas Special)
Cliff Richard: Christmas Medley
Fleming & John - Misty Mountain Winter Wonderland
Little Drummer Boy by Whiteheart (1988)
And On That Day by Phil Keaggy (2009)
3 Ships by Jon Anderson (1986)
Emmanuel by Amy Grant (1983)

Slay Ride: 12 Mystery Titles For Christmas

2011-12-20T10:27:00.000-06:00

As we move into the final days before Christmas, here are a dozen mysteries that feature Christmas-themed stories. The list includes a selection of sleuths old and new, ranging from Constable Hamish Macbeth, caterer Goldy Schulz, and senior sleuth Jessica Fletcher, to classic holiday outings with Nero Wolfe, Ellery Queen, and Hercule Poirot.

What are your favorite seasonal mystery and crime fiction titles? Let us know! Post your own favorites in the comments below!

01. A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 16)
by M. C. Beaton (Mysterious Press)
In the dark, wintry highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland, where the local Calvinist element resists the secular trimmings of Christmas, the spirit of Old St. Nick is about as welcome as a flat tire on a deserted road. Nor is crime taking a holiday, as Constable Hamish Macbeth soon finds himself protecting an unhappy girl, unlocking the secrets of a frightened old woman, and retrieving some stolen holiday goods. Now the lanky lawman must use all his Highland charm and detective skills to make things right. And he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon toll and all of Lochdubh will be forced to face another dreary winter without the comforting embrace of Yuletide cheer.

02. Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Holiday Mystery
by Agatha Christie (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
The wealthy Simeon Lee demands all four of his sons and their wives return home for Christmas. But a heartwarming family holiday is not what he has in mind -- he announces he's cutting off their allowances and changing his will. So, when the old man is found lying in a pool of blood on Christmas Eve, the great Hercule Poirot finds no lack of suspects. But how did the murderer escape from the locked room?

03. Iced (Regan Reilly Mysteries, No. 3)
by Carol Higgins Clark (Grand Central Publishing)
It's Christmas in Aspen and P.I. Regan Reilly is vacationing with her parents and hoping to meet an unmarried man. But all thoughts of romance turn to sleuthing when million-dollar paintings start disappearing, along with an old friend of Regan's -- who happens to be an ex-con. The snow is falling, the plot is thickening, and the danger is closing in on Regan ...

04. Tough Cookie (Goldy Culinary Mysteries, Book 9)
by Diane Mott Davidson (Bantam)
When caterer Goldy Schulz is offered a temporary stint hosting a cooking show for PBS before the Christmas holidays, she jumps at the chance. After all, she could use the money—not to mention the great exposure. Plus taping the shows at Colorado's posh Killdeer Ski Resort will be fun. A little cooking, a little chitchat. What could go wrong? The answer: everything! When Goldy has to do one of her shows live for a PBS telethon, the broadcast is riddled with culinary catastrophes—from the Chesapeake Crab Cakes right down to the Ice-Capped Gingersnaps. But the deadliest dish of all comes after the cameras go off—and a baffling accident claims a life. Then a series of suspicious mishaps places Goldy's own life in jeopardy, and she knows she'd better whip up her own crime-solving recipe, and fast—before a deadly dash of danger ends her cooking career once and for all....

05. Between the Plums (Stephanie Plum)
by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
This brand-new 3-in-1 holiday collection includes Visions of Sugar Plums: Five days before Christmas, things are not looking merry for Stephanie Plum. She hasn’t got a tree. She hasn’t bought any presents. The malls are jam-packed with staggering shoppers. There's not a twinkle of light anywhere to be seen in her apartment ... and there’s a strange man in her kitchen. (The collection also includes Plum Lovin' and Plum Lucky.)

06. Murder Never Takes a Holiday (Murder She Wrote)
by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain (Signet)
Although her TV show ended years ago, amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher continues to solve murders in a series of original novels. (More than three million copies in print!) This brand-new two-in-one collection includes a nifty pair of seasonal whodunits: In Manhattans & Murder, Jessica's new book tour brings her to New York for Christmas, where she sees notorious Cabot Cove crook Waldo Morse dressed as a sidewalk Santa -- and ends up witnessing a murder. In A Little Yuletide Murder, Santa is found murdered shortly before Christmas. Actually, it's farmer Rory Brent, who's played St. Nick at Cabot Cove's annual holiday event for years. Everyone assumes the culprit is Brent's longtime enemy, Jake Walther, the meanest man in town. But Jessica thinks otherwise, and she's determined to deliver the real killer before Christmas ...

07. The Thin Man
by Dashiell Hammett (Vintage)
Nick and Nora Charles -- he's an ex-private eye, she's the heiress who made him respectable -- are lounging in their suite in New York City for the Christmas holiday. When a friend asks Nick to help find a killer, and reintroduces him to one of his old cases, soon Nick and Nora their faithful schnauzer Asta are drawn into a maelstrom of suspicious gangters, trigger-happy hoodlums, and overeager coppers. It's a holiday to remember!

08. A Rumpole Christmas: Stories
by John Mortimer (Viking)
For fans lamenting the death of mystery writer Sir John Mortimer this year, here's a welcome present: The first-ever collection of Christmas stories starring English barrister Horace Rumpole, with five stories never before published in book form. In “Rumpole and Father Christmas,” the Old Bailey Hack encounters a familiar-looking Santa who he thinks is a thief. In “Rumpole’s Slimmed Down Christmas,” he goes to a spa when “She who must be obeyed” insists he lose a few pounds. In “Rumpole and the Christmas Break,” he protects Hilda as a shady judge flirts with her while on a holiday that turns out to be anything but relaxing. In “Rumpole of the Bailey’s Christmas Party,” Rumpole celebrates the holiday with Old Bailey colleagues and Hilda surprises him with an unexpected gift. And in “Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces,” he uses a former client’s seedy past to aid a church in the name of Christmas spirit.

09. A Fatal Grace: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books)
CC de Poitiers managed to alienate everyone in the hamlet of Three Pines, right up to the moment she died. When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache begins his investigation, it seems like an impossible murder: CC was electrocuted on a frozen lake, in front of the entire town, during the Christmas curling tournament. With compassion and courage, Gamache digs beneath the idyllic surface of village life to find long buried secrets, while his own enemies threaten to bring something even more chilling than the bitter winter winds to Three Pines.

10. Calamity Town
by Ellery Queen (Mysterious Press)
In the small town of Wrightsville, Ellery Queen has rented a house under an assumed name. He's hoping for some some peace and quiet so he can write a book. At first, the town seems ideal–the neighbors are friendly, and there's little crime to distract him from his writing. Until the tranquility is broken by a series of arsenic poisonings during the holidays ...

11. And Four to Go (Nero Wolfe Mysteries)
by Rex Stout (Crimeline)
This collection of four stories starring Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin includes the entry "Christmas Party": Archie tells Nero he'll be announcing his engagement at a Christmas party -- but is shocked when his fiancee announces she's actually marrying their host. Things go from bad to worse when Archie's rival is soon lying on the floor dead ... (The collection also includes "Easter Parade," "Fourth of July Picnic," and "Murder Is No Joke.")

12. Murder for Christmas: 26 Tales of Yuletide Malice
by various, edited by Thomas Godfrey (Castle Books)
Sometimes the holidays bring out the worst in people -- as these 26 tales of "seasonal malice" demonstrate. Includes a wide selection of legendary authors, including Margery Allingham, G.K. Chesterton, Agatha Christie, Carter Dickson, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edward D. Hoch, Ellery Queen, Dorothy L. Sayers, Georges Simonen, Rex Stout, and more! With illustrations by Gahan Wilson.

More lists of Christmas crime fiction:
10 Free Christmas Crime Stories: Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown, and more!
Holiday Mystery Book Lists (Cozy Mystery List)
Crime for the Holidays: Christmas Mysteries, Authors A-D (Mystery Fanfare)
Christmas Mysteries, Authors E-H (Mystery Fanfare)
Christmas Mysteries, Authors I-N (Mystery Fanfare)
Christmas Crime Fiction, Mystery Authors O-R (Mystery Fanfare)
Christmas Mysteries, Crime Fiction Authors, S-Z (Mystery Fanfare)

Death of a Perfect Wife (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 4) by M. C. Beaton

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Death of a Perfect Wife (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 4)
M. C. Beaton
St. Martin's Press
First published: 1989

The fourth in the much loved Hamish Macbeth series from the author of the bestselling Agatha Raisin series

Hamish Macbeth is savouring the delights of a Highland summer, but as fast as the rain rolls in from the loch his happy life goes to hell in a handbasket.

The trouble begins when his beloved Priscilla Halburton-Smythe returns to Lochdubh with a new fiancé on her arm. His miseries multiply when clouds of midges descend on the town. And then a paragon of housewife perfection named Trixie Thomas moves into Lochdubh with her cowed husband in tow.

The newcomer quickly convinces the local ladies to embrace low-cholesterol meals, ban alcohol and begin bird-watching. Soon the town's menfolk are up in arms and Macbeth must solve Lochdubh's newest crime - the mysterious poisoning of the perfect wife.

Related links:
Death of an Outsider (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 3)
Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 2)
Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 1)
Complete HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
Agatha Raisin, Hamish Macbeth and the novels of M.C. Beaton (official site)
Mystery TV Themes: HAMISH MACBETH (Crime TV)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Chevy Chase: "I'm not gonna do Fletch unless I'm Fletch."

2011-12-15T13:58:00.000-06:00

I just came across this Chevy Chase interview at Collider, conducted last August on the set of Community. In the interview, Chase shares his thoughts on Hollywood's on-again, off-again plans to do a new Fletch film with a younger actor. (The project is usually suggested to be based on Gregory Mcdonald's prequel novel Fletch Won, set during the earlier days of Fletch's career.) Chase is quoted as saying:

I mean look, I’m not gonna do Fletch unless I’m Fletch, if they start writing something for a kid who’s Fletch and I’m just helping out, “Bye.” I mean, there’s no reason why, at my age, I can’t still be Fletch.

I recently re-read the original novel Fletch and also watched the film. It fascinates me how two versions of the same work can be so much alike and yet also so different. And I consider both the book and the movie to be hilarious. (Just please don't tell this guy at Salon.)

By the way, the above interview also includes some info about Chase's plans to revisit the Vacation series as well.

Related links:
Complete FLETCH by Gregory Mcdonald
List: Murderous Beginnings: 40 Detective Fiction Firsts
Review: FLETCH'S FORTUNE
Obituary: 'Fletch' author Mcdonald 1937-2008

Q&A: Janice Hanna (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries)

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here's a revised version of a Q&A we did in 2009 with mystery writer Janice Hanna -- whose Bridal Mayhem Mysteries are getting a second life from Spyglass Lane Mysteries.

Janice Hanna Thompson writes novels, non-fiction books, magazine articles and musical comedies for the stage. A resident of the Houston area, she also works as a freelance editor and a ghostwriter, and enjoys public speaking. Her latest titles include the inspirational romantic comedy Hello, Hollywood (Revell), and the historical romantic comedy Love Finds You in Groom, Texas (Summerside Press). Her Bridal Mayhem mysteries include The Wedding Caper and Gone With the Groom. Find out more about Janice and her (many) books on her Website, JaniceAThompson.com.

* * *

Q: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR BIG BREAK?
My "big break" came in small snatches. I started pounding on doors in the late '90s and finally got an answer in 2000 when Promise Press (Barbour Publishing) purchased my first book, Duty To Die. Since then, I've continued to pound on doors, continued to work on the craft of writing, and continued to seek God about my story ideas. In 2004, the sale of my historical Hurricane (River Oak Publishing), about the Galveston hurricane of 1900) opened many doors along the Gulf Coast for speaking engagements. Perhaps my biggest break, to date, came with the sale of my first mystery (The Wedding Caper) to Barbour in 2005. It opened the doors for more mysteries and opened my eyes to writing in first-person (which I now love).

Q: HOW MUCH DO YOU WRITE FOR AN "AUDIENCE" VS. WRITING FOR YOURSELF?
I'd say a 50/50 mix. I write the stories the Lord puts on my heart, so, in that sense, I'm writing for myself. But as I write, I'm conscious of the fact that people are going to read my books and expect certain things from me. I've become known as something of a wedding expert, so most readers expect my books to have some sort of wedding theme. I'm also a dog lover (dachshunds, to be precise) so I try to incorporate dogs into my stories. I don't want to disappoint my readers. But I'm always looking for fresh ideas and, as I cross genre lines, hope the readers can keep up with me!

Q: WHAT FIVE (give or take) CLASSIC AUTHORS/BOOKS DO YOU CONSIDER ESSENTIAL MYSTERY READING?
1. Anything by O'Henry. Might sound odd, but he had a lot of mystery elements in his stories and could get you in the end with a real "grabber."
2. Edgar Allen Poe
3. Agatha Christie
4. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
5. The Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mysteries for children
I'd like to add a 6th one: The Bible. It's loaded with mystery elements and quite a few who-dunnits!

Q: WHAT FIVE (give or take) MODERN AUTHORS/BOOKS DO YOU CONSIDER ESSENTIAL MYSTERY READING?
1. Anything by Dorothy Cannell (especially The Thin Woman, one of my personal favorites)
2. Anything from Spyglass Lane Mysteries
3.To learn the craft of mystery writing: Just The Facts, Ma'am: A Writer's Guide to Investigators and Investigation Techniques (Howdunit), by Greg Fallis
4. For technique: Getting Into Character, by Brandilyn Collins
5. Also for technique: Writing The Breakout Novel, by Donald Maas

Q: BEFORE BEING SIGNED, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION YOU HAD ABOUT BEING AN AUTHOR?Like many others, I thought selling my first book would do two things: put lots of cash in my pockets and assure future book sales with that same house (or other interested houses). I have since learned there's not a huge amount of money to be made in the CBA (sorry, folks) and I have to keep "plugging my product" (as it were), no matter how many books I sell. (I've sold over thirty now, with several more projects in the works.)

Related links:
Complete ANNIE PETERSON (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries) by Janice Hanna
5 Questions: Janice Hanna (FamilyFiction)
Spyglass Lane Mysteries (Official Site)
EMILY GRAY (Mainely Mysteries) by Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis
KAREN MAXWELL by K.D. Hays
BAILEY WALKER by Anita Higman
SUMMER MEADOWS by Cynthia Hickey
JESSICA FLETCHER (Murder She Wrote) by Donald Bain
DR. MARK SLOANE (Diagnosis: Murder) by Lee Goldberg
ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg

Complete SHANE SCULLY by Stephen J. Cannell

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of novels starring LAPD detective Shane Scully. Written by Stephen J. Cannell (1941-2010):

The Tin Collectors (2001)
The Viking Funeral (2002)
Hollywood Tough (2003)
Vertical Coffin (2004)
Cold Hit (2005)
White Sister (2006)
Three Shirt Deal (2007)
On the Grind (2009)
The Pallbearers (2010)
The Prostitutes' Ball (2010)
Vigilante (2011)

Related links:
Stephen J. Cannell's final novel, 'Vigilante,' is published (USA TODAY)
Stephen Cannell takes a look at vigilantes (Marion Star)
Fresh Meat: Vigilante by Stephen J. Cannell (Criminal Element)

More detective series:
LUCAS DAVENPORT by John Sandford
STONE BARRINGTON by Stuart Woods
HARRY BOSCH by Michael Connelly
ALEX CROSS by James Patterson
MYRON BOLITAR by Harlan Coben
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

New Peculiar Crimes Unit mystery hitting these shores March 2012

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

Already published overseas, the ninth mystery starring Christopher Fowler's Peculiar Crimes Unit, The Memory of Blood (Bantam), hits American bookshelves (and eReaders) on March 27, 2012. The official description:

Christopher Fowler’s acclaimed Peculiar Crimes Unit novels crackle with sly wit, lively suspense, and twists as chilling as London’s fog. Now the indomitable duo of Arthur Bryant and John May, along with the rest of their quirky team, return to solve a confounding case with dark ties to the British theater and a killer who may mean curtains for all involved.

For the crew of the New Strand Theatre, the play The Two Murderers seems less performance than prophecy when a cast party ends in the shocking death of the theater owner’s son. The crime scene is most unusual, even for Bryant and May. In a locked bedroom without any trace of fingerprints or blood, the only sign of disturbance is a gruesome life-size puppet of Mr. Punch laying on the floor. Everyone at the party is a suspect, including the corrupt producer, the rakish male lead, the dour set designer, and the assistant stage manager, who is the wild daughter of a prominent government official.

It’s this last fact that threatens the Peculiar Crimes Unit’s investigation, as the government’s Home Office, wary of the team’s eccentric methods, seeks to throw them off the case. But the nimble minds of Bryant and May are not so easily deterred. Delving into the history of the London theater and the disturbing origins of Punch and Judy, the detectives race to find the maniacal killer before he reaches his even deadlier final act.

Whip-smart and endlessly entertaining, The Memory of Blood is an ingeniously intricate mystery from the deliciously inventive Christopher Fowler.

I love this series. Christopher Fowler does such a great job of conjuring up the Golden Age of detective fiction—in particular, the "impossible crimes" of John Dickson Carr—and yet makes it all fresh and new. These stories are as brilliant as they are funny.

Reviews:
Book Review: Bryant & May And The Memory Of Blood By Christopher Fowler (Londonist)
Bryant & May and the Memory of Blood (Financial Times)
Bryant & May and The Memory of Blood by Christopher Fowler (Milo's Rambles)

Related links:
Complete BRYANT & MAY (Peculiar Crimes Unit) by Christopher Fowler
Retirement is Murder: 10 Senior Sleuths
Crime Fiction Alphabet: L is for LOCKED ROOM PUZZLES
Merry Christmas From Bryant & May
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Complete GEORGE SMILEY by John le Carré

2011-12-10T07:44:00.000-06:00

Complete list of espionage novels in which British intelligence officer George Smiley appears—either in a starring or supporting role. Written by John le Carré:

Call for the Dead (1961)
A Murder of Quality (1962)
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963)
The Looking Glass War (1965)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974) - Karla trilogy #1
The Honourable Schoolboy (1977) - Karla trilogy #2
Smiley’s People (1980) - Karla trilogy #3
The Secret Pilgrim (1991)

Related links:
John le Carré: “Tinker Tailor” the movie of a lifetime (Salon)
Video: The Genius of John le Carré (Focus Features)
John Le Carre Interview (two episodes) (CBC Radio)
INTERVIEW: John le Carre at 80: Finding out whether I can still write (Monsters & Critics)
John le Carre gives his final (American) interview ever (CBS News)

Adaptations:

Complete MR. AND MRS. NORTH by Frances and Richard Lockridge

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of mysteries starring publisher Jerry North and wife Pam. Written by husband-wife author team Frances and Richard Lockridge:

The Norths Meet Murder (1940)
Murder Out of Turn (1941)
Mr. and Mrs. North and a Pinch of Poison (1941)
Death on the Aisle (1942)
Hanged for a Sheep (1942)
Death Takes a Bow (1943)
Killing the Goose (1944)
Payoff for the Banker (1945)
Death of a Tall Man (1946)
Murder Within Murder (1946)
Untidy Murder (1947)
Murder Is Served (1948)
The Dishonest Murderer (1949)
Murder in a Hurry (1950)
Murder Comes First (1951)
Dead As a Dinosaur (1952)
Curtain for a Jester (1953) a.k.a. Death has a Small Voice
Key to Death (1954)
Death of an Angel (1955) a.k.a. Mr & Mrs North and the Poisoned Playboy
Voyage into Violence (1956)
Long Skeleton (1958)
Murder Is Suggested (1959)
The Judge Is Reversed (1960)
Murder Has Its Points (1962)
Murder by the Book (1963)

Related links:
'Til Death: 10 Sleuth Couples
Pam and Jerry North: Married Sleuths by Frances and Richard Lockridge (Mystery Net)
DEATH ON THE AISLE (1942) by Frances and Richard Lockridge (Tipping My Fedora)

More detectives:
Tommy and Tuppence Beresford by Agatha Christie
Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man) by Dashiell Hammett
Jonathan and Jennifer Hart (Hart to Hart), starring Robert Wagner & Jennifer Powers
Regan Reilly and husband Jack "no relation" Reilly by Carol Higgins Clark
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Hard Case unearths lost novel by James M. Cain

2011-12-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

In fall 2012, Hard Case Crime will unveil the worldwide debut of The Cocktail Waitress, the final novel of famed writer James M. Cain, known for such classics as Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice. He was said to have been working on revisions to the final novel up to close to the time of his death in 1977.

When Charles Ardai, founder and editor of Hard Case Crime, learned of the book’s existence, he spent more than nine years tracking down the original manuscript and arranging to get the rights to publish the book.

The Cocktail Waitress tells the story of a young widow whose husband died under suspicious circumstances. Desperate to make ends meet after his death, she takes a job as a waitress in a cocktail lounge -- where he meets two new men: a handsome young schemer she falls in love with, and a wealthy older man she marries...

Death of an Outsider (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 3) by M.C. Beaton

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

Death of an Outsider (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 3)
M.C. Beaton
St. Martin's Press
First published: 1988

Murder is a Tasty Dish
The most hated man in the most dour town in Scotland is sleeping with the fishes, or-more accurately-dumped into a tank filled with crustaceans. All that remain of the murdered victim are his bones. But after the lobsters are shipped off to Britain's best restaurants, the whole affair quickly lands on the plate of Constable Hamish Macbeth. Exiled with his dog, Towser, to the dreary outpost of Cnothan, Macbeth sorely misses his beloved Lochdubh, his formerly beloved Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, and his days of doing nothing but staring at the sheep grazing in a nearby croft. Now the lawman has to contend with a detective chief inspector who wants the modus operandi hushed up, a dark-haired lass who has an ulterior motive to seduce him, and a killer who has made mincemeat of his victim-and without doubt will strike again...

Related links:
Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 2)
Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 1)
Complete HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
Agatha Raisin, Hamish Macbeth and the novels of M.C. Beaton (official site)
Mystery TV Themes: HAMISH MACBETH (Crime TV)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Matt Forbeck kickstarts 12 for '12

2011-12-01T06:59:00.000-06:00

Author and game designer Matt Forbeck has an ambitious writing schedule worked out for 2012—he plans to write and self-publish a novel each month for the entire year. And he's using Kickstarter to fund the project.

How writing comics changed the way Duane Swierczynski writes crime fiction

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

In an interview with the Pittsburg Tribune, crime writer Duane Swierczynski shares how his recent experiences writing comics like Punisher (Marvel Comics) and Birds of Prey (DC Comics) has changed his approach to writing fiction:

“It’s funny, but before writing comics, I was more of the Elmore Leonard school of writing, very spare on description. I focused more on dialogue and how characters interact with each other, more than setting the scene and thinking about camera angles and such things. But after writing comics, I really thought more about painting word pictures. Not going overboard — I still keep it spare — but I do think readers like to have all their senses engaged.”

Read the whole interview here.

Swierczynski's latest novels star Charlie Hardie, an ex-cop-turned-security-expert who is almost impossible to kill. The three novels in the series include Fun & Games, Hell & Gone, and 2012's Point & Shoot.

Related links:
Crime writers on PUNISHER (Gregg Hurwitz, Duane Swierczynski, Victor Gischler)
Crime writers who also write comics
The next 'Level' of thriller fiction

Private Eyes: Men and Women of Mystery

2011-11-30T06:00:00.001-06:00

Publishers Weekly has an interesting roundup of the state of P.I. fiction, from both male and female authors -- pointing out the literary heirs of Robert B. Parker and P.D. James, respectively. Several crime writers are quoted throughout the two-part feature, include Harlan Coben, Max Allan Collins, and Laura Lippman.

Read the article(s): Parker’s Brothers & A Suitable Job for a Woman: Men and women of mystery

Related links:
Complete SPENSER by Robert Parker
Complete JESSE STONE by Robert Parker
Complete SUNNY RANDALL by Robert Parker
Complete COMMANDER ADAM DALGLIESH by P.D. James
Complete MYRON BOLITAR by Harlan Coben

Michael Connelly introduces his new Harry Bosch thriller, THE DROP

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

The latest Harry Bosch novel from Michael Connelly, The Drop, is now available from booksellers. (Click here for a free preview of The Drop —11 chapters!—for your Kindle.) Here's what reviewers are saying:

"Suspenseful and agile storytelling, delivered with his trademark tight style and craftsmanship."—Mystery Scene Magazine

"THE DROP is one of those Harry Bosch books that starts with a bang and stays strong all the way through."— Janet Maslin, New York Times

"Connelly gives yet another virtuoso performance in how to write crime novels."—Daily Mail (UK)

"Michael Connelly is the undisputed master of police procedural thrillers and this latest episode in the colorful life of Harry Bosch is quite literally unputdownable."—Independent (Ireland)

Here's a book trailer for The Drop

And in this video, author Michael Connelly answers questions fans posted on Facebook.

More about The Drop at Michael's website, including an excerpt, more reviews, and a Q & A with Michael.

If you're up late tonight (Nov. 29), watch Michael on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. This show airs on CBS at 11:35pm Central. Check your local listings.

Related links:
The complete HARRY BOSCH series by Michael Connelly
Breaking through: When mysteries become lit
From serial to novel: THE OVERLOOK

Janet Evanovich: "Katherine Heigl is the perfect Stephanie Plum."

2011-11-28T11:52:00.001-06:00

USA TODAY puts author Janet Evanovich and actress Katherine Heigl in the same room to discuss the upcoming big screen adaptation of One For the Money, the first romantic thriller starring Stephanie Plum.

Seventeen years after the book was released, the actress will finally put a face to the lingerie saleswoman turned bounty hunter who has sparked a behemoth 80 million copies in book sales (including nine No. 1 USA TODAY best sellers) and an audience of die-hard fans. "I don't know why it took so long, but as far as I'm concerned, the search is over," says Evanovich, 68, who last week released her 18th Plum novel, Explosive Eighteen (Bantam, $28). "Every time I write Stephanie Plum, it's going to be Katherine Heigl's face there. She totally nailed it."

The film hits theaters in January. Do you plan to see it?

Related links:
Complete STEPHANIE PLUM series by Janet Evanovich
Janet Evanovich a hit at Comic-Con
Murder on the Menu: 13 Food Mysteries

The Complete PARKER by Richard Stark

2011-11-25T07:08:00.000-06:00

Complete list of crime novels starring ruthless anti-hero Parker, written by Richard Stark. (a.k.a. Donald Westlake)

The Hunter (1962) a.k.a. Point Blank and Payback
The Man With the Getaway Face (1963) a.k.a. Steel Hit
The Outfit (1963)
The Mourner (1963)
The Score (1963) a.k.a. Killtown
The Jugger (1965)
The Seventh (1966) a.k.a. The Split
The Handle (1966) a.k.a. Run Lethal
The Damsel (1967) - an Alan Grofield novel
The Rare Coin Score (1967)
The Green Eagle Score (1967)
The Dame (1968) - an Alan Grofield novel
The Black Ice Score (1968)
The Sour Lemon Score (1969)
The Blackbird (1969) - an Alan Grofield novel
Deadly Edge (1971)
Slayground (1971)
Lemons Never Lie (1971) - an Alan Grofield novel
Plunder Squad (1972) - crossover with Joe Gores novel Dead Skip (1972)
Butcher's Moon (1974)
Comeback (1997)
Backflash (1998)
Flashfire (2000)
Firebreak (2001)
Breakout (2002)
Nobody Runs Forever (2004)
Ask the Parrot (2006)
Dirty Money (2008)

Related links:
More PARKER coming from Darwyn Cooke
What's next for Richard Stark's PARKER
Donald Westlake: Gone, Not Forgotten
Donald Westlake 1933-2008
Adapting Richard Stark's PARKER
Crime Fiction with the masters

Amateur Sleuth EMILY GRAY (Mainely Mysteries) by Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of cozy mystery whodunits in the Mainely Mystery Series, starring amateur sleuth EmilyGray: Romance and intrigue abound at Blue Heron Lake when journalist Emily Gray returns to the lakeside town of Baxter, Maine, to prepare her family’s island cottage for sale. She soon finds herself reporting on, and trying to solve, a trio of murders in the deceptively quiet little town. Written by Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis.

Homicide at Blue Heron Lake (Mainely Mysteries #1)

In a peaceful Maine town, an old romance rekindles while an older crime is unraveled.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Treasure at Blue Heron Lake (Mainely Mysteries #2)

A lakeside lodge draws tourists with a legend of hidden treasure and murder—until the murder part becomes all too real.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Impostors at Blue Heron Lake (Mainely Mysteries #3)
Emily's nose for news takes her into intrigue she never expected. Which is the impostor—Jette, the multi-pierced "Goth" girl, or Jeanette, the genteel "girl-next-door"?
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Related links:
Interview with Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis (Keep Me In Suspense)
Q&A: Susan Page Davis (FamilyFiction)
Susan Page Davis interview (Suspense Zone)
Megan Elaine Davis (Cullen) & Susan Page Davis (A Christian Writer's World)
Spyglass Lane Mysteries (Official Site)
30 Christian Authors Who Write Whodunits (Christian Fiction News)

More detectives:
KAREN MAXWELL by K.D. Hays
BAILEY WALKER by Anita Higman
SUMMER MEADOWS by Cynthia Hickey
ANNIE PETERSON (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries) by Janice Hanna
JESSICA FLETCHER (Murder She Wrote) by Donald Bain
DR. MARK SLOANE (Diagnosis: Murder) by Lee Goldberg
ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg
NANCY DREW by Carolyn Keene
MISS MARPLE by Agatha Christie
FATHER BROWN by G.K. Chesterton
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 2) by M.C. Beaton

2011-11-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 2)
M.C. Beaton
St. Martin's Press
First Published 1987

Murder Most Fowl
When Priscilla Halburton-Smythe brings her London playwright fiance home to Lochdubh, everybody in town is delighted...except for love-smitten Constable Hamish Macbeth. Yet his affairs of the heart will have to wait. Vile, boorish Captain Bartlett, one of the guests at Priscilla's engagement party, has just been found murdered-shot while on a grouse hunt. Now with many titled party guests as the prime suspects, each with a reason for snuffing out the despicable captain, Hamish must smooth ruffled feathers as he investigates the case. When the hidden culprit strikes again, Hamish will find himself trying to save Priscilla from a miserable marriage-and catch a killer before he flies the coop.

Related links:
Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 1)
Complete HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
Agatha Raisin, Hamish Macbeth and the novels of M.C. Beaton (official site)
Mystery TV Themes: HAMISH MACBETH (Crime TV)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Amateur Sleuth KAREN MAXWELL by K.D. Hays

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of mysteries to date starring sleuth Karen Maxwell, a divorced mother of two who works as an administrator in her brother’s private investigation firm. Written by K.D. Hays, a.k.a. Kate Dolan:

George Washington Stepped Here (Karen Maxwell Mystery Series #1)

Did the father of our country vandalize furniture and unwittingly create a valuable artifact or is the story about George just an elaborate hoax?
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Worth Its Weight in Old (Karen Maxwell Mystery Series #2)

Paintings slashed...furniture broken...someone is wreaking havoc at the Blue Moon Art & Antiques Gallery.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Related links:
Q&A: K.D. Hays (FamilyFiction)
K.D. Hays interview (Suspense Zone)
Spyglass Lane Mysteries (Official Site)
30 Christian Authors Who Write Whodunits (Christian Fiction News)

More detectives:
BAILEY WALKER by Anita Higman
SUMMER MEADOWS by Cynthia Hickey
ANNIE PETERSON (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries) by Janice Hanna
JESSICA FLETCHER (Murder She Wrote) by Donald Bain
DR. MARK SLOANE (Diagnosis: Murder) by Lee Goldberg
ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg
FATHER BROWN by G.K. Chesterton
MISS MARPLE by Agatha Christie
NANCY DREW by Carolyn Keene
HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

3 (Early) New Year's Resolutions for this writer

2011-11-14T09:28:00.001-06:00

A couple weeks ago, my wife and I attended a marketing seminar hosted by our agent -- and got a boatload of great advice for any working author. The break from my normal routine also gave me some much-needed perspective on the whole thing -- that is, the business of being a writer. So, even though we're still only in November, I don't want to wait to start on my New Year's Resolutions.

1. Get blogging. A few years ago, I realized my varied interests were all crowding into this blog. At that time, I changed the name to The Thrill of it All, narrowing the blog's focus to mystery and thriller fiction -- and then created an assortment of other blogs as outlets for all the competing interests. (It made so much more sense at the time.) But, of course, when you have a half-dozen blogs about comics and television and other things, it just scatters your attention. So, I've started posting "farewell" entries on a few of the other blogs, and am recommitting myself to The Thrill of it All. Because, of course, this is the blog most closely associated to what I actually write.

2. Get writing. At my day job, we've been in launch-mode for a particular project for going on nineteen months. It's a project with which I'm thrilled, and we're making a lot of progress -- but it's also quite easy for me to find myself working a good 12 or 15 hours a day. Which doesn't leave anything left for much else. So I'm going to try and get that time down to, say, 10 or 12 hours a day, and take at least an hour a day to whittle away on my work-in-progress. My agent has waited long enough for this manuscript.

3. Get walking. More than ever, I'm finding a correlation between my general health and my ability to keep writing. I need my head to be clear and I need the energy to keep pushing at these stories. Contrary to what you may have heard, writing fiction is hard work. Anyone who says it's easy isn't doing it right. Or they have magic powers. So my wife and I are going to make more visits to the gym, osternsibly for "health" and "living a better, longer life" reasons. But you and I know it'll be for the writing.

Thomas & Mercer nabs McBain's 87th Precinct

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

Amazon's new mystery and thriller imprint Thomas & Mercer has acquired nearly 50 books written by mystery fiction legend Ed McBain, creator of the 87th Precinct series. The publisher will be releasing titles in both the 87th Precinct and Matthew Hope series in print, digital and audio formats, starting with The Mugger and The Con Man in December.

"McBain is a master of the mystery genre and we are thrilled to be able to repackage, publish and promote his unrivalled body of work," said Philip Patrick, Head of Rights & Licensing, Amazon Publishing. "One of the things we think Amazon Publishing can do is offer signature authors a new life for great backlist titles. Our agreement with the McBain estate is a perfect example of this approach."

Ed McBain was one of the many pen names of prolific author Evan Hunter (1926-2005). He created the ground-breaking police procedural 87th Precinct series, one of the longest running crime series ever published, which debuted in 1956 with Cop Hater and continued for more than 50 novels. McBain won the Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement from the Mystery Writers of America in 1986, and he was the first American to receive the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain's Cartier Diamond Dagger award. In his career, he sold more than 100 million books worldwide.

"Evan was always an innovator and I am thrilled that these books will be available again for his countless fans as well as a new generation of readers," said Dina Hunter, widow of Evan Hunter.

Amateur Sleuth BAILEY WALKER by Anita Higman

2011-11-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of cozy mystery whodunits starring amateur sleuth Bailey Walker. Written by Anita Higman:

Another Stab at Life (Volstead Manor Mystery Series #1)

Bailey Walker is in over her head. She's hounded by a guy who thinks he's her guardian, and she's inherited a mansion with enough mysteries to trip up Sherlock Holmes and enough gothic nightmares to scare off Dracula.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Another Hour To Kill (Volstead Manor Mystery Series #2)

With a mysterious murder to solve, a lost treasure to find, and a huge wedding to plan, Bailey has come undone. Then there's that next-door neighbor who thinks he's a vampire...
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Another Grave Matter (Volstead Manor Mystery Series #3)

Volstead Manor has caught on fire, and the last of its murderous secrets flare hot enough to drive Bailey back to her sleuthing.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Related links:
Q&A: Anita Higman (FamilyFiction)
Spyglass Lane Mysteries (Official Site)
30 Christian Authors Who Write Whodunits (Christian Fiction News)

More detectives:
SUMMER MEADOWS by Cynthia Hickey
ANNIE PETERSON (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries) by Janice Hanna
JESSICA FLETCHER (Murder She Wrote) by Donald Bain
DR. MARK SLOANE (Diagnosis: Murder) by Lee Goldberg
ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg
FATHER BROWN by G.K. Chesterton
MISS MARPLE by Agatha Christie
NANCY DREW by Carolyn Keene
HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
IVY MALONE by Lorena McCourtney
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Free mysteries for your Kindle (Nov 6)

2011-11-06T19:31:00.001-06:00

The eBook explosion continues -- and with Amazon's recent unveiling of four brand-new Kindles in time for Christmas, it's only going to, well, explode more. (My own Earl Walker mystery trilogy -- including the never-before-published finale Knocking 'Em Dead -- will find new life in eBook form come 2012, thanks to imprint Spyglass Lane Mysteries.)

All of which is to say, there are a bunch of mysteries, thrillers, suspense, romantic suspense and detective fiction titles you can download for cheap. Or free. (Don't have a Kindle? Amazon also has free apps for your computer, Android, Blackberry, or Apple device.)

In fact, here are some handy download links right now. This particular list is limited to traditional mysteries and/or cozy mysteries.*

Free Kindle Downloads**
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes)
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot)
The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (Tommy and Tuppence)
Julius Katz Mysteries by Dave Zeltserman
The Wisdom of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton (Father Brown)

Cheap Kindle Downloads**
"House of Darkness" by Ellery Queen (99-cents) - short story (Ellery Queen)
The Thinking Machine Mysteries: Professor Van Dusen Stories by Jacques Futrelle (99-cents)
Wined and Died (A Home Crafting Mystery) by Cricket McRae ($1.99)
The Wedding Caper by Janice Hanna (99-cents) - Bridal Mayhem mysteries
Homicide at Blue Heron Lake (Mainely Mysteries) by Megan Elaine Davis (99-cents)
Another Stab at Life (Volstead Manor Series) by Anita Higman (99-cents)
George Washington Stepped Here (Karen Maxwell Mysteries) by K. D. Hays (99-cents)
Everybody Loved Roger Harden (Everybody's Suspect) by Cecil Murphey (99-cents)
Fudge-Laced Felonies by Cynthia Hickey (99-cents) - Summer Meadows mysteries
The Final Crumpet (The Royal Tunbridge Wells Mysteries) by Ron and Janet Benrey ($2.99)
Original Sin (A Colton Parker Mystery) by Brandt Dodson ($2.99)
Here Comes the Ride (Andi McConnell Mysteries) by Lorena McCourtney ($2.99)
Shadow of Reality (Elizabeth and Richard Mystery Series) by Donna Fletcher Crow ($2.99)
Undertow (The Julesburg Mysteries, Book Three) by Lorena McCourtney ($2.99)
Falling to Pieces: A Quilt Shop Murder by Vannetta Chapman ($3.99)

*(I have not read all of these titles. These links are for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to induce any person to participate in the lottery or or download to their Kindle. Or whatever.)

**(The prices are set by the respective publishers and/or Amazon. I have nothing to do with them. Limited offer. Prices subject to change. Caveat emptor. Look before you leap. And such.)

Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 1) by M.C. Beaton

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 1)
M.C. Beaton
St. Martin's Press
First published: 1985

The very first book in the bestselling Hamish Macbeth crime series! When society widow and gossip columnist Lady Jane Winters joins the local fishing class she wastes no time in ruffling feathers -- or should that be fins? -- of those around her.

Among the victims of her sharp tongue is Lochdubh constable Hamish Macbeth, yet not even Hamish thinks someone would seriously want to silence Lady Jane's shrill voice permanently - until her strangled body is fished out of the river.

Now with the help of the lovely Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, Hamish must steer a course through the choppy waters of the tattler's life to find a murderer. But with a school of suspects who aren't willing to talk, and the dead woman telling no tales, Hamish may well be in over his head for he knows that secrets are dangerous, knowledge is power, and killers when cornered usually do strike again.

Related links:
Detectives: HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
Opening Theme: HAMISH MACBETH (Crime TV)
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

James Bond 23: SKYFALL

2011-11-03T09:33:00.000-05:00

Apparently, today is the 50th anniversary of the press conference that announced Sean Connery would play James Bond in Dr. No.

And now the folks behind the next twenty-third James Bond film held a press conference to roll out details of the new film, Skyfall.

James Bond 23 Called Skyfall- It’s Official (Bleeding Cool)
James Bond Skyfall Plot Set-Up Revealed (Plus Official, High Quality Logo) (Bleeding Cool)
Interesting Things From The James Bond Skyfall Press Conference (Including Logo) (Bleeding Cool)

Related: Complete Guide To James Bond Songs

Amateur sleuth SUMMER MEADOWS by Cynthia Hickey

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Complete list of cozy mystery whodunits starring amateur sleuth Summer Meadows. Written by Cynthia Hickey:

Fudge-Laced Felonies (Summer Meadows Mysteries #1)

Summer Meadows entered church on Sunday not to find God, but to search for a killer.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Candy-Coated Secrets (Summer Meadows Mysteries #2)

Who would have thought escorting an elephant down Highway 64 could lead to murder?
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Chocolate-Covered Crime (Summer Meadows Mysteries #3)

When you're getting married on April Fool's Day and your wedding planner ends up murdered, what's a soon-to-be bride to do?
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Related links:
Q&A: Cynthia Hickey (FamilyFiction)
Cynthia Hickey interview (Suspense Zone)
Spyglass Lane Mysteries (Official Site)
30 Christian Authors Who Write Whodunits (Christian Fiction News)

More detectives:
ANNIE PETERSON (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries) by Janice Hanna
JESSICA FLETCHER (Murder She Wrote) by Donald Bain
DR. MARK SLOANE (Diagnosis: Murder) by Lee Goldberg
ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg
FATHER BROWN by G.K. Chesterton
MISS MARPLE by Agatha Christie
NANCY DREW by Carolyn Keene
HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
IVY MALONE by Lorena McCourtney
IVY TOWERS by Nancy Mehl
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

More PARKER coming from Darwyn Cooke

2011-11-01T17:18:00.000-05:00

This past weekend at Long Beach Comic Con, writer/artist Darwyn Cooke talked about his success adapting Richard Stark's Parker series of crime novels for IDW Comics. From Comic Book Resources:

"I assumed 'Parker' would come and go and everyone in line would still be going, 'Green Lantern! Green Lantern!' But that doesn't happen! A lot of people have really turned on to this stuff. I have 23-year-old guys coming up to me and saying, 'I didn't know this was a line of books. I picked up five of them -- they're amazing!' So, in many ways, working with Donald -- in this sense, I'm doing more than I would have on my own."

It was announced at the panel that IDW is now planning on at least five "Parker" adaptations from Cooke. "I don't think I'm ever going to stop doing Parker," Cooke said.

Coming this December: Richard Stark's Parker: The Martini Edition
Cooke's first two Parker comics, The Hunter and The Outfit, are collected in a special oversized hardcover -- with 65-pages of bonus content, including a brand-new story. Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter graphic novel debuted July 2008 and made the New York Times bestseller list and won Eisner and Harvey awards. The second graphic novel, The Outfit, was released last year. The Hunter and The Outfit tell the story of Richard Stark's classic anti-hero Parker, as he returns to New York to settle the score with his wife and partner in crime after they betray him in a heist gone terribly wrong. After evening the field and reclaiming his prize, the Outfit decide to do some score settling of their own... and learn much too late that when you push a man like Parker, it had better be all the way to the grave.

Related:
Donald Westlake: Gone, Not Forgotten
Donald Westlake 1933-2008
Crime Fiction with the masters
What's next for Richard Stark's PARKER

'Til Death: 10 Sleuth Couples

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

In the history of detective fiction, there have been a number of couples who solved crimes as a team. Perhaps the earliest example comes from Matthias McDonnell Bodkin, who created husband-wife detectives Paul and Dora Beck around the turn of the 20th century. The Becks were first -- but hardly the last. Below you'll find 10 of the most popular power couples in detective fiction.

01 Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, by Agatha Christie (1922)
02 Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), by Dashiell Hammett (1934)
03 Pam and Jerry North, by Frances and Richard Lockridge (1941)
04 Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, by Anne Perry (1979)
05 Jonathan and Jennifer Hart (Hart to Hart), starring Robert Wagner & Jennifer Powers (1979)
06 Mackenzie Smith and Annabel Reed (Capital Crimes), by Margaret Truman (1980)
07 Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, by Faye Kellerman (1986)
08 Regan Reilly and husband Jack "no relation" Reilly by Carol Higgins Clark (1992)
09 Jessica Fletcher and Inspector George Sutherland (Murder She Wrote), by Donald Bain (1995)
10 Henry Parker Britland IV and wife Sunday, by Mary Higgins Clark (2003)

Related links:
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010
Murderous Beginnings: 40 Detective Fiction Firsts
Retirement is Murder: 10 Senior Sleuths
Still Kicking: 10 More Senior Sleuths
Murder on the Menu: 13 Food Mysteries
10 Senior Sleuths on TV
All Aboard For Murder: 10 Mysteries on Trains
Christmas Can Be Murder: 10 Seasonal Mystery Titles

Amateur sleuth ANNIE PETERSON (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries) by Janice Hanna

2011-10-26T11:02:00.001-05:00

Complete list of cozy mysteries starring amateur sleuth Annie Peterson-- a 50-something, scatterbrained, menopausal mother of the bride(s). Written by romantic comedy author Janice Hanna a.k.a. Janice Thompson:

The Wedding Caper (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries #1)

When a $25,000 night deposit mysteriously disappears from the Clark County Savings and Loan, Annie Peterson—mother of the bride—takes on the role of amateur sleuth to solve the mystery...
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Gone with the Groom (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries #2)

The best laid plans of brides and men go awry when Annie Peterson’s future son-in-law Scott disappears just two weeks before the big day. Will Annie solve the mystery and recover the missing groom, or will she suffer “regrets only”?
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Pushing Up Daisies (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries #3)

When a local wedding florist turns up DOA, mother-of-the-bride, Annie Peterson, is on the case to figure out who took her life.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

The Perfect Match (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries #4)

Join Annie Peterson as she follows the clues to discover who set fire to the local dating service, the Perfect Match.
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Catering to Disaster (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries #5)

When the Food & Family Channel comes to Clarksborough to film Janetta’s wedding, everything comes off beautifully—until half the town ends up deathly ill with food poisoning. Coincidence? Or sabotage?
* Buy for Kindle, PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, or Apple device
* Buy for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, and more

Related links:
5 Questions: Janice Hanna (FamilyFiction)
Spyglass Lane Mysteries (Official Site)
30 Christian Authors Who Write Whodunits (Christian Fiction News)
Whither Goest the Christian Cozy? by guest blogger Ron Benrey (Novel Rocket)
How to write a cozy mystery

More detectives:
JESSICA FLETCHER (Murder She Wrote) by Donald Bain
DR. MARK SLOANE (Diagnosis: Murder) by Lee Goldberg
ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg
FATHER BROWN by G.K. Chesterton
MISS MARPLE by Agatha Christie
NANCY DREW by Carolyn Keene
HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
IVY MALONE by Lorena McCourtney
IVY TOWERS by Nancy Mehl
EARL WALKER (Hometown Mysteries) by Chris Well
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Updates

2011-10-17T11:39:00.002-05:00

These detective series lists have been updated:
HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg
PETER DECKER and RINA LAZARUS by Faye Kellerman
CHIEF INSPECTOR WEXFORD by Ruth Rendell

Related links:
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010
Murderous Beginnings: 40 Detective Fiction Firsts

Excerpt: Murder My Neighbour by Veronica Heley

2011-09-06T14:50:00.003-05:00

Murder My Neighbour (Ellie Quicke Mysteries) by Veronica Heley
9780727880505
Severn House Publishers

Related:
Find Veronica Heley on FamilyFiction.com
Find Murder My Neighbour on FamilyFiction.com
Detectives: Veronica Heley: ELLIE QUICKE

It came naturally to Ellie Quicke to look after her family and friends but there were no easy answers to the problems of those around her, and one of these was about to get way out of hand.

Ellie Quicke’s twelfth adventure, in which she solves another neighbourhood crime.

One of Ellie Quicke’s neighbours has gone missing. She was supposed to have moved to a retirement home, but never arrived. A walk round the block reveals that someone is still tending the vegetables in Mrs Pryce’s garden. Perhaps the house is not as deserted as it looks? So where is Mrs Pryce, and who knows more about her departure than they are prepared to tell? And how can Ellie deal with her difficult daughter’s latest financial disaster?

Excerpt:

Rose screamed.

Prompt on cue, the front doorbell rang.

Ellie rushed out into the garden to find her old friend and housekeeper lying in a flower bed. Rose tried to get up and failed. ‘Aargh! Just . . . minute.’

The doorbell rang again. Ellie knew there was no one else around to answer the door, but Rose was her first priority. She didn’t seem to have broken anything, but she was bleeding from some deep scratches, nursing one wrist and trembling.

‘I was tying back that rose and I saw . . . it gave me such a fright!’ Rose gestured to where a neighbour’s house could be glimpsed over the garden wall. ‘A face . . . at the top window. I don’t believe in ghosts, do you?’

No, Ellie didn’t believe in ghosts, either. Of course she didn’t. She helped Rose to the garden bench and the doorbell rang again, this time with a longer, insistent peal.

‘You see to the door. I’ll be all right in a minute,’ said Rose, who hated to make a fuss and would have said she was all right even if she’d broken her wrist – as looked likely.

Ellie dashed back through the house and into the hall to open the front door.

A strange young man pushed past her into the house. ‘Took your time, didn’t you? Miss Quicke, please.’ He danced around on his toes, eyes into everything. Hard eyes. A brutally short haircut, a single earring, piercings through lip and eyebrow. Casually dressed.

‘I’m Mrs Quicke, but–’

Colour surged into his face. ‘Don’t waste my time!’

Ellie took half a step back. ‘Look; our housekeeper fell off a ladder just before you came and I need to get her to the doctor’s.’

He shrugged. ‘I’ll wait.’

From the kitchen came Rose’s voice. ‘I’m all right, Ellie. Having a little sit down.’

If Rose had got herself indoors, then she must be all right. At least till Ellie had got rid of the intruder . . . who had walked into the sitting room and was looking around him. Ellie had been about to tidy up in there when her difficult daughter Diana had arrived with news of her latest disaster . . .and no sooner had Diana swept out than Rose had fallen off the ladder.

Ellie told herself she wasn’t prejudiced by young men with piercings – though she wondered how he could manage to eat with a ring through his lower lip – but she did deplore his lack of manners. And it was unnecessary to be frightened, wasn’t it?

‘You wanted to speak to Mrs Quicke, and I’m Mrs Quicke. So how can I help you?’

‘Don’t give me that.’ A sly twist to his lips. ‘I know what Miss Quicke looks like. My great-aunt described her. She used to meet Miss Quicke regularly, often gave her a lift to board meetings.’

‘Ah. You mean my aunt. She was indeed active in the world of finance. I’m sorry to say she died some months ago.’

That wiped the smile from his face. ‘So you are–’

‘Her niece.’ She glanced at the clock – was that really the time? Was Rose all right?

‘But you know my great-aunt? Flavia Pryce with a “y”. She lived over there.’ He went to the French windows and pointed towards the multi-gabled mansion which could be glimpsed over Ellie’s garden wall.

Yes, there was the attic window in which Rose swore she’d seen a face, which is why she’d fallen off the ladder. Ellie didn’t believe in ghosts. Certainly not. Pure superstition. ‘I never knew the people in that house. I heard that the old lady who lived there–’

‘My great-aunt, Flavia Pryce.’

‘Left some time ago. So I must ask you to go.’

‘I used to drop in to see her every now and then. The last time I saw her, she told me she was going into a retirement home and that when the house was sold she’d let me have a little something to be going on with. So yesterday I went down to see her, with a box of her favourite Liquorice Allsorts. The people at the retirement home deny all knowledge of her. So where is she?’

Well, not at an upstairs window, for sure. Why on earth should she be up in an attic? Ridiculous.

Ellie tried to think straight. ‘I suppose she’s moved on, and the home will have a current address for her.’

‘They said not.’ He took out a pack of cigarettes and a disposable lighter.
‘Please don’t smoke in here.’

‘Oh, keep your hair on.’ He walked out through the French windows into the garden and lit up. ‘The thing is that I’m in a bit of a fix. Flavia promised me some money, was going to let me have what she’d intended to leave me in her will. And now, my sister’s pregnant, been left high and dry. I said I’d rent a flat where we could live together for a while, so that I could look out for her.’

Except that he didn’t look the selfless, caring type. He looked the type who’d kick a cat or a dog who got in his way, or laugh if an old woman fell off a ladder.

‘I wouldn’t ask if I weren’t desperate . . .’

He was certainly desperate about something. There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. The thought that he might be on drugs terrified her not a little. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you. Now, will you please go.’

‘No need to get your knickers in a twist. You attend to the ancient retainer and I’ll see myself out.’ He stood back to let her pass through the French windows in front of him.

It was only much later in the day that Ellie discovered her morning’s visitor had helped himself to more than a few minutes of her time.

Buy online: Murder My Neighbour (Ellie Quicke Mysteries)

Dynamite launches Kevin Smith's "Bionic Man" in August

2011-07-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

The Bionic Man series to launch in August 2011! Bionic Woman in 2012!

Dynamite Entertainment is pleased to announce the latest legendary characters to join Dynamite's roster of incredible properties -- The Bionic Man and The Bionic Woman! Licensed by NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group, both characters became pop culture icons in the 1970's with their popular television programs! After last year's critically and commercially successful collaboration on the Green Hornet, Kevin Smith and Dynamite Entertainment are reuniting once again, with the creative team that brought the flagship Green Hornet series to fans: Phil Hester, Jonathan Lau, and Alex Ross on covers! The Bionic Man is based on the Universal Television Series “The Six Million Dollar Man.”

"True story: when I turned in a script for The Six Million Dollar Man back in '98, there was an exec who dismissed it as being more like a comic book than a movie," said acclaimed film director and writer Kevin Smith.

"I'm one of those kids who grew up with The Six Million Dollar Man toys all over my house," said cover artist Alex Ross. "I still prize them as one of the favorite parts of my youth for the amazing variety of things that Steve Austin could use or fight against. The Six Million Dollar Man is one of the coolest original superhero properties invented for television."

"When I heard about The Bionic Man, my initial thought was how to make him stand out from the rest of the cyborg genre, and that's where my style comes into play," said artist Jonathan Lau. "Hopefully this will be a fun ride showcasing a more extreme play of action than I used to do!"

"I'm thrilled to help bring Kevin's unique vision for Steve Austin and company," said Phil Hester. "Fans of the original will find all the classic elements they long for, while those hungry for new elements will get a healthy dose of bionic action for the 21st century."

"I grew up LOVING the bionic man," said Dynamite President and Publisher Nick Barrucci. "As a child I wanted to be him, but since that hasn't happened, the next best thing is publishing The Bionic Man. Dynamite will also be bringing The Bionic Woman to stores in 2012! Wait until you see what we have planned!" 

The Bionic Man is based on the Universal Television Series “The Six Million Dollar Man.” The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic prosthetics working for the OSI. It aired on the ABC network as a regular series from 1974 to 1978, following three television movies aired in 1973. The title role of Steve Austin was played by Lee Majors, who subsequently became a pop culture icon of the 1970s. A spin-off of the show was produced, The Bionic Woman, as well as several television movies featuring both characters.

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook

For art and more information, please visit: http://www.dynamite.net/

ABOUT DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT:
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, Green Hornet, Vampirella, Warlord of Mars, Project Superpowers, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time and more!

In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and best selling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Michael Avon Oeming, Mel Rubi, Marc Guggenheim, Stephen Sadowski, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner and a host of up and coming new talent!

DYNAMITE is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles - including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's PROJECT SUPERPOWERS - have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. In 2005 Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%). The company has also been nominated for several industry awards, including the prestigious Eisner Award.

ABOUT NBCUNIVERSAL TELEVISION CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP:

NBCUniversal is a leader in providing entertainment programming to the domestic and international marketplaces. NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group manages all global ancillary television business endeavors for the NBCUniversal Television Group, including third-party home entertainment distribution, consumer products, musical soundtracks, special markets projects and the NBCUniversal Online Store. For the latest product updates and an overview of the properties managed by the group, visit the NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products portal at http://nbcuconsumerproducts.com/.

Related: STEVE AUSTIN by Martin Caidin

STEVE AUSTIN by Martin Caidin

2011-07-23T13:06:00.002-05:00

Complete list of espionage novels starring cybernetic government agent Steve Austin -- created by author Martin Caidin and made famous by the television series The Six Million Dollar Man.

Original novels by Caidin:
Cyborg (1972)
Operation Nuke (1973)
High Crystal (1974)
Cyborg IV (1975)

Novelizations adapted from the TV series:
Wine, Women and War by Mike Jahn
Solid Gold Kidnapping by Evan Richards
Pilot Error by Jay Barbree
The Rescue of Athena One by Mike Jahn
The Secret of Bigfoot Pass by Mike Jahn
International Incidents by Mike Jahn

Mysteries Series: Updates June 6

2011-06-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

I've updated the detective and crime series entries for:

048 DORTMUNDER by Donald E. Westlake (1970)
062 KINSEY MILLHONE by Sue Grafton (1982)
089 HARRY BOSCH by Michael Connelly (1992)
125 RIZZOLI & ISLES by Tess Gerritsen (2001)
145 ADRIAN MONK by Lee Goldberg (2006)

150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Grace Mann Will Return

2011-06-06T06:00:00.002-05:00

Now online at TitleTrakk.com -- the conclusion of the first story for BEST MANN FOR THE JOB ...

Best Mann For The Job stars Grace Mann, a woman with a complicated past who returns home to become sheriff of Hope Falls, Tennessee. The series is created by mystery novelist Chris Well (Nursing a Grudge) and comics veteran Erica Well (The Miller Sisters).

Read from the beginning at StudioWell.com.
Become a fan on Facebook.
More free online comics at StudioWell.com/Comics.

BEST MANN FOR THE JOB is taking a hiatus while Erica works on another project. (Which will also be running online at TitleTrakk.)

More crime and mystery comics news:
New DICK TRACY team debuts
The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne
What's next for Richard Stark's PARKER
Rescuing DICK TRACY
Janet Evanovich: "Why is the next Alex Barnaby novel a a comic book?"

More detectives:
HAMISH MACBETH by MC Beaton
SHERIFF DAN RHODES by Bill Crider
KINSEY MILLHONE by Sue Grafton
JOANNA BRADY by J.A. Jance
EARL WALKER (Hometown Mysteries) by Chris Well
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Detectives: RIZZOLI & ISLES by Tess Gerritsen

2011-06-05T16:59:00.001-05:00

Complete list to date of mysteries starring police detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles, written by Tess Gerritsen:

The Surgeon (2001) - intro Rizzoli
The Apprentice (2002) - intro Isles
The Sinner (2003)
Body Double (2004)
Vanish (2005)
The Mephisto Club (2006)
The Keepsake a.k.a. Keeping the Dead (2008)
Ice Cold a.k.a. The Killing Place (2010)
The Silent Girl (2011)

See also:
The Bone Garden (2007) - guest-starring Isles

Related link:
Interview: Three queens of crime: (Sue Grafton, Faye Kellerman, and Tess Gerritsen)

More detectives:
KINSEY MILLHONE by Sue Grafton (1982)
V.I. WARSHAWSKI by Sara Paretsky (1982)
STEPHANIE PLUM by Janet Evanovich (1994)
SUNNY RANDALL by Robert Parker (1999)
Women's Murder Club by James Patterson (2001)

The Complete DORTMUNDER by Donald E. Westlake

2011-06-05T15:55:00.001-05:00

Complete set of crime novels starring burglar John Dortmunder, written by Donald Westlake:

The Hot Rock (1970)
Bank Shot (1972)
Jimmy the Kid (1974)
Nobody's Perfect (1977)
Why Me? (1983)
Good Behavior (1985)
Drowned Hopes (1990)
Don't Ask (1993)
What's the Worst That Could Happen? (1996)
Bad News (2001)
The Road to Ruin (2004)
Watch Your Back! (2005)
What's So Funny? (2007)
Get Real (2009)

Related:
Donald Westlake: Gone, Not Forgotten
Donald Westlake 1933-2008
Crime Fiction with the masters
What's next for Richard Stark's PARKER

More series:
A. J. RAFFLES by E. W. Hornung (1899)
SPENSER by Robert Parker (1973)
BERNIE RHODENBARR ("The Burglar Who...") by Lawrence Block (1977)
ARTIE WU and QUINCY DURANT by Ross Thomas (1978)
CHILI PALMER by Elmore Leonard (1991)

Updates

2011-05-23T10:00:00.001-05:00

I've updated the detective series entries for

050 SPENSER by Robert Parker (1973)
055 MATTHEW SCUDDER by Lawrence Block (1976)
098 STEPHANIE PLUM by Janet Evanovich (1994)
112 No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (1998)
121 Women's Murder Club by James Patterson (2001)

150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010

Johnny English back in theaters this fall

2011-05-16T15:14:00.000-05:00

There's a sequel to 2003's Johnny English on the way. I didn't see the first one, but my wife and I have recently become fans of comic actor Rowan Atkinson, having discovered his work in Black Adder, The Thin Blue Line and Mr. Bean. Great stuff! Johnny English Reborn hits theaters this fall.

In his latest adventure, the most unlikely intelligence officer in Her Majesty's Secret Service must stop a group of international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global chaos. With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7. For Johnny English, disaster may be an option, but failure never is.

Print-to-Screen: HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

2011-02-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

One of four crime novels starring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famed detective Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles was originally serialised in The Strand Magazine Aug. 1901 to Apr. 1902.

The curse of the Baskervilles began in the 17th Century, when Sir Hugo swore he would give his soul to possess the beautiful daughter of a yeoman. He captured her, but she escaped. He saddled his horse and chased the girl over the moors until she dropped dead from exhaustion ... and then a black hell-hound appeared, with eyes like fire, and ripped out Hugo's throat.

Now, years later, the Hound has returned. Already it has caused the death of Hugo's descendant, Sir Charles Baskerville. Can Sherlock Holmes stop the curse before it claims Henry Baskerville, the heir of Sir Charles?

To date, there are some 25 film and TV adaptations of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Some notable examples:

The Hound of the Baskervilles
(1939, Twentieth Century Fox)
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Starring: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce

The Hound of the Baskervilles
(1959, Hammer Films)
Director: Terence Fisher
Starring: Peter Cushing, Andre Morell

The Hound of the Baskervilles
(1978, MGM)
Director: Paul Morrissey
Starring: Peter Cook, Dudley Moore

The Hound of the Baskervilles
(1983, Granada Television)
Director: Douglas Hickox
Starring: Ian Richardson, Donald Churchill

The Hound of the Baskervilles
(1988, Granada Television)
Director: Brian Mills
Starring: Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke

The Hound of the Baskervilles
(2002, Tiger Aspect Productions/BBC)
Director: David Attwood
Starring: Richard Roxburgh, Ian Hart

Detectives: A.J. RAFFLES by E. W. Hornung

2011-02-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

Complete list of collections featuring mysteries starring gentleman thief Arthur J. Raffles and sidekick Harry "Bunny" Manders. Written by E. W. Hornung (brother-in-law to Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).

The Amateur Cracksman (1899)
The Black Mask (1901)
A Thief in the Night (1904)
Mr. Justice Raffles (1909) - full-length novel

More detectives:
C. AUGUSTE DUPIN by Edgar Allan Poe (1841)
SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)
PHILO VANCE by S.S. Van Dine (1926)
THE BARON by John Creasey (1937)
BERNIE RHODENBARR (Burglar) by Lawrence Block (1977)

Detectives: Tim Downs: THE BUG MAN

2011-02-04T06:00:00.003-06:00

Complete series to date of mysteries starring forensic entomologist Nick Polchak (a.k.a. the Bug Man). Written by Tim Downs:

Shoofly Pie (2003)
Chop Shop (2004)
Plague Maker (2006) - cameo appearance
First the Dead (2007)
Less Than Dead (2008)
Ends of the Earth (2009)
Nick of Time (2011)

More detectives:
KAY SCARPETTA by Patricia Cornwell
Women's Murder Club by James Patterson
BRYANT & MAY (Peculiar Crimes Unit) by Christopher Fowler
DR. MARK SLOANE (Diagnosis: Murder) by Lee Goldberg
ANNIE KINGSTON (Hidden Faces Series) by Brandilyn Collins
150+ Mystery Series: 1841-2010