A Puzzling Mystery

Libby Keating’s quiet life is shaken when she literally trips over a dead man on her front porch.  Even more ominous is the blank crossword puzzle left with him that is addressed to her twin sister.  Fatal Deduction by Gayle Roper is the latest book to feature crossword clues to doubly involve the reader in the solution of the mystery.  The Crossword Murder is the first of the Nero Blanc series which pairs crossword editor Belle Graham and PI Rosco Polycrates.  The Puzzle Lady mysteries by Parnell Hall begin with A Clue for the Puzzle Lady and include the recent release The Sudoku Puzzle Murders.  Fans of the number game may also enjoy The Sudoku Murder by Shelley Freydont and Death by Sudoku by Kaye Morgan.

Speaking of puzzles, there is still time to “Get in the Game – Read!” with the summer reading program.  Complete a BINGO card and spin our wheel to determine which prize (books, puzzles, games) you win in addition to entering the grand prize drawings.

Books That Will Speak to You

Even for those of us who cherish the feel of a book in our hands, there are wonderful advantages to be enjoyed through audiobooks.  Whether you take a great story along on a summer walk, road trip, daily commute, or during household chores, you’ll find the time flies in the midst of expert narration and character nuances.  June is Audiobook Month, and what better way to join in the fun than to check out recent winners of the 2008 Audies, awards given for the best audiobooks of the year?

Fiction: Tallgrass (Sandra Dallas) - read by Lorelei King
Literary Fiction: Tree of Smoke (Denis Johnson) - read by Will Patton
Thriller/Suspense: Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill) - read by Stephen Lang
Mystery: The Tin Roof Blowdown (James Lee Burke) - read by Will Patton
Romance: Natural Born Charmer (Susan Elizabeth Phillips) - read by Anna Fields
Narration by the Author: Pontoon - written and read by Garrison Keillor
Nonfiction: Roots (Alex Haley) - read by Avery Brooks
Biography and Memoir: Einstein (Walter Isaacson) - read by Edward Herrmann

The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Brontë

It’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it?  Lest you assume the Victorian author of classic Jane Eyre led an uneventful life, Laura Joh Rowland imagines a much more thrilling existence in The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Brontë.   On a rare but necessary journey from her country home to London, mild-mannered Charlotte finds herself an unwitting eyewitness to the shocking murder of a young woman she had met only a day earlier.  Before long, the authoress is drawn into a world of espionage and conspiracy, and she must work closely with a charming stranger who may not be who he claims.  Charlotte is more than equal to the challenge, and she discovers in herself a strength and passion that she had before only experienced in her heroines, and in circumstances that she could never have imagined.

P.J. Tracy

P.J. Tracy is the name under which Patricia (P.J.) and Traci Lambrecht write a thrilling series of comic mysteries.  The mother/daughter team's original whodunit, Monkeewrench, quickly became a bestseller and earned nominations for best first novel.  Live Bait, Dead Run, and Snow Blind soon followed, and a fifth title is currently in the works. 

P.J. had her first short story published when Traci was young, and she established herself as a moderately successful free-lance writer.  Traci majored in Russian studies in college but joined her mother in writing when she needed money for a European trip.  Despite living in different states, the duo keeps in contact through every-other-month visits, phone conferences, and e-mail drafts.  Even when working independently, the two are so connected that they often cannot recall who contributed what to the finished novel. 

Need More Mystery in Your Life?

The prestigious 2008 Edgar Allan Poe Awards have just been announced by the Mystery Writers of America, and the winners are available at your library!  Simply click on the titles to check the MPPL catalog.

Best Novel:  Down River by John Hart
Best First Novel by an American Author:  In the Woods by Tana French
Best Paperback Original:  Queenpin by Megan Abbot
Best Fact Crime:  Reclaiming History by Vincent Bugliosi
Best Television Episode Teleplay:  Burn Notice  (Pilot)
Best Motion Picture Screenplay:  Michael Clayton

The First Patient

What if those closest to the President of the United States couldn't be trusted with his safety?  In The First Patient, strange episodes have begun to plague the country's leader, and his personal physician has mysteriously disappeared.  Dr. Gabe Singleton, an old friend of the President's, is asked to take the job.  Not long after arriving in Washington, he realizes that his college buddy is in the midst of a health crisis that could have national ramifications.  Gabe must balance dedication to his patient with responsibility to his country, and attacks on his own life only add to his suspicions.  Michael Palmer crafts a tense thriller that explores frightening scientific abuses and the vulnerability of the leader of the free world.

A Flaw in the Blood

Conspiracy, blackmail, intrigue, even murder – and Queen Victoria is in the center of it all.  In a new mystery by Stephanie Barron, Irish barrister Patrick Fitzgerald is returning from a summoned audience with the Queen herself when the royal carriage is viciously attacked.  Both he and his ward, young Dr. Georgiana Armistead, have episodes in their pasts which may offer clues, and they race to make sense of the escalating violence before they can be silenced.  Whether a thrilling pursuit through the London slums or a restrained gathering in the royal chambers, A Flaw in the Blood boasts Barron’s trademarks:  impressive period detail and a sense of the sinister amidst cultured society. 

Sara Paretsky

Translated into almost thirty languages, Sara Paretsky’s books have earned many accolades, including the coveted British Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for top novel of 2004 (Blacklist) and Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement.  Paretsky first introduced her stereotype-shattering heroine in 1982 with Indemnity Only.  In a genre that had traditionally depicted women either as victims or as femme fatales, tough-talking female investigator V.I. Warshawski signaled a new and welcome direction, one in which a female character could display intelligence, strength, courage, and ability.

Long associated with Chicago, Paretsky first visited the city in 1966 to do community service work in the same neighborhood where Martin Luther King was organizing.  Even today she demonstrates that same passion for social justice through her work in several foundations both nationally and in Chicago, her home for many years.  Bleeding Kansas, Paretsky's 14th novel and most recent best seller, is set in the part of the Kaw River Valley where Sara was raised.

 

Scott Turow

Born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 12, 1949, Scott Turow has enjoyed a successful dual-career as both lawyer and novelist.  He is acclaimed for combining these two talents into bestselling legal thrillers such as The Burden of Proof and Pleading Guilty.  His impressive academic record includes teaching creative writing at Stanford University and graduating with honors from Harvard Law School.  From 1978 to 1986 he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Chicago, after which he turned to writing fiction.  Turow's first novel, Presumed Innocent, won the prestigious Silver Dagger of British Crime Writers, and Personal Injuries was named as the Best Fiction Novel of 1999 by Time magazine.  The author is active in a number of charitable causes including Literacy Chicago, and he continues to balance his writing with his work as a partner in the Chicago offices of a national law firm.

Eleanor Taylor Bland

Award-winning author of the Marti MacAlister mystery series, Eleanor Taylor Bland was born in Boston, Massachusetts on December 31, 1944.  At only fourteen she married a sailor, and eventually they settled near the Great Lakes, his last duty station.  Bland graduated from College of Lake County and Southern Illinois University, later working at Abbott Laboratories as an accountant.  After surviving a serious bout with cancer, she adopted a “live in the present” philosophy, one that is also evident in her writing.  Her heroine, African-American police detective Marti MacAlister, made her first appearance in the novel Dead Time and soon resurfaced in Slow Burn and Gone Quiet.  The thirteenth book in the series, A Dark and Deadly Deception, was published in 2005.   An interesting note:  the town of Lincoln Prairie, fictional location for her novels, is actually a mix of Waukegan, North Chicago, and Zion.

T is for Trespass

  One of the most frightening forms of evil is that which preys on the defenseless.  Such is the premise of Sue Grafton’s newest book, T is for Trespass.  A chilling read even for those who aren’t established fans of the series, the story centers on Solana Rojas, a home health care worker who victimizes those she is hired to protect.  Private detective Kinsey Millhone suspects the woman is not who she seems to be, uncovering a frightening pattern of abuse and identity theft.  The narrative is divided, deftly twisting between the perspectives of hero and villain, which effectively heightens the suspense in what Publisher’s Weekly names  “one of the series’ high points”.

Grafton’s books are easily enjoyed individually for their self-contained stories. Those interested in earlier installments will appreciate S is for Silence , Kinsey’s previous adventure, and A is for Alibi, her first case.

The Drop Edge of Yonder

                          The Drop Edge of Yonder is the third of the Alafair Tucker mystery series by author Donis Casey which revolves around a family living in the newly formed state of Oklahoma in the early 1900s.  Although Alafair uses her intelligence to solve mysteries which confront her family, she receives crucial help from inexplicable sources that go beyond her mystical sixth sense.  The setting of the story is based on the author's family and gives insight into both the historical aspects of the state that encouraged residents to join the "Indian Nation", as well as the thoughts of the time period.  The Drop Edge of Yonder provides the reader with a look at American beginnings. 

If you'd rather read the entire series in order, start with the first book The Old Buzzard Had It Coming, then follow with Hornswoggled, and finish with The Drop Edge of Yonder.

Sharyn McCrumb

Sharyn McCrumb is a bestselling mystery author who has received the Chaffin and Plattner Awards for Southern fiction, in addition to many other honors. She launched her acclaimed Appalachian Ballad novel series with If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O.  “My books are like Appalachian quilts,” says Ms. McCrumb. “I take brightly colored scraps of legends, ballads, fragments of rural life, and local tragedy, and I piece them together into a complex whole that tells not only a story, but also a deeper truth about the culture of the mountain South.”  Ms. McCrumb has been writer-in-residence at King College in Tennessee and Shepherd College in West Virginia, and she has lectured at universities and libraries throughout the United States and Europe. She lives and writes in the Virginia Blue Ridge.  Her most recent book is Once Around the Track.

Tom Clancy

Tom Clancy was born in Baltimore County, Maryland on April 12, 1947.  Known for his collection of best-selling political and military thrillers, Clancy has famously stated that he studied English Literature in college because he was not smart enough to study physics.  But upon publication of his very first novel in 1984, The Hunt for Red October, Clancy proved he has a deep knowledge and understanding of the very complex inner-workings of the U.S. government.  In addition to writing dozens of best-selling fiction novels, Clancy has written several nonfiction books about the U.S. military, including Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces and Into the Storm: A Study in Command which he co-wrote with General Fred Franks, Jr.  Many of Clancy’s books have also been turned into popular movies and video games.

Jasper Fforde

Jasper Fforde was born in London, England on January 11, 1961.  Fforde started his career in the film industry, but in 2001 shifted his focus to writing and published his first book, The Eyre Affair.  This was the first of his Thursday Next mystery series, which revolves around detective Thursday, who is a Special Operative in literary detection.  Fforde’s imaginative fiction incorporates classic characters and stories from authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and Charlotte Bronte and travels through time, leading readers on madcap adventures that are suspenseful, humorous and completely unique.  The fifth installment, Thursday Next: First Among Sequels was just released in July.  Fforde currently makes his home in Brecon, Powys, Wales.

Nevada Barr

Author of the popular Anna Pigeon mystery series, Nevada Barr was born in Yerington, Nevada in 1952.  The daughter of airplane pilots, she was raised on a mountain airport in the Sierras.   Barr's first love was the theater and she has a Master of Fine Arts in Acting.   She worked in commercials, radio, and theater for eighteen years before deciding to become a park ranger, like her protagonist Anna.  It was during her time as a ranger that Barr wrote her first Anna Pigeon mystery, Track of the Cat, which went on to win both Agatha and Anthony awards for best first mystery.   Barr, who now lives in New Orleans, has written thirteen books and is also an accomplished painter.

Hollywoodland

Hollywoodland was released in 2006 by Focus Features and is a speculative account of the details surrounding the death of actor George Reeves in 1959.  Reeves death was ruled a simple suicide by the police, but some, including his mother, argued that there were too many inconsistencies and wanted a full investigation into what really happened.  When the police refused to investigate further, Reeve’s mother hired a private investigator named Louis Simo, and the film presents some of his findings using a narrative combination of flashbacks and prolepses.  Ben Affleck plays the strong but unfulfilled Reeves who never felt content with his career-defining role as television’s Superman.  Diane Lane is equally convincing as the wife of MGM VP Eddie Mannix and Reeve’s devoted lover.  Adrien Brody stars as investigator Louis Simo whose relentless pursuit of the truth gives him exposure to the darker side of Hollywood in anything but simpler times.

John Lescroart

John Lescroart (pronounced Less-KWAH) was born in Houston, Texas in 1948.  He is the author of legal and crime thrillers featuring the characters Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky.  His most recent book, The Suspect is the second in a new series featuring private investigator Wyatt Hunt, whom we first met in the 2006 bestseller The Hunt Club.  Lescroart worked a series of jobs after graduating for the University of California, Berkeley, focusing more of his spare time on writing music than writing books.  By the age of thirty he decided to switch focus and write novels, but it wasn’t until he had a near death experience ten years later that he finally decided to write full time.  His hard work paid off and he’s been a successful author ever since. 

Vince Flynn

Minnesotan Vince Flynn was born in St. Paul in 1966.  Flynn was diagnosed with dyslexia in grade school and admits to being rather wary of the written word as a child.  After graduating as an economics major from the University of Saint Thomas, Flynn was hired for a job in marketing at Kraft foods.  He then attempted to join the Marine Corps but, a week before he was set to go to Officer Candidate School, his military career ended due to a medical disqualification.  While working in real estate, he began writing what would become his first political thriller, Term Limits.  His third book, The Third Option, immediately made the New York Times bestseller list and his success has continued to grow ever since.  He said about his decision to pursue writing rather than remaining a businessman: “I look back on it now and I couldn’t be happier with my decision, but at the time I remember a lot of people thought I was nuts.”  Flynn’s latest novel, Act of Treason, was published in 2006.

Harlan Coben - Featured Author of the Month

Harlan Coben was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1962. After graduating from Amherst College with a degree in political science, Coben worked in the travel industry. He now lives in New Jersey with his wife, Anne Armstrong-Coben MD, a pediatrician, and their four children. Winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award -- the first author to win all three -- New York Times bestseller Coben's critically acclaimed novels have been called "poignant and insightful" (Los Angeles Times), "consistently entertaining" (Houston Chronicle), "superb" (Chicago Tribune) and "must reading" (Philadelphia Inquirer).  Coben is best known for his fast-paced thriller series featuring Myron Bolitar, a former basketball player turned sports agent who often finds himself investigating murders involving his clients.  His latest book is another bestseller, The Woods. 

James Lee Burke

Before he became a best selling author, James Lee Burke showed amazing perseverance in the face of serious rejection.  Burke submitted his novel The Lost Get-Back Boogie 111 times before it was finally published by Louisiana State University Press.  Soon after its publication the novel was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.  Burke is best known for his Dave Robicheaux mystery series, which is set in Louisiana, not far from the Texas – Louisiana Gulf Coast region where he grew up.  His latest novel, The Tin Roof Blowdown, deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and is set for release this July.

Janet Evanovich

Janet Evanovich was born on April 22, 1943 in South River, New Jersey.  After compiling a large box of rejection letters, she had almost completely given up on the idea of writing and began working as an office temp.  But the best-selling mystery writer, who famously declared she spent most of her childhood in “LaLa Land,” finally got a call from an editor who wanted to buy one of her romance books for $2000.  After writing twelve romances under the pen name Steffie Hall, Evanovich shifted gears and started writing a light mystery series based on her bounty-hunter character Stephanie Plum.  Evanovich now lives in New Hampshire with her husband Pete.  Her husband, son and daughter run her business, Evanovich, Inc.

The Lincoln Lawyer

Michael Connelly’s 2005 thriller The Lincoln Lawyer revolves around defense lawyer Mickey Haller and his experiences with a menagerie of accused criminals who look to him to keep them out of jail.  Mickey finds that the law isn’t always black and white, and knows that as a defense attorney the question isn’t one of guilt or innocence, but rather one of guilty or not guilty.   In fact it’s the idea of having a truly innocent client that really worries Mickey, because he fears he might not recognize innocence if he sees it.  When a wealthy and respected realtor from Beverly Hills chooses Mickey to represent him against attempted murder charges, Mickey is more than happy to take the case knowing full well he will make a great deal of money in doing so.  And on top of that Mickey is pretty sure the case will be a snap to defend.  But when someone close to him is murdered and troubling information arises about a past client, Mickey must act fast to protect himself and determine who’s truly innocent and who’s truly evil. 

Mary Higgins Clark

Mary Higgins Clark was born in New York on Christmas Eve in 1927.  Her father died when she was ten years old, and she went to secretarial school after high school so that she would be able to get a job to help her mother pay the bills.  When she was 29, she sold her first short story after receiving forty rejections.  The first book Clark wrote was a fictionalized biography of George Washington entitled Aspire to the High Heavens.  Her next book, the suspense novel Where Are the Children?, was an instant hit and set her on the course of her best-selling career which has now spanned over thirty years.  Her latest book is the mystery I Heard That Song Before. 

Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen joined the Miami Herald in 1976, where he still works.  In 1979, he turned to investigative journalism concentrating on property development, exposing schemes to destroy Florida's natural beauty for the sake of profit.  His fiction mirrors his concerns as a journalist and Floridian.  His novels have been classified as environmental thrillers, although they can just as well be read as mainstream reflections of contemporary life.  The London Observer called him "America's finest satirical novelist," while Janet Maslin of the New York Times has compared him to Preston Sturges, Woody Allen, and S.J. Perelman.  Mr. Hiaasen's latest book is Nature Girl.

Scott Turow

Chicago writer and lawyer Scott Turow has penned seven best-sellers.  His 2005 book, Ordinary Heroes, tells the story of a young man who researches his father’s past during World War II.  He finds that his father, who rescued his mother from a concentration camp, had previously been engaged to another woman, and as a JAG lawyer was called to make some complicated and difficult choices.   Like Turow’s other books, including Presumed Innocent and The Burden of Proof, Ordinary Heroes is an insider’s view of the legal system with exciting plot turns and rich characters.  What do like about Turow’s writing style?  If you were going to make Ordinary Heroes  a feature film or TV movie (as has been done with Presumed Innocent and The Burden of Proof) who would you cast?  Which of Turow’s other books would make good movies?

James Patterson

The Quickie is James Patterson's newest book, set for release this July.  What is it about Patterson that makes him a perpetual best selling author?   Is it the characters, the setting or the pace of his books?  Is it simply the style of the writing?  His website http://www.jamespatterson.com/ says he's sold over 130 million copies worldwide, and his sales continue to soar every year.  It also says he likes to read books by Michael Crichton, Sue Monk Kidd and Stuart Woods.   If you like Patterson, do you like these other authors as well?  Which of Patterson's books would you recommend reading first, and why?