The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Murder Lost And Found
Debbie Young
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804831168, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 332pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-lost-and-found-debbie-young/1139124= 458
Synopsis: Sophie Sayers is ready for a glorious summer, but when a dead bod=
y is found in the village school's lost property cupboard the summer holida=
ys take an unexpected turn. Even more shocking is when the body goes missin=
g. Without a body, the police refuse to investigate. That's just not good e= nough. Sophie is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. She needs =
to find out who has died and nab the culprit if she's going to save the vil= lage school from the threat of closure!
Critique: Fun, original, and a pure delight for all cozy mystery fans, "Mur= der Lost And Found" by novelist Debbie Young has more unexpected plot twist=
s and turns than a Disneyland roller-coaster. This large print paperback ed= ition of "Murder Lost And Found" will prove to be an immediate and enduring=
ly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It shou=
ld be noted for personal reading lists that "Murder Lost And Found" is also=
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Debbie Young (
https://authordebbieyoung.com) writes warm, w= itty, feel-good contemporary fiction full of English humor and inspired by = life in the Cotswold village which has been her home for over 30 years. Ori= ginally self-published, in 2022 she won a 13-book contract with the multipl= e-award-winning Boldwood Books for her novels, and a 7-book audio contract = with Saga Egmont, along with a German rights deal with DP Verlag.
A Date To Die For
E. V. Hunter
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804835678, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 388pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-date-to-die-for-evie-hunter/1142784173
Synopsis: When the unlikely duo of investigative journalist, Alexi Ellis fa= lls victim to cutbacks, she and Cosmo, her anti-social feral cat, head for = beautiful Hopgood Hall, where they plan to lick their wounds in the boutiqu=
e hotel run by her old friends, Cheryl and Drew Hopgood.
But when she arrives Alexi discovers Cheryl and Drew both distraught. Their=
close friend, Natalie Parker, who recently settled in the area, has gone m= issing. Alexi's sure the woman has just taken a trip somewhere, but she sti=
ll has a nose for a story and agrees to look into it.
So too does ex-Met Police detective turned private eye, Jack Maddox. Natali=
e Parker had been using his sister's online dating agency and Jack needs to=
find her before his sister's business is ruined. Reluctantly, Alexi, Jack = (and Cosmo!) join forces to find out what happened to Natalie. But soon the=
y discover secrets that someone desperately wants to make sure are never re= vealed!
Critique: As a novelist, E. V. Hunter is a master of the cozy mystery forma=
t and this large print paperback edition of "A Date To Die For" is one of h=
er best! While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspe= nse collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all d= edicated cozy mystery fans that "A Date To Die For' is also available in a = digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
The Bark of Zorro
Kathleen Y'Barbo
Barbour Publishing
P.O. Box 719, 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781636095172, $14.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bark-Zorro-Gone-Dogs/dp/1636095178
Synopsis: Strange happenings are afoot in Brenham, Texas, as dogs start sho= wing up at the Lone Star Veterinary Clinic with a Z spray painted on them. = The cops blame pranksters, while pet owners are blaming each other. Recepti= onist Cassidy Carter uses her social media expertise to try to get the culp= rit caught on camera, but Texas game warden, Justin Cameron, thinks online = media attention is the last thing this case needs. It's bad enough he's cur= rently being followed around by reality TV cameras. When Cassidy's post goe=
s viral, more dogs are found painted and her new home gets marked with a bi=
g Z too. How could her good intentions have backfired so badly?
Critique: Featuring everything a cozy animal mystery fan would want in a fu=
n and delightful story, "The Bark of Zorro" by novelist Kathleen Y'Barbo is=
a the fourth book in the author's 'Gone to the Dogs' mystery series. Origi= nal, delightful, and an ideal recreational read, "The Bark of Zorro" will p= rove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition to commun= ity library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the person=
al reading lists of all dedicated cozy mystery readers that "The Bark of Zo= rro" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99). "T=
he Bark of Zorro" will also be available in a large print hardcover edition=
(Center Point, 9781638087212, $38.95, 500pp).
Editorial Note: Kathleen Y'Barbo (www.kathleenybarbo.com) is the author of = more than one hundred books. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paraleg= al, she is a member of the Texas Bar Association Paralegal Division, Texas = A&M Association of Former Student and the Texas A&M Women Former Students (= Aggie Women), Texas Historical Society, Novelists Inc., and American Christ= ian Fiction Writers.
The Secret of Chimneys
Agatha Christie, author
Alice H. Murray, annotator
End Game Press
PO Box 206, Nesbit, MS, 38651
https://www.endgamepress.com
9781637970584, $18.99, PB, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Chimneys-Alice-H-Murray/dp/1637970587
Synopsis: Originally published in the 1920s, this new edition of "The Secre=
t of Chimneys" by that legendary mystery novelist Agatha Christie, is infor= matively annotated edition by Alice H. Murray for a new generation of appre= ciative readers.
The story whisks the reader off on a mental trip to faraway places (Rhodesi=
a, the French coast, London, the English countryside) on a rollercoaster ri=
de to determine whodunnit and why. The story isn't just a murder mystery; i=
t involves romance, royalty, political intrigue, imposters, and a stolen di= amond. Adding to the enjoyment of this new paperback edition from End Game = Press is enlightening bonus material about people, places, and things appea= ring in "The Secret of Chimneys".
Critique: An absolutely 'must read' for the legions of Agatha Christie fans=
, "The Secret of Chimneys" features political intrigue spiced with high sta= kes murder, blackmail, and crime. This outstanding new edition of "The Secr=
et of Chimneys" is unreservedly recommended as a welcome and enduringly app= reciated addition to personal, community, and academic library Mystery/Susp= ense collections in general, and Agatha Christie reading lists in particula=
r.
Editorial Note #1: Agatha Christie ( 15 September 1890 - 12 January 1976) w=
as an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story c= ollections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercul=
e Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, = the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End = since 1952. She is known worldwide as a major writer during the "Golden Age=
of Detective Fiction". (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie)
Editorial Note #2: Alice H. Murray (
https://authoralicehmurray.wixsite.com/= website) has always been enthusiastic about great writing, and are privileg=
ed to have turned their passion into a thriving career as a professional Wr= iter. Alice has two books set for release from End Game Press in April 2023=
and April 2024 respectively. She regularly contributes articles to GO! Mag= azine and pens devotionals for traditional publications such as The Upper R= oom and various online sites. She's also had pieces published in Chicken So=
up for the Soul and the Short and Sweet series. Her wondering mind compels = her to write a weekly blog post, WONDER-ing Woman, on topics of current int= erest peppered with remarks from her distinctive sense of humor.
A Killing of Innocents
Deborah Crombie
https://www.deborahcrombie.com
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9780062993397, $30.00, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Innocents-Duncan-Kincaid-Novels/dp/006299339=
9
Synopsis: On a rainy November evening, trainee doctor Sasha Johnson hurries=
through the evening crowd in London's historic Russell Square. Out of the = darkness, someone jostles her as they brush past. A moment later, Sasha stu= mbles, then collapses. When Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his=
sergeant, Doug Cullen, are called to the scene, they discover that she's b= een stabbed.
Kincaid immediately calls in his detective wife, Gemma James, who has recen= tly been assigned to a task force on knife crimes which are on the rise. Al= ong with her partner, detective sergeant Melody Talbot, Gemma aids the inve= stigation. But Sasha Johnson doesn't fit the profile of the task force's ty= pical knife crime victim. Single, successful, career-driven, she has no his= tory of abusive relationships or any connection to gangs. Sasha had her sec= rets, though, and some of them lead the detectives uncomfortably close to h= ome.
As the team unravels the victim's tangled connections, another murder raise=
s the stakes. Kincaid, Gemma, and their colleagues must put even friendship=
s on the line to find the killer stalking the dark streets of Bloomsbury.
Critique: With a very special appeal to fans of polic procedurals and tradi= tional detective 'whodunnit' murder mysteries, and women sleuths, "A Killin=
g Of Innocents" by veteran author Deborah Crombie is a highly recommended a= ddition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be not=
ed for the personal reading lists of the growing legions of Deborah Crombie=
fans that "A Killing Of Innocents" is also available in a digital book for= mat (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should also note that "A Killing Of Innoce= nts" has a large print edition (9780063117754, $34.00) and is also availabl=
e as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212204842,=
$41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Deborah Crombie (
https://www.deborahcrombie.com) wrote "A S= hare in Death", published in 1993 and short-listed for both Agatha and Maca= vity awards for Best First Novel and was awarded the Macavity. Crombie's fi= fth novel, "Dreaming of the Bones", was a New York Times Notable Book in 19= 97, was named by the Independent Mystery Booksellers as one of the 100 Best=
Crime Novels of the Century, was an Edgar nominee for Best Novel, and won = the Macavity award for Best Novel. Subsequent novels have been published to=
critical acclaim and in a dozen languages. Crombie's 18th novel featuring = Metropolitan Police detectives Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Inspector = Gemma James is "A Bitter Feast".
Diamondback Revenge
Cindy Keen Reynders
Camel Press
www.camelpress.com
9781684920556, $16.95, PB, 254pp
https://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Revenge-Reese-Golden-Mysteries/dp/168492= 0558
Synopsis: It's a sweltering Wyoming summer and the typically clear blue ski=
es are clogged with smoke drifting from encroaching wildfires. Life goes on=
, however, and private investigator Reese Golden remains dedicated to resol= ving crimes in her hometown of Meadowlark Valley.
Currently, she seeks a local shop owner's stolen rattlesnake taxidermy disp= lay. During her investigation, fraught with twists and turns, she exposes i= ntrigue involving local artist Bella Northwood's drowning, and the brutal a= ssault of the shop owner, who happens to be Bella's father.
Danger complicates Reese's objectives as she and Police detective Jeremy Sa= vage team up to retrieve the stolen display and to document the events lead= ing up to Bella's accident.
Nothing is as it seems, nevertheless, Reese is determined to uncover the fa= cts. It is important to her to see that justice is served, and she refuses =
to allow any guilty parties to go free.
After interviewing residents and availing herself of local resources, Reese=
's intuition kicks in, which leads her one of Wyoming's wilderness areas wi=
th its panoramic mountain views as she encounters intrigue and danger compl= icating her objectives as she and police detective Jeremy Savage pursue jus= tice.
Critique: The second title in novelist Cindy Keen Reynders 'Reese Golden My= sterious' series, "Diamondback Revenge" is another deftly crafted story tha=
t will have immense appeal for fans of the cozy mystery genre. With an orig= inal and entertaining plot with more twists and turns than a Disneyland rol= ler-coaster, "Diamondback Revenge" is unreservedly recommended for personal=
and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted tha=
t "Diamondback Revenge" is also readily available in a digital book format = (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Cindy (www.cindykeenreynders.com) is the author of The Sauc=
y Lucy Murders, Paws-itively Guilty and A Killer Slice. Solstice Publishing=
recently released her paranormal romance The Seven-Year Witch, A Witch at = Midnight and Witch Tease. She has a blog and can be followed on Facebook.
Her Sister's Death
K. L.Murphy
CamCat Books
www.camcatpublishing.com
9780744307399, $25.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Sisters-Death-K-Murphy/dp/0744307392
Synopsis: When her sister is found dead in a Baltimore hotel room, reporter=
Val Ritter's world is turned upside down. An empty pill bottle at the scen=
e leads the police to believe the cause of death is suicide. With little mo=
re than her own conviction, Val teams up with Terry Martin, a retired detec= tive who has his own personal interest in the case, to prove that something=
more sinister is possible.
In 1921, Bridget Wallace, a guest on the brink of womanhood, is getting rea=
dy to marry an eligible older man. But what seems like a comfortable match = soon takes a dark turn. Does the illustrious history of the stately Frankli=
n hotel hide another, lesser known history of death?
Critique: An original and deftly crafted novel that will have a special app= eal to readers with an interest in historical and supernatural mysteries st= arring an intrepid, amateur, and determined female sleuth, "Her Sister's De= ath" by K. L. Murphy is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addit= ion to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted f=
or the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Her Sister's=
Death" is also available in a paperback edition (9780744307405, $15.99) an=
d in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: K. L. Murphy (
https://freshfiction.com/author.php?id=3D4148=
0) is the author of the Detective Cancini Mystery Series: A Guilty Mind, St=
ay of Execution, and The Last Sin. Her short stories are featured in the an= thologies Deadly Southern Charm ("Burn") and Murder by the Glass ("EverUs")=
.. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Wri= ters, Sisters in Crime, James River Writers, and Historical Writers of Amer= ica.
No Life for a Lady
Hannah Dolby
Head of Zeus
https://headofzeus.com/home
9781804544365, $27.99, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/No-Life-Lady-Hannah-Dolby/dp/1804544361
At 28, Violet's father is beginning to worry she will never find a husband.=
But every suitor he presents, Violet finds a new and inventive means of re= buffing. Because Violet does not want to marry! She wants to work, and make=
her own way in the world. But more than anything, she wants to find her mo= ther Lily, who disappeared from Hastings Pier 10 years earlier.
Finding the missing is no job for a lady, but when Violet hires a seaside d= etective to help, she sets off a chain of events that will put more than ju=
st her reputation at risk. Can Violet solve the mystery of Lily Hamilton's = vanishing before it's too late?
Critique: Set in 1896, novelist Hannah Dolby's "No Life for a Lady" has eve= rything a cozy mystery fan could want -- humor, a 'whodunit' to solve, and =
an amateur woman sleuth to do the solving. With many a quick and unexpected=
plot twist and turn, "No Life for a Lady" is a fun read from cover to cove=
r. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense co= llections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "No Life for =
a Lady" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781804544372, $1= 9.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Hannah Dolby trained as a journalist in Hastings and has wo= rked in PR for many years, promoting museums, galleries, palaces, gardens a=
nd even Dolly the sheep. She completed the Curtis Brown selective three-mon=
th novel writing course, and she won runner-up in the Comedy Women in Print=
Awards for this novel with the prize of a place on an MA in Comedy Writing=
at the University of Falmouth. You can follow her on Twitter @LadyDolby (h= ttps://pocketmags.com/us/writing-magazine/april-2023/articles/1277163/hanna= h-dolby)
Dead Man Inside
Vincent Starrett
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613163917, $25.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Man-Inside-Vincent-Starrett/dp/1613163916
Synopsis: A strange sight greets Chicago haberdashery clerk Rufus Ker as he=
prepares to begin his workday by unlocking the door to Bluefield, Inc. A s= ign is attached to the glass. It reads: DEAD MAN INSIDE! I AM DEAD. THIS ST= ORE WILL NOT OPEN TO-DAY.
Once inside, Rufus is relieved to discover the shop is still in one piece a=
nd assumes the sign to be a prank. But no one is laughing when Rufus realiz=
es the dummy in the window is no dummy at all. It's the body of his boss, A= mos Bluefield, and unfortunately this is only the beginning...
Scientist, explorer, and former intelligence officer Walter Ghost has come =
to Chicago to research some history, but after a stint in the hospital due =
to appendicitis, he quickly finds himself investigating a string of puzzlin=
g murders. Ghost is certainly no stranger to playing detective, but if he's=
not careful, he's about to get more familiar with the hospital.
Critique: Originally published in 1931 and brought back into print as a tre= asured time-lost classic for the appreciative benefit of a new generation o=
f cozy mystery fans, Of special note is an informative background introduct= ion by Otto Penzler. "Dead Man Inside" by the late author and journalist Vi= ncent Starrett will prove an immediately welcome and enduringly popular add= ition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted=
for the personal reading lists of time-lost mystery fans that "Dead Man In= side" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613163948, $16.95) and =
in a digital book format ($1.99).
Editorial Note #1: Vincent Starrett (October 26, 1886 - January 5, 1974) wa=
s a Chicago journalist who became one of the world's foremost experts on Sh= erlock Holmes. A books columnist for the Chicago Tribune, he also wrote bio= graphies of authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Ambrose Bierce, vari= ous books on books and book collecting, plus Sherlockian pastiches and nume= rous short stories and novels. A founding member of the Baker Street Irregu= lars, he is perhaps known best today for The Private Life of Sherlock Holme=
s, an imaginative biography of the great detective. (
https://en.wikipedia.o= rg/wiki/Vincent_Starrett)
Editorial Note #2: Otto Penzler (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Penzler=
) is the creator of American Mystery Classics as well as the founder of the=
Mysterious Press (1975); Mysterious Press.com (2011), an electronic-book p= ublishing company; and New York City's Mysterious Bookshop (1979). He has w=
on a Raven, the Ellery Queen Award, two Edgars (for the Encyclopedia of Mys= tery and Detection, 1977, and The Lineup, 2010), and lifetime achievement a= wards from Noircon and The Strand Magazine. He has edited more than 70 anth= ologies and written extensively about mystery fiction.
The Red Widow Murders
John Dickson Carr
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613163900, $25.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Widow-Murders-Merrivale-Mystery/dp/1613163908
Synopsis: They say that Lord Mantling's mansion is haunted -- at least, one=
room of it is. Known as the Red Widow's Chamber, the now-sealed quarters o= nce housed the wife of a guillotine operator in the French Revolution, and,=
since her passing, have been host to a century of unsolved horrors, includ= ing the death of a man in 1802, the death of a child in 1895, and a number =
of mysterious mortalities in the years in between.
Now, in 1935, eight men and women join at the manor for a sinister experime=
nt to determine the truth behind the haunting once and for all: they each d= raw a card, and whoever pulls the Ace of Spades must spend a night in that = terrifying room. But the challenge turns fatal when the man selected for th=
e task is found poisoned the next morning when the doors are opened. The lo= cked room was guarded all night, so nobody could have entered or escaped; w= hat's more, the deadly toxin could only have entered through a break in the=
skin, but no wounds were discovered on the body.
Is this evidence, at last, of a nefarious spirit at work, or of a diabolica=
l and ingenious killer? Only Sir Henry Merrivale, called in to take note of=
the night's proceedings, will be able to examine the clues and deduce the = truth.
Critique: A classic 'locked room' mystery by the legendary mystery writer J= ohn Dickson Carr, "The Red Widow" (originally published in 1935) has been b= rought back as a time lost classic for the benefit of a whole new generatio=
n of appreciated mystery fans. While enhanced for the reader with an inform= ative introduction by Tom Mead, and an unreservedly recommended pick for co= mmunity library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the pe= rsonal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "The Red Widow" is=
also available in a paperback edition (9781613163955, $15.95) and in a dig= ital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note #1: John Dickson Carr (November 30, 1906 - February 27, 1977=
) was one of the greatest writers of the American Golden Age mystery, and o=
ne of the only American authors to be included in England's legendary Detec= tion Club. Though he was born and died in the United States, Carr began his=
writing career while living in England, where he remained for nearly twent=
y years. Under his own name and various pseudonyms, he wrote more than seve= nty novels and numerous short stories, and is best known today for his lock= ed-room mysteries. His beloved series character, Dr. Gideon Fell, was based=
on author G. K. Chesterton and appeared in twenty-four novels. (
https://en= ..wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dickson_Carr)
Editorial Note #2: Tom Mead (
https://tommeadauthor.com) is a UK-based autho=
r specializing in crime fiction. His stories have appeared in Ellery Queen'=
s Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Litro Online, Flash:=
The International Short-Short Story Magazine, Lighthouse, Mystery Scene an=
d Mystery Weekly (among others). Several of his pieces have also been antho= logized, most recently "Heatwave" in The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2= 021 (ed. Lee Child).
Just One More
Annette Lyon
Scarlet / Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613163757, $26.95, HC, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Just-One-More-Annette-Lyon/dp/1613163754
Synopsis: Becca's life is turned upside down when she finds Jenn dead in th=
e bathtub. Soon she begins to unspool the secrets Jenn kept in life, includ= ing a troubled marriage to Rick and two dead wives in his past. The more Be= cca learns, the more determined she becomes to get justice for Jenn, even i=
f the clues surrounding her death aren't quite adding up.
Over a year before her death, Jenn had begun to notice her husband acting s= trangely. Using her skills as a librarian, she dug down into Rick's past --=
and falls down a rabbit hole far deeper and darker than she bargained for.=
She's already beaten the odds by living longer than his other dead wives. = But now she fears her time is up.
Critique: Original, compelling, deftly scripted, and with more unexpected p= lot twists and turns than a Coney Island roller- coaster, "Just One More" i=
s author Annette Lyon's impressive debut as a mystery writer. While unreser= vedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it sh= ould be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in =
a riveting suspense thriller of a read that includes marriage, friendship, = and motherhood, along with classic 'whodunnit' elements that "Just One More=
" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.49).
Editorial Note: Annette Lyon (
https://annettelyon.wordpress.com) is the aut= hor of dozens of titles ranging from historical women's fiction to nonficti=
on to romance. Her fiction has won nine Best of State medals in Utah, a Whi= tney Award, and others.
48 Clues into the Disappearance of My Sister
Joyce Carol Oates
Mysterious Press
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613163818, $26.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/48-Clues-into-Disappearance-Sister/dp/1613163819
Synopsis: Marguerite, a beautiful woman, has disappeared from her small tow=
n in Upstate New York. But is foul play involved? Or did she merely take an=
opportunity to get away for fun, or finally make the decision to leave beh= ind her claustrophobic life of limited opportunities?
Her younger sister Gigi wonders if the flimsy silk Dior dress, so casually = abandoned on the floor, is a clue to Marguerite's having seemingly vanished=
.. The police examine the footprints made by her Ferragamo boots leaving the=
house, ending abruptly, and puzzle over how that can help lead to her. Gig=
i, not so pretty as her sister, slowly reveals her hatred for the perfect, = much-loved, Marguerite.
Bit by bit, like ripping the petals off a flower blossom, revelations about=
both sisters are uncovered. Subtly, but with the unbearable suspense at wh= ich Joyce Carol Oates excels, clues mount up to bring to light the fate of = the missing beauty.
Critique: Masquerading as a cozy mystery, "48 Clues into the Disappearance =
of My Sister" is yet another literary masterpiece by famed author Joyce Car=
ol Oates. A deftly crafted suspense thriller of a read, "48 Clues into the = Disappearance of My Sister" will have a very special appeal to those who ha=
ve an interest in amateur sleuths caught up in 'whodunnit' murder mysteries=
.. While highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspen= se collections, it should be noted for the legions of Joyce Carol Oates fan=
s that "48 Clues into the Disappearance of My Sister" is also available in =
a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Joyce Carol Oates (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Caro= l_Oates) is the author of more than 70 books, including novels, short story=
collections, poetry volumes, plays, essays, and criticism, including the n= ational bestsellers We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde. Among her many honors=
are the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction and the National=
Book Award. Oates is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the H= umanities at Princeton University, and has been a member of the American Ac= ademy of Arts and Letters since 1978.
The Alarm of the Black Cat
Dolores Kitchens
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613163924, $15.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Alarm-Black-Cat-Dolores-Hitchens/dp/1613163924
Synopsis: A strange encounter with a little girl named Claudia and a dead t= oad sparks elderly detective fiction fan Rachel Murdock's obsessive curiosi= ty, and she winds up renting the house next door just to see how things pla=
y out. But soon after she and her cat Samantha move in, Rachel realizes the= y've landed right in the middle of a deadly love triangle that's created an= imosity among the three families who now surround her.
When Rachel finds Claudia's great-grandmother dead in her basement, she rea= ches out to a friend in the LAPD to solve the crime. They soon learn the th= ree households have been torn apart by one husband's infidelity and a compl= icated will that could lead to a fortune. In a house plagued by forbidden l= ove, regret, and greed, Rachel will have to trust her intuition, as well as=
Samantha's instincts, to survive -- and keep Claudia out of the hands of a=
killer whose work has just begun!
Critique: Originally published in 1942, "The Alarm of the Black Cat" by Dol= ores Kitchens (December 25, 1907 - August 1, 1973) is an early form of what=
is know today as a 'Cosy Mystery' featuring an amateur female sleuth and a=
'whodunnit' mystery. A 'time lost' treasure of a read, and now brought bac=
k into print for a new generation of appreciative and dedicated detective m= ystery fans, "The Alarm of the Black Cat" is highly recommended for persona=
l reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Dolores Hitchens (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolores_Hit= chens) was an American mystery novelist who wrote prolifically from 1938 un= til her death in 1973. She also wrote as D. B. Olsen (a version of her firs=
t married name) and under the pseudonyms Dolan Birkley and Noel Burke.
Philanthropists: Inspector Mislan and the Executioners
Rozlan Mohd Noor
Arcade Crime
c/o Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781956763355, $26.99, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Philanthropists-Inspector-Mislan-Executioners-5/dp/1= 95676335X
Synopsis: Eight months after the assassination attempt that nearly ended hi=
s life, Inspector Mislan Latif is back on twenty-four-hour duty with his as= sistant, Detective Sergeant Johan Kamaruddin, when the call comes in: doubl=
e murder in a house in the police district of Sentul.
The two dark-skinned men were killed identically, execution-style. In the m= aster bedroom of the rental, in plain sight on the bed, is almost three pou= nds of drugs, while no identifying documents, wallets, phones, and the like=
are to be found. No shots were heard, or the neighbors won't admit to hear= ing them, but someone called the killings in to notify the police. In the a= rea, drugs are rampant and also foreign nationals, legal and illegal. If th=
e vics were foreign, without papers, where do they start?
Just as Mislan and Jo begin to dig into the case, they face an unprecedente=
d hurdle. COVID-19 is spreading in the country at an alarming rate, prompti=
ng a nationwide Movement Control Order. Pursuing their leads in spite of th=
e new restrictions, the investigators come into contact with members of the=
underworld and the refugee community, before realizing that the real culpr= its may be closer than they think.
Critique: Of special appeal to readers with an interest in Police Procedura=
l and International Murder Mysteries, "Philanthropist" (the fifth title in = novelist Rozlan Mohd Noor's 'Inspector Mislan and the Executioners' series,=
is an original and deftly crafted thriller of a read from beginning to end=
, and an unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Sus= pense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of ded= icated crime novel enthusiasts that "Philanthropist" is also available in a=
digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Rozlan Mohd Noor served for eleven years as a crime investi= gator in the CID of the Royal Malaysia Police and a court prosecutor before=
joining the private sector. 21 Immortals, his first Inspector Mislan novel=
, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writer's Best First Book Award and l= onglisted for the International DUBLIN Literary Award. He has published fou=
r more Inspector Mislan novels. (www.goodreads.com/author/show/15075758.Roz= lan_Mohd_Noor)
Retribution
Robert McCaw
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095568, $27.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Retribution-Koa-Kane-Hawaiian-Mystery/dp/1608095568
Synopsis: In the back alley of a bar on Hawaii Island, a young man is found=
stabbed to death. When Hilo Chief Detective Koa Kane begins investigating = the crime, the murder weapon is recovered only a few feet away from the bod=
y. Crime scene technicians find fingerprints on the knife -- and they are a=
perfect match for Koa's younger brother, Ikaika.
As the brothers scramble to prove Ikaika's innocence, another crime sends s= hockwaves through the Hilo police force. A sniper tries to take out Makanui=
, Koa's closest colleague. As Koa tries to figure out whether these crimes = are linked, the sinister force continues their killing spree, threatening K=
oa and his loved ones at every turn.
Could Koa be the real target? If so, who is behind this trail of retributio=
n? With his own secret criminal past, Koa confronts an all-out offensive ag= ainst those closest to him and his police force to which he has devoted his=
life. As the bodies pile up, Koa finds himself the ultimate target of a ru= thless adversary and must risk it all to survive.
Critique:"Retribution" (the fifth novel in author Robert McCaw's 'Koa Kane = Hawaiian Mystery' series) will have a very special appeal to fans of police=
procedurals and contemporary murder mysteries set in the Hawaiian Islands.=
Along with the previous four volumes (Death of a Messenger; Off the Grid; = Fire and Vengeance; Treachery Times Two), "Retribution" can be read as a 's= tand alone' murder mystery without reference to the other superbly crafted = titles in this simply outstanding series from Oceanview Publishing. While u= nreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections,=
it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated murder myst= ery enthusiasts that "Retribution" is also readily available in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $11.49).
Editorial Note: Robert McCaw (
https://robertbmccaw.com) grew up in a milita=
ry family, traveling the world. He is a graduate of Georgetown University, = served as a U.S. Army lieutenant, and earned a law degree from the Universi=
ty of Virginia. Having lived on the Big Island of Hawaii, McCaw's writing i=
s imbued by his more than 20-year love affair with this Pacific paradise.
An American in Scotland
Lucy Connelly
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639103508, $26.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/American-Scotland-Scottish-Isle-Mystery/dp/163910350=
3
Synopsis: Sea Isle was supposed to be the fresh start Dr. Emilia McRoy drea= med of. Far from the busy emergency room across the Atlantic in Seattle, sh=
e hoped to settle down and begin this new chapter as a small-town doctor to=
the quirky residents who immediately welcomed her. When she stumbles acros=
s a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the = drama and intrigue as she initially thought.
Emilia soon learns she has bigger issues at hand. It starts with realizing = she'll work closely with the less than helpful local constable, Laird Ewan = Campbell. Her luck continues when she discovers that part of her new respon= sibilities includes being the coroner for the very body she found. Finally,=
when the body goes missing before she can even begin the autopsy, Emilia m= ust convince the townspeople that a crime did, in fact, occur.
The deeper she digs into the picturesque town, the more suspicious she beco= mes. And then there are her sleep issues. It may be due to the ever-growing=
list of suspects, a number of threatening letters, or the surprise visitor=
who breaks into her house at night. But she's never backed down before, an=
d she doesn't intend to start now.
Someone doesn't want this doctor to treat the ailments of Sea Isle, but Emi= lia McRoy is determined to find the murderer before they kilt again.
Critique: "An American in Scotland" by Lucy Connelly is a cozy mystery love= r's delight from first page to last. An original and fun 'whodunnit', "An A= merican in Scotland" is a certain and unreservedly recommended addition to = community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the = legions of cozy mystery fans that "An American in Scotland" is also readily=
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and = unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666630268, $22.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Lucy Connelly (
https://www.lucyconnelly.com) travels around=
the world, usually with her bossy dog in tow. She is always up for adventu=
re and is constantly on the lookout for killer inspiration -- as in who wil=
l be the next killer in her books? She has a master's degree in humanities = and enjoys learning all the things.
A Wealth of Deception
Trish Esden
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639102549, $29.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Deception-Scandal-Mountain-Antiques-Mystery/dp/16391= 0254X
Synopsis: When Vermont antique and art dealer Edie Brown discovers an unset= tlingly dark collage by the famed reclusive "outsider" artist known only as=
Vespa, she opens a Pandora's Box of deception and danger.
Edie teams up with Uncle Tuck and Kala to investigate the background of the=
collage but only uncover secrets that are more disturbing than the artwork=
itself. As Edie tracks down the validity of the piece, she stumbles into a=
n art underground where some people are willing to kill to keep their schem=
es a secret.
Critique: An amateur sleuth, a small town, a 'whodunnit' murder to solve, "=
A Wealth of Deception" by Trish Esden has all the elements that make an exp= ertly crafted Cosy Mystery -- including a population of memorable character=
s, and a plot with more unexpected twists and turns that a Disneyland rolle= r-coaster. Very strongly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense=
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Wealth =
of Deception" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) a=
nd as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666630633=
, $22.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Trish Esden (
https://trishesden.com) loves museums, gardens=
, wilderness, dogs and birds, in various order depending on the day. She li= ves in Northern Vermont where she deals antiques with her husband, a profes= sion she's been involved with since her teens. Don't ask what her favorite = type of antique is. She loves hunting down old bottles and rusty barn junk =
as much as she enjoys fine art and furnishings.
You Should Have Known
Rebecca A. Keller
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639102600, $29.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/You-Should-Have-Known-Novel/dp/1639102604
Synopsis: When retired nurse Frannie Greene moves into a senior living apar= tment, she finds a compelling friendship with her new neighbor Katherine, o= nly to discover that Katherine is married to the judge who Frannie believes=
is implicated in the death of her beloved granddaughter.
Observing the medication cart sparks Frannie's darkest imagination, and her=
desire for revenge combines with her medical expertise. In one dreadful, i= mpulsive moment, she tampers with the medicine. However, the next day, some= one is dead, and Frannie realizes the gravity of what she's done.
The police get involved, and suspicions gather around someone Frannie knows=
to be innocent. Wracked with remorse, Frannie's anxiety becomes unbearable=
.. As she works to make it right, Frannie discovers that things are more com= plicated than they seem.
She's spent years aching for accountability from people in power. Is she th=
e one who now needs to be held culpable? What really happened that night?
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "You Should Have Kn= own" is author Rebecca A. Keller's debut as a novelist, this deftly crafted=
thriller of a read that will have a very special appeal to fans riveting p= sychological suspense fiction. While highly recommended, especially for com= munity library Crime Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal r= eading lists that "You Should Have Known Better" is also readily available =
in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Rebecca A. Keller (
https://www.rebeccaakeller.com) is an aw= ard-winning writer, an internationally exhibited artist, a college professo=
r, a Fulbright Artist/Scholar, and recipient of grants from National Endowm= ent for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, and College Art Association.
A Most Intriguing Lady
Sarah Ferguson
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9780063216822, $30.00, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Most-Intriguing-Lady-Novel/dp/0063216825
Synopsis: Victorian London was notorious for its pickpockets. While in the = country houses of the English elite, gentleman burglars, art thieves and co=
n men preyed on the rich and titled. Wealthy victims (with their pride and = reputation at stake) would never go to the police. What they needed was a s= ociety insider, one of their own, a person of discretion and finely tuned p= owers of observation, adept at navigating intrigue.
That person was Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott, the youngest child of Quee=
n Victoria's close friends the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch. Bookish, fier= cely intelligent, and a keen observer, Mary has deliberately cultivated a m= ousey persona that allows her to remain overlooked and significantly undere= stimated by all. It's the perfect cover for a sleuth, a role she stumbles i= nto when trying to assist a close friend during a house party hosted by her=
parents at their stately Scottish home, Drumlanrig Castle.
It is at this party where Lady Mary also meets Colonel Walter Trefusis, a d= istinguished and extremely handsome war veteran. Tortured by memories of co= mbat, Walter, like Mary, lives a double life, with a desk job in Whitehall = providing a front for his role in the British Intelligence Service. The two=
form an unlikely alliance to solve a series of audacious crimes - - and in= dulge in a highly charged on-off romance!
Critique: The stuff of which BBC movies and television series are made, "A = Most Intriguing Lady" by Sarah Ferguson (the Duchess of York) is a fun read=
from start to finish. An original historical mystery featuring one remarka= ble woman's ability to be both the perfect lady and a perfectly talented de= tective (all while finding love as well), "A Most Intriguing Lady" will hav=
e a very special appeal for readers with an interest in Victorian Era femal=
e sleuths. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community libr= ary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading l= ists that "A Most Intriguing Lady" is also readily available in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Bl= ackstone Audio, 9798200974849, $41.99).
Editorial Note: Sarah Ferguson (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah,_Duches= s_of_York) is the Duchess of York, and former daughter-in-law of Queen Eliz= abeth II. She is also a bestselling memoirist and children's book author, f= ilm producer, and has been a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers and Wedgewood = china. These days she campaigns for her Children in Crisis international ch= arity and works on historical documentaries and films that draw on her deep=
interest in Victorian history. The proud mother of two daughters, Princess=
Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and grandmother of two beautiful grandchild= ren, she lives in Windsor with nine frisky Norfolk terriers.
Vanishing at Castle Moreau
Jaime Jo Wright
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241291, $29.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-at-Castle-Moreau/dp/076424129X
Synopsis: In 1865, orphaned Daisy Francois takes a position as housemaid at=
a midwestern Wisconsin castle and finds that the reclusive and eccentric G= othic authoress inside hides more than the harrowing tales in her novels. W= ith women disappearing from the area and a legend that seems to parallel th= ese eerie circumstances, Daisy is thrust into a web that may threaten to st= eal her sanity, if not her life.
In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of American aris= tocratic family the Tremblays to help his matriarchal grandmother face her = hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than=
just the woman's stashes of collectibles, a century-old mystery of disappe= arance, insanity, and the dust of the old castle's curse threaten to rise a= gain, and this time, leave no one alive to tell the sordid tale.
Critique: With her latest novel, "The Vanishing at Castle Moreau", author J= aime Jo Wright draws her readers into a seamlessly woven dual-time tale of = suspense, mystery, romance, and redemption. A unique and inherently fascina= ting read from first page to last, "The Vanishing at Castle Moreau" will ha=
ve a particular appeal for readers who enjoy 'family friendly' stories of s= uspense, romance and mystery. While especially recommended for community li= brary Mystery/Suspense collections it should be noted for personal reading = lists that "The Vanishing at Castle Moreau" is also available in a paperbac=
k edition (9780764238345, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $16= ..99).
Editorial Note: Jaime Jo Wright (jaimewrightbooks.com) is the author of sev=
en novels, including Christy Award winner The House on Foster Hill and Caro=
l Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also the Publishers We= ekly and ECPA bestselling author of two novellas.
Death of a Traitor
M. C. Beaton
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781538746769, $27.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Traitor-Hamish-Macbeth-Mystery/dp/153874676X
Synopsis: Kate Hibbert is all too eager to lend a hand to her neighbors. Al= though she has been a resident of the sleepy village of Lochdubh for only a=
year, in that time Kate has alienated one too many of its residents with h=
er interfering (and not entirely well-intentioned) ways. When Kate's neighb=
or sees her lugging a heavy suitcase to the bus stop, he hopes that the pry= ing woman is leaving for good. But two weeks later, Kate's cousin arrives i=
n town with the news that Kate has gone missing -- and she demands that the=
local police step in.
Sergeant Hamish Macbeth is called in to investigate the disappearance, and = soon he is befuddled by a storm of lies, intrigue, scandal, and the sneakin=
g suspicion that Kate was someone much more sinister than she claimed. Torn=
between loyalty to Lochdubh and his job, Hamish begins threading his way t= hrough a maze of deceit, quickly finding himself on the trail of a ruthless=
, treacherous murderer. If he catches the killer, peace can return to the v= illage. If he fails, he will lose everything: his job, his home, and the li=
fe he so loves in Lochdubh.
Critique: The 35th novel in the late author M. C. Beaton's 'Hamish MacBeth = Murder Mystery' series, "Death of a Traitor" has everything a mystery buff = could hopeful -- a fun read populated with interesting characters, more plo=
t twists and turns than a Disneyland roller-coaster ride, and a very clever=
finale. Along with an informative Foreword by R. W. Green, this is M. C. B= eaton at her best! While highly recommended for community library Mystery/S= uspense collections, it should be noted for the legions of M. C. Beaton fan=
s that "Death of a Traitor" is also available in a digital book format (Kin= dle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Grand Central Pub= lishing, 9781549116124, $40.00, CD).
Editorial Note: M. C. Beaton (10 June 1936 - 30/31 December 2019), hailed a=
s the "Queen of Crime" by the Globe and Mail, was the author of the New Yor=
k Times and USA Today bestselling Agatha Raisin novels - the basis for the = hit series on Acorn TV and public television - as well as the Hamish Macbet=
h series. Born in Scotland, Beaton started her career writing historical ro= mances under several pseudonyms as well as her maiden name, Marion Chesney.=
Her books have sold more than twenty-two million copies worldwide.
Editorial Note #2: R. W. Green (
https://www.thebooksinorder.com/r-w-green-b= ooks-in-order) is a long-time friend of M. C. Beaton, and has written numer= ous works of fiction and non-fiction.
Not the Ones Dead
Dana Stabenow
www.stabenow.com
Head of Zeus
https://headofzeus.com/home
9781804540169, $29.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ones-Dead-Kate-Shugak-Investigation/dp/1804540161
Synopsis: A mid-air collision in the Alaskan wilderness between two small a= ircraft leaves ten people dead. Was it a bird strike, pilot error... or pre= meditated murder?
Then an eleventh body is found in the wreckage: a man shot gangland style, = twice in the chest and once in the head.
In an investigation that reaches to the highest levels of government, justi=
ce may not be served, but Kate Shugak is determined that the truth will out=
, even at the risk of her life and the lives of those she loves most.
Critique: Of special and particular appeal to readers with an interest in P= rivate Investigator murder mysteries featuring women sleuths, "Not the Ones=
Dead" is a fun and fascinating read with more plot twists and turns than a=
Disneyland roller- coaster. While unreservedly recommended for inclusion t=
o community library Mystery/Suspense collections it should be noted for the=
personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Not the Ones D= ead" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Dana Stabenow (www.stabenow.com) is the author of the succe=
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