The Hungry Detective

Humphrey Slocombe Ice Cream Book - Preview

2012-02-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

About a year ago, nearly to the day, a friend of my walked me to the rather unassuming outpost of Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream in the city of San Francisco. When I am in Shake Town I eat, a lot. Sadly what flavor of ice cream I chose is now lost to time. However, I remember being taken by the wonderfully fanciful concoctions, and thankful that I was not lactose intolerant.

So there is some excitement that a cookbook is in the offing from these Bay Area iced milk purveyors. There is a nice little write up and a recipe to boot over at Wired. A bunch of years ago a few other friends gave me the money to by a Cuisnart ice cream maker. Hmmm...

World's Greatest Sleuth - Review

2012-02-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

I know you are tired of hearing about it, but I assure you that I am just as tired, if not more so, of dealing with my crime fiction malaise. In an effort to rebuild my confidence in a genre that I love I decided to focus on the authors that have provided steady companionship through the years.

If you are keeping score at home...and there is no reason to think that you are.... Steve Hockensmith has proven pretty reliable for The Hungry Detective. THE WORLD'S GREATEST SLEUTH is Steve's latest effort following cowpoke investigators Gustav and Otto Amlingmeyer. Our fearless duo find themselves in Chicago during the waning days of the Colombian Exposition. The reason is a contest to determine who in fact, now that Sherlock Holmes is dead, is the world's greatest sleuth. Along with a handful of other amateurs Gustav and Otto traipse around the White City trying to solve riddles that will lead them to golden eggs, and eventual victory. Of course when the organizer of the contest ends up dead on a mountain cheese the real contest begins.

I think what has always drawn me to this series is Mr. Hockensmith's wonderful attention to location. Whether it is the locked room aspect of a train in ON THE WRONG TRACK, or San Francisco's Chinatown in THE BLACK DOVE Mr. Hockensmith deftly creates detailed spaces to draw a reader into this world. With THE WORLD'S GREATEST SLEUTH Mr. Hockensmith has his largest canvas. If you have ever seen photos of the Colombian Exposition then you know what a marvel of creation it really was.

Of course the other thing that works in these books is the good humored Otto and his taciturn bother Gustav. Mr. Hockensmith has always been able to find the gentle balance of brothers, competitors, and friends. They are winning couple of cowboys and so by extension is THE WORLD'S GREATEST SLEUTH.

Lucky Peach 3 Preview

2012-02-02T21:01:00.001-05:00

Cover for Lucky Peach Three showed up yesterday. Issue 2 was kind of 'Meh'. That issue's concentration on the topic of the 'sweet spot' was far too intangible to build any kind of critical mass. It was more hodgepodge than anything else. Still it is a fun magazine, and one that you should check out if you have an interest in food, or food related matters, or swearing in print.

Books Received - January 2012

2012-02-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of January 2012

ON BORROWED TIME - David Rosenfelt - Minotaur Books

EYES OF THE INNOCENT - Brad Parks - Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books

THE JANSON COMMAND - Paul Garrison - Grand Central Publishing
A PARLIAMENT OF SPIES - Cassandra Clark - Minotaur Books
DYING IN THE WOOL - Frances Brody - Minotaur Thomas Dunne Books
HEART OF A KILLER - David Rosenfelt - Minotaur Books

2012 Edgar Nominations

2012-01-19T21:27:00.000-05:00

As someone who has been absent from Crime Fiction for over a year it is not surprising that most of the books nominated are unknown to me. Still Edgar nominations are an exciting time. There always a number of books that I try/want/need to seek out.

Of all the nominees I am happiest to see Ace Atkins nominated for Best Novel. I've read Mr. Atkins from the beginning. I have three/four books in front of me, but I would love to catch up with Mr. Atkins work. It sounds like a nice way to spend the early part of Spring.

Awards will be handed out in late April. I'll try not to embarrass myself with this year's predictions.

BEST NOVEL
THE RANGER - Ace Atkins -Penguin Group USA – G.P. Putnam’s Sons
GONE - Mo Hayder -Grove/Atlantic – Atlantic Monthly Press
THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X - Keigo Higashino -Minotaur Books
1222 - Anne Holt -Simon and Schuster - Scribner
FIELD GRAY - Philip Kerr -Penguin Group USA - G.P. Putnam’s Sons – Marion WoodBooks

BEST FIRST NOVEL - AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
RED ON RED - Edward Conlon - Random House Publishing Group – Spiegel and Grau
LAST TO FOLD - David Duffy - Thomas Dunne Books
ALL CRY CHAOS - Leonard Rosen - The Permanent Press
BENT ROAD - Lori Roy - Penguin Group USA- Dutton
PURGATORY CHASM - Steve Ulfelder - Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
THE COMPANY MAN - Robert Jackson Bennett - Hachette Book Group – Orbit Books
THE FACES OF ANGELES - Lucretia Grindle - Felony and Mayhem Press
THE DOG SOX - Russell Hill -Pleasure Boat Studio – Caravel Mystery Books
DEATH OF THE MANTIS - Michael Stanley - HarperCollins Publishers – HarperPaperbacks
VIENNA TWILIGHT- Frank Tallis - Random House Trade Paperbacks

BEST FACT CRIME
THE MURDER OF THE CENTURY: The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City andSparked the
Tabloid Wars - Paul Collins -Crown Publishing
THE SAVAGE CITY: Race, Murder, and a Generation on the Edge - T.J. English -HarperCollins – William Morrow
DESTINY OF THE REPUBLIC: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of aPresident - Candice Millard - Random House - Doubleday
GIRL, WANTED: The Chase for Sarah Pender - Steve Miller - Penguin Group USA -Berkley
THE MAN IN THE ROCKEFELLER SUIT: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of aSerial Imposter - Mark Seal - Penguin Group USA - Viking

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
THE TATTOOED GIRL: The Enigma of Stieg Larsson and the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thrillers of our Time - Dan Burstein, Arne de Keijzer and John-Henri Holmberg - St. Martin’s Griffin
AGATHA CHRISTIE: Murder in the Making - John Curran - HarperCollins
ON CONAN DOYLE: Or, the Whole Art of Storytelling - Michael Dirda - PrincetonUniversity Press
DETECTING WOMEN: Gender and the Hollywood Detective Film - Philippa Gates - SUNYPress
SCRIPTING HITCHCOCK: Psycho, The Birds and Marnie - Walter Raubicheck and Walter Srebnick -University of Illinois Press

BEST SHORT STORY
"MARLEY'S REVOLUTION" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - John C.Boland - Dell Magazines
"TOMORROW'S DEAD" – Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - David Dean - DellMagazines
"THE ADAKIAN EAGLE” – Down These Strange Streets - Bradley Denton -Penguin Group USA – Ace Books
"LORD JOHN AND THE PLAGUED OF THE ZOMBIES" – Down These Strange Streets
- Diana Gabaldon - Penguin Group USA – Ace Books
"THE CASE OF DEATH AND HONEY" – A Study in Sherlock - Neil Gaiman -Random House Publishing Group – Bantam Books
“THE MAN WHO TOOK OF HIS HAT OFF TO THE THE DRIVER OF THE TRAIN” – Ellery QueenMystery Magazine - Peter Turnbull -Dell Magazines

BEST JUVENILE
HORTON HALFPOTT - Tom Angleberger -Abrams – Amulet Books
IT HAPPENED ON A TRAIN - Mac Barnett -Simon and Schuster Books for YoungReaders
VANISHED - Sheela Chari -Disney Book Group – Disney Hyperion
ICEFALL - Matthew J. Kirby - Scholastic Press
THE WIZARD OF DARK STREET - Shawn Thomas Odyssey - Egmont USA

BEST YOUNG ADULT
SHELTER - Harlan Coben -Penguin Young Readers Group – G.P. Putnam’s Sons
THE NAME OF THE STAR - Maureen Johnson - Penguin Young Readers Group – G.P.Putnam’s Sons
THE SILENCE OF MURDER - Dandi Daley Mackall - Random House Children’s Books –Knopf BFYR
THE GIRL IS MURDER - Kathryn Miller Haines -Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group – Roaring Creek Press
KILL YOU LAST - Todd Strasser - Egmont USA

BEST PLAY
Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club - Jeffrey Hatcher - ArizonaTheatre Company, Phoenix, AZ
The Game’s Afoot - Ken Ludwig - Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland, OH

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
“INNOCENCE” – Blue Bloods, Teleplay - Siobhanbyrne O’Connor - CBS Productions
“THE LIFE INSIDE” – Justified, Teleplay - Benjamin Cavell - FX Productions and Sony Pictures Television
“Part 1” – Whitechapel, Teleplay - Ben Court and Caroline Ip -BBC America
“Pilot” – Homeland, Teleplay - Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff - Showtime
“Mask” – Law and Order: SVU, Teleplay - Speed Weed -Wolf Films/UniversalMedia Studios

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD
"A Good Man of Business" – Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
- David Ingram -Dell Magazines

GRAND MASTER
Martha Grimes

RAVEN AWARDS
M is for Mystery Bookstore, San Mateo, CA
Molly Weston, Meritorious Mysteries

ELLERY QUEEN AWARD
Joe Meyers of the Connecticut Post/Hearst Media News Group

THE SIMON AND SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
Now You See Me - S.J. Bolton -Minotaur Books
Come and Find Me - Hallie Ephron - HarperCollins Publishers – William Morrow
Death on Tour - Janice Hamrick - Minotaur Books
Learning to Swim - Sara J. Henry -Crown Publishing Group
Murder Most Persuasive - Tracy Kiely - Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books

Books Recieved - December 2011

2012-01-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of December 2011

GETTING LUCKY - DC Brod - Tyrus Books
EL GAVILAN - Craig McDonald - Tyrus Books
HURT MACHINE - Reed Farrell Coleman - Tyrus Books
VOYEUR - Daniel Judson - Minotaur Books
THE VILLA OF DEATH - Joanna Challis - Minotaur Books
RIZZO'S WAR - Lou Manfredo - Minotaur Books
A GENTLEMAN OF FORTUNE - Anna Dean - Minotaur Books
THE JUDGEMENT OF CAESAR - Steven Saylor - Minotaur Books
GIDEON'S CORPSE - Preston and Child - Grand Central Publishing

Winter Burrview - 2011/12

2011-12-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

The Winter Preview is here. With the winter holiday I had a few hours to seat and consider what is an expansive list of upcoming Crime Fiction releases. There are a good number of books to get excited about this quarter.

The Hungry Detective encourages you to buy these books when they appear at local bookstore. (Seriously Amazon..... just awful.). Happy Holidays to everyone. Be safe, and read!

SLASH AND BURN - Colin Cotterill - Out Now

One of these days I'll write a post about all the authors I have always wanted to read. Mr. Cotterill would be near the top of that list.

THE LEOPARD - Jo Nesbo - Out Now

While we all wait for the eventual release of Book 4 of Blomkvist and Salander, publishing is pushing Mr. Nesbo with unrestrained abandon. Plus the name. Harry Hole. I. Mean. Come. On.

DARK REVELATIONS - Anthony Zuiker and Duane Swierczynski - December 29

I read the first book in this series. I skipped the second due to my court mandated restraining order to not read any thrillers.

AGENT 6 - Tom Rob Smith - January 5

CHILD 44 made a gigantic splash a few years back. I never caught up with the second, THE SECRET SPEECH. I love the Soviet era setting, but found little else compelling about CHILD 44. Release is January 5th, but I saw this on the shelf yesterday.

THE COLD, COLD GROUND Adrian McKinty - January 5

A UK only release, or I guess I should say this book is not being released in the US due to shortsighted US publishers. Sigh. Looking forward to receiving this book via as yet to be determined UK book purveyor.

RAYLAN - Elmore Leonard - January 17

I have friends that swear by the FX show Justified, including my mother. I am possibly the only Crime Fiction enthusiast who has never felt all that compelled to at the very least read the highlights of Mr. Leonard's expansive canon.

WHAT IT WAS - George Pelecanos - January 23

Is there any better chronicler of a city than what Mr. Pelecanos has done with Washington DC? The Hungry Detective assures you that the answers is no. I should point out that right now (12/17) the Kindle is .99!

TAKEN - Robert Crais - January 24

I've enjoyed the Pike books greatly but Elvis is always good for some morally conflicted laughs. TAKEN looks be to a hybrid. Half Cole/Pike. Half Pike/Cole.

TRIAL OF THE SPELLMANS - Lisa Lutz - Feb 28

I was under the impression that we had seen the last of those wacky Spellman's. I guess I was wrong.

AN AMERICAN SPY - Olen Steinhauer - March 13

How long do I have to wait for this book. Hrumpf. Too long. The first two books in the Milo Weaver series are easily in the top five or ten things I have read in the last three years.

Other Notables:

THE CONFESSION - Charles Todd; THE RETRIBUTION - Val McDermid; BREAKDOWN - Sara Paretsky; THE JAGUAR - T. Jefferson Parker; The Rope - Nevada Barr; ALL I DID WAS SHOOT MY MAN - Walter Mosely; THE FEAR INDEX - Robert Harris; WILD THING - Josh Bazell; THE COMEDY IS FINISHED - Donald E. Westlake; CHASING MIDNIGHT - Randy Wayne White; RIZZO'S DAUGHTER - Lou Manfredo; THE GIRL NEXT DOOR - Brad Parks; STAY CLOSE - Harlan Coben; FORCE OF NATURE - C.J. Box

Best of Lists.... Cookbook Edition

2011-12-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

One of the things that has kept me interested in the printed word during my winter with crime fiction was cookbooks. At this point I do not have the proper words to describe the attraction as I cook very little from cookbooks or related food magazines. Pretty pictures and wish fulfillment are about all I have at the moment to explain my curiosity.

I know some people find Top Ten lists odious and beside the point, but I like to call those people crazy. Top Ten lists are harmless fun. Here are seven recent ones for the best cookbooks of 2011.

The New York Times list is insistent that their readership expand their global view of cooking. I love those weighty tomes about Middle Eastern cooking and the like. Perhaps it is a bit naive to only praise these books for their pictorial beauty, but living where I do invariably means using Google to search for 'substitute for X exotic spice.' My picks from this list are Tender by Nigel Slater and Hugh Acheson's A New Turn in the South.

The Bon Appetit list was complied by the owners of Rabelais bookstore in Portland. It is a pretty populist list, Mission Street Food, Milk Bar, and Joe Beef are the more well known titles to appear. If I had to pick a title to add to my shelf it would be Bocca Cookbook by Jacob Kenedy. I'm a sucker for cool looking dust jackets and things that are in London.

The Amazon list is a spare but culturally accepted ten titles. The only list so far to include the hugely acclaimed Gabrielle Hamilton memoir. I guess that title will pop on Best Bio lists. The Modernist Cuisine book makes an appearance, as does the third incarnation of Alton Brown's amusing Good Eats series. I'd go with M. Pepin's Essential Pepin if I could. Maybe I will.

The Huffington Post borrows BA's annoying slide show display, which is troubling. Claudia Roden's The Food of Spain peeks its head out again as does Andrew Carmellini's vaguely right wing sounding American Flavor. I'll be coming into a little money in the next week. And with those tens of dollars I'll be picking up Heston Blumenthal at Home.

Epicurious adds the Blumenthal book to their list, along with The Homesick Texan and Truly Mexican. I've read some of Michael Ruhlman's non-fiction on cooking but none of his more directly related food missives. The book I'd grab here is Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi.

The NPR list begins with me questioning that this might be the longest post of THD 5 year existence. Anyway, I ran across Molly Stevens book, All About Roasting, a month or so ago. It immediately spoke to my Midwestern sensibilities for its obvious practicality. I'm going to eat meat, so lets figure out how to cook it without destroying it.

Serious Eats restricts their list to the time test number of 10. Mario Batali appears with his Simple Family Meals. I read Heat earlier this year and I found Mr. Batali to be kind of a douche. However as near as I can tell he writes a hell of a cookbook. The Ruhlman and Camellini books show up again, but I might have to go with the Batali from this crowd.

-- Additions 12/5 --

The San Francisco Chronicle's main list focuses on books released in the last couple months. A secondary list goes over books released earlier in the year. In the main list is the Pepin book, along with the Ruhlman. The Eleven Madison Park and The Food 52Cookbook has also been a popular choice among a couple lists. The SF Chronicle list of course picks a handful of SF centric titles, but the one that intrigues me the most is The Whole Beast Butchery by Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats.

Books Recieved - November 2011

2011-12-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of November 2011

COLD SHOT TO THE HEART - Wallace Stroby - Minotaur Books
THE HOLY THIEF - William Ryan - Minotaur Books
DEAD MAN'S GRIP - Peter James - Minotaur Books

TAKEN - Dust Jacket

2011-11-02T18:18:00.000-04:00

The return of Elvis Cole. I have really been enjoying the Joe Pike books, but Joe is meant to be an enigma. The more I know, strangely, the less interested I become. On a practical level, if it keeps Mr. Crais motivated to turn out great fiction year in and year out I will happily keep my mouth shut. Books drops early January.

Books Received - October 2011

2011-11-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of October 2011

CHELSEA MANSIONS - Barry Maitland - Minotaur Books
THE DEVIL'S RIBBON - D.E. Meredith - Minotaur Books
BREAKING POINT - Dana Haynes - Minotaur Books

Lucky Peach #2

2011-10-24T08:30:00.000-04:00

Perhaps you have become weary of the glossy advertisements for copper bottomed pans that flaunt themselves with disregard in Food and Wine or Bon Appetite, but conversely find articles on silver service-ware of early 19th century Britain impenetrable in Gastronomica.

Then Lucky Peach might be for you. You should also like swearing and have a flexible understanding of the word quarterly.

Chris Cosentino Unleashed.

2011-10-20T08:30:00.000-04:00

Chris Cosentino is a chef whose claim to fame has been his work with offal. His restaurant in San Francisco is called Incanto. I've eaten there, its really good.

I became interested in Mr. Cosentino through a friend who turned me on to his now defunct Food Network show Chef vs. City. Watch this video because if nothing else the guy will charm you with his passion. Unfortunately, Chef Unleashed was not picked up, so it stands as a singular document to respecting the food the rest of us thoughtlessly put in our mouth.

He'll have a cookbook released in March 2012.

Chef Unleashed from Chris Cosentino on Vimeo.

Eleven Madison Park - Cookbook

2011-10-16T08:30:00.000-04:00

As hobbies go buying cookbooks fall right into my wheelhouse. Kind of expensive with limited future use. Regardless of my current interest in making the cookbooks I own and the ones I plan on buying in the future more practical, a cookbook like the one for Eleven Madison Park balances between being aspirational and being an art object. And while I''ll admit that the Eleven Madison Park Cookbook is not just meant to sit there and look pretty.... I think for most home cooks this book is meant to sit there and look pretty. And boy howdy she sure is gorgeous.

Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook from Eleven Madison Park on Vimeo.

Mission Street Food - Review

2011-10-14T08:30:00.000-04:00

This will mark the first of what I hope will be a bit of continuing feature of The Hungry Detective. THD was always meant to be a combination of two things I love. Crime fiction and eating food that is above my means. Things never really meshed along those lines, and the idea was abandoned. But as things became a bit fallow around here I was turning more and more to culinary adventures. Now making brownies may not seem that adventurous, and I would agree. But when your experience until now has been open box, mix in eggs, dump in pan, then improvising a double boiler suddenly becomes something more than ordinary.

Over the course of the last few months I have a acquired cooking literature both large and small. And while cookbooks have the heft of authority, zines like PUT AN EGG ON IT are just as fascinating to consume because of personal nature of something small and boutique.

The MISSION STREET FOOD book first tells the story of how a line cook and his girlfriend/wife rose to become the most important culinary force in San Francisco. The story is told in a breezy style that suits what is ultimately a series of happy accidents. Chef Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz are under no illusions about how lucky they are. No doubt the road to success was considerably more bumpy than detailed here. Both seem to recognize that they are more blessed than curse, so why not just tell that story.

The first two-thirds of the books delightfully details the rise from a borrowed food cart that only ran for three weeks to the justifiably praised restaurants Mission Chinese Food and Commonwealth. The book is published my McSweeney's newest publish arm, McSweeney's Insatiable. Those of you have read any of McSweeney's previous publishing efforts know that they have thumbed their nose at publishing conventions at almost every turn. The MISSION STREET FOOD cookbook is no different.

Perhaps best on display is the story, rendered as an honest to god comic, of the real estate developer who wanted to shut down Mission Street Food in their early days. Working on his only off day Myint wanted to bring his take on food to the people. Opening a store front was still a distance dream, but friends with a Food Truck allowed him to borrow their rig, and more importantly a permit. Immediately successful their second week is only bigger. But during the third week a local real estate developer is livid that Myint and his then girlfriend have set up shop near some his property. Sadly the douche wins the day, but emboldened by their success Myint movies into a local Chinese restaurant and Mission Chinese Food is born. Easy to linger over the negative Myint and Leibowitz focus on the amazing positive that came from it.

The early parts of book are filled with these little asides, words of wisdom and funny moments that make the books so winning and fun to read. The final third of the book is filled with thoughts and approaches to food that hope to elevate a home cook to something more. I found that this section, while not chocked with recipes, offers the reader a selection of options from staples with broad appeal like chicken wings and brown rice to more complicated preparations for buzzy foods like Duck confit. Along the way Myint dispenses some plain spoken advice about preparing various cuts of meat, seafood and the oft forgotten element, the vegetable.

What is infectious about this book is not only the enthusiasm at which stories are told and recipes imparted, but the honest hope of everyone involved with this book to make you a better cook.

So about these brownies. I was desperate have the official Mission Chinese Food recipe to MaPo Tofu. Long story, very short MCF's MaPo tofu is the best thing I have eaten all year. Alas, not to be. I thought about the French Toast recipe (pg. 205) and all it variations. But I wanted something that I could cook on a Sunday afternoon with an eye on football, and something that when completed I could enjoy for a few days.

I'll be honest and say the first attempt was undone by the wrong chocolate selection and a wrong size pan. What I got was a slightly darker tasting chocolate brownie that was about three inches in height! The second time around I used a different chocolate and a more rectangular pan. The results were better. The ceramic pan I cooked the brownies in required me to double the cookie time and even at the center was pretty fudgie. Once they completely cooled the center set up and all in all the brownies were pretty delicious.

Fall Preview - 2011

2011-10-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

There is nothing so over as Summer. It is odd that August chokes you with heat, and then suddenly it is six week later and I have to fight from turning the heat on.

A trip home to visit my father for his 70th Birthday means this is showing up a little late. I also held off to see if a few more release dates firmed up. A good portion of this list has already arrived on shelves, so go out and buy these books.

PIRATE KING - Laurie R. King - Out Now

I have fallen behind on this series. I plan on correcting this short-sightedness soon. Her spin on Sherlock Holmes has always worked because she figured out a way to make Holmes second banana to Mary Russell.

CITY OF SECRETS - Kelli Stanley - Out Now

The second book in Ms. Stanley's highly regarded Miranda Corbie series.

FEAST DAY OF FOOLS - James Lee Burke - Out Now

Jonathan Franzen can suck it, Mr. Burke is America's best author. I'm only half serious, because I have not read Mr. Franzen. Mr. Burke on the other hand should be considered a national treasure.

OPERATION NAPOLEON - Arnaldur Indridason - Out Now

Nazi plane crash in Iceland = Awesome. My tiny concerns is the bleakness of his Erlendur series could overly infect this adventure tale.

DEVIANT - Adrian McKinty - Out Now

A criminally under read author returns with a YA title. You should probably be reading his grown up fiction as well.

CHELSEA MANSIONS - Barry Maitland - October 25

I'm an anglophile, particularly as it relates to Crime Fiction. I need to pick up the latest in the Brock and Kolla series and read this guy.

11/22/63 - Stephen King - November 8

My Stephen King experience extends to exactly one short story, Apt Pupil, of all things. However, clocking in at nearly a 1,000 pages does give one pause.

THE DROP - Michael Connelly - November 28

Bosch = Awesome. Yeah...I went with the '= awesome' twice this post. Feel pretty good about it too. Seriously, Mr. Connelly has been firing on all cylinders with both Bosch and Haller.

HURT MACHINE - Reed Farrell Coleman - December 18

Mr Coleman has long been an author I would love to read. Less trying, more doing. Thanks Yoda.

The Cold, Cold Ground - Dust Jacket

2011-10-09T18:38:00.000-04:00

Book releases in January 2012. Could. Not. Be. More. Excited! That it lacks an American publisher is unfortunate, but at this point in my life I'm more of an AmazonUK guy anyway.

Books received - September 2011

2011-10-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of September 2011

THE DOVE OF DEATH - Peter Tremayne - Minotaur

THE DEMON'S PARCHMENT - Jeri Westerson - Minotaur

MISS DIMPLE DISAPPEARS - Mignon F. Ballard - Minotaur

DANGEROUS TO KNOW - Tasha Alexander - Minotaur
THE SINGLE SHOT - Matthew F. Jones - Mulholland Books
THE BURNING - Jane Casey - Minotaur

Anthony Awards 2011

2011-09-18T15:30:00.000-04:00

Let me tell you that writing these post while NOT actually being in attendance is a super bummer. I am consoled by the fact the EXPIRATION DATE and the general awesomeness of Duane Swierczynski has been rewarded. Woot!

Full list of nominees are here. THD congratulates all of the winners and nominees.

Best Novel
BURY YOUR DEAD - Louise Penny - Minotaur

Best First Novel

DAMAGE DONE - Hilary Davidson - Forge

Best Paperback Original

EXPIRATION DATE - Duane Swierczynski - Minotaur

Best Short Story

“SWING SHIFT,” by Dana Cameron (from Crimes by Moonlight, edited by Charlaine Harris; Berkley)

Best Graphic Novel

THE CHILL - Jason Starr - Vertigo Crime

Best Critical /Non-Fiction:

AGATHA CHRISTIE'S SECRET NOTEBOOKS: 50 YEARS OF MYSTERIES IN THE MAKING - John Curran (Harper)

Best Web Site/Blog: Stop, You’re Killing Me!, edited by Stan Ulrich and Lucinda Surber

Shamus Awards 2011

2011-09-17T08:30:00.000-04:00

Having attended B'Con three times now, it is always with some regret that I have not ponyed up the extra fee to attend the Shamus Awards dinner. I suppose it should give me motivation for future Bouchercon attendance.

Full list of nominees are here. Congratulations to the winners and the nominees.

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel
NO MERCY - Lori Armstrong - Touchstone

Best First P.I. Novel:
IN SEARCH OF MERCY - Michael Ayoob - Minotaur

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel:

ASIA HAND - Christopher G. Moore - Grove/Atlantic

Best P.I. Short Story:

“THE LAMB WAS SURE TO GO,” - Gar Anthony Haywood - AHMM, November 2010

Barry Awards 2011

2011-09-15T08:30:00.000-04:00

The Barry Awards were handed out last night at the St. Louis Bouchercon. Winners of the Barry's are voted on by the readers of Deadly Pleasures magazine.

Mr. Hamilton picks up another Best Novel award. While I did not connect with the book, praise for THE LOCK ARTIST has been universal. THE POACHER'S SON was a recent read for me. It is phenomenal, really quite good. Glad to see it found some love.

The full list of nominees are here.

Best Novel
THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur Books

Best First Novel
THE POACHER'S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur Books

Best British Novel
THE WOOD CUTTER - Reginald Hill - HarperCollins

Best Paperback Original
FEVER AT THE BONE - Val McDermid - Harper

Best Thriller
13 HOURS - Deon Meyer - Grove Atlantic

Best Short Story
“THE LIST” - Loren D. Estleman - EQMM, May 2010

St. Louis Boucercon - Panel Selections

2011-09-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

If I could go, this is where you would find me.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

1st Pick

THE NAMES OF ANGELS-Majestic D

Talking classics in crime fiction

Jason Pinter (M), Bruce DeSilva, Carl Brookins, Matthew C. Funk, Andrew Grant, Scott Phillips

2nd Pick

NIGHT CHILLS-Majestic A,B,C

Making things go bump in the night.

Monette Draper (M), Dakota Banks, Angie Fox, Sarah Glenn, M.R. Sellars, Jason Starr

10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

1st Pick

A QUESTION OF DEATH-Majestic A,B,C

How important is whodunit?

Peter Rozovsky (M), Gianrico Carofiglio, Agnete Friis, Borge Hellstrom, Lene Kaaberbol, Anders Roslund

2nd Pick

FRENZY-Majestic D

The endurance of Hitchcock

Daniel Hale (M), Maria Alexander, Eric Beetner, Terry Faherty, Tracy Kiely, Todd Ritter, Martyn Waites

11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

1st Pick

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS-Majestic A,B,C

Crime fiction in a western setting

Scott Montgomery (M), Craig Johnson, Jackie King, Ann Parker, Larry Sweazy

2nd Pick

PASSENGERS-Majestic D

Fasten your seatbelts….

Oline Cogdill (M), Colin Cotterill, Robert Crais, Charlaine Harris, Val McDermid

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.

1st Pick

NEW WORLD IN MY VIEW-Landmark 5,6,7

Characters dealing with contemporary issues.

Janet Rudolph (M), Reed Farrel Coleman, Alison Gaylin, Sophie Littlefield, John Lutz, Jason Pinter

2:30 P.M. –3:30 P.M.

1st Pick

BLEEDING IN BLACK AND WHITE-Majestic D

Colin Cotterill interviewed by S.J. Rozan

2nd Pick

IT GOES WITH THE JOB-Majestic A,B,C

Write what you know

Keir Graff (M), Lou Berney, Gale Borger, Gianrico Carofiglio, Rick Mofina, Clare O’Donohue

4:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

1st Pick

SISTERS-Landmark 5,6,7

These gals and doing it for themselves.

Robin Agnew (M), Jan Burke, Deborah Crombie, Erin Hart, Hank Phillippi Ryan

2nd Pick

I GOT THE RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES-Landmark 4

Let the music take control.

Wallace Stroby (M), Mark Billingham, Roger Ellory, Bryan Gilmer, Jonathan Hayes, Rochelle Staab

9:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.

1st Pick

BAD SEED-Majestic A,B,C

Sex, Violence, and Everything That Makes A Book Great

Craig Montgomery (M), Christa Faust, Chris Holm, Craig Johnson, Scott Phillips, John Rector, Benjamin Whitmer, Jonathan Woods

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

8:30A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

1st Pick

BAD BLOOD-Majestic D

Celebrating Agatha Christie

Ted Hertel (M), Caroline Hart, G.M. Malliet, Val McDermid, Ayo Onatade

10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

1st Pick

EVIL GOING ON-Majestic D

Does evil truly exist or is it just human failing?

Reed Farrel Coleman (M), John Connolly, Thomas H. Cook, Peter James, Laura Lippman, Daniel Woodrell

2nd Pick

STILL SHE CRIES-Majestic A,B,C

Lousy reviews and the lost people of Amazon.

Colin Cotterill (M), Linwood Barclay, Alafair Burke, Bill Crider, Lisa Lutz, Elaine Viets

11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

1st Pick

IN THE SHADOW OF THE ARCH-Majestic D

Robert J. Randisi interviewed by Brad Parks

2nd Pick

KING OF THE HILL-Majestic A,B,C

Who is the most popular protagonist in crime fiction: the game.

Austin Lugar (M), JoAnna Carl, Terry Faherty, Lauren Henderson, Harry Hunsicker, Simon Wood

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.

1st Pick

SHADOWS RISING-Landmark 1,2,3

Movies for the crime fiction fan

Jeremy Lynch (M), Megan Abbott, David Corbett, Russel McLean, Todd Ritter, Wallace Stroby

2nd Pick

IN HARM’S WAY-Majestic D

Ridley Pearson interviewed by Jeff Abbott

2:30 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.

1st Pick

KEEP THE PARTY GOING-Majestic A,B,C

Twist Phelan, four authors-need we say more?

Twist Phelan (M), Jan Burke, Harley Jane Kozak, Bob Ward, Gary Phillips

4:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

1st... only pick

THE LAST DETECTIVE-Majestic D

Robert Crais interviewed by Gregg Hurwitz

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

8:30 A.M – 9:30 A.M.

1st Pick

NOCEBO-Landmark 1,2,3

Playing fair with your readers.

Dana Cameron (M), Joshua Corin, G.M. Malliet, Chantelle Aimee Osman, Wendy Staub, Jaden Terrell

2nd Pick

EVERYTHING IS BROKEN-Majestic D

Authors, Publishers & Bookstores in the E-Marketplace: Friends or Foes?

Eric Stone (M), Kate Grant, Neil Nyren, Abigail Padgett, Gary Shulze

10:00 A.M. –11:00 A.M.

1st Pick

TROUBLE-Majestic D

Hank Ryan and 5 well-behaved young writers.

Hank Phillippi Ryan (M), Jeff Abbott, Harlan Coben, Joseph Finder, Steve Hamilton, Ridley Pearson

2nd Pick

I’M ALIVE AND ON FIRE-Majestic A,B,C

Rumors of the private eye fiction’s death have been greatly exaggerated.

Ali Karim (M), Max Allan Collins, Barbara Fister, Robert J. Randisi, Linda Richards

11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

1st Pick

FALLS THE SHADOW-Landmark 5,6,7

Globalization of crime fiction

Ali Karim (M), Mark Billingham, Sara Blaedel, Deon Meyer, Karin Slaughter, Martyn Waites

2nd Pick

THE DEAD LAND-Majestic A,B,C

Behind the white picket fence.

Ayo Onatade (M), Megan Abbott, Thomas H. Cook, Paul Doiron, P.L. Gaus, Daniel Woodrell

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.

1st Pick

WITNESS TO AN INCIDENT-Landmark 5,6,7

The human element

Meg Gardiner (M), David Corbett, Deborah Crombie, Clea Koff, Taylor Stevens, Amanda Kyle Williams

2nd Pick

NEVER LET ME GO-Majestic A,B,C

Passport to murder.

Peter Rozovsky (M), Lisa Brackmann, Roger Ellory, David Hewson, Martin Limon, Anne Zouroudi

2:30 P.M. –3:30 P.M.

1st Pick

I WILL RISE UP-Landmark 5,6,7

Overcoming extraordinary circumstances

William Kent Krueger(M), Keir Graff, Dana Haynes, Patrick Lee, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, C.J. West

2nd Pick

THE PLACE OF EXECUTION-Majestic D

Val McDermid interviewed by Jen Forbus

4:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

1st Pick

PAYBACK-Majestic D

Contemplating the future of the genre

Laura Lippman (M), Hilary Davidson, Kathleen George, Bryan Gruley, Bill Loefelm, Duane Swierczynski

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

1st Pick

JUSTICE PAINTED BLIND-Majestic A,B,C

Truth in reporting

James Lincoln Warren (M), Sara Blaedel, Bruce DeSilva, Carolyn Hart, Julie Kramer, Craig McDonald

10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

1st Pick

COLD GROUND-Majestic A,B,C

9/11-10 years later

Bryan Gruley (M), Reed Farrel Coleman, David Hewson, Matt Hilton, Denise Hamilton, S.J. Rozan

St. Louis Bouchercon Award Picks!

2011-09-11T20:22:00.000-04:00

I have washed off the embarrassment of my Edgar 2011 picks. It was a cruel blow to my ego, but I am reborn with these picks for the Barry, Shamus and Anthony Awards. Best of luck to all the nominees.

My Barry picks are as follows.

Best Novel

SAVAGES- Don Winslow - Simon & Schuster

Best First Novel

THE POACHER’S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur

Best British Novel

BLOOD HARVEST - S. J. Bolton - Bantam Press

Best Paperback Original

THE HANGING TREE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone

Best Thriller

THE REMBRANDT AFFAIR - Daniel Silva - Putnam

Best Short Story

Terence Faherty - "The Seven Sorrows" - EQMM Mar.-Apr. 2010

My Shamus picks are as follows. Full list of nominees are here.

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel:

IF THE DEAD RISE NOT - Philip Kerr - Putnam

Best First P.I. Novel:

ONE MAN'S PARADISE - Douglas Corleone - Minotaur

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel:

ASIA HAND - Christopher G. Moore - Grove/Atlantic

Best P.I. Short Story:

A LONG TIME DEAD - Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins - The Strand Magazine, June-Sept. 2010

My Anthony picks are as follows. Full list of nominees are here.

Best Novel

THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur

Best First Novel

THE POACHER'S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur Books

Best Paperback Original

EXPIRATION DATE - Duane Swierczynski - Minotaur Books

Best Short Story

HOMELESS - Pat Morin - Mystery Montage

Best Graphic Novel

THE CHILL - Jason Starr – Vertigo Crime

Best Critical /Non-Fiction

TTHE WIRE: TRUTH TOLD - Rafael Alvarez - Grove Press

Best Website/Blog

Spinetingler - Sandra Ruttan

Books Received - August 2011

2011-09-01T08:30:00.008-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of August 2011

GARDENS OF SECRET PAST - ANTHONY EGLIN - Minotaur Books
RED HERRING - Archer Mayor - Minotaur Books
THE BRINK OF FAME - Irene Fleming - Minotaur Books
THE MONTMARTE INVESTIGATION - Clavde Izner - Minotaur Books
ON THE LINE - S.J. Rozan - Minotaur Books
LIQUID SMOKE - Jeff Shelby - Tyrus Books
THE HILLIKER CURSE: MY PURSUIT OF WOMEN - James Ellroy - Vintage

James Lee Burke Speaks!!!

2011-08-31T08:30:00.003-04:00

Mr. Burke talks about his latest book, FEAST DAY OF FOOLS. I have not read Mr. Burke in a couple years. Time to get back in the saddle and catch up with the finest writer of American fiction, crime or otherwise.

Feast Day of Fools - Dust Jacket

2011-08-29T21:29:00.000-04:00

The sheer number of books I have bought because the dust jacket was awesome is.... numerous. Anyway, the jacket for FEAST DAY OF FOOLS is incredible.

The quote on the jacket states 'America's Best Novelist.' Mark it people, the first dust jacket quote to not be hyperbolic in anyway. Book releases September 27th.

2011 Shamus Nominations

2011-08-27T12:54:00.001-04:00

Shamus nominations poked their head out last week. While I can't claim to have read many... or nearly any of the nominated. I do recognize many of the authors and the books. The Best Hardcover category is pretty strong. Tough choices will be made at the St. Louis B'Con. So keep an eye out for The Hungry Detective Awards Prediction Spectacular in about three weeks.

Congratulations to the nominated.

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel:

NO MERCY - Lori Armstrong - Touchstone

THE FIRST RULE - Robert Crais - Putnam

VOYEUR - Daniel Judson - Minotaur

IF THE DEAD RISE NOT - Philip Kerr - Putnam

NAKED MOON - Domenic Stansberry - Minotaur

Best First P.I. Novel:

IN SEARCH OF MERCY - Michael Ayoob - Minotaur

ONE MAN'S PARADISE - Douglas Corleone - Minotaur

ROGUE ISLAND - Bruce DeSilva -Forge

RANDOM VIOLENCE - Jassy MacKenzie - Soho

CITY OF DRAGONS - Kelli Stanley - Minotaur

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel:

HOSTAGE ZERO - John Gilstrap - Kensington

NIGHTSHADE - Tom Henighan - Dundurn Press

MISTER X - John Lutz - Pinnacle

THE PANIC ZONE - Rick Mofina - Mira

ASIA HAND - Christopher G. Moore - Grove/Atlantic

THE LITTLE DEATH - P.J. Parrish - Pocket Star

Best P.I. Short Story:

THE GOD OF RIGHT AND WRONG - Steven Gore - Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, January/February 2010

THE LAMB WAS SURE TO GO - Gar Anthony Haywood - Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, November 2010

THE GIRL IN THE GOLDEN GOWN - Robert S. Levinson - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2010

PHELAN'S FIRST CASE - Lisa Sandlin - Lone Star Noir, edited by Bobby Byrd and Johnny Byrd; Akashic Books

A LONG TIME DEAD - Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins - The Strand Magazine, June-Sept. 2010

Summer Preview Preview 2012 - Sean Doolittle Edition

2011-08-21T08:30:00.003-04:00

Sean Doolittle has a new book. LAKE COUNTRY. Yay! It releases next July. Boo! Everyone knows I love this guy, right? Well, you should. The guy has never missed. You have a whole year to read this guys back catalog.

The Hungry Detective (DOT) Com

2011-08-20T23:20:00.000-04:00

So I bought The Hungry Detective domain name. Woo!

The Hungry Part of The Hungry Detective

2011-08-20T01:08:00.001-04:00

At the very beginning of The Hungry Detective I had two goals. Crime Fiction and food. The food part fell away very quickly. About a half dozen posts that never got published, much less finished. Evidently I had a lot less to say about food than I did Crime Fiction.

But I love food. I love to cook the very simple things I occasionally attempt. And on rare occasions I sit down in some very nice restaurants. Long story short I am going to reintroduce the food component to THD. To that end, I'm adding Food related posts... mostly cookbook reviews... into the mix.

First up Mission Street Food.

BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott

2011-08-16T08:30:00.001-04:00

It is the journey, not the destination. Megan Abbott's latest, BURY ME DEEP, challenges that very idea, particularly when the destination is the very blackest part of your soul.

Marion Seely finds herself alone, abandoned by her husband, to make her way in the desert city of Phoenix. She falls in with a couple of women who are not opposed to accepting 'favors' from men, and soon a grand time is being had by all. Louise and Ginny give Marion a sense of home and belonging that she craves. But then she meets Louise and Ginny's most particular friend, Joe Lanigan. A slight flirtation develops into obsession and soon her desire overwhelms her.

There is something spectacular about BURY ME DEEP. I ruminated on the subject after I had read page after page of achingly graceful prose. Marion's descent is a simple one born out of a human desire for connection. The desire for the beating heart of another will drive down the road to your own ruin. You will forget yourself just to hear your name on the lips of another.

With BURY ME DEEP, Megan Abbott reveals the fragile balance between love and obsession, between the goodness of our hopes and the darkness of our desire. BURY ME DEEP also reveals another jewel in Megan Abbott's crown as the finest crime fiction author working today.

WITNESS TO DEATH - Review

2011-08-10T08:30:00.005-04:00

The return of Dave White is a pretty big deal around The Hungry Detective offices. It has been a few years since the release of THE EVIL THAT MEN DO. That book was one of the best books I read that year. We are excited to see the release of WITNESS TO DEATH. Market forces change and so WITNESS TO DEATH has been released as an e-book exclusive. Over the last dozen years or so I have lost too many good authors while the James Patterson's of the world infect us with their brand of story telling. If you enjoy Mr. Patterson's work, then great. I don't mean that sarcastically in the least little bit. But make no mistake the success of Mr. Patterson is screwing the mid-list author. Okay, so rant over. On to the book.

WITNESS TO DEATH comes as I have sworn off the thriller. No longer could I take the pulse pounding excitement of flaccid writing, confused plotting, or shades masquerading as characters. Dull upon, dull. Fortunately, Mr. White has never had that problem. He has always been able to build stories with the right balance of suspense and contemplative character study. WITNESS TO DEATH continues a pretty solid track of success. While I have to concede that it is not as good as either of his Jackson Donne books, it is still hugely enjoyable.

Driving WITNESS TO DEATH is Frank. Frank is a trained to kill government agent who is out there on the front line protecting America from the terrorists who would do harm to innocent people. Frank is the bad-ass. All reaction, things happen and he responses with deadly force. His actions are sure, and smooth. The thing is Frank is not the hero of WITNESS TO DEATH. Our hero is John Brighton, Middle School teacher. This is where Dave White has always been very clever, very smart. He builds a character that is like us. Regular, normal. A guy with real fears. It is this reflection of ourselves that draws us in. Sure about half way through the book, John starts to do thing we would never conceive of doing, but we hope. We hope that when push came to shove we would stand up and do what is right and just. As readers we may want to be a Frank or Lee Child's Jack Reacher, but for most of us we just simple do not have the skills. But John Brighton I know. I see him in the mirror everyday. And just like him I hope that I will find the courage to do the right thing today.

Bouchercon 2011 - Panels!

2011-08-08T22:15:00.000-04:00

The St. Louis B'Con panels have been announced. Amazingly the Con is only 37 days away. Gotta imagine that St. Louis in September could still be hotter than balls.

When September rolls around I'll post my selections for the most intriguing panels for every session for the entire run of the Con.

Anyway, here is the link. If you have the means... go!

Books Received - July 2011

2011-08-01T08:30:00.003-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of July 2011

RINGER - Brian M. Wiprud - Minotaur Books

THE MAN WITH THE BALTIC STARE - James Church - Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books

CUT, PASTE, KILL - Marshall Karp - Minotaur Books

THE DOG PARK CLUB - Cynthia Robinson - Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books

A MURDER IN TUSCANY - Christobel Kent - Minotaur Books

LOW TOWN - Daniel Polansky - Doubleday

13 MILLION DOLLAR POP - David Levien - Doubleday

DEAD LINE - Stella Remington - Vintage

LAYOVER IN DUBAI - Dan Fesperman - Vintage

THE GARDEN OF BETRAYAL - Lee Vance - Vintage

BLIND MAN'S ALLEY - Justine Peacock - Vintage

A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY - Review

2011-07-25T08:30:00.002-04:00

The Hungry Detective is a series reader. There are boat loads of books I have not been able to read because the latest is book eight, and I have yet to read even book one. It is all about progress. The character is built up over those books and this shape informs the larger story which creates a larger sense of character. One big circle. So I read A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY by Sophie Littlefield. Book 2 in this recent series without bothering to read her well received first opus A BAD DAY FOR SORRY. The shackles of not beginning at the beginning stayed with me through out PRETTY. It mattered little but tainted the overall effect. Primarily because the frame for Ms. Littlefield's books are enticing. I want to know what happened before.

Stella Hardesty owns a sewing shop by day and redistributes the inequity of male-female relationships by night. After years spent in an abusive relationship where her husband ended up dead by her own hand, never again will Stella allow a man to inflict their cowardly ways on women. It's hard not to like a book like A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY. Stella is a winning creation. If you can't root for a character who has found the wherewithal to actual stand up for herself and what she believes in then I don't want to know you. She is the embodiment of wish fulfillment for every reader. Who doesn't want the quiet determination, minus the violent mayhem, of Stella?

It is only just the tiniest bit of a shame that this wonderful creation is not in a better story. The through line of A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY concerns the discovery a dead woman in the foundation of a snack shack near the demolition derby track after a tornado. And while I am certainly willing to give points for creative burial location, the crime story meanders around unwilling to commit to anything more than Stella having a few conversations with that right people at the right time. And even then the person Stella is talking to seems to know there is not much interest in any real mystery or misleading subterfuge. They trip over themselves to blurt out the who's, the how's and the what for's without much arm twisting.

What does work here is Stella Hardesty. To know her is to hopefully not be maimed or murdered by her. I'm not looking for a story with a grand cabal, but a little more attention to story, along with the wonderfully drawn characters, would have boosted A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY to something really special.

Plunging head long to into the digital future

2011-07-18T08:37:00.000-04:00

About a month ago I bought my first e-book. I don't own a Kindle or a Nook (or whatever it is Borders has available), but I do have the binky for the masses; the iPhone. I have heard all I care to about the portability, and the convenience of an e-reader. Suffice to say I hear what you are saying, but I just could not care less about how these things make your life 1% easier to live.

Anyhow, I am on page 2653 of 4153 of WITNESS TO DEATH by Dave White. Last I checked, .99 cents at the Amazon.

Books Received June 2011

2011-07-01T08:30:00.001-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of June 2011

NEVER KNOWING - Chevy Stevens - St. Martins Press
A BAD NIGHTS SLEEP - Michael Wiley - Minotaur Books
STEAL THE SHOW - Thomas Kaufman - Minotaur Books
YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD CRIMINAL - Michael Van Rooy - Minotaur Books
THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO VEGAS - Chris Ewan - Minotaur Books
DAMAGED - Alex Kava - Anchor Books

Summer Preview 2011 - Bratwurst Edition

2011-06-26T11:12:00.003-04:00

Summer is only a few days old so it is time a for the The Hungry Detective Summer Preview. Summer is always the biggest time of the year for Crime Fiction releases. Of course there are more than a few books that have my interest piqued.

WITNESS TO DEATH - Dave White - Now

I stumbled across this book while reading an interview that Duane Swiercyncski's did on his blog with author Dave White. I love this guy. THE EVIL THAT MEN DO is still a book that I think about. Great stuff. This is an e-book release, and I plan on enjoying all 4200 pages on my Kindle iPhone app just as soon as I can.

A BAD DAY FOR SCANDAL - Sophie Littlefield - Now

I'm reading Ms. Littlefield's second book now. I always lament the lack of female writers in my Crime Fiction education, this is making up for that right now. I hear only good things about this author. This is her third book.

STEAL THE SHOW - Thomas Kaufman - July 5

The second book for this author. THD had the opportunity to interview Mr. Kaufman last year. I also got the chance to shake his hand at the LA Mystery book store before it closed up. Set in the jazz world of DC I encourage everyone to take a look.

THE END OF EVERYTHING - Megan Abbott - July 7

Best working female writer. Period. Come to think of it I may not have to qualify that statement with the word 'female.' With this book Ms. Abbott steps away from post WWII America to document the haze of the 1980's.

IRON HOUSE - Jon Hart - July 12

Two time Edgar winner, Jon Hart, is back. Hard to argue with the accolades this author has received in his still brief time on the Crime Fiction scene. This is his fourth book.

BLOODLINE - Mark Billingham - July 14

The US release of the latest Tom Thorne. Mr. Billingham is one the most dependable writers in Crime Fiction. Equal parts hard boiled, pathos, and humor. Mr Billingham is a pro.

THE ADJUSTMENT - Scott Phillips- August 1

Another Scott Philips book I will never read, but that does not mean you shouldn't. Maybe one day I'll make it the Scott Phillips promise land. One day...

THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR - DON WINSLOW - August 2

I have not read Mr. Winslow since the Neal Carey books. It doesn't matter I will recommend his work, unread, forever. I loved those books, they were magic to me when I was discovering crime fiction.

OPERATION NAPOLEON - Arnaldur Indridason - Sept 27

I am unbelievably brunt out on the thriller. But come on! This is impossible to pass up, WWII, Nazi, Iceland, and a plane crash. This going to be tough to deny.

Ones to Watch:

LONG GONE - Alafair Burke; STRONG AT THE BREAK - Jon Land; NEVER KNOWING - Chevy Stevens; WE ALL FALL DOWN - Michael Harvey; THE HAND THAT TREMBLES - Kjell Eriksson; THE MOST DANGEROUS THING - Laura Lippman; THE CUT - George Pelecanos; PIRATE KING - Laure R. King; THE BURNING SOUL - John Connolly

Books Received - May 2011

2011-06-01T08:30:00.002-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of May 2011.

THE MASK OF TROY - David Gibbins - Dell
THE BROTHERS OF BAKER STREET - Michael Robertson - Minotaur Books-Thomas Dunne Books
AN ORDINARY DECENT CRIMINAL - Michael Van Rooy - Minotaur Books-Thomas Dunne Books
A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY - Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur Books-Thomas Dunne Books
EAST OF SUNSET - Ken Mercer - Minotaur Books-Thomas Dunne Books

Anthony Nominations 2011

2011-05-12T08:30:00.004-04:00

The Hungry Detective was unable to attend last year's Bouchercon in San Francisco. I have looked forward to the St Louis Con with some anticipation. There was the hope that being in the middle west of these United States I would find some way to attend. Alas it not to be, and neither does it seem the 2012 and 2013 editions. Perhaps surprising to me is that while my interest in Crime Fiction has waned over the last year or so, my interest in attending the year B'Con remains pretty high. Maybe Albany, maybe.

Anyway Anthony Nominations are out.... and about.

Best Novel

BURY YOUR DEAD - Louise Penny - Minotaur Books

CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER - Tom Franklin – William Morrow

FAITHFUL PLACE - Tana French - Viking

I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE - Laura Lippman - William Morrow

THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur

Best First Novel

DAMAGE DONE - Hilary Davidson - Forge Books

THE POACHER'S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur Books

ROGUE ISLAND- Bruce DeSilva - Forge Books

THE SHERLOCKIAN - Graham Moore - Twelve

SNOW ANGELS - James Thompson - Putnam

Best Paperback Original

DRIVE TIME - Hank Phillippi Ryan - Mira

EXPIRATION DATE - Duane Swierczynski - Minotaur Books

THE HANGING TREE - Bryan Gruley – Touchstone/Simon and Schuster

LONG TIME COMING - Robert Goddard - Bantam

VIENNA SECRETS - Frank Tallis - Random House

Best Short Story

THE FRAME MAKER - Simon Wood - The Back Alley

THE HITTER - Chris Holm – Needle

HOMELESS - Pat Morin - Mystery Montage

SCENT OF LILACS - Doug Allyn – Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Sept/Oct 2010

SO MUCH IN COMMON - Mary Jane Maffini - EQMM Sept/Oct. 2010

SWING SHIFT - Dana Cameron - Crimes By Moonlight

Best Graphic Novel

BEASTS OF BURDEN – Jill Thompson/Evan Dorkin – Dark Horse

THE CHILL - Jason Starr – Vertigo Crime

RICHARD STARK'S PARKER, VOL. 2: THE OUTFIT –Darwyn Cooke - IDW Press

SCALPED VOL. 6 - THE GNAWING - Jason Aaron – Vertigo

SICKNESS IN THE FAMILY - Denise Mina – Vertigo Crime

TUMOR - Joshua Hale Fialkov/ Noel Tuazon - ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS

Best Critical /Non-Fiction

AGATHA CHRISTIE'S SECRET NOTEBOOKS - John Curran – Harper Collins

CHARLIE CHAN: THE UNTOD STORY OF THE HONORABLE DETECTIVE AND HIS RENDEZVOUS WITH AMERICAN HISTORY - Yunte Huang - W. W. Norton & Company

SHERLOCK HOLMES FOR DUMMIES - Steve Doyle and David A Crowder - For Dummies

THRILLERS: 1-- MUST READS - David Morrell - Oceanview

TTHE WIRE: TRUTH TOLD - Rafael Alvarez - Grove Press

Best Website/Blog

Jen's Book Thoughts - Jen Forbus

The Rap Sheet - J. Kingston Pierce

Sirens of Suspense - Chantelle Aimée Osman

Spinetingler - Sandra Ruttan

Stop. You're Killing Me - Surber/Ulrich

Books Received - April 2011

2011-05-01T08:30:00.003-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of April 2011.

13 MILLION DOLLAR POP - David Levien - Doubleday
TWICE A SPY - Keith Thomson - Doubleday
PRAY FOR SILENCE - Linda Castillo - Minotaur
DEATH ON TOUR - Janice Hamrick - Minotaur
PITCH DARK - Steven Sidor - St. Martins Griffin
A CURTAIN FALLS - Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur
BLOOD HARVEST - S.J. Bolton - Minotaur

Edgar Winners 2011

2011-04-28T22:04:00.001-04:00

Yikes! I threw a goose egg on my predictions. Ehhhh.... my fragile ego will have to heal when the wife wakes me up at 5:30 in the morning to watch Wills and Kate tie the knot..... oh dear.

The Hungry Detective congratulates all of the nominees and the winners!

Best Novel:
THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur

Best First Novel by an American Author:
ROGUE ISLAND - Bruce DeSilva - Forge

Best Paperback Original:
LONG TIME COMING - Robert Goddard - Bantam

Best Fact Crime:
SCOREBOARD, BABY: A STORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, CRIME, and COMPLICITY - Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry - University of Nebraska Press-Bison

Best Critical/Biographical:
CHARLIE CHAN" THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE HONORABLE DETECTIVE AND HIS RENDEZVOUS WITH AMERICAN HISTORY - Yunte Huang - Norton

Best Short Story:
“THE SECRET OF LILACS,” - Doug Allyn - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2010

Best Juvenile:
THE BUDDY FILES" THE CASE OF THE LOST BOY - Dori Hillestad Butler - Albert Whitman & Co.

Best Young Adult:
The INTERROGATION OF GABRIEL JAMES - Charlie Price - Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)

Best Play:
The PSYCHIC - Sam Bobrick - Falcon Theatre, Burbank, California

Best Television Episode Teleplay:
“EPISODE 1,” Luther, teleplay by Neil Cross - BBC America

BOOM! Edgar Prediction 2011

2011-04-27T16:40:00.003-04:00

Edgar Awards tomorrow. Yah! Always exciting even if it is obvious that over the last year or so I have pulled away from Crime Fiction. I still enjoy Crime Fiction a great deal, but the spark has dimmed in the last 12 months. In any case. Thursday night I'll be locked into an appropriate twitter feed.

My predictions are in Red.

Best Novel:
CAUGHT - Harlan Coben - Dutton
CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER - Tom Franklin - Morrow
FAITHFUL PLACE - Tana French - Viking
THE QUEEN OF PATPONG - Timothy Hallinan - Morrow
THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur
I’D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE - Laura Lippman - Morrow

Went with Ms. French's book based on the unilateral love-fest for her first. My second choice would be CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER.

Best First Novel by an American Author:
ROGUE ISLAND - Bruce DeSilva - Forge
THE POACHER'S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur
THE SERIALIST - David Gordon - Simon & Schuster
GALVESTON - Nic Pizzolatto - Scribner
SNOW ANGELS - James Thompson - Putnam

I drew a blank on most of these titles. I went with SNOW ANGELS because it was the book I wanted to pick up most often last year. Second choice would be THE SERIALIST.

Best Paperback Original:
LONG TIME COMING - Robert Goddard - Bantam
THE NEWS WHERE YOU ARE - Catherine O’Flynn - Henry Holt
EXPIRATION DATE - Duane Swierczynski - Minotaur
VIENNA SECRETS - Frank Tallis - Random House
TEN LITTLE HERRINGS - L.C. Tyler - Felony & Mayhem Press

Only choice is Mr. Swierczynski's book, easily one of the best things I read last year. I have no second choice. That would be blasphemy.

Best Fact Crime:
SCOREBOARD, BABY: A STORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, CRIME, and COMPLICITY - Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry - University of Nebraska Press-Bison
THE EYES OF WILLIE McGEE: A TRAGEDY OF RACE, SEX, AND SECRETS IN THE JIM CROW SOUTH - Alex Heard - HarperCollins
FINDING CHANDRA: A TRUE WASHINGTON MURDER MYSTERY - Scott Higham and Sari Horwitz - Scribner
HELLHOUND IN HIS TRAIL THE STALKING OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND THE INTERNATIONAL HUNT FOR HIS ASSASSIN - Hampton Sides - Doubleday
THE KILLER OF LITTLE SHEPARDS: A TRUE CRIME STORY AND THE BIRTH OF FORENSIC SCIENCE - Douglas Starr - Knopf

I went with Mr. Sides because level headed journalism should always be rewarded.

Best Critical/Biographical:

THE WIRE" TRUTH BE TOLD - Rafael Alvarez - Grove Press
AGATHA CHRISTIE'S SECRET NOTEBOOKS: FIFTY YEARS OF MYSTERIES IN THE MAKING - John Curran - HarperCollins
SHERLOCK HOLMES FOR DUMMIES - Steven Doyle and David A. Crowder - Wiley
CHARLIE CHAN" THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE HONORABLE DETECTIVE AND HIS RENDEZVOUS WITH AMERICAN HISTORY - Yunte Huang - Norton
THRILLERS" 100 MUST READERS - David Morrell and Hank Wagner - Oceanview Publishing

I wanted to go with Mr. Huang's book on Charlie Chan as I love the movies but I'm picking the the book on Ms. Christie because of the long shadow she still casts over the form.

Best Short Story:
“THE SECRET OF LILACS,” - Doug Allyn - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2010
“THE PLOT,” - Jeffery Deaver - from First Thrills, edited by Lee Child; Forge
“A GOOD SAFE PLACE,” - Judith Green - from Thin Ice, edited by Mark Ammons, Kat Fast, Barbara Ross, and Leslie Wheeler; Level Best Books
“MONSIEUR ALICE IS ABSENT, by Stephen Ross - Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, October 2010
“THE CREATIVE WRITING MURDERS,” - Edmund White - from Dark End of the Street, edited by Jonathan Santlofer and S.J. Rozan; Bloomsbury

I went with Mr. White's short because it was the most 'meta' of the lot.

Best Juvenile:
ZORA AN ME - Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon - Candlewick Press
THE BUDDY FILES" THE CASE OF THE LOST BOY - Dori Hillestad Butler - Albert Whitman & Co.
THE HAUNTING OF CHARLES DICKENS - Lewis Buzbee - Feiwel & Friends
GRIFF CARVER: HALLWAY PATROL - Jim Krieg - Razorbill
THE SECRET LIFE OF MS. FINKLEMAN - Ben H. Winters - HarperCollins Children’s Books

Best Young Adult:
THE RIVER, by Mary Jane Beaufrand - Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ, by A.S. King - Knopf Books for Young Readers
7 SOULS, by Barnabas Miller and Jordan Orlando - Delacorte Books for Young Readers
The INTERROGATION OF GABRIEL JAMES - Charlie Price - Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
DUST CITY - Robert Paul Weston - Razorbill

The publisher for the Best Juvie and YA is called Razorbill. That seems pretty badass so.....

Best Play:
The PSYCHIC - Sam Bobrick - Falcon Theatre, Burbank, California
The TANGLES SKIRT - Steve Braunstein - New Jersey Repertory Co.
The FALL OF THE HOUSE - Robert Ford - Alabama Shakespeare Festival

Unlike the rest of my picks (haha) this is a flat out guess.... sorry.

Best Television Episode Teleplay:
“EPISODE 1,” Luther, teleplay by Neil Cross - BBC America
“EPISODE 4,” Luther, teleplay by Neil Cross - BBC America
“FULL MEASURE,” Breaking Bad, teleplay by Vince Gilligan - AMC/Sony
“NO MAS,” Breaking Bad, teleplay by Vince Gilligan - AMC/Sony
“THE NEXT ONE'S GONNA GO IN YOUR THROAT,” Damages, teleplay by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman - FX Networks

Never watched an episode of BREAKING BAD... and I never will. Looks depressing. I'm a MAD MEN guy. Which is depression in a different form. However, Vince Gilligan wrote for X-Files, and I watched every episode of that. Go figure.

The Simon & Schuster-Mary Higgins Clark Award (presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, April 27, 2010):
WILD PENANCE - Sandi Ault - Berkley Prime Crime
BLOOD HARVEST - S.J. Bolton - Minotaur
DOWN RIVER - Karen Harper - Mira
THE CROSSING PLACES - Elly Griffiths - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
LIVE TO TELL - Wendy Corsi Staub - Avon

Books Received - March 2011

2011-04-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of March 2011.

THE POACHER'S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur Books
THE LAW OF THE ANGELS - Cassandra Clark - Minotaur Books
THE CRUELEST MONTH - Louise Penny - Minotaur Books
SILENCER - James W. Hall - Minotaur Books
DOWN RIVER - John Hart - Thomas Dunne Books
TYPHOON - Charles Cummings - St. Martin's Griffin
THE TRINITY SIX - Charles Cumming - St. Martin's Books

Spring Preview 2011 - Warmer, Please Edition.

2011-03-28T08:30:00.000-04:00

Hello. Spring appears to be here. I say appears because the other day we got about three inches of snow. Stupid snow.

Spring Preview arrives with more than a few books I would like to add to my permanent collection. I'm sure some of them will make it. The rest I will lament like friends who I never call (or blogs I never update). Sigh.

Of course my thanks go to Fantastic Fiction and The Bloodstained Bookshelf in helping THD to compile this list

THE FIFTH WITNESS - Michael Connelly - April 5
I've warmed up to the Haller books ever so slowly.

HEADS YOU LOSE - Lisa Lutz and David Hayward - April 5
Ms. Lutz is pretty hilarious even if her books are a little too caught up in stylistic flourishes. A book by dueling authors sounds like fun.

HELL IS EMPTY - Craig Johnson - June 2
Finally got around to giving this guy a read last year. He is pretty good.

NOW YOU SEE ME - SJ Bolton - June 7
Reminds me of early Minette Walters, I'm hooked.

THE RIDGE - Michael Koryta - June 7
I'll be honest, I have stayed away from the last two horror themed novels. Koryta is an amazing author, and I'm sure I'll regret not keeping up with him.

THE RANGER - Ace Atkins - June 9
New series from Mr. Atkins who has been writing fact based fiction for the last few years.

THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES - Marcus Sakey - June 9
Almost a two year wait for the latest from Mr. Sakey. This is my most anticipated book of the spring. Too bad I have another two months to wait. Anticipation is exciting too I guess....

A few other notables:
GARDENS OF GRIEF - Boston Teran; MISERY BAY - Steven Hamilton, THE PACK - Jason Starr; THE WRECKAGE - Michael Robotham; STRONG AT THE BREAK - Jon Land

Books Recieved - February 2011

2011-03-01T08:30:00.001-05:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of February 2011.

THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur Books
STRONG AT THE BREAK - Jon Land - Forge
LIVE WIRE - Harlan Coben - Dutto
THE BONE HOUSE - Brian Freeman - Minotaur Books

Barry Award Nominations

2011-02-12T15:36:00.000-05:00

Somewhat hot on the heals of the Edgar Nominations are the Barry Noms. And while the Edgar's will be announced at the end of April the Barry Awards will not given until the St. Louis Bouchercon in September! Yikes.

The Hungry Detective congratulates all of the nominees.

Best Novel
NOWHERE TO RUN - C. J. Box - Putnam
CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER - Tom Franklin - Morrow
THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur
MOONLIGHT MILE - Dennis Lehane - Morrow
BURY YOUR DEAD - Louise Penny - Minotaur
SAVAGES - Don Winslow - Simon & Schuster

Best First Novel
GUTSHOT STRAIGHT - Lou Berney - Morrow
ROGUE ISLAND - Bruce DeSilva - Forge
THE POACHER'S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur
SHERLOCKIAN - Graham Moore - Twelve
THE HOLY THIEF - William Ryan - Minotaur
ONCE A SPY - Keith Thomson - Doubleday

Best British Novel
STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG - Kate Atkinson - Doubleday
BLOOD HARVEST - S. J. Bolton - Bantam Press
THE WHISPERS - John Connolly - Hodder & Stoughton
THE WOODCUTTER - Reginald Hill - HarperCollins
THREE SECONDS - Roslund & Hellstrom - Quercus
FOURTH DAY - Zoe Sharp - Allison & Busby

Best Paperback Original
THE HANGING TREE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone
THE DEAD LIE DOWN - Sophie Hannah - Penguin
EGGSECUTIVE ORDERS - Julie Hyzy - Berkley
FEVER AT THE BONE - Val McDermid - Harper
THE RHETORIC OF DEATH - Judith Rock - Berkley
A SMALL DEATH IN THE GREAT GLEN - A.D. Scott - Atria

Best Thriller
13 HOURS - Deon Meyer - Grove Atlantic
AMERICAN ASSASSIN - Vince Flynn - Atria
THE BRICKLAYER - Noah Boyd - Harper
BOLT ACTION - Charles Charters - Hodder U.K.
ON TARGET, Mark Greaney - Jove
THE REMBRANDT AFFAIR - Daniel Silva - Putnam

Best Short Story
Mitch Alderman - "Requiem for Antlers" - AHMM Jan.-Feb. 2010
Robert Barnard - "Family Values" - EQMM Feb. 2010
Caroline Benton - "The Body in the Dunes - EQMM Jan. 2010
Loren D. Estleman - "The List" - EQMM May 2010
Terence Faherty - "The Seven Sorrows" - EQMM Mar.-Apr. 2010
Ellen Larson - "When the Apricots Bloom" - AHMM July-Aug. 2010

Books Received - January 2011

2011-02-01T08:30:00.003-05:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of January 2011.

THE CRACK IN THE LENS - Steve Hockensmith - Minotaur Books
THE NEAREST EXIT - Olen Steinhauer - Minotaur Books
BAD BIRD - Chris Knopf - Minotaur Books

Edgar Nominations 2011

2011-01-21T21:54:00.001-05:00

Yay! Edgar nominations from a few days ago. There is a noticeable shift away from the literary' nominations from the last few years. I don't mean that negatively to either this year's nominations or the aforementioned literary books. Just a bit surprising how traditional the list looks this year.

I'll have a prediction spectacular shortly before the award are handed out.

Best Novel:
CAUGHT - Harlan Coben - Dutton
CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER - Tom Franklin - Morrow
FAITHFUL PLACE - Tana French - Viking
THE QUEEN OF PATPONG - Timothy Hallinan - Morrow
THE LOCK ARTIST - Steve Hamilton - Minotaur
I’D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE - Laura Lippman - Morrow

Toss up between Ms. French and Mr. Hamilton I should think. The dark horse for me would be Mr Frankin's books which received a good deal of late 2010 praise.

Best First Novel by an American Author:
ROGUE ISLAND - Bruce DeSilva - Forge
THE POACHER'S SON - Paul Doiron - Minotaur
THE SERIALIST - David Gordon - Simon & Schuster
GALVESTON - Nic Pizzolatto - Scribner
SNOW ANGELS - James Thompson - Putnam

Only heard of Mr. Thompson and Mr. Doiron's books before this moment. THE POACHER'S SON got the big push from Minotaur this spring.

Best Paperback Original:
LONG TIME COMING - Robert Goddard - Bantam
THE NEWS WHERE YOU ARE - Catherine O’Flynn - Henry Holt
EXPIRATION DATE - Duane Swierczynski - Minotaur
VIENNA SECRETS - Frank Tallis - Random House
TEN LITTLE HERRINGS - L.C. Tyler - Felony & Mayhem Press

Let's face it I'm a huge fan of Mr. Swierczynski. I 'm sure the other books are worthy, but I would be disappointed if anybody else won here.

Best Fact Crime:
SCOREBOARD, BABY: A STORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, CRIME, and COMPLICITY - Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry - University of Nebraska Press-Bison
THE EYES OF WILLIE McGEE: A TRAGEDY OF RACE, SEX, AND SECRETS IN THE JIM CROW SOUTH - Alex Heard - HarperCollins
FINDING CHANDRA: A TRUE WASHINGTON MURDER MYSTERY - Scott Higham and Sari Horwitz - Scribner
HELLHOUND IN HIS TRAIL THE STALKING OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND THE INTERNATIONAL HUNT FOR HIS ASSASSIN - Hampton Sides - Doubleday
THE KILLER OF LITTLE SHEPARDS: A TRUE CRIME STORY AND THE BIRTH OF FORENSIC SCIENCE - Douglas Starr - Knopf

I have to think that HELLHOUND is the clear favorite here.

Best Critical/Biographical:
THE WIRE" TRUTH BE TOLD - Rafael Alvarez - Grove Press
AGATHA CHRISTIE'S SECRET NOTEBOOKS: FIFTY YEARS OF MYSTERIES IN THE MAKING - John Curran - HarperCollins
SHERLOCK HOLMES FOR DUMMIES - Steven Doyle and David A. Crowder - Wiley
CHARLIE CHAN" THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE HONORABLE DETECTIVE AND HIS RENDEZVOUS WITH AMERICAN HISTORY - Yunte Huang - Norton
THRILLERS" 100 MUST READERS - David Morrell and Hank Wagner - Oceanview Publishing

Best Short Story:
“THE SECRET OF LILACS,” - Doug Allyn - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2010
“THE PLOT,” - Jeffery Deaver - from First Thrills, edited by Lee Child; Forge
“A GOOD SAFE PLACE,” - Judith Green - from Thin Ice, edited by Mark Ammons, Kat Fast, Barbara Ross, and Leslie Wheeler; Level Best Books
“MONSIEUR ALICE IS ABSENT, by Stephen Ross - Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, October 2010
“THE CREATIVE WRITING MURDERS,” - Edmund White - from Dark End of the Street, edited by Jonathan Santlofer and S.J. Rozan; Bloomsbury

Best Juvenile:
ZORA AN ME - Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon - Candlewick Press
THE BUDDY FILES" THE CASE OF THE LOST BOY - Dori Hillestad Butler - Albert Whitman & Co.
THE HAUNTING OF CHARLES DICKENS - Lewis Buzbee - Feiwel & Friends
GRIFF CARVER: HALLWAY PATROL - Jim Krieg - Razorbill
THE SECRET LIFE OF MS. FINKLEMAN - Ben H. Winters - HarperCollins Children’s Books

Best Young Adult:
THE RIVER, by Mary Jane Beaufrand - Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ, by A.S. King - Knopf Books for Young Readers
7 SOULS, by Barnabas Miller and Jordan Orlando - Delacorte Books for Young Readers
The INTERROGATION OF GABRIEL JAMES - Charlie Price - Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
DUST CITY - Robert Paul Weston - Razorbill

Best Play:
The PSYCHIC - Sam Bobrick - Falcon Theatre, Burbank, California
The TANGLES SKIRT - Steve Braunstein - New Jersey Repertory Co.
The FALL OF THE HOUSE - Robert Ford - Alabama Shakespeare Festival

Best Television Episode Teleplay:
“EPISODE 1,” Luther, teleplay by Neil Cross - BBC America
“EPISODE 4,” Luther, teleplay by Neil Cross - BBC America
“FULL MEASURE,” Breaking Bad, teleplay by Vince Gilligan - AMC/Sony
“NO MAS,” Breaking Bad, teleplay by Vince Gilligan - AMC/Sony
“THE NEXT ONE'S GONNA GO IN YOUR THROAT,” Damages, teleplay by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman - FX Networks

The Simon & Schuster-Mary Higgins Clark Award (presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, April 27, 2010):
WILD PENANCE - Sandi Ault - Berkley Prime Crime
BLOOD HARVEST - S.J. Bolton - Minotaur
DOWN RIVER - Karen Harper - Mira
THE CROSSING PLACES - Elly Griffiths - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
LIVE TO TELL - Wendy Corsi Staub - Avon

Robert L. Fish Memorial Award: “Skyler Hobbs and the Rabbit Man,” by Evan Lewis - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, February 2010

Grand Master : Sara Paretsky

Raven Awards: Centuries & Sleuths - owned by Augie Alesky in Chicago, and Once Upon a Crime - owned by Pat Frovarp and Gary Schulze - in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Tomorrow

2011-01-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

2011 Edgar nominations appear tomorrow. I'll posted the nominations and the usual commentary here, but there is always the Edgar site if you are looking to avoid my particular brand of drivel.

Winter Preview 2010/11

2011-01-09T16:15:00.000-05:00

The Winter Preview is a bit late this year. The Hungry Detective raided the petty cash at the office and spent the Christmas Holiday in the UK. Besides shoveling, Ms. Hungry Detective and I have been trying to keep up with Oscar bait in the theater.

The end of the year has come and gone, but I should have my Best of 2010 up in a few days. That will be a neat trick. Frequent readers of the blog know that I have been at a low ebb. Sorry about that. I'm going to stop beating myself up about it pretty soon. For now you should check out these books. The Good Lord willing so will I.

THE SENTRY - Robert Crais - January 11

Third in the Joe Pike books. I'll be honest, THE FIRST RULE was not nearly as compelling as THE WATCHMAN. Does that mean I'll be passing up this latest? Hardly.

WORLD'S GREATEST SLUETH - Steve Hockensmith - January 18

Love the setting, love the character, love the light comic touch. This is a pretty reliable series, and one I look forward to every year.

AGENT X - Noah Boyd - February 1

Here is the follow up to one of last year's notable debuts. THE BRICKLAYER generated a good deal of buzz. It was a book I enjoyed if not to the extent of everyone else.

EYES OF THE INNOCENT - Brad Parks - February 1

I am a sucker for the journalist as crime fighter. This is Mr. Park's second book, after last year's FACES OF THE GONE. I'm looking forward to reading both.

ONE TRUE SENTENCE - Craig McDonald - February 15

Mr. MacDonald is one of those authors. I'm in a book store or library. I pull his book off the shelf. I caress them for a moment.... and then put them back. Stupid. Lets see if i can correct that.

TWICE A SPY - Keith Thomson - March 8

ONCE A SPY was a book with a lot of heart. I found the spy story to be pleasingly implausible. The characters of Charlie and Clark Drummond have a nice interchange.

THE TROUBLED MAN - Henning Mankell - March 29

The return of Kurt Wallendar is about all you need to say here. The progenitor of Nordic Crime Fiction is back to see what all the this Steig Larsson nonsense is about.

Other Books of Note:

Dead Zero - Stephen Hunter; A LONELY DEATH - Charles Todd; THE BORDER LORDS - T. Jefferson Parker; NIGHT VISION - Randy Wayne White; COLD WIND - C.J. Box; ONE OF OUR THURSDAYS IS MISSING - Jasper Fforde; THE PAYBACK - Simon Kernick

Books Received - December 2010

2011-01-01T08:30:00.001-05:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of December 2010.

RIZZO'S WAR - Lou Manfredo - Minotaur Books
Gone 'Til November - Wallace Stroby - Minotaur Books
VIENNA TWILIGHT - Frank Tallis - Random House

LONDON BOULEVARD - Trailer

2010-12-05T17:30:00.001-05:00

I find the machismo of UK crime cinema to be a bit tiresome..... yes... I know... Bruen hails from Ireland... so forgive the over generalization. If MICHAEL COLLINS was not such a snooze of a film I might be inclined to make a greater distinction.

In any case, the work of Ken Bruen is a notable hole in the Crime Fiction education of The Hungry Detective. Lets see if that changes in 2011. Don't hold your breath.....

Books Received - November 2010

2010-12-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

THE LINCOLN LAWYER - Trailer

2010-11-28T17:00:00.002-05:00

Ahhhhhhh...... the McConaughey. I happen to think that this is pretty good casting for Mickey Haller, but it is all based on looks. My problem with 'the McConaughey' is that the guy just lacks gravitas. He is a light weight.... always will be. What sells the movie for me is the fantastic supporting cast.

FALLING GLASS - Dust Jacket

2010-11-27T08:15:00.003-05:00

My favorite authors produce books so routinely that I often don't even need the requisite year for their latest to appear in my local bookshop. That sounds horribly jaded, I know. That at any moment during the year I have access to a new book from somebody I love to read is not exactly a hardship. I guess, maybe, I'm talking about the mystery of anticipation. I have a few writers that I scour the internet for any possible shred of news on their latest book. Adrian McKinty falls into that category. That I have waited this long to post news about this upcoming release is just sheer foolishness on my part.

THE NEAREST EXIT - Review

2010-11-23T14:15:00.001-05:00

It is pretty obvious by the lack of activity around here that Crime Fiction and The Hungry Detective are not seeing eye to eye. The reasons are many, but as I mentioned in my Fall Preview there is nothing worse than a blogger complaining about their own complacency. Suffice to say the blame lies squarely with me, but it does not help that Crime Fiction seems hellbent on being mediocre right now. A couple weeks ago I picked up the last Easy Rawlins book, BLONDE FAITH, with the hopes that through sheer nostalgia I could rekindle the love affair. BLONDE FAITH is a very good book, but sadly I just did not feel it.

All of which makes writing that THE NEAREST EXIT is undoubtedly the best thing I've to read this year all the more thrilling. I know that it should not be a great surprise. Mr. Steinhauer's first in this series was THE TOURIST. I loved that book. THE NEAREST EXIT is fantastic and it ascends to something greater. It blows away all of the paint by numbers plotting and story telling I have read through the majority of this year.

THE NEAREST EXIT sees the return of Milo Weaver. Milo is a spy on good days and a government bag man on the bad ones. Since the catastrophes of THE TOURIST, Milo has found his way back into the world of Tourism, CIA style. He travels untethered from European city to European city in an attempt to get back into the good graces of his new CIA handlers. On the verge of being back in the fold he is asked to carry out an especially gruesome task. He accepts the task for the test he knows it is. Despite his best efforts to appeal to the better angels of his nature, the operation goes pear shaped. Strung up by German Intelligence operatives, Milo begins to piece together the wide ranging plan of a disaffected Chinese General bent on the destruction of the Central Intelligence Agency.

At least I think that is what happens. Much to the books credit, and much to its favor the levels of obfuscation, by everyone involved cloud every word, every moment, and every page. One could easily be put off by Mr. Steinhauer's jungle of moral and narrative complexity. He challenges you at every turn, and on some level I began to accept that I am not always going to understand what is going on. Mr. Steinhauer's prose is the guiding support to see in the dark as he leads you down the rabbit hole blindfolded. By the end, much like Milo, you come out bewildered and slightly in awe of the clockwork precision of your journey. Flat out, this is the best book 2010.

Books Received - October 2010

2010-11-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of October 2010.

THE DEAD PATH - Stephen M. Irwin - Doubleday
THE VIOLET HOUR - Daniel Judson - Minotaur Books
A DEAD MAN'S TALE - James D. Doss - Minotaur Books
OUTWITTING TROLLS - William G. Tapply - Minotaur Books

Awards, Awards, Awards! Part I

2010-10-25T19:35:00.004-04:00

The past couple years I have been in attendance to deliver the news in a timely manner, this year not so much. This post is more for me than you because if you cared you read about the award winners from the 2010 SF B'Con over a week ago. Still, I am duty bound to report on those who walked away with the hardware.

Shamus and Barry's in this post. Macavity's and Anthony's in the follow-up. Winners are in red. The Hungry Detective's pick is in blue.

SHAMUS AWARDS
Best Hardcover P.I. Novel
THE SILENT HOUR - Michael Koryta - Minotaur
WHERE THE DEAD LAY - David Levien - Doubleday
LOCKED IN - Marcia Muller - Grand Central
SCHEMERS - Bill Pronzini - Forge
MY SOUL TO TAKE - Yrsa Sigurdardottir - William Morrow

Best First P.I. Novel
LOSER'S TOWN - Daniel Depp - Simon & Schuster
THE LAST GIG - Norman Green - Minotaur
THE GOOD SON - Russel D. McLean - Minotaur
FACES OF THE GONE - Brad Parks - Minotaur
CHINATOWN ANGEL - A.E. Roman - Minotaur

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel:
DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE - Raymond Benson - Leisure
SINNER'S BALL - Ira Berkowitz - Three Rivers Press
RED BLOODED MURDER - Laura Caldwell - Mira
VENGEANCE ROAD - Rick Mofina - Mira
BODY BLOWS - Marc Strange - Dundurn

Best P.I. Short Story:
• “THE DARK ISLAND” - Brendan DuBois from Boston Noir, edited by Dennis Lehane; Akashic
• “DEADLINE EDITION” - S.L. Franklin Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, April 2009
• “BLAZIN' ON BROADWAY” - Gary Phillips from Phoenix Noir, edited by Patrick Millikin; Akashic
• “SUICIDE BOND” - Tim L. Williams Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2009
• “JULIUS KATZ” - Dave Zeltserman Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2009

How did I do? Not. Even. Close. Ugh. Let's put this embrassment behind The Hungry Detective. Ego bruised, but I will survive. Please excuse me while a sob for 10... no 20 minutes.

BARRY AWARDS
Best Novel:
THE GATES - John Connolly - Atria
THE HIDDEN MAN - David Ellis - Putnam
SPADE & ARCHER - Joe Gores - Knopf
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart - Minotaur
LOCKED IN - Marcia Muller - Grand Central
SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan - Minotaur

Best First Novel:
BEAT THE REAPER - Josh Bazell - Little, Brown
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte
A TRACE OF SMOKE - Rebecca Cantrell - Forge
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur
BLACK WATER RISING - Attica Locke - Harper
THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville - Soho Crime

Best British Novel:
AWAKENING - S. J. Bolton - Bantam Press
THE LOVERS - John Connolly - Hodder & Stoughton
MIDNIGHT FUGUE - Reginald Hill - HarperCollins
IF THE DEAD RISE NOT - Philip Kerr - Quercus
STILL MIDNIGHT - Denise Mina - Orion
THE IGNORANCE OF BLOOD - Robert Wilson - HarperCollins

Best Paperback Original:
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster
QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE - Max Allan Collins - Hard Case Crime
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone
THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE - Heather Gutenkauf - Mira
FATAL LIES - Frank Tallis - Mortalis
THE HERRING SELLER'S APPRENTICE - L.C. Tyler - Felony & Mayhem

Best Thriller:
NO SURVIVORS - Tom Cain - Viking
RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL - Jamie Freveletti - Morrow
THE GRAY MAN - Mark Greaney - Jove
COLUMBUS - Derek Haas - Pegasus
HOUSE SECRETS - Mike Lawson - Atlantic Monthly
WALKING DEAD - Greg Rucka - Bantam

Mystery/Crime Novel of the Decade:
THE GUARDS - Ken Bruen - Minotaur
THE LINCOLN LAWYER - Michael Connelly - Little, Brown
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Stieg Larsson - Knopf
MYSTIC RIVER - Dennis Lehane - Morrow
STILL LIFE - Louise Penny - Minotaur
THE SHADOW OF THE WIND - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - Penguin Press

Best Short Story:
“My Mother’s Keeper” - Barbara Callahan - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - June 2009
“Erin’s Journal” - David Dean Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - December 2009
“Real Men Die” - John H. Dirckx (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - September 2009
“The High House Writer” - Brendan DuBois - Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - July-August 2009
“A Hollywood Ending” - Melodie Johnson Howe Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - July 2009
“Hard Blows” - Morley Swingle (from The Prosecution Rests: New Stories About Courtrooms, Criminals, and the Law, edited by Linda Fairstein; Little, Brown)

BOOM! Redemption! 5 out of 7. And come on! DRAGON TATTOO is a really fun book, enjoyed it greatly, but MYSTIC RIVER is a book that will be taught in college... if it is not already. A masterwork!

Check out my follow-up post for the Macavity and Anthony's.

Awards, Awards, Awards! Part II

2010-10-25T19:35:00.003-04:00

Previously.... as in 5 minutes ago... I posted the belated announcement for the 2010 Shamus and Barry Awards. Again the winner will be in red. The Hungry Detective picks will be in in blue.

Now bring on the Macavity Awards. I. AM . INVINCIBLE!

MACAVITY AWARDS
Best Mystery Novel
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman - Busted Flush Press
NECESSARY AS BLOOD - Deborah Crombie - Wm. Morrow
NEMESIS - Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett - HarperCollins
THE BRUTAL TELLING - Louise Penny - Minotaur
THE SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan - Minotaur

Best First Mystery Novel
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte
RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL - Jamie Freveletti - Wm. Morrow
A BAD FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur
THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville - Soho Crime
A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE - Malla Nunn - Picador

Best Mystery Nonfiction
L.A. NOIR: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE SOUL OF AMERICA'S MOST SEDUCTIVE CITY - John Buntin - Random House: Harmony Books
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION - P.D. James - Alfred A. Knopf
ROGUE MALES" CONVERSATIONS & CONFRONTATIONS ABOUT THE WRITING LIFE - Craig McDonald - Bleak House Books
THE LINE UP: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives - Otto Penzler, ed. Little, - Brown and Co
PROVENANCE: HOW A CON MAN AND FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART - Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo - Penguin Press
DAME AGATHA'S SHORTS: AN AGATHA CHRISTIE SHORT STORY COMPANION - Elena Santangelo - Bella Rosa Books

Best Mystery Short Story
“Last Fair Deal Gone Down” - Ace Atkins in CROSSROAD BLUES - Busted Flush Press
“Femme Sole” - Dana Cameron in BOSTON NOIR - Akashic Books
“Digby, Attorney at Law” - Jim Fusilli, - AHMM, May 2009
“Your Turn” - Carolyn Hart in TWO OF THE DEADLIEST - Harper
“On the House” - Hank Phillippi Ryan in QUARRY: CRIME STORIES BY NEW ENGLAND WRITERS - Level Best Books
“The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away” - Marcus Sakey in THRILLER 2: STORIES YOU JUST CAN'T PUT DOWN - Mira
“Amapola” - Luis Alberto Urrea in PHOENIX NOIR - Akashic Books

Sue Feder Historical Mystery
A TRACE OF SMOKE - Rebecca Cantrell - Forge
IN THE SHADOW GOTHAM - Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur
A DUTY TO THE DEAD - Charles Todd - Wm. Morrow
SERPENT IN THE THORNS - Jeri Westerson - Minotaur
AMONG THE MAD - Jacqueline Winspear - Henry Holt

Three out of five! Yes! Somebody should pay me for this!

ANTHONY AWARDS
BEST NOVEL
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart - Minotaur Books
THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH - Charlie Huston - Ballantine Books
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE - Stieg Larsson, translated by Reg Keeland - Quercus/Knopf
THE BRUTAL TELLING - Louise Penny - Minotaur Books
THE SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan - Minotaur Books

BEST FIRST NOVEL
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte Press
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur Books
THE TWELVE/THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville - Harvill Secker/Soho Press
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM - Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur Books

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster]
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman - Busted Flush Press
QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE - Max Allan Collins - Hard Case Crime
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone
DEATH AND THE LIT CHICK - G.M. Malliet Midnight Ink
AIR TIME - Hank Phillippi Ryan - Mira

BEST SHORT STORY
"Last Fair Deal Gone Down" - Ace Atkins, CROSSROAD BLUES - Busted Flush Press
"Femme Sole" - Dana Cameron, BOSTON NOIR - Akashic Books
"Animal Rescue" - Dennis Lehane, BOSTON NOIR - Akashic Books
"On the House" - Hank Phillippi Ryan, QUARRY: Crime Stories by New England Writers - Level Best Books]
"Amapola" - Luis Alberto Urrea, PHOENIX NOIR Akashic Books

BEST CRITICAL NONFICTION WORK
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION - P.D. James - Bodleian Library/Knopf
THE LINE UP: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives - Otto Penzler, ed. Little, - Brown and Co
HAUNTED HEART: The Life and Times of Stephen King - Lisa Rogak - Thomas Dunne Books
DAME AGATHA'S SHORTS: An Agatha Christie Short Story Companion - Elena Santangelo - Bella Rosa Books
THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith - Joan Schenkar - St. Martin's Press

Two out of five here, but I think this is easily the best I have ever done with picking winners. The Shamus Awards aside I did pretty well.

The Hungry Detective's 2010 Bouchercon Award Prediction Spectacular

2010-10-12T21:00:00.016-04:00

The Hungry Detective has made the decision to group all of his predictions into one uber-prediction post for the multiple award ceremonies that will be occurring during the Bouchercon weekend. I'm not getting too adventurous with my picks. After doing this for a couple years I have learned that when I get creative with my 'picks' I only look like an idiot. I'm predicting the Barry, Macavity, PWA Shamus, and Anthony Awards.

First up the Shamus Awards. The full list of nominations is here.

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel
THE SILENT HOUR - Michael Koryta - Minotaur

Best First P.I. Novel
CHINATOWN ANGEL - A.E. Roman - Minotaur

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel:
VENGEANCE ROAD - Rick Mofina - Mira

Best P.I. Short Story:
• “BLAZIN' ON BROADWAY” - Gary Phillips from Phoenix Noir, edited by Patrick Millikin; Akashic

Next? How about the Barry Awards? Full list of nominations is here.

Best Novel:
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart - Minotaur

Best First Novel:
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte

Best British Novel:
AWAKENING - S. J. Bolton - Bantam Press

Best Paperback Original:
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone

Best Thriller:
RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL - Jamie Freveletti - Morrow

Mystery/Crime Novel of the Decade:
MYSTIC RIVER - Dennis Lehane - Morrow

Best Short Story:
“The High House Writer” - Brendan DuBois - Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - July-August 2009

The Macavity Awards are next on my list. Again, the full nomination list is here.

Best Mystery Novel
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman - Busted Flush Press

Best First Mystery Novel
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte

Best Mystery Nonfiction
THE LINE UP: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives - Otto Penzler, ed. Little, - Brown and Co

Best Mystery Short Story
“On the House” - Hank Phillippi Ryan in QUARRY: CRIME STORIES BY NEW ENGLAND WRITERS - Level Best Books

Sue Feder Historical Mystery
AMONG THE MAD - Jacqueline Winspear - Henry Holt

And.... drum roll please..... the Anthony's! Full nominations here.

BEST NOVEL
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart - Minotaur Books

BEST FIRST NOVEL
THE TWELVE/THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville - Harvill Secker/Soho Press

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman - Busted Flush Press

BEST SHORT STORY
"On the House" - Hank Phillippi Ryan, QUARRY: Crime Stories by New England Writers - Level Best Books]

BEST CRITICAL NONFICTION WORK
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION - P.D. James - Bodleian Library/Knopf

The Hungry Detective wishes all of the nominees the very best of luck.

Our Choice Selections Bouchercon 2010 - Part 2

2010-10-09T13:30:00.005-04:00

Our picks for Thursday and Friday went up yesterday. Today I'll look at Saturday and the shorten Sunday panels. I am super jealous of anyone who will be in San Francisco.

Saturday 8:30am - 9:30pm

LETTERS FROM THE GRAVE

The Endurance of Sherlock Holmes

Les Klinger(M), Steve Hockensmith, Laurie King, Michael Kurland, Graham Moore

Holmes, Hockensmith, King. Done.

Saturday 10:00am - 11:00am

Denise Mina interviewed by Val McDermid

No competition for this panel, but it would not matter if there was. I dig both these writers, and need to read more from both of them.

Saturday 11:30am - 12:30pm

INNOCENT NO MORE

East coast/ west cost Authors discuss attraction/differences of the coasts.

F. Paul Wilson(M), Naomi Hirahara, Walter Mosley, S.J. Rozan, Brett Battles

Walter Mosley is at the core of why I read Crime Fiction. I'll hate to miss 'The Drop' with Billingham, Connolly, et. al., but Mr. Mosely is fundamental to why I read.

Saturday1:30pm - 2:30pm

GUEST OF HONOR LEE CHILD

Distinguished Contribution to the Genre

Interviewed by Robert Crais

Get your seat early! Gonna be HUGE!

Saturday 3:00pm - 4:00pm

MONKEY IS BACK

1000 monkeys on typewriters~ are there no new stories?

Reed Farrel Coleman (M), Daniel Woodrell, Val McDermid, Michael Wiley, Steve Hamilton

I have yet to read a Reed Farrel Coleman book. Terrible, I know. Saw him moderate a panel in Indy, and it turned out to be the best thing I saw.

Saturday 4:30pm - 5:30pm

I CAN’T GET STARTED

Reading of a play by Declan Hughes

Clair Lamb, Megan Abbott, Brett Battles, Mark Billingham, Christa Faust, Alison Gaylin, Martyn Waites, Declan Hughes

Sounds like a fun way to close out the day. Lots of good writers here.... this should be a blast!

Sunday 8:30am - 9:30am

CLOWN OF DEATH

Books that aren't too heavy handed

Terri Bischoff(M), Sebastian Stuart, Sue Ann Jaffarian, Lenny Kleinfeld, Mary Jane Maffini

The panel is called Clown of Death?!. Bizzare!

So that is it. There are of course numerous things going on in the evening, plus the Brunch on Sunday. Check them out. And, THE BAR! I'll miss you San Francisco Bouchercon, but I'll see you next year in St. Louis!

Our Choice Selections Bouchercon 2010 - Part 1

2010-10-08T11:30:00.001-04:00

The program for this year's San Francisco Bouchercon has been released. Loyal readers... if there are any of you left... know that for the past two years I have picked what I think is the best of the panels during the run of the 'Con. This is in no way to disparage any of the other panels. Every panel is a good one.

Normally the picks coincide with what The Hungry Detective anticipates on seeing himself. But this year it is not to be. I am already breathless for Bouchercon 2011 in St Louis.

This post is in two parts. Today I'll cover Thursday and Friday. I'll cover Saturday and Sunday in a follow up post in the next day or so. Also look for my predictions for the many awards that will be presented during the run of the 'Con. Those probably won't appear until the Tuesday or Wednesday before Bouchercon begins.

Thursday 10am - 11am
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED
Our favorite books – fan/reviewer panel

Ali Karim(M), Chris Aldrich, Sarah Byrne, Janet Rudolph, Andi Shechter

I'm always on the look out for good books. Your moderator, Ali Karim, is famously one of the first people to trumpet Steig Larrson.

Thursday 11:30am - 12:30pm
DEAD OR ALIVE
Making stories come alive in crime fiction.

Jen Forbus(M), Brad Parks, R. J. Ellory,Hilary Davidson, Douglas Corleone

I've seen Mr. Ellory a couple times now, and he always strikes me as thoughtful on the art and craft of crime fiction. Second choice would be the 'Hall of Mirrors' panel.

Thursday 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Jacqueline Winspear interviews Toastmaster Eddie Muller.

Mr. Muller is one of the pre-eminent writers on all things Noir. This is the first heartache for The Hungry Detective. Dang....

Thursday 3:00pm - 4:00pm
THE YEAR OF THE LOCUSTS
Books to screen

Kelli Stanley(M), Derek Haas, Paul Levine, Val McDermid, Ken Bruen

Second choice here would be 'A Good Cop...But' Matt Hilton is on that panel. I have his first book, and his second just released here in the States. Seemed like a pretty cool dude when I saw him at the Indy B'Con. The 'Stamp of Death' looks good too.

Thursday 4:30pm - 5:30pm
THE MOST DEADLY SPECIES
Women protagonists

Cornelia Read(M), Tasha Alexander, Meredith Anthony, Larry Light, Ronald Tierney, Keith Raffel

I don't read nearly enough Crime Fiction written by and about women. My loss.

Friday 8:30am - 9:30am
THE HARD BREED
Beyond novels: Authors who write more than just novels

Jeremy Lynch(M), Gregg Hurwitz, Duane Swierczynski, Robert Ward, Lou Berney, Hal Ackerman

Two word: ROBERT WARD! I love this guy. Love him! Plus Duane and Lou Berney. If a couple fist fights don't break out during this panel it will be a failure.

Friday 10:00am - 11:00am
LICENSE TO KILL
A Frank and Unscripted Conversation with #1 New York Times Bestselling Authors Robert Crais and David Baldacci

Brutal session. Too many to chose from. Seeing Bob Crais, means you will miss Mark Billingham, Barry Eisler, SJ Rozan at a panel called 'The Glass Dart Board'. Plus Megan Abbott and Jason Starr over at the Vertigo Crime panel.

Friday 11:30am - 12:30pm
JUDGMENT DAY

Michael Connelly interviewed by Gregg Hurwitz

Bit of a re-do from last year, but my man crush on Michael Connelly goes back too far. I have no perspective anymore. Second choice here is 'No Place to Hide'

Friday 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Dana Stabenow interviews Laurie R. King.

The Mary Russell books are one of the most dependable series being written. Sharp, funny, excellent plotting. Ms. King is a treasure.

Friday 3:00pm - 4:00pm
MURDER BY PROXY
Mulholland Books Presents:

John Schoenfelder, Miriam Parker(M), Mark Billingham, Marcia Clark, Duane Swierczynski, Daniel Woodrell, Sebastian Rotella

I'll be missing the 'No Minor Vices' panel on San Francisco Noir, but Mark Billingham is usually too much fun.

Friday 4:30 - 5:30pm
MEN WILL DIE
Noir is the new Black. Noir vs Hardboiled

Otto Penzler(M), Kent Harrington, Linda Richards, Jason Pinter, Chris Mooney

Too much awesomeness not to be missed!

I'll have The Hungry Detective's selections for Saturday and the abbreviated Sunday session up tomorrow or the next day.

Books Received - September 2010

2010-10-01T08:30:00.002-04:00

VOYEUR - Daniel Judson - Minotaur Books

THE KILLER OF LITTLE SHEPHERDS - Douglas Starr - Knopf

Fall 2010 Preview - The Fall is a time for re-birth?

2010-09-22T08:45:00.003-04:00

The leaves are changing faster than I have posted around here. The summer was a hot sweaty mess. And once the final decision was made not to attend the SF B'Con, The Hungry Detective was all at sea. However, there is nothing worse than a blogger complaining about the morass of complacency.

Fall 2010 looks to be fruitful. Everything on the list is a distant second to MOONLIGHT MILE. The return of Mr. Lehane is giving me a panic attack. I am actually being more careful in life lest some horrid accident befall me before November.

Do yourself a favor, find yourself a hammock and read these books! My thanks to Fantastic Fiction and The Bloodstained Bookshelf.

THE HANGING TREE - Bryan Gruley - In stores now!

Mr. Gruley returns with his follow-up to STRAVATION LAKE. I am not along in thinking that Mr. Gruley's first was a winner from the word go. The book has been out a few weeks now, but I'll be looking for this in the coming months.

THE BODY AND THE BLOOD - Michael Lister - September 15th

Mr. Lister's latest appeared a few days ago. I read DOUBLE EXPOSURE earlier this year and have been looking to get back to one of his books. His latest is from his John Jordan series.

THE ADJUSTMENT - Scott Phillips - September 21st

Possibly the best neo-noir writer of the 21st century? I wouldn't know because I have never read any of his stuff... and feel stupid for not doing so.

VOYEUR - Daniel Judson - September 28

Mr. Judson wrote the best thing I read last year, THE VIOLET HOUR. The devotion to Mr. Judson begins NOW!

COLLUSION - Stuart Neville - October 1

Follow up to his hugely successful first book GHOSTS OF BELFAST, Stuart Neville returns to the tortured world of IRA assassin, Gerry Fegan. While I dug the first book I felt that Mr. Neville forgot to kill off the most important person, that being Mr. Fegan. Of course, that would make this sequel slightly more difficult to find believable.

THE REVERSAL - Michael Connelly - October 5

I'm one of the few people who is not entirely sold on Mickey Haller. I certainly enjoyed THE BRASS VERDICT a lot more than THE LINCOLN LAWYER. Why? Bosch. Hard for me to accept any substitute.

MOONLIGHT MILE - Dennis Lehane - November 2

Who do I have to kill to get a copy of this early? Seriously!

CRESCENT DAWN - Clive and Dirk Cussler - Nov 16

THD owes a lot to Mr. Clive Cussler. He was the gateway drug that has lead me to this point. Implausible from page one, but always hugely enjoyable. I will be a fan of Dirk and Al, et.al. to the day The Hungry Detective can no longer read the printed word.

And, of course, there are a number of other books that have piqued the interest of The Hungry Detective.

BURY YOUR DEAD - Louise Penny; ON THE LINE - SJ Rozan; BEAT - Stephen Jay Schwartz; INNOCENT MONSTER - Reed Farrell Coleman; DANGEROUS TO KNOW - Tasha Alexander; THE LAST RUN - Greg Rucka; THE LEFT HANDED DOLLAR - Loren D. Estleman; MR. HOOLIGAN - Ian Vasquez.

Books Received - August 2010

2010-09-01T08:30:00.001-04:00

2010-08-30T23:59:00.001-04:00

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V X Y Z

Shamus 2010 Nominations

2010-08-15T20:47:00.000-04:00

The 2010 PWA Shamus nominations made their appearance last week. And like a lot of things with The Hungry Detective they are pretty late in showing up here.

As in most cases I have read very few of the nominated books. Still I'd love to see Michael Koryta win. THE SILENT HOUR is fantastic.

The Hungry Detective extends our congratulations to all of the nominees and wishes them the best of luck when the awards are handed out at this year's San Francisco B'Con.

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel
THE SILENT HOUR - Michael Koryta - Minotaur
WHERE THE DEAD LAY - David Levien - Doubleday
LOCKED IN - Marcia Muller - Grand Central
SCHEMERS - Bill Pronzini - Forge
MY SOUL TO TAKE - Yrsa Sigurdardottir - William Morrow

Best First P.I. Novel
LOSER'S TOWN - Daniel Depp - Simon & Schuster
THE LAST GIG - Norman Green - Minotaur
THE GOOD SON - Russel D. McLean - Minotaur
FACES OF THE GONE - Brad Parks - Minotaur
CHINATOWN ANGEL - A.E. Roman - Minotaur

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel:
DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE - Raymond Benson - Leisure
SINNER'S BALL - Ira Berkowitz - Three Rivers Press
RED BLOODED MURDER - Laura Caldwell - Mira
VENGEANCE ROAD - Rick Mofina - Mira
BODY BLOWS - Marc Strange - Dundurn

Best P.I. Short Story:
• “THE DARK ISLAND” - Brendan DuBois from Boston Noir, edited by Dennis Lehane; Akashic
• “DEADLINE EDITION” - S.L. Franklin Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, April 2009
• “BLAZIN' ON BROADWAY” - Gary Phillips from Phoenix Noir, edited by Patrick Millikin; Akashic
• “SUICIDE BOND” - Tim L. Williams Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2009
• “JULIUS KATZ” - Dave Zeltserman Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2009

Finally a Reason....

2010-08-13T22:59:00.000-04:00

Out of the loop for so long that I missed this bit of recent greatness. 11.2.10!

Books Received - July 2010

2010-08-01T16:25:00.001-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of July 2010

DEVIL'S TRILL - Gerald Elias - Minotaur Books
VILLIAN - Shuichi Yoshida - Pantheon
THE CHARMING QUIRKS OF OTHERS - Alexander McCall Smith - Pantheon
STRONG ENOUGH TO DIE - Jon Land - Forge Books
STRONG JUSTICE - Jon Land - Forge Books

ONCE A SPY - Review

2010-07-17T11:26:00.000-04:00

Small confession. If you throw the word 'spy' into the title of your novel, I am probably gonna read it. I have two sources for my obsession, neither of them are James Bond. Now, I love James, but I have never mistaken what 007 does for anything remotely resembling real tradecraft. TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY is about the zenith of fictional spy reality. If you have not seen the 6 hour miniseries from the early 80's do yourself a favor and hole up on some rainy Saturday and let Alec Guiness as George Smiley teach you life lessons about spying for Queen and Country. The other source for me is THE SANDBAGGERS. A wonderful ITV show that played in the UK from 1978 to 1980. Both of these are hyper-realistic... or what I imagine to be hyper-realistic... depictions of the work a day world of the counter-intelligence officer. So that is the short story to why Keith Thomson's ONCE A SPY ended up on my plate.

The hook for ONCE A SPY is Alzheimer's. Drummond Clark is the legendary spy who to his family worked simply for an appliance manufacturer. A spy is only as good as the secrets he can keep, and with the encroaching Alzheimer's, Drummond's deteriorating mind is now his greatest threat. Charlie is the ne'er-do-well son who only becomes hip to his father secret life once his father fatally dispatches two CIA assassins and his dad's apartment is blown to bits. Thus begins a frenzied adventure as Charlie tries to keep his father alive for his rare moments of lucidity when Drummond can figure out what exactly it is that could get them both killed.

Keith Thomson certainly has great affection for his two main characters. The father and son dynamic is well worn territory, but the usual resentments and hurt feelings are mostly for naught in ONCE A SPY. Drummond simply does not remember, and to his credit even Charlie realizes it is cruel to remind his father of missed birthday's and the like. Thomson instead turns his attention to the clean slate that is presented before his two characters. Every day, every hour is a second chance for these two guys to get their relationship right. Maybe others will feel differently but I felt the plot was a red-hearing to these finely drawn father and son moments.

I'm burnt out on the thriller so I am not the best judge of anyone's action writing. Perhaps the highest praise I can bestow here is that I never lost sight of the action before me. It is clearly and cleanly written. Perhaps the largest hill to surmount here is Drummond's moments of lucidity conveniently coinciding with the moments of greatest peril for himself and Charlie. This is what fiction does and I never found these moments terribly distracting. As for my preamble ONCE A SPY is more Flemming than le Carre, but it is an enjoyable ride one that I'll take again when Drummond and Charlie's next adventure knocks at my door.

Books Received - June 2010

2010-07-01T08:30:00.001-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of June 2010

CRASHERS - Dana Haynes - Minotaur Books
THE CHILL OF THE NIGHT - James Hayman - Minotaur Books
THE BONE FIRE - Christine Barber - Minotaur Books
THE DROWNING RIVER - Christobel Kent
STILL MISSING - Chevy Stevens - St. Martin's Press
THE PAST IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY - Gianrico Carofiglio - Minotaur Books
THE TILTING HOUSE - Tom Llewellyn - Tricycle Press

Summer Preview - 2010

2010-06-27T08:30:00.002-04:00

My Summer Preview 2010 is almost a week late, but that is ok. Mrs. Hungry Detective had a birthday and it was a gigantic production. Dominoes, 90 degree heat, an art happening, Karaoke, a trip to the emergency room, hitting a deer, driving to Syracuse and the World Cup were all accomplished in 48 hours.

This summer is even more bountiful then it has been in the past. A lot of books caught my eye. There are 22 books here, and that certainly must be a record. I wish I had the time to read them all. If I am lucky 2 or 3 will cross my already full summer reading schedule. As always The Hungry Detective encourages you to buy books!

STRONG JUSTICE - Jon Land - June 22

The long history of the Texas Rangers has always fascinated me. James Lee Burke has put it to effective use in his Billy Bob Holland books. Plus the Rangers have one of the great all-time slogans. One riot, One Ranger. Balls! I guess I should mention that Mr. Land's protagonist is Catlin Strong a 5th generation Texas Ranger... otherwise the above is out of context. STRONG JUSTICE is the second in this series.

SNOWBOUND - Blake Crouch - June 22

I don't know why I classify this guy as a cult writer, but I do. I have only read his first book, DESERT PLACES, and remember enjoying the darkness of it a great deal. He disappeared for a few years before he returned last year with ABANDON. This is his fourth book.

INSIDE OUT - Barry Eisler - June 29

Please raise your hand if you are interested in reading a book by a guy who was once a CIA agent? Of course, if Mr. Eisler worked for the Culinary Institute of America, I'd be into that too.

RUNNING DARK - Jamie Freveletti - June 29

Ms. Freveletti's book was one of the few blind buys I made at last year's B'Con. I have yet to read it primarily because I am enforcing a strict no thrillers clause right now. I plan to get back to RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL shortly, but until then you should still check her out.

FAITHFUL PLACE - Tana French - July 13

I was late to the Tana French parade a couple years ago. I read INTO THE WOOD long after the awards and everyone telling me I should. It is a killer. Best third act in recent memory. Just wonderful. I look forward to her latest. This is one of the big books of the summer for The Hungry Detective

THE GLASS RAINBOW - James Lee Burke - July 13

James Lee Burke is the master. Enough said.

THE GARDEN OF BETRAYAL - Lee Vance - August 3

I know nothing about this book, except that THE GARDEN OF BETRAYAL is a fantastic title! You have to start somewhere and that title certainly has me hooked.

THE VANISHING OF KATHARINA LINDEN - Helen Grant - August 10

I don't know what it is about kidnapping stories that fascinate me so much. I guess maybe because I see kidnapping as the stoppage of time. No really moves forward.

CRIME MACHINE - Giles Blunt - August 10

This looks to be a Canada only release on August 10th. I really loved 40 FOOT OF SORROW, but have yet to make it back to this author. Just because I am lazy doesn't mean you should be too. Trust me, this guy has the goods.

JUDGMENT AND WRATH - Matt Hilton - August 17

Second thriller from this Brit. His first book, DEAD MAN'S DUST, stares at me most days because I happen to face that specific shelf. I have yet to read it, but I was really excited to get this book at the Book Bazaar free for all at the Indy B'Con

YOU - Charles Benoit - September 1

This is Mr. Benoit first YA title. YOU is told in the second person, so 'you' are in fact the hero... or villain... of this book. Mr. Benoit is a Rochester native and he has written three other highly regarded novels.

And as per usual there are a number of Summer release that have my interested piqued.

SAVAGES - Don Winslow; LAYOVER IN DUBAI - Dan Fesperman; SPIES OF THE BALKANS - Alan Furst; THE WOLVES OF FAIRMONT PARK - Dennis Tafoya; THE NIGHT OF LONG KNIVES - Rebecca Cantrell; THE INSPECTOR AND SILENCE - Hakan Nessar; BLIND MAN'S ALLEY - Justin Peacock; THE DEVIL - Ken Bruen; I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE - Laura Lippman; Vermillion Drift - William Kent Krueger;

THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Review

2010-06-17T08:30:00.001-04:00

I don't have the faintest idea of the internal machinations of Northern Ireland over the last 90 years. It is daunting particularly because the events are treated as sacrosanct. What I know falls into whatever THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS, SUNDAY, BLOODY, SUNDAY, HUNGER, and IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER have decided to tell me. It is an overwhelming historical event that intimidates rather than ingratiates the uneducated to come to some half-baked understanding of its causes. I mean is it trite to say that the whole thing is a mess and both sides have blood on their hands?

However, as a cultural and societal phenomenon Northern Ireland and the Troubles are terribly fertile grounds. Stuart Neville tries to tackle the whole bloody mess with THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST. Gerry Fegan is a button man, an assassin. When he was ordered to kill he did so with the understanding that he was helping to bring about a free Northern Ireland. But now it is years later. The younger generation is more interested in designer fashions and Starbucks then a 'free' Northern Ireland. Gerry Fagan is older now too. Truly haunted by the deaths he played a part, he is also under no illusions what his true role was in the struggle. A pawn in a petty contest of egos. Gerry Fagan is done. And for his final act he wants to bring about peace for the souls he took, the ghosts that follow him. He is a bringer of doom and an avenging angel. And if it all wasn't so captivating I would accuse Mr. Neville of wanting it both ways. It is an interesting play by the author as it is easy to see Gerry's retribution only as selfish act to expunge the horror he has created without taking responsibility for his direct involvement. A guilt ridden assassin who somehow forgets to kill the single most important person, himself, in his quest for absolution. It is the big question that is asked but not answered.

One of these days I'll decide if that fatally cripples the book, and the projected series, or not. What Mr. Neville does get right, and in spades, is that people are not just damned for the lies, cheating, stealing, and brutal murders they commit, but mainly they are damned for the corruption of their soul. THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST is a baptism, a rebirth of one man trying to freeing his soul.

2010 Barry Award Nominations

2010-06-13T04:00:00.006-04:00

Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine released their Barry award nominations a few days ago. The winners will be announced at the San Francisco B'Con.

Of course the most curious award is the Mystery/Crime Novel of the Decade. I'm sure I have something to say about it... I just don't know what that might be.

The Hungry Detective extends their congratulations to all of the nominees and wishes them the best of luck.

Best Novel:
THE GATES - John Connolly - Atria
THE HIDDEN MAN - David Ellis - Putnam
SPADE & ARCHER - Joe Gores - Knopf
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart - Minotaur
LOCKED IN - Marcia Muller - Grand Central
SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan - Minotaur

Best First Novel:
BEAT THE REAPER - Josh Bazell - Little, Brown
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte
A TRACE OF SMOKE - Rebecca Cantrell - Forge
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur
Black WATER RISING - Attica Locke - Harper
THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville - Soho Crime

Best British Novel:
AWAKENING - S. J. Bolton - Bantam Press
THE LOVERS - John Connolly - Hodder & Stoughton
MIDNIGHT FUGUE - Reginald Hill - HarperCollins
IF THE DEAD RISE NOT - Philip Kerr - Quercus
STILL MIDNIGHT - Denise Mina - Orion
THE IGNORANCE OF BLOOD - Robert Wilson - HarperCollins

Best Paperback Original:
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster
QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE - Max Allan Collins - Hard Case Crime
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone
THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE - Heather Gutenkauf - Mira
FATAL LIES - Frank Tallis - Mortalis
THE HERRING SELLER'S APPRENTICE - L.C. Tyler - Felony & Mayhem

Best Thriller:
NO SURVIVORS - Tom Cain - Viking
RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL - Jamie Freveletti - Morrow
THE GRAY MAN - Mark Greaney - Jove
COLUMBUS - Derek Haas - Pegasus
HOUSE SECRETS - Mike Lawson - Atlantic Monthly
WALKING DEAD - Greg Rucka - Bantam

Mystery/Crime Novel of the Decade:
THE GUARDS - Ken Bruen - Minotaur
THE LINCOLN LAWYER - Michael Connelly - Little, Brown
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Stieg Larsson - Knopf
MYSTIC RIVER - Dennis Lehane - Morrow
STILL LIFE - Louise Penny - Minotaur
THE SHADOW OF THE WIND - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - Penguin Press

Best Short Story:
“My Mother’s Keeper” - Barbara Callahan - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - June 2009
“Erin’s Journal” - David Dean Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - December 2009
“Real Men Die” - John H. Dirckx (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - September 2009
“The High House Writer” - Brendan DuBois - Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - July-August 2009
“A Hollywood Ending” - Melodie Johnson Howe Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - July 2009
“Hard Blows” - Morley Swingle (from The Prosecution Rests: New Stories About Courtrooms, Criminals, and the Law, edited by Linda Fairstein; Little, Brown)

2010 Macavity Award Nominations

2010-06-12T13:15:00.003-04:00

Mystery Readers International recently announced their 2010 nominations. And like the Barry's and Anthony's the winners will be announced at this year's B'Con in Shake Town.

The Hungry Detective extends their congratulations to all of the nominees and wishes them the best of luck.

Best Mystery Novel
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman - Busted Flush Press
NECESSARY AS BLOOD - Deborah Crombie - Wm. Morrow
NEMESIS - Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett - HarperCollins
THE BRUTAL TELLING - Louise Penny - Minotaur
THE SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan - Minotaur

Best First Mystery Novel
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte
RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL - Jamie Freveletti - Wm. Morrow
A BAD FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur
THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville - Soho Crime
A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE - Malla Nunn - Picador

Best Mystery Nonfiction
L.A. NOIR: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE SOUL OF AMERICA'S MOST SEDUCTIVE CITY - John Buntin - Random House: Harmony Books
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION - P.D. James - Alfred A. Knopf
ROGUE MALES" CONVERSATIONS & CONFRONTATIONS ABOUT THE WRITING LIFE - Craig McDonald - Bleak House Books
THE LINE UP: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives - Otto Penzler, ed. Little, - Brown and Co
PROVENANCE: HOW A CON MAN AND FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART - Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo - Penguin Press
DAME AGATHA'S SHORTS: AN AGATHA CHRISTIE SHORT STORY COMPANION - Elena Santangelo - Bella Rosa Books

Best Mystery Short Story
“Last Fair Deal Gone Down” - Ace Atkins in CROSSROAD BLUES - Busted Flush Press
“Femme Sole” - Dana Cameron in BOSTON NOIR - Akashic Books
“Digby, Attorney at Law” - Jim Fusilli, - AHMM, May 2009
“Your Turn” - Carolyn Hart in TWO OF THE DEADLIEST - Harper
“On the House” - Hank Phillippi Ryan in QUARRY: CRIME STORIES BY NEW ENGLAND WRITERS - Level Best Books
“The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away” - Marcus Sakey in THRILLER 2: STORIES YOU JUST CAN'T PUT DOWN - Mira
“Amapola” - Luis Alberto Urrea in PHOENIX NOIR - Akashic Books

Sue Feder Historical Mystery
A TRACE OF SMOKE - Rebecca Cantrell - Forge
IN THE SHADOW GOTHAM - Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur
A DUTY TO THE DEAD - Charles Todd - Wm. Morrow
SERPENT IN THE THORNS - Jeri Westerson - Minotaur
AMONG THE MAD - Jacqueline Winspear - Henry Holt

2010 Anthony Award Nominations

2010-06-07T08:30:00.020-04:00

Anthony nominations appeared on Friday. Sorry for the delay. All sorts of non-THD things happened on Friday and Saturday to delay me getting this post up in a timely fashion. Sunday, well I was just being lazy. My only concern with the list is the number of repeat Edgar nominees. One in PBO, two for Best Novel, three for Best First Novel, Four for Short Story and Nonfiction. A good book is a good book. And,I am not saying these aren't worthy nominees, just lacking a bit in imagination.

Surprisingly, I have read a good number of them. I'll probably be able to pick of a few more between now and when the awards are handed out at the San Francisco B'Con. Which, unfortunately, I'll be passing up this year. Boo. There is a word that describes having to pay $269 dollars a night for a room, but this is a family blog....

The Hungry Detective extends their congratulations to all of the nominees and wishes them the best of luck.

BEST NOVEL
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart - Minotaur Books
THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH - Charlie Huston - Ballantine Books
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE - Stieg Larsson, translated by Reg Keeland - Quercus/Knopf
THE BRUTAL TELLING - Louise Penny - Minotaur Books
THE SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan - Minotaur Books

BEST FIRST NOVEL
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte Press
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur Books
THE TWELVE/THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville - Harvill Secker/Soho Press
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM - Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur Books

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster]
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman - Busted Flush Press
QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE - Max Allan Collins - Hard Case Crime
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley - Touchstone
DEATH AND THE LIT CHICK - G.M. Malliet Midnight Ink
AIR TIME - Hank Phillippi Ryan - Mira

BEST SHORT STORY
"Last Fair Deal Gone Down" - Ace Atkins, CROSSROAD BLUES - Busted Flush Press
"Femme Sole" - Dana Cameron, BOSTON NOIR - Akashic Books
"Animal Rescue" - Dennis Lehane, BOSTON NOIR - Akashic Books
"On the House" - Hank Phillippi Ryan, QUARRY: Crime Stories by New England Writers - Level Best Books]
"Amapola" - Luis Alberto Urrea, PHOENIX NOIR Akashic Books

BEST CRITICAL NONFICTION WORK
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION - P.D. James - Bodleian Library/Knopf
THE LINE UP: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives - Otto Penzler, ed. Little, - Brown and Co
HAUNTED HEART: The Life and Times of Stephen King - Lisa Rogak - Thomas Dunne Books
DAME AGATHA'S SHORTS: An Agatha Christie Short Story Companion - Elena Santangelo - Bella Rosa Books
THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith - Joan Schenkar - St. Martin's Press

Books Received - May 2010

2010-06-01T08:30:00.001-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of May 2010

AWAKENING - S.J. Bolton - Minotaur Books
BLOOD HARVEST - S.J. Bolton - Minotaur Books
CUT, PASTE, KILL - Marshal Karp - Minotaur Books
THE TERRORIST - Peter Steiner - Minotaur Books
BUY BACK - Brian M. Wiprud - Minotaur Books

THE TOURIST - Review

2010-05-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

CIA Agent Milo Weaver is one hot mess at the beginning of Olen Steinhauer's THE TOURIST. Strung out on a variety of chemical enhancements, Milo is protecting a low level government functionary when everything well and truly falls apart. We spring forward a handful of years where Milo has woman in his life and a young daughter to care for. He has extracted himself from the deepest part of his despair with their help, but like the all the best Crime Fiction the past is a door to your future problems.

Of course, Milo is dragged back down into the shadowy world when an assassin, Milo's rival, turns up inauspiciously in a small town jail. There he weaves a tale of deceit and betrayal at the very heart of the CIA. Concurrently, Milo's boss tells him that a colleague is leaking information to the Chinese. These two events combine to reveal to Milo what a pawn he has been all along.

I mentioned in a previous post that I thought THE TOURIST was a 4/5th masterpiece. But writing this review now I couldn't tell you what was wrong with THE TOURIST if I wanted too. Mr. Steinhauer writes a dense and detailed account of men caught up in their own hubris. Convoluted but never confusing. Mr. Steinhauer is able marry richly detailed characters with a plot that is actually about something on a societal and human level. THE TOURIST succeeds primarily because you feel Mr. Steinhauer putting himself out there to ask questions that have only dark answers. THE NEAREST EXIT is Mr Steinhauer and Milo Weaver's next adventure. The book is out now. If you held off reading his post World War II Eastern Bloc series do your self a gigantic favor and read these books now. The Hungry Detective cannot recommend this book any higher.

THE BLOOD DETECTIVE - Review

2010-05-24T08:30:00.002-04:00

It feels like cheating that Daniel Waddell uses a charming and good looking male protagonist as his lead character. Genealogy never smacks of exciting young men, like Nick Barnes, combing through death notices while simultaneously avoiding being killed. Genealogy is rather left to that frumpish unmarried 60 year old Aunt who has long since mastered the 4-star Sudoku puzzle. But, it is easy to forgive Mr. Waddell in his effort to invigorate a profession that one can not help feel is one step above scrapbooking.

THE BLOOD DETECTIVE succeeds in large part because of its satisfying combination of Police procedural, and historical Crime Novel. I'll admit my weakness to both subsets of the genre. Each here is balanced well, in support of and against the other, to provide a richly detailed work. Mr. Waddell's pace is easy and intuitive. His characters, especially his main creations Nick, Chief Inspector Grant Foster, and Detective Superintendent Heather Jenkins are realistic multidimensional characters. In particular, Nick and Heather have a comfortable repartee that relieves the darker notions of the story. I, for one, found it refreshing to discover a male-female relationship that that did not begin with antagonism masquerading as sexual tension.

As for the historical side of things, THE BLOOD DETECTIVE is wonderfully adventurous in detailing the people and events that exist outside the current story. It could have turned into so much exposition, but Mr. Waddell never always his prose to become complacent. Much of Crime Fiction I have read over the past year or two has been so micro-plotted that the world of these books begins and end between the covers. Now it maybe an easy to fix to place events in the distance past to open up the book, but it is hard to complain at the results in THE BLOOD DETECTIVE. Mr. Waddell understands one of the basic tent poles of Crime Fiction. The past is not just a time and a place, but a living breathing character that is a marvelously uncaring, unfeeling, and unemotional monster that will consume you whole. I certainly feel... easy for me to say... that Mr. Waddell takes up in the fine tradition of Stephen Booth, Val McDermid, and Mark Billingham. Mr. Waddell's second book, BLOOD ATONEMENT is already out, and you should read him just as soon as you can.

Agatha Award Winners - 2010!

2010-05-03T20:30:00.044-04:00

Don't let the date stamp on this post fool you. I am publishing this well after these awards have been given out. However, I posted the nominations for this year's Agatha's, so posting the winners is a just to complete the circle. I have back date the post for reasons of laziness and perceived timeliness.

The Hungry Detective extends their congratulations to winners and nominees alike.

Best Novel
A BRUTAL TELLING - Louise Penny - Minotaur Books

Best First Novel
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley - Delacorte Press

Best Non-Fiction
DAME AGATHA'S SHORT - Elena Santangelo - Bella Rosa Books

Best Short Story
"ON THE HOUSE" - Hank Phillippi Ryan, Quarry - Level Best Books

Best Children's/Young Adult
THE HANGING HILL - Chris Grabenstein - Random House

Books Received - April 2010

2010-05-01T08:30:00.001-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of April 2010.

ONE MAN'S PARADISE - Douglas Corleone - Minotaur Books
THE EDGE OF RUIN - Irene Fleming - Minotaur Books
BRUNO, CHIEF OF POLICE - Martin Walker - Vintage

2010 Edgar Winners: LETS DO THIS THING!!!!!

2010-04-29T22:04:00.002-04:00

Nothing so over as the 2010 Edgar Awards. The Hungry Detective extends their congratulations to all the winners and equally deserving nominees.

My gratitude to Ms. Weinman's twitter reportage. Cheers!

Best Novel
THE LAST CHILD by John Hart - Minotaur Books

Best First Novel by an American Author
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM by Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur Book

Best Paperback Original
BODY BLOWS by Marc Strange - Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries

Best Fact Crime
COLUMBINE by Dave Cullen - Hachette Book Group - Twelve

Best Critical/Biographical
THE LINEUP: THE WORLD'S GREATEST CRIME WRITERS TELL THE INSIDE STORY OF THEIR GREATEST DECTECTIVE edited by Otto Penzler - Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company

Best Short Story
"AMAPOLA" – Phoenix Noir by Luis Alberto Urrea - Akashic Books

Best Juvenile
CLOSED FOR THE SEASON by Mary Downing Hahn - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books

Best Young Adult
REALITY CHECK by Peter Abrahams - HarperCollins Children’s Books – HarperTeen

Best Television Episode Teleplay:
“PLACE OF EXECUTION,” Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson - PBS/WGBH Boston

Edgar 2010 Predictions Spectacular

2010-04-28T08:30:00.002-04:00

What amounts to Crime Fiction Oscar's...although it plays more like the Tony's*.... occurs tomorrow night. I had such high hopes to read more of the Edgar nominees, but this is a yearly lament. I guess in the way of full disclosure is that I don't read all the books nominated. Big surprise, I know. These picks are 80% gut reaction, 15% sense of history, and 5% percent based on some unpronounceable French philosophy.

I do this post for two reasons. First, the analytics bounce is nice for my ego. Two, because it is fun to be right just as much as it is fun to be wrong about these picks. In any case The Hungry Detective extends their congratulations and best wishes to all of the nominees.

I'll post the winners as soon as someone's twitter account tells me.

BEST NOVEL
THE MISSING by Tim Gautreaux - Random House - Alfred A. Knopf
THE ODDS by Kathleen George - Minotaur Books
THE LAST CHILD by John Hart - Minotaur Books
MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH by Charlie Huston - Random House - Ballantine Books
NEMESIS by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett - HarperCollins
A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE by Malla Nunn - Simon & Schuster – Atria Books

Huh. Why MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH? It is a fantastic book and one of the best I read last year. Given Mr. Hart's tremendous success with Edgar it seems a bit foolish, but two time winners are rare. Winning twice in three years even rarer. Second choice would be THE ODDS.

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE by David Cristofano - Grand Central Publishing
STARVATION LAKE by Bryan Gruley - Simon & Schuster - Touchstone
THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf - MIRA Books
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY by Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books
BLACK WATER RISING by Attica Locke - HarperCollins
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM by Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur Book

I have not had much luck picking this category. It seems The Hungry Detective pick is the kiss of death. So sorry Ms. Locke, but I'm sticking with BLACK WATER RISING. Ms. Littlefield or Mr. Gruley are a toss up for second choice.

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
BURY ME DEEP by Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster

HAVANA LUNAR by Robert Arellano - Akashic Books

THE LORD GOD BIRD by Russell Hill - Pleasure Boat Studio – Caravel Books

BODY BLOWS by Marc Strange - Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries
THE HERRING-SELLER'S APPRENTICE by L.C. Tyler - Felony & Mayhem Press

I mentioned before that this category is full of books produced by authors and publishers I was unaware of. I went with Mr. Hill because of the intriguing title of his book and the fact that he was nominated in 2008 for his Hard Case Crime book, ROBBIE'S WIFE. Again this is a case of it being foolish to bet against Ms. Abbott given here track record, but it has to be done. Big risk, for big reward. Second choice is HAVANA LUNAR.

BEST FACT CRIME
COLUMBINE by Dave Cullen - Hachette Book Group - Twelve
GO DOWN TOGETHER: THE TRUE, UNTOLD STORY OF BONNIE AND CLYDE by Jeff Guinn - Simon & Schuster
THE FENCE: A POLICE COVER-UP ALONG BOSTON'S RACIAL DIVIDE by Dick Lehr - HarperCollins
PROVENANCE: HOW A CON MAN AND A FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo - The Penguin Press
VANISHED SMILE: THE MYSTERIOUS THEFT OF MONA LISA by R.A. Scotti - Random House - Alfred A. Knopf

I said previously that rare is the book that comes along and redefines how we see an event. COLUMBINE is that book. I'm sure the others are all fine, but I'll be stunned if Mr. Cullen's book does not win.

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION by P.D. James - Random House - Alfred A. Knopf
THE LINEUP: THE WORLD'S GREATEST CRIME WRITERS TELL THE INSIDE STORY OF THEIR GREATEST DECTECTIVE edited by Otto Penzler - Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company
HAUNTED HEART: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF STEPHEN KING by Lisa Rogak - Thomas Dunne Books

THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH: THE SECRET LIFE AND SERIOUS ART OF PATRICIA HIGHSMITH by Joan Schenkar - St. Martin’s Press

THE STEPHEN KING ILLUSTRATED COMPANION by Bev Vincent - Fall River Press

Two books detailing Mr. King's career lead me to believe that they will cancel each other out. Ms. Schenkar's book is exhaustive in detail and not surprising because of that a bit exhausting to read. I wouldn't be surprised if the Ms. James' primer on Crime Fiction takes the award.

BEST SHORT STORY
"LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN" – Crossroad Blues by Ace Atkins - Busted Flush Press

"FEMME SOLE" – Boston Noir by Dana Cameron - Akashic Books

"DIGBY, ATTORNEY AT LAW" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Jim Fusilli - Dell Magazines
"ANIMAL RESCUE" – Boston Noir by Dennis Lehane - Akashic Books
"AMAPOLA" – Phoenix Noir by Luis Alberto Urrea - Akashic Books

I am big fan of Mr. Atkins' and Mr. Lehane's work. ? Last year I went with Mr. Chercover's short story and was disappointed not to see it win. So this pick is essentially to protect my fragile ego. Mr. Lehane is second choice here.

BEST JUVENILE
THE CASE OF THE CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY by Mac Barnett - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
THE RED BLAZER GIRLS: THE RING OF ROCAMADOUR by Michael D. Beil - Random House Children’s Books – Alfred A. Knopf

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON by Mary Downing Hahn - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books

CREEPY CRAWLY CRIME by Aaron Reynolds - Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
THE CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE by Nancy Springer - Penguin Young Readers Group – Philomel Books

Let's not pretend I know anything about this or the following category. My sister seems to read a lot from these categories, maybe she should be handicapping this section?

BEST YOUNG ADULT

REALITY CHECK by Peter Abrahams - HarperCollins Children’s Books – HarperTeen

IF THE WITNESS LIED by Caroline B. Cooney - Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press
THE MORGUE AND ME by John C. Ford - Penguin Young Readers Group – Viking Children’s Books
PETRONELLA SAVES NEARLY EVERYONE by Dene Low - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books
SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell - Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press

Actually a little hard not to pick PETRONELLA SAVES NEARLY EVERYONE. What a fantastic title! I mean serious who does she save? And who doesn't she save?

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
“PLACE OF EXECUTION,” Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson - PBS/WGBH Boston
“STRIKE THREE” – The Closer, Teleplay by Steven Kane - Warner Bros TV for TNT
“LOOK WHAT HE DUG UP THIS TIME” – Damages, Teleplay by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman - FX Networks
“GRILLED” – Breaking Bad, Teleplay by George Mastras - AMC/Sony

“LIVING THE DREAM” – Dexter, Teleplay by Clyde Phillips - Showtime

Season 4 of DEXTER really was quite special.... especially after a lackluster third.... sorry Jimmy Smits. Second choice is whichever LAW AND ORDER episode is nominated. What? There is no LAW AND ORDER episode nominated? Still LAW AND ORDER is my second choice here. I'm predicting a write-in.

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD
"A DREADFUL DAY" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Dan Warthman - Dell Magazines

GRAND MASTER
Dorothy Gilman

RAVEN AWARDS
Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Zev Buffman, International Mystery Writers’ Festival

ELLERY QUEEN AWARD
Poisoned Pen Press (Barbara Peters & Robert Rosenwald)

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
AWAKENING by S.J. Bolton - Minotaur Books
CAT SITTER ON A HOT TIN ROOF by Blaize Clement - Minotaur Books
NEVER TELL A LIE by Hallie Ephron - HarperCollins – William Morrow

LETHAL VINTAGE by Nadia Gordon - Chronicle Books

DIAL H FOR HITCHCOCK by Susan Kandel - HarperCollins

(*I almost wrote CableACE awards instead of the Tony's, but I didn't want to be that dismissive or mean spirited. I do find it funnier though.)

Happy Birthday Crime Fiction

2010-04-20T08:30:00.004-04:00

WooHoo! Look who is 169 years old. Have a great day! (Standard Facebook post on Birthdays.)

Edgar Allan Poe's THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE was published on this date, in 1841. (Hat tip to the Writers Almanac.) I don't have much planned, but today helps clarify what I have been thinking about for the last year or so. And that is Crime Fiction is looking every one of its 169 years. Maybe I'm not reading the right books, maybe I'm being too hard on Crime Fiction? I am sure there are some who see this period as a new Golden Age. God Bless you if you do. But as someone who is entering their third decade as a Crime Fiction reader, I am beginning to be overwhelmed by the level of mediocrity. There have been a handful of books in the recent past that have been praised into the ground, that ultimately I have had the misfortune to read. Even my stable of proven authors has fallen on tough times in the eyes of this reader. Is my taste level this off? Am I too swayed by the hyperbolic dust jacket pull quote? Worse yet, is this blog interfering with my enjoyment?

I'll admit I am my worst enemy. I have three categories; great, good, and garbage. Now very few fall into the 'garbage' category, and even fewer fall into the 'great' category. I can think of only 1 recent read that flirts shamelessly with that category. So that leaves the 'good' category to swallow up a much of what I read. And lately 'good' is not cutting it. Safe, pedestrian reads with predictably emotionally conflicted characters in paint by numbers plotting describe too much of what I have been reading. I like to reward good solid writing even if I don't connect with the book, but with many of these novels nothing resonates, nothing lasts. The only success in most books is the act of completion by the author, and is that really succeeding at anything?

So what is the point of this post? Not much really, but The Hungry Detective is coming to understand on all levels what it means when people say they can't see the forest through the trees.

GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER - Review

2010-04-14T08:30:00.001-04:00

Wallace Stroby's unfortunately titled third novel is GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER. Unfortunate because of the Wyclef Jean song from a handful of years ago was a bit of a running joke amongst my friends. Indeed, when Mrs. Hungry Detective saw the dust jacket she separately remarked about the title choice. Now this should not matter if I am reviewing a book, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't.

My inability to act professionally aside in its own small way GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER is quite good. I say 'small way' because like much of the Crime Fiction I have read over the last 18-24 month GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER suffers from a crippling lack of gravitas.

Mr. Stroby is gifted with his characters. His twin protagonist, Sara the Deputy Sheriff and Morgan the aged Hitman make for a compelling dichotomy of conflict. Sara is a single mother with a very sick son and Morgan has cancer. Both are more than prepared to protect what is there's. Stroby never moralizes about Morgan's poor life choices and he never allows Sara to become the saintly selfless mother. They are believable, fallible, and human. By the end end you have hope for the both of them.

What works less well is the uninspired plot that involves Jersey gangsters, chasing after missing drug and gun money in Florida. Although it is more apt to call GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER a thriller, the central mystery never takes off. The action is rote, and the final showdown never engages or surprises.

I feel a lot of authors have been drinking the 'Character is King' Flavor-Aid as of late. And with that in mind GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER is lovely and heartbreaking at times. It is just too bad that these characters are stuck in a story that goes nowhere.

Books Received - March 2010

2010-04-01T08:30:00.004-04:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of March 2010.

HAZARD - Gardiner Harris - Minotaur Books
DOWN TO THE WIRE - David Rosenfelt - Minotaur Books
WATER HAZARD - Dan Dahler - Minotaur Books
FLIPPING OUT - Marshall Karp - Minotaur Books
THE BURYING PLACE - Brian Freeman - Minotaur Books
SHAM ROCK - Ralph McInerny - Minotaur Books

Spring Preview 2010

2010-03-21T08:30:00.004-04:00

Spring is about to be sprung on the unsuspecting masses of the Midwest and East coast who will enjoy the 6 hours of nice weather before it all turns to an insufferable sweltering Summer heat.

I might have done this in the past, but The Hungry Detective would like to thank Fantastic Fiction and the Bloodstained Bookshelf for being the primarily resources from which this list is drawn up. Cheers, mates!

EXPIRATION DATE - Duane Swierczynski - March 30
I mentioned this in my Winter Preview as well. I dig most of what Duane has written so I don't have a problem giving EXPIRATION DATE another plug. Read this dude!

INFAMOUS - Ace Atkins - April 15
Baby Face Nelson is the focus of Mr. Atkins next reality based fiction. I really thought the WHITE SHADOW was one of the finest things I read in 2009. It reminds me that I need to get back to WICKED CITY and DEVIL'S GARDEN.

THE THIRD RAIL - Michael Harvey - April 20
Chicago. What are you gonna do? I'm a sucker for this place. Funny, but as a 'real' place which I have visited on several occasions, I have never warmed up to the city.

THE GOD OF THE HIVE - Laurie R. King - April 27
I am down a couple books in this series, but I always look forward to a new Mary Russell.

DIE TWICE - Andrew Grant - May 11
EVEN was one of the bigger debuts of 2009. I resisted that book at every turn, and without a real reason I might add.

HOUSE OF SECRET - Richard Hawke - May 11
I have not read this guy in a long time. And when I did his name was Tim Cockey. I have not read any of the previous novel written under the Richard Hawke pen name. Mr. Cockey was one of the few comedic Crime Fiction writers that has produced at a consistently high level. The 'Hawke' books always looked a bit more serious.

THE NEAREST EXIT - Olen Steinhauer - May 11
Just finished THE TOURIST and it is a flat out 4/5 masterpiece. That right, 4/5 masterpiece. I have a couple reservations, but glad I have finally gotten on board with this author.

JUNKYARD DOG - Craig Johnson - May 27
Like Mr. Steinhauer, here is another author I inexplicably put of reading. JUNKYARD DOG is the 6th book in the Walt Longmire series. Usually when I am this far behind in a series I don't even try to catch up. But, I read THE COLD DISH last year and loved it. I'm sure the effort to read everything will be richly rewarding.

SPIES OF THE BALKANS - Alan Furst - June 15
Mr. Furst's book are not big on action. But they are exciting never the less. His book's are slow reads that reveal them self with Mr. Furst's exacting detail. Great, great stuff.

And the best of the rest.... KNOWN TO EVIL - Walter Mosley; STILL MIDNIGHT - Denise Mina; NOWHERE TO RUN - C.J. Box; ONE WAS A SOLDIER - Julia Spencer-Fleming; THE NIGHT WATCHMAN - Mark Mynheir; DEAD IN THE WATER - Meredith Cole; A CURTAIN FALLS - Stephanie Pintoff

Thomas Kaufman Interview

2010-03-15T08:30:00.005-04:00

The Hungry Detective is very pleased to present an interview with Thomas Kaufman. Mr. Kaufaman's first book, DRINK THE TEA was released on March 2nd. It was the winner of the PWA Best First Private Eye Novel competition. Mr. Kaufman is now traveling to bookshops in support of his first effort.

DRINK THE TEA introduces us to Willis Gidney. Parent-less from an early age Willis uses skills honed on the street in his youth to now work as a PI. Keeping him from straying to far over the line is his foster father Shadrack Davies, a Captain in the DC Police force. Willis is called to look for the missing daughter of close friend and jazz musician Steps Jackson. Willis accepts the hard luck case with little hope of finding an answer. But soon after finding a woman who might be the missing girl's mother, the woman turns up dead, and the police only have one suspect, Willis.

The Hungry Detective: What about your first book, DRINK THE TEA, compelled you to write it?

Thomas Kaufman: I blame the airline industry. Seriously, I'm thinking of suing them. They lock me in their airplanes for hours at a time. You can only stare vacantly into space for so long. Besides, writing is a kind of sickness, and I got it bad from riding airplanes. So I decided to use the time and write the kind of book I like to read.

I started reading detective fiction when I was eighteen and a freshman at USC Film school. My school friend (and now film director) Willard Carroll turned me on to FAREWELL, MY LOVELY. I read all of Chandler, Hammett, Horace McCoy, Cornell Woolrich, graduating to Richard Stark (Donald Westlake). So I have real love of this type of story. There's a lot you can do within the form, and writing inside a genre really appeals to me. All the writers that come before you are your teachers. I've had great teachers.

THD: Willis Gidney is your somewhat reluctant PI. What obligates him to help people? Specifically in DRINK THE TEA, why does Willis help Steps Jackson look for his daughter?

TK: Willis is a great guy, but he does have some issues. In DRINK THE TEA, he deals with abandonment and loss. Willis grows up fatherless until police Captain Shadrack Davies comes along. So family is something Willis has never had. When his friend Steps learns of a missing daughter – one he never knew he had – Willis is compelled to help Steps find her.

Steps gives Willis no information about the missing daughter, it's really an impossible case, and Gidney knows this going in. But he can't walk away from trying to help a friend get a family, even if he can't.

THD: Steps has been an 'unknowing' absent father. How does this drive the story?

TK: Steps Jackson is a composite of several jazz musicians I've met. He's intelligent, articulate, well-dressed. But he's single and on the road. I know a lot of people in the film and video business that are like that. As they age they think about a family, and their not having one. For someone like that, the prospect of finding an adult daughter must be irresistible. But you know nothing of the daughter, what kind of person she is or how she'll react to someone like Steps.

It's Gidney's own background that makes him take the case.

THD: Washington DC is a Den of Thieves or Bastion of Democracy, Willis Gidney also calls it home. As the author, what about Washington attracts you to this setting?

TK: Oh, everything, I guess. It's a city of contrasts, and a city that contains its own contradictions. The juxtaposition of Congress and the city of Washington, DC where 800,000 people live and work and go to school and to church – I mean, we're talking about people who pay the highest taxes in the US and have no representation in Congress. How messed up is that?

I could give you a lot of factoids about DC, but you have to go into the neighborhoods near the Capitol. In the trailer for DRINK THE TEA we shot on Pennsylvania avenue a shot of the Capitol dome as a time lapse shot, it's kind of a beauty shot. Then the next shot is on North Capitol street. It's funky. You're still spitting distance from the Capitol, but around you are enormous KFCs with blue sodium lights on outer space stalks, and Big Ben's Liquor and enormous Exxon stations. It's not a tourist hang-out. The image now is hand-held, long-lens of a lone man (Willis?) crossing a bridge with the Capitol behind him. Those two shots, to me, illustrate the juxtaposition I'm talking about.

(By the way, the second shot of the dome is close in location to the one by Caleb Deschanel of Peter Sellers in BEING THERE).

THD: You have been a successful Cinematographer for a number years. Your work in film has been mainly in the Documentary form. How does your film work inform your writing?

TK: I have the best job in the world. I learn new things all the time, and I get to play with cool gear like the RED camera. Yesterday I was shooting a PBS Frontline for producer Daniel Edge about returning Iraq war veterans. We interviewed a four-star general at the Pentagon, and got some documentary footage at a local gun shop. The day before I was filming for Planned Parenthood, and the day before that a political spot. So there's lots of variety, and lots of types of shooting

I also shoot dramatic pieces. It's fun working with actors. I had a good time in the trailer for DRINK THE TEA.

THD: Where does DRINK THE TEA find its inspiration? In your work as a Cinematographer? Other films? Other books? Real life?

TK: Real life. I was at a Mexican restaurant in LA with a white guy friend and a Latina friend. The three of us were in our early 20's, and she was a successful young woman. The first in her family to graduate college. Our waitress was also early 20's and Latina. For some reason, my friend was mean, maybe just a tad cruel to this waitress for no reason whatsoever. I thought, what would make a person do that? It intrigued me and formed the seed idea.

But I see so much of life through a viewfinder, it affects the way I write. I tend to see the scenes, visualize them, and the characters are actors within those scenes.

THD: What is next for you?

TK: SON OF AN ELEPHANT, the second Willis Gidney novel, is in Senior Editor Ruth Cavin's capable hands. I think if TEA does well, Ruth will want to print ELEPHANT.

I've just posted a video trailer on my website, www.thomaskaufman.com Meanwhile I'm hanging out on Facebook, my blog, and twitter. By the way, who will be the first to write an epistolary novel consisting solely of Tweets? It's shameful to even ponder such a heinous deed.

The Hungry Detective wishes to extend our best wishes and thanks to Mr. Kaufman. As I mentioned he is now on tour with DRINK THE TEA. He will be Mystery Bookstore in Los Angeles on March 16th, and The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale on the 17th of March. Check him out.

THE GOOD SON - Review

2010-03-06T08:30:00.001-05:00

About a year ago I heard that Russel McLean's first novel had been released in paper in the UK. The Scottish born author keeps a fairly entertaining blog, and has until now been known for his short fiction. His first book THE GOOD SON has now been released here in the States.

McNee was a copper. His wife, his father-in-law, and McNee were in a car accident 9 months ago. McNee seriously hurt his leg, but his wife lost her life. The father-in-law blames McNee, but then again so does he. In McNee we follow him as he picks up the pieces of his life and sublimates his desire for redemption in unraveling the misery of others. McNee has gone private, and as THE GOOD SON begins James Robertson asks McNee to look into the recent suicide of his brother who Robertson hadn't seen in 30 years until he discovered his body with a noose around his neck.

So what works especially well about THE GOD SON is the lived in quality of Mr. McLean's prose. A big problem with much of the Crime Fiction I have read over the last few years is the heavy handed approach to plot, character, and setting . Things are happening, but only because the writers says so. Yes, it is fiction and everything is a construct, but a good author should be able to draw you organically into the story. To Mr. McLean's credit he has a gentle hand. Of course this praise is tempered with the feeling that THE GOOD SON suffers from a lack of reach. Yes, THE GOOD SON is well written, but I've read something like this before. The story feels worn and lacking in inspiration. The prose is never lazy, but never soars. It is a first novel, and I hope the next one just takes a few more chances.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE - Review

2010-03-03T08:30:00.000-05:00

In amongst the false starts and partially finished ideas are a few posts that don't quite make it to the 'Publish' button. This review of Michael Lister's intriguing DOUBLE EXPOSURE is one of them.

Built into the budget of Bouchercon is some amount of money for books that until I cross the threshold of the Convention floor I have no idea I will be buying. I made two of these purchases, and for the purposes of this review the most important one was Michael Lister's DOUBLE EXPOSURE. As with most of these purchases I had no idea who Michael Lister was let alone that his is a writer of Crime Fiction. That was until Michael Koryta asked Michael Connelly at the Guest of Honor interview if Mr. Connelly had read anything recently that he really liked. Of course he said Michael Lister's DOUBLE EXPOSURE. And, of course, I spent the balance of B'Con finding a copy.

Stylistically, DOUBLE EXPOSURE is unlike any Crime Novel I have read in... well... forever. I can short circuit a number of adverbs and adjectives and can call the style of Mr. Lister's book poetry. Of course saying this conjures up a bunch images, not all good. Flowery language that only hints at their true meaning, brain twisting metaphors, and of course depression. But, let's stop right there. Mr. Lister's prose poetry is a hammer. Immediate without false meaning or evasion. It cuts you to the quick, and challenges the reader to keep up with the spartan prose. The writing of DOUBLE EXPOSURE maybe economical, but every character, every setting, every progression of the plot is as rich, full and powerful as if he had included all of those adverbs and adjectives. Mr. Lister's is not so much writing a story as engaging the reader to come with him on this journey. DOUBLE EXPOSURE is written as a third person narrative, but that is incidental. It reads as a second person narrative challenging the reader at every step. What choice would make? How would survive on the run in the Florida swamps? Do you choose yourself? Do choose those you love? And is surviving actually living? Mr Lister is certainly an author to watch, read, and savor.

Books Received - February 2010

2010-03-01T08:30:00.002-05:00

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from publishers or their associated marketing agencies.

These books were received in the month of February 2010.

THE LAST CHILD - John Hart - Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books
NINETEEN EIGHTY THREE - David Pearce - Vintage
SPADE & ARCHER - Joe Gores - Vintage

Agatha Nominations 2010

2010-02-18T21:09:00.005-05:00

The Agatha nominations made their appearance tonight. The Hungry Detective has been known to read a Cozy-Traditional just not frequently. I got my start in Crime Fiction reading Cozy-Traditional. I followed the lead of my sister who I suspect has little clue that I owe a lot of interest in Crime Fiction to her. (Thanks Jen!)

I'll be rooting for Ms. Barrett and Ms. Bork as they are local Rochester writers. THD is pretty bad at supporting local writers, so with that in mind I'll have to give BOOKPLATE SPECIAL and FOR BETTER FOR MURDER a go... and so should you.

Awards are handed out at Malice Domestic. The Hungry Detective extents their well wishes to all the nominees.

Best Novel:
Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews - St. Martin’s Minotaur
Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett - Berkley Prime Crime
Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen - Berkley Prime Crime
A Brutal Telling by Louise Penny - Minotaur Books
Air Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan - MIRA

Again, I'll be pulling for Ms. Barrett. But I have to believe that this horse race between Ms. Bowen and Ms. Penny.

Best First Novel:
For Better For Murder by Lisa Bork - Midnight Ink
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley - Delacorte Press
Posed for Murder by Meredith Cole - St. Martin’s Minotaur
The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth Duncan - St. Martin’s Press
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur Books

This is as strong a field as I have ever seen for a Best First Novel since I have been paying attention. Ms. Pintoff also has an Edgar nomination, but like others, I think this goes to Mr. Bradley.

Best Non-Fiction:
Duchess of Death by Richard Hack - Phoenix Books
Talking About Detective Fiction by P.D. James - Knopf
Blood on the Stage by 1925-1950 by Amnon Kabatchnik (Scarecrow Press)
Dame Agatha’s Shorts by Elena Santangelo - Bella Rosa Books
The Talented Miss Highsmith by Joan Schenkar - St. Martin’s Press

Best Short Story:
“Femme Sole” by Dana Cameron, Boston Noir - Akashic Books
“Handbaskets, Drawers and a Killer Cold” by Kaye George, Crooked ezine
“The Worst Noel” by Barb Goffman, The Gift of Murder - Wolfmont Press
“On the House” by Hank Phillippi Ryan, Quarry - Level Best Books
“Death Will Trim Your Tree” by Elizabeth Zelvin, The Gift of Murder - Wolfmont Press

Best Children's/Young Adult:
The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford - Viking Juvenile
The Hanging Hill by Chris Grabenstein - Random House
The Case of the Poisoned Pig by Lewis B. Montgomery - Kane Press
The Other Side of Blue by Valerie O. Patterson - Clarion Books
The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer - Philomel

Anyone else creeped out by the fact that all the book titles start with 'The?' Anyone?

Dick Francis - Goodnight Good Sir

2010-02-14T20:36:00.013-05:00

GUTSHOT STRAIGHT - Review

2010-02-06T11:00:00.002-05:00

Prominently mentioned in a few places is that Lou Berney's GUTSHOT STRAIGHT reads like early Elmore Leonard. So no pressure Mr. Berney. The only thing riding on whether I like this book is if it compares to who many think is the greatest living Crime Fiction writer of all time.

I get it. The review/blurb is only trying to associate Mr. Berney with Mr. Leonard, so that the reader will be able to make an informed decision; 'I like Elmore Leonard so let me give this guy a try.' But the unfortunate consequence for this reader is that I found it difficult to divorce myself from the constant checklist running in my head. Affable ex-con with rakish looks? Check Not so tough as nails heroine? Check. Loose collection of bad guy thugs who register pretty high on the stupid and cruel meter? Check. Witty back and forth between hero/heroine/thugs? Check.

It was frustrating and distracting and for about the first 80 pages I didn't think GUTSHOT STRAIGHT was going to be anything more than a diverting parrot. The gears were really grinding as we set up the characters and plot. The book needed a swift kick in the pants. Luckily, around the time Mr. Berney introduces that most well worn of narrative plot devices, 100 foreskins, the best thing started to happen. I started to laugh, and continued to do so until the book's conclusion. The interplay between 'Shake' and Gina falls into an easy rhythm. They are both enjoyable characters who are biding their time until the lesser angels of their nature appear to burn the other. From Shake and Gina's perspective it is just damn annoying that each likes the other so much.

Lou Berney writes with a lot of charm. GUTSHOT STRAIGHT is a romp, one with a lot of laughs. If not exactly the most original, one can certainly enjoy a well told comedic crime story.