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Warren C. Easley is a Poisoned Pen Press author whose latest Cal Claxton Oregon Mystery, Moving Targets, was the subject of a recent review in Bookreporter.com. You can find Roz Shea’s review here. https://bit.ly/2P0LRUJ

Easley’s books, including signed copies of Moving Targets, are available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2PHMRdO

Here’s the description of Moving Targets.

“With Moving Targets, Warren Easley delivers another humdinger of a tale featuring the City of Roses. But there’s so much more to like about this story than just its evocative Portland setting. Cal Claxton is a guy worth rooting for, and the gang who aid him in solving the complex and dangerous mystery involved are a fun bunch to follow. If you’re not familiar with these gems out of Oregon, now’s the perfect time to give Warren Easely and Cal Claxton a try. You won’t be disappointed.” –William Kent Krueger, award-winning, bestselling author of Ordinary Grace and the Cork O’Connor series

When a young woman walks into Caffeine Central, Cal Claxton’s law office in downtown Portland, he has no idea that agreeing to help her will turn his life upside down. His new client is the adopted daughter – “I’m brown and they’re white” – of a Portland power couple famed for their real estate development firm and charitable work.

Sculptor Angela Wingate, once a wild child, and her recently widowed mother, Margaret, had grown close after years of estrangement. A grieving Angela is hesitant but nonetheless determined to learn if Margaret’s recent death was a hit-and-run while out on her morning jog in her ritzy neighborhood, or something more – like murder. Angela is frustrated at the lagging police investigation and by her growing sense of something sinister at work.

As the ever-curious Cal begins to poke the principal players at Wingate Properties and to question Margaret’s will, links surface between a lucrative riverfront project and a ruthless Russian ring. With a possible deadly foreign assassin in play, the threat level rises and the body count starts to grow.

Decidedly outgunned, Cal enlists his Cuban friend Nando, an enterprising investigator with an on-call hacker, and a bouncer at a strip club who knows the Russian underworld. And Cal gradually develops other allies – a skeptical police captain and a city councilwoman who opposes the massive riverfront project. In a separate battle, he recruits neighbors and officials who may help him kill the reboot of a quarry operation that threatens his beloved farmhouse home in rural Dundee, a loss that would also be tragic for his beloved dog, Archie.

Beneath this story run the narratives of several strong women connected to Cal who are learning just how powerful they can be as they change up their lives.

Kate Morton’s latest novel, The Clockmaker’s Daughter, is the current Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. You can order Morton’s other books, or a signed copy of The Clockmaker’s Daughter, through the Web Store.  https://bit.ly/2RUoY4c

Here’s the description of The Clockmaker’s Daughter.

A rich, spellbinding new novel from the author of The Lake House—the story of a love affair and a mysterious murder that cast their shadow across generations, set in England from the 1860s until the present day.

My real name, no one remembers.
The truth about that summer, no one else knows.

In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins.

Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river.

Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?

Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a story of murder, mystery, and thievery, of art, love, and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter.

Laurie R. King, author of the Mary Russell books, recently traveled in Europe with Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen. Barbara passed on King’s account of their trip from the News & Nonsense newsletter. You’ll probably be as envious as I am.

Hello all—I’m home again! And instead of looking out my window and seeing this— Or this— I look at this— Yeah, that view is a real hardship, right? Five weeks away, with a week in England followed by Bucharest, then a river trip up the Danube, ending in Budapest, and a drive to Vienna, and a couple days in Monaco before returning to family in England and then home. During which I saw history from the Mesolithic To the Roman (Lots of Roman) And Medieval pausing to visit the Belle Epoque before descending into the Communist era’s art And architecture and venturing into the modern(ish) With fascinating places that mixed all the eras, styles, and purposes into a palimpsest of centuries I also discovered a million ideas I’d never suspected.  Among other things, that they’re big on honey there in Serbia and Romania… I saw hives lined up along the river and honey for sale—in shops, outdoor markets, along the roadside Hive art appeared on buildings and posters and…in a tasting. (The yellowish pollen mix was okay, but that with toasted sesame was amazing!) And in case you’re wondering, now that my feet are back on Californian soil, I’m about to wander around for some events.  Such as MWA NorCal’s upcoming Mystery Week—where I’ll be— Emceeing for Noir at the Bar In conversation with Ellen Kirschman at the Belmont Library And on the Santa Cruz panel And on December 8, in Scottsdale with my good buddies Les Klinger and Dana Stabenow to celebrate Dana’s novel, Death of an Eye,  and our new collection It’s out in December—you can pre-order a signed copy from The Poisoned Pen, or from your local Indie bookshop, or Barnes & Noble, or Amazon. Thanks for following me on this amazing journey, and as we look towards the end of a largely chaotic and difficult year, may you be blessed with unexpected beauty waiting to be discovered, sometimes beneath your very feet.

Laurie R. King’s website is https://laurierking.com/

King’s books can be found in the Poisoned Pen’s Web Store. https://bit.ly/2yDn27l

Are you a fan of noir? Los Angeles is the setting for so many crime novels that fit that description. Now, Ross MacDonald and Gal Beckerman have put together a map and listing of nine novels, “Mapping Out Where Noir Lives in the City of Angels” in a recent New York Times article. https://nyti.ms/2CdeuYf

Check the Poisoned Pen’s Web Store for the books mentioned. https://store.poisonedpen.com

And, if you’re in the store, talk to Patrick Millikin about books if you’re looking for noir.

The headline of Tina Jordan’s article in The New York Times is “A Bubbling Caldron of Witches, Daemons and Vampires.” https://nyti.ms/2NNGWXm The “Inside the List” article addresses Deborah Harkness’ latest bestseller, Time’s Convert.

Harkness appears at The Poisoned Pen on Wednesday, October 17 at 7 PM to discuss and sign Time’s Convert. If you can’t make it, you can still order a signed copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2CIl0Y2

Here’s the summary of Time’s Convert.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches, a novel about what it takes to become a vampire.

On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire. But his transformation is not an easy one and the ancient traditions and responsibilities of the de Clermont family clash with Marcus’s deeply held beliefs in liberty, equality, and brotherhood.

Fast-forward to contemporary Paris, where Phoebe Taylor–the young employee at Sotheby’s whom Marcus has fallen for–is about to embark on her own journey to immortality. Though the modernized version of the process at first seems uncomplicated, the couple discovers that the challenges facing a human who wishes to be a vampire are no less formidable than they were in the eighteenth century. The shadows that Marcus believed he’d escaped centuries ago may return to haunt them both–forever.

A passionate love story and a fascinating exploration of the power of tradition and the possibilities not just for change but for revolution, Time’s Convert channels the supernatural world-building and slow-burning romance that made the All Souls Trilogy instant bestsellers to illuminate a new and vital moment in history, and a love affair that will bridge centuries.

Heather Graham has so many published books, there are ten pages in the Web Store under her name. https://bit.ly/2ybSUAA

Although she’s written twenty-six books in her popular Krewe of Hunter series, books that feature a special FBI unit that deals with possible paranormal involvement in crimes, she has many other books.

If you’re a fan of Graham’s, or haven’t yet discovered her, Elizabeth Crowan’s article in Black Gate is an excellent introduction to a fascinating author. You might want to check it out. https://bit.ly/2Ps6039

While Joanne Fluke’s latest mystery is Christmas Cake Murder, it was Raspberry Danish Murder that caught the eye of writer Brittany Ross. Ross discusses Fluke’s series, in great detail in the article “Highly Recommended: Pastry Murder Mysteries” for Eater, https://bit.ly/2PpFzuP.  Of course, because Joanne Fluke appears at The Poisoned Pen, you can order her books, including signed copies of Christmas Cake Murder, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2o5JYqA

Here’s the summary of Christmas Cake Murder.

It’s Christmas many years ago, and topping young Hannah Swensen’s wish list is becoming the go-to baker in Lake Eden, Minnesota. But as Hannah finds out, revisiting holiday memories can be 
murder . . .
 
With her dream of opening The Cookie Jar taking shape, Hannah’s life matches the hectic December hustle and bustle in Lake Eden—especially when she agrees to help recreate a spectacular Christmas Ball from the past in honor of Essie Granger, an elderly local in hospice care. But instead of poring over decadent dessert recipes for the merry festivities, she instantly becomes enthralled by Essie’s old notebooks and the tale of a woman escaping danger on the streets of New York. Hannah’s surprised by Essie’s secret talent for penning crime fiction. She’s even more surprised when the story turns real. As Hannah prepares to run a bakery and move out of her mother’s house, it’ll be a true miracle if she can prevent another Yuletide disaster by solving a mystery as dense as a Christmas fruitcake . . .

Unfortunately, you just missed Lou Berney at The Poisoned Pen. But, his latest book, November Road, is the Hot Book of the Week. You can still order a signed copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2DeTAtJ

This is one of the hottest books of the season. You do want to own it. In fact, it’s just been acquired for a film adaptation. https://bit.ly/2PowqTu    Read it now! Here’s the summary:

Set against the assassination of JFK, a poignant and evocative crime novel that centers on a desperate cat-and-mouse chase across 1960s America—a story of unexpected connections, daring possibilities, and the hope of second chances from the Edgar Award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone.

Frank Guidry’s luck has finally run out.

A loyal street lieutenant to New Orleans’ mob boss Carlos Marcello, Guidry has learned that everybody is expendable. But now it’s his turn—he knows too much about the crime of the century: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Within hours of JFK’s murder, everyone with ties to Marcello is turning up dead, and Guidry suspects he’s next: he was in Dallas on an errand for the boss less than two weeks before the president was shot. With few good options, Guidry hits the road to Las Vegas, to see an old associate—a dangerous man who hates Marcello enough to help Guidry vanish.

Guidry knows that the first rule of running is “don’t stop,” but when he sees a beautiful housewife on the side of the road with a broken-down car, two little daughters and a dog in the back seat, he sees the perfect disguise to cover his tracks from the hit men on his tail. Posing as an insurance man, Guidry offers to help Charlotte reach her destination, California. If she accompanies him to Vegas, he can help her get a new car.

For her, it’s more than a car— it’s an escape. She’s on the run too, from a stifling existence in small-town Oklahoma and a kindly husband who’s a hopeless drunk.

It’s an American story: two strangers meet to share the open road west, a dream, a hope—and find each other on the way.

Charlotte sees that he’s strong and kind; Guidry discovers that she’s smart and funny. He learns that’s she determined to give herself and her kids a new life; she can’t know that he’s desperate to leave his old one behind.

Another rule—fugitives shouldn’t fall in love, especially with each other. A road isn’t just a road, it’s a trail, and Guidry’s ruthless and relentless hunters are closing in on him. But now Guidry doesn’t want to just survive, he wants to really live, maybe for the first time.

Everyone’s expendable, or they should be, but now Guidry just can’t throw away the woman he’s come to love.

And it might get them both killed.

*****

If you missed the event at The Poisoned Pen, you can still read my Q&A with Lou Berney. https://bit.ly/2OKA50V

Tana French, author of the Dublin Murder Squad series, is hot right now with her standalone psychological novel, The Witch Elm. Janet Maslin raves about the book in The New York Times, https://nyti.ms/2CwYIZh. Molly Odintz interviews French at CrimeReads, https://bit.ly/2OjewFj. And, of course you can order The Witch Elm through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2OfmU8p

Here’s the summary of The Witch Elm, Tana French’s first standalone novel.

Named a best book of the fall by Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, Elle,Amazon, PopSugar, The Millions, LitHub, and Parade

A brilliant new work of suspense from “the most important crime novelist to emerge in the past 10 years.” (Washington Post)

From the writer who “inspires cultic devotion in readers” (The New Yorker) and has been called “incandescent” by Stephen King, “absolutely mesmerizing” by Gillian Flynn, and “unputdownable” (People), comes a gripping new novel that turns a crime story inside out.

Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who’s dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life – he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family’s ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden – and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed.

A spellbinding standalone from one of the best suspense writers working today, The Witch Elm asks what we become, and what we’re capable of, when we no longer know who we are.