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Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey mysteries have been nominated for Agatha and Dilys Awards. She writes historical mysteries, Gothic thrillers, 1920s adventures novels.The sixth-generation native Texan is also the author of the Veronica Speedwell adventure novels set in 1880s England. I’ve read the January release. The third in the series is The Treacherous Curse. ReadersYou  of Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody mysteries should appreciate the connection to Egypt and the popularity of Egyptology. But, it’s fans of Jane Eyre who should relish moments of this story.

You can meet Deanna Raybourn on Sunday, January 14 at 2 PM at The Poisoned Pen. Author Tasha Alexander will host Raybourn and Lauren Willig. All three authors will discuss and sign their books. Check out the Web Store for Raybourn’s books. If you can’t make it to the January 14 program, you can order a signed copy of A Treacherous Curse. https://bit.ly/2BlRbLF

And, check out Deanna Raybourn’s own website at https://www.deannaraybourn.com/

Interested in Raybourn’s selections of her favorite crime novels read in 2017? Read about her picks. Then head to the Web Store if she’s enticed you to try one. https://store.poisonedpen.com

Thank you, Deanna. Here are her recommendations.

*****

COUNTESS OF PRAGUE by Stephen Weeks. I adored this debut historical mystery introducing Trixie von Falklenburg. Dynamic, intrepid, curious as a cat—the countess is everything you want in a sleuth. Immensely readable.

A STUDY IN SCARLET WOMEN by Sherry Thomas. Just when I thought everything that could possibly be done with Sherlock had been written…In this version, Sherlock Holmes is a woman pushing hard against Victorian constraints. Clever, irresistible, and unforgettable.

JANE AND THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Barron. I have long loved Barron’s series featuring Jane Austen as amateur sleuth, but this holiday offering is by far my favorite. Full of delicious period detail and written with impeccable Austen flair, this one is a holiday treat for any Regency fan.

*****

I don’t know about you, but I love to see the different directions the authors go. There are excellent gift suggestions here, if you’re still looking. And, of course, you’re always looking for new ideas for yourself, aren’t you?

Jeffrey Siger’s biography on the site for Poisoned Pen Press authors says, “Jeffrey Siger was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, practiced law at a major Wall Street law firm, and later established his own New York City law firm where he continued as one of its name partners until giving it all up to write full-time among the people, life, and politics of his beloved Mykonos.”

He’ll probably be embarrassed, but I also found this.

The New York Times described Jeffrey Siger’s novels as “thoughtful police procedurals set in picturesque but not untroubled Greek locales,” the Greek Press called his work “prophetic,” Eurocrime described him as a “very gifted American author…on a par with other American authors such as Joseph Wambaugh or Ed McBain,” and the City of San Francisco awarded him its Certificate of Honor citing that his “acclaimed books have not only explored modern Greek society and its ancient roots but have inspired political change in Greece.”

I’ve read every one of his Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis novels, including the forthcoming one, An Aegean April. He’s a master at revealing the economic and political troubles in Greece, and, in this case, the problems affecting all of Europe. An Aegean April will be released January 2, and Jeff will be at The Poisoned Pen on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 PM, along with Thomas Perry, where they will discuss and sign their books. If you have the chance to see them, don’t miss it. If you have to miss it, you can still order a signed copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2jC3gpp

And, check out Jeffrey’s website at https://jeffreysiger.com/

Now, to the real reason you’re here. You want to see what Jeffrey’s recommendations are, his favorite crime novels read in 2017.

*****

Not much has changed on my mysteries favorites list since I came up with one a few months back.  That’s not because there’s nothing new out there—au contraire, my TBR pile has grown to pillar size.  It’s just that over the past few months I’ve been so caught up in writing a new standalone, while working on an assortment of standing-on-my-toes other projects, that I’ve neglected much of my genre reading.  Bad Jeffrey. But I do have three recommendations, plus a fourth that I dropped from my top-three list only because another Poisoned Pen guest reviewer has already lauded it to the stars. So, here goes.
Let’s start off with the new addition to my list, Warren Easley’s MATTERS OF DOUBT. The first in his Cal Claxton series (now up to #5 with Blood for Wine), featuring an ex-LA Chief Prosecutor who saw the light (as many of we lawyers do), and abandoned big-city legal combat for a one-man country law practice in the idyllic Oregon wine country not far from Portland.  It’s a place of steelheads rising to the fly fisherman’s bait, fine wines, simple cooking, and the companionship of an Australian Shepherd Archie—that’s a dog by the way.

What struck me most about this book—beyond the what’s-going-to-happen-next allure of Easley’s engaging writing voice—was the exploration of intricate relationships in turmoil.  I’m not just talking about Cal Claxton, though he suffered the haunting loss of his wife to suicide.  I’m thinking more of the extensive host of extended family relationships Easley develops premised upon the homelessness shared by so many young in the very heart of what most of us think of as progressive Portland.  Understanding/bigotry, exploitation/generosity, betrayal/loyalty, get deep play in this book, all within the framework of a lawyer just trying to find his own way.  Quite an achievement, especially coming from one who’s not a lawyer—but then again that might explain it all.

PULPED, by Tim Hallinan blew my mind. I had no idea what to expect, but having done many a book event with this peripatetic treasured prose master and teller of ingenious tales, I knew it would be special.  His seventh Simeon Grist novel is all of that and more. Imagine if you exist only as a fictional character, but don’t learn of that until after you fade off into a limbo world once the last unsold copy of the book in which you appear is pulped into newsprint.  Imagine, too, that your only link to the “real” world is when someone opens one of your extant books. To what lengths would you go should you learn that your few remaining readers are being murdered, and once they’re gone, so are you?  This is an instant classic.

My third choice is a book I picked up in Hawaii at Left Coast Crime. I’ve long considered Barry Lancet a friend. We’ve gotten lost together in strange cities—in fact once with Hallinan—and he’s endured more of my stories than any one soul should bear (or bare).  But I’d never read one of his acclaimed Jim Brodie books.  I made the mistake of picking up a copy of his award winning JAPANTOWN just before heading off from Oahu to Kauai, a decision putting me squarely at odds with the promised purpose of my trip to that fascinating island. It took threats of grievous bodily harm from she-who-must-be-obeyed for me to put the book aside long enough to drive around and enjoy Kauai.  But I survived, and in so doing became an enthusiastic fan of American antiques dealer and reluctant private eye Jim Brodie, dutifully trailing along beside him from the scene of a multiple murder in San Francisco, into mainland Japan intrigues, and on toward the ultimate redemption and avenging of his past.

As for the book I dropped, let’s just say its because a fellow named Thomas Perry picked it as one of his favorites, and though I’m honored to have made the same choice as a master of our craft, I don’t think any gild need be added to his accolade.  Let me just leave it with saying Jo Perry’s DEAD IS GOOD is a mesmerizing exploration of the subtleties of our universally shared fate, neatly wrapped up in a crisp, can’t put down mystery.

Thank you, my friends, for four great reads.  Now it’s on to 2018 and scaling the top of my TBR pile.

—Jeffrey Siger

*****

Don’t forget to watch for Jeffrey Siger’s own book, An Aegean April. And, check out the Web Store for his recommendations. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

It’s a pleasure to introduce Lori Rader-Day. Her 2017 release, The Day I Died, made my personal list of favorite crime novels of the year. It’s going to be interesting to see her selections.

Here’s her bio.

Lori Rader-Day is the author of the Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning novel Little Pretty Things and The Black Hour, winner of the Anthony Award for Best First Novel. Her third novel, The Day I Died, was an Indie Next Pick and is a finalist for the Chicago Writers Association’s Book of the Year. Lori’s short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Time Out Chicago, Good Housekeeping, and others. She lives in Chicago, where she is the president of the Mystery Writers of America Midwest Chapter and a board member of Sisters in Crime Chicagoland. Her next novel, Under a Dark Sky, will be published by Harper Collins in August. Lori’s website is https://loriraderday.com/

*****

Thank you, Lori, for selecting your favorite crime novels read in 2017. Check the Web Store for Lori’s books, and for her recommendations. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

*****

This is tough. For one thing I had a weird reading year. I keep track, so that I can’t tell myself I don’t read at all, and what that list tells me is that I read a lot of books for panels I moderated and for articles I wrote. I also finished writing a book—it takes up time—and then I don’t always read just mystery. I know. Shocking. But here are three mysteries I read in 2017 that I think you should check out.

House. Tree. Person. by Catriona McPherson

As I recently told the Chicago Review of Books, McPherson’s books are among my favorites every year because her stories have a quality of reality that I personally love. When you start reading, you have the sense that these characters have been living inside the book this whole time and you met them, just now, as things take a turn for the worst. House. Tree. Person. introduces you to Ali McGovern, who wrangles a job at the nearby psychiatric hospital that she’s not technically qualified for—and that’s not the weirdest thing happening.

The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson

During 2017 I researched a piece I wrote for Audible’s blog about psychopaths in litereature by catching up on a few classics. Thompson should have landed in my to-be-read pile long ago, but I’m so glad he finally did. The great thing about this book is that Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford plays the fool as he keeps the peace in his little town of Central City, Texas, but he’s the smartest guy in the room. For a while. You can’t help but root for him, and what does that say about you?

Beyond the Pale by Clare O’Donohue

It’s a trick! I read it in 2017, but you’ll be able to read it in 2018. I enjoyed O’Donohue’s Kate Conway series so much, I was devastated when book number three never showed up. But O’Donohue is back in a big way with the first in a new series of amateur spy novels that roam the world. Beyond the Pale is equal parts charming and thrilling, and I can’t wait to see where her bickering, loving, married protagonists (think Nick and Nora Charles) go next.

*****

Think May! Darn it, Lori. We have to wait until May to read Beyond the Pale. That doesn’t mean you can’t pre-order it. The Poisoned Pen staff will be happy to take your order at the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Joe Ide said yes immediately when I told him Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen,  said he had to write a short piece about his favorite crime novels of 2017.

Before becoming a writer, Ide  worked as a school teacher, college lecturer, business consultant, and other jobs. One of those jobs was writing screenplays for major studios. Then, he wrote IQ, about Isaiah Quintabe. Called IQ, he’s a “Streetwise, black Sherlock Holmes-type detective who operates on the edge of society” in East Long Beach, California. That book went on to win the Anthony, Macavity, and Shamus Awards for Best First Novel. The follow-up is Righteous. Both books are available through the Web Store, including signed copies of Righteous. https://bit.ly/2AHD4xu

Here’s the description of Righteous.

In this hotly anticipated follow-up to the smash hit IQ, a New York Times Critics’ Best of the Year and winner of the Anthony, Macavity, and Shamus Awards, Isaiah uncovers a secret behind the death of his brother, Marcus.

As soon as I finish this post, I’m going to order a copy of Remarkable Books: The World’s Most Beautiful and Historic Works for myself. It’s this week’s Hot Book of the Week, and if you like the sound of it, you can find it in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2jDIIt4

Here’s the description.

A beautifully illustrated guide to more than 75 of the world’s most celebrated, rare, and seminal books and handwritten manuscripts ever produced, with discussions of their purpose, features, and creators.

From ancient masterpieces such as The Art of War, written on the leaves of bamboo, to the stunningly illustrated Birds of America, to Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book, Remarkable Books delves into the stories behind the most incredible tomes ever produced, offering an insight into their wider social and cultural context, and is chronologically ordered to demonstrate the synergies between the growth in human knowledge and the bookmaking process. Alongside breathtaking images of the books and manuscripts themselves, close-up views draw out interesting features, which are discussed in greater detail, while biographies tell the lives of the people who produced them.

This coffee table”“worthy book is wrapped in a textured jacket with gold foil, making it a great gift for those with an interest in literature and art and design.

*****

Tempting, isn’t it?

The Poisoned Pen often partners with Arizona State University’s Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Today, we want to share the information about the upcoming Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference. If you register before the end of the month, there’s a $50 discount.

I’m not going to give away the punchline of this story. Dana Stabenow shared a fun story about her new book, Silk and Song. She’s been signing copies, and they’re available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2B6Wv5P

Here’s the link to Dana’s post about a dragon. https://stabenow.com/2017/12/06/what-dragon-on-the-spine/

Author Clea Simon once covered the music scene, and she loves cats. That sentence is actually a good introduction to her latest suspense novel, World Enough, and to her four mystery series. Clea’s Pru Marlowe pet noir books, and her Theda Krakow series are both published by Poisoned Pen Press. Like her two series from Severn House, cats are essential characters in the mysteries. Those books, and World Enough, are available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2BND9Qz

Here’s the summary of her November release, World Enough.

“Clea Simon writes with authority and affection about a lost world. Highly recommended”
Catriona McPherson

This intriguing, hardhitting, intricately-plotted mystery set in Boston’s clubland marks an exciting new departure for cozy author Clea Simon. 

The Boston club scene may be home to a cast of outsiders and misfits, but it’s where Tara Winton belongs; the world she’s been part of for the past twenty years. Now, one of the old gang is dead, having fallen down the basement stairs at his home.

With her journalist’s instincts, Tara senses there’s something not quite right about Frank’s supposedly accidental death. When she asks questions, she begins to uncover some disturbing truths about the club scene in its heyday. Beneath the heady, sexually charged atmosphere lurked something darker. Twenty years ago, there was another death. Could there be a connection? Is there a killer still at large … and could Tara herself be at risk?

*****

Clea Simon’s website is www.cleasimon.com

Thank you, Clea, for participating in the Favorites of 2017. Please check the Web Store for Clea’s recommendations. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

*****

Three favorite crime novels read in 2017

Yes, I read and loved the latest by Joe Finder, John Le Carre, and Catriona McPherson. But here are three that stood out for me and that might have fallen below some readers’ radar. All three are historicals. Some of that is because I can’t read anything close to what I’m working on. Some of it is simply that they were all great books.

The Bones of Paris (2013) by Laurie R. King

Although I count myself a devoted Mary Russell fan, I was late to author Laurie R. King’s Stuyvestant and Grey series. I had to give “Touchstone” two or three tries before I got into it, but then I fell hard for its war-scarred protagonist Bennet Grey and his painfully raw psyche. “The Bones of Paris” did what I had feared impossible ““ better the debut and deepen the characters. Sending the fish-out-of-water American detective (and Grey foil) Harris Stuyvestant to Paris in 1929 and setting him up with a mystery that requires the largely unwilling participation of Grey is genius.  Jazz Age Paris, catacombs and mysticism in a world reeling from the Great War, and truly distinctive characters: what more do you need?

Prussian Blue (2017) by Philip Kerr

Kerr’s historically compromised protagonist Bernie Gunther can’t catch a break. It’s 1956, and the former Berlin cop has survived not only the Nazis but also, he thinks, the Stasi, where many of his former colleagues have ended up. Living in Nice, France, under an assumed name, and working in a hotel, he’s as happy as he’s been in decades, when one of those old buddies, Erich Mielke, shows up with an unusual blackmail request. Mielke wants Gunther to return to Germany and kill someone they both once worked with. Someone Gunther should want dead, except…. The book  alternates between 1956 and 1939, when Gunther and Mielke last worked together. I always enjoy Kerr and this 12th installment is as good as the first few ““ a rarity in a long-running series.

Good Time Coming  (2016) by C.S. Harris

I’m an avid devourer of Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr series and also a frequent visitor to New Orleans, with its wonderful food and music and complicated history. (Shout out here to Ned Sublette, whose fantastic nonfiction “The World That Made New Orleans” traces the African and European cultures here.) So when I heard that Harris, a New Orleanian, had written a standalone set in Louisiana as the Civil War winds to a close, I knew I had to read this. Warning ““ this is a very dark book. But its take on this bloody war and atrocities on both sides are portrayed in the most compelling and humane fashion. Historical fiction at its best.

*****

Intrigued by historical mysteries? After checking out Clea Simon’s list, you might want to check out the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

When I asked authors if they’d talk about their favorite books of 2017, I made it clear the book didn’t have to have been published in 2017. They just had to read it in 2017.  And, I tried to consider the authors are busy and I didn’t want to take up too much of their time, so I asked for three books. I think you’ll enjoy Dana Stabenow’s opening comments as much as I did.

But, first, about Dana.

She’s the author of twenty-one books in the Kate Shugak series set in Alaska.The latest, Less Than a Treason, was released in May. But, her new book, Silk and Song, just came out.

Here’s the summary of Silk and Song.

Beijing, 1322. Sixteen-year-old Wu Johanna is the granddaughter of the legendary trader Marco Polo. In the wake of her father’s death, Johanna finds that lineage counts for little amid the disintegrating court of the Khan. Johanna’s destiny—if she has one—lies with her grandfather, in Venice. So, with a small band of companions, she takes to the road—the Silk Road—that storied collection of routes that link the silks of Cathay, the spices of the Indies and the jewels of the Indus to the markets of the west. But first she must survive treachery and betrayal on a road beset by thieves, fanatics and warlords.

Dana Stabenow’s books can be found in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2BFGAIM

Her website is https://stabenow.com. And, you really should sign up for her newsletter.

Here’s what you’re really waiting for, though: Dana Stabenow’s reading recommendations. Thank you, Dana.

*****

I am currently tasked with writing a brief post for the Poisoned Pen’s blog on my three favorite crime novels from this year.

I can’t. I just can’t.

I can, however, write about five. Open up another window to the order page of the Poisoned Pen Bookstore because I promise you you’re going to need it.  https://store.poisonedpen.com

First: Damien Boyd’s seventh Nick Dixon novel, Heads or Tails, has Nick transferred to Major Crimes to investigate a series of ever creepier killings in southwestern England that it turns out may be connected to a series of previously creepy killings in Manchester twenty years before. An exemplar of police procedurals, these novels are funny, poignant, and smart as hell, and so well written they are a joy to read.

Second: In Kelley Armstrong’s City of the Lost, big city homicide detective Casey Duncan is hiding in plain sight from her own demons and then her best friend Diana is attacked by her ex. Both flee to Rockton, a town of two hundred deep in the Yukon Territory to the purpose made for people like Casey and Diana to hide out in at $5000 a head. The crotchety local sheriff Duncan doesn’t want either one of them in his jurisdiction but people are going missing and being murdered and he needs Casey’s expert help in figuring out what’s going on. A mysterious Council governs all, sexy deputy Will is coming on strong, and no one is quite what he or she seems. In the meantime, there are monsters in the woods and possibly more right in town. A fun read.

Third: In P.J. Tracy’s Shoot to Thrill, killers are posting video of murders online. The killers are so good at concealing their online IDs that the FBI convenes a group of the worst known hackers to ask for their help. Monkeewrench, aka Grace MacBride, Annie Belinsky, Harley Davidson and Roadrunner and computer nerds extraordinaire, steps up to help Minneapolis police detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth and FBI agent John Smith unravel a plot that feels far too realistic for the reader ever to be comfortable online again. The fifth book in the Monkeewrench series and my favorite, but they are all good.

Fourth: In Paul Thomas’ Fallout, the fifth of his novels featuring Maori cop Tito Ihaka, Tito works the cold case of a murdered 17-year old girl that spirals out into about five different plots including the death of his own father. Tito really clears the table in this one, with a final scene that left me a little dizzy, all while giving some great rants on religion and food. (In the previous book, Tito subdues a suspect by booting him “concussively behind the ear.” I’ve been in love with him ever since.)

Fifth: The Nine-Tailed Fox is the twelfth in Martin Limón’s Sueño and Bascom series, featuring two CID agents in South Korea in the early 80s, and I think his best by far. Three GI’s have gone missing, all of whom have abused Korean women, and Command sends Sueño and Bascom to find them. It’s a solid whodunnit, a window into Korean culture, a sly sidestep into the women’s rights movement, a great villain, and some excellent insights into our heroes’ characters. And Mr. Kill and Officer Oh and — gulp–Dr. Bam are all back, too. I got your binge read for you right here.

Thank you, Dana. As she said, if you like her recommendations, check out the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com

Last December, I asked some authors to write about their favorite Christmas crime novels. This year, I thought I’d go a different direction. I asked authors if they would write a post about their favorite crime novels read during 2017. All of us who enjoy crime novels are lucky. So many of the authors said yes! Every post will be interesting, with its own slant. Don’t forget to check for their favorite books in The Poisoned Pen’s Web Store!  https://store.poisonedpen.com

*****

Can we do any better than Thomas Perry to kick off the book recommendations? Stephen King said of him, “The fact is, there are probably only half a dozen suspense writers now alive who can be depended upon to deliver high voltage shocks, vivid, sympathetic characters, and compelling narratives each time they publish. Thomas Perry is one of them.”

Before we get to the recommendations themselves, Perry has a new book coming out Jan. 2. It’s called The Bomb Maker. You can order a signed copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2nkz9U8    And, Perry will be at The Poisoned Pen on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 PM.

Here’s the summary of the book.

A bomb is more than a weapon. A bomb is an expression of the bomber’s predictions of human behavior—a performance designed to fool you into making one fatally wrong move. InThe Bomb Maker, Thomas Perry introduces us to the dark corners of a mind intent on transforming a simple machine into an act of murder—and to those committed to preventing that outcome at any cost.

A threat is called into the LAPD Bomb Squad and when tragedy ensues, the fragmented unit turns to Dick Stahl, a former Bomb Squad commander who now operates his own private security company. Just returned from a tough job in Mexico, Stahl is at first reluctant to accept the offer, but his sense of duty to the technicians he trained is too strong to turn it down. On his first day back at the head of the squad, Stahl’s three-person team is dispatched to a suspected car bomb. And it quickly becomes clear to him that they are dealing with an unusual mastermind—one whose intended target seems to be the Bomb Squad itself.

As the shadowy organization sponsoring this campaign of violence puts increasing pressure on the bomb maker, and Stahl becomes dangerously entangled with a member of his own team, the fuse on this high-stakes plot only burns faster.The Bomb Maker is Thomas Perry’s biggest, most unstoppable thriller yet.

*****

Check out Thomas Perry’s website at www.thomasperryauthor.com. Thank you, Thomas, for your post.

*****

It’s always fun to look back on a year of books.  Here are some good ones that brought me enjoyment in 2017:

The first is Patrick Hoffman’s fine “Every Man a Menace.”

 He presents us with a complex and fascinating set of scenes.  Segments of a particular network in the illegal drug industry work together almost like the organs of a single creature.  When a disturbance occurs in one operation of the system, it causes reactions that require adjustments in each stage from the refining and packaging section in Asia all the way to the sales and distribution end in San Francisco, with murders at each stop along the way.  It’s brilliantly conceived and realistically violent, but told with calm, lucid, intelligent prose.  It shows off the knowledge and skills of an excellent writer who should be with us for a very long time.

Another book that gave me a lot of pleasure was Deon Meyer’s “Fever.”

 Meyer is a South African who writes in Afrikaans and has his books translated into English.  He has a worldwide audience for his crime novels, which are among the most suspenseful being published today.  “Fever” is a departure, a post-apocalyptic adventure that begins with the early aftermath of a devastating plague, when it is already apparent that the current civilization is over.  The plague has operated the way real ones do, in which many people die, but a few have an immunity that makes them the survivors.  The book carries the story well into the next generation’s effort to build a new civilization.  Probably because Meyer is a terrific crime writer there are some mysteries, action scenes, and big surprises, but I liked it for the wonderful sympathetic characters.  It’s a long book, and I worried about them between reading periods.

The third book on my list required some thought, because it is “Dead Is Good” by Jo Perry, who happens to be my old university colleague, former television writing partner, and wife of 37 years.

 But I think this book is terrific, and I don’t penalize any other writers because I know and like them, so here it is. This is the third in a series of books that feature a man named Charles, who, in the first book finds himself murdered and in an afterlife with an Irish setter that he’s never seen before (also dead) with a rope around her neck.  In time he names her Rose.  In “Dead is Good” Charles and Rose make one of their infrequent trips to the living world to try to save from death the woman he now knows was the love of his life.  The story is part crime thriller and part mystery, and it’s moving, sometimes scary, sometimes shocking, sometimes funny, but always original and intriguing.  There is a scene in this book that made me gasp out loud and write “Wow!” in the margin.  

The next book is “Deep Freeze” by John Sandford.

This book is also difficult to write about fairly.  It’s the 10th Virgil Flowers book, and it’s been on the NY Times Bestseller list for three or four weeks now, so it doesn’t really need a plug.  But like all of the Virgil Flowers books, it’s intriguing, smart and funny, and deserves a plug.  It also has Virgil reading a book called “Thomas Perry’s The Old Man,” (p. 180), which shows Virgil has good taste.

I want to include a couple of books that won’t be out officially until 2018. I read them both in 2017, and they both happen to be published by Poisoned Pen Press, so I feel free to mention them.

Dennis Palumbo’s “Head Wounds” will be out in February.

It’s his 5th book about psychotherapist Daniel Rinaldi.  I recommend it highly, particularly for people who have read the rest of the series, because it is one of those books that take up some issues we’ve been wondering about since the beginning of a series, and give us big, shocking answers to them.  I also think the villain in this book is more frightening than any other I’ve seen for quite a while.  Very early in the book he gets into the reader’s head like a recurring nightmare, and for the rest of the book we root for Rinaldi to get him out for us by catching him or killing him.

The other is Jeffrey Siger’s “An Aegean April,” which will be published in early January 2018.

It’s the latest in his Inspector Andreas Kaldis police series.  The writing is Siger’s usual clear, careful and readable style, and the action has lots of exuberance as well as some good conniving.  The central killer here has a perverse charm.  He’s a violent, evil man with panache and courage—almost a combination of the devil and Cyrano de Bergerac.  But I think the most memorable aspect of the book is that its criminal plot is a natural byproduct of the enormous humanitarian crisis that is still taking place in Greece and the Mediterranean, as millions of immigrants continue to try to escape poverty, war, and devastation by flooding into southern Europe.  Siger has taken on the task of making a very complex set of circumstances comprehensible, showing us why it matters, and done both well.

*****

Jeffrey Siger will be appearing with Thomas Perry at The Poisoned Pen on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 PM. You’ll want to mark your calendars!

And, you’ll want to come back tomorrow to read Dana Stabenow’s picks for the crime novels she enjoyed the most in 2017.