J.A. Jance was recently in the Valley, making several appearances on her book tour for Downfall. The description on the Poisoned Pen’s web page says, “Arizona sheriff Joanna Brady returns in this outstanding new mystery set in the beautiful desert country of the Southwest.”

If you missed the events, here are several photos.

If you’d like to order your own signed copy of Downfall, check out the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2c2ab4z

I love Michael Senft’s short articles in Phoenix New Times about authors appearing at The Poisoned Pen. Here’s his recent article about Nisi Shawl’s upcoming appearance.

Author and critic Nisi Shawl is known for her sci-fi and fantasy short stories and her how-to guide for writing about race, Writing the Other. She has also won the coveted James L. Tiptree Award, for positive explorations of gender in speculative fiction. She had never published a novel until now, however. Everfair is a steampunk alternate history dealing with colonialism and empire in 19th-century Belgian Congo. Shawl will sign copies of Everfair at 2 p.m. Sunday, September 11, at the Poisoned Pen, 4014 North Goldwater Boulevard in Scottsdale. Everfair is available in hardcover for $26.99. Admission is free, but purchase of the book is required for an autograph. Call 480-947-2974 or visit poisonedpen.com for more information.

If you can’t get to the Poisoned Pen on Sunday, we have signed copies of Everfair available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2c8lKEl

Are you a fan of Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and the sequels? Are you waiting for the movie at the end of September? You can buy the books through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2bLtJHb

And, you can see Ransom Riggs discuss the photos that inspired his books, courtesy of Penguin Random House’s Authorcuts. https://bit.ly/2c3gK4M

Help Wanted: Healthy young men to allow themselves to be poisoned. Free room and board. That could have been the advertisement in 1902 when Dr. Harvey Wiley started the experiments that would lead to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration.

Check out the information about the program, and the poisonings, in Natalie Zarrelli’s article for Atlas Obscura. https://bit.ly/2c7zTUt

Stripped Bare, the first Kate Fox mystery, appears on Shannon Baker’s website as ” A modern western described as Longmire meets The Good Wife.”

The Tucson author will be at The Poisoned Pen at 7 PM on Thursday, Oct. 13, along with Kevin Wolf and Margaret Mizushima. You can get a sneak preview of Stripped Bare, though, on Criminal Element’s website, where they have an excerpt. https://bit.ly/2cilA1k

Once you’ve read the excerpt, you can either wait until October or you can purchase a signed copy now through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2cilXZE

Daniel Silva was recently at the Poisoned Pen on his book tour for The Black Widow.

Now, he’s in The New York Times, “By the Book”, answering questions. https://nyti.ms/2bYfIZv

Enjoy the interview, and, then, if you’re looking for a signed copy, stop by the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2a7ZApU

Bob Rivers recently did a publishing profile of Poisoned Pen Press that was published in The Strand Magazine. Entitled, “Poisoned Pen Press: Bucking the Trend and Going Strong”, it’s an excellent profile of the press, its history, its authors, and its spirit.

Read the entire profile here. https://bit.ly/2bF8Hi7

One of the Poisoned Pen’s author events just appeared in The Phoenix New Times under “21 Best Things to Do Sept. 1-7.” Thanks to Michael Senft for the following article about J.A. Jance’s upcoming appearance.

By Michael Senft

Bestselling mystery author J.A. Jance divides her time between Arizona and Seattle, depending on the series she’s working on. She’s back in Arizona at 7 p.m. on Tuesday for a release party for her latest Joanna Brady novel, Downfall. She will sign copies at the Poisoned Pen, 4014 North Goldwater Boulevard in Scottsdale.

Downfall finds the Bisbee sheriff caught in a tight re-election campaign while investigating the possible murder of two women who fell to their deaths from a local mountain.

Downfall is currently available for pre-order for $26.99, and hits stores on September 6. Admission is free, but purchase of Downfall is requested. Call 480-947-2974 or visit poisonedpen.com for more information.

In September, Bouchercon is in New Orleans. If you’re not familiar with the convention, according to the website, “Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, is a celebration of the mystery genre. It is the largest annual meeting in the world for mystery lovers.” Mystery fans will be meeting authors, talking mystery, and enjoying the city. Many will also be interested in the crimes and mysteries of New Orleans itself.

Lauren Delaney George tells a story from 1920s New Orleans on Atlas Obscura. It’s slightly graphic, so be prepared if you read the story of The Trunk Murders. https://bit.ly/2coBrMV