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Maha Khan Phillips spoke with Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, at 1 AM in London. Phillips’ The Museum Detective is an archaeological mystery dealing with Pakistan, not Egypt as in many historical mysteries involving archaeology. Copies of the series debut can be ordered through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3EPGOCC

Here’s the description of The Museum Detective.

Inspired by a real-life antiquities scandal in Pakistan, this gripping series debut introduces archaeologist Dr. Gul Delani, whose investigation into the discovery of a mummy gets complicated—and personal—when it collides with her years-long search for a missing family member. Perfect for fans of Sue Grafton and Elsa Hart.

When Dr. Gul Delani receives a call in the middle of the night from the Sindh police, she thinks they may have finally found her niece, Mahnaz—a precocious, politically conscious teenage girl who went missing three years prior. Gul has been racked with grief since Mahnaz’s disappearance and distracts herself through work: a talented curator at the Museum of Heritage and History in Karachi, she is one of the country’s leading experts in archaeology and ancient civilizations, a hard-won position for a woman.

But there is no news of Mahnaz. Instead, Gul is summoned to a narcotics investigation in a remote desert region in western Pakistan. In her wildest dreams, Gul couldn’t have imagined what she’d find there: amid a drug bust gone wrong, there is a mummy—life-size, seemingly authentic, its sarcophagus decorated with symbols from Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The discovery confounds everyone. It is both too good to be true, and for Gul, too precious to leave in careless or corrupt hands.

Aided by her team of unlikely misfits, Gul will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it, even as her quest for the truth puts her in the throes of a dangerous conspiracy and threatens to collide with her ongoing search for Mahnaz. A portrait of a city fueled by corruption and a woman relentlessly in pursuit of justice, The Museum Detective is an exciting, gritty new crime thriller that announces a whip-smart and brilliant sleuth and builds to a stunning, emotional conclusion that readers won’t soon forget.

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Maha Khan Phillips was born in Karachi, Pakistan. She is the author of Beautiful from This Angle, The Mystery of the Aagnee Ruby, and The Curse of Mohenjodaro. She is a multiple award-winning financial journalist and editor who writes across a number of different journals and magazines. She lives in London with her husband and son and frequently visits Pakistan, where she has a keen interest in exploring archaeological sites.

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Enjoy the conversation with Maha Khan Phillips.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, introduced Emily Sullivan as a debut mystery author. She’s written romances so Peters said she’s turned to “the dark side”. Sullivan’s A Death on Corfu is the Pen’s May Historical Mystery of the Month. There are signed copies of the book available in the Webstore. https://bit.ly/42IufSU

Here’s the description of A Death on Corfu.

Living in Greece at the turn of the twentieth century, widow Minnie Harper struggles to find her place in a swiftly changing world. But when a local woman is murdered, her resolve is put to the test in a race to shed light on the truth . . .

The first in a new series for readers of Tasha Alexander, Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, and Rhys Bowen.

Minnie Harper isn’t used to putting herself first. Not after she moved away from England only to be left raising two children alone on the Greek Island of Corfu following her husband’s unexpected death. But with her daughter begging to be sent to school abroad and her son grasping at his own independence, Minnie realizes she must prepare for the next stage of her life.

When famous mystery author Stephen Dorian settles into a neighboring villa to escape writer’s block and hidden scandals, she is intrigued at first by the handsome Londoner—until he proves to be nothing more than a boorish grump. Determined to avoid the man as much as possible, Minnie is shocked when he offers her a well-paid job as his typist. She isn’t in a position to turn down work, even from a man she has sworn to hate.

But before Minnie can fully regret her decision to take the job, she makes a horrifying discovery that changes everything. A young maid has been murdered, and local authorities aren’t moving fast enough to bring justice to the terrible crime. Unwilling to allow the death to fade into obscurity like the stories of so many other women deemed unworthy by society, Minnie launches an investigation of her own—and reluctantly accepts Stephen’s help. As she embarks on a dangerous search for answers that reveals another side of Corfu, unsettling questions take shape about her employer-turned-confidant and the culprit who just might do whatever it takes to strike again . . .

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Emily Sullivan is the author of multiple critically-acclaimed historical romances, including A Rogue to Remember and Duchess Material. She lives in New England with her family where she enjoys reading about history and writing about rebellious women. A Death on Corfu is her first mystery. She can be found online at EmilySullivanBooks.com.

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Enjoy the conversation with Emily Sullivan.

Deb Lewis from The Poisoned Pen has some favorite May releases. Check them out, and check the Webstore for copies of the books. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Dark Maestro by Brendan Slocumb

This is the second book by Slocumb featuring cello prodigy Curtis Wilson—one of the most endearing characters I’ve come across in years. In The Violin Conspiracy, Curtis had to solve the mystery of his missing violin. In The Dark Maestro, the stakes are even higher: his budding career is on the line, and he must go after the people who want his family dead.  

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

 The host of the Crime Junkie podcast has done it again—writing a twisty, adrenaline-fueled story of two sisters in search of the truth, no matter what it takes. 

Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen

Another laugh out loud look at America today, wrapped around a mystery by a master storyteller. Signed copies available! 

The Doorman by Chris Pavone 

Known for his award-winning books Two Nights in Lisbon and The Expats, Pavone takes a close look in this new novel at the world of privilege and power. At the center is the doorman of an exclusive apartment complex—a character who sees more than he lets on. 

The Busybody Book Club  by Freya Sampson

A cozy paperback original filled with lovable characters and an unexpected murder. This one will have you smiling all the way through. If you’ve ever belonged to a book club, you’ll definitely recognize a few of these characters! I love the publisher’s tagline:
“They can’t even agree on what to read—so how are they going to solve a murder?” A fun escape.  

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

 Sometimes, reading a book feels like work—trying to understand the hidden motivations and emotions behind each character’s choices. And sometimes, the writing is so beautiful it takes your breath away and leaves you wanting to talk to someone about what you’ve just read. Wrap yourself in this one: do the work, and be rewarded with tenderness, love, loss, and hope. Signed copies available!  

Reviewer Oline Cogdill calls Carl Hiaasen’s forthcoming novel, Fever Beach, “vintage Hiaasen”. And, you can order a signed copy of Fever Beach through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3YnGPUT. Release date is May 13.

Thank you, Oline, for the review, printed first in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Book review: Vintage Carl Hiaasen attitude guides his new ‘Fever Beach’ about ‘dumb as a post’ white supremacist

‘Fever Beach’ by Carl Hiaasen. Knopf, 384 pages, $30

Few absurd aspects of life in Florida have escaped Carl Hiaasen’s wry wit and razor-sharp social commentary. Dumb developers, dumber politicians, disrespectful tourists, smarmy millionaires, smarmier billionaires, stupid crooks — all are fodder for Hiaasen.

You name any bad or weird behavior, Hiaasen has skewered it. His novels often seem more like documentaries than fiction. (Anyone who thinks an incident is too bizarre or over-the-top or could never happen, just think again and use Google.)

That vintage Hiaasen attitude guides “Fever Beach,” his first adult novel since “Squeeze Me” in 2020. Quasi-heroes, dumb criminals, nasty entitled people, a testament to Florida’s environment and situations that could be ripped from today’s and tomorrow’s headlines find a home in “Fever Beach.”

As usual, there’s a plot but it’s more like a series of cohesive vignettes. And laugh-out-loud moments. Lots of them.

The phrase “dumb as a post” doesn’t begin to describe white supremacist Dale Figgo. How dumb is he? He’s been kicked out of the Proud Boys, and the Oath Keepers will have nothing to do with him. Both groups believe him stupid and incompetent because he defaced the wrong statue. His mother thinks he’s “the definition of a dolt.” Another character thinks he’s “too dumb to be dangerous.” The nicest thing his so-called best friend calls him is “a certified blockhead.”

Determined to continue his hate-mongering, Dale starts his own group — the name of which we shouldn’t mention. He attracts 17 members with the same brainpower as Dale. They meet at Florida’s isolated Fever Beach, leaving trash and debris and spoiling the once-pristine beach. Dale, given to frequent malapropism, has plans, not good plans, not well thought-out plans, but plans.

He doesn’t know it but he’s up against two people secretly working against him. Twilly Spree, who appeared in Hiaasen’s “Sick Puppy” (2000), has extreme anger management issues when he sees wrongdoing, whether against a vulnerable person, an animal or the environment. Twilly, who’s a bit of an ecowarrior, does “enjoy ruining a bad guy’s day.” And he can afford revenge, as he inherited millions.

Twilly teams up with Viva Morales, a new Floridian wanting a fresh start after her dreadful ex-husband took all her money. Her new life isn’t going well. The only place she could afford to rent is a room in Dale’s townhouse. She didn’t know about his bigotry when she signed the lease. At least she has sole access to the washer-dryer as Dale, who she despises, believes it has “software that could read and report the seditious slogans on his tank tops.” The only job she could find is with the Mink Foundation, a so-called philanthropic organization run by a sleazy couple who donate millions “with the goal of getting as many buildings as possible” named after them. The foundation hides the Minks’ bribing of politicians, funding bigotry groups and ideas that destroy the land.

Twilly’s concrete plans to wreak havoc on Dale and his group are fairly successful with a hefty dose of humor. Viva is his willing accomplice.

Hiaasen keeps “Fever Beach” on an accelerated pace that includes an ill-advised trip to a Key West drag show, orange groves destroyed to make room for development, teenage hookers, and lots of plastic surgery. Naturally, there’s a corrupt politician whose latest disaster is starting a program patterned after Habitat for Humanity only with children building the houses with little adult supervision. What could go wrong when a rebellious pre-teen is handed a loaded nail gun?

As a social critic, Hiaasen uses well-placed humor to examine current events and the direction of society — both of which will continue to be relevant in the future, as his 1986 debut “Tourist Season” still is.

“Fever Beach” proves that five years is too long to go without Hiaasen’s whip-smart writing.

Mark your calendars, and order your signed copy of the new book from Doug Preston and Lincoln Child.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, sent out this email yesterday.

Doug Preston & Lincoln Child

in the book launch for

Badlands

Tuesday, June 3

7:00 PM

(this is 7 PM PDT outside of AZ)

Doug will be in the store, Linc will zoom in

Our copies are signed by both authors and come with a set of trading cards as usual

Join us live or on FB or on YT

You Agent Pendergast fans will be thrilled to know that there is the same high concept, high action, and swerve into the supernatural in this terrific new Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson thriller than in the Agent Pendergast series. Plus the setting in the badlands and ancient canyons of Northern New Mexico make this a winner for readers of Tony and Anne Hillerman.

You need not have read one of the earlier Kellys to dive into this but you will for sure want to grab a copy of the last, Diablo Mesa ($18.99) as well.

 I was riveted to the pages of Badlands and you will be too from the horrifying open scenes right to the climax.

Why would two women, years apart, disrobe and lay down to die under the scorching sun in the same New Mexican desert? That’s the question Preston and Child pose for forensic anthropologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, both stationed in Santa Fe.

After the skeletal remains of high school science teacher Molly Vine are spotted by a drone, Corrie Swanson is assigned to investigate. She finds that Vine apparently died five years earlier, after venturing into an area that the Navajo believed to be the home of skinwalkers!

A spearpoint found under Vine’s bones leads her to consult her friend and colleague Kelly. The FBI canvasses the area and discovers the older remains of geological consultant Mandy Driver, leading Swanson and Kelly to theorize that the deaths might be connected to the Gallinas, an Indigenous tribe who were wiped out in the 13th century. The tribe, thought to have moved north from Mexico into the hoodoos and wild canyons of northern NM where fracking is ongoing under protest, disappeared centuries ago.

“Preston and Child once again use real history as the starting point for their hair-raising plot, which makes a series of tantalizing turns before culminating in an encounter with the supernatural. This is on a par with the best of the authors’ Pendergast series.,” says one reviewer. I agree.

I wonder if Doug will need to make an apology to the University of NM faculty after publication….

Click here to order a signed copy, Badlands.

Congratulations to the 2025 Agatha Award winners. The awards were presented this past weekend at Malice Domestic. Check the Webstore for copies of the books. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Best Contemporary Novel: Gigi Pandian for A Midnight Puzzle

Best First Novel: K.T. Nguyen for You Know What You Did 

Best Non-Fiction: Phyllis M. Betz for Writing the Cozy Mystery: Authors’ Perspectives on Their Craft

Best Children’s/YA: K.A. Jackson for Sasquatch of Harriman Lake

Best Historical Novel: Amanda Flower for To Slip the Bonds of Earth

Best Short Story: Barb Goffman for “The Postman Always Flirts Twice” in Agatha and Derringer Get Cozy

Will Thomas returned to The Poisoned Pen Bookstore for a virtual event. His latest book is Season of Death. Barbara Peters, owner of the Pen, asked Thomas about the appeal of Victorian England as a setting. If that time period appeals to you, you can order a copy of his latest book, Season of Death, through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3Et6V2a

Here’s the description of Season of Death.

In late Victorian England, private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn find themselves in the middle of the deadly chaos when powerful forces align to take over London’s criminal underworld.

Private enquiry agent Cyrus Barker, along with his partner Thomas Llewelyn, has a long, accomplished history – he’s worked with all aspects of society, from the highest (including the Crown and the government) to the lowest (various forces in London’s underworld). He’s been the target of murder attempts, character assassination, bombings and attacks upon his closest associates but never has he and his agency partner Thomas Llewelyn faced such destruction and potential disaster.

The sudden collapse of a railway tunnel in the East End of London kills dozens and shuts down services all over the city. Meanwhile, a mysterious beggar calling herself “Dutch” guides Barker and Llewelyn to an attempt by a powerful aristocrat to take over London’s criminal underworld. With a missing heiress and a riot at a women’s shelter acting as distractions designed to stop the duo from getting to the truth, Barker must relentlessly fight to reach the trust while Llewelyn wonders how a simple beggar woman can be the catalyst for such destruction.

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Will Thomas is Managing Director of Vision for Learning and CEO of The Institute of Educational Coaching. Will holds a Masters degree in Mentoring and Counselling and is an accredited coach. He works regularly with teachers, leaders and learners to support their progress.

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Enjoy the conversation with Will Thomas.

Today is Independent Bookstore Day, and The Poisoned Pen invites readers to share the day with the staff.

Stop by and celebrate with the staff

Barbara Peters, the Pen’s owner, will be handing out candy and reading suggestions from 11 to 12. The booksellers will be available all day for more. It will be a good day to take selfies in the store. Also the Cook Book Club meets at 11:00 AM and members bring recipes to share so that’s extra delicious. You don’t need to have read the recommended book to attend.

There is some special swag for you to snag

AND all day we offer a 25% off SALE excluding books in the Locked Case, the Signed Collectibles Section, and books already on general sale

All in-store purchases will be noted at the end of the day and one winner will receive a $50 Gift Card

The Pen staff hopes to see you. Hours are 10 AM to 6 PM.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, recently welcomed S.J. Rozan to the bookstore. Along with John Shen Yen Nee, Rozan is the author of the new mystery, The Railway Conspiracy. There are signed copies of the book in stock in the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3EMZeUp

Here’s the summary of The Railway Conspiracy.

Judge Dee and Lao She must use all their powers of deduction—and kung fu skills—to take down a sinister conspiracy between Imperial Russia, Japan, and China in a rollicking new mystery set in 1920s London.

The follow-up to The Murder of Mr. Ma, this historical adventure-mystery is perfect for fans of Laurie R. King and the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes films.

London, 1924. Following several months abroad, Judge Dee Ren Jie has returned to the city to foil a transaction between a Russian diplomat and a Japanese mercenary. Aided by Lao She—the Watson to his Holmes—along with several other colorful characters, Dee stops the illicit sale of an extremely valuable “dragon-taming” mace.

The mace’s owner is a Chinese businesswoman who thanks Dee for its retrieval by throwing a lavish dinner party. In attendance is British banking official A. G. Stephen, who argues with the group about the tenuous state of Chinese nationalism—and is poisoned two days later. Dee knows this cannot be a coincidence, and suspects Stephen won’t be the only victim. Sure enough, a young Chinese communist of Lao’s acquaintance is killed not long after—and a note with a strange symbol is found by his body.

What could connect these murders? Could it be related to rumors of a conspiracy regarding the Chinese Eastern Railway? It is once again all on the unlikely crime-solving duo of Dee and Lao to solve the case before anyone else ends up tied to the rails.

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John Shen Yen Nee
is a half Chinese, half Scottish American media executive, producer and entrepreneur who was born in Knoxville, grew up in San Diego, and is now based in Los Angeles, with a penchant for very long run-on sentences. He has served as president of WildStorm Productions, senior vice president of DC Comics, publisher of Marvel Comics, CEO of Cryptozoic Entertainment; and cofounder of CCG Labs.

SJ Rozan
is the author of twenty novels and over eighty short stories, and editor of three anthologies. She has won multiple awards, including the Edgar, Shamus, Anthony, Nero, Macavity; Japanese Maltese Falcon; and the Private Eye Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award. She’s served on the national boards of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and as president of Private Eye Writers of America. SJ has taught at such diverse places as the Art Workshop International in Assisi, Italy; Singapore Management University in Singapore; the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida; and the Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp in Wisconsin. She was born in the Bronx and lives in Manhattan.

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Arizona author Karen Odden with SJ Rozan at the Pen.

Enjoy the conversation about The Railway Conspiracy and Rozan’s writing.

Deanna Raybourn’s Kills Well with Others is the sequel to her popular book, Killers of a Certain Age. You can order copies of both books through the Webstore at The Poisoned Pen. https://bit.ly/4iqwb6V

Oline Cogdill recently reviewed Kills Well with Others for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Maybe her review will convince you to pick up a copy of the book.

Book review: Senior women refuse to be underestimated in action-packed ‘Kills Well With Others’

In “Kills Well With Others,” author Deanna Raybourn brings back Billie, Mary Alice, Natalie and Helen, who refuse to have their skills disparaged or be overlooked because they are women in their 60s. The foursome were first introduced in “Killers of a Certain Age” (2022). (Holly Virginia Photography/Courtesy)

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‘Kills Well With Others’ by Deanna Raybourn. Berkley, 368 pages, $29

For some, retirement is an undefinable word. Oh, we know what it means, but many of us don’t adhere to the traditional views that retirement means doing as little as possible and, sadly, sometimes being ignored by others.

Others of us use this time to sharpen our skills, redefine ourselves and find satisfying work, sometimes working harder than when employed full time.

Deanna Raybourn’s “Kills Well With Others” brings back Billie, Mary Alice, Natalie and Helen, who refuse to have their skills disparaged or be overlooked because they are women in their 60s. Introduced in “Killers of a Certain Age” (2022), the foursome were trying to retire as the first all-female elite assassin squad working for an “extra governmental” organization called the Museum. That alleged retirement didn’t go well.

Raybourn continues with these themes in “Kills Well With Others” — senior women refusing to be underestimated, the power of female friendship, and belief in themselves and their skills. They might move a bit slower, but don’t mess with them.

“Good training never dies,” is a recurring refrain in “Kills Well With Others.” Raybourn also shows how a commitment to a career continues: “… some jobs you leave, but they never leave you,” says Billie.

In “Kills Well With Others,” the four reunite to find who murdered another retired Museum member and who may be targeting them. This time, they want to be overlooked, so they disguise themselves several times during their investigation, which takes them across Europe and to Egypt. The job is off the books, so instead of the usual first-class travel, they face flights in coach, second-rate hotels — reserved with a Groupon, of all things — and crowded trains. Gourmet dining also is off the table.

The four are an appealing group who bicker and zigzag from serious to jokes, but their respect and love for each other are never in doubt.

Since being recruited in 1978, the women learned the utmost in the life/work balance with husbands, wives, widowhood and legitimate jobs filling the months or years between assignments. Yes, these women are killers — excellent killers — but Raybourn keeps the reader totally on their side as the Museum only targets the worst of the worst (arms dealers, sex traffickers, the occasional dictator, cult leaders and corrupt judges).

Raybourn balances her action-packed plot with wry humor, often about that life/work balance. The four just want their pensions, which are stuck in bureaucracy. They meet their younger former boss, Naomi, at Colonial Williamsburg, discussing the assignment while Naomi breastfeeds her baby while her husband takes their toddler to the restroom. Naomi wants the briefing to go quickly so she and her family can get to a theme park where there’s “a funnel cake with my name on it.” The women have great fun with their disguises.

Raybourn also writes two Edgar-nominated series set during the Victorian era and a third series set during the 1920s. We hope she also continues with more stories about this foursome — and that Billie, Mary Alice, Natalie and Helen get their pensions.

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Check out the video from The Poisoned Pen Bookstore if you’d like to hear Deanna Raybourn discuss her books.