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Patrick Millikin from The Poisoned Pen recently hosted authors Don Bentley and Chris Hauty at the bookstore. Don Bentley’s Hostile Intent is his third Matt Drake novel. Storm Rising is Chris Hauty’s third Hayley Chill thriller. There are signed copies of both books available through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Here’s the summary of Hostile Intent.

In the espionage community, Vienna is known as the City of Spies, and Matt Drake is about to learn why in the latest electrifying thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Tom Clancy Target Acquired and The Outside Man.

When a mysterious walk-in to the US embassy in Vienna claims to have critical information about a Russian intelligence operation, he raises eyebrows. But when he asks for Matt Drake by name and calls himself the Irishman, he gets the DIA’s premier case officer on a one-way flight.

Matt arrives to find Austria’s charming capital lousy with intelligence officers, all swirling around Nolan Burke—a onetime member of the real IRA. But before Matt can debrief Nolan, the Irishman is kidnapped by a Russian direct action team. Now, Matt must find a way to repay the debt of honor he owes Nolan while stopping World War III in the process.

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Don Bentley is the New York Times bestselling author of Tom Clancy Target Acquired and the Matt Drake series (Without Sanction & The Outside Man). Don is a former FBI Special Agent, SWAT Team member, and Army Apache helicopter pilot. Learn more at www.donbentleybooks.com

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Here’s the description of Storm Rising.

Nationally bestselling author Chris Hauty leads fans into the depths of a dangerous white supremacy conspiracy that threatens to tear the country apart in his propulsive new thriller.

Former White House intern turned intelligence operative Hayley Chill is filling her time by training as an MMA fighter. When she’s convinced to pursue the truth about her father’s mysterious fate, she stumbles upon a ciphered document under the floorboards of her father’s house.

With permission from her handler to probe deeper, she is led into a terrifying subculture of white supremacy within the United States military. As her investigation intensifies, she uncovers an expansive conspiracy to bring about the secession of several states from the country. It’s up to Hayley to stop a second Civil War before it starts, while also confronting the ultimate truth about her own father’s role in this harrowing chapter of American history.

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Chris Hauty is a screenwriter who has worked at all the major movie studios, in nearly every genre of film. He currently lives in Venice, California. Deep State, his debut novel, was an instant national bestseller in the USA. His second novel, Savage Road, published in 2021 and his third, Storm Rising, will publish in 2022. All of the Hayley Chill thrillers can be read as part of the series or as standalones. 

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Enjoy the conversation, including the background on both books.

There are only twelve days covered in the following list of events at The Poisoned Pen, but it’s a full schedule. Check it out now. Put your favorite author events on the calendar, and look in the Web Store for the books by these authors. There’s a lot to anticipate! https://store.poisonedpen.com/

When Karen Shaver from The Poisoned Pen interviewed Jennifer McMahon, she stressed that McMahon’s latest novel combines genres. Copies of The Children on the Hill are available through the Web Store. https://tinyurl.com/ycksc4we

Here’s the description of The Children on the Hill.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Drowning Kind comes a genre-defying new novel, inspired by Mary Shelley’s masterpiece Frankenstein, that brilliantly explores the eerie mysteries of childhood and the evils perpetrated by the monsters among us.

1978: At her renowned treatment center in picturesque Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when she’s home with her cherished grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran—teaching them how to take care of their pets, preparing them home-cooked meals, providing them with care and attention and love.

Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris—silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral—does not behave like a normal girl.

Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they catalogue all kinds of monsters and dream up ways to defeat them. Before long, Iris begins to come out of her shell. She and Vi and Eric do everything together: ride their bicycles, go to the drive-in, meet at their clubhouse in secret to hunt monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.

2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real—and one of them is her very own sister.

A haunting, vividly suspenseful page-turner from the “literary descendant of Shirley Jackson” (Chris Bohjalian, author of The Flight Attendant), The Children on the Hill takes us on a breathless journey to face the primal fears that lurk within us all.

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Jennifer McMahon is the author of ten novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Promise Not to Telland The Winter People. She lives in Vermont with her partner, Drea, and their daughter, Zella. Visit her at Jennifer-McMahon.com or connect with her on Instagram @JenniferMcMahonWrites and Facebook @JenniferMcMahonBooks.

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Enjoy McMahon’s comments about her book and the background.

Jeneva Rose recently appeared at The Poisoned Pen to discuss her latest thriller, One of Us is Dead. There are signed copies of the book available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3kzlLqa

The highly anticipated new thriller from the bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage.

Opulence. Sex. Betrayal … Sometimes friendship can be deadly.

Meet the women of Buckhead—a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships.

Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she’s been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband. When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge …

Crystal has stepped into Shannon’s old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she’s up against …

Olivia has waited years to take Shannon’s crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally, her moment has come. But to take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book …

Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients’ secrets and darkest desires. But will she ever tell?

Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead—and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.

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Jeneva Rose is the bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage, which has been published in nearly a dozen languages and optioned for film. Originally from Wisconsin, she currently lives in Chicago with her husband and stubborn English bulldog. One of Us Is Dead is her third novel.

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Enjoy the conversation with Jeneva Rose.

Any event with Adriana Trigiani is going to be fun. Larry Siegel had the good luck to host Trigiani for The Poisoned Pen, even though he admitted he probably wouldn’t get to say anything. Signed copies of her latest book, The Good Left Undone, are available through the Web Store. https://tinyurl.com/3dbxtvtn

Here’s the summary of The Good Left Undone.

“[An] immersive saga. . . . A celebration of family and a paean to the power of storytelling.”—People, “Book of the Week”

“Trigiani conveys the beauty of Italy, the hardships of war, the taste of family recipes, and the enduring love of family.”—Library Journal (starred)

“The beauty of any book by Adriana Trigiani is her ability to interweave life and fiction. . . . Don’t miss your chance to take this unforgettable journey with the Cabrelli women!” —Lisa Wingate, Book of the Month

From “a master of visual and palpable detail” (The Washington Post), comes a lush, immersive novel about three generations of Tuscan artisans with one remarkable secret. Epic in scope and resplendent with the glorious themes of identity and belonging, The Good Left Undone unfolds in breathtaking turns.

Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew. . . .

In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool—where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause—as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.

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Adriana Trigiani is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including The Shoemaker’s Wife. Her books have been published in thirty-eight languages around the world. She is an award-winning playwright, television writer/producer, and filmmaker. Among her screen credits, Trigiani wrote and directed the major motion picture adaptation of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where she co-founded the Origin Project. Trigiani is proud to serve on the New York State Council on the Arts. She lives in New York City with her family.

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Enjoy Adriana Trigiani’s conversation.

The Edgar Awards were presented by Mystery Writers of America on Thursday night. Below are the winners and nominees. Don’t forget to check the Web Store for the titles. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Best Novel: Five Decembers, by James Kestrel (Hard Case Crime)

Also nominated: The Venice Sketchbook, by Rhys Bowen (Lake Union); Razorblade Tears, by S.A. Cosby (Flatiron); How Lucky, by Will Leitch (Harper); and No One Will Miss Her, by Kat Rosenfield (Morrow)

Best First Novel by an American Author: Deer Season, by Erin Flanagan (University of Nebraska Press)

Also nominated: Never Saw Me Coming, by Vera Kurian (Park Row); Suburban Dicks, by Fabian Nicieza (Putnam); What Comes After, by JoAnne Tompkins (Riverhead); and The Damage, by Caitlin Wahrer (Viking/Pamela Dorman)

Best Paperback Original:
Bobby March Will Live Forever, by Alan Parks (World Noir)

Also nominated: Kill All Your Darlings, by David Bell (Berkley); The Lighthouse Witches, by C.J. Cooke (Berkley); The Album of Dr. Moreau, by Daryl Gregory (Tor); Starr Sign, by C.S. O’Cinneide (Dundurn Press); and The Shape of Darkness, by Laura Purcell (Penguin)

Best Short Story: “The Road to Hana,” by R.T. Lawton (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine [AHMM], May/June 2021

Also nominated: “Blindsided,” by Michael Bracken and James A. Hearn (AHMM, September/October 2021); “The Vermeer Conspiracy,” by V.M. Burns (from Midnight Hour, edited by Abby L. Vandiver; Crooked Lane); “Lucky Thirteen,” by Tracy Clark (from Midnight Hour); “The Locked Room Library,” by Gigi Pandian (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], July/August 2021); and “The Dark Oblivion,” by Cornell Woolrich (EQMM, January/February 2021)

Best Fact Crime: Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York, by Elon Green (Celadon)

Also nominated: The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History, by Margalit Fox (Random House); Sleeper Agent: The Atomic Spy in America Who Got Away, by Ann Hagedorn (Simon & Schuster); Two Truths and a Lie: A Murder, a Private Investigator, and Her Search for Justice, by Ellen McGarrahan (Random House); The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade, by Benjamin T. Smith (Norton); and When Evil Lived in Laurel: The “White Knights” and the Murder of Vernon Dahmer, by Curtis Wilkie (Norton)

Best Critical/Biographical: The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense, by Edward White (Norton)

Also nominated: Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World, by Mark Aldridge (Harper360); The Unquiet Englishman: A Life of Graham Greene, by Richard Greene (Norton); Tony Hillerman: A Life, by James McGrath Morris (University of Oklahoma Press); and The Reason for the Darkness of the Night: Edgar Allan Poe and the Forging of American Science, by John Tresch (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Best Young Adult:
Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley (Henry Holt)

Also nominated: Ace of Spades, by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (Feiwel & Friends); When You Look Like Us, by Pamela N. Harris (Quill Tree); The Forest of Stolen Girls, by June Hur (Feiwel & Friends); and The Girls I’ve Been, by Tess Sharpe (Putnam)

Best Juvenile:
Concealed, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Scholastic Press)

Also nominated: Cold-Blooded Myrtle, by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Algonquin Young Readers); Aggie Morton Mystery Queen: The Dead Man in the Garden, by Marthe Jocelyn (Tundra); Kidnap on the California Comet: Adventures on Trains #2, by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman (Feiwel & Friends); and Rescue, by Jennifer A. Nielsen (Scholastic Press)

Best Television Episode Teleplay: “Boots on the Ground,” Narcos: Mexico, written by Iturri Sosa (Netflix)

Also nominated: “Dog Day Morning,” The Brokenwood Mysteries, written by Tim Balme (Acorn TV); “Episode 1,” The Beast Must Die, written by Gaby Chiappe (AMC+); “The Men Are Wretched Things,” The North Water, written by Andrew Haigh (AMC+); and “Happy Families,” Midsomer Murders, written by Nicholas Hicks-Beach (Acorn TV)

Grand Master:Laurie R. King

Raven Award: Lesa Holstine, librarian, blogger, and book reviewer

Ellery Queen Award: Juliet Grames, associate publisher at Soho Press

Robert L. Fish Memorial Award:
“Analogue,” by Rob Osler (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, January/February 2021)

The G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award:
Runner, by Tracy Clark (Kensington)

Also nominated: Double Take, by Elizabeth Breck (Crooked Lane); Shadow Hill, by Thomas Kies (Poisoned Pen Press); Sleep Well, My Lady, by Kwei Quartey (Soho Crime); and Family Business, by S.J. Rozan (Pegasus Crime)

The Simon & Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award:
Clark and Division, by Naomi Hirahara (Soho Crime)

Also nominated: The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet, by Katherine Cowley (Tule Mystery); Ruby Red Herring, by Tracy Gardner (Crooked Lane); The Sign of Death, by Callie Hutton (Crooked Lane); and Chapter and Curse, by Elizabeth Penney (St. Martin’s Paperbacks)

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!

Don Winslow’s City on Fire is the current Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. Signed copies of the book are available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3LdQDYZ

As many of you know, Don Winslow just announced his retirement as a writer. The two sequels to City on Fire are already written. He intends to devote his time to politics. He said, “This will be my focus now. “Democrats have better ideas, better candidates, and a better vision for tomorrow. What they don’t have is BETTER MESSAGING and I’m going to try and change that.” I will be paying for everything myself and not accepting any donations. Don Winslow” You can find the rest of his statement online, including on Twitter.

In the meantime, here’s the summary of City on Fire.

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of the Cartel Trilogy (The Power of the Dog, The Cartel, and The Border), The Force, and Broken comes the first novel in an epic new trilogy.

“Superb. City on Fire is exhilarating.” ““ Stephen King

“Epic, ambitious, majestic, City on Fire is The Godfather for our generation.” ““ Adrian McKinty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chain

Two criminal empires together control all of New England.

Until a beautiful woman comes between the Irish and the Italians, launching a war that will see them kill each other, destroy an alliance, and set a city on fire.

Danny Ryan yearns for a more “legit” life and a place in the sun. But as the bloody conflict stacks body on body and brother turns against brother, Danny has to rise above himself. To save the friends he loves like family and the family he has sworn to protect, he becomes a leader, a ruthless strategist, and a master of a treacherous game in which the winners live and the losers die.

From the gritty streets of Providence to the glittering screens of Hollywood to the golden casinos of Las Vegas, two rival crime families ignite a war that will leave only one standing. The winner will forge a dynasty.

Exploring the classic themes of loyalty, betrayal, and honor, City on Fire is a contemporary masterpiece in the tradition of The Godfather, Casino, and Goodfellas—a thrilling saga from Don Winslow, “America’s greatest living crime writer” (Jon Land, Providence Journal).

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Don Winslow is the author of twenty-two acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel, and The Border sold to FX to air as a major television series, and The Force is soon to be a major motion picture from 20^th Century Studios. A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer, and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.

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The Poisoned Pen hosted Winslow on Monday, April 25. At the time I wrote this, I didn’t have a video to share. I hope there’s one available soon.

Patrick King from The Poisoned Pen recently welcomed fantasy author Rebecca Roanhorse to discuss the second book in her Between Earth and Sky trilogy, Fevered Star. You can order a signed copy of the book through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3kil18N

Here’s the summary of Fevered Star, the sequel to Black Sun.

Return to The Meridian with New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse’s sequel to the most critically hailed epic fantasy of 2020 Black Sun—finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Lambda, and Locus awards.

There are no tides more treacherous than those of the heart. —Teek saying

The great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow God’s eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent.

The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed. How do you live when legends come to life, and the faith you had is rewarded?

As sea captain Xiala is swept up in the chaos and currents of change, she finds an unexpected ally in the former Priest of Knives. For the Clan Matriarchs of Tova, tense alliances form as far-flung enemies gather and the war in the heavens is reflected upon the earth.

And for Serapio and Naranpa, both now living avatars, the struggle for free will and personhood in the face of destiny rages. How will Serapio stay human when he is steeped in prophecy and surrounded by those who desire only his power? Is there a future for Naranpa in a transformed Tova without her total destruction?

Welcome back to the fantasy series of the decade in Fevered Star—book two of Between Earth and Sky.

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Rebecca Roanhorse is the New York Times bestselling author of Trail of Lightning, Storm of Locusts, Black Sun, and Star Wars: Resistance Reborn. She has won the Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Awards for her fiction, and was the recipient of the 2018 Astounding Award for Best New Writer. The next book in her Between Earth and Sky series, Fevered Star, is out in April 2022. She lives in New Mexico with her family.

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Enjoy the conversation.

Sascha Rothchild’s Blood Sugar is the April First Mystery of the Month for The Poisoned Pen. Stephanie Wrobel was guest host for the discussion of Rothchild’s debut thriller. There might be a few signed copies still available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3EIV0sy

Here’s the description of Blood Sugar.

An utterly delicious debut thriller that tells the story of the most likable murderess you will ever meet, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Jessica Knoll.

“I could just kill you right now!” It’s something we’ve all thought at one time or another. But Ruby has actually acted on it. Three times, to be exact.

Though she may be a murderer, Ruby is not a sociopath. She is an animal-loving therapist with a thriving practice. She’s felt empathy and sympathy. She’s had long-lasting friendships and relationships, and has a husband, Jason, whom she adores. But the homicide detectives at Miami Beach PD are not convinced of her happy marriage. When we meet Ruby, she is in a police interrogation room, being accused of Jason’s murder. Which, ironically, is one murder that she did not commit, though a scandal-obsessed public believes differently. As she undergoes questioning, Ruby’s mind races back to all the details of her life that led her to this exact moment, and to the three dead bodies in her wake. Because though she may not have killed her husband, Ruby certainly isn’t innocent.

Alternating between Ruby’s memories of her past crimes and her present-day fight to clear her name, Blood Sugar is a twisty, clever debut with an unforgettable protagonist who you can’t help but root for—an addicting mixture of sour and sweet.

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Sascha Rothchild is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter, who has written and produced lauded shows such as GLOW, The Bold Type, The Baby-Sitters Club, and The Carrie Diaries. In 2015, she was named one of Variety‘s “10 TV Writers to Watch.” Rothchild has written for LA Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, Elle,  and the Miami Herald, and adapted her article, “How to Get Divorced by 30” into both a memoir and a screenplay for Universal Studios. She graduated from the honors program of Boston College summa cum laude, with a major in theater and screenwriting. Blood Sugar is her debut novel.

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Enjoy the discussion.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Agatha Awards, announced Saturday night at Malice Domestic. The awards were presented in 2022 for books published in 2021. Don’t forget to check the Web Store for copies of the books. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Best Contemporary Novel

Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron

Best Historical Novel

Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day

Best First Novel

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

Best Short Story

“Bay of Reckoning” by Shawn Reilly Simmons (Murder on the Beach)

Best Non-fiction

How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America by MWA with editors Lee Child and Laurie R. King

Best Children’s/Young Adult

I Play One on TV by Alan Orloff