If you’ve read Nita Prose’s Molly the Maid books, you’ll be eager to hear what she says about the latest book in the series, The Maid’s Secret. Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcomed Prose to the bookstore to talk about her latest book. There are signed copies of The Maid’s Secret available through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3E90L7f

Here’s the description of The Maid’s Secret.

A daring art heist on the eve of Molly’s wedding reveals long-buried secrets in this intriguing and heartwarming novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid and The Mystery Guest.

”A big-hearted examination of wealth and social class.”—Oprah Daily

”A glorious read . . . intrigue, heart, and humanity in spades.”—Lucy Foley

Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, two good things are just around the corner—a taping of the hit antiquities TV show Hidden Treasures and, even more exciting, her wedding to Juan Manuel.

When Molly brings in some old trinkets to be appraised on the show, one item is revealed to be a rare and coveted artifact worth millions. Molly becomes a rags-to-riches sensation, and a media frenzy swirls as she prepares to sell her priceless treasure. Then, on auction day, the treasure suddenly vanishes. and Molly and her friends find themselves at the center of the boldest art heist in recent memory.

But the key to this mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s Gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about her grandmother’s secrets: how she was born into a wealthy family and fell head-over-heels in love with a young man her parents deemed below her. As fate would have it, Gran’s greatest love was someone Molly knows quite well.

A spirited heist caper and an epic love story, The Maid’s Secret is a spell-binding whodunit that will capture your heart.

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Nita Prose is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid, which has sold more than two million copies worldwide, The Mystery Guest, and The Mistletoe Mystery. A Good Morning America Book Club pick, The Maid won the Ned Kelly Award for International Crime Fiction, the Fingerprint Award for Debut Novel of the Year, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Barry Award for Best First Mystery. The Maid was also an Edgar Award finalist for Best Novel.

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Enjoy Nita Prose’s discussion of The Maid’s Secret.

Not Dead Yet is Jeffrey Siger’s fourteenth book featuring Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis. If you’re looking for exciting novels set in Greece check out his books. Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, recently welcomed Siger to the bookstore. You can order a signed copy of Not Dead Yet, and copies of Siger’s earlier books through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/4cG6aiU

Here’s the description of Not Dead Yet.

A corrupt millionaire. A suspicious plane crash. A sole survivor. Chief Inspector Kaldis is on the case in the latest installment of the internationally bestselling, critically acclaimed mystery series set in Greece

“Thoughtful police procedurals set in picturesque but not untroubled Greek locales” New York Times
“A new Kaldis case is always a treat” Booklist (Starred Review)
“Terrific novels which take place on the Greek islands” Readers Digest

Wealthy Greek businessman Dimitris Onofrio is known to be corrupt to the core, but the police have never been able to make his crimes stick. Powerful, influential and extremely dangerous, Onofrio is not a man to cross, and every witness prepared to come forward against him has died before they could testify.

So when Onofrio’s private jet crashes, seemingly with no survivors, the police breathe a sigh of relief – quickly replaced by horror when Onofrio is found alive but catatonic on a remote Ionian beach, beside the body of his beloved wife.

Was the crash an accident . . . or sabotage? Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis, head of Athens’ Special Crimes Unit, knows that unless he can discover the truth before Onofrio recovers, the tycoon will be out for bloody revenge on all involved. Including Kaldis’ own beloved wife, who is more mixed up in the accident than anyone would ever have suspected . . .

With its gorgeous Greek locations, engaging characters and fast-paced plotting, this international crime series is a perfect pick for fans of Donna Leon, Louise Penny, Martin Walker and David Hewson.

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Jeffrey Siger is an American living on the Aegean Greek island of Mykonos. A former Wall Street lawyer, he gave up his career as a name partner in his own New York City law firm to write the international best-selling, award recognized Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series of mystery thrillers telling more than just a fast-paced story. The New York Times described his novels as “thoughtful police procedurals set in picturesque but not untroubled Greek locales” and named him as Greece’s thriller novelist of record. Athens Insider Magazine hails him as “a literary star,” the Greek government selected him as the only American author writing novels serving as a guide to Greece, and Reader’s Digest calls him “one of our new favorite authors.” He’s also served as Chair of the National Board of Bouchercon, America’s largest mystery convention, and as Adjunct Professor of English at Washington & Jefferson College, teaching mystery writing.

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Enjoy the conversation with Jeffrey Siger.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcomed Bryan Gruley back to the bookstore to talk about his latest book, Bitterfrost. The Pen sold out of the signed books, but you can still order a copy of the book through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/4ib8gs4

Here’s the description of Bitterfrost, a book with terrific reviews. Peters reads a few of the reviews.

The first in a brand-new crime thriller series from Edgar nominee and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Bryan Gruley. Feisty defence attorney Devyn Payne faces off against veteran detective Garth Klimmek as they work to solve a vicious double homicide in their small, icy town of Bitterfrost.

Thirteen years ago, former ice hockey star Jimmy Baker quit the game after almost killing an opponent. Now, as the Zamboni driver for the amateur team in his hometown of Bitterfrost, Michigan, he’s living his penance. Until the morning he awakens to the smell of blood . . .

Jimmy soon finds himself arrested for a brutal double murder. The kicker? He has no memory of the night in question. And as the evidence racks up against him, Jimmy’s case is skating on thin ice. Could he have committed such a gruesome crime?

As his defence attorney Devyn Payne and prosecuting detective Garth Klimmek race to uncover the truth, time is running out for Jimmy. Because all he can really be sure of is that he is capable of taking a life. The question is, in his blacked-out state, did he take two?

This gritty drama is the first in the Bitterfrost series, perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane!

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Bryan Gruley is the Edgar-nominated author of six novels and one award-winning work of nonfiction. A lifelong journalist, he shared in The Wall Street Journal‘s Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the September 11 terrorist attacks. He lives in northern lower Michigan with his wife, Pamela.

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Enjoy the conversation with Bryan Gruley.

It seems as if I’m only writing tributes in the last weeks, to Kerry Greenwood, Peter Lovesey, and now Andrew Gross. May they all rest in peace.

A personal Arizona story. I met Andrew Gross and his wife, Lynn, at a birthday party in Tucson. We had dinner. The next day, I went to see Andrew at the Tucson Festival of Books. Andrew looked awful, but he managed to make it through his program. He had food poisoning from the night before.

Gross appeared at The Poisoned Pen several times. He wrote some books with James Patterson before he wrote thrillers on his own. But, I want to share an interview for Gross’ most personal book, Button Man. It’s based on the story of Gross’ own family, a Jewish family working in the garment industry. You would have to place a special order for Button Man. https://bit.ly/3YvwrdJ

Andrew Gross said Button Man is really a depiction of the origin of an industry, but also a depiction of organized crime in New York.

Patrick Millikin did an excellent interview with Andrew Gross. It’s a pleasure to hear him talk about his family and New York City history. It’s worth watching, one last time.

Andrew Gross. May he rest in peace.

We’ve lost a great one. Peter Lovesey died yesterday. He was a Diamond Dagger award winner and received the Grand Master Award from Mystery Writers of America. Janet Rudolph published a beautiful tribute to Lovesey on her blog, Mystery Fanfare – https://bit.ly/3FY7CRs.

Lovesey was the author of Sergeant Cribb mysteries; Bertie, Prince of Wales; and the Superintendent Peter Diamond books. He also wrote books as Peter Lear. You can find many of his books through the Webstore, https://bit.ly/42go5Yo.

We’re all going to miss Peter Lovesey, but I know Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, was a friend of his. She did a wonderful interview with him when his last book was released, Against the Grain.

Peter Lovesey was the author of more than forty highly praised mystery novels including the Peter Diamond investigations and the Sergeant Cribb investigations. He has been honored with the two highest awards in mystery fiction, Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America and the Cartier Diamond Dagger of the Crime Writers’ Association as well as many other international accolades. He lived in Shrewsbury, England.

Peter Lovesey, may he rest in peace.

Although Kelly Mullen’s book, This is Not a Game, was already released in the U.K., this week was release date for the book in the U.S. Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, hosted the release party which included champagne and cookies shaped like dachshunds.

You can still pick up a signed copy of This is Not a Game through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3XUlsdH

Here’s the description of the debut novel, This is Not a Game.

MURDER
MARTINIS
A GRANDMOTHER-GRANDDAUGHTER SLEUTHING DUO
DACHSHUNDS (x2)
A GLAMOROUS ISLAND MANOR

Widow Mimi lives on idyllic Mackinac Island, where cars are not allowed and a Gibson martini with three onions at the witching hour is compulsory. Her estranged granddaughter, Addie, is getting over the heartbreak of not only being dumped by her fiancé, Brian, but also being cut out of the deal for the brilliantly successful video game?Murderscape they invented together (with Addie doing most of the heavy lifting).

When Mimi gets an invitation from local socialite Jane Ireland—a seventysomething narcissist who’s having a salacious affair with her son-in-law—to a charity auction, she invites Addie. But Mimi doesn’t tell her that a blackmail threat from Jane looms over the party’s invitation.

Once they arrive, a big storm rolls in, trapping everyone in the mansion. And then, Jane is murdered. Soon Mimi and Addie’s strained relationship is put to the test when they must team up to narrow down the suspects. When another body turns up, the sleuthing pair realize someone else is playing a deadly game, and they might not survive the night.

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Kelly Mullen is an author, producer and marketing executive. Her creative work for brands has won over fifty awards, including Cannes Lions and Clios. As an executive producer, her credits include the Academy Award-nominated film Trumbo, starring Bryan Cranston and Helen Mirren, and the Apple TV+ documentary Dads, produced with Ron Howard. Born and raised in Iowa, Kelly is now a dual citizen of the UK and US. She lives in London with her husband and their rescue cats.

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Enjoy the interview with Kelly Mullen.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcomed Steve Cavanagh to the bookstore. There are signed copies of Cavanagh’s new book, Witness 8, available in the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3RapJ9a

Here’s the description of Witness 8.

NSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Author of the “unguessable and unputdownable” (Alex Michaelides, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Kill For Me, Kill for You, the master of psychological thrillers Steve Cavanagh returns.

What if the witness was more twisted than the killer?

Something is wrong with Ruby Johnson.

A former resident of the ultra-elite Manhattan upper class, Ruby now works as a maid in the type of houses she used to live in. Unassuming, she sees everyone’s dirty secrets from the inside of their beautiful, renovated brownstones. But when Ruby witnesses a murder, she has wicked plans in mind that don’t involve telling the authorities the truth.

Eddie Flynn, streetwise ex con-artist-turned-defense attorney, is the only lawyer in New York City willing to take on hopeless cases. And none is more hopeless than John Jackson’s—the gun that killed his neighbor found, with Jackson’s DNA, in his own home. Flynn and his unconventional team will need to use every trick they know to keep an innocent man from being locked up. But to save his client’s life, Eddie must first protect his own, as the scariest organized criminals in the city are out for his head.

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Megan Miranda, Witness 8 is a fresh knockout page-turner from an author who is “the real deal” (Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

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Steve Cavanagh is the bestselling and award-winning author of several books, including the Eddie Flynn series and Kill for Me, Kill for You. A former lawyer, he was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he still lives. Find out more at SteveCavanaghAuthor.com.

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Enjoy the conversation with Steve Cavanagh.

The British Library Crime Classics are popular books at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, with the introductions by Martin Edwards. They’re published by Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press. This week, Dana Stabenow reviews Mary Kelly’s The Spoilt Kill, which is available through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3BuXBcx

Mary Kelly’s The Spoilt Kill beat out John le Carre’s Call for the Dead for the Gold Dagger Award in 1961, and now I know why. This book is exquisitely written, with a totally character-driven plot in a fully realized workplace setting (a commercial pottery). The detective is undercover on a case of industrial espionage and the pottery’s accountant is found murdered by, well, let’s just say by clay.

But this is one of those books that is about far more than its mystery. I’ll excerpt one sample for you.

“…But you heard what Dart said. “You have to have these things.” Have to. Obligation. England the great mercantile nation, rolling in prosperity, measures poverty against a new list of basic possessions. And it’s no longer a pity to be poor, a misfortune, it’s a disgrace, a stigma, a reflection on your character, a condition you daren’t permit to be seen, like syphilis. Perhaps I exaggerate.”

No, he doesn’t. Who says we need that enormous TV, that flashy car, that McMansion? That is a passage that could have been written today and be just as relevant now as it was then. The sheer pettiness of the motive for the espionage rings horribly true.

Be aware, this is not a light-hearted read and there is no HEA, but on a level of craft it reads as well as le Carre himself ever did. I especially recommend it to my writing friends.

N.B.: I will say this and no more in criticism [SPOILER]:

Nicholson is meant to have been disappointed in love at the end, but my feeling is he really dodged a bullet there.

Kerry Greenwood, author of the historical detective Phryne Fisher mysteries, died last week, according to ABC News. https://ab.co/4jpXNdt.

Australian author Kerry Greenwood, who died in Melbourne on March 26 aged 70. (Supplied: Allen & Unwin)

Although Greenwood was Australian, her Phryne Fisher mysteries were published here in the United States by Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks.

Over the course of her career, The Poisoned Pen bookstore published a number of blog pieces about her books, the fashion in the shows, the Phryne Fisher shows themselves.

Kerry Greenwood. May she rest in peace.