Patrick Millikin from The Poisoned Pen shared a couple fantastic photos celebrating Isabella Maldonado’s new book, A Different Dawn. You’ll want to watch the virtual event to see those pictures. A Different Dawn is the second Nina Guerrera novel. Signed copies are available through the Web Store. Check out Maldonado’s other books as well. https://bit.ly/2GSYMWr
Here’s the summary of A Different Dawn.
For nearly thirty years a serial killer has been hiding in plain sight. So has the key to an FBI agent’s dark past.
A family is murdered as they sleep. FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera and her new team are tasked with determining whether there is any link between this attack and another triple homicide from four years earlier and more than two thousand miles away. In the process, they’ll discover a serial killer so cunning that his grisly trail of death spanning nearly three decades has gone undetected. Each crime scene reminds Nina of the ghostly Latin folktale of La Llorona, which terrified her when she was an abandoned and vulnerable child. Now it’s back to haunt her.
Nina has known evil, but these macabre reenactments are as disturbing as they are baffling. Now she must uncover the meaning behind the rituals as the evidence leads her in an unexpected direction—far closer to home than anyone could have imagined. As the team narrows in on a suspect, the present collides with Nina’s past in a twist of fate that forces her to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics.
During Ms. Maldonado’s more than two decades on the force, her varied assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and district station commander. She uses her extensive law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing.
Ms. Maldonado is a member of the FBI National Academy Associates; Fairfax County Police Association; International Society of Latino Authors; International Thriller Writers; Mystery Writers of America; and Sisters in Crime, where she served as president of the Phoenix Metro Chapter in 2015 and sat on the board until 2019. The author of the FBI Agent Nina Guerrera series and the Detective Cruz series, she lives in the Phoenix area with her family. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.
I think the information above is enough to entice you to watch the video.
If you missed the Kensington Historicon, hosted by Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, you can now “meet” the authors and learn about their historical novels through the summaries and the video. Three authors published by Kensington participated. Their mysteries are available through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/. A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder is Dianne Freeman’s fourth Countess of Harleigh mysteries. Clara McKenna’s third Stella and Lyndy mystery is Murder at Keyhaven Castle. Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is the first in Stephanie Graves’ new series.
Here’s the summary of A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder.
In Dianne Freeman’s lighthearted mystery series set in Victorian England, the American-born Countess of Harleigh uncovers more deadly intrigue among the uppercrust…
As the future Mrs. George Hazelton, Frances assumes the woman is either lying or demented. “Mrs. Hazelton,” aka Irena, makes other outrageous statements. Among them, she insists that she is the illegitimate daughter of Russian royalty, that she has been abducted and held for ransom many times, and that someone is sending her threatening letters. When George arrives, he clarifies that he is certainly not married to Irena–though he can confirm her royal parentage. But even as he agrees to investigate whether Irena’s life is in danger, her claim proves tragically true. Irena is found strangled in Frances’ garden.
To uncover a killer–and clear their own names–Frances and George must determine which of Irena’s outlandish stories were based in fact, and who stood to benefit from her death. And as the search reaches a shocking conclusion, they may find that villainy lurks all too close to home…
Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Agatha and Lefty Award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. A nominee for the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award from Mystery Writers of America, she is also a Macavity Award finalist. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona. Visit her at DiFreeman.com.
Here’s the description of Clara McKenna’s Murder at Keyhaven Castle.
With her wedding to Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst just days away, strong-willed American ex-pat Stella Kendrick is the talk of Edwardian society–and the focus of a deadly mystery–in Clara McKenna’s third historical mystery set in England’s New Forest region at the turn of the 20th century.
Between ornate bridal gown fittings and meetings with Lyndy’s distant relatives, Stella finally feels less like an out-of-place American and more like a respected aristocrat. Everything changes as the arrival of an anonymous gift and return of her overbearing father cast a dark shadow over the festivities, conjuring difficult memories and new fears…
Tensions intensify when a daytrip to Southampton ends with a suspicious stranger getting trampled by a horse-drawn cab. Before anyone can explain why the victim possessed a newspaper clipping about the upcoming ceremony at Morrington Hall, tragedy strikes again, this time resulting in a murder that turns Stella’s world completely upside down while implicating one of Lyndy’s well-regarded family members…
Facing loss, postponed nuptials, and uncertain threats, Stella and Lyndy rush to connect two very different crimes and identify the guilty culprit hiding among elite wedding guests. But as the couple blows the lid off of scandalous secrets, they realize that catching this killer–and living to tell the tale–may prove as impossible as closing the class divide.
Clara McKenna is the author of the acclaimed Stella and Lyndy Mystery Series as well as other historical mysteries written under a different name. She is a member of Historical Novel Society and Sisters in Crime, as well as a founding member of Sleuths in Time, a cooperative group of historical mystery writers who encourage and promote each other’s work. McKenna has spent most of her working life in academia and is an avid traveler, a vintage teacup collector, a poet, and a self-professed anglophile. She lives with her family in a Victorian farmhouse near Ames, Iowa, and can be found online at ClaraMckenna.com.
Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is Stephanie Graves’ first in the Olive Bright series.
“Delightful.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Charming and exciting…the perfect cozy mystery, with a brilliant heroine you’re sure to adore.”—Apple Books,Best of the Month Selection
Set in a charming British village during World War II, Stephanie Graves’ debut mystery introduces Olive Bright, a spirited young pigeon fancier who finds herself at the heart of a baffling murder. . . .
Though war rages across mainland Europe and London is strafed by German aircraft, the little village of Pipley in Hertfordshire bustles along much as it always has. Adrift since her best friend, George, joined the Royal Air Force, twenty-two-year-old Olive Bright fills her days by helping at her father’s veterinary practice and tending to her beloved racing pigeons. Desperate to do her bit, Olive hopes that the National Pigeon Service will enlist Bright Lofts’ expertise, and use their highly trained birds to deliver critical, coded messages for His Majesty’s Forces.
The strangers who arrive in Pipley are not from the NPS. Instead, Jameson Aldridge and his associate are tied to a covert British intelligence organization known as Baker Street. If Olive wants her pigeons to help the war effort, she must do so in complete secrecy. Tired of living vicariously through the characters of her beloved Agatha Christie novels, Olive readily agrees. But in the midst of her subterfuge, the village of Pipley is dealing with another mystery. Local busybody Miss Husselbee is found dead outside Olive’s pigeon loft. Is the murder tied to Olive’s new assignment? Or did Miss Husselbee finally succeed in ferreting out a secret shameful enough to kill for? With the gruff, handsome Jameson as an unlikely ally, Olive intends to find out—but homing in on a murderer can be a deadly business . . .
“Utterly charming… A marvelous read.” —Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of In the Shadow of Vesuvius
“Smart, energetic, and witty.” —Publishers Weekly
“A fresh, quirky, and charming new heroine.” —Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of the Edgar-nominated Maggie Hope series
“Entertaining.” —Criminal Element
Stephanie Graves is the author of Olive Bright, Pigeoneer, as well as four novels under the pseudonym Alyssa Goodnight. As a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, she worked in Austin as a product engineer on automotive application microcontrollers before returning to Houston and becoming the mom of two boys. She is a self-professed connoisseur of British mysteries of all sorts and has done extensive research on the little-known role of pigeons during the war, as well as the Special Operations Executive, particularly their school for sabotage, Station XVII: Brickendonbury Manor. Please visit her online at MsStephGraves.com.
The authors talk about their books, women, and history. Enjoy the Kensington Historicon.
John Charles from The Poisoned Pen recently hosted the virtual event featuring Karen Rose, author of Say Goodbye. There are still signed copies of her latest thriller through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2Xk81HD
Here’s the summary of Say Goodbye.
Eden faces a final reckoning when the cult’s past victims hunt them down in this explosive, high-stakes thriller in the Sacramento series from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose.
For decades, Eden has remained hidden in the remote wilds of the Pacific Northwest, “Pastor” keeping his cult’s followers in thrall for his personal profit and sexual pleasures. But the Founding Elders are splintering, and Pastor’s surrogate son DJ is scheming to make it all his own.
When two of Eden’s newest members send out a cry for help, it reaches FBI Special Agent Tom Hunter, whose friend and fellow FBI Special Agent Gideon Reynolds and his sister, Mercy, are themselves escapees of the Eden cult, targeted by the Founding Elders who want them silenced forever. The three have vowed to find the cult and bring it down, and now, they finally have a solid lead.
Neutralizing Eden’s threat will save captive members and ensure Tom’s new friends can live without fear. But when his best friend, ex-Army combat medic Liza Barkley, joins the case, it puts her life—and their blossoming love—in danger. With everything they hold dear in the balance, Tom and Liza, together with Gideon and Mercy, must end Eden once and for all.
Karen Rose is the award-winning, #1 international bestselling author of some twenty novels, including the bestselling Baltimore and Cincinnati series. She has been translated into twenty-three languages, and her books have placed on the New York Times, the Sunday Times (UK), and Germany’s der Spiegel bestseller lists.
Enjoy the conversation between Karen Rose and John Charles.
Martin Walker, author of the Bruno Chief of Police novels, recently appeared from France for a virtual event. His latest book, The Coldest Case, is the fourteenth book in the series. Copies of the book are available through the Web Store, along with an insert of the Chateau on one side, and a Bruno recipe from Walker on the other. https://bit.ly/2K7FkC1
Here’s the description of The Coldest Case.
An anonymous skull, an unsolved murder, sinister rumors from the Cold War era of espionage—Bruno’s investigation into a long-standing cold case finds him caught between an enigmatic winegrower and a menacing Communist organization from the past.
After attending an exhibit on the facial reconstruction of ancient skulls, Bruno wonders if this technology might provide an invaluable clue to a thirty-year-old cold case. But learning the identity of the murder victim is only the beginning.
The investigation quickly turns thorny and leads Bruno to a reclusive vintner, Henri Bazaine, whose education at a vocational school in a formerly Communist region has raised some eyebrows. An inquiry into the defunct school turns up shadowy reports of possible connections and funding from the Stasi, the repressive police agency of the former East Germany. The scrutiny on Henri intensifies once Bruno discovers that he was declared dead thirty years ago and has been living under an assumed name ever since.
MARTIN WALKER, after a long career of working in international journalism and for think tanks, now gardens, cooks, explores vineyards, writes, travels, and has never been more busy. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., and the Dordogne.
Wine, chateaus, books. Enjoy the conversation with Martin Walker and Barbara Peters, the owner of The Poisoned Pen.
Megan Abbott’s latest novel, The Turnout, is a TODAY Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick. Abbott recently appeared for a virtual event at The Poisoned Pen, hosted by Tasha Alexander. Signed copies of The Turnout are available through the Web Store, along with other books by Abbott. https://bit.ly/2ItIuyB
Here’s the description of The Turnout.
A TODAY Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick
Bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott’s revelatory and mesmerizing new novel set against the hothouse of a family-run ballet studio.
With their long necks and matching buns and pink tights, Dara and Marie Durant have been dancers since they can remember. Growing up, they were homeschooled and trained by their glamorous mother, founder of the Durant School of Dance. After their parents’ death in a tragic accident nearly a dozen years ago, the sisters began running the school together, along with Charlie, Dara’s husband and once their mother’s prized student.
Marie, warm and soft, teaches the younger students; Dara, with her precision, trains the older ones; and Charlie, sidelined from dancing after years of injuries, rules over the back office. Circling around one another, the three have perfected a dance, six days a week, that keeps the studio thriving. But when a suspicious accident occurs, just at the onset of the school’s annual performance of The Nutcracker—a season of competition, anxiety, and exhilaration—an interloper arrives and threatens the sisters’ delicate balance.
Taut and unnerving, The Turnout is Megan Abbott at the height of her game. With uncanny insight and hypnotic writing, it is a sharp and strange dissection of family ties and sexuality, femininity and power, and a tale that is both alarming and irresistible.
Megan Abbott is the award-winning author of ten novels, including Give Me Your Hand, You Will Know Me, The Fever, Dare Me, and The End of Everything. She received her PhD in literature from New York University. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, TheWall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The Guardian, and The Believer. She is the co-creator and executive producer of USA’s adaptation of Dare Me and was a staff writer on HBO’s David Simon show The Deuce. Abbott lives in New York City.
Enjoy the conversation about ballet and The Turnout.
One thing Zoom has given us is the ability to host authors from all over the world. Johanna Mo from Sweden is the author of The Night Singer. Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, recently hosted Mo, with her first novel translated into English. You can find copies available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3xtlYiM
Here’s the description of The Night Singer.
The scars from a family tragedy draw an estranged police detective back to her childhood home as a teenage boy‘s death quickly causes the past to collide with the present.
Police detective Hannah Duncker didn’t expect to return to her native Öland. She fled after her father’s murder conviction and returns to make peace with her shame. She has a new job with the local police and a nosy new partner. A fifteen-year-old’s death catapults her into a murder investigation that resurrects ghosts from her previous life. As she hunts for the truth, she must confront the people she abandoned. Not all are pleased to see her back home, and she soon learns that digging through the past comes with consequences.
Author Johanna Mo crafts a breakneck island noir where secrets linger, guilt stains, and collective memory is long and unforgiving. Propulsive and poignant, The Night Singer explores the fallout of when good people do bad things.
Johanna Mo was born in Kalmar, Sweden, and now lives with her family in Stockholm. She has spent the last twenty years working as a literary critic, translator, and freelance editor. The Night Singer is her English-language debut.
For most of us, this virtual event will be an introduction to Johanna Mo.
Glen Erik Hamilton’s sixth Van Shaw novel is Island of Thieves. Deborah Crombie joined him for The Poisoned Pen’s virtual event, acting as host of the event. You can order signed copies of this book through the Web Store. There are also signed copies available of the previous books, A Dangerous Breed. https://bit.ly/2Tt8Afd
Here’s the description of Island of Thieves.
“Hamilton has never been better.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
When a new security gig turns into a setup, expert thief Van Shaw finds himself the prey in a cross-country pursuit—in this electrifying sixth novel in Glen Erik Hamilton’s pulse-pounding and emotionally resonant thriller series.
Van Shaw is hired to evaluate the safeguards for the art collection of eccentric business magnate Sebastien Rohner. Then Rohner reveals to Van the real reason he’s been recruited: to prevent another professional burglar from stealing the art. Rohner wants to set a thief to catch a thief.
While questioning the bizarre nature of the job, Van accepts the lucrative offer and arrives at the island estate during an international summit that Rohner is hosting. Shortly after beginning his surveillance of Rohner’s highly secure gallery wing, Van stumbles across the murdered body of one of the honored guests along the rocky shore. Wary of Rohner’s true intentions, Van knows the homicide detectives on the case—and perhaps Rohner as well—believe he’s the prime suspect and will turn his life upside down in their search for proof.
Van begins to hunt for the murderer himself, but scrutiny only digs his hole deeper, as one of Rohner’s own executives is also killed and the Seattle police find concrete evidence placing Van at the scene. With no other options, he goes on the run, alone and unaided. He’s hunted by the cops, the enraged Rohner, and by a pair of psychopathic hitmen who chase Van from one coast to the next. To clear his name, Van Shaw will have to uncover the hidden motive of corporate espionage at a global level, even with a band of killers on his tail, determined to add Van to their growing list of victims.
A native of Seattle, GLEN ERIK HAMILTON was raised aboard a sailboat and grew up around the marinas and commercial docks and islands of the Pacific Northwest. His novels have won the Anthony, Macavity, and Strand Critics awards, and have been nominated for the Edgar, Barry, and Nero awards. After living for many years in Southern California, he and his family have recently returned to the Emerald City and its beautiful overcast skies.
Enjoy the conversation with Glen Erik Hamilton and Deborah Crombie.
A number of cozy mysteries are centered around holidays. Ellen Byron’s Cajun Kiss of Death uses Valentine’s Day, although the mystery itself has much more to do with Cajun food and restaurants. Check out the book trailer.
Cajun Kiss of Death will be released on August 10, but you can pre-order it now through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3iYoN7A
Here’s the description of the latest Cajun Country Mystery.
The next shot from Cupid’s bow may be fatal in USA Today bestselling, Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron’s hearty and delightful seventh Cajun Country mystery.
In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine’s Day has a way of warming the heart, despite the February chill. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns decidedly frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in. And when the arrogant Phillippe–in town to open his newest Cajun-themed restaurant–perishes in a fiery boat crash, Maggie Crozat’s dear friend JJ lands in very cold water.
Did JJ, proprietor of Junie’s Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, murder Phillippe because he feared the competition? Might Maggie’s mother, Ninette, have bumped off the chef for stealing one of her cherished recipes? Or was the culprit a local seafood vendor, miffed because Phillippe was somehow able to sell oysters for a remarkably reasonable price, despite an oyster shortage?
Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans, a present from her sweetheart, Bo. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer–or a stalker? And are these mysterious gifts somehow related to Phillippe’s murder?
Blood may be thicker than water, but this case is thicker than gumbo. And solving it will determine whether Maggie gets hearts and roses–or hearse and lilies–this Valentine’s Day.
Agatha Award winner and USA Today bestselling author Ellen Byron is a television writer, playwright, and freelance journalist. Her TV credits include Wings, Still Standing, and Just Shoot Me, and her written work has appeared in Glamour, Redbook, and Seventeen, among others. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, their daughter, and the family’s very spoiled rescue dog. A native New Yorker, Ellen still misses her hometown and still drives like a New York Cabbie.
Dianne Freeman, author of the new book, A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder, will be one of the authors appearing virtually Saturday, August 7 from 4-5 PM MDT for Kensington Historicon Group Event. She’ll be joined by Clara McKenna, author of Murder at Keyhaven Castle, and Stephanie Graves, author of Olive Bright, Pigeoneer. You can order copies of their books, including signed copies of Freeman’s book, through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
I picked Dianne Freeman to highlight because she recently answered questions for an interview on my personal blog. I’m happy to share that interview here. Before the interview, though, let me introduce you to Freeman’s book.
In Dianne Freeman’s lighthearted mystery series set in Victorian England, the American-born Countess of Harleigh uncovers more deadly intrigue among the uppercrust…
As the future Mrs. George Hazelton, Frances assumes the woman is either lying or demented. “Mrs. Hazelton,” aka Irena, makes other outrageous statements. Among them, she insists that she is the illegitimate daughter of Russian royalty, that she has been abducted and held for ransom many times, and that someone is sending her threatening letters. When George arrives, he clarifies that he is certainly not married to Irena–though he can confirm her royal parentage. But even as he agrees to investigate whether Irena’s life is in danger, her claim proves tragically true. Irena is found strangled in Frances’ garden.
To uncover a killer–and clear their own names–Frances and George must determine which of Irena’s outlandish stories were based in fact, and who stood to benefit from her death. And as the search reaches a shocking conclusion, they may find that villainy lurks all too close to home…
Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Agatha and Lefty Award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. A nominee for the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award from Mystery Writers of America, she is also a Macavity Award finalist. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona. Visit her at DiFreeman.com.
Enjoy getting to know Dianne Freeman a little more through the interview.
Thank you, Dianne, for taking the time to answer some questions.
Dianne, who were you before you turned to a life of crime? In other words, please tell us about yourself.
I was born and raised in Michigan, fell in love with books when I was around nine or ten, and with history not much later. Still, I was a practical kid and studied business. I worked in accounting and finance for thirty years, a career where being too creative can land you in a lot of trouble. Everyone I knew in this field was committed to a hobby that was either very physical or creative—the opposite of what we did for a living. For me, it was writing.
I came to publishing late in life, but for me, that’s normal. I worked my way though college, so I didn’t earn my degree until I was 32. I didn’t meet my husband and fall in love until I was 41. We didn’t get married until I was 48—you don’t want to rush into these things. But writing was always there. My favorite thing to write was fiction—the first draft. It was just for my own amusement, so once I got the story down, I saw no reason to revise—until I retired. (The one thing I did early!) That’s when I decided to write a book fit for others to read. At least that was my goal. I wrote the first draft of A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder. Then I revised, and revised, and revised, and loved every minute of it. I feel very fortunate to have a second career in crime—writing.
Please introduce us to Frances Wynn, the Countess of Harleigh. You might want to introduce George Hazelton as well.
Frances Wynn is a former American heiress and now widow to the Earl of Harleigh. She had plenty of time to ponder life during her obligatory year of mourning for her scoundrel of a husband. She’d been a dutiful daughter, wife, and mother and now she wants a chance to make her own decisions and mistakes and live her own life. She makes that happen by moving out of the family home with her young daughter and into her own little house in Belgravia—next door to George Hazelton.
George is the dashing third son of an Earl, so while he is a gentleman, he can’t expect to inherit a fortune and must make his own way in the world. He studied law and uses his knowledge and sense of adventure in his mysterious “work for the Crown.”
George helped Frances out of a difficult situation in the past and is always on hand for a good investigation. As Frances grows more confident, she and George grow closer.
Tell us about A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder.
Society’s rules and opinions in Victorian London dictate some of this book. Can you tell us a little about those rules, along with the life a widow might lead compared to a married woman?
While women had gained some advances by 1899, they did not have the independence we know today. If a woman was a member of the British aristocracy, the expectation was that she would always be dependent on a man—her father, husband, brothers, or sons—for everything. The only way out of that situation, was to have her own money. She could then afford to make decisions counter to those of the men in her life. Customs die hard, so she’d still have to deal with them trying to make her decisions, but financial independence meant she didn’t have to listen.
Unfortunately, one of the few ways a woman of the upper classes could become financially independent was if her husband died and left her money in her own right. Many husbands did. Frances’ late husband did not. Fortunately, upon her marriage, her father had set up a bank account for her sole use.
Even with financial freedom, the upper class with all their advantages, were expected to be models of moral behavior. Any deviation from expected behavior could affect their social standing and that of their families. Women, in particular, were careful of every step they took.
What kind of research do you do for your books?
I spend quite a bit of time in the British Newspaper Archive reading about crime, or just the daily happenings during the time frame of each book. That’s where I learned that Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich Romanov paid a visit to London and the British royal family in November of 1899. The newspapers alert me to big events I might want to include or avoid, and provide a wealth of detail such as typical wages for servants, the price of a hat, gloves, or rent, the weather, and if a typical house in town would be electrified or have gas lighting.
Once I write a first draft, I have dozens of notes for things I need to research. I had a little background on the Romanovs, but I needed much more for this book along with the workings of the House of Commons, women’s activist groups, and the theater business. The British Library reference services has been helpful in the past, but with everything closed for Covid, I relied heavily on Google Books this time.
COVID and isolation affected authors differently, just as it did the rest of us. Some were paralyzed, while others found a burst of creativity. How did the last year affect you and your writing?
That period lasted so long that I went through a few cycles of high creativity followed by short periods of burn out. It was a roller coaster that I’d rather not ride again, but it made me so grateful that I have this career. Not only did I get to work from home, but I also got to escape to another world—one where Covid didn’t exist, and I had control.
Frances and George team up to investigate murders. Who are your favorite detecting duos?
Even though Nora didn’t really do much detecting, I love Nick and Nora Charles for their chemistry. For the same reason, David and Maddie from Moonlighting are high on my list. But my favorite detecting duo is Anne Perry’s Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. They are wonderfully complex characters who both contribute to the outcome of the investigation.
If you had to recommend 5 books to a person so they could get a feel for your reading taste, what 5 would you pick?
These are my “go to” books that I’ve read multiple times. Scratch that. These are my “go to” authors. Any of their books are worth multiple reads.
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Citizens of London, Lynne Olson
In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson
Ashford Hall, Anne Perry
The Mischief of the Mistletoe, Lauren Willig
What’s on your TBR pile?
My TBR pile is huge! Here’s what’s at the top:
Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce (I still have about 50 pages to savor, so it’s technically TBR)
In Royal Service to the Queen by Tessa Arlen
The Light of Days by Judy Batalion
The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala
Dianne, I’m a librarian, so I like to end with this. Tell us a story about a library or librarian in your life.
I rely on librarians often, but one I met long ago was very special. The summer after I turned nine, we had just moved to a new neighborhood. I didn’t know anyone yet and there were still several weeks until school started. My mom took me with her to the library and sent me to the kids’ section to find some books. I wasn’t a reader at the time and had no idea where to begin. That’s when the librarian stepped in. She asked me a few questions. I don’t remember what they were, but I suspect they were about my interests, favorite subjects in school, and things of that nature. We were at the Southgate Public Library in Michigan and I don’t recall the librarian’s name, but I’ll never forget the books she let me check out—Half Magic and The Knights Castle by Edward Eager. I returned a couple of weeks later for the rest of the series. Those books and that librarian, saved my summer and made me a reader for life.
Can you imagine having four books launched in one year? Brian Freeman told Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, that he has four books coming out next year. You can hear all about them during the virtual event. But, he was actually “at” the bookstore to discuss his second Jason Bourne novel, Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Treachery. There are signed copies available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/34laNw0
Here’s the description of Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Treachery.
The world’s most ruthlessly efficient assassin, Jason Bourne, is facing the one force he can’t defeat—his own past—in the latest thrilling entry in Robert Ludlum’s New York Times bestselling series.
Three years ago, Jason Bourne embarked on a mission in Estonia with his partner and lover, a fiery Treadstone agent code-named Nova. Their job was to rescue a Russian double agent who’d been smuggled out of St. Petersburg in the midst of an FSB manhunt.
They failed. The Russian died at the hands of a shadowy assassin known only by the nickname Lennon.
Now everything has changed for Bourne. Nova is gone, killed in a mass shooting in Las Vegas. Bourne is a lone operative, working in the shadows for Treadstone, when he’s called in for a new mission in London—to prevent another assassination masterminded by Lennon.
But nothing about this mission is what it seems. As Bourne engages in a cat-and-mouse game with Lennon across the British countryside, he discovers that everything he thought he knew about the past was a lie. And with the body count rising, he comes to an inevitable conclusion: Some secrets should stay buried.
Brian Freeman is the bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including the Jonathan Stride and Frost Easton series. His Audible original, The Deep, Deep Snow, hit the New York Times audio bestseller list. His novels have won the International Thriller Writers Award and the Macavity Award and been finalists for the Gold Dagger, Edgar, Anthony, and Barry Awards.
Robert Ludlum was the author of twenty-seven novels, each one a New York Times bestseller. There are more than 225 million of his books in print, and they have been translated into thirty-two languages. He was the author of The Scarlatti Inheritance, The Chancellor Manuscript, and the Jason Bourne series–among other novels. Ludlum passed away in March 2001.
