Let’s talk a little about Mick Herron’s Slow Horses series from Soho Press. You can find these espionage novels in the Web Store, and you might want to consider pre-ordering Slough House, the seventh in the series. Don’t worry. By the February release date, the Christmas mess in the delivery system should be over. https://bit.ly/3p0a8bZ

Kristin Scott Thomas, Jonathan Pryce, and Olivia Cooke Join Gary Oldman in Apple’s “˜Slow Horses’ With a star-studded Apple TV show filming in London, a new 10th anniversary edition of Slow Horses in stores now, and a new novel, Slough House, releasing in February, there has never been a better moment to discover the smartest, most prescient espionage series being written today.

I’m actually quoting from a recent press release for Slough House.

Mick Herron is the most award-nominated and award-winning espionage writer of the last quarter-century and that’s not hyperbole. Between CWA Daggers and a myriad of other prestigious trophies, Herron has enough hardware to create an Iron Throne of crime fiction awards—and he is just hitting his stride.   Talking to him you would not realize any of this. Charmingly self-deprecating, he is more likely to lament that his series of books about incompetent spies, careerist bureaucrats, and the white power underpinnings of Alt-Right political movements were not instead completely irrelevant. Yet Herron has found himself nearly perfectly describing a global political zeitgeist for the last decade with uncanny prescience. If the books were not so smartly funny and filled with memorable characters, they would almost be unbearably sobering.   Instead, they are a guiltless antidote for our times, somehow providing mirthful respite and politically engaged reading at the same time.

Slough House (Soho Crime | February 9^th, 2021) is the perfect book to begin this necessary series. Eponymously titled after the series itself, it serves as both an excellent introduction and a thrilling series installment. Truly, you can pick up any book in this series and understand what all the fuss is about. If you’re of a more completionist mindset, then you must start at the beginning with Slow Horses, which Soho Crime has conveniently reissued in a 10^th anniversary edition for Fall 2020, including a retrospective introduction by the author and an exclusive short story, “The Last Dead Letter.”

Mick Herron is a British novelist and short story writer who was born in Newcastle and studied English at Oxford. He is the author of the Slough House espionage series, four Oxford mysteries, and several standalone novels. His work has won the CWA Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel, the Steel Dagger for Best Thriller, and the Ellery Queen Readers Award, and been nominated for the Macavity, Barry, Shamus, and Theakstons Novel of the Year Awards. He currently lives in Oxford and writes full-time.

Have you seen the current Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen? It’s Jasmine Aimaq’s debut novel, The Opium Prince. You can order a copy through the Web Store. But, please note. Due to the quagmire in the national delivery system at the present time, though, the bookstore is not promising anything will be delivered by Christmas. Please continue to order any books that you want. Just don’t expect them for Christmas. https://bit.ly/2LI7sS2

Here’s The Opium Prince.

Jasmine Aimaq’s stunning debut explores Afghanistan on the eve of a violent revolution and the far-reaching consequences of a young Kochi girl’s tragic death.
Afghanistan, 1970s. Born to an American mother and a late Afghan war hero, Daniel Sajadi has spent his life navigating a complex identity. After years in Los Angeles, he is returning home to Kabul at the helm of a US foreign aid agency dedicated to eradicating the poppy fields that feed the world’s opiate addiction.
   
But on the drive out of Kabul for an anniversary trip with his wife, Daniel accidentally hits and kills a young Kochi girl named Telaya. He is let off with a nominal fine, in part because nomad tribes are ignored in the eyes of the law, but also because a mysterious witness named Taj Maleki intercedes on his behalf. Wracked with guilt and visions of Telaya, Daniel begins to unravel, running from his crumbling marriage and escalating threats from Taj, who turns out to be a powerful opium khan willing to go to extremes to save his poppies.
 
This groundbreaking literary thriller reveals the invisible lines between criminal enterprises and political regimes—and one man’s search for meaning at the heart of a violent revolution.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, recently talked with Jane K. Cleland, author of Hidden Treasure, on release date for the latest Josie Prescott mystery. Cleland brings her knowledge of the antiques business to this fascinating series. You can order a signed copy of Hidden Treasure, as well as signed copies of Cleland’s other books, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3r0f4zl

Here’s Hidden Treasure.

The discovery of a mysterious antique trunk leads to a disappearance—and murder—in the latest in this beloved cozy series set on the rugged New Hampshire coast, Jane K. Cleland’s Hidden Treasure.

When antiques expert Josie Prescott finds a mysterious trunk, no one thinks it could lead to murder. Josie, the owner of Prescott’s Antiques & Auctions, and her new husband, Ty, have finally found their dream home, a Victorian beauty on the beach known in the town of Rocky Point as the “Gingerbread House.” It was recently vacated by Maudie Wilson, an aging widow, whose concerned nieces have moved her into a nearby assisted living facility. Josie befriends Maudie, who seems surprisingly sharp, considering her family’s doubts about her soundness of mind.

As Josie and Ty joyfully begin renovations on the Gingerbread House, the nieces report that Maudie, in her forgetfulness, may have left behind an old trunk, which she’s desperate to get back. Sure enough, Josie finds the trunk inside a hidden compartment, and within it a jewel-encrusted box holding a sculpture of a cat. Josie can understand the sense of urgency about getting the objects back—they look valuable, and not just in the sentimental sense.

But when Josie goes to return the box to Maudie, the woman has vanished. And on the floor of her empty apartment lies a corpse, a woman bludgeoned to death. Sick with worry for Maudie’s safety, Josie begins to piece together the clues to the murder. Everyone around her seems to want to pitch in, from Maudie’s family, to the receptionist at the facility, to the young couple helping Josie with her renovations, but with the killer so close to home, Josie has to be on her guard.

*****

Here’s the virtual event for the release of Jane K. Cleland’s Hidden Treasure.

Patrick Millikin recently hosted K’wan, the award-winning author of Black Lotus 2: The Vow and more than thirty other novels. His books can be found in the Web Store, https://bit.ly/37izewN

First, here’s K’wan’s biography.

K’WAN is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, including the wildly popular Animal series, Black Lotus, Gangsta, Road Dawgz, Street Dreams, Hoodlum, and Section 8. He has been featured in Vibe, King, Entertainment Weekly, and Time magazine. K’wan was the recipient of the 2012 and 2013 Street Lit Book Award Medals (SLBAM) in adult fiction for Eviction Notice and Animal. His credits also include featured commentary in the documentary Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp (produced by Ice-T) as well as a recurring role as an analyst on TV One’s Celebrity Crime Files. K’wan resides in New Jersey, where he spends his time writing, cooking, and binge-watching reruns of The Vampire Diaries with his teenage daughters.

Check out Black Lotus 2: The Vow.

After the death of a police officer, assassin Kahllah (aka the Black Lotus) is forced out of retirement in an attempt to clear her name while outrunning a mysterious enemy.

“Black Lotus 2: The Vow is full of the cinematic action and drama that K’wan is known for. Readers will be anxiously waiting for the next installment.”
—Urban Reviews

“[A] riveting read from start to finish…Excellent.”
—Exclusive Magazine

“K’wan delivers a lean, tightly plotted tale that balances noir aesthetics with comic book flair. Fans of pulp and urban lit will be well satisfied.”
—Publishers Weekly

“From page one to the last, K’wan’sBlack Lotus 2: The Vow is a high-wire act with no net. A smart refiguring of hard-boiled with a nitro injection of new-age sensibilities.”
—Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times best-selling author of Walking the Perfect Square

“Like a cool, hip, and fun evening at a vintage drive-in,Black Lotus 2: The Vow takes me back to a time when Jim Kelly, Pam Grier, and Fred Williamson graced the big screen. Throw in some Bruce Lee and a littleThe Last Dragon and you have a hell of a butt-kicking, action-filled ride.”
—Ace Atkins, New York Times best-selling author of The Shameless

“Black Lotus 2: The Vow is a thrilling roller-coaster ride of a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat!”
—Bernice L. McFadden, author of The Book of Harlan

It’s been months since Kahllah El-Amin, aka the Black Lotus, hung up her pistols, retired from the murder-for-hire business, and finally found peace. But when a police officer is murdered and a familiar flower is left at the crime scene, all signs point to it being the work of the Black Lotus. Someone is trying to frame her. Things get more complicated when the case is handed to Detective James Wolf, a former adversary who has since become a friend.

To clear her name, Kahllah is forced out of retirement and once again must don the mask of the Black Lotus. She races against time to catch the real killer while trying to outrun her most formidable rival. Their deadly game leads to a shocking truth buried under a mountain of lies, as Kahllah attempts to find justice in a world devoid of light.

*****

You can enjoy the conversation here.

Author Jenn McKinlay recently turned moderator to grill her friends and fellow mystery authors, Kate Carlisle and Paige Shelton. Carlisle’s latest book is Premeditated Mortar and Shelton’s is Cold Wind. You can find the books of both authors, and McKinlay’s books, through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Here’s the summary of Premeditated Murder.

Contractor Shannon Hammer gets tangled up in murder at a spooky old asylum in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle. . . .

Shannon Hammer is about to embark on one of the biggest projects of her career. Her best friend Jane Hennessey has purchased one wing of the Gables, formerly the old state insane asylum, located on a bucolic hillside two miles northeast of Lighthouse Cove. Jane plans to turn her section into a small luxury hotel complete with twenty ocean-view rooms, a spa, and a restaurant.

Shannon is raring to get started on the enormous project and is shocked when a group of unruly protesters shows up at the groundbreaking ceremony and wreaks havoc. She’s even more freaked-out when someone pushes her into a pit of bricks in a closed-off room of the asylum. Despite her close call, Shannon wants nothing more than to get back to work . . . until she finds a body not far from where she was pushed. Now Shannon is determined to get to the bottom of the goings-on at the Gables even if it kills her. . . .

Here’s Paige Shelton’s Cold Wind.

Second in a new series set in Alaska from beloved cozy author Paige Shelton, Cold Wind will chill your bones.

Beth Rivers is still in Alaska. The unidentified man who kidnapped her in her home of St. Louis hasn’t been found yet, so she’s not ready to go back.

But as October comes to a close, Benedict is feeling more and more like her new home. Beth has been working on herself: She’s managed to get back to writing, and she’s enjoying these beautiful months between summer and winter in Alaska.

Then, everything in Benedict changes after a mudslide exposes a world that had been hidden for years. Two mud-covered, silent girls appear, and a secret trapper’s house is found in the woods. The biggest surprise, though, is a dead and frozen woman’s body in the trapper’s shed. No one knows who she is, but the man who runs the mercantile, Randy, seems to be in the middle of all the mysteries.

Unable to escape her journalistic roots, Beth is determined to answer the questions that keep arising: Are the mysterious girls and the frozen body connected? Can Randy possibly be involved? And—most importantly—can she solve this mystery before the cold wind sweeping over the town and the townspeople descends for good?

*****

Join the three mystery authors in conversation.

Marty Wingate’s mystery, Murder is a Must, is the Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. Signed copies are available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3gJxakg

Here is the summary of Murder is a Must.

ermined to make the First Edition Library a success, Hayley Burke wasn’t expecting to have to solve an old friend’s murder in this all-new mystery from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate.

Hayley Burke, curator of Lady Fowling’s collection of first edition mysteries, is settling into her position at the First Edition Library in Middlebank House. She’s even made progress with Lady Fowling’s former secretary, the ornery Miss Woolgar. The women are busily preparing for an exhibition that will showcase Lady Fowling’s life and letters. Hayley knows the exhibition is a huge undertaking and decides, against her better judgement, to hire Oona Atherton, her former boss from the Jane Austen Centre to help with the planning.
 
     Oona is known for being difficult, but all seems to be going swimmingly until she and Hayley uncover a one-page letter that alludes to a priceless edition of MURDER MUST ADVERTISE signed by several Golden Age of Mystery authors. Oona feels this book could be the focal point of the exhibition and becomes obsessed with finding it.
 
     When they find clues that appear to point to the book being somewhere in the First Edition Library, Oona is certain she’s unraveled the mystery and texts Hayley the good news, but upon arriving back at Middlebank, Hayley finds her old boss dead at the bottom of the stairs. Did her discovery of the rare book get her killed or was it some angry shadow from her past? Hayley must read between the lines to catch a malicious murderer.

John Charles from The Poisoned Pen recently hosted five Kensington authors for a Holiday Cozy Party. Joining him for the virtual party were Maddie Day, Maya Corrigan, Nancy Coco, Liz Ireland and Heather Redmond. You can find their latest books in the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

With five authors, I can’t really summarize their books, but I’ll share the book jackets. The authors talk about their books in the virtual event, so check that out.

I always enjoy John Charles’ opening question when he asks the authors to tell us about their lives before they became authors. Check out their answers, and their comments about their Christmas books.

Patrick Millikin recently hosted Matt Coyle, author of the Rick Cahill books. Blind Vigil is the seventh in the series. Coyle still had the copies to be signed at the time of the virtual event, but signed copies will be in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2W44OI0

Here’s the summary of Blind Vigil.

Anthony, Shamus, and Lefty Award-winning Author

A friend arrested for murder. A vicious killer lurking in the shadows. A world of darkness.

Blinded by a gunshot wound to the face while working as a private investigator nine months ago, Rick Cahill is now sure of only one thing: he has to start a new life and leave his old one behind.

He’s still trying to figure out what that life is when his onetime partner, Moira MacFarlane, asks for his help on a case she’s taken for Rick’s former best friend. The case is simple and Moira only needs Rick for one interview, but Rick is wary of waking sleeping demons.

Ultimately, he goes against his gut and takes the case which quickly turns deadly. Rick’s old compulsion of finding the truth no matter the cost—the same compulsion that cost him his eyesight and almost his life—battles against his desire to escape his past.

The stakes are raised when Rick’s friend is implicated in murder and needs his help. Can he help the friend he no longer trusts while questioning his own lessened capabilities? His life depends on the answer as a shadowy killer lurks in the darkness.

Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly and John Sandford

*****

Here’s the virtual event with Matt Coyle.

If you missed the virtual event at The Poisoned Pen, you can now catch the video of the two greats as Lee Child, author of The Sentinel interviewed James Patterson who has two new books, Deadly Cross and The Last Days of John Lennon. You can order Patterson’s books here in the Web Store, https://bit.ly/3m1Xese, and The Sentinel here, https://bit.ly/3n2UFal.

Here’s the summary of the latest Alex Cross novel, Deadly Cross.

The murder of a glamorous DC socialite becomes Alex Cross’s deadliest case since Along Came a Spider.
Kay Willingham led a life as glamorous as it was public-she was a gorgeous Georgetown socialite, philanthropist, and the ex-wife of the vice president. So why was she parked in a Bentley convertible idling behind a DC private school, in the middle of the night, with the man who was the head of that school? Who shot them both, point blank, and why? The shocking double homicide is blazed across the internet, TV, newspapers — and across Alex Cross’s mind. Kay had been his patient once. And maybe more.

While John Sampson of DC Metro Police investigates the last movements of Christopher Randall, the educator killed along with Kay Willingham, detective Alex Cross and FBI special agent Ned Mahoney find unanswered questions from Willingham’s past, before she arrived in DC and became known in DC society as someone who could make things happen. They travel to Alabama to investigate Kay’s early years. There they find a world of trouble, corruption, and secrets, all of them closed to outsiders like Cross and Mahoney.

Kay had many enemies, but all of them seemed to need her alive. The harder the investigators push, the more resistance they find when they leave behind the polite law offices and doctors’ quarters of the state capital. Alex Cross will need to use all his skills as a doctor, a detective, and a family man to prevent that resistance from turning lethal…again.

*****

Patterson and Child talk history and music while talking about The Last Days of John Lennon.

The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it.
 
With the Beatles, John Lennon surpasses his youthful dreams, achieving a level of superstardom that defies classification. “We were the best bloody band there was,” he says. “There was nobody to touch us.” Nobody except the original nowhere man, Mark David Chapman. Chapman once worshipped his idols from afar—but now harbors grudges against those, like Lennon, whom he feels betrayed him. He’s convinced Lennon has misled fans with his message of hope and peace. And Chapman’s not staying away any longer. 
 
By the summer of 1980, Lennon is recording new music for the first time in years, energized and ready for it to be “(Just Like) Starting Over.” He can’t wait to show the world what he will do. 
 
Neither can Chapman, who quits his security job and boards a flight to New York, a handgun and bullets stowed in his luggage. 
 
The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is the thrilling true story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day—and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.

*****

While Lee Child actually interviewed James Patterson, here’s the summary of The Sentinel as well.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “¢ Jack Reacher is back! The “utterly addictive” (The New York Times) series continues as acclaimed author Lee Child teams up with his brother, Andrew Child, fellow thriller writer extraordinaire.

“One of the many great things about Jack Reacher is that he’s larger than life while remaining relatable and believable. The Sentinel shows that two Childs are even better than one.”—James Patterson

As always, Reacher has no particular place to go, and all the time in the world to get there. One morning he ends up in a town near Pleasantville, Tennessee.

But there’s nothing pleasant about the place.

In broad daylight Reacher spots a hapless soul walking into an ambush. “It was four against one” . . . so Reacher intervenes, with his own trademark brand of conflict resolution.

The man he saves is Rusty Rutherford, an unassuming IT manager, recently fired after a cyberattack locked up the town’s data, records, information . . . and secrets. Rutherford wants to stay put, look innocent, and clear his name.

Reacher is intrigued. There’s more to the story. The bad guys who jumped Rutherford are part of something serious and deadly, involving a conspiracy, a cover-up, and murder—all centered on a mousy little guy in a coffee-stained shirt who has no idea what he’s up against.

Rule one: if you don’t know the trouble you’re in, keep Reacher by your side.

*****

If you’re a fan of the authors, you’ll enjoy the event.