Everyone seems to have a list of best books or favorite books of the year. But, The Real Book Spy’s list of Best Thrillers of 2019 includes so many authors who have been at The Poisoned Pen this year that it’s a list worth sharing. Check it out here. https://bit.ly/35XqybV

Then, check the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com

If you’re lucky, there may be signed copies still available, including a signed copy of The Real Book Spy’s Best Book of 2019, Brad Thor’s Backlash. Check for your favorite thriller author.

The Poisoned Pen is closed today in observance of Christmas. No matter what holiday you’re celebrating, or, even if you’re not, may you find a quiet time to read or listen to a good book.

Happy Holidays!

On Tuesday, January 14, Nick Petrie (The Wild One) joins Andrew Grant (Too Close to Home) at 7 PM at The Poisoned Pen. Although Petrie didn’t send us one of his gift lists for the blog, he shared his suggested book titles in his newsletter. It might be too late to order any of these books to give as physical gifts for the holidays, but, as he suggested, you can always print out the note that you ordered them. Check the Web Store for his suggested titles, or to pre-order The Wild One or Too Close to Home. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Here’s the beginning of Nick Petrie’s letter, along with his book suggestions.

Holiday Book Recommendations!

Dear Reader, Books are my favorite gifts to both give and receive. Below, I’ve listed a few recommendations for the book lovers on your list. Some of these titles have been out for years, others won’t be out until early 2020 – but pre-orders also make thoughtful gifts. I simply print the order form and tuck it into a stocking or mail it with a card.

A FEW GOOD BOOKS The Short Drop by Matthew Fitzsimmons.  This is the first of five in this quick, smart, surprising series about Gibson Vaughn, a U.S. Marine turned cyber expert trying to find out what happened to his childhood friend. Fast, funny, unexpectedly poignant. His fifth book, Origami Man, arrives February 18th, 2020. Without Sanction by Don Bentley.  You’ll want to read this vivid spy thriller in one sitting. Bentley flew Apache helicopters in Iraq, and was an FBI agent after that. In short, he’s a guy who’s been a few places and done a few things. This debut novel hits the bookshelves on March 3rd, 2020.  The Beast Of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart.  This crisp, elegant creature feature with a heart of gold had me jumping out of my socks on multiple occasions. For any fan of Stephen King or Joe Hill. You’ll want to chew through the whole trilogy. The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch. I have a not-so-secret love for well-written sci-fi and fantasy, and The Gone World is fantastic. Time travel done better than it’s ever been done before, this novel is vivid and visceral and strange in the best way. The Tailor Of Panama, Single And Single, and The Night Manager by John le Carre.  Le Carre is the master of the modern spy novel, and these three books are the finest examples of his post-Soviet-era work. If you’re only going to pick one, The Night Manager is, to me, the best thing he’s ever written. Last Looks by Howard Michael Gould.  If you’re in the mood for a great private eye yarn, look no further.  Gould is a former screenwriter who knows how to tell a story and have fun doing it. There aren’t many really good new PI writers around, so don’t miss this one. Hope you enjoy these books – and my new novel, The Wild One, which arrives on January 14th, 2020. All my best, Nick

On Sunday, January 12 at 2 PM, Karen Odden and Tasha Alexander will be the guest authors at The Poisoned Pen. Alexander will be talking about her latest historical mystery, In the Shadow of Vesuvius. Karen Odden will be here to discuss and sign her current Hot Book of the Week, A Trace of Deceit. Both books can be ordered through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com

A Trace of Deceit is a Victorian historical mystery. Here’s the description.

A Paperback Original

From the author of A Dangerous Duet comes the next book in her Victorian mystery series, this time following a daring female painter and the Scotland Yard detective who is investigating her brother’s suspicious death.

A young painter digs beneath the veneer of Victorian London’s art world to learn the truth behind her brother’s murder… 

Edwin is dead. That’s what Inspector Matthew Hallam of Scotland Yard tells Annabel Rowe when she discovers him searching her brother’s flat for clues. While the news is shocking, Annabel can’t say it’s wholly unexpected, given Edwin’s past as a dissolute risk-taker and art forger, although he swore he’d reformed. After years spent blaming his reckless behavior for their parents’ deaths, Annabel is now faced with the question of who murdered him—because Edwin’s death was both violent and deliberate. A valuable French painting he’d been restoring for an auction house is missing from his studio: find the painting, find the murderer. But the owner of the artwork claims it was destroyed in a warehouse fire years ago.

As a painter at the prestigious Slade School of Art and as Edwin’s closest relative, Annabel makes the case that she is crucial to Matthew’s investigation. But in their search for the painting, Matthew and Annabel trace a path of deceit and viciousness that reaches far beyond the elegant rooms of the auction house, into an underworld of politics, corruption, and secrets someone will kill to keep.   

Everything is slowing down for the holidays. I can tell most of you don’t have time to stop by the blog. The Poisoned Pen will be closing early on Dec. 24, and closed all of Wednesday, December 25. So, I’m going to link to an article you can browse through. On CrimeReads, Paul French wrote an article called, “The Crime Novels of Christmas”. Check it out. https://crimereads.com/the-crime-novels-of-christmas/

And, it’s too late for the books to arrive for Christmas, but you still might want to check out Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press’ own Martin Edwards. He edited seasonal collections of Golden Age mysteries such as The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories and Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries. They’re still perfect for winter reading. https://bit.ly/2lC6utB

As Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks author Donis Casey finished her Alafair Tucker series, she launched a new one with The Wrong Girl.

The new series is set in Hollywood during the Roaring 20s. You can find it, and Casey’s other books, in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2F9BIwo

With her book set in the 1920s, Casey recently shared her thoughts about other books set then in an article for CrimeReads called “5 Mysteries Set Between the World Wars.” Here’s the link. https://bit.ly/2sIgLb2

And, here’s the description of Donis Casey’s own book set then, The Wrong Girl.

They say a life well-lived is the best revenge…

Blanche Tucker longs to escape her drop-dead dull life in tiny Boynton, Oklahoma. Then dashing Graham Peyton roars into town. Posing as a film producer, Graham convinces the ambitious but naive teenager to run away with him to a glamorous new life. Instead, Graham uses her as cruelly as a silent picture villain. Yet by luck and by pluck, taking charge of her life, she makes it to Hollywood.

Six years later, Blanche has transformed into the celebrated Bianca LaBelle, the reclusive star of a series of adventure films, and Peyton’s remains are discovered on a Santa Monica beach. Is there a connection? With all of the twists and turns of a 1920s melodrama, The Wrong Girl follows the daring exploits of a girl who chases her dream from the farm to old Hollywood, while showing just how risky—and rewarding—it can be to go off script.

Do you recognize any of these authors or books?

Careless Whiskers is Miranda James’ forthcoming Cat in the Stacks mystery. The latest entry in the popular series is due out at the end of January.

Clea Simon’s latest book in her Witch Cats of Cambridge series, An Incantation of Cats, also has a late January release date.

Then, there’s Debra H. Goldstein who will be at The Poisoned Pen on Wednesday, January 8 at 7 PM with her cozy mystery, Two Bites Too Many. What do all these books have in common? Well, first, you can pre-order them through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

All three series also feature cats. Cozy mysteries, a subset of traditional mysteries, are quite popular. But cat cozy mysteries have a large audience. If you love cats, or cozy mysteries, you might want to check out Kelly Faircloth’s article in Jezebel, “Kneading into the Comfort of Cozy Cat Mysteries.” It’s available here. https://bit.ly/2M5tH1u

What would the holidays be without a Christmas mystery from Anne Perry? A Christmas Gathering is the current Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. You can order copies of Perry’s books, including a signed copy of A Christmas Gathering, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2DEi5ju

Here’s the description of A Christmas Gathering.

A cold case adds an extra chill to the holiday season as bestselling author Anne Perry whisks readers to an elegant home in the English countryside for a Christmas of secrets, soul-searching, and forgiveness.

As beautiful as it may be, their friends’ country house is not where Lady Vespasia wishes to spend Christmas with her new husband, Victor Narraway. She’d have preferred a relaxing holiday at home with him—especially as Victor, former head of the London Special Branch, seems to be hiding undercover dealings with the other guests who have gathered at the spacious estate.

As tensions grow, the young and beautiful Iris Watson-Watt becomes the center of several men’s focus. Unbeknownst to Vespasia, Iris carries a sensitive package that she must pass to Victor in the hope of unmasking a British traitor. While Victor plots his moves, he is reminded of a similar case from twenty years before, when a young Frenchwoman also carried a clandestine message—one that resulted in her murder, unsolved to this day. Victor has always been tormented by his failure to protect her, and now, with all eyes on Iris, Victor must act fast before history repeats itself.

With the joy of Christmas at risk of being forgotten and Vespasia feeling alone with a distracted husband, Victor must ultimately learn to forgive himself in order to save both his country and the spirit of the holiday.

Here is the press release from Mystery Writers of America as they announce their special awards recipients for 2020.

MWA Announces the 2020 Grand Master, Raven and Ellery Queen Award Recipients

BY MWA · DECEMBER 13, 2019

MWA Announces 2020 Grand Master, Raven & Ellery Queen Award Recipients,
Celebrates 75th Anniversary in 2020

December 13, 2019—New York, NY—Today Mystery Writers of America (MWA) announces the recipients of its three special awards. The board chose Barbara Neely as the 2020 Grand Master, the 2020 Raven Award recipient is Left Coast Crime, and Kelley Ragland will receive the Ellery Queen Award at the 74th Annual Edgar Awards Banquet, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on April 30, 2020.

“Mystery Writers of America is thrilled that Barbara Neely is MWA’s 2020 Grand Master,” MWA board president Meg Gardiner said. “Neely is a groundbreaking author, and MWA is delighted to recognize her work, in which she tackles tough social issues with an unflinching eye and a wry sense of humor.”

MWA’s Grand Master Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in mystery writing and was established to acknowledge important contributions to this genre, as well as for a body of work that is both significant and of consistent high quality. Barbara Neely is best known for her Blanche White mystery series, and her debut, Blanche on the Lam, received the Agatha Award, Anthony Award, and the Macavity Award for best first novel, as well as the Go on Girl! Award from Black Women’s Reading Club. Neely published her first short story, “Passing the Word” (1981) in the magazine Essence. Her Blanche White novels, which featured the first black female series sleuth in mainstream American publishing, followed a decade later beginning with Blanche on the Lam(1992), followed by Blanche Among the Talented Tenth (1994), Blanche Cleans Up (1998), and Blanche Passes Go (2000) and are beloved by fans in part because of her unique heroine—an amateur detective and domestic worker who uses the invisibility inherent to her position to her advantage in her pursuit of the truth.

“MWA Grand Master! I hope this doesn’t mean I have to relinquish my position as Empress Regnant of the Multiverse,” Neely said on learning of the award.

Neely’s nomination cited the stories of Blanche White for containing themes and issues that extends beyond mystery and into political and social commentary. “Blanche allows Neely to explore the female beauty. There are other issues that Neely is able to tackle through her writing—such as violence against women, racism, class boundaries, and sexism. Barbara Neely is quoted as saying, “˜That as a feminist mystery writer it is not enough to create strong women, and that maybe the term “˜feminist mystery writer’ is being used too loosely.'”

Neely was born in 1941 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. According to her biography, she was the only child of African-American descent to attend her elementary and high school in this heavily German influenced community. She attended the University of Pittsburgh where she earned her master’s degree in Urban and Regional planning before beginning a career in the public sector. Neely served as director of Women for Economic Justice, worked in the Philadelphia Tutorial Project, became the director of a YWCA, and headed a consultant firm for nonprofits. In addition, she became a radio producer for Africa News Service, and later, a staff member at Southern Exposure magazine.

Previous Grand Masters include Martin Cruz Smith, William Link, Peter Lovesey, Walter Mosley, Lois Duncan, James Ellroy, Robert Crais, Ken Follett, Martha Grimes, Sara Paretsky, James Lee Burke, Sue Grafton, Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Lawrence Block, P.D. James, Ellery Queen, Daphne du Maurier, Alfred Hitchcock, Graham Greene, and Agatha Christie, to name a few.

The Raven Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing. Left Coast Crime will receive the 2020 Raven Award. Left Coast Crime is an annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, both readers and authors, first held in San Francisco in 1991. It is an all-volunteer organization that raises money each year to support a local literacy organization with funds collected through silent and live auctions, and the annual Quilt Raffle. The Left Coast Crime Permanent Committee is Bill and Toby Gottfried, Noemi Levine, Janet Rudolph, Lucinda Surber, and Stan Ulrich.

“We are all agog here at Left Coast Crime by the news that we have been awarded the Raven Award by Mystery Writers of America,” said Surber. “We are truly thrilled and honored to be recognized. Since 1991 Left Coast Crime has been holding annual conventions where readers, authors, critics, librarians, publishers, and other fans can gather in convivial surroundings to pursue their mutual interest in the mystery/crime genre. We strive to create an inclusive environment with many opportunities to build warm and caring friendships through a variety of programming.”

Previous Raven winners include Marilyn Stasio, Raven Bookstore in Lawrence, Kansas, Kristopher Zgorski, Dru Ann Love, Sisters in Crime, Margaret Kinsman, Kathryn Kennison, Jon and Ruth Jordan, Aunt Agatha’s Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Oline Cogdill, Molly Weston, The Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore in Chicago, Once Upon a Crime Bookstore in Minneapolis, Mystery Lovers Bookstore in Oakmont, PA, Kate’s Mystery Books in Cambridge, MA, and The Poe House in Baltimore, MD.

The Ellery Queen Award was established in 1983 to honor “outstanding writing teams and outstanding people in the mystery-publishing industry.” This year the Board chose to honor Kelley Ragland, associate publisher and editorial director of Minotaur Books. Ms. Ragland came to Minotaur Books in 1993.

On learning she would receive the Ellery Queen Award, Ragland said, “I’m honored and not a little bit stunned to have been recognized by MWA with the Ellery Queen Award. To be added to a list that includes such inspiring professionals in our community, especially St. Martin’s own Ruth Cavin, is truly humbling. My work with mystery authors at Minotaur Books, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, and within the mystery community—what I have always found to be the most supportive, generous, and dedicated slice of the publishing world—is a source of great joy to me. Thanks to MWA for this recognition, and their support of all facets of the mystery community, including publishers, writers—especially new writers—and readers.”

Fresh out of college and newly relocated to NYC after growing up in the Midwest, Kelley Ragland started as an editorial assistant at St. Martin’s Press in 1993, became an editor in 1998, and took part in the creation of the St. Martin’s Publishing Group’s crime and suspense imprint, Minotaur Books, in 1999. She became Editorial Director of Minotaur in 2009 and Vice President and Associate Publisher in 2015. Over her twenty-six years at SMPG, she has worked with such authors as Jeffrey Archer, Kelley Armstrong, Linda Barnes, Steve Berry, Allison Brennan, Chelsea Cain, Andrew Gross, Charlaine Harris, Louise Penny, Dana Stabenow, Olen Steinhauer, and many others.
Previous Ellery Queen Award winners include Linda Landrigan, Robert Pépin, Neil Nyren, Janet Rudolph, Charles Ardai, Joe Meyers, Barbara Peters and Robert Rosenwald, Brian Skupin and Kate Stine, Carolyn Marino, Ed Gorman, Janet Hutchings, Cathleen Jordan, Douglas G. Greene, Susanne Kirk, Sara Ann Freed, Hiroshi Hayakawa, Jacques Barzun, Martin Greenburg, Otto Penzler, Richard Levinson, William Link, Ruth Cavin, and Emma Lathen.

The Edgar Awards, or “Edgars,” as they are commonly known, are named after MWA’s patron saint Edgar Allan Poe and are presented to authors of distinguished work in various categories. MWA is the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre. The organization encompasses some 3,000 members including authors of fiction and non-fiction books, screen and television writers, as well as publishers, editors, and literary agents. For more information on Mystery Writers of America, please visit the website: www.mysterywriters.org

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The EDGAR (and logo) are Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the Mystery Writers of America, Inc.