Alfred Gough and Miles Millar are the creators of Smallville. They’re also the authors of the current Hot Book of the Week at the Poisoned Pen, a debut thriller called Double Exposure. You can order a signed copy of Double Exposure through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2HRGyny
Here’s the summary of Double Exposure.
From the creators of Smallville comes an action-packed debut thriller about a war veteran and CIA officer in the 1960s swept up into a global conspiracy that may prove Hitler is still alive.
David Toland, a decorated Korean War veteran, has done all he can to leave a life of combat behind. Now Director of Preservation for the Library of Congress’s National Film Archive, Toland has made it his mission to preserve what he loves most: the Golden Age of American cinema, moving pictures full of romance, adventure and American Dream. That is, until CIA Agent Lana Welles drops in unannounced with a film canister, smuggled over the Berlin Wall at great cost, that may prove WWII never really ended–it just went underground. David reluctantly agrees to serve his country one last time and help recover the film for Lana and the CIA. But it seems not everyone is as eager as they are to dig up the past. David and Lana’s discovery awakens shadowy forces who will do anything to keep their findings a secret. In search of the truth, David and Lana find themselves pursued across the globe in a cat and mouse game with enormous, world-altering consequences.
The winners of the Lefty Awards were announced this past weekend. The Lefty Awards are presented annually at the Left Coast Crime convention, voted on by the attendees. Check the Web Store for copies of the books. https://store.poisonedpen.com
Congratulations to all of the winners!
Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel j
Catriona McPherson, Scot Free
Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel (Bruce Alexander Memorial) for books covering events before 1960
Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill
Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel
Dianne Freeman, A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder
Lefty for Best Mystery Novel (not in other categories)
When I saw debut author S.C. Perkins’ intriguing list of “Seven Fun Genealogy Facts” on CriminalElement.com, I thought readers might be interested. Check them out here. https://bit.ly/2TN2KAV
S.C. Perkins is the author of Murder Once Removed, a debut mystery that won the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. Murder Once Removed is available for purchase through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2U7Ltaw
I recently interviewed S.C. Perkins. Although the interview might not be as pertinent in your life as her “Seven Fun Genealogy Facts”, you might enjoy it.
*****
It’s my pleasure to introduce you to S.C. Perkins. I hope you enjoy the interview, and give her mystery a try.
S.C., congratulations on the release of your debut mystery. Would you introduce yourself to readers, please?
Hi and thank you so much for having me on your blog, Lesa! I’m S.C. Perkins and I hail from Houston, Texas. Besides my writing and my day job, I dabble in container gardening—thus far I’ve only been successful with bell peppers, but it still counts!—and I ride horses whenever I can. Though I love being in the city, my favorite place to be is down on the coast at the beach.
Would you introduce us to Lucy Lancaster?
Lucy is a professional genealogist living in Austin, Texas, and she absolutely loves her job, especially when she gets to unravel historical and genealogical clues. While her two best friends (and a certain FBI agent with whom she locks horns) might say Lucy’s a wee bit stubborn, she’s got a good and loyal heart and a desire to right wrongs. This latter trait might cause her to get into trouble more than she ought, yes, but that’s what makes her all the more fun to write. Lastly, she’s also undeniably hooked on her drug of choice: tacos, with a side of guacamole or queso. Or both, because why not? Lucy lives every day like it’s Taco Tuesday, for sure.
Without spoilers, tell us about Murder Once Removed.
While working on the family tree of wealthy businessman Gus Halloran, Lucy uncovers an 1849 daguerreotype photograph and a journal with a missing page, both of which prove Gus’s great-great grandfather’s death wasn’t accidental, but cold-blooded murder.
No sooner has she narrowed the nineteenth-century suspects down to two men—one of whom is the ancestor of present-day U.S. senator Daniel Applewhite—than Gus jumps the gun, publicly outing the senator as the descendant of a murderer. When the senator’s life is later threatened, Lucy lands in the path of kinda-grumpy, kinda-charming FBI Special Agent Ben Turner.
But when another tragedy strikes closer to home, Lucy’s convinced what’s on the missing journal page is as important now as it was in 1849. She’s determined to find the page and unearth how the killer is connected to both the past and the present, be it through cousins, second cousins, or cousins once removed—and before she’s removed, permanently.
This is the first Ancestry Detective series. Why did you decide to write mysteries about genealogy? What’s your own interest in genealogical research?
I have several amateur genealogists on my dad’s side, including my late grandmother and great-grandfather, giving me a lifelong fascination with family history. Just about every time I went to my grandmother’s house, I heard some interesting story about my lineage and/or the latest relative she’d found. I never grew tired of it, either! So when the idea for an amateur sleuth came to my mind, my very first thought was to make her a genealogist. There was never anything else Lucy would be.
Can you give us a hint about the next book in the series?
If all goes well, the second book in the Ancestry Detective series will have a World War II element, which is one of my favorite subjects!
Murder Once Removed won the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. What were you doing, and what was your reaction when you learned this?
Oh, it was so exciting and one of the best days of my life, though my reaction had to be more subdued than I would have liked due to my work circumstances. At the time, I was working for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is a huge 20-plus-day event, and we were in the middle of it, busy as all get out. I was in my tiny office when I saw a call from New York come through on my cell, but I couldn’t answer it since I was on another call on my work phone. When I heard the voicemail from Minotaur Books, though, I called right back! The funny thing was, I was sitting all of three feet away from my co-worker, who was on the phone herself, so I had to keep my voice down and not break into a tap dance of unbridled happiness. My editor teases me I was the calmest winner she’d ever spoken to, but I was absolutely bonkers-thrilled on the inside. And I don’t think I stopped smiling for days!
You’re writing a series set in Texas, and you live in Houston. Where do you like to take people when they come to visit?
Houston is as known for its restaurants as it is for having NASA’s Johnson Space Center in its backyard, so I usually take my guests to a great place to eat first and foremost. If they’re not from Texas, we always go for some good barbecue, naturally.
Depending on the seasons and what someone likes to do, there’s more ways to enjoy yourself in Houston than you can shake a stick at. Some of my favorites include going to an outdoor movie at Miller Outdoor Theatre in the museum district, enjoying an art festival or baseball/football/soccer game, seeing the butterflies at the Museum of Natural Science’s Cockrell Butterfly Center, or going shopping —Houston is also known for its shopping!
But if someone were to come into town around March, I’d take them to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, no doubt. It’s a Houston tradition that benefits Texas children and education as well as being a world-class rodeo and a great time.
What did you read as a child?
I loved books about animals and books with adventure and/or mystery. Some of my favorites included Black Beauty, The Boxcar Children series, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series, and Encyclopedia Brown. But probably my favorite, which remains so to this day and is equally readable as an adult, is James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small. Though it’s not actually a children’s book, my mother wisely let me read it at a very young age and I fell in love.
What authors influenced your mystery writing?
One early influence was Donald J. Sobol in the way he usually had Encyclopedia Brown see a clue in something that seemed otherwise ordinary. But my biggest influence overall is Dick Francis. His books are so well written and are still some of my favorite mysteries to this day. He, too, always imparted some interesting fact or two in his books, and I try to do the same in mine. Current influences, especially in the cozy/traditional mystery genres, include Rhys Bowen, Carolyn Haines, Kate Carlisle, and Donna Andrews. Those ladies are amazing at keeping their ideas fresh and their readers coming back for more.
S.C., because I’m a librarian, I always end the same way. Tell me about a library or librarian who influenced you.
I just love libraries! I can still remember the first time I checked out a book on my own. It was the coolest feeling. I always enjoyed going to any library, including my school libraries in Houston and my local library, Spring Branch Memorial Library. I also loved spending time at my college library at Texas A&M University. All those books with all that information, just waiting to be discovered! Each trip to a library was an adventure. The fact is, libraries are wonderful, as are the librarians who so patiently help readers and researchers every day.
Thank you, S.C. I appreciate the time you took for the interview. And, good luck with Murder Once Removed.
If you only know of Isabella Maldonado from her three novels, including Death Blow, you’d expect a serious former police officer. That’s one more reason you should go back and read her previous interview, done by Detective Veranda Cruz, Maldonado’s protagonist. https://bit.ly/2J0ZOjE
Or, you can watch a professional, Patrick Millikin, interview Maldonado.
Copies of Isabella Maldonado’s books, including signed copies of Death Blow, are available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2Vxff4A
It’s always a treat to listen to Joe Lansdale tell stories. The author of The Elephant of Surprise was recently at The Poisoned Pen, and he and Patrick Millikin had quite a conversation about the book and characters. Lansdale calls the latest Hap and Leonard book, “a momentum novel” because once it starts, it never slows down. You can order this book, and Lansdale’s other ones through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2V07gNN
Here’s the description of The Elephant of Surprise.
The latest roaring, rollicking adventure from Edgar Award-winner Joe R. Lansdale, featuring odd-couple P.I.s Hap and Leonard.
Hap and Leonard are an unlikely pair–Hap, a self-proclaimed white trash rebel, and Leonard–a tough-as-nails Black, gay, Vietnam vet and Republican–but they’re the closest friend either of them has in the world. After years of crime-solving companionship, something’s changed: Hap, recently married to their P.I. boss, Brett, is now a family man. Amidst the worst flood East Texas has seen in years, the two run across a woman who’s had her tongue nearly cut out, pursued by a heavily armed pair of goons. Turns out the girl survived a mob hit, and the boss has come to clean up the mess. On a chase that blows even the East Texas swampgrass back, Hap and Leonard must save the girl, and vanquish her foes, before the foes get them first. With a new case to solve, and a brand-new challenge to their relationship, will Hap and Leonard’s friendship survive? Will Hap and Leonard survive? The Elephant of Surprise is rich with Lansdale’s trademark humor, whip-smart dialogue, and plenty of ass-kicking adventures.
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I’d really recommend that you watch the event, and listen to Lansdale talk about The Elephant of Surprise.
Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, has hosted Jacqueline Winspear for seventeen of her books. Now, she had the chance to host her for two books. The American Agent is the latest Maisie Dobbs mystery. Winspear also talks about her nonfiction book written because of readers, What Would Maisie Do? You can order signed copies of The American Agent, and also copies of the collectible nonfiction title through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2JDLy0W
Here’s the summary of The American Agent.
Beloved heroine Maisie Dobbs, “one of the great fictional heroines” (Parade), investigates the mysterious murder of an American war correspondent in London during the Blitz in a page-turning tale of love and war, terror and survival.
When Catherine Saxon, an American correspondent reporting on the war in Europe, is found murdered in her London digs, news of her death is concealed by British authorities. Serving as a linchpin between Scotland Yard and the Secret Service, Robert MacFarlane pays a visit to Maisie Dobbs, seeking her help. He is accompanied by an agent from the US Department of Justice—Mark Scott, the American who helped Maisie escape Hitler’s Munich in 1938. MacFarlane asks Maisie to work with Scott to uncover the truth about Saxon’s death.
As the Germans unleash the full terror of their blitzkrieg upon the British Isles, raining death and destruction from the skies, Maisie must balance the demands of solving this dangerous case with her need to protect Anna, the young evacuee she has grown to love and wants to adopt. Entangled in an investigation linked to the power of wartime propaganda and American political intrigue being played out in Britain, Maisie will face losing her dearest friend—and the possibility that she might be falling in love again.
*****
Here’s the description of What Would Maisie Do?
A one-of-a-kind illustrated companion to the best-selling Maisie Dobbs series, which invites readers into the beloved heroine’s world—and shares her wisdom and inspiration.
Through fourteen books, the Maisie Dobbs series has had a resounding impact on fans. Readers have shared with author Jacqueline Winspear how Maisie’s stories have resonated with them or helped them through difficult times. Fans have been inspired by the heroine’s resilience and endurance, repurposing her strength in their own lives in a way perhaps best embodied by the phrase “What Would Maisie Do?”
Anchored by thirty of Maisie’s most timeless quotes, coupled with Jacqueline Winspear’s inspiration for each nugget of wisdom, these reflections offer readers additional insight into the world of Maisie Dobbs and invite them to reflect on favorite moments and memories. Here are just a few:
On the value of respect: “Liking a person we are required to have dealings with is not of paramount importance. But respect is crucial, on both sides, as is tolerance and a depth of understanding of those influences that sculpt a character.”
On grieving: “Grief is a pilgrimage along a path that allows us to reflect upon the past from points of remembrance held in the soul. At times the way is filled with stones underfoot and we feel pained by our memories, yet on other days the shadows reflect our longing and those happinesses shared.”
On the importance of departure: “Leaving that which you love breaks your heart open. But you will find a jewel inside, and this precious jewel is the opening of your heart to all that is new and all that is different, and it will be the making of you—if you allow it to be.”
The perfect supplement to the Maisie Dobbs series, What Would Maisie Do? also features the iconic jacket art that has graced the series, as well as period photographs and prompts for readers’ own observations and inspiration—making this a unique journal that fans will turn to and treasure for years to come.
*****
If you’re a fan of Maisie Dobbs or Jacqueline Winspear, you’ll want to watch the event and feel as if you were there.
Wendall Thomas is the author of the Cyd Redondo mysteries. The latest adventure takes Cyd to Australia in Drowned Under. You can order a copy of the first book in the series, Lost Luggage, and reserve a copy of Drowned Under through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2TBqB6v
Michael Barson recently interviewed Wendall Thomas for Suspense Magazine. You can catch that interview here. https://bit.ly/2TBufgz
Here’s the summary ofDrowned Under, the second Cyd Redondo escapade.
“Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum will cotton to Cyd.” —Publishers Weekly
Eggnog notwithstanding, travel agent Cyd Redondo is not looking forward to the holidays. The borough of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn—along with most of her family—holds her responsible for landing her Uncle Ray in a minimum security prison.
So, when Cyd’s ex-husband, Barry Manzoni, announces his parents have disappeared from an Australian cruise, she rushes Down Under to enlist the help of travel liaison and friend Harriet Archer, who offers a free cabin on the Tasmanian Dream and insider assistance with the search.
Cyd’s flights are delayed, so she hitches a helicopter ride to the ship—which lacks a heli-pad. She and her Balenciaga bag barely survive the harrowing drop, landing on a gorgeous man in a Speedo. When she finally makes it to her cabin, she finds Harriet dead, lying in a pool of blood.
The ship’s doctor/coroner—now wearing a tux instead of his Speedo—declares the death an accident. While Darling Cruises hurries to cover up the “unfortunate event” and sanitize the crime scene, Cyd scrambles to preserve evidence, terrified the murder is connected to the Manzonis’ disappearance, and to prevent the heist of the world’s last Tasmanian tiger.
The Hot Books of the Week turn over quickly at The Poisoned Pen. On Wednesday, March 27 at 7 PM, the bookstore will welcome Jane Stanton Hitchcock, author of the current Hot Book of the Week, Bluff. Hitchcock will be joined by Linda Fairstein, author of Blood Oath. You can order copies of books by both authors, as well as a signed copy of Bluff, through the Web Store, https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Here’s the description of Bluff.
“An irresistible social noir.” —New York Times bestselling author Linda Fairstein
There has never been a better time for revenge
One-time socialite Maud Warner polishes up the rags of her once glittering existence and bluffs her way into a signature New York restaurant on a sunny October day. When she walks out again, a man will have been shot.
Maud has grown accustomed to being underestimated and invisible, and she uses her ability to fly under the radar as she pursues celebrity accountant Burt Sklar, the man she believes stole her mother’s fortune and left her family in ruins. Her fervent passion for poker has taught Maud that she can turn weakness into strength to take advantage of people who think they are taking advantage of her, and now she has dealt the first card in her high-stakes plan for revenge.
One unexpected twist after another follows as Maud plays the most important poker hand of her life. The stakes? To take down her enemies and get justice for their victims. Her success depends on her continuing ability to bluff—and on who will fold.
Can she win?
A tale of deceit, seduction and revenge, perfect for fans of Mary Kubica and Jeffery Deaver!
Additional Praise for Bluff: “This delicious novel of sweet revenge reveals, with wit and stylish vigor, a world ““ New York high society ““ that the author clearly knows intimately.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review “A smartly plotted upper-crust caper.”—Booklist
Lisa See’s The Island of Sea Women is currently the Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. She was just at the bookstore to discuss her latest book with Barbara Peters. They mentioned she has been there for all of her books since the very first one. Lately, bestselling authors who face large crowds at the bookstore remind the audience that there may have only been five people there for their first appearance. It’s encouragement for new authors, and reminders to the audience that every author has a debut, and it’s wonderful to receive support from the beginning. If you’d like to buy an autographed copy of See’s latest book, The Island of Sea Women, or copies of her other books, check the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2TVqNm5
Here’s the description of The Island of Sea Women.
A new novel from Lisa See, the New York Times bestselling author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, about female friendship and family secrets on a small Korean island.
Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends that come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective, led by Young-sook’s mother. As the girls take up their positions as baby divers, they know they are beginning a life of excitement and responsibility but also danger.
Despite their love for each other, Mi-ja and Young-sook’s differences are impossible to ignore. The Island of Sea Women is an epoch set over many decades, beginning during a period of Japanese colonialism in the 1930s and 1940s, followed by World War II, the Korean War and its aftermath, through the era of cell phones and wet suits for the women divers. Throughout this time, the residents of Jeju find themselves caught between warring empires. Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, and she will forever be marked by this association. Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo and will inherit her mother’s position leading the divers in their village. Little do the two friends know that after surviving hundreds of dives and developing the closest of bonds, forces outside their control will push their friendship to the breaking point.
This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a world turned upside down, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children. A classic Lisa See story—one of women’s friendships and the larger forces that shape them—The Island of Sea Womenintroduces readers to the fierce and unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.
*****
Intrigued? You can watch Lisa See discuss her books here.
