Perry’s The Old Man, and Other Crime Fiction

“Nobody writes chase scenes like Perry, who devises intricate itineraries, multiple identities and frequent costume changes…” That’s a quote from Marilyn Stasio from “The Best and Latest in Crime Fiction” in The New York Times. She’s referring to Thomas Perry’s The Old Man, The Poisoned Pen’s Book of The Week.

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You can read the rest of Stasio’s review of that book, and others here. https://nyti.ms/2i0E48m

After reading the review, you might want to pick up a copy of The Old Man from The Web Store. https://bit.ly/2jg5CEg

Diana Gabaldon in Conversation

If you’ve never heard Diana Gabaldon talk about her Outlander books, you’ve missed a treat. She appears regularly for The Poisoned Pen, and we carry a number of her signed books in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2iNiFy6

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Diana Gabaldon is interviewed by Julie Kosin for the Random House Open House. Penguin Random House sent the link with permission to use it. If you’re a fan, I think you’ll enjoy it.  https://bit.ly/2j8zeDv

 

Ingrid Thoft, In the Hot Seat

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Ingrid Thoft will be here at The Poisoned Pen on Wednesday, January 11 at 7 PM. She’s appearing with Brad Taylor (Ring of Fire) and Nicholas Petrie (Burning Bright). Ingrid will be signing and talking about her latest Fina Ludlow mystery, Duplicity.

Ingrid is familiar with The Poisoned Pen. She appeared here with her second book, Identity.

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She’s been interviewed by an expert, Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen.

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But, Ingrid did agree to an interview for In the Hot Seat. Thank you, Ingrid.

Ingrid, would you introduce yourself to readers?

I was born in Boston and graduated from Wellesley College, and DUPLICITY is the fourth book in my series featuring Fina Ludlow, a private investigator in Boston.  Fina gets most of her cases from the Ludlow family law firm, Ludlow and Associates.  The Ludlows are personal injury attorneys—rich and successful, but not universally well-liked.

I live in Seattle, but have also called Pittsburgh, New York City, London, and L.A. home.  When I’m not writing or reading, I love to scuba dive, snorkel, and eat good food, activities that I find are best enjoyed in exotic locations!  Some of my more memorable destinations include Vietnam, China, Australia, Spain, and Hawaii.

Tell us about Fina Ludlow and her family.

Fina is strong, funny, and flawed, and she pushes the limits.  She’s an excellent investigator and has a complicated relationship with her family.  Like many readers, I was fascinated by the Lisbeth Salander character in the Stieg Larsson books.  Lisbeth is strong, brash, and violent, and operates outside of society’s norms.  That character was born of abuse and neglect and didn’t have a “normal” family.  I wondered what would happen if I created a character who was headstrong and independent, but came from a domineering family unit and had to operate within the bounds of that family.  If you have nothing holding you back and nothing to lose—like Lisbeth Salander—your actions can be extreme.  However, if you’re trying to operate within a family system and maintain your standing in that family, you have more to lose, and the stakes can be quite high.

Carl Ludlow is the patriarch of the family and oversees the family law firm.  Fina has a complex relationship with her father, and her interactions with her mother, Elaine, are fraught with resentment and bad feelings on both sides.  Fina’s brothers, Scotty and Rand, are her closest friends, but her eldest brother, Rand, is her nemesis and the source of much of the Ludlow family dysfunction.  I’ll leave it at that for readers who starting the series at the beginning with LOYALTY, but rest assured, there’s plenty of family drama.

Without spoilers, tell us about DUPLICITY.

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DUPLICITY features a slightly different kind of case for Fina:  Her father has asked her to investigate an evangelical church as a favor to an old friend, Ceci Renard.  Lead by a charismatic pastor and his wife, the church seems to have tremendous influence over its congregants, one of whom is Ceci’s daughter.  Fina tries to dig into the church’s practices and finances, only to be thwarted at every turn, and the situation grows more serious when a congregant turns up dead.  The investigation raises questions about faith and power, and Fina is forced to contemplate these concepts within the context of her own life and family.

Why did you want to write crime novels?

I love to read crime novels, which is why I wanted to write them.  People often say, “Write what you know,” but I’ve always said, “Write what you want to read.”  It takes a lot of time and effort to write a book, and as the author, you are your first reader.  If you aren’t engaged then how can you expect other readers to be? 

Fina’s a P.I. and you graduated from a certificate program in private investigation.  Tell us about a few aspects of that program that you’ve used in Fina’s cases.

I sought out the private investigation certificate program at the University of Washington when I made the decision to create a character who is a professional investigator rather than an amateur detective. This decision was based on the limitations I encountered in an unpublished series I had already written featuring an amateur sleuth.  Over time, I found her amateur status to be problematic; an amateur can only stumble over so many bodies before it strains credulity!  So I made the main character a professional investigator, which opened up a lot of possibilities and gives me options as the series progresses.

Having made that choice, I wanted to learn the rules of private investigation before I created a character who broke them.  Fina needed to ring true and use tactics and procedures that PIs actually use.  She takes liberties with the law, and some of her tactics might be frowned upon by other PIs, but her actions are purposeful, not the result of poor training.  When creating the character, I made conscious decisions about her choices based on what I gleaned from the certificate program.

I learned a lot of practical information in terms of detection that Fina employs, like how to mine information from public records and how to conduct effective interviews, but the thing I was most surprised by was my shifting attitudes toward personal injury attorneys.  One of my instructors did a lot of work for the kinds of attorneys who advertise on TV, like Carl Ludlow, and I learned that in certain circumstances, those attorneys are the only thing saving victims from financial ruin.  Perhaps a single mom is injured in a car accident that wasn’t her fault, but if she doesn’t have health insurance or other safety nets, the dominos in her life can quickly fall.  Maybe she misses work to go to physical therapy, but then she can’t pay for day care, and then she loses her job, but has no one to watch her kids when she looks for a new job, and what about all those doctors’ bills?  Many of us are lucky enough to have layers of support that keep us from the brink—both financially and emotionally.  For people who don’t have that, personal injury lawyers can be lifesavers.

Why do you see Boston as the perfect setting for crime novels?

Boston offers myriad opportunities for creating layered, interesting characters who inhabit various mini worlds.  There are so many world-class things about the city: its medical facilities, higher education, the arts, professional sports teams, as well as a strong sense of pride and history that shows up in things like the multiple generations of families who serve in the police and fire departments.  People from all over the world come to Boston, and on any given day a visitor could be seen by a specialist in a top-notch hospital or watch a baseball game sitting above the Green Monster.  I wanted Fina’s adventures to reflect that diversity.  She may spend time interviewing a potential client in the ICU at Mass General or visiting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, but you’ll also find her at Kelly’s Roast Beef on the beach eating fried clams and a lobster roll.  It’s fun for me and readers to ride along with her as she dips into the various sub-cultures of the city.

What authors have influenced you?

I always cite the Nancy Drew books as an early influence.  More contemporary influences are the late Robert Parker, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Laura Lippman, Reed Farrel Coleman, Ace Atkins, C.J. Box, David Joy, and Chevy Stevens.

Other than your own, name a couple of books you would never part with.

My Nancy Drews, of course, but quite honestly, I part with most books.  If they are signed by the author, they become a part of my permanent collection, but I love passing books on to others.  In general, I don’t tend to re-read things, and I love the idea of someone else getting pleasure from a book that I found entertaining or thought-provoking.

What author would you like to recommend who you think has been underappreciated?

I’m a big fan of Archer Mayor and his Joe Gunther series.  In the early books, Joe was a detective in Brattleboro, VT and is now the head of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation.  The books feature a motley crew of investigators and offer a real sense of place.  I especially enjoy reading the installments that are set in winter, with a cup of cocoa while curled under a blanket, of course!

What’s on your TBR pile?

So many books! Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple, The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly, and Evicted by Matthew Desmond.  I have ARCs for The Weight of This World by David Joy and Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens and need to get my hands on What You Break, the new Gus Murphy book by Reed Farrel Coleman.  I’m planning to reread a Victorian novel that I read in college and remember loving, New Grub Street, by George Gissing.  It’s about the British publishing industry and should provide an interesting change of pace.  Also, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.  It’s a non-fiction account of the migration of black citizens to the northern and western parts of the U.S. in the early and mid-1900s.  My mom loved it and thinks it should be on every American’s TBR list.

Thank you, Ingrid, for taking time for the interview.

I hope you’ll be able to make it to The Pen on January 11th to hear and meet Ingrid and the other authors. But, if you can’t make it, you can order a signed copy of Duplicity through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2hWpyLo

Jungle Reds’ New Writers

One of my favorite author blogs, Jungle Red Writers (jungleredwriters.com), started the new year with an announcement. They added two new mystery authors to the prestigious list. https://bit.ly/2iczeCs

And, because they both have a January connection to The Poisoned Pen, I thought I’d pass it on. Ingrid Thoft and Jenn McKinlay join the ranks that make up Jungle Red Writers. The other writers are Julia Spencer Fleming, Lucy Burdette, Hallie Ephron, Rhys Bowen, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and Deborah Crombie.

Why are Ingrid and Jenn connected to The Pen? Ingrid Thoft will be signing her latest book, Duplicity, here on January 10 at 7 PM, appearing with Brad Taylor and Nicholas Petrie.

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And, Jenn McKinlay, one of our Scottsdale authors, will be here Saturday, January 14 at 2 PM to sign her latest Hat Shop Mystery, Assault and Beret.

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Congratulations to both authors for joining Jungle Red Writers. We’ll look forward to reading their posts.

Criminal Element, Brad Ricca & Mrs. Sherlock Holmes

Are you familiar with the newsletter Criminal Element? It’s actually distributed by Macmillan, but the newsletter covers all areas of crime fiction, nonfiction, television. The most recent newsletter contained an article by Brad Ricca called “True Crime and Mrs. Sherlock”. https://bit.ly/2iN7Njo

Ricca discusses true crime, why he hates it, and why he writes about it. His latest book is Mrs. Sherlock Holmes: The True Story of New York City’s Greatest Female Detective and the 1917 Missing Girl Case That Captivated a Nation.

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Here’s the summary in the Web Store.

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes tells the incredible story of Mrs. Grace Humiston, the New York lawyer and detective who solved the famous cold case of Ruth Cruger, an 18-year-old girl who disappeared in 1917. Grace was an amazing lawyer and traveling detective during a time when no women were practicing these professions. She focused on solving cases no one else wanted and advocating for innocents. Grace became the first female U.S. District Attorney and made ground-breaking investigations into modern slavery.

One of Grace’s greatest accomplishments was solving the Cruger case after following a trail of corruption that lead from New York to Italy. Her work changed how the country viewed the problem of missing girls. But the victory came with a price when she learned all too well what happens when one woman upstages the entire NYPD.

In the literary tradition of In Cold Blood and The Devil in the White City, Brad Ricca’s Mrs. Sherlock Holmes is a true crime tale told in spine-tingling fashion. This story is about a woman whose work was so impressive that the papers gave her the nickname of fiction’s greatest sleuth. With important repercussions in the present about kidnapping, the role of the media, and the truth of crime stories, the great mystery of the book-and its haunting twist ending-is how one woman can become so famous only to disappear completely.

*****

Check out Ricca’s article in the Criminal Element newsletter. https://bit.ly/2iN7Njo

Then, if you’re interested, you can order the book through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2iG8BZZ

News from Rhys Bowen

While we’re waiting for events to start up again at The Poisoned Pen, I thought I’d share news from Rhys Bowen, since we claim her, at least part for part of the year, as a local author.

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Rhys just published her latest newsletter, and she has news about her next three books, including the standalone, In Farleigh Field, released March 1. Here’s the link to Rhys’ newsletter. https://bit.ly/2iXZbWu

It may be early, but you can already pre-order a signed copy of In Farleigh Field through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2iIMW0H

But, watch for further news. I’m sure Rhys Bowen will be appearing at The Poisoned Pen when she can. (And, sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can meet her when she’s in the audience to hear other authors.)

Douglas Preston’s The Lost City of the Monkey God

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Douglas Preston will be in town on Saturday, Jan. 7, to discuss his latest book, the nonfiction account, The Lost City of the Monkey God. The Poisoned Pen will host him at The Hilton Resort, 6333 N. Scottsdale Road at 7 PM. We’d love to have you come to hear him. Can we entice you with this book review by Dana Stabenow?

The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story
by Douglas Preston (Goodreads Author)
1608124
Dana Stabenow’s review Dec 25, 2016
it was amazing
Read from December 06 to 17, 2016

For centuries Hondurans have told their children the myth of the Lost City of the Monkey God, but myths are often rooted in fact, and in the early Oughts cinematographer and inveterate searcher for lost cities Steve Elkins starts looking for it. National Geographic/New Yorker writer and novelist Douglas Preston, in the way nosy journalists do, hears tell of this search and talks his way into the 2015 expedition. Preston begins his story with a briefing by an ex-soldier experienced in jungle travel who passes around a photo of someone on a previous expedition bitten by a fer-de-lance. It isn’t pretty. More cheery news of the local fauna follows in the way of spiders and scorpions, and mosquitoes and sand flies eager to pass on lovely diseases like malaria, dengue fever and the dread leishmaniasus. Never heard of it? Me, either, and Preston, either, but he’ll hear a lot more about it shortly. At the end of that first chapter he writes “I paid attention. I really did.” No, he didn’t, or not enough, but it wouldn’t have mattered even if he had.

This book is simply packed with information on a dozen different topics, to begin with a history of archeology in Central and South America and worldwide, legal and not

It must be said that, in general, if archaeologists refused on principle to work with governments known for corruption, most archaeology in the world would come to a halt; there could be no more archaeology in China, Russia, Egypt, Mexico, most of the Middle East, and many countries in Central and South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. I present this not as a justification or an apology, but as an observation on the reality of doing archaeology in a difficult world.

A history of Central American pre-Columbian civilizations–or at least the discovery of their existence–which were much more wide-spread than previously thought and why that is important to Hondurans

While the Spanish history of Honduras is well known, its pre-Columbian history is still an enigma. People need history in order to know themselves, to build a sense of identity and pride, continuity, community, and hope for the future. This is why the legend of the White City runs so deep in the Honduran national psyche: It’s a direct connection to a pre-Columbian past that was rich, complex, and worthy of remembrance.

A story about the politics between archeologists, which from an outside perspective looks a lot like jealousy on the part of the people who didn’t discover the Lost City of the Monkey God directed at the people who did than it does legitimate differences between academics; a brief but uncomfortably vivid history of the US in Honduras which kind of makes you feel like it may be more than time for the American empire to just, you know, stop with that shit now; and new technology in the form of lidar stabilized by a kind of top secret electronic gyroscope that pings lasers at the spaces between leaves to reflect back the features of the ground beneath them. FYI? The rain forest has a lot of leaves, but the lidar confounds even that dense canopy and discovers the Lost City (and maybe two) just three days into the mapping process.

I could see Sartori’s spiral-bound notebook lying open next to the laptop. In keeping with the methodical scientist he was, he had been jotting daily notes on his work. But underneath the entry for May 5, he had written two words only:

HOLY SHIT.

If John McPhee writes the way Yo-Yo Ma plays the cello Preston is at least first chair. When I finished the book I immediately went on line to look at the expedition photos on National Geographic’s website (https://news.nationalgeographic.com/20…) and from his descriptions was easily able to recognize the people, the artifacts and especially the place, this stunningly, dangerously beautiful tropical wilderness untouched for five hundred years. Preston is clearly a man in love

Once again I had the strong feeling, when flying into the valley, that I was leaving the twenty-first century entirely. A precipitous ridge loomed ahead, marking the southern boundary of T1. The pilot heading for a V notch in it. When we cleared the gap, the valley opened up in a rolling landscape of emerald and gold, dappled with the drifting shadows of clouds. The two sinuous rivers ran through it, clear and bright, the sunlight flashing off their riffled waters as the chopper banked…Towering rainforest trees, draped in vines and flowers, carpeted the hills, giving way to sunny glades along the riverbanks. Flocks of egrets flew below, white dots drifting against the green, and the treetops thrashed with the movement of unseen monkeys.

I’m glad he’s that good a writer because frankly the only way I want to experience this place is through his prose and the photos, thanks. I certainly would never even attempt to keep up with Chris Fisher or Dave Yoder in the jungle, that’s for sure.

And then there is leishmaniasus, a ghastly disease which infects Preston and half of the expedition. It’s like cancer in that the cure is as bad as the disease and as of writing the book Preston’s has recurred. In even cheerier news, due to the enabling offices of climate change leishmaniasus is steadily making its way north, occurring now in Texas and Oklahoma. Goody. Although Americans dying of it may be the only way to get the drug companies working on a cure, because why bother if it’s only killing poor people in the Third World? I mean that’s no way to make money.

But the leishmaniusus gives him the final clue to perhaps solve the puzzle: Where did the people of the Lost City go? And why did they leave and, especially, when? Also known as: Disease as destiny.

Impossible to recommend this book highly enough. I’m already pre-ordering copies for friends.

*****

If you’d like to order a signed copy of The Lost City of the Monkey God, check the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2hIeKVO

Slangy Crime Novels

What do Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest and Dorothy L. Sayers’ Murder Must Advertise have in common?

They’re two of the books featured in ‘s article in The Guardian, “Top 10 Slangy Crime Novels”.  https://bit.ly/2htwd2R

Intrigued? I’m not going to tell you the other eight books. But, if you’re looking for them, most of them are available through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/