Fiction Review

It’s an hour of unforgettable storytelling. James Lee Burke did a virtual event for The Poisoned Pen, talking with Patrick Millikin. Of course, they talked about A Private Cathedral, the latest Dave Robicheaux, Burke’s fortieth book. But there was so much more ground to cover as James Lee Burke told stories of writing and other authors. You can find a copy (hopefully still a signed one) of A Private Cathedral in the Web Store, along with copies of Burke’s other books. https://bit.ly/2SJ8gVl

Here’s the summary of A Private Cathedral.

After finding himself caught up in one of Louisiana’s oldest and bloodiest family rivalries, Detective Dave Robicheaux must battle the most terrifying adversary he has ever encountered: a time-traveling superhuman assassin.

The Shondell and Balangie families are longtime enemies in the New Iberia criminal underworld and show each other no mercy. Yet their youngest heirs, Johnny Shondell and Isolde Balangie, rock and roll-musician teenagers with magical voices, have fallen in love and run away after Isolde was given as a sex slave to Johnny’s uncle.

As he seeks to uncover why, Detective Dave Robicheaux gets too close to both Isolde’s mother and the mistress of her father, a venomous New Orleans mafioso whose jealousy has no bounds. In retribution, he hires a mysterious assassin to go after Robicheaux and his longtime partner, Clete Purcel. This hitman is unlike any the “Bobbsey Twins from Homicide” have ever faced. He has the ability to induce horrifying hallucinations and travels on a menacing ghost ship that materializes without warning. In order to defeat him and rescue Johnny and Isolde, Robicheaux will have to overcome the demons that have tormented him throughout his adult life—alcoholism, specters from combat in Vietnam, and painful memories of women to whom he opened his heart only to see killed.

A Private Cathedral, James Lee Burke’s fortieth book, is his most powerful tale, one that will captivate readers—mixing crime, romance, mythology, horror, and science fiction to produce a thrilling story about the all-consuming, all-conquering power of love.

*****

You’ll want to see this conversation with James Lee Burke.

It’s always a good time when the authors from Jungle Red Writers get together. It’s unusual for all seven of them to be available, but The Poisoned Pen was able to bring them together via Zoom and Facebook.

If you don’t know the authors from Jungle Red Writers, they’re crime writers who blog daily at https://www.jungleredwriters.com/ talking about writing and life. In the event below, you’ll meet Julia Spencer-Fleming, Lucy Burdette, Hallie Ephron, Rhys Bowen, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Deborah Crombie, and Jenn McKinlay. Although Hank Phillippi Ryan is supposed to be the moderator, she admits that no one can keep control of this group.

You’ll hear about their recent books, and you can find those books in the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Now, enjoy this special, one-of-a-kind virtual event with the Jungle Red Writers.

If you follow or occasionally read this blog, I’m sure you find time for books in your life. The publisher Penguin Random House sent a video showcasing some of their fall releases. I’ll admit, their “fall” is a little long because Carl Hiaasen’s Squeeze Me is out today. But, because I always want to share new books with other readers, here’s the video. Don’t forget to check the Web Store for titles that interest you. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

There’s a terrific slate of authors scheduled for virtual events with The Poisoned Pen for the rest of August. Just a reminder, though. The schedule may change. There may be authors added, or some who have to change appearances for one reason or another. Check the store’s web page regularly. And, check the Web Store for books by the authors. There’s a limited number of signed books right now, so make sure you reserve copies by your favorite authors. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Elsa Hart’s Li Du trilogy took place in the early eighteenth century in China. Now, with The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne, she moves to London in the same period. In a fascinating conversation with author Douglas Preston and Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, she talks about ghosts left over from her previous books, and why she moved to London for the latest book. She and Preston talk about the history of cabinets of curiosity. The conversation even takes them into Patrick O’Brian’s series. You can find copies of Hart’s books, including signed copies of The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne, in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/31it9gG Douglas Preston talks about the book he wrote with Lincoln Child, The Cabinet of Curiosities, and the collections at the American Museum of Natural History. You can order a copy of that in the Web Store as well. https://bit.ly/34pdcHJ

Here’s the summary of The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne.

From the author of the acclaimed Li Du novels comes Elsa Hart’s new atmospheric mystery series.

London, 1703. In a time when the old approaches to science coexist with the new, one elite community attempts to understand the world by collecting its wonders. Sir Barnaby Mayne, the most formidable of these collectors, has devoted his life to filling his cabinets. While the curious-minded vie for invitations to study the rare stones, bones, books, and artifacts he has amassed, some visitors come with a darker purpose.

For Cecily Kay, it is a passion for plants that brings her to the Mayne house. The only puzzle she expects to encounter is how to locate the specimens she needs within Sir Barnaby’s crowded cabinets. But when her host is stabbed to death, Cecily finds the confession of the supposed killer unconvincing. She pays attention to details—years of practice have taught her that the smallest particulars can distinguish a harmless herb from a deadly one—and in the case of Sir Barnaby’s murder, there are too many inconsistencies for her to ignore.

To discover the truth, Cecily must enter the world of the collectors, a realm where intellect is distorted by obsession and greed. As her pursuit of answers brings her closer to a killer, she risks being given a final resting place amid the bones that wait, silent and still, in the cabinets of Barnaby Mayne.

*****

If you’re interested in the history of these collections, a fan of Elsa Hart’s books or Preston/Child’s books, you’ll want to watch this fascinating conversation.

Kevin Hearne kicked off his recent conversation with Pat King from The Poisoned Pen by mixing a drink. Because Ink & Sigil, the spin-off from The Iron Druid series, involves a mystery set in Scotland, Hearne mixes up a drink with Glenfiddich Scotch Whiskey. You’ll be able to check out the new drink on the video of the virtual event. You can also find Ink & Sigil, along with Hearne’s other books, in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2Glm6Lt

Here’s the summary of Ink & Sigil.

New York Times bestselling author Kevin Hearne returns to the world of his beloved Iron Druid Chronicles in a spin-off series about an eccentric master of rare magic solving an uncanny mystery in Scotland.

“Ink & Sigil is escape reading, and I loved every word.”—Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author of A Longer Fall

Al MacBharrais is both blessed and cursed. He is blessed with an extraordinary white moustache, an appreciation for craft cocktails—and a most unique magical talent. He can cast spells with magically enchanted ink and he uses his gifts to protect our world from rogue minions of various pantheons, especially the Fae.

But he is also cursed. Anyone who hears his voice will begin to feel an inexplicable hatred for Al, so he can only communicate through the written word or speech apps. And his apprentices keep dying in peculiar freak accidents. As his personal life crumbles around him, he devotes his life to his work, all the while trying to crack the secret of his curse.

But when his latest apprentice, Gordie, turns up dead in his Glasgow flat, Al discovers evidence that Gordie was living a secret life of crime. Now Al is forced to play detective—while avoiding actual detectives who are wondering why death seems to always follow Al. Investigating his apprentice’s death will take him through Scotland’s magical underworld, and he’ll need the help of a mischievous hobgoblin if he’s to survive.

*****

Catch up with Kevin Hearne via the virtual event.

Scottish crime writer Denise Mina recently talked with Patrick Millikin from The Poisoned Pen about her novels and social issues. The Less Dead was triggered by actual crimes that happened in Glasgow. You can order a copy of the book through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2EjTFgH

Millikin says he stayed up the night before to read The Less Dead. Here is the description of the book.

In this shocking new thriller from the author of the “blazingly intense” Reese Witherspoon book club pick and national bestseller Conviction, a woman in crisis finds herself on the hunt for her own mother’s murderer (A. J. Finn).

She thought she was finding her birth mother.
Now she’s searching for a killer.

Dr. Margo Dunlop is at a crossroads. Her adoptive mom just passed away, and Margo misses her so much she can’t begin to empty the house-or, it seems, get her brother on the phone. Not to mention she’s newly single, secretly pregnant, and worried about her best friend’s dangerous relationship. In an effort to cheer herself up she goes in search of her birth mother. Instead she finds Nikki, her mother’s sister. Aunt Nikki isn’t what Margo expects, and she brings upsetting news: Margo’s mother is dead. Worse, she was murdered years ago, and her killer is still at large-and sending Nikki threatening letters.

Margo is torn. Should she stay out of this mess, or try to find justice? But then Margo receives a letter, too. Someone out there has been waiting and watching, and in Margo sees the spitting image of her mother…

Darkly funny and deeply affecting, The Less Dead is a sharply modern new thriller from the bestselling author of Conviction, and a surprisingly moving story of daughters and mothers, secrets and choices, and how the search for the truth-and a long-hidden killer-will lead one woman to find herself.

*****

You’ll want to watch the discussion of the book, The Less Dead, class, criminal justice, and social issues.

You don’t have to have read the books to participate in the Library of Congress Crime Classics Virtual Event. Murder at the Library focuses on two of Library of Congress Crime Classics, The Rat Began to Gnaw the Rope and That Affair Next Door. The live event will feature Les Klinger, and the former publisher and editor from Booklist, Bill Ott, will serve as moderator.

Register for the event using this link. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qjl91sVLT-i0Rp-fm80WFQ

Both books, C.W. Grafton’s The Rat Began to Gnaw the Rope, and That Affair Next Door by Anna Katherine Green, are published by Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press in conjunction with the Library of Congress. You can order them through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

It’s an honor to introduce you to David Heska Wanbli Weiden, who agreed to write about his recent book “Distractions” for us. His debut crime novel, Winter Counts, will be released on Tuesday, August 25. On Monday, August 24, he’ll be the guest author for one of The Poisoned Pen’s virtual events, with William Kent Krueger as guest host. Watch live on Facebook at 9 PM ET, 6 PM MT. If I were you, I’d reserve a signed copy of Winter Counts now because I suspect they’ll go quickly. You can order it through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2Yt8F3h

David Heska Wanbli Weiden, an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota nation, is author of the novel WINTER COUNTS (Ecco/HarperCollins, forthcoming August 25, 2020), chosen as one of 2020’s most anticipated books by Library Journal, USA Today, CrimeReads, BuzzFeed, The Rumpus, Electric Lit, Betches, Lit Hub, The Millions, and Book Riot, and receiving rave reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist.

WINTER COUNTS is the story of a local Native American enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation who becomes obsessed with finding and stopping the dealer who is bringing increasingly dangerous drugs into his community.  It’s a Native thriller, an examination of the broken criminal justice system on reservations, and a meditation on Native identity.  Benjamin Percy, author of The Dark Net, says, “The full-throttle, can’t-put-it-downness of this novel is a fact.  WINTER COUNTS is a hell of a gripping debut, perfectly plotted, and David Heska Wanbli Weiden is a major new voice in crime fiction, indigenous fiction, and American literature.”

Weiden is also the author of the children’s book SPOTTED TAIL (Reycraft, 2019), a biography of the great Lakota leader and winner of the 2020 Spur Award from the Western Writers of America.  He’s published in Shenandoah, Yellow Medicine Review, Transmotion, Criminal Class Review, Tribal College Journal, and other magazines.  He’s the fiction editor for Anomaly, journal of international literature and arts, and he teaches writing at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver.

He received his MFA in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts, his law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. He’s an alumnus of VONA, a Tin House Scholar, a MacDowell Colony Fellow, a Ragdale Foundation resident, and received the PEN/America Writing for Justice Fellowship.  He’s an active member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Western Writers of America, and the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers.  He’s Professor of Native American Studies and Political Science at Metropolitan State University of Denver, and lives in Colorado with his two sons.

*****

All of David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s book suggestions can be found in the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

*****

Here’s the bio Weiden actually sent.

Bio:  David is an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota nation in South Dakota and lives in Denver, Colorado, with his family. He’s the father of two teenage boys, one of whom is just learning how to drive! A professor of Native American Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver, he spends his free time writing and listening to alternative rock music and classic jazz. His favorite film is Goodfellas, which he’s seen dozens of times, and his second favorite is the cult classic Repo Man.

Introduction:

Like so many others, the pandemic changed my reading habits. When the shutdown first occurred, I was too distracted to do any serious reading, so I binged on movies and television shows that I’d been meaning to watch. But eventually I began to crave the sort of narrative tension that only a good novel can provide. Happily, I’ve found a number of excellent books that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

This Tender Land

by William Kent Krueger

I’ve just started reading this wonderful novel, and I’m absolutely blown away by it. Set in 1932, it’s the story of two young boys, Odie and Albert, who are forced to enroll in the Lincoln Indian Training School even though they are not Native. Krueger’s attention to historical detail, his sharp dialogue, and the lyrical prose make this a must-read. The book has special resonance for me, as my maternal grandmother was enrolled in the most infamous Native American boarding school, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. There, Native kids were forced to abandon their language, culture, and spirituality, all in the name of “civilizing” these young children. Krueger’s book gives a sense of what it was like back then.

Blacktop Wasteland

by S.A. Cosby

I’m about halfway through this gripping thriller, and it’s clear that this book deserves all the attention it’s received. Beauregard “Bug” Montage is a husband and father who’s trying to leave his criminal past behind him. But, beset by financial difficulties, he’s tempted by one final job. You’ll love the action in this novel, but it’s the voice of Bug and the other characters that will keep you reading. This is an essential novel in the new wave of crime fiction.

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee

by David Treuer

Not a novel, this book—nominated for the National Book Award–is a work of popular history and cultural commentary on Native America, from the time of the first European explorers in North America up until the present day. Treuer explores the different eras of American Indian history, blending memoir and reportage with historical synthesis. It took me a long time to finish this book, as I gave it a very close reading. I’m a professor of Native American Studies, yet I found new insights in nearly every chapter. The value of the book, in my opinion, is Treuer’s willingness to provide commentary on the historical events that he describes. I read a lot of academic textbooks and journal articles which adopt a dry and neutral style that saps the vitality from the prose. But this book is anything but dry–Treuer’s insightful observations will keep you thinking and reflecting on the past and future of American Indians.

You Again

by Debra Jo Immergut

I was a big fan of Immergut’s last book, The Captives, and this novel is another astounding literary thriller. The concept of the book is amazing:  a woman, Abby Willard, spots her 22-year-old self walking down the street. She’s stunned and astonished by this vision, if that’s what it is, and ponders whether to tell her husband what she’s seen. And then Abby sees herself again. That’s the set-up to this gripping book, which shines in narrative tension and the enthralling voice of the narrator, Abby, who struggles to balance family and job pressures while dealing with the reappearance of her younger self. I’m already hooked, and I know I’m in for some sleepless nights as I unravel the mystery of this compelling literary puzzle.

Crooked Hallelujah

by Kelli Jo Ford

A novel in stories, I’ve been parceling these out to myself slowly, one chapter every couple of days so I can savor them. The tale of four generations of Cherokee women, the book is a marvel of lyrical prose, evocative setting, and unforgettable characters. The first story, “Book of the Generations,” deals with Justine, a teenager living with her mother after her father abandons the family. Justine is struggling to find her way in 1974 rural Oklahoma, and she sneaks out one night to meet an older boy. It’s not a spoiler to disclose that she becomes pregnant, but her emotional journey afterwards will surprise you and leave you wanting to learn more about these women and the arc of their lives. For those in search of a character-driven story collection, this book will not disappoint. Highly recommended.

*****

Here’s the summary of David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s Winter Counts. As I said, you might want to order it early.

“Winter Counts is a marvel. It’s a thriller with a beating heart and jagged teeth. This book is a brilliant meditation on power and violence, and a testament to just how much a crime novel can achieve. Weiden is a powerful new voice. I couldn’t put it down.”  
—Tommy Orange, author of There There

A Recommended Read from:
Buzzfeed * Electric Literature * Lit Hub * Shondaland * Publishers Weekly

A groundbreaking thriller about a vigilante on a Native American reservation who embarks on a dangerous mission to track down the source of a heroin influx. 

Virgil Wounded Horse is the local enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota.  When justice is denied by the American legal system or the tribal council, Virgil is hired to deliver his own punishment, the kind that’s hard to forget. But when heroin makes its way into the reservation and finds Virgil’s nephew, his vigilantism suddenly becomes personal. He enlists the help of his ex-girlfriend and sets out to learn where the drugs are coming from, and how to make them stop.

They follow a lead to Denver and find that drug cartels are rapidly expanding and forming new and terrifying alliances. And back on the reservation, a new tribal council initiative raises uncomfortable questions about money and power. As Virgil starts to link the pieces together, he must face his own demons and reclaim his Native identity. He realizes that being a Native American in the twenty-first century comes at an incredible cost.

Winter Counts is a tour-de-force of crime fiction, a bracingly honest look at a long-ignored part of American life, and a twisting, turning story that’s as deeply rendered as it is thrilling.

David Joy’s When These Mountains Burn is the current Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. If you want a signed copy, you should reserve it now. You can order Joy’s books, including When These Mountains Burn, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2BhRPLk

You might want to order it now, not only because it’s the Hot Book of the Week, but because David Joy will be appearing in a virtual event on Wednesday, August 19 at 9 PM ET, 6 PM MT. You can watch the event on Facebook Live.

Here’s the background on David Joy and his latest book.

David Joy is the author of the Edgar nominated novel Where All Light Tends To Go (Putnam, 2015), as well as the novels The Weight Of This World (Putnam, 2017) and The Line That Held Us (Putnam, 2018). He is also the author of the memoir Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey (Bright Mountain Books, 2011), which was a finalist for the Reed Environmental Writing Award and the Ragan Old North State Award.

Joy is the recipient of an artist fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council. His latest short stories and essays have appeared in Time, The New York Times Magazine, Garden & Gun, and The Bitter Southerner.

Joy lives in the North Carolina mountains.

*****

Acclaimed author and “remarkably gifted storyteller” (The Charlotte Observer) David Joy returns with a fierce and tender tale of a father, an addict, a lawman, and the explosive events that come to unite them.

When his addict son gets in deep with his dealer, it takes everything Raymond Mathis has to bail him out of trouble one last time. Frustrated by the slow pace and limitations of the law, Raymond decides to take matters into his own hands.

After a workplace accident left him out of a job and in pain, Denny Rattler has spent years chasing his next high. He supports his habit through careful theft, following strict rules that keep him under the radar and out of jail. But when faced with opportunities too easy to resist, Denny makes two choices that change everything.

For months, the DEA has been chasing the drug supply in the mountains to no avail, when a lead–just one word–sets one agent on a path to crack the case wide open . . . but he’ll need help from the most unexpected quarter.

As chance brings together these men from different sides of a relentless epidemic, each may come to find that his opportunity for redemption lies with the others.