Fiction Review

Charles Finch might regret that his latest Charles Lenox mystery, The Last Passenger, deals with a body found on a train. Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, invited author Karen Odden, an expert on the subject of Victorian trains, to question Finch. You can order a signed copy of The Last Passenger, or copies of Finch’s other books, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2wTAsyM

Here’s the description of The Last Passenger.

“Bravo, Mr. Finch, and keep them coming! More Lenox, please.” —Louise Penny, bestselling author of A Better Man

From bestselling author Charles Finch comes the third and final in a prequel trilogy to his lauded Charles Lenox series.

London, 1855. A young and eager Charles Lenox faces his toughest case yet: a murder without a single clue. Slumped in a third-class car at Paddington Station is the body of a handsome young gentleman. He has no luggage, empty pockets, and no sign of identification on his person. And putting together the clues to the mystery of the man’s identity only raises more questions, when Lenox discovers that the crime has a significant connection to America.

As he seeks to solve this impossible case, the young Lenox must confront an equally troublesome problem in his personal life. Kitty Ashbrook, beautiful and cultured, appears to be his soulmate—but love comes with obstacles of its own. In tandem, this fiendish early case and passionate, deeply felt affair will irrevocably shape the brilliant detective and thoughtful gentleman Lenox is destined to become.

Written in Charles Finch’s unmistakably witty and graceful voice, The Last Passenger is a cunning, thrilling, and deeply satisfying conclusion to this trilogy of prequels to his bestselling Charles Lenox series.

*****

Railroads, Finch’s books, Odden’s mysteries. You can hear about all of those subjects in the conversation.

Clive Cussler, an author whose works were beloved by so many readers, died on Monday, February 24, 2020.

The Poisoned Pen was privileged to be the source for all things Cussler. The bookstore handled his signed books and hosted events both at the bookstore and off-premises. He will be missed. For those of you looking for signed copies, please call the bookstore to find out what stock is still available. Phone:(480) 947-2974 or Toll Free (888) 560-9919

We would like to acknowledge Clive Cussler’s life and death by sharing the official statement from his publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

#1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling “Grandmaster of Adventure” and publishing legend Clive Cussler died on Monday, February 24, 2020 at his home in Scottsdale, AZ. He was 88. 

Clive Cussler was born on July 15, 1931. For over four decades, his exceptional adventure novels have enraptured millions of readers around the world. Cussler’s fans have met Dirk Pitt, the director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency (which exists not only in fiction, but is also a veritable organization of which Cussler was chairman); Sam and Remi Fargo, the husband-and-wife treasure hunters; Isaac Bell, the twentieth-century chief investigator; Kurt Austin, team leader of NUMA’s Special Assignments division; and Juan Cabrillo, chairman of the mysterious Corporation that is based on the Oregon. These dynamic characters were all, in one way or another, an extension of Cussler himself. With a penchant for exploration and limitless curiosity about everything from marine biology to antique automobiles, it’s no wonder that Cussler was called the “Grandmaster of Adventure.” 

Born in 1931, Clive Cussler started writing after years in the Air Force and working as a copywriter and creative director at advertising agencies. His first novel, the Edgar Award nominated The Mediterranean Caper, was published in 1973, setting off a legendary career that has resulted in 84 books, which have been translated into more than 40 languages in over 100 countries. In addition to writing his five perennially bestselling fiction series, Cussler is also the author of five non-fiction titles and two children’s books. Almost every single one of his books has been an instant bestseller, including eleven #1 New York Times bestsellers (Flood Tide, Valhalla Rising, Polar Shift, The Jungle, The Thief, The Storm, Havana Storm, The Gangster, The Emperor’s Revenge, The Cutthroat, and The Rising Sea) as well as the #1 non-fiction bestseller, The Sea Hunters. 

In 1997, Cussler was awarded the Doctor of Letters degree by SUNY Maritime College for his non-fiction work, The Sea Hunters, the first time in the college’s history that such a degree was bestowed. Cussler has also been awarded the Naval Heritage Award from the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation, NOGI Award, Lowell Thomas Award, Strand Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and other notable accolades. 

Cussler was the Founder and Chairman of the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), which dedicates itself to American maritime and naval history. First conceptualized in his fiction, the real-life organization is prolific, with its volunteers discovering more than sixty shipwreck sites and numerous other notable underwater wrecks, including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy’s Hunley, and its victim, the Union’s Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron; the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, Texas; and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to the day after plucking Titanic‘s survivors from the sea. 

Cussler was also known for his outstanding collection of antique automobiles, a passion that he catalogued in his books Built for Adventure and Built to Thrill. Like his protagonists, Cussler’s taste is unparalleled when it comes to classic cars, and his full collection is unrivalled. 

A longtime Arizona resident, he was preceded by his first wife, Barbara, and is survived by his second wife, Janet, his three children Teri, Dirk and Dayna, four grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. Plans for a memorial service are in the works. 

Clive’ last collaboration with Graham Brown, Journey of the Pharaohs, publishes on March 10. Graham has agreed to sign the Poisoned Pen copies. Other collaborations are forthcoming, and we will update on plans for those.

Graham Moore’s latest novel, The Holdout, is not only the Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen, it’s hot in the media world as well. Deadline broke the news that the book has been purchased by Hulu. According to the article, https://bit.ly/2Puy7km, “In a competitive situation involving multiple bidders, Hulu has landed The Holdout, a legal thriller drama from Oscar-winning writer Graham Moore (The Imitation Game) based on his latest novel.”

“Moore executive produces with Timberman and Beverly of Timberman-Beverly.”

“Moore’s The Holdout “takes a searing look at the U.S. justice system, media scrutiny, and racism,” per Publisher’s Weekly. Moore is a New York Times bestselling author, whose novels have been published in 25 languages to date. As a screenwriter, he won an adapted screenplay Oscar and a BAFTA for The Imitation Game.“

You can ask Moore questions about The Holdout on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 2 PM when he appears at The Poisoned Pen to sign copies of the book. Can’t make it? Order signed copies of it, or copies of his other books, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2HWiz4B

Here’s what you might want to know about The Holdout.

One juror changed the verdict. What if she was wrong?From the Academy Award”“winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game and bestselling author of The Last Days of Night. . . .

“Exhilarating . . . a fiendishly slippery game of cat-and-mouse suspense and a provocative, urgent inquiry into American justice (and injustice) in the twenty-first century.”—A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

It’s the most sensational case of the decade. Fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, heiress to a billion-dollar real estate fortune, vanishes on her way home from school, and her teacher, Bobby Nock, a twenty-five-year-old African American man, is the prime suspect. The subsequent trial taps straight into America’s most pressing preoccupations: race, class, sex, law enforcement, and the lurid sins of the rich and famous. It’s an open-and-shut case for the prosecution, and a quick conviction seems all but guaranteed—until Maya Seale, a young woman on the jury, convinced of Nock’s innocence, persuades the rest of the jurors to return the verdict of not guilty, a controversial decision that will change all their lives forever.

Flash forward ten years. A true-crime docuseries reassembles the jury, with particular focus on Maya, now a defense attorney herself. When one of the jurors is found dead in Maya’s hotel room, all evidence points to her as the killer. Now, she must prove her own innocence—by getting to the bottom of a case that is far from closed.

As the present-day murder investigation weaves together with the story of what really happened during their deliberation, told by each of the jurors in turn, the secrets they have all been keeping threaten to come out—with drastic consequences for all involved.

Congratulations to Martin Edwards, who just won the highest honor in British Crime Writing, the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Diamond Dagger Award. As the CWA said in their announcement, “Martin Edwards joins icons of the genre who have been recognised with the accolade, including Ruth Rendell, Lee Child, Ann Cleeves, Ian Rankin, PD James, Colin Dexter, Reginald Hill, Lindsey Davis, Peter Lovesey, and John Le Carré.” You can read their announcement here. https://bit.ly/390CxXE

Friends of The Poisoned Pen Bookstore are undoubtedly familiar with Martin Edwards. He’s written posts for the blog, participated in events at the bookstore, edited the British Library Crime Classics series that’s published in the U.S. by Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press. Books written and edited by Edwards are available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2w0viRd

Yesterday, on his own blog, “Do You Write Under Your Own Name?”, Edwards wrote about The Diamond Dagger. https://bit.ly/2HT3Qrh

Congratulations, again, to an author whose career is still not completely summed up by the biography on his blog. (He’s going to have to update it now.)

“Martin Edwards’ latest novel is Gallows Court, a thriller set in 1930. He recently received the CWA Dagger in the Library, awarded by UK librarians for his body of work. He is President of the Detection Club, consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics, and former Chair of the CWA. His contemporary whodunits include The Coffin Trail, first of seven Lake District Mysteries and shortlisted for the Theakston’s Prize for best crime novel of the year. The Arsenic Labyrinth was shortlisted for Lakeland Book of the Year. The Golden Age of Murder won the Edgar, Agatha, H.R.F. Keating and Macavity awards, while The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books also won the Macavity and was nominated for four other awards. He has also received the CWA Short Story Dagger, the CWA Margery Allingham Prize, a CWA Red Herring, and the Poirot award “for his outstanding contribution to the crime genre”.”

How many of you knew Sue Grafton’s father, C.W. Grafton, was once a promising mystery writer himself? In fact, Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press has partnered with the Library of Congress for the Crime Classics series, which will launch with C.W. Grafton’s book. Leslie Klinger is the editor of Crime Classics, which is republishing Grafton’s first mystery, The Rat Began to Gnaw the Rope. The book, to be released June 2, can be pre-ordered through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2PlNUld

L. Wayne Hicks wrote a fascinating article that includes interviews and biographical information about C.W. Grafton. You can read it at https://crimereads.com/cw-grafton/. The article is called “The Life and Work of C.W. Grafton: Crime Novelist, Lawyer, and Father to a Mystery Icon”.

Here’s the description of The Rat Began to Gnaw the Rope, the first of the Library of Congress Crime Classics.

Is this lawyer digging his way to the truth, or digging his own grave?

Short, chubby, and awkward with members of the opposite sex, Gil Henry is the youngest partner in a small law firm, not a hard-boiled sleuth. So when an attractive young woman named Ruth McClure walks into his office and asks him to investigate the value of the stock she inherited from her father, he thinks nothing of it—until someone makes an attempt on his life.

Soon Gil is inadvertently embroiled in scandal, subterfuge, and murder. He’s beaten, shot, and stabbed, as his colleagues and enemies try to stop him from seeing the case through to the end. Surrounded by adversaries, he teams up with Ruth and her secretive brother to find answers to the questions someone desperately wants to keep him from asking.

In this portrait of America on the eve of America’s entry into World War II, C.W. Grafton—himself a lawyer and the father of prolific mystery writer Sue Grafton—pens an award-winning mystery that combines humor and the hard-boiled style and will keep readers guessing until its thrilling conclusion.

Lee Goldberg admits he’s known for his over-the-top humorous mysteries. And, he did bring a great deal of humor to his recent appearance at The Poisoned Pen. But, he was there to discuss his first police procedural, Lost Hills, a story inspired by an actual case. You can order a signed copy of Lost Hills, and copies of Goldberg’s other books, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2X3wM6d

Here’s the description of the first Eve Ronin novel, Lost Hills.

“Lost Hills is Lee Goldberg at his best. Inspired by the real-world grit and glitz of LA County crime, this book takes no prisoners. And neither does Eve Ronin. Take a ride with her and you’ll find yourself with a heroine for the ages. And you’ll be left hoping for more.” —Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Thrills and chills! Lost Hills is the perfect combination of action and suspense, not to mention Eve Ronin is one of the best new female characters in ages. You will race through the pages!” —Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A video of Deputy Eve Ronin’s off-duty arrest of an abusive movie star goes viral, turning her into a popular hero at a time when the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is plagued by scandal. The sheriff, desperate for more positive press, makes Eve the youngest female homicide detective in the department’s history.

Now Eve, with a lot to learn and resented by her colleagues, has to justify her new badge. Her chance comes when she and her burned-out, soon-to-retire partner are called to the blood-splattered home of a missing single mother and her two kids. The horrific carnage screams multiple murder—but there are no corpses.

Eve has to rely on her instincts and tenacity to find the bodies and capture the vicious killer, all while battling her own insecurities and mounting pressure from the media, her bosses, and the bereaved family. It’s a deadly ordeal that will either prove her skills…or totally destroy her.

*****

Now, settle back and enjoy the humor in Lee Goldberg’s presentation.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America recently announced the finalists for the Nebula Awards. Check out the lists of novels, and then check the Web Store to order them. https://store.poisonedpen.com/ The entire list of nominees is here. https://bit.ly/2ukJPXp

Here is the announcement, and the list of 2019 Nebula Award Finalists for Best Novel.

February 20, 2020

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA, Inc.) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 55th Annual Nebula Awards, including the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, and the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book. The awards will be presented in Woodland Hills, CA at the Warner Center Marriott during a ceremony on the evening of May 30th.

2019 Nebula Award Finalists

Novel

Marque of Caine, Charles E. Gannon (Baen)

The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Alix E. Harrow (Redhook; Orbit UK)

A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine (Tor)

Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey; Jo Fletcher)

Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (Tor.com Publishing)

A Song for a New Day, Sarah Pinsker (Berkley)

Tess Gerritsen joined Meg Gardiner at The Poisoned Pen recently. It was release date for Gardiner’s third UNSUB novel, The Dark Corners of the Night. Gerritsen discussed The Shape of Night. Barbara Peters, owner of the bookstore welcomed them, and showed the audience the flowers “from a secret admirer, an obscure up-and-coming writer….”

You can order the signed books by both authors through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Gardiner’s latest book is The Dark Corners of the Night.

“Don’t miss it. This is a great one!” — Stephen King

Soon to be an Amazon TV series

I am the legion of the night …

He appears in the darkness like a ghost, made of shadows and fear—the Midnight Man. He comes for the parents but leaves the children alive, tiny witnesses to unspeakable horror. The bedroom communities of Los Angeles are gripped with dread, and the attacks are escalating.

Still reeling from her best friend’s close call in a bombing six months ago, FBI behavioral analyst Caitlin Hendrix has come to Los Angeles to assist in the Midnight Man investigation and do what she does best—hunt a serial killer. Her work is what keeps her going, but something about this UNSUB—unknown subject—doesn’t sit right. She soon realizes that this case will test not only her skills but also her dedication, for within the heart of a killer lives a secret that mirrors Caitlin’s own past. Hesitancy is not an option, but will she be able to do what must be done if the time comes?

Tense and impactful, Edgar Award winner Meg Gardiner’s latest UNSUB thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat until its riveting conclusion.

*****

Tess Gerritsen’s latest, The Shape of Night, captures the gothic tone that has made a comeback.

A woman trying to outrun her past is drawn to a coastal village in Maine—and to a string of unsolved murders—in this novel of romance and psychological suspense from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.

“Suspenseful, sexy, and soulful.”—J. R. Ward, bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series

After an unspeakable tragedy in Boston, Ava Collette flees to a remote village in Maine, where she rents an old house named Brodie’s Watch.

In that isolated seaside mansion, Ava finally feels at peace . . . until she glimpses the long-dead sea captain who still resides there.

Rumor has it that Captain Jeremiah Brodie has haunted the house for more than a century. One night, Ava confronts the apparition, who feels all too real, and who welcomes her into his world—and into his arms. Even as Ava questions her own sanity, she eagerly looks forward to the captain’s ghostly visits. But she soon learns that the house she loves comes with a terrible secret, a secret that those in the village don’t want to reveal: Every woman who has ever lived in Brodie’s Watch has also died there. Is the ghost of Captain Brodie responsible, or is a flesh-and-blood killer at work? A killer who is even now circling closer to Ava?

Praise for The Shape of Night

“Gerritsen is at her atmospheric best in this spine-tingling tale of a lone woman, an old house, and all the secrets everyone tries to hide.”—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“With a twisty mix of dangerous passion, obsession, and suspense, Tess Gerritsen reinvents the Gothic novel, giving it a razor-sharp, modern edge.”—Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author of Untouchable

“Curl up in your favorite reading chair and let Tess Gerritsen whisk you away to a coastal town reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s best settings. You are in for a dark and sexy night, and you will be up very late with Tess’s twisted, haunting tale.”—Iris Johansen, #1 New York Times bestselling author

*****

This is a conversation you’re going to want to watch.

Let’s get it right out of the way that Scott Carson’s debut horror novel, The Chill, is written by Michael Koryta. In his conversation with Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, he discusses his new name. You can order signed copies of the debut Scott Carson novel through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2P9S4gb

Here’s the summary of The Chill.

“Wow! This is one terrific horror/suspense/disaster novel. Characters you root for and a story that grips from the first page.” —Stephen King, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Institute

“Horror has a new name and it’s Scott Carson. The Chill is an eerie dive into the murky depths of the supernatural. A story that has you looking back over your shoulder on every page.” —Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Night Fire

“A creepy tale of supernatural terror.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

In this terrifying thriller, a supernatural force—set in motion a century ago—threatens to devastate New York City.

Far upstate, in New York’s ancient forests, a drowned village lays beneath the dark, still waters of the Chilewaukee reservoir. Early in the 20th century, the town was destroyed for the greater good: bringing water to the millions living downstate. Or at least that’s what the politicians from Manhattan insisted at the time. The local families, settled there since America’s founding, were forced from their land, but they didn’t move far, and some didn’t move at all…

Now, a century later, the repercussions of human arrogance are finally making themselves known. An inspector assigned to oversee the dam, dangerously neglected for decades, witnesses something inexplicable. It turns out that more than the village was left behind in the waters of the Chill when it was abandoned. The townspeople didn’t evacuate without a fight. A dark prophecy remained, too, and the time has come for it to be fulfilled. Those who remember must ask themselves: who will be next? For sacrifices must be made. And as the dark waters begin to inexorably rise, the demand for a fresh sacrifice emerges from the deep…

*****

If you’re a fan of Scott Carson, Michael Koryta, or writing in general, you’ll want to watch the conversation.

“Can you outrun the stillness?” Winter is the perfect time to scare yourself with a new horror series.

“Do you enjoy the classic horror style seen in The Haunting of Hill House? The creepy chills seen in Japanese horror films? Have you read USA Today bestselling horror author Darcy Coates?”

If not, you’re just in time to get engrossed in her new Black Winter series.

Library Journal said of the first book in the series, Voices in the Snow, “Readers will cover their eyes in fear while still wanting, desperately, to turn the page to see what comes next.” Secrets in the Dark, the second book in the series, will be published in April. You can order Voices in the Snow right now through the Web Store, and pre-order Secrets in the Dark. https://bit.ly/38MP5C0

Here’s the description of Voices in the Snow, the first in the Black Winter series from author Darcy Coates and Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press.

No One Escapes the Stillness

Clare remembers the cold. She remembers abandoned cars and children’s toys littered across the road. She remembers dark shapes in the snow and a terror she can’t explain. And then…nothing. When she wakes, aching and afraid in a stranger’s gothic home, he tells her she was in an accident. He claims he saved her. Clare wants to leave, but a vicious snowstorm has blanketed the world in white, trapping them together, and there’s nothing she can do but wait.

At least the stranger seems kind…but Clare doesn’t know if she can trust him. He promised they were alone here, but she sees and hears things that convince her something else is creeping about the surrounding woods, watching. Waiting. Between the claustrophobic storm and the inescapable sense of being hunted, Clare is on edge…and increasingly certain of one thing:

Her car crash wasn’t an accident. Something is waiting for her to step outside the fragile safety of the house… something monstrous, something unfeeling.

Something desperately hungry.

*****

DARCY COATES is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense titles. She lives on the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cats, and a garden full of herbs and vegetables. Darcy loves forests, especially old-growth forests where the trees dwarf anyone who steps between them. Wherever she lives, she tries to have a mountain range close by.