It’s never too early to plan to attend a Poisoned Pen-sponsored ticketed event. On Monday, March 2, from 7-9 PM, C.J. Box will appear at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center in Scottsdale to discuss and sign his latest Joe Pickett novel, Long Range. A $32.00 Ticket admits one person and includes one copy of Long Range. A $36.00 Ticket admits two people and includes one copy of Long Range. You can order tickets here, https://bit.ly/2uo33vj. Don’t hesitate to call The Poisoned Pen if you have questions, 480-947-2974. If you can’t make the event, you can still pre-order a copy at the normal price of $28. Just go through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2UQXAbh
Here’s the information about Long Range.
C.J. Box signs Long Range (Putnam, $28.00). Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett must investigate an attempted murder”“a crime committed from a confoundingly long distance”“in the riveting new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box.
When Joe Pickett is asked to join the rescue efforts for the victim of a startling grizzly attack, he reluctantly leaves his district behind. One survivor of the grizzly’s rampage tells a bizarre story, but just as Joe begins to suspect the attack is not what it seems, he is brought home by an emergency on his own turf. Someone has targeted a prominent local judge, shooting at him from a seemingly impossible distance. While the judge was not hit, his wife is severely wounded, and it is up to Joe to find answers”“and the shooter.
The search for the would-be assassin becomes personal when Joe’s best friend, Nate Romanowski ““just as he’s adjusting to the arrival of his first child”“falls under suspicion for the crime. It’s a race against the clock as Joe tries to clear Nate’s name and identify the real shooter, all while deciphering the grizzly encounter. Beset by threats both man-made and natural, the two men must go to great lengths to keep their loved ones safe.
*****
Here’s the location for the special C.J. Box ticketed event. It’s a good idea to make reservations as soon as you know you can attend.
I hope no one is afraid to go out at night after The Poisoned Pen’s event on Monday, February 17 at 7 PM. Meg Gardiner, author of The Dark Corners of the Night will appear at the bookstore along with Tess Gerritsen, author of The Shape of Night. Signed copies of both books are available to order through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com
And, Gardiner’s The Dark Corners of the Night comes with a special pin designed exclusively for The Poisoned Pen.
We’re lucky to have Meg Gardiner In the Hot Seat today, answering interview questions.
Thank you, Meg, for taking time for an interview. Would you introduce yourself to readers?
Hi, readers! I’ve written fifteen novels, including UNSUB,which won the 2018 Barry Award for Best Thriller, and China Lake, which won the 2009 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original. My books are fast-paced, high stakes thrillers with plenty of twists. USA Todaycalls them “Hitchcockian,” and the Guardiansays they’re “nailbiting and moving.”
I grew up in Santa Barbara, California. Before writing suspense fiction, I practiced law in Los Angeles and taught legal writing at the University of California Santa Barbara. I’m a former collegiate cross-country runner, a three-time Jeopardy! champion, and a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. I wrote my first novel after moving to England with my husband and three children. I now live in Austin, Texas. Meaning, I say “y’all,” but with a California accent.
Caitlin Hendrix stars in your UNSUB novels. Would you tell us about UNSUB, and introduce Caitlin?
UNSUB is the FBI’s shorthand for Unknown Subject—the unidentified perpetrator of a crime. Caitlin Hendrix is a young profiler in the FBI’s elite Behavioral Analysis Unit. She tracks down serial predators. She’s smart, gutsy, and intuitive, a cop’s daughter who regards it as her duty to protect others. The work she does fires her up. That can undermine the fragile barrier she rigidly maintains for her own protection, between relentless pursuit and dangerous obsession. But the UNSUBs her unit pursues won’t stop on their own. Somebody has to stop them. She’s that person.
She’s also a soft touch for her dog, Shadow.
Tell us about The Dark Corners of the Night, without spoilers.
A home invasion killer is at large in Los Angeles: the Midnight Man. He appears like a shadow, kills the parents, and leaves the children alive as witnesses—telling them, “I am the legion of the night.” Caitlin and her FBI unit come to LA to assist with the investigation, and find Southern California gripped with dread. The killer is as slippery as black oil, and his attacks are escalating. The case tests Caitlin to the limit, especially when she begins to suspect that the Midnight Man’s life hides a secret that echoes her own past.
I’ve read this, but many readers may not have. Your UNSUB books are based on actual crimes. Would you tell us about that?
Every novel in the series takes a real crime as its starting point. The books are fiction, but grow from a kernel of fact. Partly that’s because UNSUB cases are some of the most difficult and fascinating investigations in law enforcement history. Partly it’s because I want to understand what motivates serial predators. And I want to explore what drives the people who take on the burden of stopping them. UNSUBwas sparked by the Zodiac—probably the most notorious unsolved serial murder case in America. The second novel was inspired by Ted Bundy. The Dark Corners of the Night was kindled by a killer who cast a pall of fear over Southern California: the Night Stalker.
I know you have some news about television. Other than signing a contract, you might not know much about it. What can you tell us about “UNSUB”?
All I can say is that news is coming. Sorry to be mysterious. But as a thriller author, keeping people in suspense is my job.
You won an Edgar Award for your first thriller, China Lake. Do you remember what you were doing when you learned you were nominated for an award for your debut?
I’d spent a rainy English morning getting the kids off to school, then fighting traffic to drive a friend to Heathrow airport. Heathrow traffic, if you’ve never experienced it, is like Mad Max: Fury Road,with added roundabouts. I got home—feeling like I’d done battle, melancholy after telling my friend goodbye—and checked my email. I had a message from Laurie R. King with the subject: Go, Edgar! After a moment of stunned disbelief, I went hunting for confirmation that Laurie wasn’t punking me. She wasn’t. I was euphoric. And you’d better believe I saved that message. January 16, 2009.
Now, time for just a few non-book-related questions. You lived in London for a while. What did you love best about London?
Heathrow traffic. Every time I survived, I felt like Charlize Theron defeating the barbarian army.
Okay, no. The buzz. The people. The view of Parliament and Big Ben as you cross Westminster Bridge. Knowing you can find a lecture, a play, a concert, a world class sporting event, or a museum exhibit on a moment’s notice. Wagamama. Long, lingering summer evenings filled with the scent of roses. Green woods at the end of the lane. Sitting by the fireplace in the local pub on a snowy night. Two thousand years of history that survive amid the city’s furious modernity.
You are a Jeopardy champion. What can you tell us about the experience? Favorite memories?
Playing Jeopardy was exhilarating and addictive. Once I got past thinking, Omigod, I’m actually here, the competitive fire took over. I loved every second of the four days I was a contestant. Alex Trebek was personable and reassuring, though he would look noticeably disappointed when nobody buzzed in on a clue—a situation called a “stand and stare.”
In my first game, the Final Jeopardy category was Movie Classics. Here’s the clue: “”˜I cannot live without my life, I cannot die without my soul,’ are Olivier’s last lines in this 1939 film.”
The other two contestants wrote Gone with the Wind. I wrote Wuthering Heights. This was before I ever wrote a book, but I knew that Olivier had to be playing Heathcliff, mourning Cathy. The line could only be drawn from Emily Brontë’s novel.
READING FOR THE WIN.
“Keep Austin weird.” What weird part of Austin do you enjoy?
The music and the food scene. You can find whatever you want here. It’s live, it’s hot, and it never stops.
You’re getting ready for book tour. What books are you bringing with youto read in airports?
Hanna Jameson’s post-apocalyptic mystery, The Last; Sara Paretsky’s Shell Game; Adam Higginbotham’s Midnight in Chernobyl; and as many books from The Poisoned Pen as I can stuff in my carry-on without toppling over.
Thank you, Meg.
*****
Ready to see Meg Gardiner and Tess Gerritsen on Monday, February 17? Just to tease you, here’s the summary of Gardiner’s The Dark Corners of the Night.
UNSUB series coming soon to Amazon Originals
Los Angeles Times “Kickass Women Rock 4 New Mysteries” Crime Fiction Roundup
A CrimeReads Most Anticipated Crime Book of 2020
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.
One Day You’ll Burn is Joseph Schneider’s debut from Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press. Doreen Sheridan just gave the police procedural a glowing review at CriminalElement.com. You can read her review here. https://bit.ly/2OBBHc0 Then, you might want to get in while you can still order the first in a new series. You can order a copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2H7ziS6
Here’s the summary of Schneider’s debut, One Day You’ll Burn.
“A brilliant first novel. Joseph Schneider’s contemporary writing evokes some of Hollywood’s most classic crime stories, from Chinatown to LA Confidential.” —Dick Wolf, creator of Law & Order
Detective Tully Jarsdel may not be a typical LAPD cop—but he’s the only one who can solve this case
A body so badly burned that it could be mistaken for a movie prop… except for the smell. That’s not something the LAPD finds lying on the street every day. And when Detective Tully Jarsdel is called to the scene, it’s clear to him that something about the placement of the corpse is intentional, even ritualistic. Jarsdel’s former career in academia seems to finally be coming in handy, rather than serving merely as material for jokes from his partner, Morales.
But nothing Jarsdel learned in school can prepare him for the deep evil behind this case, which appears to be as hopeless as it is violent. As Jarsdel and Morales attempt to settle their differences and uncover the motive behind the horrendous crime, they find themselves dragged into the underbelly of a city notorious for chewing up and spitting out anyone dumb enough to turn their back on survival.
One Day You’ll Burn is a shimmering debut that captures the glitz and squalor of LA while introducing an unforgettable detective readers will rank among the best in the genre.
Jonathan Kellerman’s latest Alex Delaware novel, The Museum of Desire, was the focus of a recent article at https://booktrib.com/. K.L. Romo’s article is called, “A Tableau of Artful Murders in ‘The Museum of Desire'”. You can read the article here, https://bit.ly/2UBwULg, where Romo discusses the two main characters, Alex Delaware and LAPD Detective Milo Sturgis.
You can reserve a signed copy of The Museum of Desire through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/31AlZTy
And, you can read about the book as well.
Psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis struggle to make sense of a seemingly inexplicable massacre in this electrifying psychological thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.
LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis has solved a lot of murder cases. On many of them—the ones he calls “different”—he taps the brain of brilliant psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware. But neither Alex nor Milo are prepared for what they find on an early morning call to a deserted mansion in Bel Air. This one’s beyond different. This is predation, premeditation, and cruelty on a whole new level.
Four people have been slaughtered and left displayed bizarrely and horrifically in a stretch limousine. Confounding the investigation, none of the victims seems to have any connection to any other, and a variety of methods have been used to dispatch them. As Alex and Milo make their way through blind alleys and mazes baited with misdirection, they encounter a crime so vicious that it stretches the definitions of evil.
You won’t want to miss the introduction to the recent event featuring authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, discusses the first time the bookstore did a Skype event that included Child. You can watch the entire event here.
Now, have we enticed you to buy a copy of Crooked River, the latest book by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child? You can order it through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2us95e9
Here’s the summary of Crooked River.
Racing to uncover the mystery of several light green-shoe-clad severed feet found floating in the Atlantic, Agent Pendergast is faced with most inexplicable challenge of his career in this installment of the #1 NYT bestselling series.
A STARTLING CRIME WITH DOZENS OF VICTIMS.
Appearing out of nowhere to horrify the quiet resort town of Sanibel Island, Florida, dozens of identical, ordinary-looking shoes float in on the tide and are washed up on the tropical beach–each one with a crudely severed human foot inside. A GHASTLY ENIGMA WITH NO APPARENT SOLUTION.
Called away from vacation elsewhere in the state, Agent Pendergast reluctantly agrees to visit the crime scene–and, despite himself, is quickly drawn in by the incomprehensible puzzle. An early pathology report only adds to the mystery. With an ocean of possibilities confronting the investigation, no one is sure what happened, why, or from where the feet originated. And they desperately need to know: are the victims still alive?
A WORTHY CHALLENGE FOR A BRILLIANT MIND.
In short order, Pendergast finds himself facing the most complex and inexplicable challenge of his career: a tangled thread of evidence that spans seas and traverses continents, connected to one of the most baffling mysteries in modern medical science. Through shocking twists and turns, all trails lead back to a powerful adversary with a sadistic agenda and who–in a cruel irony–ultimately sees in Pendergast the ideal subject for their malevolent research.
I hope you enjoy Dana Stabenow’s enthusiasm for Egypt. Her latest appearance at The Poisoned Pen was actually so she could talk about No Fixed Line, the latest Kate Shugak Investigation set in Alaska. But, before she and Barbara Peters, the owner of The Poisoned Pen, discussed the Kate Shugak series, they discussed their recent trip to Egypt. Since Stabenow is also the author of the Eye of Isis mysteries, that discussion is appropriate, too. You can find any of Stabenow’s mysteries through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2F9m0Bq If the Egyptian tour interests you, check out the photos on the store’s Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/poisonedpenbookstore/
Here’s No Fixed Line, the twenty-second book in the Kate Shugak series.
It is New Year’s Eve, nearly six weeks into an off-and-on blizzard that has locked Alaska down, effectively cutting it off from the outside world. But now there are reports of a plane down in the Quilak mountains. With the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board—responsible for investigating aviation incidents) unable to reach the crash site, ex-Trooper Jim Chopin is pulled out of retirement to try to identify the aircraft, collect the corpses, and determine why no flight has been reported missing. But Jim discovers survivors: two children who don’t speak a word of English. Meanwhile, PI Kate Shugak receives an unexpected and unwelcome accusation from beyond the grave, a charge that could change the face of the Park forever.
*****
You can eavesdrop on the entire conversation here.
On Saturday, February 8 at 2 PM, The Poisoned Pen will host a suspenseful triple threat. Authors Christina Dodd (Strangers She Knows), Paige Shelton (Thin Ice), and Allison Brennan (The Third to Die) will appear together. Autographed copies of all the books can be ordered through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Today’s focus is on Allison Brennan’s The Third to Die, though. It’s the current Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen, so it’s highlighted. The author known for her Lucy Kincaid books launches a new thriller series. Check it out.
“The first in Brennan’s amazing new thriller series. Dive in and enjoy this nail-biter.”—Catherine Coulter, NYT bestselling author of LABYRINTH
An edgy female police detective…An ambitious FBI special agent. Together they are at the heart of the ticking-clock investigation for a psychopathic serial killer. The bond they forge in this crucible sets the stage for high-stakes suspense.
Detective Kara Quinn, on leave from the LAPD, is on an early morning jog in her hometown of Liberty Lake when she comes upon the body of a young nurse. The manner of death shows a pattern of highly controlled rage. Meanwhile in DC, FBI special agent Mathias Costa is staffing his newly minted Mobile Response Team. Word reaches Matt that the Liberty Lake murder fits the profile of the compulsive Triple Killer. It will be the first case for the MRT. This time they have a chance to stop this zealous if elusive killer before he strikes again. But only if they can figure out who he is and where he is hiding before he disappears for another three years. The stakes are higher than ever before, because if they fail, one of their own will be next…
Rhys Bowen. Jenn McKinlay. Kate Carlisle. Paige Shelton. Those are just a few of the names of cozy mystery authors who have appeared at The Poisoned Pen in the last year. Rhys Bowen just appeared at the bookstore, and Jenn McKinlay will be at the Pen on February 13 at 7 PM. Why bring this up? Every once in a while, someone sees the need to defend cozy mysteries as being worthwhile to read. Radha Vatsal, author of Murder Between the Lines, has been at the bookstore. She recently wrote an article, “In Defense of Cozy Mysteries” that appeared in the January 15 issue of Kirkus Magazine. You can read it here. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/defense-cozy-mysteries/
Better yet, if you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, buy a book by an author described as a “cozy author”. You can check the Web Store for some of the authors and books mentioned in Vatsal’s article. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Or, just show up on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7 PM to hear Jenn McKinlay talk about her latest book, Buried to the Brim. Once you’ve hear Jenn, you might want to pick up one or two of her books. https://bit.ly/2v0jw8V
Here’s the information about Buried to the Brim.
New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay’s beloved Hat Shop duo Scarlett Parker and Vivian Tremont return to don their sleuthing caps and solve a murder that’s death in show.
It’s a tail wagging good time until the dog-food sponsor of the event is found dead and Betty is the prime suspect. Vivian and Scarlett agree to enter the competition in Betty’s place and help Harrison catch the real killer before Betty is collared for a crime she didn’t commit.
I probably don’t even need to say more than that – authors Lisa Gardner and Gregg Hurwitz were recently at The Poisoned Pen. Barbara Peters, owner of the bookstore, moderated the conversation. Gardner is the author of When You See Me, a thriller featuring three of her characters, including D.D. Warren. Gregg Hurwitz’ Into the Fire is his latest Orphan X thriller. You can order signed copies of both or either novel through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com
First, here’s the description of When You See Me.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner unites three of her most beloved characters—Detective D. D. Warren, Flora Dane, and Kimberly Quincy—in a twisty new thriller, as they investigate a mysterious murder from the past…which points to a dangerous and chilling present-day crime.
FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy and Sergeant Detective D. D. Warren have built a task force to follow the digital bread crumbs left behind by deceased serial kidnapper Jacob Ness. When a disturbing piece of evidence is discovered in the hills of Georgia, they bring Flora Dane and true-crime savant Keith Edgar to a small town where something seems to be deeply wrong. What at first looks like a Gothic eeriness soon hardens into something much more sinister…and they discover that for all the evil Jacob committed while alive, his worst secret is still to be revealed. Quincy and DD must summon their considerable skills and experience to crack the most disturbing case of their careers—and Flora must face her own past directly in the hope of saving others.
*****
Check out Into the Fire.
“Read the Orphan X series. You’ll thank me later.” —David Baldacci
The New York Times bestselling Orphan X returns – just when Evan Smoak thinks he’s done, his deadliest job yet pulls him back Into The Fire…
Evan Smoak lives by his own code.
Once he was known as Orphan X. Trained as an off-the-books government assassin and spoken about only in whispers, Evan Smoak was one of the most talented ““ and most feared ““ men in the Program. But he broke free and reinvented himself as The Nowhere Man, a figure shrouded in mystery, known for helping the truly desperate.
If anyone is truly desperate, it’s Max Merriweather.
Max is at the end of his rope. His cousin has been brutally murdered, leaving Max an envelope that contains nothing but a mysterious key. However, someone really wants that key, badly enough that Max ““ and anyone he turns to ““ is in deadly danger. What seems like a simple job for The Nowhere Man turns out to be anything but. Behind every threat he takes out, a deadlier one emerges and Evan Smoak must put himself in greater danger than ever before as he heads once more Into The Fire.
*****
Now, you can check out The Poisoned Pen event with Lisa Gardner and Gregg Hurwitz.
You may have read about the controversy over Jeanine Cummins’ novel, American Dirt. With all the talk and even threats, the publisher has cancelled the rest of the author’s book tour. However, booksellers at The Poisoned Pen selected the book as the February Fantastic New Fiction Book of the Month. Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, says American Dirt remains the store’s selection. You can still order it through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2GIvc2r
She sent along a letter from a bookseller at Lemuria Books in Jackson, Mississippi, saying she completely agrees with his comments. Peters encouraged the publication of the letter below.
*****
Highly praised, heavily criticized.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins has lately been at the center of a steadily growing storm in the book world, certainly fueled by Oprah picking this new release as her next selection for @oprahsbookclub.
Despite the criticism and the marketing hyperbole many see at fault here, American Dirt is a book Lemuria believes in. I feel comfortable saying this so plainly because some of our booksellers felt deeply moved when they first read it. And at the end of the day, that’s what Lemuria is, a bunch of booksellers who read widely and passionately and who love to share that passion with our community.
The booksellers here don’t all read the same things, and we certainly don’t all share the same opinions, but our differences as readers make our bookstore better. Some of us love poetry and some of us love page-turners, and John sure as hell loves Jim Harrison. We’re booksellers and we love all different kinds of books.
At the end of 2019, we made the decision to pick American Dirt as one of our January First Editions Club selections, and we still stand by that decision. I think it’s a testament to our club that in 2019 we also selected Valeria Luiselli’s striking and enigmatic novel Lost Children Archive for our First Editions Club. Recently, Luiselli has voiced criticism of American Dirt and the selection of that novel for Oprah’s Book Club.
As a store, we can recognize Luiselli’s earnest criticism while still standing behind our selection of American Dirt for our First Editions Club. As a reader, I can celebrate Lost Children Archive for receiving the Andrew Carnegie Medal, and I can still acknowledge that some of the best booksellers I know thought Jeanine Cummins opened their eyes to an experience beyond their own.
We work hard to have passionate, thoughtful, and above all, authentic feelings about what we read. But, that doesn’t in any way diminish or invalidate those who feel differently. Books are powerful and so very important, and so are the real and open conversations readers have about them. So stop by Lemuria and find a bookseller. Let’s talk.
-Guy
*****
If you’re more curious now, here’s the summary of American Dirt.
#1 New York Times Bestseller OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK
“Extraordinary.” —Stephen King
“This book is not simply the great American novel; it’s the great novel of las Americas. It’s the great world novel! This is the international story of our times. Masterful.” —Sandra Cisneros
Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?
American Dirt will leave readers utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity on every page. It is one of the most important books for our times.
Already being hailed as “a Grapes of Wrath for our times” and “a new American classic,” Jeanine Cummins’s American Dirt is a rare exploration into the inner hearts of people willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of hope.
