Fiction Review

Lyndsay Faye, author of Jane Steele, will be back at the Poisoned Pen on Tuesday, January 15 at 7 PM with her new historical thriller, The Paragon Hotel. You can order copies of Faye’s books, including a signed copy of The Paragon Hotel, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2Rvwghl

Here’s the description of The Paragon Hotel.

The new and exciting historical thriller by Lyndsay Faye, author of Edgar-nominated Jane Steele and Gods of Gotham, which follows Alice “Nobody” from Prohibition-era Harlem to Portland’s the Paragon Hotel.

The year is 1921, and “Nobody” Alice James is on a cross-country train, carrying a bullet wound and fleeing for her life following an illicit drug and liquor deal gone horribly wrong. Desperate to get as far away as possible from New York City and those who want her dead, she has her sights set on Oregon: a distant frontier that seems the end of the line.

She befriends Max, a black Pullman porter who reminds her achingly of Harlem, who leads Alice to the Paragon Hotel upon arrival in Portland. Her unlikely sanctuary turns out to be the only all-black hotel in the city, and its lodgers seem unduly terrified of a white woman on the premises. But as she meets the churlish Dr. Pendleton, the stately Mavereen, and the unforgettable club chanteuse Blossom Fontaine, she begins to understand the reason for their dread. The Ku Klux Klan has arrived in Portland in fearful numbers–burning crosses, inciting violence, electing officials, and brutalizing blacks. And only Alice, along with her new “family” of Paragon residents, are willing to search for a missing mulatto child who has mysteriously vanished into the Oregon woods.

Why was “Nobody” Alice James forced to escape Harlem? Why do the Paragon’s denizens live in fear–and what other sins are they hiding? Where did the orphaned child who went missing from the hotel, Davy Lee, come from in the first place? And, perhaps most important, why does Blossom Fontaine seem to be at the very center of this tangled web?

*****

Lyndsay Faye was recently featured on the cover of the January issue of BookPage, and Jay MacDonald interviewed her for that publication. We thought you’d like to read the interview. https://bookpage.com/interviews/23555-lyndsay-faye-fiction

Julian Symons’ The Belting Inheritance has just been rereleased as part of the British Library Crime Classics series, and, in the United States, by Poisoned Pen Press. Martin Edwards wrote the introduction to the new edition. You can order it through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2BUofc2

Here’s the summary of The Belting Inheritance.

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY MARTIN EDWARDS

‘Cleverly told … brilliant character work and plotting up to the usual Symons standard.’ ““ Observer

Lady Wainwright presides over the gothic gloom at Belting, in mourning for her two sons lost in the Second World War. Long afterwards a stranger arrives at Belting, claiming to be the missing David Wainwright – who was not killed after all, but held captive for years in a Russian prison camp. With Lady Wainwright’s health fading, her inheritance is at stake, and the family is torn apart by doubts over its mysterious long-lost son. Belting is shadowed by suspicion and intrigue – and then the first body is found. 

This atmospheric novel of family secrets, first published in 1964, is by a winner of the CWA Diamond Dagger.

*****

Les Blatt recently reviewed The Belting Inheritance for Classic Mysteries. You can either read his review on the blog, https://www.classicmysteries.net/2018/12/the-belting-inheritance.html or listen to the podcast, https://traffic.libsyn.com/classicmysteries/BeltingInheritance.mp3.

What books are you anticipating in 2019? If you’re a thriller reader, The Real Book Spy has a reading list to kick off the year. He titles it, “The Real Book Spy’s 2019 Reading Guide: Every Thriller We Know About So Far.” I know thriller readers will be pleased to see the schedule here. https://bit.ly/2Aof7fS

But, just a note. Instead of clicking on “Order Now”, please check the Web Store on The Poisoned Pen’s site. After all, you might get to meet the author at The Poisoned Pen, or at least buy a signed copy. https://store.poisonedpen.com

Is there a better way to kick off 2019 than with Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child? Preston will appear for The Poisoned Pen on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 7 PM, while Lincoln Child will join via Skype. The event will be at ASU KERR Cultural Center
6110 N Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85253

The authors are joining the Pen to celebrate their latest Pendergast novel, Verses for the Dead. The book is the Hot Book of the Week, and you can order a signed copy of that book, or other books by the authors, through the Web Store. Verses for the Dead comes with a special collectible postcard written by Pendergast to his protegee, Corrie Swanson. You can order books here. https://bit.ly/2R4bSEH

Here’s the summary of Verses for the Dead.

Preston & Child return with their #1 bestselling series, confronting FBI Special Agent Pendergast with the one challenge he never expected: a partner.

After an overhaul of leadership at the FBI’s New York field office, A. X. L. Pendergast is abruptly forced to accept an unthinkable condition of continued employment: the famously rogue agent must now work with a partner.
Pendergast and his new colleague, junior agent Coldmoon, are assigned to investigate a rash of killings in Miami Beach, where a bloodthirsty psychopath is cutting out the hearts of his victims and leaving them with cryptic handwritten letters at local gravestones. The graves are unconnected save in one bizarre way: all belong to women who committed suicide.
But the seeming lack of connection between the old suicides and the new murders is soon the least of Pendergast’s worries. Because as he digs deeper, he realizes the brutal new crimes may be just the tip of the iceberg: a conspiracy of death that reaches back decades.

Here’s a suggestion for ending 2018 on a high note, or starting 2019 the same way. Why don’t you check the Web Store for signed books by your favorite author? Or, browse the collection of signed books that are in stock at The Poisoned Pen, and discover a new author, or start a new collection. Are you a Lee Child or Michael Connelly fan? Child’s Past Tense and Connelly’s Dark Sacred Night are both available. There are crime novels, literary fiction, fantasy. Here’s the link to all 1552 titles that are available as of today. Check it out! https://bit.ly/2CFRIbl

It’s time to start marking your January calendar for author visits at The Poisoned Pen and January releases. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen will be at the bookstore on Wednesday, January 16 at 7 PM to discuss and sign their latest book, An Anonymous Girl. You can pre-order it through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2CHeoYz

There’s a reason I’m already talking about An Anonymous Girl, but, first, here’s the summary of the book.

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us

Seeking women ages 18″“32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.  

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. 

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. 

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?  

As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime? 

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

Praise for The Wife Between Us:

“A fiendishly smart cat-and-mouse thriller” —New York Times Book Review

“[A] seamless thriller that will keep readers on their toes to the very end…Readers will enjoy the dizzying back-and-forth as they attempt to figure out just who to root for and as the suspense ratchets up to one hell of a conclusion.” —Booklist

*****

It’s not as early as you think. You can put this date on your calendar, and enjoy Adam Wagner’s GIFNotes description of the book, via Criminal Element. Check it out! https://bit.ly/2CFUpcW

With Michael Connelly’s bestseller status and popularity, you may have ordered some of his books through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2GLEQo5

Now, we’d like to share his latest news about his upcoming Murder Book Podcast.

January 28 – The Murder Book Podcast Begins Michael Connelly’s new true crime podcast, Murder Book, will premiere on January 28, 2019.  Wiretaps, witness interviews, court recordings and detective recollections piece together this true crime podcast hosted by Michael that explores a real homicide case not covered by mainstream media.  Murder Book Podcast Season One is called The Tell-Tale Bullet. The podcast dives into a thirty-year-old Hollywood killing that tests the limits of the American criminal justice system. Listen to the trailer now on your podcast app and subscribe for free. “No matter what success I achieve as a storyteller I have always and will always feel I am still a journalist at heart — I put the truth in my novels and I research them like a reporter on a story. The Murder Book podcast will tell it like it is from the front line of the justice system, exploring the stories of law officers who are relentless in their pursuit of justice and the truth. These will be stories that  inspire me and may inspire the listeners as well.”  – Michael Connelly Listen To A Trailer On Apple Podcasts And Subscribe Now. Video: Michael Connelly Introduces The Murder Book Podcast. Visit The Murder Book Website. Learn How To Listen & Subscribe To A Podcast.

It doesn’t hurt to send a reminder about upcoming programs at The Poisoned Pen. If you’re in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area, you might want to attend one of the programs. If you’re not in the area, or can’t make it, you might want to pre-order a signed copy of a book by one of authors appearing at the bookstore in January. Don’t forget to check the Web Store for the books. https://store.poisonedpen.com

Here’s January’s schedule of events.

Events are at 7PM at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore unless otherwise noted.

JANUARY CALENDAR.

01/05 (Sat) Douglas Preston signs Verses for the Dead, presigned by Lincoln Child who joins in by Skype. Plus there’s a very cool vintage postcard with a message written by Agent AXL Pendergast. 
Location: Kerr Center 6110 N. Scottsdale Road 85253. 
Time: Doors open 6:00 PM, Program at 7:00. 
This event is free but admission to the signing line requires the purchase of Verses for the Dead from The Poisoned Pen. You may bring one personal book to be signed as well.

01/08 (Tues) Brad Taylor signs Daughter of War. (Dutton $27) Pike Logan thriller #13.

01/10 (Thurs) Thomas Perry signs The Burglar. (Grove $26) Ellie Stowell, professional burglar, and now…a target.

01/12 (Sat) 2:00 pm Carol Potenza signs Hearts of the Missing. (St Martins $27.99) Winner of the 2017 Tony Hillerman Prize and our December 2018 First Mystery Book of the Month Club Pick.

01/12 (Sat) 2:00 pm Mette Ivie Harrison signs Not of This Fold. (Soho $26.95) Mormon Bishop’s Wife Linda Wallheim #4.

01/15 (Tues) Lyndsay Faye signs The Paragon Hotel. (Putnam $26) From Harlem to Portland during Prohibition.

01/16 (Wed) Greer Hendricks/Sarah Pekkanen sign An Anonymous Girl. (St Martins $27.99) Our copies will each come with a custom “Beauty Blender” while supplies last.

01/17 (Thurs) Nick Petrie signs Tear it Down. (Putnam $26) Peter Ash #4. 01/17 (Thurs) Matthew Quirk signs The Night Agent.  (Harper $26.99) Is there a Russian mole in the White House?.

01/19 (Sat) 2:00 pm Rosemary Simpson signs Let the Dead Keep Their Secret.  (Kensington $26) Gilded Age Mystery #3. Host Karen Odden signs A Dangerous Duet. (Harper $15.99) A Victorian Mystery.

01/21 (Mon) James Rollins Book Launch. James Rollins signs Crucible. (Harper $28.99) Sigma Force #13. Pre-order a signed copy now and receive an exclusive collectible-a must-have for James Rollins’s fans!.

01/22 (Tues) Taylor Adams signs No Exit. (Morrow $26.99) Thriller set in a Colorado blizzard. Tami Hoag signs The Boy. (Dutton $28) Police investigate dual murders in Bayou Breaux, Louisiana.

01/24 (Thurs) John Lescroart signs The Rule of Law. (Atria $27) San Francisco’s Dismas Hardy #18.

01/25 (Fri).  LIVE MUSIC with Three-Legged Dog

01/26 (Sat) 12:00 pm What Do I Read Next? Has your book group run out of great titles to discuss? Or are you just looking for something great to read yourself? Join us at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore for a preview of new and forthcoming titles that will make your book discussion group the talk of the town as well as have you booked up with great reading choices all year.

01/26 (Sat) 2:00 pm Stephanie Barron signs That Churchill Woman. Ballantine $28) A novel of Jennie Churchill, American heiress mother of Winston. (Barron is Francine Mathews when writing historical fiction).

01/27 (Sun) 2:00 pm Sarah Tarkoff signs Fearless. (Harper $16.99) Eye of the Beholder #2 Adventure/SciFi.

01/28 (Mon) Professor Gary L. Stuart signs Call Him Mac. (Sentinel Peak $35 or $19.95) A biography of Ernest W. McFarland-Arizona lawyer, judge, senator, governor, Supreme Court justice, and businessman.

01/29 (Tues) Join travel specialist and tour leader Sheila Campbell of Travel to France for an evening of conversation and information. Her tours have included author ML Longworth, Mark Pryor, and Martin Walker.

01/30 (Wed) Gregg Hurwitz signs Out of the Dark. (St Martins $27.99) Orphan X #4. Joseph Finder signs Judgment. (Dutton $28) Judge Julianna battles blackmail.

01/31 (Thurs) Ian Rankin in conversation with Linwood Barclay. Ian Rankin signs In a House of Lies. (LittleBrown $27) John Rebus. Toronto’s Linwood Barclay signs A Noise Downstairs. (Morrow $26.99) A thriller . . . and good for typewriter geeks.

JANUARY DISCUSSION CLUBS.

Coffee & Crime 01/12 (Sat) 10:30 AM 
Read AL Herbert’s Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles. ($7.99).

SciFi Friday 01/14 (Fri) 7:00 PM
Read Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles. ($16.99).

Croak & Dagger 01/15 (Sat) 10:30 AM
Read Claire Mackintosh’s I Let You Go. ($9.99).

Hardboiled Crime 01/23 7:00 PM
Read Alan Parks’, Bloody January. ($17) .

The Poisoned Pen is closed today for Christmas. We hope you have a wonderful holiday, whichever one, and however you celebrate. Even when the store is closed, you can browse and shop the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com

Have a beautiful, peaceful day.

Something a little different today. CrimeReads analyzes movies with a list of their top ten movies, “Which Christmas Classic is the Most Noir?” Does your favorite Christmas movie make the list? You might be surprised which ones make it, and why they made the list. It’s just a fun piece to share. https://bit.ly/2GAnxGw