Fiction Review

Peng Shepherd was at the Poisoned Pen a month ago, hosted by Laurie R. King. Her new title, The Book of M, had just been released. You can still order signed copies of The Book of M through the Web Store.  https://bit.ly/2Lq98yr

Shepherd will be back at the Poisoned Pen on Sunday, July 29 at 2 PM, in conversation with Linwood Barclay, author of A Noise Downstairs. If you’re going to miss the program, you can still watch the Livestream event with Laurie R. King. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/8241342

Here’s the summary of The Book of M.

Brad Thor’s Summer 2018 Fiction Pick for THE TODAY SHOW! 

“Eerie, dark, and compelling, [The Book of M] will not disappoint lovers of The Passage and Station Eleven.” –Booklist

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE UP TO REMEMBER?

Set in a dangerous near future world, The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart, but on the world itself.

One afternoon at an outdoor market in India, a man’s shadow disappears—an occurrence science cannot explain. He is only the first. The phenomenon spreads like a plague, and while those afflicted gain a strange new power, it comes at a horrible price: the loss of all their memories.

Ory and his wife Max have escaped the Forgetting so far by hiding in an abandoned hotel deep in the woods. Their new life feels almost normal, until one day Max’s shadow disappears too.

Knowing that the more she forgets, the more dangerous she will become to Ory, Max runs away. But Ory refuses to give up the time they have left together. Desperate to find Max before her memory disappears completely, he follows her trail across a perilous, unrecognizable world, braving the threat of roaming bandits, the call to a new war being waged on the ruins of the capital, and the rise of a sinister cult that worships the shadowless.

As they journey, each searches for answers: for Ory, about love, about survival, about hope; and for Max, about a new force growing in the south that may hold the cure.

Like The Passage and Station Eleven, this haunting, thought-provoking, and beautiful novel explores fundamental questions of memory, connection, and what it means to be human in a world turned upside down.

*****

If you’d like to learn more, Fran Wilde on Tor.com recently interviewed five science fiction/fantasy authors in an article called “Building a SciFi Future That Matters: Five Authors Share Their Worldbuilding Strategies.” Peng Shepherd is one of the authors included in this article. https://bit.ly/2NLR4M5

Linwood Barclay’s A Noise Downstairs is the current Hot Book of the Week at the Poisoned Pen. It’s perfect timing. Barclay will be at the bookstore on Sunday, July 29 from 2-3 PM. You can hear him talk about the book, and have your copy signed. If you can’t make it, you can order a signed copy of A Noise Downstairs through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2Ohv2BY

Here’s the summary of A Noise Downstairs.

The New York Times bestselling author of No Time for Goodbye returns with a haunting psychological thriller that blends the twists and turns of Gillian Flynn with the driving suspense of Harlan Coben, in which a man is troubled by odd sounds for which there is no rational explanation.

College professor Paul Davis is a normal guy with a normal life. Until, driving along a deserted road late one night, he surprises a murderer disposing of a couple of bodies. That’s when Paul’s “normal” existence is turned upside down. After nearly losing his own life in that encounter, he finds himself battling PTSD, depression, and severe problems at work. His wife, Charlotte, desperate to cheer him up, brings home a vintage typewriter—complete with ink ribbons and heavy round keys—to encourage him to get started on that novel he’s always intended to write.

However, the typewriter itself is a problem. Paul swears it’s possessed and types by itself at night. But only Paul can hear the noise coming from downstairs; Charlotte doesn’t hear a thing. And she worries he’s going off the rails.

Paul believes the typewriter is somehow connected to the murderer he discovered nearly a year ago. The killer had made his victims type apologies to him before ending their lives. Has another sick twist of fate entwined his life with the killer—could this be the same machine? Increasingly tormented but determined to discover the truth and confront his nightmare, Paul begins investigating the deaths himself.

But that may not be the best thing to do. Maybe Paul should just take the typewriter back to where his wife found it. Maybe he should stop asking questions and simply walk away while he can. . . .

It’s hard to resist linking to articles in The New York Times when they feature bestselling thriller authors. Karin Slaughter was recently profiled in “By the Book”. https://nyti.ms/2O26k8A

Slaughter’s forthcoming August release is Pieces of Her. You can pre-order copies of that title, and Slaughter’s other books, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2A5kDpY

Here’s the summary of Pieces of Her.

The #1 internationally bestselling author returns with a new novel in the vein of her New York Times bestsellers Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter—a story even more electrifying, provocative, and suspenseful than anything she’s written before.

What if the person you thought you knew best turns out to be someone you never knew at all . . . ?

Andrea knows everything about her mother, Laura. She knows she’s spent her whole life in the small beachside town of Belle Isle; she knows she’s never wanted anything more than to live a quiet life as a pillar of the community; she knows she’s never kept a secret in her life. Because we all know our mothers, don’t we?

But all that changes when a trip to the mall explodes into violence and Andrea suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura. Because it turns out that before Laura was Laura, she was someone completely different. For nearly thirty years she’s been hiding from her previous identity, lying low in the hope that no one would ever find her. But now she’s been exposed, and nothing will ever be the same again.

The police want answers and Laura’s innocence is on the line, but she won’t speak to anyone, including her own daughter. Andrea is on a desperate journey following the breadcrumb trail of her mother’s past. And if she can’t uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for either one of them. . . .

Thanks to J. Kingston Pierce of The Rap Sheet for highlighting the winners of the 2018 Dead Good Reader Awards. Avid readers will also want to check out the other nominees. The awards were presented at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England. Check the Web Store for books. https://store.poisonedpen.com

The Holmes and Watson Award for Best Detective Duo:
Ruth Galloway and Harry Nelson, created by Elly Griffiths

Also nominated: Arthur Bryant and John May, created by
Christopher Fowler; Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles, created by Tess Gerritsen; Ruth Galloway and Harry Nelson, created by Elly Griffiths; Marnie Rome and Noah Jake, created by Sarah Hilary; Rosie Strange and Sam Stone, created by Syd Moore; and Gino Rolseth and Leo Magozzi, created by P.J. Tracy

The Whodunnit Award for the Book That Keeps You Guessing:
Let Me Lie, by Clare Mackintosh

Also nominated: I Am Watching You, by Teresa Driscoll; The Lucky Ones, by Mark Edwards; Skin Deep, by Liz Nugent; The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton; and The Lying Game,
by Ruth Ware

The Cabot Cove Award for Best Small-Town Mystery:
The Chalk Man, by C.J. Tudor

Also nominated: A Murder to Die For, by Stevyn Colgan; Dark Pines, by Will Dean; The Devil’s Claw, by Lara Dearman; Hell in a Handbasket, by Denise Grover Swank; and The Dry, by Jane Harper

The Wringer Award for the Character Who’s Been Put Through It All:Jack Reacher, created by Lee Child

Also nominated: Frieda Klein, created by Nicci French; Lottie Parker, created by Patricia Gibney; Ruth Galloway, created by Elly Griffiths; Michael Devlin, created by Tony Kent; and David Raker, created by
Tim Weaver

The House of Horrors Award for Most Dysfunctional Family:
Then She Was Gone, by Lisa Jewell

Also nominated: Little Sister, by Isabel Ashdown; Blood Sisters, by Jane Corry; Good Me, Bad Me, by Ali Land; Let Me Lie, by Clare Mackintosh; and The Good Samaritan, by John Marrs

The Dead Good Recommends Award for Most Recommended Book:
The Dark Angel, by Elly Griffiths

Also nominated: I Am Watching You, by Teresa Driscoll; Killer Intent, by Tony Kent; Anything You Do Say, by Gillian McAllister; The Fear, by C.L. Taylor; and The Lying Game, by Ruth Ware

These commendations are sponsored annually by the British crime-fiction books site Dead Good.

Romance Writers of America (RWA) recently announced the winners of this year’s RITA Awards. The awards, named after RWA’s first president, Rita May Estrada, is the highest award of distinction in romance fiction. The RITA recognizes excellence in published romance novels and novellas. Each year, judges sift through up to 2,000 titles in search of the best books. Check the Web Store if you’re looking for titles. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Here’s the list of this year’s RITA Award winners.

• Romance Novella: Forbidden River by Brynn Kelly
• Contemporary Romance Long: Falling Hard by Lexi Ryan
• Young Adult Romance: Seize Today by Pintip Dunn
• Historical Romance Long: Between the Devil and the Dukeby Kelly Bowen
• Romantic Suspense: The Fixer by HelenKay Dimon
• Paranormal Romance: Hunt the Darkness by Stephanie Rowe
• Erotic Romance: Wicked Dirty by J. Kenner
• Historical Romance Short: Waltzing with the Earl by Kelly Bowen
• Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements: Then There Was You by Kara Isaac
• Contemporary Romance Short: Second Chance Summer by Kait Nolan
• Contemporary Romance Mid-length: Tell Me by Abigail Strom
• Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance: Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
• Best First Book: Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

Because a couple of the authors who recently appeared, or are appearing, at the Poisoned Pen show up in Marilyn Stasio’s column this week in The New York Times, it was appropriate to share “Many Sinners, Very Few Saints.” https://nyti.ms/2O59eJM

Ace Atkins was just at the Pen with his latest novel, The Sinners. Linwood Barclay will appear Sunday, July 29 at 2 PM, to discuss and sign A Noise Downstairs. Signed copies of both titles can be ordered through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

It never hurts to check The Real Book Spy when looking for news about thrillers. Just this week, there was news about C.J. Box’s forthcoming Joe Picket novel. Box is always a popular author at the Poisoned Pen. His next book, Wolf Pack, will be released in March 2019. You can find the news about Wolf Pack here. https://bit.ly/2O4gp4X

Don’t forget you can pre-order Wolf Pack through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2zWvYIM

While you wait, here’s the summary of the book.

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett encounters bad behavior on his own turf–only to have the FBI and the DOJ ask him to stand down–in the thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times-bestselling author C.J. Box.

The good news is that Joe Pickett has his job back, after his last adventure in The Disappeared. The bad news is that he’s come to learn that a drone is killing wildlife–and the drone belongs to a mysterious and wealthy man whose grandson is dating Joe’s own daughter, Lucy.

When Joe tries to lay down the rules for the drone operator, he is asked by the FBI and the DOJ to stand down, which only makes him more suspicious. Joe discovers that the man is in the witness relocation program, as he is in possession of knowledge about dangerous people. Soon, Joe comes across a pack of four killers working on behalf of the Sinaloa cartel to find the man in the WITSEC program–and Joe realizes his actions might expose the man.

Teaming up with a female game warden (based on a real person, one of the few female game wardens at work in Wyoming today) to confront these assassins, Joe finds himself their prey–along with Lucy and her boyfriend.

Although it was announced earlier, Arizona favorite J.A. Jance recently received the Strand Critics Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Strand Magazine. Here is the statement, as released by Strand Magazine.

In a career spanning four decades, J.A. Jance has a firm reputation among millions of fans as one of the finest practitioners of the suspenseful thriller. Not only are her works a constant presence on the New York Times best-sellers list, but they have also earned rave reviews as character-driven thrillers that tackle timely and relevant issues.

“As a girl who came from a small mining town in the West, I couldn’t be more thrilled.” Jance said of the award. “And it’s wonderful to have more than thirty years of writing recognized by people who know everything about mysteries.”

*****

Jance’s latest mystery featuring Sheriff Joanna Brady, Field of Bones, will be released in September. You can order Jance’s books, including a signed copy of Field of Bones, through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2LtDMmw

Here’s the summary of the forthcoming book.

Sheriff Joanna Brady’s best intentions to stay on maternity leave take a hit when a serial homicide case rocks Cochise County, dragging her into a far-reaching investigation to bring down a relentless killer in this chilling tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.

This time Sheriff Joanna Brady may expect to see her maternity leave through to completion, but the world has other plans when a serial homicide case surfaces in her beloved Cochise County. Rather than staying home with her newborn and losing herself in the cold cases to be found in her father’s long unread diaries, Joanna instead finds herself overseeing a complex investigation involving multiple jurisdictions.

Filled with the beloved characters, small town charm, vivid history, intriguing mystery, and the scenic Arizona desert backdrop that have made the Joanna Brady series perennial bestsellers, this latest entry featuring the popular sheriff is sure to please J. A. Jance’s legion of fans.

Daniel Silva will be appearing for the Poisoned Pen on Saturday, July 21 at 7 PM. The off-site event will be held at the Doubletree Hilton Resort, 5401 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale. Those who can’t be there might be interested in purchasing signed copies of The Other Woman, Silva’s latest novel. It’s also the Hot Book of the Week at the Poisoned Pen. https://bit.ly/2LtEZtW

Here’s the summary of The Other Woman.

From Daniel Silva, the #1 New York Times““bestselling author, comes a modern masterpiece of espionage, love, and betrayal

She was his best-kept secret … 

In an isolated village in the mountains of Andalusia, a mysterious Frenchwoman begins work on a dangerous memoir. It is the story of a man she once loved in the Beirut of old, and a child taken from her in treason’s name. The woman is the keeper of the Kremlin’s most closely guarded secret. Long ago, the KGB inserted a mole into the heart of the West—a mole who stands on the doorstep of ultimate power.

Only one man can unravel the conspiracy: Gabriel Allon, the legendary art restorer and assassin who serves as the chief of Israel’s vaunted secret intelligence service. Gabriel has battled the dark forces of the new Russia before, at great personal cost. Now he and the Russians will engage in a final epic showdown, with the fate of the postwar global order hanging in the balance.

Gabriel is lured into the hunt for the traitor after his most important asset inside Russian intelligence is brutally assassinated while trying to defect in Vienna. His quest for the truth will lead him backward in time, to the twentieth century’s greatest act of treason, and, finally, to a spellbinding climax along the banks of the Potomac River outside Washington that will leave readers breathless.

Fast as a bullet, hauntingly beautiful, and filled with stunning double-crosses and twists of plot, The Other Woman is a tour de force that proves once again that “of all those writing spy novels today, Daniel Silva is quite simply the best” (Kansas City Star).

*****

If you can’t make it, or you want a preview of the event and the book, you can listen to National Review‘s podcast, The Bookmonger, for the recent interview with Daniel Silva. https://bit.ly/2zMTE28

Poisoned Pen Press author Graham Reed’s debut novel is The Chairman’s Toys. You can find copies through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2JuNhQz

Here’s the summary from Bookreporter.com.

Graham Reed‘s debut novel, THE CHAIRMAN’S TOYS, introduces readers to Jake Constable, an ex-drug dealer who is determined to turn his life around — but the discovery of a dead body may put those plans on hold. In this interview, Reed talks about the authors to whom he turned for inspiration as he prepared to write his first mystery and the “research” he conducted for it; his fascination with crime fiction, which started at an early age (before he learned to drive); and the important lesson he learned about the writing process that he is applying to the second book in the series, which is currently in the works.

THE CHAIRMAN’S TOYS by Graham Reed (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Chris Andrew Ciulla
After Jake Constable quits the drug business, his realtor/ex-wife, Nina, gets him a job as a housesitter for her wealthy clients. Jake celebrates by throwing a party in the mansion he was hired to look after. Unfortunately, the guest list gets out of hand, leaving Jake to contend with a hallucinogenic vitamin-dispensing yogi, a dead guy in the bathroom, and The Norwegian — a criminal force of nature with a grudge against Jake. The situation threatens to become an international incident when Nina’s powerbroker uncle and two secret agents from China show up to turn the screws on Jake. Soon after that, his friends start disappearing. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

– Click here to read more about the book.
– Click here to read the review.

Click here to read Michael Barson’s interview with author Graham Reed.