Fiction Review

Are you ready for the new NBC series, “Midnight, Texas”? It’s based on Charlaine Harris’ series about that small town. The first book was Midnight Crossing.

Here’s the summary of that first book.

SOON TO BE A NBC TV SERIES!

From Charlaine Harris, the bestselling author who created Sookie Stackhouse and her world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, comes the first novel in a series that takes place in a darker locale—populated by more strangers than friends. But then, that’s how the locals prefer it…

Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.

There’s a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).

*****

“Midnight, Texas” premieres on July 24, but you can get a sneak peek at the series and the actors in a recent article by Carrie Bell. https://yhoo.it/2s65oaF

And, of course, you can buy copies of Midnight Crossing and Charlaine Harris’ other books through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2rK1io9

The Poisoned Pen’s Hot Book of the Week is Martin Edwards’ The Templars’ Last Secret.

Here’s the description of the book.

Bruno, the beloved chief of police in the idyllic French town of St. Denis, is back! This time a mysterious death brings ancient secrets to light, and it’s up to our hero–and favorite gourmand–to connect the tangled threads of past and present

When a woman’s body is found at the foot of a cliff near St. Denis, Bruno suspects a connection to the great ruin that stands on the cliff above: the Château de Commarque, a long-ago Knights Templar stronghold which, along with the labyrinth of prehistoric caves beneath it, continues to draw the interest of scholars. With the help of Amélie, a young newcomer to the Dordogne, Bruno learns that the dead woman was an archaeologist searching for a religious artifact of incredible importance, the discovery of which could have dramatic repercussions throughout the Middle East–not to mention in St. Denis. And the woman’s ties to Islamic terrorists can only heighten the pressure on Bruno to unravel the centuries-old mystery. Meanwhile, an old flame of Bruno’s is assigned to work with him on the case, and the two find time, naturellement, to enjoy the supreme pleasures of the wine, food, and beauty of the Dordogne.

*****

Martin Edwards will appear at The Poisoned Pen on Tuesday, June 13 at 7 PM. If you can’t make it to the program, you can still order a signed copy of the book through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2s1Kf1h

Where does Diana Gabaldon get her ideas for the Outlander books?

You can discover some answers and see photos of items that relate to the Jacobite rebellion in Stuart Kelly’s recent article in The Guardian, “Warriors in weaponised kilts: where Outlander creator Diana Gabaldon gets her ideas from”. https://bit.ly/2r3G7hN

You can also meet Gabaldon on Saturday, June 10 at 7 PM when The Poisoned Pen and author Laurie R. King host Gabaldon at Andaz Scottsdale, 6114 N. Scottsdale Rd. Diana Gabaldon signs MatchUp (SimonSchuster $27), a collection of stories edited by Lee Child for the International Thriller Writers. Diana’s is paired with Steve Berry. In their story, Jamie Fraser meets Cotton Malone over a hunt for a rare book. Our copies come with a bookplates signed by Steve Berry.

You can order copies of Diana Gabaldon’s books, or a signed copy of Matchup through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com

Are you ready for the the latest film version of Murder on the Orient Express? Kenneth Branagh directs and stars as Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. The cast includes Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Josh Gad, Leslie Odom, Jr., Derek Jacobi.  You can watch the trailer here. https://youtu.be/Mq4m3yAoW8E

And, while you wait for November, you can prepare by reading the book. You can order a copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2sdvxVh

When I think of the Golden Age of mystery, I actually think of Martin Edwards first. Edwards is the editor of the British Library Crime Classics that have been published by Poisoned Pen Press. He’s also the author of the award-winning book, The Golden Age of Murder.

Edwards comes to mind right now because of a recent article by Sarah Hughes, “Crime, Class and Cruise Ships: Meet the 21st Century Agatha Christies”. https://bit.ly/2sxiFXj Edwards is quoted in the article.

Edwards is also the author of the forthcoming August release, The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books.

Here’s the summary of that book.

This book tells the story of crime fiction published during the first half of the twentieth century. The diversity of this much-loved genre is breathtaking, and so much greater than many critics have suggested. To illustrate this, the leading expert on classic crime discusses one hundred books ranging from The Hound of the Baskervilles to Strangers on a Train which highlight the entertaining plots, the literary achievements, and the social significance of vintage crime fiction. This book serves as a companion to the acclaimed British Library Crime Classics series but it tells a very diverse story. It presents the development of crime fiction-from Sherlock Holmes to the end of the golden age-in an accessible, informative and engaging style.

Readers who enjoy classic crime will make fascinating discoveries and learn about forgotten gems as well as bestselling authors. Even the most widely read connoisseurs will find books (and trivia) with which they are unfamiliar-as well as unexpected choices to debate. Classic crime is a richly varied and deeply pleasurable genre that is enjoying a world-wide renaissance as dozens of neglected novels and stories are resurrected for modern readers to enjoy. The overriding aim of this book is to provide a launch point that enables readers to embark on their own voyages of discovery.

*****

Have I enticed you to try a collection of classic crime stories, or another Martin Edwards book? You can order them through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2rv3H5N

What do Karen Dionne’s The Marsh King’s Daughter and Peter Blauner’s Proving Ground have in common?

They’re two of the five summer thrillers reviewed in Charles Finch’s New York Times article “Summer Thrillers: Daring Escapes and Other Acts of Derring-Do” https://nyti.ms/2rnHt5W

The Poisoned Pen also has signed copies of most of the books listed. Blauner already appeared at the bookstore, and Dionne will be at the Pen on Saturday, June 17 at 2 PM, joining Joseph Finder.

Interested? You can order books through the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com

Looking for more than those five thrillers? Don’t forget to ask the staff at the store. They’re always ready to help you find the book to fit your mood.

As promised yesterday, today I have the link to Robert Anglen’s review of Stephen Hunter’s G-Man for azcentral.com. Here’s Anglen’s review. https://bit.ly/2roshFw

We hope you can join us on Thursday, June 8 at 7 PM to hear Hunter talk about G-Man.

Stephen Hunter’s G-Man is the Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. He’s going to be here on Thursday, June 8 at 7 PM. We can summarize the book for you.

From bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Hunter, the latest episode in the Bob Lee Swagger saga, which finds Bob uncovering his family’s secret tommy gun war with 1930s gangsters like John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson.

Ryan Philippe currently stars as Bob Lee Swagger on the hit USA Network series Shooter.

1934. The depths of the Depression were marked by an epidemic of bank robberies and the swashbuckling, Tommy-gun-toting outlaws who became household names. John Dillinger. Bonnie and Clyde. Pretty Boy Floyd. Hunting them down was the new U.S. Division of Investigation—soon to become the FBI—which was determined to nab the most dangerous gangster this country has ever produced, a man so violent he scared Al Capone and was booted from the Chicago Mob—Lester Gillis, better known as Baby Face Nelson. To stop him, the Bureau recruited the most talented gunman of the time—Charles Swagger, World War I hero and sheriff of Polk County, Arkansas.

Eighty years later, Charles’s grandson Bob Lee Swagger has finally decided to sell the family homestead, but when the developers begin to tear down the house, they uncover a strongbox hidden in the foundation. Enclosed is an array of memorabilia dating back to 1934—a much-corroded federal lawman’s badge, a .45 automatic preserved in cosmoline, a mysterious gun part, and a cryptic diagram—all belonging to Charles Swagger. Fascinated and puzzled by these newly discovered artifacts, Bob is determined to find out what happened to his grandfather, who died before Bob was born, and why his own father, whom he worshipped, never spoke of Charles. But as he investigates further, Bob learns that someone is following him, that someone is sharing his obsession with finding out what Charles Swagger really left behind.

Alternating between Bob’s present-day search to uncover his grandfather’s legacy and Charles’s relentless pursuit for the nation’s most notorious outlaw in the Midwest of the 1930s, G-Man is a thrilling, action-packed addition to Stephen Hunter’s bestselling Bob Lee Swagger series.

*****

Even better, though, you can listen to Stephen Hunter talk about G-Man. Here’s the link to a recent interview on Down Range TV. https://bit.ly/2snEpoC

Tomorrow, you can read Robert Anglen’s review of the book before the bookstore appearance. And, of course, we have signed copies of the book that you can order. https://bit.ly/2syPbYx

I’m in New York City for Book Expo. Yesterday, Marcus Sakey, author of the forthcoming novel, After Life, did a signing of advanced copies of that book for librarians. He said to tell everyone at The Poisoned Pen hi!

After Life is soon to be a movie from producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

Here’s the book summary.

Soon to be a major motion picture from Imagine Entertainment and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

Between life and death lies an epic war, a relentless manhunt through two worlds…and an unforgettable love story.

The last thing FBI agent Will Brody remembers is the explosion—a thousand shards of glass surfing a lethal shock wave.

He wakes without a scratch.

The building is in ruins. His team is gone. Outside, Chicago is dark. Cars lie abandoned. No planes cross the sky. He’s relieved to spot other people—until he sees they’re carrying machetes.

Welcome to the afterlife.

Claire McCoy stands over the body of Will Brody. As head of an FBI task force, she hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks. A terrorist has claimed eighteen lives and thrown the nation into panic.

Against this horror, something reckless and beautiful happened. She fell in love…with Will Brody.

But the line between life and death is narrower than any of us suspect—and all that matters to Will and Claire is getting back to each other.

From the author of the million-copy bestselling Brilliance Trilogy comes a mind-bending thriller that explores our most haunting and fundamental question: What if death is just the beginning?

*****

You can pre-order a copy of the July release through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2rlL8ze

When Peter Blauner was at The Poisoned Pen on book tour for Proving Ground, I didn’t have the chance to share the Livestream event. Patrick Millikin interviewed him. You might want to check out the video. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/7348075

Here’s the description of the book.

A must read. I couldn’t put the sucker down.” – Stephen King

Nathaniel Dresden never really got along with his father, an infamous civil rights lawyer who defended criminals and spearheaded protest movements. As an act of rebellion, Natty joined the U.S. Army and served in Iraq, coming back with a chest full of commendations and a head full of disturbing memories.

But when his father is found murdered near the peaceful confines of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, Natty is forced to deal with the troubled legacy of their unresolved relationship. He also has to fend off the growing suspicions of NYPD Detective Lourdes Robles, a brash Latina cop with something to prove, who thinks Natty might bear some responsibility for his father’s death. Though truth be told, the list of people – cops and criminals – who wanted David Dresden out of the way is long. The search for answers leads Natty and Lourdes into an urban labyrinth where they must confront each other – and the brutal truths that could destroy them both.

Proving Ground, New York Times bestseller and Edgar Award winner Peter Blauner’s first novel in more than a decade, is a sweeping crime novel, an intricate story about the quest for redemption, and a vibrant portrait of contemporary New York City, all told in Blauner’s singular voice.

If you’d like to order a signed copy, it’s available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2sje6iF