Fiction Review

As Laurie R. King mentions at the beginning of the Livestream film, Lockdown is not a Mary Russell book.

Here’s the summary of the novel.

A community comes together when threatened by someone with a thirst for revenge in this stunningly intricate, tautly plotted novel of rich psychological suspense from the New York Times bestselling author of the Mary Russell mysteries.

Career Day at Guadalupe Middle School: A day given to innocent hopes and youthful dreams. A day no one in attendance will ever forget.

A year ago, Principal Linda McDonald arrived at Guadalupe determined to overturn the school’s reputation for truancy, gang violence, and neglect. One of her initiatives is Career Day—bringing together children, teachers, and community presenters in a celebration of the future. But there are some in attendance who reject McDonald’s bright vision.

A principal with a secret. A husband with a murky past. A cop with too many questions. A kid under pressure to prove himself. A girl struggling to escape a mother’s history. A young basketball player with an affection for guns.

Even the school janitor has a story he dare not reveal.

But no one at the gathering anticipates the shocking turn of events that will transform a day of possibilities into an explosive confrontation.

Tense, poignant, and brilliantly paced, Laurie R. King’s novel charts compelling characters on a collision course—a chain of interactions that locks together hidden lives, troubling secrets, and the bravest impulses of the human heart.

Advance praise for Lockdown

“A riveting story of suspense and tragedy out of the most seemingly mundane ingredients: kids and adults preparing for a day at school. The violence doesn’t explode until we’re well into the book, but the lead-up to the explosion has the feel of a brewing storm: we know something is going to happen, even if we don’t know what it is. A fine thriller, as timely as it is gripping.”—Booklist (starred review)

*****

You can watch the entire discussion of the book via Livestream. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/7348143

Or, you can just enjoy the photos.

I’m sorry you can’t taste the cake. You can, however, get a signed copy of Lockdown through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2spAhai

Unless you’re a librarian, you probably didn’t see the recent article by Don Crinklaw, “How Charles Todd Met Hamish McLeod: The Mother-Son Team Behind Inspector Ian Rutledge”. https://bit.ly/2sle9gT

The article talks about the authors, Charles and Caroline Todd, as collaborators. It also talks about Hamish McLeod and his relationship to Ian Rutledge. The two made their first appearance in 1996 in A Test of Wills.

Don’t hesitate to look for Charles Todd’s mysteries in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2rf5pFH

Joseph Kanon, author of Defectors, will be at The Poisoned Pen on Thursday, June 15 at 7 PM. Of course, when discussing his new book, he’ll talk about Russia, and why his book is timely. Here’s an article from a recent Shelf Awareness, in which Kanon says “Russia is Back.” https://bit.ly/2sfTFGk

Here’s the summary of the novel.

A USA TODAY “Must Read” Book
A New York Post “Must Read” Book

“Fascinating…[Kanon] is a master of the genre…[The] roller-coaster plot will keep you guessing until the final page.” —The Washington Post

From the bestselling author of Istanbul Passage and Leaving Berlin comes a riveting novel about two brothers bound by blood, divided by loyalty.

In 1949, Frank Weeks, fair-haired boy of the newly formed CIA, was exposed as a Communist spy and fled the country to vanish behind the Iron Curtain. Now, twelve years later, he has written his memoirs, a KGB- approved project almost certain to be an international bestseller, and has asked his brother Simon, a publisher, to come to Moscow to edit the manuscript. It’s a reunion Simon both dreads and longs for. The book is sure to be filled with mischief and misinformation; Frank’s motives suspect, the CIA hostile. But the chance to see Frank, his adored older brother, proves irresistible.

And at first Frank is still Frank—the same charm, the same jokes, the same bond of affection that transcends ideology. Then Simon begins to glimpse another Frank, still capable of treachery, still actively working for “the service.” He finds himself dragged into the middle of Frank’s new scheme, caught between the KGB and the CIA in a fatal cat and mouse game that only one of the brothers is likely to survive.

Defectors is the gripping story of one family torn apart by the divided loyalties of the Cold War, but it’s also a revealing look at the wider community of defectors, American and British, living a twilit Moscow existence, granted privileges but never trusted, spies who have escaped one prison only to find themselves trapped in another that is even more sinister. Filled with authentic period detail and moral ambiguity, Defectors takes us to the heart of a world of secrets, where no one can be trusted and murder is just collateral damage.

*****

But, Kanon himself has been in the news lately. He wrote a piece for “Literary Hub” about his favorite writing spot. Here’s the link so you can discover Kanon’s beloved place. https://bit.ly/2suekHh

If it all sounds intriguing, stop by the Web Store and order a signed copy of the book. https://bit.ly/2sl6lgf. Better yet, come by The Poisoned Pen on Thursday and meet Joseph Kanon.

Actually, Diana Gabaldon and Laurie R. King were not matched up in the recent collection edited by Lee Child.

They were matched up for a conversation sponsored by The Poisoned Pen. Diana Gabaldon is one of the featured authors in the book. Jamie Frasier and Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone were matched up in a story called “Past Prologue”. Here’s a summary of the book.

In this incredible follow-up to the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller FaceOff, twenty-two of the world’s most popular thriller writers come together for an unforgettable anthology.

MatchUp takes the never-before-seen bestseller pairings of FaceOff and adds a delicious new twist: gender. Eleven of the world’s best female thriller writers from Diana Gabaldon to Charlaine Harris are paired with eleven of the world’s best male thriller writers, including John Sandford, C.J. Box, and Nelson DeMille. The stories are edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child and feature:

-Lee Coburn and Joe Pickett in “Honor & …” by Sandra Brown and C.J. Box
-Tony Hill and Roy Grace in “Footloose” by Val McDermid and Peter James
-Temperance Brennan and Jack Reacher in “Faking a Murderer” by Kathy Reichs and Lee Child
-Jamie Fraser and Cotton Malone in “Past Prologue” by Diana Gabaldon and Steve Berry
-Liz Sansborough and Rambo in “Rambo on Their Minds” by Gayle Lynds and David Morrell
-Jeffrey Tolliver and Joe Pritchard in “Short Story” by Karin Slaughter and Michael Koryta
-Harper Connelly and Ty Hauck in “Dig Here” by Charlaine Harris and Andrew Gross
-Regan Pescoli and Lucas Davenport in “Deserves to be Dead” by Lisa Jackson and John Sandford
-Lucan Thorne and Lilliane in “Midnight Flame” by Lara Adrian and Christopher Rice
-Bennie Rosato and John Corey in “Getaway” by Lisa Scottoline and Nelson DeMille
-Ali Reynolds and Bravo Shaw in “Taking the Veil” by J.A. Jance and Eric Van Lustbader

*****

That’s an enticing book, isn’t it? You can order a signed copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2r8dCM9

Here are photos from the recent event.

Stephen Hunter, author of the Bob Lee Swagger books, was just at The Poisoned Pen to discuss and sign his latest book, G-Man.

While bookstore owner Barbara Peters introduced the program, Robert Anglen from the Arizona Republic actually interviewed him.

After the program, he signed books

You can order a signed copy of G-Man through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2rdM2B1

Best of all, you can feel as if you were actually at the event by watching it on Livestream. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/7348137

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