Fiction Review

Congratulations are in order to Phoenix author Christina Estes. Unfortunately, we’ll all have to wait until 2023 to read her debut novel, but you should expect her to appear and sign books at The Poisoned Pen. Here’s the news release about her book and the Tony Hillerman Prize.

CHRISTINA ESTES OF PHOENIX WINS 2020 TONY HILLERMAN PRIZE

10/9/21 ““ Minotaur Books announced that Christina Estes’ novel Off the Air has won the 2020 Tony Hillerman Prize for a best first mystery novel. Minotaur Books is planning to publish Estes’ debut in 2023.

Estes is an Emmy award-winning reporter who lives in Phoenix, and is also a founding member of Sisters in Crime Grand Canyon Writers. Off the Air is the story of a local TV news reporter who gets the scoop of a lifetime while investigating the murder of a popular radio talk show host. But the killer is determined to keep her silent.

Joseph Brosnan, who oversees the Hillerman Prize program for Minotaur, said, “We’re so excited to publish Off the Air. Christina’s novel was a treat to read, and both Hillerman and mystery fans are going to love it.”

The Hillerman Prize is awarded annually to the best debut crime fiction set in the Southwest. Previous winners include Samantha Jayne Allen’s Pay Dirt Road, Carol Potenza’s Hearts of the Missing, John Fortunato’s Dark Reservations, CB McKenzie’s Bad Country (nominated for the Edgar Award for best first mystery novel), Andrew Hunt’s City of Saints; Tricia Fields’ The Territory; Roy Chaney’s The Ragged End of Nowhere;and Christine Barber’s The Replacement Child. 

Tony Hillerman’s Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee mysteries, set on the Navajo reservation, were the first “regional” mysteries to become national bestsellers. Hillerman’s work has been praised by reviewers and the Navajo Nation for its ability to combine Navajo traditions and beliefs with a well-told mystery story. Hillerman’s writing reflects his appreciation for the natural wonders and stark beauty of the American Southwest and its people, particularly the Navajo.  His books have been translated into many languages and frequently make the New York Times bestseller list. At age 83, Hillerman passed away on October 26, 2008.

In 2013, Leaphorn and Chee returned in Spider Woman’s Daughter by Anne Hillerman, Tony Hillerman’s daughter, who has now added six books to the popular series. In 2004, she launched the first Tony Hillerman Writers Conference. The awarding of the Hillerman Prize became a feature of the conference, before becoming a part of the annual Western Writers of America conference in 2017.

Minotaur Books is an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, which is a subsidiary of Macmillan.

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Check the Web Store for books by the previous winners of the Tony Hillerman Prize. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

And, join the virtual event Thursday, October 14 at 7 PM PT when James McGrath Morris discusses his new biography Tony HIllerman: A Life.

Candace Robb brings back Owen Archer in the thirteenth book in the series, The Riverwoman’s Dragon. She recently discussed York, England, British history, and her series with Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen. You can order a signed copy of The Riverwoman’s Dragon through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3AramOI

Here’s the summary of The Riverwoman’s Dragon.

When the wise woman Magda Digby is suspected of murder, Owen Archer sets out to prove her innocence in this intricately plotted medieval mystery.

May, 1375. Owen Archer returns from London to find York in chaos. While the citizens are living in terror of the pestilence which is spreading throughout the land, a new physician has arrived, whipping up fear and suspicion against traditional healers and midwives. With the backing of the new archbishop, he is especially hostile towards Magda Digby, the wise woman who has helped and healed the people of York for many years. At the same time, Magda is uneasy about the arrival of two long-lost kinsfolk. Though they say they are seeking her help, she senses a hidden agenda.

Magda’s troubles deepen when she discovers a body in the river near her home ““ and finds herself under suspicion of murder. Days later, fire rips through a warehouse in the city. Amongst the charred debris lies the body of a man ““ not burned, but stabbed in the back. Could there be a connection to the corpse in the river?

Determined to prove Magda’s innocence, Owen sets out to find answers ““ but the more he uncovers, the deeper the mystery becomes . . .

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Candace Robb has read and researched medieval history for many years, having studied for a Ph.D. in Medieval & Anglo-Saxon Literature. She divides her time between Seattle and the UK, frequently visiting York to research the series. She is the author of twelve previous Owen Archer mysteries, three Kate Clifford medieval mysteries, and the Margaret Kerr trilogy.

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Enjoy the conversation about York and The Riverwoman’s Dragon.

Lisa Unger, author of Last Girl Ghosted, recently appeared with a virtual event for The Poisoned Pen. Karin Slaughter acted as co-host, or as Barbara Peters, owner of the bookstore, called her, co-conspirator. You can order a signed copy of Last Girl Ghosted through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2WQJrKs

Here’s the summary of Last Girl Ghosted.

“You won’t be able to stop turning the pages!” —Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

Think twice before you swipe.

Secrets, obsession and vengeance converge in this riveting thriller about an online dating match turned deadly cat-and-mouse game, from the New York Times bestselling author of Confessions on the 7:45

She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him—hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love?

But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared—profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted.

Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. But isn’t that always what women think—that they’re the ones to blame? Soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love. Girls who later went missing. She had been looking for a connection, but now she’s looking for answers. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past—and hers—she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she’s not sure whether she’s the predator—or the prey.

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Lisa Unger is a NYT and internationally bestselling author. Her books are published in 26 languages, with millions of copies sold worldwide. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few writers including Agatha Christie. Her work has been named on “Best Book” lists from Today, People, GMA, EW, Amazon, IndieBound and many others. She has written for the NYT, WSJ, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. She lives in Florida with her family.

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Enjoy the recent virtual event featuring Lisa Unger.

Espionage, divided loyalties, Scotland. There’s a reason Diana Gabaldon is the host for Susanna Kearsley’s virtual event celebrating the publication of Kearsley’s The Vanished Days. You can order a copy of the novel through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2AQkAys

Here’s the summary of The Vanished Days.

“I’ve loved every one of Susanna’s books! Bedrock research and a butterfly’s delicate touch with characters—historical fiction that sucks you in and won’t let go!” —Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander

From international bestselling author Susanna Kearsley comes a historical tale of intrigue and revolution in Scotland, where the exile of King James brought plots, machinations, suspicion and untold bravery to light. Told partially in flashbacks, The Vanished Days weaves in and out of the timeline of the author’s beloved New York Times bestseller The Winter Sea, unraveling an investigation into a young widow’s secrets to unveil a plot that resonates to the highest echelons of Scotland’s social and political leaders.

In the autumn of 1707, old enemies from the Highlands to the Borders are finding common ground as they join to protest the new Union with England. At the same time, the French are preparing to launch an invasion to bring the young exiled Jacobite king back to Scotland to reclaim his throne, and in Edinburgh the streets are filled with discontent and danger.

Queen Anne’s commissioners, seeking to calm the situation, have begun paying out money sent up from London to settle the losses and wages owed to those Scots who took part in the disastrous Darien expedition eight years earlier—an ill-fated venture that left Scotland all but bankrupt.

When the young widow of a Darien sailor comes forward to collect her husband’s wages, her claim is challenged. One of the men assigned to investigate has only days to decide if she’s honest, or if his own feelings are blinding him to the truth.

Set at the cusp of the eighteenth century, in the midst of the Jacobite Rebellion, The Vanished Days is a brilliantly told story of espionage, loyalties divided, boundless courage and enduring love.

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New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling author Susanna Kearsley is a former museum curator who loves restoring the lost voices of real people to the page, often in twin-stranded stories that interweave present and past. Her award-winning novels have been published in translation in more than 25 countries. She lives near Toronto.

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Enjoy the conversation between Susanna Kearsley and Diana Gabaldon.

While The Poisoned Pen’s recent virtual event was actually to celebrate Alice Hoffman’s latest novel, The Book of Magic, Hoffman and Barbara Peters, owner of the bookstore, also celebrated the magic of books. They discussed Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers, as well as an eclectic list of books that is included in Hoffman’s new one. You’ll be able to enjoy that discussion, and you can also order a signed copy of The Book of Magic through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3FqLdaJ

Master storyteller Alice Hoffman brings us the conclusion of the Practical Magic series in a spellbinding and enchanting final Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters.

The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three-hundred years but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger—the curse is already at work.

A frantic attempt to save a young man’s life spurs three generations of the Owens women, and one long-lost brother, to use their unusual gifts to break the curse as they travel from Paris to London to the English countryside where their ancestor Maria Owens first practiced the Unnamed Art. The younger generation discovers secrets that have been hidden from them in matters of both magic and love by Sally, their fiercely protective mother. As Kylie Owens uncovers the truth about who she is and what her own dark powers are, her aunt Franny comes to understand that she is ready to sacrifice everything for her family, and Sally Owens realizes that she is willing to give up everything for love.

The Book of Magic is a breathtaking conclusion that celebrates mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers, and anyone who has ever been in love.

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Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including Magic Lessons, The World That We Knew, Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic, the Oprah’s Book Club selection Here on Earth, The Red Garden, The Dovekeepers, The Museum of Extraordinary Things, The Marriage of Opposites, and Faithful. She lives near Boston.

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You wouldn’t be at this site if you didn’t love books. Enjoy the discussion with Alice Hoffman and Barbara Peters.

Well, they may be books in the Royal Spyness series, but I think of Rhys Bowen’s mysteries as the Georgie books. The Poisoned Pen held the launch for God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen, the new book in the series. If you order a signed copy through The Poisoned Pen by this Saturday, you’ll be entered in a drawing for an Advanced Reading Copy of the March release of the new Molly Murphy book. Even if you don’t order your copy by Saturday, you can still order a copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2LV4U1i

Here’s the summary of God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen.

Georgie is back and hanging the stockings with care when a murder interrupts her Christmas cheer in this all-new installment in the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness series from Rhys Bowen.

Georgie is excited for her first Christmas as a married woman in her lovely new home. She suggests to her dashing husband, Darcy, that they have a little house party, but when Darcy receives a letter from his aunt Ermintrude, there is an abrupt change in plans. She has moved to a house on the edge of the Sandringham estate, near the royal family, and wants to invite Darcy and his new bride for Christmas. Aunt Ermintrude hints that the queen would like Georgie nearby. Georgie had not known that Aunt Ermintrude was a former lady-in-waiting and close confidante of her royal highness. The letter is therefore almost a royal request, so Georgie, Darcy, and their Christmas guests: Mummy, Grandad, Fig, and Binky all head to Sandringham.

Georgie soon learns that the notorious Mrs. Simpson, mistress to the Prince of Wales, will also be in attendance. It is now crystal clear to Georgie that the Queen expects her to do a bit of spying. There is tension in the air from the get-go, and when Georgie pays a visit to the queen, she learns that there is more to her request than just some simple eavesdropping. There have been a couple of strange accidents at the estate recently. Two gentlemen of the royal household have died in mysterious circumstances and another has been shot by mistake during a hunt. Georgie begins to suspect that a member of the royal family is the real target but her investigation will put her new husband and love of her life, Darcy, in the crosshairs of a killer.

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Rhys Bowen, a New York Times bestselling author, has been nominated for every major award in mystery writing, including the Edgar®, and has won many, including both the Agatha and Anthony awards. She is also the author of the Molly Murphy Mysteries, set in turn-of-the-century New York, and the Constable Evans Mysteries, set in Wales as well as two internationally bestselling stand alone novels. She was born in England and now divides her time between Northern California and Arizona.

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Enjoy the conversation as Rhys Bowen discusses her books with Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen.

Barbara Peters’, owner of The Poisoned Pen, decided it was time to reminisce about times spent with Val McDermid, so the two of them told stories before they talked about the first in McDermid’s new series. 1979 launches the first book in the Allie Burns series. You can still order copies through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3BcaOSc

Here’s the summary of 1979.

Hailed as Britain’s Queen of Crime, Val McDermid’s award-winning, internationally bestselling novels have captivated readers for more than thirty years. Now, in1979, she returns to the past with the story of Allie Burns, an investigative journalist whose stories lead her into world of corruption, terror, and murder.

It’s only January, and the year 1979 has already brought blizzards, strikes, power cuts, and political unrest. For journalist Allie Burns, however, someone else’s bad news is the unmistakable sound of opportunity knocking, an opportunity to get away from the “women’s stories” her editors at the Scottish dailyThe Clarion keep assigning her. Striking up an alliance with budding investigative journalist Danny Sullivan, Allie begins covering international tax fraud, then a group of Scottish ultranationalists aiming to cause mayhem ahead of a referendum on breaking away from the United Kingdom. Their stories quickly get attention and create enemies for the two young up-and-comers. As they get closer to the bleeding edge of breaking news, Allie and Danny may find their lives on the line.

The first novel in a brand-new series for McDermid,1979 is redolent of the thundering presses, hammering typewriters, and wreaths of smoke of theClarion newsroom. An atmospheric journey into the past with much to say about the present, it is the latest suspenseful, pitch-perfect addition to Val McDermid’s crime pantheon.

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VAL MCDERMID‘s best-selling novels have won the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year Award, and the Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger and Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement. She is also a multiple finalist for the Edgar Award, including for the Fact Crime nominee Forensics.

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Enjoy the conversation between Val McDermid and Barbara Peters.

Award-winning international author Val McDermid’s latest novel, 1979, is the Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. You can reserve a copy of the book through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/3BcaOSc

Here’s the summary of 1979.

Hailed as Britain’s Queen of Crime, Val McDermid’s award-winning, internationally bestselling novels have captivated readers for more than thirty years. Now, in 1979, she returns to the past with the story of Allie Burns, an investigative journalist whose stories lead her into world of corruption, terror, and murder.

It’s only January, and the year 1979 has already brought blizzards, strikes, power cuts, and political unrest. For journalist Allie Burns, however, someone else’s bad news is the unmistakable sound of opportunity knocking, an opportunity to get away from the “women’s stories” her editors at the Scottish dailyThe Clarion keep assigning her. Striking up an alliance with budding investigative journalist Danny Sullivan, Allie begins covering international tax fraud, then a group of Scottish ultranationalists aiming to cause mayhem ahead of a referendum on breaking away from the United Kingdom. Their stories quickly get attention and create enemies for the two young up-and-comers. As they get closer to the bleeding edge of breaking news, Allie and Danny may find their lives on the line.

The first novel in a brand-new series for McDermid,1979 is redolent of the thundering presses, hammering typewriters, and wreaths of smoke of theClarion newsroom. An atmospheric journey into the past with much to say about the present, it is the latest suspenseful, pitch-perfect addition to Val McDermid’s crime pantheon.

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VAL MCDERMID‘s best-selling novels have won the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year Award, and the Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger and Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement. She is also a multiple finalist for the Edgar Award, including for the Fact Crime nomineeForensics.

Alex Schulman’s The Survivors marks his international debut. The Swedish author was recently interviewed by host Ivy Pochoda for an event for The Poisoned Pen. You can buy copies of The Survivors through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2ZYL123

Here’s the description of The Survivors.

INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLER “¢ A gripping tour de force in which three estranged brothers return to the Swedish lakeside cottage where, more than two decades before, an unspeakable accident forever altered their family and changed the course of their lives.
 
“Takes you deep into an emotional labyrinth [where] you’ll cry for these brothers. For the men they became, for the boys they were, for the innocence they lost. Brilliant, haunting and unforgettable.” —Fredrik Backman, author of A Man Called Ove

There is Nils, the oldest, who couldn’t escape his suffocating home soon enough, and Pierre, the youngest, easily bullied and quick to lash out. And then there is Benjamin, always the family’s nerve center, perpetually on the lookout for triggers and trap doors in a volatile home where the children were left to fend for themselves, competing for their father’s favor and their mother’s elusive love.

But as the years have unfolded, Benjamin has grown increasingly untethered from reality, frozen in place while life carries on around him. And among the brothers a dangerous current now vibrates. What really happened that summer day when everything was blown to pieces?

In a thrillingly fast-paced narrative, The Survivors mixes the emotional acuity of Edward St. Aubyn, the literary verve of Ian McEwan, and the heart of Shuggie Bain. By brilliantly dissecting a mind unravelling in the wake of tragedy, Alex Schulman reveals the ways in which our deepest loyalties leave us open to the greatest betrayal.

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ALEX SCHULMAN is a bestselling author and journalist and the co-host of Sweden’s most popular podcast. The Survivors, which has sold in over 30 countries, is his fifth novel and marks his international debut. He lives in Sweden with his wife and their three children.
 
RACHEL WILLSON-BROYLES majored in Scandinavian Studies at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, and received her BA there in 2002. She started translating while a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she received a Ph.D. in Scandinavian Studies in 2013. She has translated books such as Helios Disaster by Lina Boström KnausgÃ¥rd, which was a finalist for the National Book Award; Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito; A Nearly Normal Family by Mattias Edvardsson; and Montecore and Everything I Don’t Remember by Jonas Hassen Khemiri. Rachel lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

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This virtual event was not live on Facebook yesterday because Facebook was down. You can still enjoy the event with Alex Schulman here.

https://youtu.be/jlR_WvJ5BzY

The Los Angeles Times calls Tori Eldridge’s The Ninja Betrayed, one of “Five Fall Mysteries You Shouldn’t Miss”. The Poisoned Pen didn’t want you to miss it either. J.T. Ellison hosted Eldridge for a recent virtual event. You can find signed copies of The Ninja Betrayed in the Web Store. https://bit.ly/32Yl2Wn

Here’s the summary of The Ninja Betrayed.

One of The Los Angeles Times’ “Five Fall Mysteries You Shouldn’t Miss”

Things get personal for Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja Lily Wong in Hong Kong when she dives into the dangerous world of triads, romance, and corporate disaster during the height of the pro-democracy protests.

Lily’s mother has been summoned by her grandfather, Gung-Gung to attend an emergency board meeting. Lily is happy to take her father’s place for exotic travel, family reunions, and romantic dates with her new boyfriend, Daniel Kwok, who’s there for business. Lily and her mother stay at her grandparents’ hillside home on Hong Kong Island, but tension between Gung-Gung and Ma makes it hard to enjoy the beautiful surroundings, especially with the city in turmoil. Gung-Gung won’t say anything about the meeting and Ma is worried that her career is in jeopardy. Meanwhile, the teenage daughter of Gung-Gung’s driver is pulled into the dangerous riots.

As Lily and Ma discover shaky finances, questionable loans, and plans for the future involving them both, Lily’s escalating romance with Daniel puts her heart at risk. Will her ninja skills allow her to protect her mother, the family business, and the renegade teen while navigating love, corporate intrigue, and murderous triads?

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Tori Eldridge is the Anthony, Lefty, and Macavity Award-nominated author of the acclaimed Lily Wong series: The Ninja Daughter, The Ninja’s Blade, and The Ninja Betrayed (out 9/14/21). Her short stories have been published in horror, dystopian, and other literary anthologies, and her narrative poem appears in the inaugural reboot of Weird Tales magazine. Tori’s screenplay The Gift earned a semi-finalist spot for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. Before writing, she performed as an actress, singer, dancer on Broadway, television, and film. Tori holds a fifth-degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninjutsu and has traveled the U.S. teaching ninja martial arts and women’s empowerment. Visit her website at https://torieldridge.com.

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Enjoy the conversation with Tori Eldridge and J.T. Ellison.