Diane Abu-Jaber, Origin (June, Norton hc, 24.95). A fingerprint expert in Syracuse, NY, begins to see patterns in a number of crib deaths. What has been assumed to be SIDS may be something more sinister. A thriller by an award-winning Portland, OR, writer. Signed Copies Available.

Cherry Adair, White Heat (July, Ballantine hc, 21.95). The father of a private anti-terrorist agent supposedly committed suicide. The son believes his father, an expert on Renaissance art restoration, was involved in international intrigue and was murdered. Signing. In paper, Hot Ice (July, Ballantine, 6.99).

Mary Daheim, Scots on the Rocks (Aug., Morrow hc, 23.95). Heading to Scotland for some R & R from their B & B, the cousins are caught up in the murder of a man no one really like much. Signing. In paper, Saks and Violins (Aug., Avon, 6.99).

Chari Davenport, The Birthday Party: Family Reunions Can Be Murder! (Mar., PublishAmerica tpo, 19.95). Third in her deadly party series: an 80^th birthday party involves the party in a treasure hunt at a mysterious old mill. Signing.

Mike Doogan, Capitol Offense (Aug., Putnam hc, 25.95). Nik Kane investigates when a woman is murdered in the office of a state senator. A young native politician is accused of the crime, potentially ending the career of a popular Alaskan. Kane encounters a political system corrupted by big oil, big money and big power. In paper, his debut, Lost Angel (Aug., Berkley, 7.99).

Aaron Elkins, Little Tiny Teeth (June, Berkley hc, 23.95). Gideon Oliver is expecting a nice vacation when he joins a botanical expedition up the Amazon. On the way upriver, one of the scientists is murdered by an unhinged passenger who jumps ship and vanishes into the jungle. Later, a piranha-stripped skeleton is found along the river and it is clear that violent and murderous beasts are on the loose. Signing. In paper, Unnatural Selection (July, Berkley, 7.99).

Yasmine Galenorn, Changling (June, Berkley pbo, 6.99). Book two of the Sisters of the Moon series is told from the point of view of Delilah as the sisters are called on to find out who’s killing off were-pumas, only to find their old nemesis is back. Signing. Fran recommends this author.

Lisa Jackson, Almost Dead (Aug., Kensington pbo, 7.99). A continuation of the Cahill family story, from If She Only Knew (Zebra, 6.50).

J.A. Jance, Justice Denied (Aug., Morrow hc, 25.95). J.P. Beaumont is handed an investigation that seems straightforward – an ex-con was gunned down in what seemed to have been a drug deal gone bad. But the more he digs, the less sense it makes. Beau’s girlfriend, Mel, is meanwhile working on some cold cases. Without warning, their cases intertwine. Signing. In paper, Dead Wrong (July, Avon, 9.99), Sheriff Brady.

Daniel Kalla, Blood Lies (June, Forge hc, 24.95). A young Seattle emergency room doctor has lost two people close to him to addiction. His twin brother died from a heroin overdose two years before and now his ex-fiancé, who became an addict, is a murder victim. The young physician becomes the prime suspect when his blood is found at the scene. Could it be that his identical twin isn’t dead after all? Signing.

Elizabeth Lowell, Innocent as Sin (June, Morrow hc, 24.95). A painter’s twin brother was killed by a shadowy organization. A banker has become snared in a scam of money laundering. Their problems come from the same source. Signing.

Michael Marshall, The Intruders (Aug., Morrow hc, 24.95). Ex-cop Jack Whalen’s wife disappears after leaving for a business trip to Seattle. When he arrives to find her, he discovers she never arrived. Other odd things begin to happen and it somehow ties back to Jack.

Ridley Pearson, Killer Weekend (July, Putnam hc, 24.95). Eight years ago, a local patrolman saved a federal lawyer from an attack. The patrolman is now the County Sheriff of Sun Valley, ID, and that same US Attorney is back in town for a special weekend and is expected to announce her bid for the presidency. While multiple agencies are jockeying for protective position, the Sheriff is distracted by a murder, the arrest of a nephew and revelations of family secrets. It really is stacking up to be a killer weekend. Signing.

Kat Richardson, Poltergeist (Aug., Roc tpo, 14.00). P.I. Harper Blaine is asked by a University team for help. They’re trying to create an artificial poltergeist and don’t think it’s working. It is. Kat’s debut (Greywalker, Roc, 14.00) was one of our 2006 bestselling paperbacks. Signing. Fran recommends.

Greg Rucka, Patriot Acts (Aug., Bantam hc, 25.00). Atticus Kodiak returns and faces a betrayal, an ambush and the death of someone close, as well as the dawning understanding that the world views him as one of The Ten, the planet’s elite assassins. Worse still, to get himself out of this jam, he’s going to have to become what he abhors – a ruthless killer. Signing. Favorite series of Tammy’s and JB’s.

Matt Ruff, Bad Monkeys (Aug., Harper hc, 23.95). Jane Charlotte, arrested for murder, tells a strange tale, claiming to be a member of a secret society that aims to rid the world of “irredeemable persons” – bad monkeys. Sent to the psych ward, her story gets stranger – messages in crosswords, paper money that sees and scary clowns. Is there any way she’s NOT crazy? Signing with this Portland writer.

 

Now in Paperback

G.M. Ford, Blown Away (July, Harper, 7.99). Corso. Dynamite!

Mike Lawson, The Second Perimeter (July, Vintage, 7.99). All staff recommendation!

Phillip Margolin, Proof Positive (Aug., Harper, 9.99). Amanda Jaffe.

Thomas Mullin, The Last Town on Earth (July, Random House, 13.95).

Jess Walter, The Zero (Aug., Harper, 14.95). Tammy recommends.

Kate Wilhelm, Sleight of Hand (Aug., Mira, 6.99). Holloway. Fran recommends.

 

Mysterious Youth

Ridley Pearson & Dave Barry, Cave of the Dark Wind (Aug., Disney hc, 9.99). Book 2 in the Never Land series. James and the other Lost Boys discover a cave on the island while Peter is away.  Those boys…

 

Special Interest

Sharan Newman, The Real History Behind the Templars (July, Berkley tpo, 15.00). The title says it all.

 

     Coming This Summer

Jayne Castle, Silver Master, Sept.

Michael Dibdin & the last Aurelio Zen, Nov.

Carola Dunn, & Daisey Dalrymple, Sept.

Jessica Fletcher, Panning for Murder, Oct. – Signing!

John MacLachlan Gray, Not Quite Dead, Nov.

Sharon Rowse, The Silk Train Murder: A Mystery of the Klondike, Nov.

Kate Wilhelm & Barbara Holloway, Sept.

 

                                ??????????????????????????????????????????????

 

 

Megan Abbott, Queenpin (June, Simon & Schuster tpo, 13.00). A feminine twist of underworld seduction: a young woman is hired to do bookkeeping at a run-down nightspot. The owner is from the era of Siegel and Luciano and she has great stories to tell.

Donna Andrews, The Penguin Who Knew Too Much (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). Meg Langslow’s father comes upstairs to tell here that he is not sure which is stranger: the dead body down there or the flock of Antarctic penguins. 8^th in this award winning comic series. In paper, No Nest for the Wicket (July, St. Martin’s, 6.99).

Sarah Andrews, In Cold Pursuit (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). A geology masters student travels to Antarctic to study glaciology. When she arrives, she discovers the professor with whom she was to study has been arrested for the murder of a journalist and is about to be shipped out.

Lori Avocato, Dead on Arrival (July, Avon pbo, 6.99). 4^th medical cozy with Pauline Sokol.

Marion Babson, Only the Cat Knows (June, St. Martin’s hc, 22.95). A brother masquerades as his dead twin sister to find out who pushed her down the stairs. His disguise is perfect – except for her cat, which alone sees through his acting.

Donna Ball, Gun Shy (Aug., Signet pbo, 6.99). 3^rd with search and rescue team Raine Stockton and golden retriever Cisco.

Brett Battles, The Cleaner (June, Delacorte hc, 22.00). Freelance op Jonathan Quinn is a ‘cleaner’ – he tidies up after various agencies: ties up loose ends, disposes of bodies, that kind of stuff. His latest case, involving arson in Colorado, is not going well and he’s forced to ask for help from someone who won’t want to give it – a woman from his past. Debut thriller.

William Bernhardt, Strip Search (Aug., Ballantine hc, 25.95). In this sequel to Dark Eye (Ballantine, 7.50), a Las Vegas killer is using a strange numerology system to pick targets. Det. Susan Pulaski once again seeks the help of autistic savant Darcy O’Bannon.

Claudia Bishop, The Case of the Tough-Talking Turkey (Aug., Berkley pbo, 6.99). 2^nd in the McKenzie Farm series with veterinarian Austin McKenzie. Turkey farmer Lewis O’Leary is a mean ‘ol cuss – guess we should say ‘was’…

Miranda Bliss, Murder on the Menu (June, Berkley pbo, 6.99). 2^nd cooking class mystery.

Rhys Bowen, Yer Royal Spyness (July, Berkley hc, 23.95). Lady Victoria Gerogiana Charlotte Eugenie has a ridiculously long name, is 34^th in line of succession, and has been taught little of use in her young life but how to curtsey. When her brother cuts off her funds, she heads to London to be on her own – as if she knows how to do that. Luckily, the Queen needs her help, and this young flapper-wannabe is game for the game.

Edna Buchanan, Love Kills (June, Simon & Schuster hc, 25.00). Reporter Britt Moreno returns for an 8^th novel and joins forces with the Cold Case Squad.

Alafair Burke, Dead Connection (July, Holt hc, 19.95). A new character and setting: a rookie detective, Ellie Hatcher, is given the job of going undercover to stop a string of killings tied to Manhattan’s internet dating scene. Signing.

Ellen Byerrum, Grave Apparel (July, Signet pbo, 6.99). 5^th in the Crimes of Fashion series.

JoAnna Carl, The Chocolate Jewel Case (Aug., Signet pbo, 6.99). 7^th in this confectionary series.

Stephen L. Carter, New England White (July, Knopf hc, 26.95). A second big (in scope and at 560 pages!) mystery by the author of The Emperor of Ocean Park (June, Vintage, 6.99 - 800 pages!): A murder in the small college town of Elm Harbor damages the façade of African-American power that lies quietly within ‘the heart of whiteness’. The dead man was the former lover of Julia Carlyle, a dean and wife of Lemaster Carlyle, the university president – a close friend of the US President. The case begins to take on political tones, and the hushed colors of social politics as well.

Nora Charles, Death Ride the Surf (June, Berkley pbo, 6.99). 5^th with ‘the sleuth of a certain age’ Kate Kennedy.

Cleo Coyle, Decaffeinated Corpse (July, Berkley pbo, 6.99). 5^th in the Coffeehouse Mystery series.

Philip R. Craig, Vineyard Stalker (June, Scribner hc, 24.00). Hard to believe that Martha’s Vineyard has an Underground, but that’s where JW Jackson is headed in this 18^th installment. We’re sorry to report that Mr. Craig died on May 8^th of this year.

Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the Hitman (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). Comic thriller that involves a Southern mob wedding, a hit man who has a contract out on him, a dognapper, $5 million misplaced, and a food critic named Cranky Agnes.

                                                  ???????????????????????????????????????

                                                   ??????????????????????????????????????

Jill Culinar, Slanderous Tongues (April, Sumach Press tpo, 15.95). An amateur Canadian ethnologist settles in a small, French town for the Summer. Soon, the town is awash with gossip about a missing handyman and the revelations of his romantic conquests. The ethnologist is drawn into the search for his whereabouts. “A quirky, quick-witted” cozy. Signing.

Clive Cussler & Paul Kemprecos, The Navigator (June, Putnam hc, 26.95). 7^th book in NUMA files of Kurt Austin. In paper, Polar Shift (June, Berkley, 9.99). Kurt Austin.

Shirley Damsgaard, Witch Hunt (June, Avon pbo, 6.99). 4^th with the reluctant psychic and her witch of a grandmother.

Jeffery Deaver, The Sleeping Doll (June, Simon & Schuster hc, 26.95). California Bureau of Investigations’ Kathryn Dance (The Cold Moon, now in paper, Pocket, 9.99) tracks a Manson-like maniac who has escaped from prison. She seeks answers from three women who were part of his ‘family’ as well as the young girl who was the only survivor of the man’s worst crime.

Barry Eisler, Requiem for an Assassin (June, Putnam hc, 24.95). Rain is blackmailed into one last job: perform three hits or his partner and friend Dox will be killed. While wanting to save his friend, he trusts nothing about the deal. Signed Copies Available. In paper, The Last Assassin (June, Signet, 7.99). Janine recommends them.

David Ellis, Eye of the Beholder (July, Putnam hc, 24.95). A defense attorney rode a grisly case to fame 15 years ago. Now, a new string of murders must certainly be connected to the earlier ones.

Janet Evanovich, Lean Mean Thirteen (June, St. Martin’s hc, 26.95). Signed Copies Available. In paper, Twelve Sharp (June, St. Martin’s, 7.99) and Motor Mouth (Aug., Harper, 7.99).

Jasper Fforde, Thursday Next: First Among Sequels (Aug., Viking hc, 24.95). Thursday’s return is just in time: Holmes has been killed at the Rheinback Falls and Miss Marple is killed in a car accident and the cases read as if someone is killing the great sleuths of literature. In paper, The Fourth Bear (Aug., Penguin, 14.00), his 2^nd Jack Spratt/Nursery Crimes mystery.

Charles Finch, A Beautiful Blue Death (July, St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). Billed as equal parts Sherlock Holmes, Gosford Park and PG Wodehouse, this debut gives us Charles Lennox, a Victorian gentleman content to stay in his study, with a fire, a cup of tea and a book. When his next-door neighbor, Lady Jane, asks for help, a gentleman must do what he can.

Joseph Finder, Power Play (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). A young, junior exec unwillingly fills in for his boss at the corporate retreat for a troubled aerospace company. He’s out of his element with the higher management – until the remote lodge is overtaken by men with guns who are intent on taking over the company as well. Immediately, the younger man is shown to be the one with the power in this new environment.  In paper, Killer Instinct (June, St. Martin’s, 7.99).

Anthony Gagliano, Straits of Fortune (June, Morrow hc, 23.95). Debut crime novel. A NYC cop trades the crime and dirt to be a trainer in Miami. His instincts are kicked up when the father of a former lover asks him to do a job: sink a yacht for $100,000. Once on the boat, he finds bodies, a sex tape and deadly trouble.

Brent Ghelfi, Volk’s Game (June, Holt hc, 19.95). Debut thriller set in Russia. Volkovoy is a man who serves two masters in the black world of Moscow’s corruption. He’s given the task of stealing a long-lost da Vinci painting and he’ll have to cross one of his benefactors to pull it off. Signing. Janine highly recommends.

Lee Goldberg, Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants (July, NAL hc, 19.95). Moving up in the world, Monk makes the jump to hardcover in his third novel.

Carol Goodman, The Sonnet Lover (June, Ballantine hc, 24.95). A literary thriller of letters and love as a folio of pages disappears in Italy. Some believe the poems are the work of Shakespeare and others believe they are the work of his mysterious “Dark Lady”. Are they contemporary forgeries, do they date from the playwright’s time, do they fill in long-standing questions or is it fraud? In paper, The Ghost Orchid (May, Ballantine, 13.95).

Linda Greenlaw, Slipknot (June, Hyperion hc, 24.95). Debut mystery by the bestselling author of books about the sea: Returning to her Maine hometown after tiring of Miami, marine investigator Jane Bunker finds she’s mistaken about how quiet and sleepy her small town is and crime there just looks different from what she saw in Florida.

James Grippando, Lying with Strangers (June, Harper hc, 24.95). Dr. Peyton Shields has the life she always dreamed of, but a near-accident on a snowy road demolishes her dreams. She believes she was driven off that road but no one, not even her once loving husband, backs her. Signed Copies Available.

Austin Grossman, Soon I Will Be Invincible (June, Pantheon hc, 22.95). According to the narrator, there are 1,686 beings on Earth with super-powers. Some know it, some don’t. Some are human, some aren’t. Some use it for good, and some – like the narrator – don’t. Dr. Impossible breaks out of prison and the nature of power, as well as good and evil, are up from grabs in this funny debut.

Caroline Haines, Ham Bones (July, Kensington hc, 22.00). 2^nd with Southern sleuth Sarah Booth Delaney.  In paper, Bones to Pick (June, Kensington, 6.99).

Laurell K. Hamilton, The Harlequin (June, Berkley hc, 25.95). Anita Blake must deal with creatures so dangerous that to be contacted by them is a sentence of death. In paper, Strange Candy (June, Berkley, 14.00), short stories.

Michael Harvey, The Chicago Way (Aug., Knopf hc, 23.95). Debut. A retired Chicago cop is asked by his former partner to take on a cold case from their days in uniform. Before he can get started, his old partner is found murdered on Navy Pier. Michael Kelly has become a private eye and he calls on a group of colleagues from the law enforcement world to find his partner’s killer.

Steven F. Havill, Final Payment (June, St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). 5^th with Posadas County Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman.

Humphrey Hawksley, The History Book (Aug., Warner hc, 24.99). British undercover agent Kat Polinski is a woman of many talents and she’ll need them. She returns home to find an odd message from her sister and then is notified that her sister has been killed in a remote area by a high-powered rifle shot. The key seems to be something called Project Peace, a mis-named effort to secure peace at the price of freedoms.

David Hewson, The Seventh Sacrament (July, Delacorte hc, 22.00). Rome’s Det. Nic Costa re-opens a neglected cold case. The son of an archeological expert vanished years before and the boy’s shirt has been displayed in a dusty, underground shrine. The case gains heat due to fresh bloodstains on the fabric. Are they related to the boy or to some new horror? In paper, The Lizard’s Bite (June, Dell, 6.99).

Kay Hooper, Blood Dreams (July, Bantam hc, 25.00). The FBI is dragged into the case of a Boston serial killer. Once in, its leader, Noah Bishop, must contend with a private special crimes unit, a group he helped to form. In paper, Sleeping with Fear (June, Bantam, 7.50).

David Hosp, Innocence (July, Warner hc, 24.99). Boston lawyer Scott Finn and cop Tom Kozlowsi return (Dark Harbor, Warner, 6.99) to defend a Salvadoran immigrant accused of attacking a cop and nearly killing her. She fingers the guy but Finn thinks the evidence points elsewhere and he better be right because his client has ties to some dangerous guys. Signed Copies Available. In paper, The Betrayer (June, Warner, 7.50), a stand-alone novel. Fran recommends this author.

Gregg Hurwitz, The Crime Writer (July, Viking hc, 24.95). An LA crime novelist awakes in the hospital with no memory of how he got there but the cops tell him he was found hovering over the murdered body of his ex-fiancé. To satisfy himself, he must find his own answers. Signing. In paper, Last Shot (Aug., Harper, 7.99).

Charlie Huston, The Shotgun Rule (Aug., Ballantine hc, 21.95). Four bored teens spend their days tinkering with their bikes and riding around their California suburban town. One of their bikes is stolen and they find out that one of a quartet of criminal brothers has it. Breaking into his house to take it back, they discover a rudimentary drug lab and make an anonymous call to the cops. That act of revenge will tear the town apart. Janine recommends.

Susan Kandel, Christietown (June, Morrow hc, 23.95). Mystery biographer Cece Caruso is staging a Miss Marple event at the opening of a mystery-themed housing development. Wouldn’t you know it – someone is murdered! 4^th in this fun series. In paper, Shamus in the Green Room (June, Avon, 6.99).

Alex Kava, Whitewash (June, Mira hc, 24.95). A scientist at a cutting edge alternative fuel company in Florida uncovers crimes that go from the top of her company to the top of the government. Just knowing the information puts her at risk and into the whitewash. Fran recommends this author.

Faye Kellerman, The Burnt House (Aug., Morrow hc, 25.95).  Peter Decker spends months sorting out the wreckage of a commuter plane crash. When all is done, the mystery only deepens. The body of one flight attendant is missing and a body is found that is not her and can’t be accounted for. In paper, The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights (Aug., Warner, 7.99).

Lee Charles Kelley, Like a Dog with a Bone (June, Avon pbo, 6.99). 6^th with kennel owner Jack Field.

Jonathan King, Acts of Nature (Aug., Dutton hc, 24.95). A devastating hurricane injures Det. Sherry Richards and Max Freeman works to get her to safety. In his way are those who come to loot and those who come to secure their secrets. In paper, Eye of Vengeance (June, Signet, 7.99.

J.A. Konrath, Dirty Martini (July, Hyperion hc, 23.95). Chicago cop Jacqueline Daniels hunts a poisoner who is bedeviling the city’s food supply. In paper, Rusty Nail (June, Hyperion, 7.99).

Michael Koryta, A Welcome Grave (July, St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). Cleveland PI Lincoln Perry was fired by the police force after he punched out a high placed attorney who had an affair with Perry’s fiancée. Now, years later, the lawyer is dead and his widow wants Perry’s help. Signed Copies Available. 3^rd in a series highly recommended by Janine.

Harley Jane Kozak, Dead Ex (Aug., Doubleday hc, 21.95). The murder of a soap opera producer drags Wollie Shelley into the messy case. Not only had she dated the bastard once herself, her best friend Joey is a prime suspect. 3^rd in this Shamus-winning series. Signing.

William Kent Krueger, Thunder Bay (July, Atria hc, 24.00). In his 8^th book, Cork O’Connor has retired from the force, turned in his badge and opens a private investigation office in his small hometown of Aurora, MN. His first job is to find his mentor, Henry Meloux’s, son. Henry’s health is failing and he’s convinced his son is in trouble. In paper, Copper River (June, Pocket, 7.99). Fran recommends this writer.

John J. Lamb, The False-Hearted Teddy (June, Berkley pbo, 6.99). 2^nd in the collectable teddy bear series.

Lynda La Plante, The Red Dahlia (Aug., Touchstone tpo, 14.00). A gruesome murder on the banks of the Thames is clearly patterned on the famous, unsolved LA case from 1947 and is quickly given a name to tie it further. A second, mirroring murder means DI Anna Travis and DCI James Langton have got something truly nasty on their hands.

Con Lehane, Death at the Old Hotel (June, St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). 3^rd with bartender Brian McNulty, whose Christmas festivities are interrupted by murder.

Paul Levine, Trial & Error (June, Bantam pbo, 6.99). 3^rd with love and law partners Soloman & Lord.

Hailey Lind, Brush with Death (July, Signet pbo, 6.99). Trying to restore her reputation, former-forger Annie Kincaid helps to return a supposed masterpiece to Italy. But, before the deal is complete, a thief and a murder get in the way.

Jeff Lindsey, Dexter in the Dark (Aug., Doubleday hc, 23.95). Recent murders have been so extreme that Dexter’s inner voice – the Dark Passenger that guides his own murderous needs – has gone silent, leaving Dexter to navigate his way through the case on his own. Can he do what needs to be done on his own and does he want this companion back? Janine and Fran rave about these books.

Peter Lovesey, The Secret Hangman (June, Soho hc, 23.00). Peter Diamond pursues a killer who is hanging victims so that it appears to be suicide. And how can couples be hung by one person? None of it makes sense, even as the hanging continues. 9^th in this respected series.

Eric van Lustbader, The Bourne Betrayal (June, Warner hc, 25.99). Amnesic agent Jason Bourne returns to chase a terrorist’s money trail.

Laura Levine, Death By Pantyhose (June, Kensington hc, 22.00). 6^th with freelance writer Jaine Austen.

Margaret Maron, Hard Row (July, Warner hc, 24.99).Judge Knott deals with a barroom brawl, a murdered farmer and crop of thorny issues – immigration, racism, and the search for something to replace the economy of tobacco. Signed Copies Available. In paper, Winter’s Child (Aug., Warner, 6.99).

G.A. McKevitt, Fat Free and Fatal (May, Kensington hc, 22.00). 12^th with PI Savannah Reid.

Marcia Muller, The Ever-Running Man (July, Warner hc, 24.99, Signed Copies 25.99). Sharon McCone is hired to look for someone setting off explosives. The target of the attacks is her husband’s company and the bombs are getting personal. In paper, Vanishing Point (July, Warner, 6.99).

Robert B. Parker, Spare Change (June, Putnam hc, 24.95). Sunny Randall works with her father to crack a 30 year old case. Signed Copies Available. In paper, Blue Screen (June, Berkley, 9.99), Sunny Randall.

PJ Parrish, A Thousand Bones (June, Pocket pbo, 7.99). Splitting off from their other series, this is the story of rookie cop’s Joe Frye’s haunting case in Michigan, when the crime seems tied to the legendary Windigo, a Native legend of a human condemned to eat the flesh of other humans.

James Patterson, The Quickie (July, Little Brown hc, 27.99). Co-written with Michael Ledwidge. A one-night stand goes badly. In paper, Jack & Jill (Aug., Warner, 7.99).

Thomas Perry, Silence (July, Harcourt hc, 25.00). A complicated game of cross and double-cross: a woman vanished six years ago and her ex-boyfriend is being framed for her murder to bring her out of hiding; a secretive pair of tango dancing assassins has been hired to kill her, and the middleman who hired them has provided their employer with their identities. Who do they kill first, the target or the guy who gave out the contract? In paper, Nightlife (June, Ballantine, 7.99).

Neil S. Plakcy, Mahu Surfer (Aug., Alyson tpo, 14.95). A gay Hawaiian cop, semi-retired after being outed on the force, goes undercover after three surfers are murdered. It is a touchy assignment; the surfing world is notoriously closed to outsiders. 

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, The Wheel of Darkness (Aug., Warner hc, 25.99) Pendergast takes Constance on a world tour, and they end up in Tibet, where Pendergast once studied.  They discover that an artifact has been stolen from the monks, and the search will take them into dangerous waters. In paper, The Book of the Dead (July, Warner, 7.99). Fran recommends this series.

Kathy Reichs, Bones to Ashes (Aug., Scribner hc, 25.95). When Tempe Brennan was 8, her best friend Evangeline was the most exotic person she knew. The girl disappeared and no word was spoken of her again. Now, 30 years later, a skeleton has been found in the area where they lived and Tempe must deal with her childhood memories and feeling. In paper, Break No Bones (Aug., Pocket, 9.99). Favorite series of Fran’s and Gretchen’s.

Ruth Rendell, The Water’s Lovely (July, Crown hc, 25.95). Ismay’s dreams of her stepfather’s murder are so vivid as to be real. Are they dreams…or memories? In paper, End in Tears (July, Vintage, 13.00), her 20th Insp. Wexford.

J.D. Rhoades, Safe and Sound (July, St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). The 3^rd, and best, in the Keller series, which Janine recommends. In paper, Good Day in Hell (June, St. Martin’s, 6.99).

Rick Riordan, Rebel Island (Aug., Bantam hc, 25.00). During his honeymoon on a Gulf island, a hurricane has cut communications with the mainland and Tres Navarre is drawn into the murder of a US Marshall. No one can get off the island, not even the killer. Series recommended by Janine.

Nora Roberts, High Noon (July, Putnam hc, 26.95). A Savannah hostage negotiator draws on her own experiences to be effective. But when she’s attacked in her own precinct building and the threats begin to come, her effectiveness is as endangered as her life.

Michael Robotham, The Night Ferry (June, Doubleday hc, 24.95). London copper Ali Barba goes home to attend a high school reunion at the request of an old friend. Ali and the woman had been close but had drifted apart and she hopes to bury past hard feelings. Before that can happen, the friend is run down and her recent history is nothing but puzzling. Bill and Janine recommend this author.

Michele Scott, Death Reins In (June, Berkley pbo, 6.99). 2^nd in the Horse Lover’s series by the author of the popular Wine Lover’s series.

Daniel Silva, The Secret Servant (July, Putnam hc, 25.95). A terror analyst is murdered by a Muslim immigrant. The authorities think it was random, but the man had asked Israeli intelligence to meet him just hours before his death. Gabriel Alon is assigned the task of finding out what the dead man wanted to expose. In paper, The Messenger (July, Signet, 9.99).

Karin Slaughter, Beyond Reach (Aug., Delacorte hc, 25.00). In Grant Co., GA, Det. Lena Adams has been charged with murder. County coroner Sarah Linton and her husband, Chief Jeffrey Tolliver, seek answers. Their lives are already under great pressure. Sarah is dealing with her first malpractice suit and their attention and energies are spread thin. Betrayals complicate it all.  In paper, Triptych (Aug., Dell, 7.99), which was on Fran and Gretchen’s lists for Best of 2006.

Patricia Smiley, Short Change (July, NAL hc, 23.95). In her third book, Tucker Sinclair is trying to get her consulting business running, but someone is threatening her first, big client. Signing. In paper, Cover Your Assets (July, Warner, 6.99).

Barbara Burnett Smith with Karen MacInerney, Beads of Doubt (June, Berkley pbo, 6.99) 2^nd beadwork mystery.

Mark Haskell Smith, Salty (June, Black Cat tpo, 14.00). While on holiday in Thailand, musician Turk Henry’s wife is abducted by a group of ship-less pirates. The US government believes them to be terrorists and refuses to negotiate with them and Turk is left to deal with it alone. The problem is that he’s an overweight, middle-aged former rock star whose abilities are limited to playing bass in a metal band. How’s he going to navigate his way with thugs?

Martin Cruz Smith, Stalin’s Ghost (June, Simon & Schuster hc, 26.95). Scorned by all in the Moscow legal system, Senior Investigator Arkady Renko is given the do-nothing job of investigating reports of Stalin’s ghost being seen on subway platforms. The case leads elsewhere, towards murder for hire and definitely corporeal bodies. Signing.

Jason Starr, The Follower (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). A thriller set amidst NYC singles scene. Katie Porter has had dismal luck with men. She’s been down since her sister committed suicide years before, when one of her sister’s friends contacts her, a guy from her hometown who is good looking and nice. It soon begins to feel too good to be true.

Jeanne C. Stein, Blood Drive (June, Ace pbo, 7.99). 2nd with bounty-hunter and vampire Anna Strong. 

Robert K. Tannenbaum, Malice (Aug., Atria hc, 26.95). 19^th with Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi.

Brad Thor, Untitled (July, Atria hc, 25.95). We don’t yet know the title of this 5^th novel with Homeland Security op Scot Harvath. His previous book, Takedown (May, Pocket, 7.99).

Aimee & David Thurlo, False Witness (June, St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). Sister Agatha. In paper, Prey for a Miracle (Aug., St. Martin’s, 6.99).

Camilla Trinchieri, The Price of Silence (June, Soho hc, 22.00). A new mystery by a woman who last published as Trella and Camilla Crespi. Emma Perotti took young An-Ling under wing as a teacher and mentor. Emma’s husband resents the time spent away from him, and her son develops his own relationship with the young woman. When she’s found dead, Emma is put on trial for the murder and everyone’s personal lives, feelings and actions will be exposed.

Kathryn R. Wall, Sanctuary Hill (July, St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). 7^th with Bay Tanner in Southern Carolina’s sultry Low Country.

Brian Wiprud, Tailed (June, Dell pbo, 6.99). Taxidermist Garth Carson takes to the road with Angie to try to clear his name in a murder case. 3^rd with this daffy duo. Author’s books recommened by Tammy.

 

Now in Paperback

Jeff Abbott, Fear (Aug., Onyx, 7.99).

Sheryl J. Anderson, Killer Deal (Aug., St. Martin’s, 6.99).

Linda Barnes, Heart of the World (June, St. Martin’s, 6.99).

M.C. Beaton writing as Marion Chesney, Our Lady of Pain (June, St. Martin’s, 6.99).

Simon Beckett, The Chemistry of Death (Aug., Dell, 6.99). Fran recommends.

Ted Bell, Spy (July, Pocket, 9.99).

Carol Lea Benjamin, The Hard Way (Aug., Avon, 6.99).

Laurien Berenson, Chow Down (Aug., Kensington, 6.99).

Lawrence Block, Hit Parade (June, Harper, 7.99). Keller. See also Reissues of Note.

Simon Brett, The Stabbing in the Stables (June, Berkley, 7.99).

Barbara Collins, Antiques Roadkill (July, Kensington, 6.99).

Michael Connelly, Echo Park (Aug., Warner, 7.99).

Diane Mott Davidson, Dark Tort (July, Avon, 7.99).

Monica Ferris, Sins and Needles (July, Berkley, 6.99).

Dan Fesperman, The Prisoner of Guantanamo (July, Vintage, 13.95). Janine recommends.

Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects (Aug., Three Rivers, 14.00). Highest Staff Recommendation for this Debut.

Frederick Forsythe, The Afghan (Aug., Signet, 9.99).

Dick Francis, Under Orders (Aug., Berkley, 9.99).

Brian Freeman, Stripped (Aug., St. Martin’s, 6.99).

Scott Frost, Never Fear (Aug., Jove, 9.99).

Vince Flynn, Act of Treason (Aug., Pocket, 9.99).

Alan Furst, The Foreign Correspondent (June, Random House, 13.95).

James Grady, Mad Dogs (July, Forge, 7.99. JB recommends.

Thomas Holland, One Drop of Blood (Aug., Berkley, 7.99). Fran recommends.

Stuart M. Kaminsky, Terror Town (Aug., Forge, 6.99). Lieberman.

John Katzenbach, The Wrong Man (June, Ballantine, 7.99).

Laurie R. King, The Art of Detection (June, Bantam, 6.99).

William Lashner, Marked Man (June, Harper, 7.99).

Stuart MacBride, Dying Light (Aug., St. Martin’s 6.99).

Patricia MacDonald, Married to a Stranger (June, Pocket, 7.99).

Francine Mathews, The Alibi Club (June, Bantam, 7.99).

Walter Mosley, Fortunate Son (Aug., Back Bay, 13.99).

Robin Paige, Death on the Lizard (July, Berkley, 7.99).

Matthew Pearl, The Poe Shadow (July, Random House, 13.95).

George Pelecanos, The Night Gardner (Aug., Warner, 7.50). Tammy recommends.

Bill Pronzini, Mourners (June, Forge, 6.99). Nameless.

Cornelia Read, A Field of Darkness (July, Warner, 12.99) Highly recommended debut.

Scott Smith, The Ruins (Aug., Vintage, 7.99).

P.J. Tracy, Snow Blind (July, Onyx, 7.99). Fran recommends.

Ayelet Waldman, Bye-Bye, Black Sheep (July, Berkley, 7.99).

Jacqueline Winspear, Messenger of Truth (July, Picador, 14.00).

Daniel Woodrell, Winter’s Bone (July, Little Brown, 13.99). One of the Best Books of 2006.

 

Coming this Fall

Margaret Coel & the Wind River Rez, Sept.

Diane Mott Davidson, The Whole Enchilada, Sept.

Ken Follett and his sequel to Pillars of the Earth, Oct.

John Hart, Down River, Oct.

Stephen Hunter & Bob Lee Swagger, Sept.

Tim Maleeny, Beating the Babushka, Oct.

Walter Mosley & Easy and Mouse, Oct.

Elizabeth Peters & Amelia Peabody, Sept.

Alice Sebold, The Almost Moon, Oct.

Michael Simon & Dan Rele, Sept.

Duane Swierszynski, Severance Package, Nov.

Edward Wright, Damnation Falls, Sept.

 

 

Barbara Cleverly, Tug of War (Aug., Carroll & Graf hc, 24.95). In his 6^th appearance, Joe Sandilands is in France, helping a woman who claims a soldier wounded in the War is actually her missing husband. Four other men have made that claim and Joe works to divine the truth. It is a delicate issue and a delicate time, requiring patience and diplomacy.

Margaret Frazer, A Play of Lords (Aug., Berkley pbo, 7.99). 4^th with the player Joliffe, set during the reign of Henry VI.

Jason Goodwin, The Snake Stone (July, FSG hc, 25.00). In his second appearance (The Janissary Tree – June, Picador, 14.00) – winner of the 2007 Best Mystery Edgar Award), 19^th Century eunuch Yashim Togaly investigates after a French archeologist is savagely murdered. The man had arrived in Istanbul with extensive knowledge of a lost Byzantine artifact. Signing.

Nicholas Griffin, Dizzy City (Aug., Steerforth Press hc, 24.95). A young Brit deserts the trenches of The Great War, jumps a ship and ends up in New York City. There, he quickly falls under the spell of Jules McAteer, a man searching for an apprentice, someone whom he can hone into the art of the Big Con. McAteer already has a target in mind.

Kathryn Miller Haines, The War Against Miss Winter (June, Harper tpo, 13.95). Acting jobs are thin during 1943, so Rosie Winter takes a job with a small detective agency. When her boss dies, she finds herself investigating a case that takes her back into the theatre world.

Andrew Martin, The Blackpool Highflyer (July, Harcourt tpo, 14.00). 2^nd with railroad mystery with Jim Stringer and ‘the wife’ set along England’s rails in the early 1900s.

Will Thomas, The Hellfire Club (July, Touchstone tpo, 14.00). In their 4^th book, Victorian private enquiry agents Barker and Llewelyn are lead to a secret club of aristocrats that has been rumored to perform satanic rituals.

Victoria Thomson, Murder in Chinatown (June, Berkley hc, 23.95). 9^th historical mystery with midwife Sarah Brandt and Det. Sgt. Mallory. They deal with mixed-race couples – Irish women and Chinese men who had arrived at Ellis Island alone and married strangers in order to gain access to America. In paper, Murder in Little Italy (June, Berkley, 7.99).

 

In Paper

Robert Harris, Imperium (Aug., Pocket, 14.00).

 

Coming This Fall

Laura Joh Rowland, The Snow Empress, Nov.

Peter Tremayne & Fidelma of Cashel, Nov.

 

 

                         From Overseas

 

Keri Arthur, Embraced by Darkness (Aug., Dell pbo, 6.99). 5^th Australian Urban Fantasy thriller with Guardian Riley Jensen. Fran recommends this series.

A.C. Baantjer, Dekok and Murder on Blood Mountain (June, Speck, 14.00). Published in the Netherlands in 2004. A case leads Insp. Dekok to a neighborhood in Antwerp.

John Burdett, Bangkok Haunts (June, Knopf hc, 24.95). Det. Sonchai Jitleecheep is stunned by evidence sent to him anonymously: a video of a snuff film with the victim being a woman he thought he’d stopped loving. As the case moves toward the higher reaches of the Bangkok elite, it is clear that he loves her still. Signing. Janine recommends this series.

Maxim Chattam, The Cairo Diary (June, St. Martins’ hc, 24.95). A French bestseller: In 1928 Cairo, British Insp. Jeremy Matheson is working the case of missing children who seem to have been spirited away by some monster from the Arabian Nights. In 2005, a woman finds his diary hidden in a remote monastary and is pulled into the case. A mind-bending treat.

Peter Corris, The Undertow (July, Allen & Unwin pbo, 11.95). 31^st book in the Cliff Hardy series. The Australian PI is asked by an old friend to help with an old case; the retired cop has always been bothers by an investigation from his early years that involved two doctors. One was convicted and the old man now wonders if justice was done.

Colin Cotterill, Anarchy and Old Dogs (Aug., Soho hc, 23.00). Laotian coroner Dr. Siri Paiboun identifies the body of a blind, retired dentist who was killed by a truck on a busy street by the letter in his pocket. What is odd is that the body of the letter is in a strange code. The man’s wife says the code deals with chess moves, but Paiboun’s curiosity will not rest. In paper, Disco for the Departed (Aug., Soho, 12.00), the 3^rd in the series.

Kathryn Fox, Without Consent (July, Avon pbo, 7.99). 2^nd with forensic thriller with Australian pathologist Dr. Anya Crichton. Fran recommends.

Garry Discher, Chain of Evidence (July, Soho hc, 23.00). While Hal Challis is back home in the Outback with his dying father, the body of his sister’s husband, who disappeared years ago, is discovered buried in a graveyard. Meanwhile, back in their jurisdiction, Sgt. Ellen Destry is dealing with a run of child abductions. Neither is available to help the other. In paper, Snapshot (July, Soho, 12.00). Bill & Janine recommend this Australian series.

Warren Ellis, Crooked Little Vein (Aug., Morrow hc, 21.95). Debut novel by a noted comic book creator: an end-of-his rope PI gets involved with a group of Presidential heavys who are looking for a copy of the Constitution which has secret, invisible amendments. The search will take him into a twilight where sex, violence and craziness become entwined. Said to be a mix of Robert B. Parker and Kurt Vonnegut.

Karin Fossum, The Indian Bride (July, Harcourt hc, 23.00). A brutal murder shakes the souls of the small town; a confirmed bachelor gets married in India and the body of a murdered woman is found just outside of town on the day she is to arrive to join her new husband. Insp. Sejer understands that evil is just under the surface. In paper, When the Devil Holds the Candle (June, Harcourt, 14.00).

Christian Jungersen, The Exception (July, Doubleday hc, 26.00). A European bestseller, the author’s second book but first to be translated into English. Four women run an office that provides information on genocide. Threatening messages are believed to be from someone they uncovered but circumstances reveal that not only do they not know much about one another, but that the messages might originate from within the group. They are all too familiar and expert in methods of psychological torments and the blackest of evil.

Pierre Magnan, Death in the Truffle Wood (July, St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). In Provence, Commissaire Laviolette is called in after a number of local residents go missing.

Antonio Munoz Molina, In Her Absence (July, Other Press tpo, 13.95). A Spanish bureacrat leads what appears to be a bland life. When home, with the door closed, his life in anything but. His wife, Blanca, leads him into an avante-gard world where unexpected threats are aimed at their marriage.

Arimasa Osawa, Shinjuku Shark (Aug., Vertical tpo, 14.95). A cop-killer is loose in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. One cop has a plan to catch him and it involves a master gunsmith. An award winner in Japan and first in a series.

Javier Sierra, The Lady in Blue (June, Atria hc, 25.95). A woman in LA has disturbing dreams that seem to relate to a Southwestern US tribe in the 1600s. A hidden monastery is found by a Spanish journalist, a convent dedicated to a woman said to have had the powers to be in two places at the same time. These two people will become entwined, as two great forces – the US military and the Catholic Church are on the trail as well. Signed Copies Available. Fran recommends this author.

Olen Steinhauer, Victory Square (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). In the 4^th book in this East European series, As the country reaches the tumultuous 80s and Emil Brod is the chief of the People’s Militia, a case from his first year on the force comes back to haunt them. Janine recommends this author.

Peter Temple, The Broken Shore (June, FSG hc, 25.00). After a damaging case, Det. Joe Cashin is posted to a quiet town on Australian’s South Shore. His physical and emotional scars require peace and time. But when a prominent man in town is attacked in his own home, everyone is rushing to blame Aboriginal youths. Cashin uses his urban skills to find the truth. 8^th novel by a man being hailed as Australia’s finest crime writer.

Fred Vargas, Wash the Blood Clean from My Hands (July, Penguin tpo, 14.00). 3^rd of her European bestsellers with Parisian Commissaire Adamsberg to be translated into English and published in the US.

 

In paper

Batya Gur, Murder in Jerusalem (Aug., Harper, 14.95).

Henning Mankell, Chronicler of the Winds (June, Vintage, 13.95).

 

Coming This Fall

James Church, Hidden Moon, Nov.

Peter Hoeg, The Quiet Girl, Nov.

Arnaldur Indreidason, Voices, Oct.

Henning Mankell, Kennedy’s Brain, Sept.

 

From England

Ann Cleeves, Raven Black (June, St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). Winner of the lucrative and prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award (the Gold Dagger Award) in 2006. Insp. Jimmy Perez is the copper for the remote Shetland Islands. On New Year’s Day, the body of a runaway teen is found in the snow and his investigation will lead into the distant past.

Charles Cumming, A Spy By Nature (July, St. Martin’s hc, 24.95). A debut English bestseller is released in the States: A recent grad of the London School of Economics, Alec Milius is bored and work and accepts recruitment by MI6. Not accepted for work, he gets a position at a British oil company working in the Balkans. Slowly, subtly, he is edged into corporate espionage by powerful forces both British and American and trapped by his actions.

Ann Granger, The Companion (June, St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). In 1864 London, a young woman is hired to be the companion for her upper class aunt, only to learn that the woman who had the job before her died under mysterious circumstances. Beginning of a new series.

Allan Guthrie, Hard Man (June, Harcourt hc, 23.00). In Edinburgh, an ex-con named Pearce is asked to guard a pregnant teen. Her parents know that her husband is a violent man enraged by their enforced separation. Though Pearce turns down the job, the husband comes after him and it is time to find out who is the hard man.

Dreda Say Mitchell, Killer Tune (Aug., Hodder tpo, $TBD). A series of crimes take place with their own pulsing soundtrack and a new rap sensation is accused of inciting the crimes with his music. Janine HIGHLY recommends this author. [These are UK imports and we won’t know until they arrive what their price will be. Probably between $15 and $20. Price to Be Determined.]

Ian Sansom, Mr. Dixon Disappears (July, Harper tpo, 12.95). 2^nd in the Mobile Library series. Northern Ireland bookmobile driver Israel Armstrong probes the case of a missing magician.

Alexander McCall Smith, The Careful Use of Compliments (Aug., Pantheon hc, 21.95). 4^th in the Isabel Dalhousie series. In paper, The Right Attitude to Rain (July, Anchor, 12.95).

 

     In paper

John Harvey, Darkness & Light (July, Harcourt, 14.00). 3^rd with Frank Elder.

 

     Bloody Brits/Bywater Books

Ann Cleeves, The Sleeping and the Dead (July, 13.95). The remains of an 18 year-old boy who disappeared in 1972 have been found. The lives of the present are about to be shaken to their foundations. Published in the UK in 2001.

Danuta Reah, Only Darkness (Aug., 13.95). Her first novel, a thriller from 1999. Someone is stalking women along the railways of England.

 

    

     Bitter Lemon

Leonardo Padura, Havana Blue (June, 14.95). Lt. Conde is ordered to investigate the disappearance of a high-placed financial manager for the political elite. The man was a childhood friend of Conde’s and married the girl that they both loved. Conde’s search will take him back into the dreams and hopes of his generation.

 

     Bleak House

Evan Kilgore, Who is Chayla Hacker (June, hc 24.95, tp 12.95). Across the country, a variety of people face odd events and choices: a prank caller reaches someone in trouble, a small-town teen is abandoned by her brother, a contractor finds a box hidden in a wall, a cop finds an old, cold case at the back of a drawer, and a groom flees town the night before his wedding – all united by the undeniable urge to find a woman they’ve never met.

Pete Larson, Thirst (June, hc 24.95, tp 12.95). “Love, faith and cyanide.” Former priest Stu Carlson tends bar amidst the Texas heat. When one of the locals – an all-around detested dean at the local college – is poisoned by a drink served by Stu. Debut novel.

 

     Europa Editions

Alicia Gimenez-Barlett, Prime Time Suspect (June, 14.95). Spain’s Insp. Petra Delicado  is drawn into the glittery and ruthless world of show business when a muckraking TV journalist is murdered.

Jean-Claude Izzo, Solea (June, 14.95). Last in the Marseilles Trilogy as ex-cop Fabio Montale struggles against corruption, politics, organized crime and big business, forces that threaten his beloved city. Mediterranean noir. Janine recommends this trilogy.

 

     Felony & Mayhem: All titles July releases, 14.95

Paul Adams, The Rianaldi Quartet, 1^st time in pb, from 2006.

Margery Allingham, Sweet Danger, from 1933, the 5^th Albert Campion, also published as The Fear Sign.

Peter Dickinson, The Old English Peep Show, from 1969, the 2^nd James Pibble, also published as Pride of Heroes.

Nicolas Freeling, Gun Before Butter, from 1963, the 3^rd Insp. Van Der Valk, also published as Question of Loyalty.

Janet Neel, Death’s Bright Angel, the 1^st with Francesca Wilson and John McLeish, from 1988.

Marissa Piesman, Personal Effects, the 2^nd Nina Pischman, from 1991.

 

     Hard Case Crime

Richard Aleas, Songs of Innocence (July, 6.99). Det. John Blake nearly destroyed his life with his first case (Little Girl Lost, 2004, 6.99). Now he looks into the case of a supposed suicide – a coed with a double life who was mixed up in the sexual world of powerful people.

George Axelrod, Blackmailer (June, 6.99). Classic noir from a writer of all forms – screen (Oscar-nominated for The Manchurian Candidate), stage, television and radio. It’s the story of familiar characters: a high-pitched host of famous parties, a starlet who hides everything, even when wearing nothing, and a possible last manuscript from a famous writer who killed himself.

Cornell Woolrich, Fright (Aug., 6.99). Published in 1950 as by George Hopley, it’s the story of a man who learns that kisses in the dark can hide great evil.

 

     Midnight Ink

Julia Buckley, Madeline Mann (Aug., 13.95). Debut with Illinois journalist Madeline Mann, control freak and Nosey-Parker.

Mark Combes, Running Wrecked (June, 13.95). Like many others, Phil Riley washes up in a quiet corner of the Caribbean to dive the waters and start over. When a beautiful sailboat washes up by his home, he

investigates. The authorities are strangely uninterested. Debut novel by an avid sailor and diver.

Mark Terry, The Serpent’s Kiss (July, 13.95). 2^nd with Homeland Security bio-terrorism expert Derek Stillwater.

Nina Wright, Whiskey and Tonic (June, 13.95). 3^rd with real estate agent Whiskey Mattimore and her Afghan Abra.

 

     Pegasus

Parnell Hall, Hitman (July, 24.00 hc). 16^th in this soft-boiled series with NYC PI Stanley Hastings, the first in 4 years. Stanley is hired by a hitman who wants out of the business and wants Stanley to watch his back. When this fails, Stanley resolves to find out who did it. 

Caro Ramsay. Absolution (June, 24.00 hc). Debut thriller by a Glasgow writer. Police detective Alan McApline hasn’t been back to Patrickhill Station in 20 years, having been haunted by a murder he investigated. New crimes make it necessary to return, for they are horrifying, brutal, and may tie into that long-ago case.

Charlie Stella, Shakedown (June, 14.95 tpo). A wiseguy rats out his crew and an ex-bookmaker’s attempt to go straight may be a casualty.

Martyn Waites, Little Triggers (Aug., 13.95 tpo). 2^nd with British journalist Stephen Larkin who is back in his hometown of Newcastle looking into the story of a child abuser who has ties to well-placed citizens. Tammy and Janine recommend this author.

Cornell Woolrich, The Black Angel (Aug., 14.95). Intense and intimate noir from 1943.

 

     Rue Morgue

Michael Gilbert, The Danger Within (July, 14.95). British POWs plan escape before the Italians can turn them over to the Nazis. They don’t realize that a traitor is amongst them. From 1952 and no doubt informed by Gilbert’s time in such a camp.

Constance and Gwenyth Little, The Black Curl (June, 14.95). 21^st and last of their comic, golden-age mysteries, from 1953. If it isn’t bad enough that his late father’s 2^nd wife arrives on his doorstep with a daughter and cousin, expecting support, but then a body is found in his refrigerator. Yeeesh!

 

     Stark House 2 in 1 volumes

Mercedes Lambert, Dogtown/Soultown (Aug., 19.95). Out of print for a decade, these are the first two books with straight-laced lawyer/sleuth Whitney Logan and her savy, streetwise companion Lupe Ramos. Originally published in ’91 and ’96. A delightful, off-beat duo.

Wade Miller, The Killer/Devil on Two Sticks (July, 19.95). Bob Wade and Bill Miller teamed for a run of books in the ‘50s, notably the Max Thursday PI books (we hope those come back into print one day!). These are stand-alone crime novels, Killer from ’51 and Devil from ’49 – also published as Killer’s Choice.

Bill Pronzini, Snowbound/Games (June, 19.95) Two early suspense novels, from

 

                          Collections

 

Bronx Noir, SJ Rozan, ed. (Aug., Akashic tpo, 14.95). New borough noir by such authors as Thomas Adcock, Lawrence Block, Jerome Charyn, Joanne Dobson and the editor, a native of that land.

Wall Street Noir, Peter Spiegelman, ed. (June, Akashic tpo, 14.95). High finance and new noir from the like of John Burditt, Peter Blauner, Twist Phelan, James Hime, Jason Starr, Reed Farrel Coleman, Jim Fusilli and the editor.

 

                            Reissues of Note

 

Lawrence Block, The Thief Who Couldn’t Sleep and The Canceled Czech (July, Harper, 7.99 ea). The first and second Evan Tanner, both from 1966, and Tanner’s Swelve Swingers and The Scoreless Thai (Aug., Harper, 7.99 ea.), the third and fourth Tanner from 1967 and ‘68. (Thai was also published as Two for Tanner.) AND The Burglar in the Rye (Aug., Harper, 7.99), the tenth Bernie Rhodenbarr, from 1999.

Charlaine Harris, A Secret Rage (Aug., Berkley, 7.99). Her 3^rd novel, from 1984. A killer is stalking the women of a small Tennessee town and one of them is out to stop it.

Robert Littell, The Amateur (Aug., Overlook, 14.00). His 7^th novel, from 1981. When a CIA cryptographer’s fiancée is killed by terrorists and the Agency does nothing, the amateur agent sets out to square it.

Ross Macdonald, The Way Some People Die and The Ivory Grin (July, Vintage, 12.95 ea.) The 3^rd (1951) and 4^th (1952) in the timeless, peerless and relentless Lew Archer series, which JB champions as the ideal private eye series.

Gerald Seymour, Harry’s Game (June, Overlook, 13.95). The noted espionage author’s first book, originally published in 1975. British agent Harry Brown is sent to Belfast to find and kill an assassin who recently murdered a government official. It is one killer against another, one professional against another and only one can survive. Janine recommends this author!

Cornell Woolrich – see Hard Case Crime – middle of the left hand column.

 

                             Special Interest

 

Mike Dash, Satan’s Circus: Murder, Vice, Corruption, and New York’s Trail of the Century (June, Crown hc, 24.95). In 1912, anything and everything went on in the Manhattan neighborhood known as Satan’s Circus. Charley Becker was known to be an honest cop when posted there. Soon, he became known as the most corrupt cop in town. He is the only NYC policeman ever executed for murder. This is the story of what happened to get him there.

D.P. Lyle, MD, Forensics and Fiction (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). A cardiologist and writer from California gives us  the “clever, intriguing and downright odd questions from crime writers”.

Sharyn McCrumb, Once Around the Track (June, Kensington hc, 25.00). A new novel, set in the world of NASCAR with an all-female team.

Shoko Tendo, Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster’s Daughter (July, Kodansha hc, 22.95). Life inside and outside Japanese organized crime from a woman whose full-body tattoo makes for a striking cover. Blunt and honest, without a promise of glamour.

The Philosophy of Film Noir, Mark T. Conard, ed. (Aug., Univ. Press of Kentucky tp, 24.95). An intellectual look at the sensibilities of film noir, it’s deep underlying views and reflections on the world it reflected.

 

The Seattle Mystery Bookshop is a member of the

Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. Go to killerbooks.org to see a monthly list of books recommended by other mystery booksellers.

 

Mail and phone and e-mail orders for these or any other books are welcome.

 

We special order non-mysteries as well. We can get you all the books you need, no matter what the topic.

 

Gift certificates are available in any denomination, can be ordered by phone or e-mail, and are a great present for the local mystery fans on your list. We can send it to them for you, whether you live here or not.

 

Visit our website for our full calendar of scheduled author events, our past newsletters, a link to a listing of available signed copies, and ordering instructions.

 

Copies in the best condition go to those who reserve in advance.

 

Dust jacket protectors are put on all signed books that are shipped out.

 

Prices and dates are subject to change without notice.