Summer 2002

In This Issue

Author Appearances

New Northwest Releases

Staff Notes

Other Summer Releases

Now in Paperback

Reissues of Note

Things of Interest

Some Late Recommendations

2002 Edgar Nominees

AUTHOR APPEARANCES

Sat., June 1, noon, John J. Nance signs Turbulence.

Tues., June 4, noon, C.J. Box signs Savage Run.

Thurs., June 6, James Lee Burke drops in to sign Jolie Blon's Bounce.

Wed., June 12, noon, Randy Wayne White signs Twelve Mile Limit

Wed., June 19, noon, Paul Petrucci signs Prodigal Logic.

Thurs., June 20, noon, Lisa Jackson signs Cold Blooded.

Fri., June 21, noon, Blair Walker signs Don't Believe Your Lying Eyes.

Sat., July 6, noon, G.M. Ford signs Black River.

Wed., July 10, noon, Diane Mott Davidson signs Chopping Spree.

Mon., July 15, noon, Keith Ablow signs Compulsion.

Mon., Aug. 12, noon, b>Ridley Pearson reads from and signs The Art of Deception

Fri., Aug. 16, noon, Lee Child signs Without Fail

Thurs., Aug. 22, noon, Scott Phillips signs Walkaway

NEW NORTHWEST RELEASES

D.W. Buffa, The Legacy (July, Warner hc, 25.95). A young black medical student is accused of the murder of a hot-shot California Senator, but the politics of the case are so intense that an outsider is needed for the defense: Portland’s Joseph Antonelli.

Mary Daheim, The Alpine Obituary (Aug., Ballantine hc, 26.00, pb, 6.99). Emma Lord digs up arson and blackmail after an octogenarian dies and his widow claims murder. Note that the publisher has announced this book to be a simultaneous hardcover/paperback release. Signing.

Sharon Duncan, A Deep Blue Farewell (Aug., Signet pbo, 5.99). PI Scotia MacKinnon meets up with murder in a small town in the far Northwest. Signing?

G.M. Ford, Black River (July, Morrow hc, 23.95), Limited Ed. 25.00 - number reservations due by 6/24). Frank Corso finds himself in the middle of a media circus as the only reporter allowed to attend the high-profile trial of a thug charged with 63 counts of murder. Then his photographer Meg lands in ICU after a run-in with some hoods. He looks for the connection. Signing.

Sue Henry, Cold Company (June, Harper hc, 23.95). ). While rebuilding her house, musher Jessie Arnold unearths the bones of a woman, the victim of Alaska’s most notorious serial killer. Past and present begin to collide. Signing.

Lisa Jackson, Cold Blooded (June, Zebra pbo, 6.99). Steamy romantic suspense set in New Orleans, as a serial killer is stalking the seedy streets. Signing.

J. A. Jance, Partner in Crime (Aug., Morrow hc, 24.95). ). When the star witness for the WA State attorney general is murdered in Arizona, his new chief investigator – one J.P. Beaumont – is sent to watch over the investigation by the local law – one Joanna Brady. Run for cover. And in pb, Paradise Lost (July, Avon, 7.99).Signing.

Elizabeth Lowell, Running Scared (June, Harper hc, 24.95). New romantic suspense set amid Rarities Unlimited, an exclusive Las Vegas appraisal house.

Skye Kathleen Moody, Medusa (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 24.95) US Fish and Wildlife Agent Venus Diamond is assigned to monitor an animal research lab in Seattle, while a young girl goes missing from a yacht in Elliot Bay. When the girl’s body washes ashore, evidence and witnesses point to some sort of sea monster. And in pb, K Falls (July, Worldwide, 5.99).Signing.

Mary Morgan, Deeper Waters (June, St. Martin's hc, 23.95). ). Attorney Noah Richards has moved to a peaceful Puget Sound island to escape the death of his wife and a case gone bad. Soon, he’s in the middle of the murder of a young Native American law student and a racial dispute. Signing.

Jack Olsen, The Creation of a Serial Killer (Aug, St. Martin's hc, 24.95). Profile of Oregon’s Happy Face killer, constructed from interviews, diaries and court records, as well as conversations with the killer himself.

Ridley Pearson The Art of Deception (Aug, Hyperion hc, 23.95). Daphne Matthews has picked up a stalker while working on the case of a young woman who went off a high Seattle bridge. Lou Boldt is desperately trying to find two women who’ve gone missing, one of whom he knows. LaMoia is dealing with a voyeur peeping high-class downtown hotels. As their cases evolve, and merge, they’re on a chase, and the cases lead them into the darkness of the Seattle Underground. And in pb, Parallel Lies (July, Hyperion, 7.99). Signing.

Paul Petrucci, Prodigal Logic (May, Booklocker tpo, 14.95). Ray Gabriel is almost finished with a computer program which will imitate logical deduction—"Sherlock-in-a-box." He's enlisted by an architect to unravel the death of a Seattle priest, and it is quickly apparent that there are limits to logic. Signing.

Dana Stabenow, A Fine and Bitter Snow (June, St. Martin's hc, 24.95). 7^th Kate Shugak finds herself in a murderous environment, caught between wilderness conservationists and oil developers.

Timothy Taylor, Stanley Park (May, Counterpoint hc, 25.00). Hip new Vancouver, BC, chef Jeremy Papier has problems. Foodies love his blend of tradition and Northwest bounty, but restaurant finances are a mess; and his eccentric academic father practices "participatory anthropology" by living in Stanley Park with a group of homeless—and now he wants Jeremy to look into a 50-year-old murder case that still haunts the park. Signing.

Kate Wilhelm, Skeletons (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 23.95). Lee Donne has drifted through college, and is now house-sitting her grandfather’s remote Oregon home. She is soon plagued by odd noises. Her investigation of the sounds results in a death and the discovery of an envelope of photos of her grandparents' skeletons. And in pb, Desperate Measures (June, Mira, 6.50).

Cynthia Rylant, The High-Rise Private Eyes series We’ve neglected to mention this delightful series for children, ages 6 and up. Written by local author Rylant, a Newberry Medal winner, they are illustrated by G. Brian Karas. The Case of the Sleepy Sloth is the latest (Aug., Greenwillow hc, 14.99). It is the 5th in the series, preceded by The Case of the Missing Monkey, The Case of the Climbing Cat, The Case of the Puzzling Possum and The Case of the Troublesome Turtle (all Greenwillow pbs, 3.95 each or hc 14.95 each). We stock these in our Mysterious Youth section.

HARDCOVERS COMING IN THE FALL AND WINTER

Carola Dunn and Daisy Dalrymple, Dec.

Richard Hoyt, Old Soldiers Sometimes Lie, Oct.

Steve Martini and Paul Madriani, Jan. '03.

Kris Nelscott and Smokey Dalton, Sept.

Sharan Newman and Catherine LeVendeur, Dec.

James Thayer, The Gold Swan, Nov.

Andrew Vachss and Burke, Oct.

NOW IN PAPERBACK

Michael Dibdin, Thanksgiving (Aug., Vintage, 12.00)

Carola Dunn, Dead in the Water (July, Kensington, 5.99)

Larry Karp, The Midnight Special (Aug., Worldwide, 5.99)

Phillip Margolin, The Associate (July, Harper, 7.99)

Kris Nelscott, Smoke-Filled Rooms (June, St. Martin's, 6.50)

SOME FAREWELLS AND AN APPRECIATION

We’re sorry to report that Vince Kohler died in March. Vince wrote 4 very funny, off-beat mysteries that featured Eldon Larkin, a reporter for a small coastal newspaper. The books were populated with the odd-balls that are found in small town Oregon – small town anywhere, but with a Northwest spice. Like many authors, he was served badly by the publishers. His first book, Rainy North Woods, was the only one to come out in paperback, but it went out of print just as his second book was published in hardcover. It was difficult to introduce new readers to his marvelous universe due to that, so it was impossible to build his readership easily. And that was a pity, as they are charming, humorous and very Northwest. Besides being the author of Rainy North Woods, Rising Dog, Banjo Boy and Raven’s Widow, Vince was a mystery reviewer for The Oregonian and a long-time newspaperman. He will be missed.

Changes…life is full of changes, isn’t it? Some are fun and you want, and some are sad and accepted regretfully. Karen Duncan has left us to pursue other interests. She’d been with us for four years, working two to three days a week. For the last couple of years, she’d accepted the role of Empress of Imports, keeping a steady flow of UK books coming in, keeping an eye out for books no longer available in the US, and new books by European authors--especially new signed hardcovers by some of your favorite authors. She joined Bill in being a resident Nero Wolfe fanatic, and was our Sherlockian guru as well. Please join us in wishing her Bon Voyage.

Lastly, we want to call attention to a kind and generous nod: G.M. Ford dedicates his new book, Black River, to Bill Farley. Thanks, Gerry. It is appropriate that we take space here to note that July 1st, 2002, marks the beginning of our 12th year. Bill always said that he felt as if, after opening this shop, he was riding a tiger. He then taught us to work with the Big Cats, and we all — co-workers, readers and authors — owe him gratitude and thanks.

- JB Dickey

POSTPONEMENTS

Every now and then, books get postponed. We see the publisher's catalogs and go by their information. Sometimes what we are told will happen, doesn't, and books get pushed back. This has happened recently with two books that we listed in our last newsletter as "Coming This Summer": both the new Steve Martini and the new Robert Crais have been postponed to the first of next year. There can be any number of reasons—the author wants more time with the book, the publisher wants to "position" it differently...who knows. Having an annual book from our favorites is a fairly recent trend and we've been lucky. Erle Stanley Gardner may have had a book out each month, but Raymond Chandler took two or three years. So, while you may have to wait, occasionally, a little longer, try a new author—something we'd be happy to help you do.

SOME OTHER SUMMER RELEASES

Keith Ablow, Compulsion (July, St. Martin's hc, 24.95). A forensic psychiatrist is ready to leave the world of twisted killers when he is drawn into the case of a murdered twin and suspects that the killer is still after the surviving twin. Signing.

Peter Abrahams, The Tutor (June, Ballantine hc, 25.95). When the Gardners hire a tutor for their troubled son, they can’t realize the trouble they’ve embraced. And in pb, a reissue of Lights Out, an Edgar-nominee from ’94 (July, Ballantine, 6.99), and Revolution #9, last published in ’92 (Aug., Ballantine, 6.99).

Jennifer Apodaca, Dating Can Be Murder (May, Kensington hc, 22.00). First in a new romantic, comic mystery series: after the death of her no-good husband, feisty Samantha Shaw has her hair dyed, her breasts done, buys a dating service--and finds herself matched with murder. Signed Copies Available.

M.C. Beaton, Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (July, St. Martin's hc, 22.95). A young woman in a wedding dress drowns in the river. The police believe it is suicide, but Agatha is unsure.

Raymond Benson, The Man with the Red Tattoo (June, Putnam hc, 23.95). 007 vs the Yakuza.

Lawrence Block, Enough Rope (Aug., Morrow hc, 29.95 [896 pages!]). A collection of nearly a dozen new stories, including ones with Scudder, Keller, and Bernie. Block’s only new book for this year. Signed Copies Available.

C.J. Box, Savage Run (July, Putnam hc, 23.95). WY game warden Joe Pickett is called to the scene of a massive explosion in Bighorn National Forest. A colorful environmentalist seems to have died in it, but Pickett is soon onto a deadly conspiracy. Open Season (pub, 6.50), Pickett’s debut, was an Edgar Nominee for Best First Novel. Sandy recommends. Signing.

Simon Brett, The Torso in the Town (Aug., Berkley hc, 22.95). 3rd Feathering mystery finds Jude and Carole sleuthing around a mansion when a woman’s torso is discovered during a stuffy dinner party.

Stephen Burgen, Walking the Lions (June, Carroll & Graf hc, 25.00). Crimes from the Spanish Civil War return to haunt a new generation: Alex Nadal inherits a farm near Barcelona from an aunt he thought had died in that war. Though he loves the area, the people are far from welcoming.

James Lee Burke, Jolie Blon’s Bounce (June, Simon & Schuster hc, 25.00). Dave Robicheaux doesn’t believe that a suspect in a brutal crime is the killer. But a second killing points to the same guy, and Dave is up to his ears in problems…Luckily, Clete comes to town. Signed Copies Available.

Dorothy Cannell, The Importance of Being Ernestine (June, Viking hc, 23.95). Ellie Haskell’s latest adventure leads her to a pedigreed family living in a run-down mansion, a death-bed curse and a string of murders.

Patricia Carlon, Who Are You, Linda Condrick? (Aug., Soho hc, 22.00). The contentious relatives living on a remote sheep station are united against a nurse from Sydney who comes to care for old Mrs. Forst. Soon, she’s engaged to marry the heir, a bush fire rages and the body of a swagman appears. In pb, Death by Demonstration (Aug., Soho, 12.00).

Joyce Christmas, Forged in Blood (Aug., Ballantine pbo, 6.99). New friends Lady Margaret Priam and Betty Trenka are on vacation together and become embroiled in a case of forged art and murder.

Jill Churchill, The House of Seven Mabels (Aug., Morrow hc, 23.95). Jane Jeffrey and her best friend Shelly have been asked to decorate after a big renovation--a huge house for a group of fervent feminists. Malicious pranks lead up to a murder and Jane investigates.

Tom Clancy, Red Rabbit (Aug., Putnam hc, 28.95). A tale of Jack Ryan before he ever hunted for the Red October.

Alys Clare, The Tavern in the Morning (June, St. Martin's hc, 22.95). 3rd medieval mystery with Abbess Helewise and soldier of fortune Josse d’Acquin, who look into the death of a man poisoned by a piece of pie laced with wolfbane.

Jon Cleary, Yesterday’s Shadow (Aug., Avon pbo, 6.99). That is all the information the publisher has provided…

Mark Coggins, Vulture Capital (May, Poltroon hc, 26.00). San Francisco PI August Riordan returns to search for a biotech firm's boss who's gone missing, a man who is an old school chum. Signed Copies Available. Follow-up to The Immortal Game (Poltroon hc, 25.00, signed firsts available).

Max Allan Collins, Chicago Confidential (June, NAL hc, 22.95). Nate Heller is in the middle of a mob war after a congressional probe comes to Chicago, and mixes it up with Sinatra, Giancano and a bombshell in the making, Jane Mansfield. JB recommends: “Always a great mix of fact and fiction – great, tough fun.”

K.C. Constantine, Saving Room for Dessert (Aug., Mysterious Press hc, 23.95). Joining the Rocksburg police force is a dream come true for William Rayford, but being the town’s first black cop is not easy. In pb, Grievance (Aug., Mysterious Press, 12.95).

Natasha Cooper, Out of the Dark (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 23.95). An 8-year-old boy, injured when he runs into traffic, has barrister Trish Maguire’s name sewn into his clothes, but nothing to tell of his own identity.

Michael Craft, Hot Spot (June, St. Martin's hc, 23.95). In Wisconsin, Mark Manning is hosting a wedding for his best friend when an electrical malfunction electrocutes a guest. Was it an accident or murder?

Philip R. Craig, Vineyard Enigma (June, Scribner hc, 24.00). Warm weather should mean all is fine, but trouble surrounds J.W. Jackson – his wife is distant and distracted, and a mysterious stranger is on the island, searching for 2 priceless soapstone eagles missing from his African homeland.

Jennifer Crusie, Faking It (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 24.95). Smart, funny and sexy mix of a femme fatale, an inept art dealer, an exasperated hitman, a disgruntled heir, forged paintings and false identities.

Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos, Fire Ice (June, Putnam hc, 26.95). First hardcover in the NUMA files, with Kurt Austin.

Diane Mott Davidson, Chopping Spree (June, Bantam hc, 23.95). While catering an event for over-privileged Elite Shoppers, Goldy is confronted with a killer who wants to abuse more than a credit limit. Signing. In pb, Sticks & Scones (June, Bantam, 6.99).

Philip Davison, The Crooked Man (June, Penguin tpo, 13.00). Irishman Harry Fielding is an understrapper: an odd-job freelancer for MI5. He’s enlisted to help get a cabinet minister out of trouble.

P.C. Doherty, The Slayer of Seth (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 23.95). Lord Amerotke is split between two cases: a murder at the Temple of Seth, and the poisoning of a young scribe. And, The Godless Man (Aug., Carroll & Graf hc, 25.00). Latest in his Alexander the Great series.

Barry Eisler, Rain Fall (July, Putnam hc, 24.95). A stylish thriller introducing John Rain, a Japanese-American who, as an anonymous loner living in Tokyo, has built a business of assassinating by “natural causes." His carefully ordered world comes under attack. Signed Copies Available. JB recommends this debut.

Kate Ellis, The Funeral Boat (July, St. Martin's hc, 22.95). When a skeleton is unearthed in Devon, the cops are divided as to who it was; his boss believes it belonged to a local villain who vanished 3 years ago, while Det. Peterson has evidence that indicates it is a 1000 year old Viking.

Janet Evanovich, Hard Eight (June, St. Martin's hc, 24.95). Stephanie is hired to find a missing child. In pb, Seven Up (June, St. Martin's, 7.99).

Nancy Fairbanks, Death à L’Orange (June, Berkely pbo, 5.99). Carolyn Blue and her family are on a culinary tour of France when murder shows up on the menu. 3rd in the popular series which includes recipes.

Quinn Fawcett, Death to Spies (July, Forge hc, 24.95). Spy novel using the real-life “retired” spook, Ian Fleming. In the days of Philby and Burgess, the Brits are unsure who to trust. Retired in the Caribbean, Fleming is approached to help find someone who is selling US nuclear secrets to Russia.

Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza, The Silence of the Rain (June, Holt hc, 24.00). First of an acclaimed trilogy to be translated into English, this is a stylish Brazilian bestseller. In the center of Rio de Janeiro, an executive is found dead in his car, his briefcase missing, as is his secretary. Insp. Espinosa investigates.

Lisa Gardner, The Survivors Club (June, Bantam hc, 23.95). After a rapist is murdered on his way to trial, the police focus on a group of women who each wanted him dead--the Survivors Club.

Tess Gerritsen, The Apprentice (Aug., Ballantine hc, 24.95). During a boiling summer in Boston, a series of crimes occurs that follow the pattern of a jailed madman. Does he have an imitator? Det. Jane Rizzoli, scarred physically and mentally by the madman, looks for the answer. Signing.

Leslie Glass, The Silent Bride (June, Onyx pbo, 6.99). NYPD Det. April Woo is after a killer who is targeting brides.

Kat Goldring, Death Medicine (Aug., Berkley pbo, 5.99). A blizzard keeps Willi and Native American Investigator Quannah holed up at an inn. When murder takes place, Quannah’s mystical visions come into play. 2nd in the popular series, after All Signs Point to Murder.

Philip Gooden, The Pale Companion (July, Carroll & Graf hc, 24.00). 1st hardcover in this Shakespearean series. A production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream turns into a nightmare…

Ron Goulart, Groucho Marx, Secret Agent (July, St. Martin's hc, 22.95). A director dies the morning after he is approached at his Halloween party by a guest dressed as the Grim Reaper. Groucho was there and agrees to investigate.

Andrew Greeley, The Bishop in the West Wing (July, Forge hc, 24.95). Blackie Ryan in the White House.

Elizabeth Gunn, Seventh Inning Stretch (June, Walker hc, 23.95). A gang of con men has been taking the citizens of little Rutherford, MN. Soon, Jake Hines has a bloodbath on his hands.

Barbara Hambly, Wet Grave (June, Bantam hc, 23.95. 6th in the acclaimed series with Creole surgeon Benjamin January. As a hurricane approaches New Orleans in July of 1835, an old Freedwoman is found dead in her shack, and rumors swirl of the buried treasure of the pirate Jean Lafitte. Meanwhile, the city prepares for the wedding of two its richest families.

Charlaine Harris, Last Scene Alive (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 22.95). A film crew is in town to make a movie based on a series of murders that Aurora Teagarden was involved in years ago. While she’s disturbed by having an actress portray her, she’s bothered more by the killer who seems to have come with the movie crew.

Ellen Hart, Immaculate Midnight (July, St. Martin's hc, 24.95). Jane Lawless is out to defend her father and family when the father of one of her father’s clients kills himself in his jail cell, and the father plots revenge.

Lynn Hightower, High Water (July, Holt hc, 25.00). In South Carolina, a family is undone by the mother’s mysterious death and the father’s secrets.

Jane Stanton Hitchcock, Social Crimes (June, Hyperion/Talk Miramax hc, 22.95). "I zipped through this book the way you do a box of Godiva chocolates after a boring diet. Meet the crème de la crème of the New York social world, and enjoy a twisty tale of crime, passion and revenge as socialite Jo Slater discovers dark secrets when her wealthy husband dies." – Sandy recommends. Signed copies available, we hope.

Tony Hillerman, The Wailing Wind (June, Harper hc, 25.95). Chee and Leaphorn!!!

Hazel Holt, Mrs. Malory and the Delay of Execution (June, Signet pbo, 5.99) 12th in the series sees Mrs. Malory shanghaied to be a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school after a teacher dies, but she is soon suspicious of the way he died.

Stephen Horn, Law of Gravity (Aug., Harper hc, 24.95). White House lawyer Philip Barkley’s fall from power became the stuff of legends. Handed a second chance, he oversees the investigation into the disappearance of a Senate Intelligence Committee staffer. He’s expected to find the “right” answers, but he seeks his own integrity. Bill recommended Horn’s first book, In Her Defense (pb, 6.99).

Evan Hunter, The Moment She Was Gone (July, Simon & Schuster hc, 25.00). At 2 am, Andrew Gulliver gets a call from his mother saying his sister has gone missing again. This time is different-- he has just 24 hours to find her.

Greg Iles, Sleep No More (July, Putnam hc, 24.95). John Waters thinks he has a good, quiet life, with his family in a small MS town. Years before, he escaped an obsessive affair with a woman in NYC and heard later that the woman had died. Now he has the uneasy feeling that she’s around. Signed Copies Available. In paper, Dead Sleep (July, Signet, 7.99).

Roberta Isleib, Six Strokes Under (June, Berkley pbo, 5.99). First in a new golf series with Cassandra Burdette, who is on the LPGA tour. A difficult golfer’s shrink is murdered and Cassie is suspected. The author, who writes articles for various golf magazines, will be in Seattle in September, and will sign books then.

Jon A. Jackson, Badger Games (June, Atlantic hc, 24.00, Signed Copies 25.00). Joe Service and Helen Sedlacek are in the middle of an international game of intrigue that begins in Kosovo and leads them to the mountains of Montana.

Jonnie Jacobs, Cold Justice (June, Kensington hc, 23.00). Attorney Kali O’Brien is faced with the murder of a good friend in the method of a killer from her past, and the realization that the man imprisoned for those crimes may be innocent. Signed Copies Available.

Dolores Johnson, Buttons & Foes (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 22.95). First hardcover in this fast and funny dry-cleaning series. Mandy Dyer continues to collect rare buttons even as one of her best clients is dead. She hires a private eye to investigate--a disreputable guy she stood up in high school but who is now Mr. Clean.

Michael A. Kahn, Trophy Widow (July, Forge hc, 25.95). St. Louis attorney Rachel Gold is helping a famous murderer negotiate the maze of media contracts, and uncovers information about the first trial that leaves her questioning whether justice was done.

Stuart Kaminsky, To Catch a Spy (July, Carroll & Graf hc, 24.00). Toby Peters takes his 22nd case, working for Cary Grant.

Faye Kellerman, Stone Kiss (Aug., Warner hc, 215.95). A murder within the family of his half-brother takes Decker and Rina to NYC. In pb, The Forgotten (July, Avon, 7.99)

Paul Kemprecos (see Clive Cussler).

Peter King, Roux the Day (June, St. Martin's hc, 23.95). The Gourmet Detective is “kidnapped” by a group of female chefs to find a missing cookbook in New Orleans.

Peter Lovesey, Diamond Dust (June, Soho hc, 23.00). Someone is killing the spouses of cops, and Diamond is determined to find the villain. In pb, Diamond Solitaire, 6th in the award-winning series (June, Soho, 13.00).

Marianne Macdonald, Blood Lies (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 23.95). Antiquarian book dealer Dido Hoare travels to a sleepy village to get away from London, and to visit an old friend. While the town is enchanting, she becomes aware of it all being just a front, and that something has gone terribly wrong in her friend’s life.

Dan Mahoney, The Protectors (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 24.95). NYPD’s Brian McKenna joins the Joint Terrorist Task force, and investigates the ETA and a kidnapping. In pb, The Two Chinatowns (July, St. Martin's, 6.99).

Barry Maitland, Silvermeadow (Aug., Arcade hc, 24.95). 5th in the acclaimed series with superlative Scotland Yard duo Kathy Kolla and David Brock. And in pb, The Chalon Heads (July, Penguin, 6.99).

Margaret Maron, Slow Dollar (Aug., Mysterious Press hc, 23.95). A misdemeanor case before Judge Knott seems ordinary: a carnival ride has been destroyed. When the carnival comes to her town, things get trickier. In pb, Uncommon Clay (July, Warner, 6.99).

Edward Marston, The Bawdy Basket (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 23.95). Moll Comfrey is the “bawdy basket”, a comely young woman with more to sell than the mere trinkets she carries. Elizabethan stage manager Nicholas Bracewell means to find out why she’s mixed up in murder.

Francine Matthews, The Secret Agent (June, Bantam hc, 23.95). Stefani Fogg’s career is in ruins, but her ambition will not slow; she’s drawn into a decades-old mystery of a man called the Silk King, and a web of deceit. The author is a former CIA analyst and writes the Jane Austen mysteries as Stephanie Barron.

Sam McCarver, The Case of the Uninvited Guest (Aug., Signet pbo, 6.50). In post-WWII Paris, investigator John Darnell untangles a Grande Hotel homicide with the help of a young American writer named Hemingway.

Lise McClendon, Sweet and Lowdown (July, St. Martin's hc, 23.95). Europe is at war in the Fall of 1940, and Kansas City PI Dorrie Lennox is hired to keep the blonde and beautiful Thalia Hines from destroying herself-- which someone else seems to be trying to help her accomplish.

Michael McGarrity, The Big Gamble (July, Dutton hc, 23.95). A body found in a burned produce stand belonged to a woman who vanished from Santa Fe 8 years before. Kerney must work with a man he barely knows--his estranged son, Dep. Sheriff Clayton Istee. Signed Copies Available.

Mardi Oakley Medawar, Murder on the Red Cliff Rez (June, St. Martin's hc, 23.95). When a Chippewa tribal attorney is murdered, the suspect vanishes into the reservation’s wilderness. The authorities turn to the only person who can find him--Karen Charboneau, known as Tracker. The author lives on this rez.

Leslie Meier, Birthday Party Murder (June, Kensington hc, 22.00). 9th with Maine home-maker and sleuth extraordinaire Lucy Stone. Signed Copies Available. In pb, Wedding Day Murder (June, Kensignton, 6.50).

Kasey Michaels, Maggie Needs an Alibi (July, Kensington hc, 22.00). First of a new comic series with author Maggie Kelly, who falls under suspicion when her caddish ex-boyfriend has the gall to die in her living room, poisoned by the food she cooked. Signed Copies Available.

Marlys Millhiser, The Rampant Reaper (July, St. Martin's hc, 23.95). Literary agent Charlie Greene travels to Iowa to attend the funeral of her great-great-aunt. Someone seems to be hurrying the town’s elderly to their reward.

Denise Mina, Resolution (June, Carroll & Graf hc, 25.00). Concludes a trilogy of the untidy life of Maureen O’Donnell, who lives in the seamy side of downtown Glasgow. The author is being compared to Ian Rankin and Minette Walters.

Walter Mosley, Bad Boy Brawly Brown (July, Little Brown hc, 24.95). EASY RAWLINS returns! In the 1960s, Easy is out of the investigation business, but doing a favor lands him in the middle of a murder investigation. Signing? In paper, Fearless Jones (June, Warner, 7.50).

Marcia Muller, Dead Midnight (June, Mysterious Press hc, 24.95; Signed copies 25.95). Working on a wrongful death case, Sharon McCone is deep in the cut-throat computer world, and deaths--suicide or murder--keep hitting too close to home.

Lynne Murray, A Ton of Trouble (July, St. Martin's hc, 21.95. In the California wine country, Josephine finds herself in the midst of murder, anti-abortion advocates, an old family feud and the seedy world of fetish pornography.

Tamar Myers, Splendor in the Glass (ug., Avon pbo, 6.99). 8th in the Den of Antiquity series.

Sister Carol Anne O’Marie, The Corporal Works of Murder (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 22.95). Septuagenarian nun Sister Mary Helen looks into the murder of a woman shot just moments after leaving the shelter.

Peri O’Shaughnessy, Unfit to Practice (July, Bantam hc, 24.95). Having stolen files from her car, someone is bent on destroying attorney Nina Reilly, and she’s landed at a disbarment hearing.

I.J. Parker, Roshomon Gate (July, St. Martin's hc, 24.95). In 11th Century Japan, the young nobleman Akitada welcomes the chance to escape the dull life of a clerk and become an investigator. First novel for the Shamus-winning character.

Owen Parry, Honor’s Kingdom (July, Morrow hc, 25.95). Dispatched to London in the summer of 1862, Major Abel Jones becomes enmeshed in Parliament’s scandals, the murder of his predecessor, and the very real danger that, in the midst of a Civil War, the US could be drawn into another war with Britain. In pb, Call Each River Jordan (July, Harper, 7.50). One of JB’s favorite series – but read ‘em in order, he says: Faded Coat of Blue (Avon pb, 6.99) and Shadow of Glory (Harper pb, 6.99).

James Patterson & Peter De Jonge, The Beach House (June, Little Brown hc, 26.95). Law student Jack Mullen doubts his brother really drowned off East Hampton, but the powers that be are firm.

Iain Pears, The Dream Scipio (June, Putnam hc, 27.95). Three narratives, set in different centuries, revolve around a love story and a mysterious ancient text. Signed Copies Available.

Scott Phillips, The Walkaway (July, Ballantine hc, 22.00. After finding that suitcase of cash, Gunther Fahnstiel thought his luck had changed. Now, ten years later, he’s out of his nursing home, hoping to recover the money. But he’s not the only one after the cash. Follows up on the gleefully nasty, and Edgar-nominated noir, The Ice Harvest (Ballantine tp, 12.00). Tammy recommends. Signing.

Nancy Pickard, Truth Hurts (July, Pocket hc, 24.00). At first, true crime writer Marie Lightfoot assumes the e-mail is a sick joke – the writer says that he’s a killer just like the ones she writes about and that they should collaborate.

Bill Pronzini, Step to the Graveyard Easy (June, Walker hc, 23.95, Signed Copies 24.95). Matthew Cape is the sort of guy who needs constant change--leave a place, the people, and start again. When he’s taken in a crooked card game by a couple of grifters, he’s ready to learn and get even.

Kathy Reichs, Grave Secrets (July, Scribner hc, 25.00). Twenty years ago, there was a massacre in Guatemala. Tempe Brennan is there to exhume the victims. What she discovers are the remains of a two year old girl. In pb, Fatal Voyage (July, Pocket, 7.99).

J.D. Robb, Purity in Death (Aug, Berkley pbo, 7.99). 15th with NYC Lt. Eve Dallas.

Les Roberts, The Irish Sports Pages (Aug., St. Martin's hc, 23.95). 13th with Cleveland PI Milan Jacovich, who is after a slick and charismatic con man. In pb, The Duke of Cleveland (Aug., St. Martin's, 6.50).

Lawrence Sanders/ Vincent Lardo, McNally’s Alibi (July, Putnam hc, 24.95). A mysterious collector, a missing manuscript and a trio of lovely ladies…

Lisa Scottoline, Courting Trouble (March, Harper hc, 25.95). A young associate for the Rosato legal firm figures that someone is gunning for her on the streets--literally. Signing? [If you note the release month, you can realize something is goofy. This March release was first postponed to the Summer, only to now have a release date of 5/31…So it is not a Summer release, but we didn’t want to miss mentioning it. Publishers are SO bizarre….] Sandy says, "Recommended! This is a fun and fast-paced treat."

Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones (July, Little Brown hc, $21.95). An original, touching story of a murder and the aftermath narrated in the wry, often humorous voice of the teenage victim as she watches the events unfold from her own version of heaven. – Erin recommends.

Kate Sedley, The Saint John’s Fern (Aug., St. Martin’s hc, 23.95). The 9th Roger the Chapman mystery finds the newly-married sleuth restless and trying to solve a murder that the locals blame on witchcraft.

Barry Siegel, Lines of Defense (July, Ballantine hc, 24.95). In a small California coastal town, the fire that claimed two lives is ruled accidental. But Sheriff’s Det. Bard is not convinced and his investigation turns up ties to his own past.

Dan Simmons, Hard Freeze (Aug., St.Martin's hc, 24.95). Ex-PI Joe Kurtz is dodging hit-men sent by Buffalo’s crime boss while looking for woman’s killer. The woman’s father becomes Kurtz’s nightmare, and a bitter wind brings a blizzard to town. In pb, Hard Case (Aug., St. Martin's, 6.99).

Susan Slater, Yellow Lies (June, Worldwide pbo, 5.99). Indian Health psychologist Ben Pecos returns to his native New Mexico and becomes involved in the murder of a trader of native fetishes.

Julie Smith, Louisiana Bigshot (Aug., Forge hc, 24.95). New Orleans PI Talba Wallis is puzzled that an old friend doesn’t seem to exist on paper when a background check comes up with nothing. The hunt takes her to the small MS river-town of Clayton, where being young, black and smart are not desired.

Jose Carlos Somoza, The Athenian Murders (June, FSG hc, 24.00). First English translation of an acclaimed young Spanish author’s mystery that runs on two parallel tracks. One half traces a series of murders at Plato’s Academy in ancient Athens, and the other events in the present, as a translator begins to feel that an ancient text refers to him, and in a menacing fashion.

Jessica Speart, A Killing Season (July, Avon pbo, 6.99). 6th with Fish and Wildlife agent Rachel Porter, by a freelance journalist specializing in wildlife issues.

Robert K. Tannenbaum, Absolute Rage (Aug., Pocket hc, 25.00. Butch Karp is in the thick of it – working on the murder of a Teamster and his family, while the killers might be coming after his own. In pb, Enemy Within (Aug., Pocket, 7.99).

Steven Torres, Precinct Puerto Rico: Book One (June, St. Martin's hc, 22.95). Sheriff Luis Gonzalo investigates the death of people who were hoping to immigrate to the US. Soon he’s involved in a larger picture, his family is threatened, and the clues lead to the top.

Barbara Vine, The Blood Doctor (July, Harmony hc, 25.00. When Lord Martin Nanther is looking for a subject for his next biography, he turns to one of his ancestors who was a physician to Queen Victoria and an expert on hemophilia. As his research digs deeper, he begins to wonder if the doctor’s fascination with blood became criminal.

Lea Wait, Shadows at the Fair (July, Scribner hc, 24.00). Rare-print dealer Maggie Summers becomes involved with a string of murders after 6 other dealers are murdered. She can’t stop thinking that the prints themselves hold the answers.

Blair Walker, Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes (June, Ballantine hc, 23.95). The 3rd in the series with Afro-American newspaperman Darryl Billups. The Baltimore journalist is looking into the decades-old case of a missing woman. Nervous about his upcoming wedding, Billups digs into the case once the woman’s bones are found. Signing.

Minette Walters, Acid Row (July, Putnam hc, 24.95). When a young doctor enters a crime-ridden project, she doesn’t know that she’s entered the home of a pedophile. As a child has gone missing, she’s soon trapped in a siege between this criminal and the mob that wants blood. Signed Copies Available. Erin recommends. In paper, The Shape of Snakes (June, Jove, 7.99)

Randy Wayne White, Twelve Mile Limit (June, Putnam hc, 24.95). Two days after a group of divers goes out into the Gulf to a shipwreck, one of them is alive, naked and waving her wet suit atop a weather buoy. The other three have vanished. Rumors swirl around them, and, as one of them was a good friend of Doc Ford’s, he wants the answers. Signing. In pb, Shark River (June, Berkley, 6.99). Tammy recommends.

Valerie Wolzein, An Anniversary to Die For (Aug., Ballantine pbo, 6.99). A guest is poisoned at Susan Henshaw's 30th wedding anniversary party.

Mark Richard Zubro, Here Comes the Corpse (July, St. Martin's hc, 23.95). Tom and Scott decide to hold a high-profile wedding ceremony. At the reception, one of Tom’s ex-boyfriends is found dead, and Tom is the prime suspect.

NOW IN PAPERBACK

Laurien Berensen, Underdog (June, Kensington, 6.50) and Once Bitten (Aug., Kensington, 6.50)

Margaret Coel, The Thunder Keeper (Aug, Berkley, 6.50)

Tom Corcoran, Bone Island Mambo (Aug., St. Martin's, 6.99)

Deborah Crombie, A Finer End (June, Bantam, 6.50)

James Ellroy, The Cold Six Thousand (June, Vintage, 15.95)

Elizabeth George, A Traitor to Memory (Aug., Bantam, 7.99)

Joe Gores, Cons, Scams & Grifts (July, Mysterious Press, 12.95)

Sue Grafton, P is for Peril (June, Ballantine, 7.99)

Susan Holtzer, Better Than Sex (July, St. Martin's, 6.50)

Susan Isaacs, Long Time No See (July, Harper, 7.99)

Joseph Kanon, The Good German (June, Picador, 14.00)

Ross King, Ex-Libris (June, Penguin, 13.00) Bibliomystery

Rochelle Krich, Shadows of Sin (July, Avon, 7.50)

Val McDermid, Killing the Shadows (Aug., St. Martin's, 6.99)

Michael Nava, Rag and Bone (June, Berkley, 13.00)

Robert B. Parker, Potshot (June, Berkley, 7.99)

Eliot Pattison, Water Touching Stone (June, St. Martin's, 7.99)

Elizabeth Redfern, The Music of the Spheres (Aug., Jove, 7.99)

Rick Riordan, The Devil Went Down to Austin (July, Bantam, 6.50)

Peter Robinson, Aftermath (July, Avon, 7.50)

Sheldon Siegel, Incriminating Evidence (Aug., Dell, 7.50)

Julie Smith, Louisiana Hotshot (Aug., Forge, 6.99)

Carsten Stroud, Black Water Transit (Aug., Dell, 6.99). GREAT READ – Bill, Tammy and JB say don’t miss this one.

Lou Jane Temple, Red Beans and Vice (June, St. Martin's, 6.50)

Charles Todd, Watchers of Time (Aug., Dell, 5.99)

Peter Tremayne, The Monk Who Vanished (June, Signet, 6.50)

Daniel Woodrell, The Death of Sweet Mister (Aug., Plume, 13.00)

Paula Woods, Stormy Weather (July, Ballantine, 14.00) and her first, Edgar-nominated book, Inner City Blues (July, Ballantine, 6.99) now in mass market.

NEW HARDCOVERS COMING THIS FALL

Bruce Alexander & Sir John Fielding, Oct.

Linda Barnes, The Big Dig, Oct. – finally!

Dave Barry, Tricky Business, Oct.

Jan Burke, 9, Oct..

Michael Connelly, Chasing the Dime, Oct.

Patricia Cornwell & Jack the Ripper, Oct.

Deborah Crombie, And Justice There is None, Sept.

S. V. Date, Black Sunshine, Oct.

Lindsey Davis & Marcus Didius Falco, Sept.

Alan Furst, Blood of Victory, Sept.

Elizabeth George, I, Richard, Oct. – 5 novellas

Sue Grafton & Q (is for Quarry), Oct.

Martha Grimes & Jury, Sept.

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles & Bill Slider, Nov.

Joan Hess & Claire Malloy, Nov.

John Harvey, In a True Light, Sept.

Pete Hautman, Doohickey, Oct.

Patricia Highsmith, Nothing That Meets the Eye, Oct.

Jonathan Kellerman & Alex Delaware, Oct.

Laura Lippman & Tess Monaghan, Oct.

Val McDermid, The Last Temptation, Sept.

John Mortimer & Rumpole, Nov.

Magdalen Nabb, Some Bitter Taste, Oct.

Carol O'Connell & Mallory, Sept.

Robert B. Parker & Sunny Randall, Sept.

Eliot Pattison, Bone Mountain, Sept.

Anne Perry & Monk, Oct.

Jenny Siler, Shot, Sept.

Martin Cruz Smith, December 6, Oct.

Richard Stark & Parker, Nov.

William Tapply & Brady Coyne, Nov.

Charles Todd, Fearsome Doubt, Oct.

Scott Turow, Reversible Errors, Nov.

Qui Xiaolong, A Loyal Character Dancer, Sept.

REISSUES OF NOTE

Hardboiled Mystery Writers: A Literary Reference, Bruccoli and Layman, ed., (Aug., Carroll & Graf tpo, 22.00). An abundantly illustrated look at the life and times of the three greatest “hardboiled” writers: Hammett, Chandler and Macdonald.

Loren D. Estleman, Downriver (June, iBooks, 12.00). 8th Amos Walker.

Alan Furst, Dark Star and Night Soldiers (July, Random House, 12.95 ea.) See also his entry in Things of Interest, below.

Bartholomew Gill, The Death of a Joyce Scholar (Aug., Avon pb, 6.99). First published in 1989, and out of print in the US for years, this is the 8th in the McGarr series.

Patricia Highsmith, Little Tales of Misogyny (Aug., Norton, pb, 11.00) and A Dog’s Ransom (Aug., Norton, pb, 12.95). Two works from the 1970s, long out of print in the U.S.

Val McDermid, The Mermaids Singing (June, St. Martin's, 6.99). Brutal, disturbing, shocking, fast-paced, beautifully written and occasionally even funny. One of the best serial killer novels. Erin recommends. And in July, The Wire in the Blood, the sequel to Mermaids.

Magdalen Nabb, Death in Autumn (July, Soho, 11.00). 4th in the series, and The Marshall and the Murderer (July, Soho, 12.00), 5th in the series.

Newton Thornburg, To Die in California (July, Serpent’s Tail, 14.00). Reissue of 1973 thriller by the local author.

THINGS OF INTEREST

Alan Furst, The Book of Spies: an Anthology of Literary Espionage (July, Modern Library hc, 24.95). A mix of classics and rediscoveries, by writers such as Ambler, Greene, le Carré, as well Conrad, Burgess, Gorky, Maugham, McCarry, Steinbeck and West.

James W. Hall, Hot Damn! (June, St. Martin's hc, 24.95). A group of essays covering themes such as teaching, fatherhood, books, authors, summer heat, and his own love affair with Florida.

Woody Haut, Heartache & Vine: Crime Writers and Motion Pictures (Aug., Serpent’s Tail tpo, 15.00). A survey of the relationship, over the decades, between authors and Hollywood, and what has been done to their novels as they were made into movies, from Hammett to Leonard.

The Mammoth Book of Comic Crime Fiction, Maxim Jakubowski, ed. (July, Carroll & Graf tpo, 11.95). The title says it all. Included are such luminaries as Westlake, Lovesey, Caudwell and Pronzini.

The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Modern Crime Fiction, Mike Ashley, ed. (June, Carroll & Graf tpo, 12.95). At 512 pages, over 500 of the world’s best crime writers, from Allingham to Zubro. Also includes a glossary of terms, award lists, character lists, books, magazines, films and TV shows.

Their Word is Law, Stephen M. Murphy, ed. (July, Berkley tpo, 14.95) Best-selling writers of courtroom thrillers talk about their craft – including Baldacci, Fairstein, Friedman, Grisham, Patterson, Scottoline, Turow and Martini, who wrote the introduction.

They Died in Vain: Overlooked, Underappreciated and Forgotten Mystery Novels, Jim Huang, ed. (April, Crum Creek Press tpo, 13.00). A delightful volume of short reviews of mysteries chosen by booksellers, reviewers and fans. Over 100 recommendations of obscure classics and up-and-coming new writers. Sandy recommends. Mystery fans looking for fresh blood should also consult the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association's earlier volume, 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century (tp, 12.00).

The World’s Finest Mystery and Crime Stories, Ed Gorman, ed. (Aug., Forge hc, 27.95). 3rd annual collection includes short works, a roundup of mystery activities during 2001, obituaries of the departed and reports on publishing from around the world.

JACK REACHER T-SHIRTS

Lee Child fans will want to know that we have a limited supply of T-Shirts available. They are 100% cotton, available in Olive Drab or Khaki. In keeping with Jack Reacher's former job as a member of the Military Police, they have his name on the front (Reacher, J.), and the insignia and motto of the MP on the back (Assist, Protect, Defend). Sizes M-XL, $15.00; XXL, $17.00). Order early!

SOME LATE RECOMMENDATIONS

Lee Child, Without Fail (May, Putnam, 25.95). Jack Reacher is a fascinating character – a quick thinker, sharp analyst and observer, deadly in action, capable and comfortable in any situation. In this 6th book, he’s asked by the Secret Service to audit their security for the newly-elected Vice President, and finds that someone is already on the hunt. Reacher is the sort of person that the world desperately needs and all of us would want on our side. – JB [We will be getting a limited number of UK 1sts of this book, unsigned – which can be signed when he is in town in Aug. He’ll be doing a signing and discussion for us. We will have copies of the US edition, signed by Lee at his publisher’s office –on the title page!]

Michael Connelly, City of Bones (April, Little Brown, 25.95 Signed [and dated to the novel’s release date] Copies, 26.95). Det. Harry Bosch catches a case that resonates and rattles his own bones – the skeleton of a young boy, long dead. In his mission to find justice, Harry finds love and loss, vindication and frustration, and restitution and acceptance, all in a smoothly crafted tale that leaves Harry – and us, his fans – wondering what comes next. - JB

Steve Thayer, The Wheat Field (March, Putnam, 24.95. Set in 1950s Wisconsin. Deputy Pennington is called to a grisly crime scene – what appears to be the murder/suicide of a couple found naked in a crop circle. Pennington is soon swept into a storm of the political machinations of the country club elite, homemade porn, the missing wife of a senatorial candidate, and the odd circumstances of that circle in the wheat field. Thayer unfolds the story, allowing the characters’ entwined pasts to rise up and shock us as subtly as would the bent wheat once the bloody bodies were removed.

—JB Dickey

THE 2002 EDGAR WINNERS

Best Novel

Silent Joe, T. Jefferson Parker (Hyperion)

Best First Novel by an American Author

Line of Vision, David Ellis (Putnam)

Best Paperback Original

Adios, Muchachos, Daniel Chavarria (Akashic Books)

Mail and phone orders for these or any other books are welcome. We often have signed copies of Northwest authors, and other authors who visit the shop. Prices subject to change without notice. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St., Seattle, WA 98104. Phone: (206) 587-5737.

Email: staff@seattlemystery.com

WEBSITE: seattlemystery.com

SEATTLE MYSTERY BOOKSHOP NEWS is composed and produced by JB Dickey and Sandy Goodrick. The online version is brought to you by Cathie van Veen.

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