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Archive for November, 2009

Al Roker writes a killer story

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

By Oline H. Cogdill

Al Roker; NBC photo

I always tune in to see what’s going on with Matt and Meredith, Al and Ann.

My day doesn’t really begin until I watch NBC’s Today show for the features and news — at least until 9 a.m.

I still can’t quite make that leap to the 9 to 10 a.m. segment with Kathie Lee and the likable Hoda Kotb. Besides, by then it’s time to get to work and that means turning off the TV unless I am reviewing a DVD.

So what does this have to do with mysteries?

Today’s weatherman and all-round nice guy Al Roker has written a mystery – the aptly named The Morning Show Murders (Delacorte Press).

Roker always seems like someone you’d love to have as a neighbor and a friend. Of course, that’s the appeal of the NBC morning show – you want to invite these people into your homes. And do. Roker’s interview with The Hills non-talent Spencer and Heidi is a terrific way of showing dumb people for who they are without losing your cool. Way to go, Al.

So I was interested to see how Roker would discuss his new novel The Morning Show Murders.

Too many times when celebrities “write” a book they “write” that book with a co-author. But seldom do they give that co-author credit.

Not Roker. Roker make a point of saying that he wrote The Morning Show Murders with Dick Lochte and he also complimented this prolific writer. Way to go, Al.

Naturally, there was a clip.

Book trailers are, as I have written before, one of the most popular ways for an author to promote his or her book. And the trailer that introduces Roker’s book is quite funny. It’s on the Today Web site. Of course it’s one of the most professional. After all, Roker had the expertise of NBC behind him; anything less than first class would not be acceptable.

Below is an interview with Roker on YouTube in which praises other mystery writers.

Way to go, Al.

Tags: Al Roker
Posted in Uncategorized | 1,251 Comments »

Thankful for authors who give

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

By Oline H. Cogdill

As we enter the holiday season – starting with Thanksgiving – we also enter a time when non-profit organizations need our help more than ever.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the mystery community does its part whenever it can. At every Bouchercon, there is an auction for which many authors donate books, character names and more with the proceeds going to a local literacy group.

The trick for many in the mystery community is to find unusual ways to help non-profit groups. A couple of years ago, Mystery Scene donated $5 to the New Orleans Library Fund for every back issue sold.

Chris Grabenstein and Fred

Here’s what two authors are doing. We’d love to hear more stories from authors.

Chris Grabenstein, author of the Ceepak novels, says he tries to come up with ways to donate books and character names that will help raise money for charity.

For example, when his fourth Ceepak novel Hell Hole came out, Grabenstein “bought a bunch of books at my author discount, St. Martin’s donated a box and we auctioned off a couple of character names and raised $5,000 for the FDNY Burn Unit – since the book was dedicated to Engine 23.”

The author also held the novel’s launch party at the firehouse.

“Recently, we raised $2,000 for a tutoring program I volunteer at by donating several cases of books, throwing a party with a magician for kids in the tutoring program, and auctioning off a name in next year’s YA book.” Grabenstein added.

“And, for my sixth Ceepak novel, I needed a dog and cat so we ran an Internet contest to raise money for an animal rescue group. We raised $1,000!”

Elaine Viets during signing for Humane Society of Missouri

Two of Elaine Viets’ novels have revolved around pets so it was a natural fit for her to donate money to animal causes. For her 2006 novel Murder Unleashed: A Dead-End Job Mystery, Viets personally donated $1 to Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS) for every copy of the novel sold during its debut month. For her latest novel The Fashion Hound Murders: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper about puppy mills, Viets had a signing at the Humane Society of Missouri. A portion of her sales went to that group.

But like Grabenstein, Viets has supported other causes. For Fashion Hound, Viets recently was one of the main speakers during a book fair for St. Vincent Home in St. Louis.

Viets also will do this again. Well Read, a Fort Lauderdale bookstore, will donate $1 from each sale of The Fashion Hound Murders to Grateful Paws Dog and Cat Rescue. Grateful Paws, a no-kill all volunteer shelter in Fort Lauderdale.

Viets will match every dollar Well-Read raises.

Viets also has helped raise money for the Ryan Hummert Memorial to honor a young firefighter killed in Maplewood, Mo., where her Josie Marcus books are set.

I know that there are many other authors who also donate to the non-profit of their choice. Tell us what you do?

Posted in Chris Grabenstein, Elaine Viets, Uncategorized | 1,404 Comments »

Review: Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss by Kira Davis

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss
by Kyra Davis
Mira, June 2009, $13.95

Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss is the fourth entry in Kyra Davis’ series featuring Sophie Katz, burgeoning writer with a propensity for discovering murders—and for solving them. In this highly entertaining novel Sophie embarks upon a quest for the perfect—and perfectly affordable—house in San Francisco. Fortuitously, if not fortunately, her ex-husband, a realtor, shows her the house of her dreams, at a price she can actually afford.

If all of this seems too good to be true, it is after a fashion. Here’s the catch: In order to secure the house, Sophie must join the Specter Society, a bizarre club catering to the lunatic fringe who believe in spirits and gather regularly to commune with them. Masquerading as a believer is difficult, even though Sophie experiences otherworldly phenomena in her house. Mysterious footsteps and lights that turn on and off autonomously are but a few of the anomalies she encounters.

Murder, of course, insinuates itself. It remains for Sophie to sort out the worldly from the otherworldly, which she does after warding off unsuspected danger. Oh, and she has a sexy boyfriend as a sidekick, so the romantic component of this mystery really heats up as the hunt to find the killer escalates. Davis knows San Francisco and, with sardonic wit, portrays its idiosyncratic denizens with consummate skill.

Reviewed by Lynne Maxwell

Tags: Kyra Davis, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss, Lust, Lynne Maxwell, Sophie Katz
Posted in Reviews | 1,081 Comments »

Joseph Finder and David Ellis: It’s time

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

It’s no surprise to mystery readers that most authors write series. Readers seem to prefer them and they allow an author to delve into their characters’ personalities over a long period of time.

But not all authors go the series route. For some authors, finding that one muse they want to revisit time and time again doesn’t happen automatically. Plus, a good string of stand-alone best-sellers allows an author to keep writing.

But I find it interesting that at least two authors Joseph Finder and David Ellis – each with stand alone best-sellers – have launched their first series this year.

vanished Finder’s novels have shown that business espionage is as gripping, cut-throat and dangerous as political espionage. Finder’s novels have kept me up nights, with plots that compel me to keep reading.

A few months ago, Finder came out with Vanished, which introduced “private spy” Nick Heller. Trained in the Special Forces, Heller specializes in “digging up secrets that powerful people would rather keep hidden.” As usual with Finder’s work, Vanished kept me up late, unable to put down this powerful novel.

Edgar-winner David Ellis’s legal thrillers have focused more on his characters’ emotional lives than on the intracies of the law. But Ellis’ latest novel The Hidden Man introduces Jason Kolarich, an attorney with a tremendous backstory.

So why now? For each of these authors, it’s all in the timing and finding the right character.

Here’s what Ellis told me in an e-mail: “About half-way through “Hidden,” I realized that I had created a character with whom I wanted to spend more time than just one novel. Jason is a survivor. He is a talented attorney who was on the verge of superstardom in the legal community when he suffered a horrific personal tragedy that turned his life upside down, knocking his career off the rails and challenging his faith.

“Now he views the world differently. He feels like he has nothing left to lose. It liberates him to become an outlaw in the legal community. And it allows me, as his creator, to find any number of ways to place Jason in jeopardy, even let him crash and burn, but still bring him back next time.”

There’s no doubt that Joseph Finder and David Ellis have made an impact with readers with their many novels. The good news is both Finder and Ellis are just getting started.

Posted in Davis Ellis, Uncategorized | 480 Comments »

Review: The Benefactor by John Moran

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

The Benefactor
by John Moran
Five Star, June 2009, $25.95

Kay Daniels is mourning the loss of her husband from a car accident, but not too much. It was a loveless marriage. She’s moved on with her life, getting the business they built back on even keel. Then Nikolaus Seifer appears, claiming to have arranged the accident and demanding half her inheritance. It’s the perfect scam. Seifer targets wealthy, troubled couples or families, offs one person without anyone else’s knowledge. He then reveals the truth after time has passed, and offers his blackmail victims a choice: Pay up or be implicated. People pay, since they’re better off with half an inheritance than a future behind bars.

When Kate balks, she finds herself on a collision course with Seifer and his lover Johanna. She’s also in the crosshairs of a local cop named Frank Sinclair, who notices something suspicious about the accident that widowed Kay. While he thinks Kay is a suspect, he, too, is finding there’s more here than meets the eye.

The Benefactor reminded me quite a bit of Dial M for Murder as every time Seifer opened his mouth, I kept thinking of Ray Milland with that arrogant, condescending smirk on his face. Seifer is a deliciously smug villain and Moran’s thriller is a story Hitchcock would have approved of.

Posted in Jim Winter, John Moran, Reviews | 1,177 Comments »

Collision on PBS’ Masterpiece Contemporary

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

As much as I love PBS Mystery with its series on Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes and more , I am finding the Masterpiece Contemporary just as enthralling.

Take Collision, which will be shown in two parts—Nov. 15 and 22 at 9 p.m. eastern time. Check your local PBS affiliate.

The description of Collision may seem like a British version of the American movie Crash: A pileup on a highway entangles several lives. But Collision is nothing like Crash.

Collision is its own film with twists and turns that are original.

Kate Ashfield as Ann Stallwood and Douglas Henshall as DI John Tolin. PBS photo

Nearly 6 p.m. on a Friday, a group of strangers are involved in a huge auto accident when a car suddenly veers off the superhighway. The opening shows us who lives, who dies and who is in critical condition. But knowing this doesn’t detract from Collision’s impact as film pulls us into each of the very different individuals’ lives.

Smuggling, murder, racism and international conspiracy as well as love, futures and plans are a part of this pileup.

An ordinary day, a moment in time will change and end lives.

Detective Inspector John Tolin (Douglas Hershall, Primeval) is the lead detective in the six-car accident. His obsession with the case echoes back to a personal tragedy – his wife and daughter were killed by a drunk driver who left his other daughter in a wheelchair.

Adding to the tension, Tolin will work with Senior Investigating Officer Ann Stallwood (Kate Ashfield, Poirot), with whom he had an affair before his wife’s death.

Part of their investigation will focus on why one of the drivers disappeared from the scene and allegations that police misconduct lead to the crash.

Collision speeds along at a steady pace, as the viewers become invested in the individuals’ lives and what brought each of them to that highway at that time.

Collision also stars a few British actors who will be familiar to American audiences including Claire Rushbrook (Doctor Who), Dean Lennox Kelly (Cranford) and Lenora Crichlow (Being Human).

I hope that Collision is the closest any of you ever come to an auto accident. I know it’s the only auto accident that I want to be involved in.

Posted in PBS, Uncategorized | 2,680 Comments »

The state of the mystery

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Each of us are mystery fiction fans, right?

Otherwise, we wouldn’t be readers of Mystery Scene and frequent visitors to this blog site.

And we thank you for that.

But what is the state of the mystery novel? What do we really think of it?

Then come to a discussion of the state of the mystery on the Huffington Post.

Author Jason Pinter interviewed six of us about our opinions on crime fiction. The critics weighing in are myself, David J. Montgomery, Patrick Anderson, Sarah Weinman and magazine publishers Kate Stine of Mystery Scene and Jon Jordan of Crimespree.

Come read what we have to say and let us know what you think.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1,209 Comments »

Place of Execution on PBS, part two

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Those of you who watched last week’s first installment of Place of Execution on PBS, know how well this novel by Val McDermid translated to film.

Those who haven’t seen it yet – I promise not to give anything away.

Lee Ingleby, left, Philip Jackson. PBS photo

The second part of Place of Execution airs Sunday Nov. 8 at 9 p.m. Check your local PBS listings. (Note, the novel is A Place of Execution but the filmed version is Place of Execution…I don’t know why)

McDermid’s 2000 novel remains one of my favorites. This story of a young girl’s disappearance in a remote village and the ramifications it has is the perfect mesh of police procedural, English village mystery and social novel. When people ask me for a recommendation – regardless of age, sex or tastes – A Place of Execution is one of the first one I mention.

McDermid shows that an author doesn’t have to use profanity or violence to weave an enthralling story with plot twists and a shocking finale.

Here’s the plot of A Place of Execution:

In 1963, Alison Carter goes for an after-school walk with her dog and never returns. Alison lives with her mother and wealthy stepfather in the small English village of Scardale where the residents are hardworking, close-knit families. The investigation falls to young detective George Bennett whose handling of the case will eventually make his career. About 40 years later, journalist Catherine is writing a book about the crime but near her deadline George abruptly pulls out of the project.

In the film version, a few things are changed but nothing that harms the novel and, in fact, make it a better movie version. While the novel kept the 1963 scenes and the contemporary scenes separate, the filmed version overlaps the two. Instead of a print journalist, Catherine now makes documentaries, which, again, enhances this screen version.

George Bennett is played by Lee Ingleby and Catherine Heathcote is played by Juliet Stevenson (Truly Madly Deeply, The Politician’s Wife).

The filmed version of Place of Execution does justice to a terrific novel.

And if you miss it again, it is available on DVD. And buy the book, too.

Posted in PBS, Val McDermid | 2,295 Comments »

Ken Bruen on screen

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

As the say at the movies, coming to a theater near you.

Irish author Ken Bruen’s upcoming novel London Boulevard will be the latest mystery novel to make the transition to the screen.

Colin Farrell in London Boulevard

London Boulevard, which hits the bookstores in early December, just wrapped up filming with Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley and is expected to hit the movie theaters during 2010. It is being directed by William Monahan, the Oscar-winning writer for Martin Scorsese’s The Departed.

Farrell will play a South London criminal, fresh out of prison, who is trying to live the straight life. He gets a job as a handyman for a reclusive young actress. Naturally, his violent past will threaten his new life.

Ken Bruen has been a finalist for the Edgar and Anthony Awards, and has won a Macavity Award, a Barry Award, and two Shamus Awards for the Jack Taylor series. He has been an English teacher in Africa, Japan, Southeast Asia, and South America. He lives in Galway, Ireland.

If the movie is half as good as one of Bruen’s novels, moviegoers are in for a treat.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1,704 Comments »

Place of Execution on PBS

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Some novels stick in a reader’s psyche years after that first read.

Val McDermid

For me, British writer Val McDermid’s masterpiece A Place of Execution is one of those novels.

A Place of Execution is more than the story of the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl in 1963 and a reporter’s overview of this crime more than 40 years later.

In this novel, McDermid expertly blended the old-fashioned English village mystery with a contemporary story for a thoughtful look at crime, punishment and retribution.

In my initial review of this 2000 novel, I said “A Place of Execution is much more than a novel about one crime — the disappearance of a teen-ager. It is equally about the tragedy of a family, the violation of a village and the loss of innocence of an entire country. Flawlessly executed, A Place of Execution deserves its place as one of the best mysteries of this year.”

Greg Wise, Juliet Stevenson; PBS photo

Happily, that McDermid’s novel flawlessly translates to the screen. Place of Execution will air as part of PBS’ Masterpiece Contemporary series. It is scheduled to air in two parts – at 9 p.m. Sunday Nov. 1 and Sunday Nov. 8. Check your local listings.

For cinematic reasons, some liberties are taken with the novel – but not with the plot. Those who have read the novel will find the film a wonderful complement to the printed word. Those who have never read the book will be engrossed in the gripping mystery.

In 1963, Alison Carter goes for an after-school walk with her dog and never returns. Alison lives with her mother and wealthy stepfather (Greg Wise) in the small English village of Scardale of hardworking, close-knit families.

The investigation falls to young detective George Bennett (Lee Ingleby) whose handling of the case will eventually make his career.

Lee Ingleby

About 40 years later, journalist Catherine Heathcote (Juliet Stevenson, Truly Madly Deeply, The Politician’s Wife) is making a film about the crime and uncovers more evidence that causes George to abruptly pull out of the project.

In the novel, the 1963 disappearance and Catherine’s contemporary reporting are two separate novellas. Catherine is working on a true-crime manuscript about the crime and her story is only a fraction of the novel.

In the PBS movie, Catherine’s reporting and personal crisis are woven into flashbacks about the crime and how it was handled. This works perfectly for the filmed version, allowing Place of Execution to breathe as a film and enhance the story. (I don’t know why the novel A Place of Execution lost its “a” to become Place of Execution as a film.)

Place of Execution is a fine two-part series that does justice to an even finer novel.

Posted in PBS, Uncategorized, Val McDermid | 2,618 Comments »

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