Mystery & Crime Fiction Blog Carnival - September 2011

It is the first Monday of the month - time for another highly anticipated Blog Carnival.

Happy Labor Day to all you hard working folks, enjoy a day intended to draw attention to the working person and acknowledge your invaluable contributions. My heart goes out to all of the multitudes of unemployed, I hope you find work soon.   

Below is the line-up for our carnival.  Click on the title or author's name to go to that link.

Police Procedural / PI Book Review

Mysteries and My Musings reviewed the historical investigation novel The Beloved Dead by Tony Hays and shares "The enduring legend of Arthur is mixed with political intrigue and a serial killer for a suspenseful medieval tale."

Shelf Love reviewed The Gyrth Chalice Mystery by Margery Allingham and shares "features the rather Wimsey-esque sleuth Albert Campion with loads and loads of excitement."


How Mysterious! reviewed The Water's Edge by Karin Fossum.


Fair Dinkum Crime reviwed The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin and says "The winner of the Australian 2011 Ned Kelly Award for best crime fiction. Set in rural Australia after World War One in a world that even in remote Australia will never be the same."


It's a crime! (Or a mystery…) reviewed An Agent of Deceit by Chris Morgan and shares it "was recently longlisted for the CWA’s Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for 2011 and this first novel has been compared to the work of Le Carré."


How Mysterious! reviewed The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill


 Amateur Sleuth / Cozy book Review

Mysteries and My Musings reviewed Death Cloud by Andrew Lane and shares "I feel that Andrew Lane is creating a young Sherlock that will easily live up to the daunting legend of the established and loved adult Sherlock."

 Book of Secrets reviewed Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend.

Mysteries and My Musings reviewed The American Cafe by Sara Sue Hoklotubbe and shared "If you enjoy Tony Hillerman, Craig Johnson, or Margaret Coel I would highly recommend this book."


Booking Mama reviewed The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie as part of her cool down with AC challenge.

Thoughts in Progress reviewed Murder by Mocha by Cleo Coyle.

Beth Fish Reads reviewed English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier

Book of Secrets reviewed A Sheetcake Named Desire by Jacklyn Brady.  She shares "In addition to the interesting mystery and great characters, I really enjoyed the rich descriptions of the sights and flavors of New Orleans."

Mysteries in Paradise reviewed Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker.  She shares "This is the first in what is currently a series of two. Set in France in the town of St. Denis. It portrays a village style of policing. A very enjoyable read if you like cozies."

Thoughts in Progress reviewed The Cosy Knave by Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen.

An American Editor reviewed Fatal Liaison by Vicki Tyley and says "I call her the Australian P.D. James."



Thriller/Suspense Fiction Book Review

Mysteries and My Musings reviewed The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry and shares "this book contains all the essential elements including action and adventure, murder, mayhem, subterfuge, spy and counter-spy, secrecy, political intrigues." 


Booking Mama reviewed the historical thriller The Borgia Betrayal by Sara Poole.


Mysteries in Paradise reviewed Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves.  She shares "This is #4 in Ann Cleeves' Shetland Quartet and really the best of the lot. You do need to read all four in order though to get the best out of them."


Rundpinne reviewed Long Gone by Alafair Burke and says it "is a tantalizing and taught suspense thriller that will take readers on an exciting journey".


Booking Mama reviewed The Devil Colony by James Rollings (A sigma Force Novel) and shares "Rollins combines violence, suspense, superstition, history, and science in a very good action thriller. This is a large 474 page novel that moves quickly with plenty of shooting, explosions and volcanic action."


Reactions to Reading reviewed Until Thy Wrath Be Past by Asa Larsson and shares "Almost a fairytale for adults this is crime fiction at its haunting best."


Rundpinne reviewed Creep by Jennifer Hillier and says "In this psychological thriller, Hillier has made her first mark in the suspense genre an extraordinarily memorable one."


Thoughts in Progress reviewed Silent Enemy by Thomas W. Young.


Booking Mama reviewed The Sixes by Kate White.  She says "THE SIXES had a great mystery, intriguing characters, and lots of suspense; and it honestly kept me guessing until the very end."


Author Interview

Kings River Life interviews Avery Ames



Mysteries and My Musings interviewed Sara Sue Hoklotubbe



Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers out there who contributed to the carnival.


#####Let's make next month's Carnival even better. For more information on the specifics of the Carnival and how to submit your posts go here. #######   Submit your blog entry for next month's Carnival here: (http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_8796.html)
 Spread the word far and wide!!!
 Post a widget on your blog for this carnival here (http://blogcarnival.com/bc/widget_2_demo_8796.html)

>>>>Join the mailing list to receive a reminder email<<<<

to submit for the Blog Carnival

Join our mailing list

* indicates required

Email Address *

Review - The Broadway Murders

The "roaring twenties" were an era that, while brief, left an enduring image in our minds.  New York was the epitome of this madcap time with speakeasy bars, fashion, literary celebrities, corrupt cops, mobsters with panache and the glamor of Broadway.  Even the language was rife with hip lingo and snarky wit.  It was an exciting time and a whirlwind of changes in every aspect of life.  This week we indulge our imaginations and join this "wild and crazy" time in a book that features Dorothy Parker, one of the literary celebrities of the day as the sleuth.

Author:  Agata Stanford

Copyright:  June 2010 (Jenevacris Press) 320 pgs

Series:  1st in  Dorothy Parker Mysteries

Sensuality:  n/a

Mystery Sub-genre:  Historical Amateur Sleuth

Main Character:  Dorothy Parker - based on the American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist,  known for her wisecracks

Setting:  1920s, New York

Obtained Through:  Library Find

A well known Broadway producer is found dead with the appearance of having choked on a small tomato. Dorothy Parker remembers that Reginald Ignatius Pierce, RIP, is allergic to tomatoes and she is instantly suspicious.  Dorothy drags a willing Robert Benchley to the deceased's rooms above his theater to investigate.  They find that Reginald was a collector of Egyptian antiquities, and that they aren't the only ones sneaking in to look around.  Hidden behind velvet draperies, they watch while first an Oriental man and then an actress search the room. 

The authorities have not recognized Reginald's death as a murder, but they can't deny foul play when the lead actress in Reginald's play is found in Reginald's Egyptian sarcophagus.  Another death follows soon after.  Three murders and Dorothy, with the help of fellow members of the lunch club that became known as the Algonquin Round Table, doggedly follow clues.  Some of the members are the most recognized and celebrated reporters in NY and they start digging up plenty of information on suspects, but how it all fits together is elusive.  There is a missing Egyptian artifact from Reginald's collection that may have been stolen from an archeological dig that might explain Reginald's death but not the other two.  

This book is presented in a slightly different manner.  Sprinkled throughout are pictures of the NY landmarks that play a significant role in the story and pictures of members of the Algonquin Club.  I found this added to the illusion that the reader was entering Dorothy's world.  Additionally, the writing style affects the breezy language and popular slang to further transport you to that era when jazz artists and flappers coined modern terms.  It is a heady mix and an escapist pleasure.

Dorothy is presented with wit and sarcasm sprinkled with tremendous insight. The life she lived is believably recreated including the escapades of the Marx Brothers, the late nights of theater and dinners, even the famous speakeasy they drank at all serve as backdrop to the investigation.  I appreciated that Dorothy's reported affairs are not highlight in this story, rather she is a wounded soul who relies on her friends as her most cherished part of life. 

The supporting cast of Robert Benchley, Alexander Woollcott, Columnist Frank Pierce Adams, "The New Yorker" creator Harold Ross, and the Marx Bros. are all portrayed with humor and a nod to their historical reputations.  Dorothy's Boston Terrier named Woodrow Wilson is pure delight.

The mystery has its interesting twists and I did not see the underlying theme for the murders until it was revealed.  Although it seems the story contains a fair amount of mad-cap rollicking, I was surprised that there are no frivolous scenes, there was always a clue or a person that would be important later.

I enjoyed my trip to New York's roaring twenties era and will be returning for another dose, soon I hope.  Agata Stanford has captured the excitement of New York and the wild twenties with humor, a solid plot, never dull characters, mixed with large dashes of danger and adventure.

Before summer is gone I wanted to share this amazing recipe.

Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients

    1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
    1 egg
    1 (17.5 ounce) pouch sugar cookie mix
    2/3 cup raspberry baking chips

Directions
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

NOTE: the raspberry baking chips are available on Amazon if you can't locate them locally.  Otherwise you can add & beat in 2 teaspoons of raspberry extract to the egg/cream cheese mixture, then the cookie mix per the instructions... fold in some white chocolate chips.

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy with an electric mixer, then beat in the egg until thoroughly combined. Mix in the cookie mix, then stir in the raspberry chips. Drop the dough about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets with a tablespoon or small scoop. Lightly pat the cookies to flatten.
   
Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden, 9 to 12 minutes. Cool before serving.
From AllRecipes.com by Mis7up.

One Sentence Stories

One sentence stories, or one sentence flash fiction is to tell a story in just one sentence.  One sentence doesn't give room for character building or a three act plot structure.  There is no building up towards a climactic confrontation with a killer.  

It is immediate, a picture in time that gives our imagination enough to fill in the story.  Perhaps it builds on universal themes that we immediately identify with.

It is as simple or as complex and layered as you want.  It can have a title or not, be fact or fiction.  It gets your creative blood moving like any exercise.  But the real beauty is that anyone can do it.

Here are a few I did just playing around. Why don't you give it a try and post in the comments?  You just might find it addictive!


>>  It wasn't intentional but the tourist managed to start an international incident with one finger.

>>  Every person in the conference room stared at him in disbelief for suddenly having a backbone.


>>  The crisp letter in her trembling hands received her tears and began to wilt.

>>  Trust
Every person who passed the vacant desk, stared at the wallet laying there.


>>  Back in Time
The blond child was destined to become a murderous dictator, so the assassin from the future had no qualms pulling the trigger.


>>  Justice
Ten years and thousands of lives later the man who initiated a war with a massive attack was executed without trial.


>>  Road Rage
She admired her diminutive car hiding custom mechanisms to crash other vehicles and then got behind the wheel to find the guy who cut her off every evening.


>>  She took the single red rose, sprayed it with hairspray, and touched a flame to it while whispering "bastard."


>>  One hole in the ice with one cherry red mitten floating.



>>  The gun disappeared into an inner pocket of the ski jacket before anyone noticed the skier trailing blood down the slope.


Your Turn!

Review - The Beloved Dead

This week Ken reviews a historical mystery that takes place in King Arthur's Britannia.  The enduring legend of Arthur is mixed with political intrigue and a serial killer for a suspenseful medieval tale.

Author:  Tony Hays

Copyright:  2011; Tom Doherty Associates, LLC (A Forge Book); 395 pages

Series: # 3 of the Arthurian mystery series

Sensuality:  Violence

Mystery sub-genre: Historical Mystery / Investigation

Main Character:  Malgwyn Ap Cuneglas, a wise counselor to King Arthur

Setting:  Post-Roman Britain (Fifth Century)

Obtained book through:  Library Find

Arthur, in his second year as Rigotamos or high king, is establishing and expanding his power base and securing a better life for his people.  When an opportunity arises to consolidate his power and seal his position through an alliance with a powerful northern kingdom, Arthur decides to marry the Christian leader’s young daughter, Gwyneira. 

However, he is greatly saddened that he has to set aside his love for Guinevere.  Malgwyn is concerned about the wisdom of this action.  He is also concerned about another provocative act initiated by his king.  Arthur has decided to remove the head of Bran which is a symbol of protection to the local people residing near Londinium and an important icon to the Druids. Arthur’s rivals and the still-powerful Druids oppose his plans to unite the country and expand Christianity to the people.

Malgwyn is sent to bring the bride-to-be, her family, and entourage home in a journey filled with danger and discord.  During the journey and after their return, several ghastly murders of innocent young women that appear to be ritual sacrifices occur.  Disastrously, this includes Gwyneira shortly after the wedding ceremony.  Suspicious actions and clues left by several of the story’s characters provide the identities for the suspect list. Unfortunately, both Guiinevere and Malgwyn’s own companion, Ygerne, are on this list.

What is the motive?  Has Arthur displeased the Pagan gods?  Have his rivals decided to completely discredit him and seek his overthrow? Is it jealousy?  Malgwyn must quickly solve the murders before loved ones are put to death, a major alliance broken, and havoc overtakes the kingdom. He must expose the murderer while dealing with Pagan superstitions, cunning rivalry, and political dissent.  Fully utilizing his wily and crafty investigative skills, Malgwyn, assisted by a few reluctant allies, devises a plan to catch the killer.  

The legend of King Arthur, brimming with facts, fantasies, myths, and fiction, provides the basis for many stories.  Tony Hays has given us a fascinating and enjoyable tale encompassing these elements.  It is so well written that I believed “I was there” and transported back in time to Arthur’s Britain.  The influences of things Roman, Pagan, Christian, the customs, slavery, superstitions, etc. were blended and woven into the story.  

The characters are believable, colorful, and intriguing. The actions and clues depicted by the suspects and rivals provide readers with just enough information to keep us riveted.

Every one of us should have a Malgwyn in our lives.  He’s a formidable warrior and trustworthy advisor who possesses wisdom, common sense, and acute mental prowess. He understands human nature and the motives behind people’s actions (except for a few humorous situations involving maledom’s typical lack of understanding the wiles and minds of women folk).  He’s also a shrewd investigator (I could have really utilized his skills and abilities when I was a private investigator) with a knack for solving crimes.  

Working his way through twisting plots and subplots and an array of suspects, the cunning Malgwyn outmaneuvers the bad guys.  It takes the trickiness of the final trap with a few of its “in the nick of time” moments to identify and catch the real killer so that we are brought to an exciting and most satisfying conclusion.  In the end, broken hearts are mended, order and power are secured, and Arthur’s kingdom lives on.


This book is a must read for mystery/murder lovers who enjoy historical settings!  Tony Hays has written his way onto my top authors list!
 

 

LitPunch - A Great Idea

It is sad to say, but it seems that literary events such as author talks or book signings don't typically draw huge crowds.  Our culture doesn't make authors famous very often.  The Anne Rice or Tom Clancy phenomenon is rare.  BookTV does not command a huge viewership compared to a Sitcom or Desparate Housewives guilty pleasures.

When I stumbled across LitPunch I thought it was a simple yet brilliant idea to encourage more participation in literary events.  Minneapolis/St. Paul merchants banded together with a handful of independent publishers and developed a unique reward program called the Literary Punch Card - or LitPunch (http://www.litpunch.com/).  The card gets punched when you attend a literary event at participating merchants and after twelve punches you get fifteen dollars credit at any of the merchants in the program.  The hope is that attendance numbers will jump at author events in the Twin Cities and possibly the idea will spread to other cities.

I hope this does spread.  Anything that brings more attention to literature, the suffering publishing industry, and hardworking authors is a fantastic idea.  Know anybody who can help spread this idea to more communities?  Pass this along.

Now for a great summer time treat, Peach Cobbler.

 

Ingredients:

For the peaches:

5-6 cups sliced fresh peaches (if you use canned peaches, do not make the syrup)

1/8 tsp Chinese 5-spice

1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

1 cup water

1 cups sugar

For the batter:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (real butter! Do NOT use margarine!)

1 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (or 1 1/2 cup AP flour, plus 2 1/2 tsp baking powder and 3/4 tsp salt - NOTE: this does not work as well...get some self-rising flour!)

1 1/2 cups milk