Cartoon of the Day: The New Guy

Love this! Thanks to Rhymes with Orange.

Georges Simenon's Maigret on BritBox

BritBox releases the first two of four Simenon episodes today with Rowan Atkinson as Maigret. Rowan Atkinson is, of course, known for his comedic character Mr Bean. In this production, Rowan plays the moody French detective and does a good job. As Jules Maigret, Atkinson’s principal asset is stillness. Playing the iconic 1950s French detective in ITV’s adaptation of the best-selling crime novels by Georges Simenon, the actor succeeds in conveying as many emotions when he is silent as lesser performers manage in an entire speech.

BritBox profiled comedic actor Rowan Atkinson in February before airing the exclusive U.S. premiere of his first dramatic role in the detective drama Maigret.

The subscription streaming service from BBC Worldwide and ITV looks back at some of Atkinson’s most popular roles. The service already streams “Blackadder,” and in February adds “Not the Nine O’Clock News” and “Canned Laughter.”

Atkinson gets serious today in “Maigret,” a new series based on author Georges Simenon’s iconic, pipe-smoking policeman who has become one of this century’s classic fictional sleuths.

From The Independent - Rowan Atkinson as Maigret:
The actor, who has also starred in such globally popular comedies as Johnny English and Blackadder, says: “The thing I thought I could do was Maigret’s thoughtfulness. It’s his ruminative and quite compassionate side, I suppose, which is interesting. Because he is definitely not an egotist, he is not a performer, he is not an eccentric, he is not a weirdo.

Read a great article about Maigret's Paris and Simenon at CrimeFictionLover
https://crimefictionlover.com/2017/02/maigrets-paris/

Alison Gaylin Guest Post

Alison Gaylin has been nominated for the Edgar three times. She has won the Shamus and RT Reviewers Choice Awards for her books, and has been nominated for the ITW Thriller, Anthony, and Strand Book Awards. IF I DIE TONIGHT (out March, 2018 from William Morrow), her tenth book,  highlights all of Alison Gaylin’s strengths—dynamic characters, family drama, and absorbing plot twists. Gaylin leaves the reader in suspense, tapping into the fears of a small-town community and a parent’s worst nightmares. When a teenage boy is run over during a carjacking involving a former 80’s pop star, suspicion falls on another teen from the neighborhood. Perpetuated by a social media blitzkrieg, roles of hero and villain solidify, but the seemingly open-and-shut police case turns out to be anything but simple. 

Alison Gaylin:

I’m about to type the scariest sentence I’ve ever typed in my life. Ready? Here goes…

My daughter has her driver’s license.

Somehow, she went from tentatively sampling her first spoonful of mashed banana to tooling around town in our Subaru in about ten-seconds flat, and I find that terrifying. I could go on here about the relentlessness of time, about how the speed with which our children grow up illustrates the brevity of life like nothing else. I could quote from Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time” or maybe Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle” with tears in my eyes, recalling the days – not so long ago – when my little girl held my hand to cross the street.

But none of that quite approaches the mixture of feelings that barraged me after hearing, “Mom, I passed the driver’s test!” Yes, there was that overwhelming sense of nostalgia. But there was something else. Something harder to put a name to.

Thinking about it now, I find myself remembering instead the first time my daughter took the bus to school. We kindergarten parents had all gone with our kids on a trial run – a five-minute, very bumpy ride in the big yellow bus, the main purpose of which was to assure us that nothing had changed since our own kindergarten days – which, in my case, hadn’t been such a great idea. On that trial ride, I remembered how nervous I had been on my first ride to kindergarten, how huge the bus had seemed, how everyone on it had been a stranger, how loud they all were, and how the whole experience had made me want to cry. Waiting with my daughter for the real bus ride, I recalled the sense of dread I’d had at her age, and wished I could go through those doors with her again, if only to protect her from feeling it too. But as ever, my daughter proved to be her own person.

When the big yellow bus showed up, she gave me a quick kiss and bounded up the stairs, clearly ready to tackle this new adventure. What I remember most about that day was the way she’d waved to me from the window – something I know for sure I hadn’t done on my first school bus ride. And it said so much. Here was my five-year-old daughter, riding off to school for the very first time on a noisy bus with a bunch of strangers, the day and year and life ahead of her a story yet to be written. But instead of cowering in the back of the bus like I undoubtedly did, she was smiling, waving at me, yelling, “Bye, Mommy!” Taking the time to let me know there was no need to worry. She’d be fine without me. And she was. She is.

She’ll be fine without me, is a thought I’ve been having a lot these days. Like most other aspects of raising a teenager, the thought is reassuring and melancholy and happy and sad and hopeful and, yes, absolutely, utterly terrifying. Because as proud as I am of the strong, smart, outspoken and kind young woman my husband and I have raised, I still don’t want to let go of that little girl’s hand.

The other day, we got a call from her. It was a Saturday afternoon, and she’d driven to her boyfriend’s house for a brief visit and when I picked up the phone, I was met with a flood of apologies and complaints about the poor signage on his street and panicked assurances that it will never, ever happen again.

Her first parking ticket.

“Mom,” she said. “Mom, what do I do?”

I sighed. She still needs me sometimes. The thought didn’t fill me with happiness. But it didn’t make me sad, either.

Cartoon of the Day: Editor

Call for Nominations: Anthony Awards

Read anything good last year? Then get ready to nominate! Nominating Forms for the Bouchercon Anthony Awards went out this past weekend.

If you attended Bouchercon 2017 in Toronto and/or are registered for Bouchercon 2018 in St. Petersburg, you are eligible to nominate.

Nominations will be accepted through April 30, 2018.

If you registered for Bouchercon 2018 in the last few days, you might not have yet received a nomination form. Don’t panic. You’ll receive it soon. Likewise, if you register between now and the end of April, you will receive a nomination form.

The email with the form comes via SurveyMonkey. If it’s not in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folder. If you still can’t find it, please email anthonys@bouchercon2018.com.

Like everything for Bouchercon, the Anthony Awards are run by a team of dedicated volunteers. We couldn’t do this without them, and we’re grateful to them!

Categories for the 2018 Anthony Awards are:

Best Novel
Mystery/Crime Fiction novel published in 2017 in any format

Best First Novel
Mystery/Crime Fiction novel published in 2017 in any format by an author who has not previously published a fiction novel

Best Paperback Original
Mystery/Crime Fiction novel published for the first time in 2017 in paperback

Best Short Story
Mystery/Crime Fiction short story published in any format in 2017

Best Critical/Non-fiction Book
Mystery/Crime Fiction-related nonfiction book published in any format in 2017

Best Anthology
Best collection of mystery/crime fiction short stories published in 2017 in any format

Best Online Content
Website/Blog focused on mystery/crime fiction

And a new award close to my heart:

Bill Crider Award for Best Novel in a (Continuing) Series
Mystery/Crime Fiction novel published in 2017 that is part of a series having at least 3 published books (the book published in 2017 can be one of the three)

You can find more info on the Anthony Awards (including this year's categories and the eligibility requirements for each) here: https://www.bouchercon2018.com/anthony-awards/

 

Cartoon of the Day: Reading

Hat Tip: Kevin Tipple!

Call for Articles: Gardening Mysteries

CALL FOR ARTICLES: Gardening Mysteries

The next issue of Mystery Readers Journal (Volume 34:1) will focus on Gardening Mysteries. Looking for reviews, articles, and Author! Author! essays. Reviews: 50-250 words; Articles: 250-1000 words; Author! Author! essays: 1000-2500 words. Author essays are first person, about yourself, your books, and the 'Gardening/Garden' connection. Think of it as chatting with friends and other writers in the bar or cafe about your work and your Gardening connection. Add title and 2-3 sentence bio/tagline. Reviews and articles can reference older books. 

Remember: Gardening includes plant-based poisons, as well as gardens..

Deadline: April 1.

Send to: Janet Rudolph, Editor. janet @ mysteryreaders.org. Please forward this request to anyone you think should be included.

SUBSCRIBE TO MYSTERY READERS JOURNAL: 2018 (Gardening Mysteries: The Far East; Spooks & Spies: The American South)

Many back issues of Mystery Readers Journal are available as single copies in hardcopy or PDF.

Call for Articles for 2018 (Volume 34): Gardening Mysteries: The Far East; Spooks & Spies: The American South. Have titles, articles or suggestions for these upcoming issues? Send a note to: janet @ mysteryreaders.org

Want to write an Author! Author! essay?  

email Janet Rudolph  janet @ mysteryreaders.org

Emma Chambers: R.I.P.

Actress Emma Chambers, star of Notting Hill and The Vicar of Dibley, has died, at age 53 of natural causes. 

Chambers was widely known for her portrayal of Alice Tinker in BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley between 1994 and 2007. In 1999, Chambers reached international audiences with her role as Honey Thacker in the romantic comedy Notting Hill, starring alongside Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.

Cartoon of the Day: PBS for Cats

Happy Caturday!

KILLER COOKBOOKS

Today on The Rap Sheet there was a mention of a new cookbook: Cooking with Columbo: Suppers with the Shambling Sleuth by Jenny Hammerton. Of course I ordered it, and I can't wait to read it! I have an extensive collection of tie-in mystery cookbooks, focusing mainly on mystery and literary cookbooks, but also art and music, tv shows, movies, and the like. I posted the following article about Killer Cookbooks in 2010, so it's time for a repost. I will definitely review Cooking with Columbo when I receive it, but in the meantime I thought my readers might enjoy this updated post.

I have a passion for collecting ‘things’-- books, to be sure, patriotic Americana embroideries, rugs, American folk art, and the occasional cat and dog. I love flea markets and garage sales, and the occasional dumpster. Don’t leave something by the road, because I’m bound to find it. Besides the 18,000 mysteries I have collected that are stored both here and in Bodega Bay…yes, that Bodega Bay-- no birds in the belfry, as far as I know, but not sure about the garage where many of my books are stored-- I have a passion for food and the written word.

Mystery Readers Journal has had six issues devoted to Culinary Crime. The last two issues on the subject were divided into courses. Each contributing author who wrote an Author! Author! essay, also included a recipe.

Over the years of moderating my weekly mystery book group, I have assigned five 10-week sessions on food mysteries (culinary crime). In two of the sessions I led, I prepared the ‘suspect’ food in the book for our dining pleasure…sans poison, of course. This was over 20 years ago, and it was quite unique for its time. I also set up a Lord Peter Wimsey dinner at a local restaurant where everything was prepared from the recipes in the Lord Peter Wimsey Cookbook. Harriet Vane appeared half way through the dinner! Very exciting! I was able to arrange this since I write and produce mystery events. My company’s name? Murder on the Menu®! I also set up a Nero Wolfe Dinner. Everyone came in costume, and I wore Yellow Silk Pajamas. Perhaps my love of orchids came from the Nero Wolfe books? But that’s ‘another’ collection.

And this leads me to one of my favorite collections: Literary Cookbooks, books that tie in with famous mysteries, writers, detectives, TV shows, art, and movies.

I've been collecting Themed Cookbooks for years. For purposes of this post, I’m confining the list to my mystery cookbooks. This list of titles is in no particular order and certainly not definitive. I have over 150 mystery themed cookbooks. My complete Tie-In Cookbook Collection is over 700 and extends to cookbooks such as Linda Wolfe's The Literary Gourmet which I've bought at least three times -- it's always so intriguing at the used bookstores that I forget I already have multiple copies, The George Bernard Shaw Vegetarian Cookbook, The Pooh Cookbook, Miss Piggy's Cookbook, Dining with Proust, Blondie's Cookbook, The Cross Creek Cookery, The Rock & Roll Cookbook, and many, many more.

Mystery Cookbooks: A Sampling

The Lord Peter Wimsey Cookbook by Elizabeth Bond Ryan & William J. Eakins (Ticknor & Fields,1981). This is a classic and a must-have for any fan of Dorothy L. Sayers.

Cooking with Malice Domestic, edited by Jean McMillen & Ron McMillen (Mystery Bookshop Bethesda, 1991). I bought this book at Malice the year it came out, and it's filled with great recipes by authors and fans of the malice domestic subgenre. I attended the first Malice Domestic conference, and this year I received the Poirot Award. I was very honored.

Sneaky Pie's Cookbook for Mystery Lovers by Sneaky Pie Brown co-written by Rita Mae Brown (Bantam, 1999). I envy Rita Mae Brown having a cat who not only cooks but also writes about it! My cats are much more stereotypical and depend on me to prepare and serve their food.

The Murder She Wrote Cookbook, edited by Tom Culver and Nancy Goodman Iland (Chicago Review Press, 1996). This is a  compilation of recipes from the cast and crew.

The Cop Cookbook: Arresting Recipes from the World's Favorite Cops, Good Guys and Private Eyes, by Greta Garner-Hewitt, Ken Beck and Jim Clark, with foreword by Robert Stack (Rutledge Hill Press, 1977). TV, movie and real cops contribute to this cookbook with great archival photos of CHiPS, various Femmes Fatales and more. Take a ride down memory lane.

Cooking to Kill: The Poison Cook-book, concocted by Prof. Ebenezer Murgatroyd with Comic Drawings by Herb Roth (Peter Pauper Press 1951). A cookbook to "end" all cooks. Very funny humorous collection of deadly recipes with great illustrations.

The Nero Wolfe Cookbook by Rex Stout and the Editors of Viking Press (Viking 1973). This is another of my favorites. Any collection would be incomplete without recipes prepared by Fritz Brenner, Wolfe's world-class personal chef. Too Many Cooks is my favorite of the food Nero Wolfe mysteries, and this cookbook contains several recipes from that novel. The photographs in this cookbook alone are worth the price. There are 44 museum-quality images of New York in the '30s, '40s, and '50s -- very art deco.

The Kitchen Book by Nicolas Freeling (David Godine, 1970) and The Cookbook by Nicolas Freeling (David Godin, 1972). Wonderful cookbooks filled with great recipes encapsulated within cooking text. If you are a fan of Freeling as I am, you'll want to have these two books in your collection to read on a cold winter's day.

The Cat Who Cookbook by Julie Murphy & Sally Abney Stempinski with a special note from the late Lilian Jackson Braun (Berkeley Prime Crime, 2000). Recipes from the Cat Who series. Koko and Yum Yum are not the cooks. Perhaps Qwilleran will become inspired. Includes a special section on feline fare.

Food To Die For by Patricia Cornwell and Marlene Brown (G.P. Putnam, 2001). Secrets from Kay Scarpetta's Kitchen. We know that Kay loves to cook and this clever cookbook with glossy color illustrations capitalizes on just that.

Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes, illustrated by Quentin Blake (Puffin Books, 1994). Unfortunately no Lamb Recipe. Although a kid's cookbook, I had to include this as Roald Dahl is a master storyteller. Recipes from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and more.

Dishes to Die For... A Compendium of Culinary Concoctions Collected from Canadian Crime Writers (Crime Writers of Canada, 1996). Novel format with suspect statements, backgrounds and previous record.

The Nancy Drew Cookbook: Clues to Good Cooking by Carolyn Keene (Grosset & Dunlap, 1973). Reads like Nancy Drew. How can you become a really good cook? "It's no mystery, " Nancy Drew reveals. "You must do what fine cooks have always done -- add your own special touch."

Cauldron Cookery: An Authentic Guide for Coven Connoisseurs by Marcello Truzzi, illustrated by Victoria Chess (Meredith Press, 1969). Must be initiated into a coven in order to procure ingredients such as eye of newt.

Murder on the Menu: Food and Drink in the English Mystery Novel by Jeanine Larmoth, with recipes by Charlotte Turgeon (Scribner's, 1972). This is a true classic and one to snap up when you find it at a garage sale, used bookstore or online. Includes a wonderful analysis of the genre, citing authors such as Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie and more, with 160 recipes ranging from potted shrimp to gooseberry fool.

Desserticide, aka Desserts Worth Dying For, edited by Claire Carmichael, Paulette Mouchet and Mary Jerrill (Sisters in Crime, Los Angeles Chapter, 1995). Who doesn't like a dessert cookbook? And Sisters in Crime Los Angeles put together a mouthwatering collection of recipes from Swift Dispatch Cake to Layer Me in the Grave Cookies to In for the Kill Tiramisu. Unfortunately individual recipes are not attributed. Fun, interwoven writings about oleander and other deadly ways to die.

The Lucretia Borgia Cookbook: Favorite Recipes of Infamous People by Dorothy and Martin Blinder (Price/Sloan/Stern, 1971). A small volume originally priced at $1.95. Nothing particularly new to shed on Lucretia Borgia but it found its way into my collection based on title.

A Taste of Murder: Diabolically Delicious Recipes from Contemporary Mystery Writers by Jo Grossman and Robert Weibezahl (Dell, 1999) including Lillian Jackson Braun, Harlan Coben, Sue Grafton, Tony Hillerman and dozens more. Great recipes and mystery writer anecdotes. This is a great cookbook for any and every mystery reader. Just about every contemporary mystery writer at the time it was published contributed to this cookbook and its successor, A Second Helping of Murder: More Diabolically Delicious Recipes from Contemporary Mystery Writers. I have a ‘Flourless Chocolate Cake to Die For” recipe in this 2nd volume.

Madame Maigret's Recipes presented by Robert J. Courtine with a Letter-Preface by Georges Simenon (Harcourt Brace Jovanich, 1974). As we all know, Madame Maigret was an excellent cook and Simenon's Inspector Maigret enjoyed her cooking for many years. This is a classical French cookbook. Delicious.

Sherlock Holmes Cookbook by Sean Wright and John Farrell (Bramell House, 1976). One of several Sherlock Holmes cookbooks with typical English fare.

Cooking with the Bad Guys: Recipes from the World's Most Notorious Kitchens by Don Abel (Overlook Press, 1995). Where else would you find recipes fit for Al Capone, Marie Antoinette, Jack the Ripper and Rasputin?

Plots & Pans: Recipes and Antidotes from The Mystery Writers of America, edited by Nancy & Jean Francis Webb, illustrated by Gahan Wilson, introduction by Isaac Asimov (Wynwood Press: Mystery Writers of America, 1989). One of my all-time favorites with terrific illustrations by Gahan Wilson. Subtitled: Hundreds of Delicious recipes from the Most Imaginative Writers in America -- Spiced with their Wit, Leavened with their Malice, and Served with their Own Distinctive Style. Oh yes!

Où Est Le Garlic: French Cooking in 50 Lessons by Len Deighton (Harper & Row, 1965). Len Deighton, like Nicholas Freeling, was a chef and this book shows it. Wonderful "cookstrips" (hand-drawn illustrations) bring the recipes to life.

Writers' Favorite Recipes compiled by Gillian Vincent and the National Book League of Great Britain (St. Martin's: 1979). Recipes by Len Deighton, Edward Gorey, Graham Greene and others. Breezy anecdotes as well as recipes.

The Gun Club Cookbook by Charles Browne (Scribner's, 1930). Not a mystery cookbook, really, but wonderful illustrations and a great period piece.

The Sopranos Family Cookbook as compiled by Artie Bucco by Allen Rucker (Warner Books,  2002). Yes, “family” recipes..

Brunetti’s Cookbook: Recipes by Roberta Pianaro with Culinary Stories by Donna Leon (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2010), with anecdotes, recipes and beautifully drawn illustrations! There are also excerpts from the novels and original essays by Donna Leon on food and life in Venice, the perfect addition to this wonderful cookbook. I reviewed this cookbook on both DyingforChocolate.com and Mystery Fanfare.

Recipe for Murder: Frightfully Good Food Inspired by Fiction by Esterelle Pavany, Illustrations by Jean-Francois Martin. One of my most recent acquisitions, and a must for Mystery Cookbook Collectors. I still need to review this cookbook. Hannibal’s Express Sweetbreads should give you an idea about the type of recipes! Illustrations are marvelous.

Reading these cookbooks can be as intriguing as reading a mystery.

 

Cartoon of the Day: Book Talk

From the Fabulous Tom Gauld

Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalists: Mystery/Thriller

The Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalists was announced. The winners of the LA Times Book Prizes will be announced in a ceremony at USC's Bovard Auditorium on April 20. The ceremony takes place the day before the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books kicks off on the USC campus.  For the complete list in All Categories, go Here.  Congratulations to all.

MYSTERY/THRILLER

Michael Connelly, The Late Show

Paul LaFarge, The Night Ocean

Attica Locke, Bluebird, Bluebird

Joyce Carol Oates, A Book of American Martyrs

Ivy Pochoda, Wonder Valley

Cartoon of the Day: Punctuation

CRIME SEEN: What to Watch Where? by Kate Derie

If you're like me you're overwhelmed with choices of Mystery TV series to watch but you're never sure quite where, what, or how to watch. Kate Derie, associate editor of Mystery Readers Journal, has a column in each issue called Crime Seen. In the latest issue (Mystery Readers Journal: Big City Cops II), she addressed the multiple platforms and shows for streaming video. Reprinted here is her column: Crime Seen: What to Watch Where? 

KATE DERIE:
CRIME SEEN: WHAT TO WATCH WHERE?

Decisions, decisions… Which streaming video services have the most for mystery fans? As in so many existential questions, the answer is, “It depends.” If all you want is to binge on Poirot and Marple, you can get them almost anywhere. But the original Miss Marple with Joan Hickson (beautifully remastered in high definition) is only on Britbox. So here’s a guide on where to find your favorite series. To save space, I have listed only shows that have more than two seasons or twenty episodes. For additional information, see my chart at https://tinyurl.com/myst-vid-sheet.

Acorn.tv ($5/mo.) specializes in British mysteries, some of which have never been broadcast in the US. They include 19-2, Agatha Christie’s Marple, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Brokenwood Mysteries, The Broker’s Man, Foyle’s War, George Gently, Hamish MacBeth, Lord & Master (Dutch), McCallum, Midsomer Murders, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Mr. and Mrs. Murder, Murder in Suburbia, Murdoch Mysteries, Rebus, Republic of Doyle, Trial & Retribution, Vera.

Amazon Prime offers free streaming video to those who already pay a $99 yearly fee for unlimited shipping. They produce several original series such as Bosch, and have a franchise on recent PBS series, along with some “golden oldies.” Boardwalk Empire, Bosch, Endeavour, The Good Wife, Grantchester, Grimm, Inspector Lewis, Mike Hammer, Monk, Peter Gunn, Psych, Roba (Finnish), Route 66, The Sopranos, Whitechapel, The Wire, Yancy Derringer.

Britbox.com ($7/mo.) is just what it says on the tin—all British, all the time, including some fondly remembered classic series. Agatha Christie’s Marple, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Blue Murder, Cadfael, Cracker, Dalziell & Pascoe, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Inspector Morse, Jonathan Creek, Ka-vanagh QC, The Last Detective, Miss Marple (Joan Hickson), Prime Suspect, Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Scott & Bailey, Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett), A Touch of Frost, Vera, Waking the Dead, Wycliffe.

Hulu.com ($8–12/mo.) leads the pack in sheer quantity of mostly US series. Like Amazon, they show several vintage shows that may or may not be as good as you remember. Adam-12, Agatha Christie’s Marple, Beck (Swedish), Blue Bloods, The Bridge (Danish/Swedish), City Homicide, Cold Squad, CSI, DCI Banks, Dexter, Dragnet 1967, Elementary, Flashpoint, I Spy, Ironside, Kojak, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Miami Vice, Murdoch Mysteries, New Tricks, Numbers, Prime Suspect, Rebus, Remington Steele, Republic of Doyle, Rizzoli & Isles, The Saint, Saving Grace, Scott & Bailey, The Shield, Silk Stalkings, Simon & Simon, Southland, Spiral (French), Taggart, Vera, Wallander (Swedish). 

MHz Choice ($8/mo.) is the place for international crime. They have several dozen shows from Scandinavia, Germany, France, Italy and other European countries. All have easy-to-read English subtitles. Most of them are one “season”, which in some cases is really a single mini-series. For longer runs, look at Baantjer Mysteries (Dutch), Beck (Swedish), Maigret (French, not the PBS series), and Tatort (German).

Netflix ($8–14/mo.), like Amazon, has a variety of recent prime-time series plus original productions such as Longmire. Their lineup currently includes Blue Bloods, Broadchurch, Criminal Minds, Death in Paradise, Dexter, Dicte (Danish), Doctor Blake Mysteries, Father Brown, Hawaii Five-0, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Longmire, Luther, Midsomer Murders, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, NCIS, Person of Interest, Republic of Doyle, Ripper Street, Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch), Shetland, The Sniffer (Ukrainian), Wallander (Kenneth Branagh), White Collar.

These services all have free trials of 7–30 days, so you can try them out for yourself. In sum: If you like British shows, try Acorn for current series, Britbox for older series. (Acorn is also the best value for money.) For a variety of current US series, plus original productions, plus movies, both Netflix and Amazon have great lineups. Hulu has the largest number of series, although not many of them are current. Hulu and Amazon both have several vintage (pre-1980) series, but be warned: the oldies can look pretty bad on a large HD screen. 

So which channels do I personally get? All of them, of course. Any one of them is less than the price of a single movie ticket each month, and provides a great deal more entertainment. The only catch is that we have to have a list next to the remote to tell us where we are watching each series!

Don't forget to check out this Chart of Shows and Where They Appear:
https://tinyurl.com/myst-vid-sheet

Subscribe to Mystery Readers Journal
 

Cartoon of the Day: Cat Olympics

I know my cats would excel in all these events!

Thx, Jayna Monroe, for sharing!

PRESIDENTIAL CRIME FICTION: Presidents Day

Today is Presidents Day. I usually post my Presidential Crime Fiction list with "Hail to the Chief!" in the subject line... can't do that again this year, but I don't want to slight some of the wonderful presidents this country has had. The following updated list featuring the U.S. President in mysteries, thrillers, and crime fiction is so relevant right now. The list is divided into categories, but I added more titles at the end under 'other' and a separate list of Abraham Lincoln Mysteries. Of course, there are many overlaps, so scroll through them all. This is not a definitive list, and I welcome any additions. Post your favorites in the comments section.

Political Election and Thrillers
Rubicon by Lawrence Alexander
Saving Faith by David Baldacci
Political Suicide and Touched by the Dead by Robert Barnard
Capitol Conspiracy by William Bernhardt
Collateral Damage by Michael Bowen
Three Shirt Deal by Stephen J. Cannell
Executive Orders by Tom Clancy
Impaired Judgement by David Compton
Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon
Term Limits; Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn
The Scandal Plan by Bill Folman
The Power Broker by Stephen W. Frey
Spook Country by William Gibson
Fast Track, Sleeping Dogs by Ed Gorman
The Fourth Perimeter by Tim Green
The People's Choice by Jeff Greenfield
Hazardous Duty by W.E.B. Griffin
The Pelican Brief by John Grisham
The Second Revolution by Gary Hansen
The President's Daughter and The White House Connection by Jack Higgins
The Enemy Within  by Noel Hynd
First Daughter by Eric Lustbader
Drone Threat by Mike Maden
Executive Privilege by Philip Margolin
Presidents' Day by Seth Margolis
The Race, Protect and Defend, Balance of Power by Richard North Patterson
Politics Noir: Gary Phillips, Editor
Missing Member by Jo-Ann Power
Dark Horse by Ralph Reed
Dead Heat, The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg
Dead Watch by John Sandford
State of the Union by Brad Thor
Capital Crimes by Stuart Woods

Assassination Attempts
American Quartet by Warren Adler
Shall We Tell the President? by Jeffrey Archer
Sherlock Holmes in Dallas by Edmund Aubrey
The 14th Colony by Steve Berry
The President is Missing by Bill Clinton/James Patterson (coming June 4, 2018)
Primary Target by Max Allan Collins
Campaign Train (Murder Rides the Campaign Train) by The Gordons
Glass Tiger by Joe Gores
The President's Assassin by Brian Haig
Potus by Greg Holden
Marine One by James W. Huston
Murder at Monticello by Jane Langton
The Surrogate Assassin by Christopher Leppek
Gideon's March by J.J. Marric
The Kidnapping of the President by Charles Templeton
Pursuit by James Stewart Thayer
Primary Target by Marilyn Wallace
Watchdogs by John Weisman

Kidnappings
We are Holding the President Hostage by Warren Adler
The Camel Club, First Family by David Baldacci
Line of Succession by Brian Garfield
Madam President by Anne Holt
Oath of Office by Steven J. Kirsch
Presidential Deal by Les Standiford
The Kidnapping of the President by Charles Templeton
The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor

Presidential Disappearances
Missing! by Michael Avallone
Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante by Susan Elia MacNeal
The President's Plan is Missing by Robert J. Serling
The President Vanishes by Rex Stout

Fixing the Election
The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon
The 13th Directorate by Barry Chubin
Atropos by William DeAndrea
The Red President by Martin Gross
The Ceiling of Hell by Warren Murphy
The Trojan Hearse by Richard S. Prather
 President Fu Manch by Sax Rohmer
The Big Fix by Roger L. Simon

Presidential Crisis
Seven Days in May by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II
Vanished by Fletcher Knebel
A Fine and Dangerous Season by Keith Raffel

The President as Detective
Speak Softly by Lawrence Alexander
Lincoln for the Defense by Warren Bull
Mr President, Private Eye, edited by Martin Greenberg & Francis M. Nevins
Bully by Mark Schorr 

The JFK Plot
Too many to list, but...
Mongoose, RIP by William F. Buckley
Executive Action by Mark Lane, Donald Freed and Stephen Jaffe
The Tears of Autumn by Charles McCarry

Presidential Families
Loving Eleanor by Susan Wittig Albert
Deadly Aims by Ron L. Gerard
The President's Daughter by Jack Higgins
The Devil's Bed by William Kent Krueger
The First Lady Murders, edited by Nancy Pickard
Murder and the First Lady; Murder at the President's Door (and other novels) By Elliot Roosevelt
Murder in the White House (and other novels) by Margaret Truman
They've Shot the President's Daughter by Edward Stewart

Other
The President's Mind, The 20th Day of January by Ted Allbeury
Warriors by Ted Bell
The Kennedy Connection by Dick Belsky
Enslaved by Ron Burns
The Plan by Stephen J. Cannell
Killing Time by Caleb Carr
The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen L. Carter
First Strike by Ben Coes
Ex Officio by Timothy Culver (Donald Westlake)
The President's Vampire, Blood Bath by Christopher Farnsworth
FDR's Treasure, Lincoln's Hand by Joel Fox
The President's Henchman, The Next President by Joseph Flynn
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
By Order of the President by W.E.B. Griffin
Julie Hyzy's White House Chef series
Spin Doctor by M.C. Lewis
The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer
The First Patient by Michael Palmer
Treason at Hanford by Scott Parker
Keeping House by Tucker and Richard Phillips
Acts of Mercy by Bill Pronzini and Barry Malzberg
Love, Lust, and Loyalty by Greg Sandora
The President's Daugther by Mariah Stewart
Ghosts of War by Brad Taylor
Put a Lid on It by Donald Westlake
President Lincoln's Spy by Steven Wilson

An Anthology
Mr President, Private Eye, edited by Martin H. Greenberg. Different historical presidents in the role of sleuth

Abraham Lincoln Mysteries
Abraham Lincoln: Detective by Allen Appel
A Night of Horrors: A Historical Thriller about the 24 Hours of Lincoln's Assassination by John C. Berry
The Impeachment of Lincoln by Stephen L. Carter
Lincoln's Hand by Joel Fox
The Lincoln Letter by Gretchen Elassani and Phillip Grizzell
Lincoln's Diary by DL Fowler
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
The Assassin's Accomplice by Kate Clifford Larson
The Lincoln Letter by William Martin
The Lincoln Secret by John A. McKinsey
The First Assassin by John J. Miller
The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy L. O'Brien
The Murder of Willie Lincoln by Burt Solomon
The Cosgrove Report: Being the Private Inquiry of a Pinkerton Detective into the Death of President Lincoln by G.J.A. O'Toole
President Lincoln's Secret, President Lincoln's Spy by Steven Wilson

Cartoon of the Day: Yoga Positions We'd Like to See

Maine Crime Wave: June 1-3

Friday, June 1 
DOUGLAS PRESTON honored with the 2018 CrimeMaster Award and all new kick-off Crime Wave panels—free and open to the public.

Friday, June 2 
A daylong mystery writer’s conference includes panel discussions, theme-specific craft sessions, and more.

Keynote Speaker Legendary defense attorney F. Lee Bailey

Presenters William D. Andrews, Jen Blood, Gerry Boyle, Richard J. Cass, Bruce Robert Coffin, Julia Spencer Fleming, Kate Flora, Elizabeth Hand, Chris Holm, Katrina Niidas Holm, Celia Johnson, Shannon Kirk, Gayle Lynds, Sandra Neilly, Barbara Ross, Frank O Smith, Lea Wait, and more.

Panel Topics “Publishing: Self, Indie, Tradition”; “ Conflict is the Hear of Drama”; “Sex, Booze, and Violence”; “Reviewers Reveal”; and more.

In coming weeks, we’ll announce more presenters, more panel topics and the instructors of this year’s breakout craft sessions.

---

Early Bird Registration
Friday, February 16 – Friday, March 2 → Register now

General registration will run from Saturday, March 3 to May 21

Cartoon of the Day: Cats

Happy Caturday!

NOIR CITY: DENVER

The Film Noir Foundation will be partnering with the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Littleton, Colorado, to present the first NOIR CITY: Denver, March 23 - 25, 2018, a three-day festival featuring ten films.

FNF founder and president Eddie Muller will have a special co-host at this festival—legendary crime fiction author (and FNF Advisory Council member) James Ellroy, who will co-program the festival with the Czar of Noir.

The schedule for NOIR CITY: Denver is being finalized now, and will be announced on the Alamo's website soon.

Upcoming Noir City Dates:

NOIR CITY Seattle: February 16-22, 2018
NOIR CITY Denver: March 23-25, 2018
NOIR CITY Hollywood: April 13-22, 2018
NOIR CITY Austin: May 18-20, 2018 
NOIR CITY Boston: June 8-10, 2018 
NOIR CITY Chicago: August 17-23, 2018
NOIR CITY Detroit: September 2018 dates TBD
NOIR CITY D.C: October 2018 dates TBD

Cartoon of the Day: Green Eggs and Ham

Chinese New Year Mysteries / Chinese New Year Crime Fiction

恭賀發財 Gung Hay Fat Choy! This is the Year of the Dog.

I've put together Chinese New Year Mystery Lists for the past few years, as well as some titles (scroll down) that take place in China and Taiwan, not necessarily during the New Year. As always, I welcome any additions.

CHINESE NEW YEAR MYSTERIES

Year of the Dog; Red Jade by Henry Chang 
Year of the Dragon by Robert Daley 
Neon Dragon by John Dobbyn
Dim Sum Dead by Jerrilyn Farmer 
The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen
Chop Suey by Ty Hutchison

The Skull Cage Key by Michael Marriott
The Shanghai Moon by S.J. Rozan
City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley
The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee by Robert Van Gulik (7th Century China) "New Year's Eve in Lan-Fang"

Short story by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer: "The Lady Fish Mystery", EQMM, September/October 1996.
The Nancy Drew Notebooks: The Chinese New Year Mystery by Carolyn Keene
The New Year Dragon Dilemma by Ron Roy

A good reference book for contemporary crime fiction in China: Chinese Justice, the Fiction: Law and Literature in Modern China by Jeffrey C. Kinkley (Stanford University Press)

Not specifically about Chinese New Year, here's a short list of mysteries set in China and Taiwan:

Ralph Arnote, Hong Kong, China
Biggers, Earl Derr, Charlie Chan: The House Without a Key, The Chinese Parrot, Behind the Curtain, The Black Camel, Keeper of the Keys
Lisa Brackmann, Rock Paper Tiger, Hour of the Ram
Adam Brookes, Night Heron
Koonchung Chan, The Fat Years 
Henry Chang, Chinatown Beat, Year of the Dog, Red Jade
Yin-Lien C. Chin, The "Stone Lion" and Other Chinese Detective Stories
Stephen Coonts, Hong Kong
Charles Cumming, Typhoon
Franklin M. Davis, Jr., Secret: Hong Kong
Chris Emmett, Hong Kong Policeman
Paul French, Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China
Jim Michael Hansen, Bad Laws
Chan Ho-Kei, The Borrowed, The Locked Room of Bluebeard, The Man Who Sold the World, 13.67
Mara Hvistendahl, And The City Swallowed Them
Carolyn Keene, The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (Nancy Drew #38). Yes, Nancy goes to Hong Kong!
He Jiahong, The Madwoman; Crime De Sang
Keene, Carolyn, The Chinese New Year Mystery (Nancy Drew Notebooks Book 39)
S.G. Kiner, The Hong Kong Connection
D.L. Kung, The End of May Road
Diane Wei Liang, The Eye of Jade
Ed Lin, Ghost Month
John L. Mariotti, The Chinese Conspiracy
Paul Mason, Rare Earth
Peter May, The Firemaker, The Killing Room, Chinese Whispers, The Firemaker
Nicole Mones, A Cup of Light
Xiaolong Qiu, Death of a Red Heroine, A Loyal Character Dancer, When Red is Black, A Case of Two Cities, Red Mandarin Dress, The Mao Case, Don't Cry, Tai Lake; Enigma of China, Shanghai Redemption
Catherine Sampson, The Pool of Unease
Lisa See, Flower Net, Dragon Bones, The Interior
Deborah Shlian, Rabbit in the Moon
Wang Shuo, Playing for Thrills
Robert Stewart, The Last Bowl of Tea
Eric Stone, Shanghaied
Nury Vittachi, The Feng Shui Detective
A.Yi, A Perfect Crime
Christopher West, Death of a Blue Lantern
Zhi Wen, Salvation at Knife's Edge
Kate Whitehead, Hong Kong Murders
Don Winslow, Shibumi (o.k., only part of the action is in China, but I love this novel!)
David Wise, Tiger Trap
Chen Xiaoquing, Sherlock in Shanghai
Qiu Xiaolong, Death of a Red Heroine

Here's a wonderful blog on Writing in China by Bertrand Mialaret (in French) http://www.mychinesebooks.com/

Cartoon of the Day: Cat Valentine

Thanks, Jayna Monroe, for this appropriate to the day (and cats!) Valentine Comic.

SWEETHEART SLEUTHS for Valentine's Day!

A List of Sweetheart Sleuths for Valentine's Day! I've updated this list with 'couples' every year. I'm sure you have more. Make a comment with author and sweetheart sleuths, so I can update the list. In the meantime, here's some great reading for Valentine's Day!

SWEETHEART SLEUTHS 

Alexander, Tasha: Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves
Allen, Conrad: Genevieve Masefield and George Dillman Porter
Allingham, Margery: Albert Campion and Amanda Fitton
Arnold, Margot: Tobias Glendower and Penelope Spring
Bell, Albert: Michael Harrington and Corie Foster
Billheimer, John: Owen Allison and ex-wife Judith
Borthwick, J. S.: Sarah Dean and Alex McKenzie
Bowen, Michael: Rep and Melissa Pennyworth
Bowen, Rhys: Molly Murphy and Daniel Sullivan; Lady Georgie and Darcy O'Mara
Burke, Jan: Irene Kelly and Frank Harriman
Carlson, P. M.: Maggie and Nick Ryan
Chappell, Helen: Holly and Sam Westcott
Charles, Kate: Lucy Kingsley and David Middleton-Brown
Christie, Agatha: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford
Cockey, Tim: Hitchcock Sewell and ex-wife Julia Finney
Craig, Alisa Dittany Henbit and Osbert Monk, Madoc and Jane Rhys
Crane, Frances: Pat and Jean Abbot
Crombie, Deborah: Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James
Curzon, Claire: Mike Yeadings and Rosemary Zyczynski
Davis, Krista: Sophie Winston, domestic diva, and Detective Wolf
Evanovich, Janet: Stephanie Plum and Joe Morelli—or Ranger—or Diesel—or not
Finch, Charles: Charles Lennox and Lady Jane Grey
George, Elizabeth: Inspector Lynley and Sergeant Havers
Gordon, Alan: Jester Feste and wife Viola, late of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”
Greenwood, Kerry: Corinna Chapman and Daniel Cohen
Granger, Ann: Alan Markby and Meredith Mitchell
Haddam, Jane: Gregor Demarkian and Bennis Hannaford (this one’s a stretch)
Ham, Lorie: Alexandra Waters and Stephen Carlucci
Hammett, Dashiell: Nick and Nora Charles
Handler, David: Mitch Berger and state policewoman Desiree Mitry
Harrington, Jonathan: C. J. and Bridge
Hart, Carolyn: Max and Annie Darling
Kay, Arlene: Eja Kane and Deming Swann
Iakovou, Takis: and Judy Nick and Julia Lambro
Kellerman, Faye: Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus
Kelly, Susan B.: Alison Hope and Nick Trevelyan
Kelner, Toni L. P.: Laurie Ann and Richard Fleming
Kenney, Susan: Roz Howard and Alan Stewart
King, Laurie R.: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
Levinson, R. S.: Neil Gulliver and Stevie Marriner
Lindquist, N. J.: Paul Manziuk and Jacqueline Ryan
Lockridge, Frances and Richard: Pam and Jerry North
Lupoff, Richard: Hobart Lindsay and Marvia Plum
MacLeod, Charlotte: Max and Sarah Kelling Bittersohn, Peter and Helen Shandy
McBride, Susan: Maggie Ryan and John Phillips
McCafferty, Barbara Taylor & Herald, Beverly: Bert & Nan Tatum
McDermid, Val: Tony Hill and Carol Jordan
McGown, Jill: Chief Inspector Danny Lloyd and Inspector Judy Hill
Maron, Margaret: Deborah Knott and Dwight Bryant
Marsh, Ngaio: Roderick Alleyn and Agatha Troy
Matthews, Alex: Cassidy McCabe, Zack
Maxwell, A. & E.: Fiora and Fiddler
Moyes, Patricia: Emmie and Henry Tibbetts
Newman, Sharan: Catherine Levendeur and husband Edgar
Paige, Robin: Charles and Kate Sheridan
Palmer, Stuart: Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper
Pears, Iain: Flavia Di Stefano and Jonathan Argyle
Perry, Anne: Thomas and Charlotte Pitt
Peters, Elizabeth: Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson, Ramses and Nefret,Vicky Bliss and John Smith
Pickard, Nancy: Jenny Cain and Geoffrey Bushfield
Pomidor, Bill: Drs. Calista and Plato Marley
Raybourn,  Deanna: Nichloas Brisbane and Lady Julia Grey
Robb, J.D.: Eve Dallas and Roark
Roos, Kelley: Jeff and Haila Tory
Rozan, S. J.: Bill Smith and Lydia Chin
Rubino, Jane: Cat Austen and Victor Cardenas
Sale, Medora: John Sanders and Harriet Jeffries
Saulnier, Beth: Alex Bernier and Brian Cody
Sayers, Dorothy L.: Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane
Schumacher, Aileen: Tory Peters and David Alvarez
Smith, Charles Merrill: Reverend Con Randollph and Samantha Stack
Spencer-Fleming, Julia: Claire Ferguson and Russ Van Alstyne
Thompson, Victoria: Sarah Brandt and Detective Frank Molloy
Whitney, Polly: Ike and Abby
Wilhelm, Kate: Charlie Meiklejohn and Constance Leidl
Wright, L. R.: Karl Alberg, RCMP, and Cassandra Mitchell

Cartoon of the Day: Valentine's Day Arrest

Bill Crider: R.I.P.

Art Scott and Bill Crider 2017

Bill Crider was a special guy--a fine writer, a good man, a clever and funny person. He brought much joy to so many through his writing and his friendships. R.I.P., Alligator Man.

Bill Crider was a wonderful man, author, fan, and collector. He won the Edgar, the Macavity, the Anthony, and the Shamus Awards, and probably others I've missed. Quiet, with a dry wit, warm, a true gentleman, Bill has charmed and entertained readers and friends over the years. I've known him 30+ years through DapaEm, Bouchercon, and MDM. His posts of the adventures of the VBKs have kept us all smiling on Facebook. His encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture is astounding. Bill was always a class act and a true Renaissance man. I'm glad I was able to spend time with him this summer and at Bouchercon in Toronto. 

My condolences go out to his family, friends, and everyone who knew him. He was a very special guy! He will be missed.

The Marsh King's Daughter on the Big Screen!

I posted this great news on my personal page on Facebook, but wanted to let readers of my blog know that The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne will be coming to the big screen with Oscar winner Alicia Vikander playing the lead role. So exciting!

From Deadline:
The scripted adaptation is by Elle Smith and The Revenant scribe Mark L. Smith. Vikander will play Helena Petterier, who on the surface leads an ideal life with a great husband and a young daughter. She keeps secret her shocking backstory: her mother was kidnapped as a teen, and she was the product of the relationship between captive and tormentor. She lives for 12 years in a life carefully controlled by her kidnapper/father, until he was caught and sent to prison. An escape that leaves two prison guards dead forces her to confront her secret history and she becomes determined to bring down her father, who gave her all the tools she will need. He is the one called the Marsh King, the man who kept a woman and her young daughter captive in the wilderness for years. Sensing the danger this monster poses for her husband and young daughter, she vows to hunt him down. Vikander will be next seen in action mode as she plays Lara Croft in Tomb Raider.

Can't wait! Congratulations, Karen!

MARDI GRAS Crime Fiction //MARDI GRAS Mysteries

Tomorrow is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras or Carnivale, whatever you call it, is a great setting for Murder! Busy streets, crowds, costumes, drinking.. mix it all together, and you have a recipe for the perfect crime novel.

Here's my updated list of Mardi Gras Mysteries. As always, I welcome additional titles, additions and omissions.

MARDI GRAS MYSTERIES

Mardi Gras Murder, edited by Sarah Glenn
The Mardi Gras Mystery by Henry Bedford-Jones
Death Visits Mardi Gras by J.J. Boortz
Cake on a Hot Tin Roof, A Sheetcake Named Desire by Jacklyn Brady
Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite
Fat Tuesday, Sunny Chandler's Return by Sandra Brown
Purple Cane Road, Dixie City Jam, The Tin Roof Blowdown, Creole Belle by James Lee Burke
Mardi Gras Murder: A Cajun Country Mystery by Ellen Byron
Gumbo Justice, Jambalaya Justice by Holli Castillo 
The Secret of the Other Mother by Laura Cayouette

Murder Comes to Mardi Gras, Death Swatch, Keepsake Crimes, Death by Design by Laura Childs
Fat Tuesday Fricassee by J.J. Cook (Children)
Havana Storm by Clive Cussler
Mardi Gras Murders by Nicole Daines and Robert Daines
The Mardi Gras Murders by Ricardo S. Dubois
No Mardi Gras for the Dead by D.J. Donaldson
Shelter from the Storm by Tony Dunbar
Fat Tuesday by Earl Emerson
The Big Uneasy-Terror Strikes Mardi Gras by Murray C. Fincher
The Unknown Terrorist by Richard Flanagan
Carnaval Capers by Jody Ford
Carnival by Charlotte Foryan
Venetian Mask by Mickey Friedman
Jass, Rampart Street by David Fulmer
Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran
Mardi Grad Madness: Stories of Murder and Mayhem in New Orleans, edited by Martin Harry Greenberg
A Free Man of Color, Fever Season, Sold Down the River by Barbara Hambly
Mardi Gras Mambo; The Orion Mask by Greg Herren
A Thin Dark Line by Tami Hoag
Mind Games by Polly Iyer
The Mardi Gras Mystery by H. Bedford-Jones
The Mardi Gras Mystery; The Mardi Gras Masquerade by Carolyn Keene
Storm Damage by Ed Kovacs
Murder at the Mardi Gras by Linda Kozar
The Mardi Gras Murders by Gwen Bristow & Bruce Manning
Mardi Gras Madness by Ken Mask
The Gay Mardi Gras Murders by Sylvia Massara
Mardi Gras Eyes by Phyllis Morris
Masques by Bill Pronzini
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins
Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts
Mardi Gras Murders by Phillip Scott
New Orleans Mourning by Julie Smith
New Orleans Noir, edited by Julie Smith (Akashic Books)
A Diamond Before You Die by Chris Wiltz

Carnivale in Brazil:
The Lost Manuscript by Rubem Fonseca

To celebrate Fat Tuesday, you might want to have some Chocolate Chip Pancakes or Chocolate  Pecan Pie or Chocolate "Cupped" Cakes with Coffee & Chicory. If you're celebrating Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama, or along the Gulf Coast, have a Moon Pie. Read more here. They're a favorite 'throw' in Mobile.

Cartoon of the Day: VALENTINE'S DAY DOG TRIAL

Jeffery Deaver: Writing Commercial Fiction Master Class

Join Mystery Writers of America NorCal for a Master Class on Writing Commercial Fiction with Jeffery Deaver.

March 10, 2018, 10 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. in Oakland, CA

This event is FREE but exclusive to MWA NorCal members. Of course, you can join MWA!

MWA President Jeffery Deaver will teach an all-day Master Class on Writing Commercial Fiction!

Lunch, conversation, handouts, a lecture on specific goals and techniques—this is a way to put your career into high gear. (And, Jeff is just a fabulous person!)

Sign up here.

Sujata Massey attended Jeffery Deaver's Workshop in Bethesda. Read her comments here.

Cartoon of the Day: The Diagnosis

Happy Caturday!

Cartoon of the Day: The Perfect Spy

Cartoon of the Day: The Book Signing

Murder at the Olympics: An Olympics Crime Fiction list!

The Winter Olympics starts today! It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Olympics have been filled with drug scandals, sexual intrigue, disappearing athletes, death and theft! So the Olympics have played a very important part in crime fiction and in true crime. Here's my updated Olympics Mystery List (both Summer and Winter Olympics). As always, let me know any titles I've missed.

Murder at the Olympics

Skate Crime and On Think Ice by Alina Adams
Rush for the Gold by Susan Carol Anderson (YA)
Olympic Sleeper by Tom Barling
Echo of the Reich by James Becker
2012 Olympic Sabotage by D.M. Blowers
Mrs Hudson's Olympic Triumph by Barry S. Brown
A Game of Lies by Rebecca Cantrell
40 Days 40 Nights by Wendy Cartmell
Bear Pit by Jon Cleary
Gold by Chris Cleave
Sacred Games by Gary Corby
The Rat Catchers' Olympics by Colin Cotterill
No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie
Typhoon by Charles Cummings
See Delphi and Die by Lindsey Davis
Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver
Time Heals No Wounds by Hendrik Falkenberg
Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics by John Feinstein (YA)
Beyond Gold by Elaine Forder
Trial Run by Dick Francis
The Blue Fence by Jonathan Hales
Olympic Sacrifice by John Hocutt
Terror-Olympic Size by George L. Hoffman
Flight from Berlin by David John
March Violets, If the Dead Rise Not by Phillip Kerr
Going for the Gold by Emma Lathen
Golden Girl by Peter Lear (Peter Lovesey) 
Olympia '36 by John Lee
The Bomber by Liza Marklund
Peril is My Pay by Stephen Marlowe
The Runner by Peter May
One or the Other by John McFetridge
Nightmare in Nagano; Murder at the Winter Games by Roy MacGregor
Dragon Games by Stephen Mertz

An Olympic Death; Off Side by Manuel Vazquez Montalban
Olympic Nemesis by James Morley
A Medal of Honor by John Morton
A Private Business by Barbara Nadel
The Judas Goat; Carol Heiss Olympic Queen by Robert B. Parker
Target America: Terror at the 2002 Olympics by Frederick W. Parkins
See How They Run by James Patterson 
The Games: A Private Novel by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
Death Spiral by Meredith Phillips
Olympic Fusion by Scott Pickard
The Runner by Christopher Reich
Death was in the Blood by Linda L. Richards
Hartliss Protector (Assignment: Prince William at the Olympics) by Mike Scantlebury
Black Rain by David Shone
Red Snow by Michael Slade
The Eighth Day by Alistair Smith
Geronimo and the Gold Medal Mystery by Geronimo Stilton  (YA)
Rogue Agent by Sean Sweeney
Lestrade and the Deadly Game by M.J. Trow
The Perfect Blindside by Leslea Wahl
Summer Games: An Olympic Murder Mystery by Sabrina Wylly
Not Just a Game by Doug Zipes

Non-Fiction:  
Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas